Through The Storms - Dr. Frederick K. Price - August 20th, 2023
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00:00 Let's make our way to Matthew chapter 8 verse 18.
00:10 Matthew 8, 18.
00:13 Want to deviate from our message today.
00:18 Hope you guys are okay with that.
00:21 Through the storms.
00:24 That's our lesson for today.
00:31 And I was able to make some observations by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
00:36 Just going to look in three places, but we're going to spend a nice amount of time in these
00:41 places, beginning first with Matthew 8 verse 18.
00:48 When you have it, say I have it.
00:51 Okay.
00:54 It says, "And when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave a command to depart."
01:02 To where?
01:05 To where?
01:09 And did we just read that he gave an idea or a suggestion?
01:15 What did you say it was?
01:17 He gave a command in order to do what? To depart to the other side.
01:24 Okay, if Jesus commands us to go to the other side, where are we going?
01:32 Okay.
01:33 It says, "Then a certain scribe came and said to him, 'Teacher, I'll follow you wherever
01:38 you go.'
01:40 Jesus said, 'Are you sure about that?'
01:44 He says to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man
01:52 has nowhere to lay his head.'
01:58 Then another of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.'
02:06 But Jesus said to him, 'Follow me and let the dead bury their own dead.'"
02:13 Let's address this last part first.
02:15 You've actually been talking about this the past two sessions at Tuesday Night Bible Study.
02:24 Jesus makes a unique statement here.
02:27 As a matter of fact, I'm curious as to how this can be pulled off being that the dead
02:36 are just that, dead.
02:39 "Therefore, how can the dead bury the dead?"
02:44 That's what Jesus said.
02:45 He said, "Follow me," he said, "and let the dead bury their own dead."
02:50 We'd have to ask ourselves the question, how is that even possible?
02:53 Well, clearly Jesus is not talking about the physically dead.
02:58 It only makes sense that he's referring to those separated from God or those who are
03:02 what?
03:03 Spiritually dead.
03:05 Let the spiritually dead bury their own.
03:09 Let the spiritually alive bury their own.
03:15 But then here in verse 20, after the certain scribe says, "I'll follow you wherever you
03:19 go," Jesus responds with, "The holes of the fox and the nests of the birds, but that he
03:29 has nowhere to lay his head."
03:32 What was Jesus saying here?
03:34 Was Jesus saying that he was poor and broke and had nowhere to go 24/7?
03:42 That couldn't be what Jesus was saying based on what else we discover in the gospel accounts.
03:49 No, Jesus was making a very particular point to this certain scribe to make sure that this
03:59 certain scribe truly wants to follow Jesus wherever he goes.
04:07 So what does Jesus say?
04:08 He says, he says, "The foxes have a home, their holes.
04:14 The birds have a home, their nests."
04:19 Jesus says, "I left my home to come here.
04:24 And I didn't come here to set up and live out a lengthy life.
04:32 I didn't come here to buy property.
04:33 I didn't come here for real estate.
04:37 I came on a specific mission and that specific mission has me on the move and the go constantly.
04:45 So know that if you follow me, don't look forward to a specific hole or nest to lay
04:52 your head down in every night because we're constantly on the move.
05:00 In addition to that, what is Jesus telling us?
05:03 That while this Christian life has many highs and while there are many pleasures and benefits
05:10 to this Christian life, this kingdom life, also what comes with it are some discomforts
05:17 and some persecutions.
05:19 Just comes with the territory.
05:21 He's letting this certain scribe know that if you want to follow me, this is where we're
05:26 headed because this is where I'm headed.
05:29 But Jesus was not saying he didn't have anywhere to sleep because in a few scriptures, we're
05:34 about to read a place where he was taking a nap.
05:37 And in order to take a nap, you lay in your head somewhere.
05:41 Now some of you, I don't know how you do it.
05:43 You know how to sleep standing up, leaning against nothing.
05:48 But for us regular folk, we've got to lay our head, we've got to lean our head against
05:52 something.
05:53 Okay.
05:55 Look at verse 23.
05:56 It says, "Now when he got into a boat, his disciples followed him."
06:01 Remember, he already told them, as a matter of fact, he already gave the command to do
06:09 what?
06:11 Go to the other side.
06:13 So when he gets into this boat, his disciples follow him and suddenly, almost like the report
06:21 of this hurricane, Ms. Hillary, suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea.
06:36 Now this word tempest is the Greek word seismos.
06:40 And so you already can hear from that word, many of the English words that come from this
06:45 word, from this specific Greek word, seismology, seismograph.
06:50 And when we're talking about seismologists and seismology and seismographs, normally
06:57 that refers to what?
06:59 Earthquakes, but not limited to earthquakes, right?
07:03 Great volcanoes as well.
07:05 Anything that quakes, anything that shakes.
07:10 Seismos is, it has the definition of a commotion, right?
07:15 A disturbance.
07:17 But in this particular case, it's not a disturbance in the earth.
07:23 It's not a commotion in the ground, but it's a disturbance in the air.
