Theme Number 59 The Storm and the Shipwreck (cont.)

"The situation of the ship on the fifteenth morning," painted by H. Smartly, engraved by H. Adlard. From James Smith, The Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul (1880 edition), page 140.

Act 27:20  Then, when for several days neither sun nor stars were seen and the terrific gale still harassed us, the last ray of hope was now vanishing.

Act 27:21  When for a long time they had taken but little food, Paul, standing up among them, said, "Sirs, you ought to have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete. You would then have escaped this suffering and loss.

Act 27:22  But now take courage, for there will be no destruction of life among you, but of the ship only.

Act 27:23  For there stood by my side, last night, an angel of the God to whom I belong, and whom also I worship,

Act 27:24  and he said, "'Dismiss all fear, Paul, for you must stand before Caesar; and God has granted you the lives of all who are sailing with you.'

Act 27:25  "Therefore, Sirs, take courage; for I believe God, and am convinced that things will happen exactly as I have been told.WNT

Saying, fear not, Paul,.... For though the apostle knew and believed he should go to Rome, and appear before Caesar, to whom he had appealed, and where he should bear a testimony for Christ; and though he had previous notice of this storm, and of the loss and damage which should be sustained, and which he expected; yet the flesh was weak, and he might be under some fears and misgivings of heart, for these sometimes attend the best of men. J.Gill

Thou must be brought before Caesar; as has been declared, and therefore cannot be lost in this storm; it is the will and decree of God, which cannot be frustrated, it must be:

and lo, God has given thee all them that sail with thee; that is, God had determined to save the whole ship's company for his sake, and in answer to his prayers, which he had been putting up for them; the Lord had heard him, and granted his request, and would save them all on his account: so sometimes God saves a nation, a city, a body of men, even of ungodly men, for the sake of a few that fear his name, who are among them.J.Gill

Act 27:26  But we are to be stranded on a certain island."

Act 27:27  It was now the fourteenth night, and we were drifting through the Sea of Adria, when, about midnight, the sailors suspected that land was close at hand.

Act 27:28  So they hove the lead and found twenty fathoms of water; and after a short time they hove again and found fifteen fathoms. (And sounding they found it twenty fathoms; and moving a little further, and sounding again, they found it fifteen fathoms.MKJV)

Act 27:29  Then for fear of possibly running on rocks, they threw out four anchors from the stern and waited impatiently for daylight. WNT

Two full weeks had passed, and the storm showed no sign of weakening. No one had seen the sun, the moon, or the stars for many days (verse 20). Since ancient sailors navigated by the heavens, this meant they had no idea where they were. The ship was being driven about at the mercy of the wind. All hope of survival was gone. When all human hope is gone, the stage has been set for our omnipotent God to intervene.

Have you ever noticed how often God brings men to this point before He intervenes? God promised an elderly couple they would have a son, and then waited 25 years to make certain that this would be a miracle. But that child – Isaac – was born, just as God said (Genesis 12-21). God put Israel between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, so that there appeared to be no way out. Only then did God part the sea, so that the Israelites passed through on dry ground (Exodus 13:17—14:31). God instructed Gideon to reduce his warriors from 32,000 to 300 men, and then ordered him to wage war on the Midianites, who were as numerous as “the sand on the seashore” (Judges 7:12). Needless to say, God gave Gideon the victory. King Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem were surrounded by the Assyrian army. They were hopelessly outnumbered, but the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 in one night, and thus the army withdrew and went home (Isaiah 36-37). God loves impossible situations, because when He does the impossible, no man can lay claim to any part of the glory that belongs only to Him. Bible.org

Act 27:34  Therefore I beg you to take some food, for this is for your deliverance. For not a hair of your head shall perish.

Act 27:35  And saying these things, and taking bread, he gave thanks to God before all, and breaking, he began to eat.

Act 27:36  And all becoming cheered, they also took food.

Act 27:37  And we were, all the souls in the ship, two hundred and seventy-six.

Act 27:38  And being filled with food, they lightened the ship, throwing the wheat into the sea.

Act 27:39  And when day came, they did not recognize the land. But they discovered a certain bay with a beach, into which they were minded, if they were able, to drive the ship.

Act 27:40  And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea; at the same time they loosened the rudder bands and hoisted up the foresail to the wind and held to the shore.

Act 27:41  And coming on a place between two seas, they drove the vessel. And indeed the prow sticking fast, it remained unmovable. But the stern was broken with the violence of the waves.

Act 27:42  And the mind of the soldiers was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out and escape.