07:29 Thunder can be likened to a sky quake.
07:32 You ever heard thunder?
07:33 Doesn't thunder sound like an earthquake in the sky?
07:37 An earthquake in the air?
07:39 The sky is quaking.
07:42 Planes can shake and experience severe turbulence when thunder rolls in the sky.
07:48 So this tempest, this seismos was a commotion or disturbance of the air.
07:54 It was a gale.
07:55 We've heard of gale force winds.
07:58 But it wasn't a commotion, as I said, of the ground, but a commotion of the air.
08:05 And notice that the Scripture says this was a great tempest.
08:11 Not a regular one, but a great one.
08:13 Suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea so that the boat was what?
08:18 Covered.
08:20 Covered with waves.
08:23 I've been on a boat.
08:24 I've been on a ship where the waves were rocky and the ship is rocking back and—I mean,
08:30 I've been on massive, large ships and the water has that thing rocking back and forth.
08:38 But this says that this tempest was so great that the waves are covering the boat like
08:45 a blanket.
08:46 It sounds to me like this is a storm.
08:52 But notice that verse 24 at the end says, "But he was asleep."
08:59 Now I thought the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head.
09:00 He's laying his head right now.
09:01 As a matter of fact, Mark's account says his head was on a pillow.
09:09 In Mark's account, he tells them, "Let us go to the other side."
09:14 Now if Jesus says, "We're going to the other side," I don't care how big the storm is.
09:22 The Master has already spoken.
09:26 That means that what the Master says circumvents any storm I find myself in.
09:34 And the Master, the Lord, the Savior said, "We're going to the other side."
09:40 Watch this.
09:41 He said—he didn't say it was going to be a smooth ride, but he said, "We're going to
09:45 the other side."
09:46 Verse 25, "Then his disciples came to him and awoke him saying, 'Lord, save us.
09:53 We are what?
09:54 We are perishing.
09:55 We're going to die, Jesus.'
09:59 But he said to them, 'Why are you fearful?
10:04 I don't understand why you're afraid.
10:07 O you of little faith.'"
10:10 It says, "Then he arose, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
10:16 So the men marveled saying, 'Who can this be that even the winds and the sea obey him?'"
10:23 I'd probably respond the same way.
10:26 If this man wakes up from his nap calm, speaks to the wind and the water, and there's a calm
10:32 and a peace.
10:34 But we must ask ourselves the question.
10:37 Why did Jesus ask them, "Why are you fearful?"
10:41 Why did Jesus ask them, "Why are you afraid?"
10:45 Why did Jesus say they had little faith?
10:50 Matter of fact, if you read—if you read Mark's account and Luke's account, Jesus asked,
10:55 "Why is it that you have no faith?"
10:58 In another one, he says, "Where is your faith?"
11:03 But here, reading Matthew's account, he says, "Little faith."
11:07 He says, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"
11:12 Why would he ask him that?
11:13 I mean, obviously, they're afraid because the wind is rough and the waves are boisterous,
11:22 they're covering the boat.
11:24 They figure they're going to die.
11:26 Why then would Jesus ask the question, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"
11:31 Two reasons.
11:34 Reason number one, Mark's gospel account is more chronological.
11:40 So in Mark's account, we find out that before they took this boat ride, he had already given
11:48 his disciples his power.
11:53 He had already given his disciples his authority.
11:57 So his disciples had a measure of his authority.
12:03 Why then would they be—why would I be afraid if I have his authority?
12:08 Why would I be afraid when I can transact kingdom business in this life backed by his
12:15 authority?
12:16 Why would I be afraid?
12:19 The second reason that they should not have been afraid is what?
12:23 Jesus said, "We're going to the other side."
12:30 If we're going to the other side, why would we be afraid?
12:36 Why will we be fearful?
12:38 Somebody going to address that?
12:41 Is it a—it's an emergency, right?
12:45 Okay.
12:46 All right.
12:47 Thanks for the warning.
12:48 You can still turn it off.
12:51 Okay.
12:54 We're not going to be surprised if we get these warnings.
12:58 They've been letting us know for days.
13:01 We're going to be wise, wise people of faith, not foolish people of faith.
13:07 He said, "We're going to the other side."
13:10 Now I know the circumstances seem contrary, but what did the Word say?
13:20 Because if the Word is final and the Word said, "We're going to the other side," I don't
13:24 care how great the tempest is, I don't care how great the disturbance in the air is, we're
13:36 going to the other side.
13:39 So notice that this is not an account where at first the storm ceases.
13:48 Jesus doesn't stop the storm until later, which means that in this life storms will
13:56 come—that's a new edition right there.
13:59 I don't know if you all know about 1988 right there.
14:02 I'm dating myself.
14:03 Anyway.
14:04 Yeah, it was—it just—it kind of just—anyway.
14:12 Can you stand the rain?
14:13 All right.
14:14 Storms will come, but it doesn't mean that that storm is going to take us out.
14:22 Watch this.