Act 27:43  But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, kept them from their purpose and commanded those who could swim, to throw themselves overboard, to go out on the land.

Act 27:44  And the rest went, some on boards and others on some of the things from the ship. And so it happened that all were saved on the land.

Theme Number 24 Contents: Peter opens the gospel door to the Gentiles.

l

Cornelius and the Ange

Acts 10:1-48

1) Cornelius sends for Peter and Peter goes to Caesarea.
Act 10:1  In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, who was the captain of a group of soldiers called "The Italian Unit."
Act 10:2  Cornelius was a very religious man. He worshiped God, and so did everyone else who lived in his house. He had given a lot of money to the poor and was always praying to God.
Act 10:3  One afternoon at about three o'clock, Cornelius had a vision. He saw an angel from God coming to him and calling him by name.
Act 10:4  Cornelius was surprised and stared at the angel. Then he asked, "What is this all about?" The angel answered, "God has heard your prayers and knows about your gifts to the poor.
Act 10:5  Now send some men to Joppa for a man named Simon Peter.

Notes:This chapter Acts 10 commences a very important part of the history of the transactions of the apostles. Before this, they had preached the gospel to the Jews only. They seemed to have retained the feelings of their countrymen on this subject, that the Jews were to be regarded as the especially favored people, and that salvation was not to be offered beyond the limits of their nation. It was important, indeed, that the gospel should be offered to them first; but the whole tendency of the Christian religion was to enlarge and liberalize the mind; to overcome the narrow policy and prejudices of the Jewish people; and to diffuse itself over all the nations of the earth. In various ways, and by various parables, the Saviour had taught the apostles, indeed, that his gospel should he spread among the Gentiles. He had commanded them to go and preach it to every creature, Mar_16:15. But he had told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high, Luk_24:49.
It was natural, therefore, that they should receive special instructions and divine revelation on a point so important as this; and God selected the case of Cornelius as the instance by which he would fully establish his purpose of conveying the gospel to the Gentile world. Barnes Notes.


Cornelius sends to Joppa to Call Peter
Peter was a typical Jew in that they would not enter the home of a gentile (non-Jew) nor eat with them. So for the Gospel to break out from its Jewish confines,  a change of mentality was needed.  The Lord repeated the vision three times so that Peter really understood.

Act 10:8  He explained everything to them and sent them off to Joppa.
Act 10:9  The next day about noon these men were coming near Joppa. Peter went up on the roof of the house to pray
Act 10:10  and became very hungry. While the food was being prepared, he fell sound asleep and had a vision.
Act 10:11  He saw heaven open, and something came down like a huge sheet held up by its four corners.
Act 10:12  In it were all kinds of animals, snakes, and birds.
Act 10:13  A voice said to him, "Peter, get up! Kill these and eat them."
Act 10:14  But Peter said, "Lord, I can't do that! I've never eaten anything that is unclean and not fit to eat." (anything that is common and unclean. )

The Sheet let down from heaven

I have never eaten ... - In the Old Testament God had made a distinction between clean and unclean animals. See Lev. 11:2-27; Deut. 14:3-20. This law remained in the Scriptures, and Peter pled that he had never violated it, implying that he could not now violate it, as it was a law of God, and that, as it was unrepealed, he did not dare to act in a different manner from what it required.
That is common - This word properly denotes “what pertains to all,” but among the Jews, who were bound by special laws, and who were prohibited from many things that were freely indulged in by other nations, the word “common” came to be opposed to the word “sacred,” and to denote what was in common use among the pagans, hence, that which was “profane,” or “polluted.” Here it means the same as “profane,” or “forbidden.”
Unclean - Ceremonially unclean; that is, what is forbidden by the ceremonial law of Moses.

Act 10:15  The voice spoke to him again, "When God says that something can be used for food, don't say it isn't fit to eat."
Act 10:16  This happened three times before the sheet was suddenly taken back to heaven.
Act 10:17  Peter was still wondering what all of this meant, when the men sent by Cornelius came and stood at the gate. They had found their way to Simon's house
Act 10:18  and were asking if Simon Peter was staying there.
Act 10:19  While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Three men are here looking for you.
Act 10:20  Hurry down and go with them. Don't worry, I sent them."
Act 10:21  Peter went down and said to the men, "I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?"

Applications.
1. Cornelius was a faithful, God fearing man who worshipped God and prayed and gave alms.
2. God rewarded his faith by sending an angel to Him to instruct him.
3. Peter is prepared to go to a gentiles home via a Vision.