14:23 But it also doesn't necessarily mean that immediately that storm is going to depart.
14:27 There—listen, storms come with life.
14:31 You want to know why storms come with life?
14:33 Because we're born in a sin.
14:34 This is a sinful environment.
14:36 So storms and famines and pestilences and annoyances and agitations are a part of life.
14:42 We need to make sure we don't let them run us, lord over us, dictate to us.
14:48 We will not be moved.
14:50 We will not ignore.
14:51 We will not be foolish.
14:54 But we're going to stand on the Word.
14:57 They were in a storm.
14:59 They should not have been concerned about their lives because the embodiment of the
15:04 Word of God said, "We're going to the other side."
15:06 On top of that, that same embodiment of the Word gave them His authority.
15:12 And you and I have the same authority, which means when storms come and we find ourselves
15:18 in them, we should be accessing and activating that authority.
15:23 In addition to that, never forget the words, "We're going to the other side."
15:33 Now go to Matthew 14 because we have another storm.
15:40 Matthew 14.
15:44 And find verse 22.
15:56 I want you to note over in Matthew 8, notice that once again, the storm didn't depart due
16:07 to their complaining, their whining and their fear.
16:16 Not until, watch this, they approached the Word.
16:25 We'll see something similar here.
16:27 Matthew 14, 22, it says, "Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go
16:32 before Him to the other side while He sent the multitudes away."
16:37 Once again, Jesus says, "We're going to the other side."
16:42 It says, "And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself
16:46 to pray."
16:49 Notice in the first account, Jesus is on the boat with them.
16:52 He's asleep.
16:54 Notice in this account, He's not on the boat.
16:58 Now by now, you would think because this is time having moved forward from the previous
17:06 account, they should be a little more skilled and versed in Christ's authority.
17:14 He's not in the boat this time, but He said, "We're going to the other side."
17:18 The purpose of His disciples getting into the boat was to cross over to the other side.
17:23 Look at verse 22 again.
17:24 He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side.
17:28 That was His plan.
17:30 That was His mission, to go to the other side.
17:33 Disciples, you go first.
17:36 Verse 23, "When He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself
17:41 to pray.
17:43 Now when evening came, He was alone there.
17:46 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves," here we go again,
17:54 watch this, "for the wind was contrary."
18:03 The wind was contrary.
18:04 Okay, watch this.
18:06 This word "wind" is the word anemus, and it refers to the four winds of the earth, north,
18:15 south, east, west.
18:17 The word anemus or wind means a violent agitation and stream of air, a violent agitation and
18:29 stream of air, a very strong tempestuous wind.
18:34 What do we read in Matthew 8?
18:36 A great tempest arose.
18:38 Now we're reading that the wind was contrary.
18:41 Oh, but I really need you to grab hold of this.
18:44 Watch this.
18:45 What does contrary mean?
18:47 Oh, I like that, disobedient.
18:51 I heard against.
18:53 I heard opposite.
18:54 Right, disobedient, against, opposite.
18:58 Look at this word in the Greek.
19:01 It means it's antagonistic.
19:05 The contrary wind is antagonizing you.
19:10 It's antagonistic, it's against, it's opposite.
19:14 All of these words are in this definition.
19:16 Oh, but watch this.
19:18 Are you ready?
19:20 Contrary means it's hostile.
19:22 It means it's an opponent.
19:24 It means adversary.
19:29 Satan means adversary.
19:33 Now the word Satan, while we refer to the devil as Satan, as one of his personal names,
19:44 but the word Satan simply means adversary.
19:47 In other words, a person can be a Satan, meaning they're being an adversary.
19:54 So in this case, the wind was being a Satan.
19:58 Let's read it like this.
19:59 Let's read it like this.
20:01 All right?
20:02 Apply this to your life and the things that you go through.
20:05 God's called you to do something.
20:07 That means he wants you to get from destination A to destination Z.
20:11 All right?
20:13 The problem is B through Y are in the middle of A and Z.
20:16 Okay, so look at this.
20:21 Verse 24, "But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the violent
20:27 agitation was Satan."
20:32 That's what the words mean by definition.
20:35 Okay, look at this.
20:37 It says, "Now when the fourth watch," and let me go ahead and define waves as well, right?
20:45 That which topples or swells, billows, curves.
20:50 Figuratively, the word wave can refer to the impulse of a restless man, tossed to and fro
20:59 by their raging passions and insecurities.
21:05 Let me read verse 24 again.
21:06 "But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves."
21:10 Sometimes in life, we're tossed by our own issues.
21:17 And then, while being tossed by our own issues, it doesn't help when there's a violent agitation
21:23 from our opponent.
21:28 This is a case when it's you against you and the devil.
21:37 Verse 25, "Now when the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them walking on the sea."
21:42 It appears that he is walking on the sea just as calmly as he was sleeping through a storm.
21:48 Like, literally, I just imagine Jesus getting up like, walking to the deck, literally seeing
22:02 the storm, yet looking at his disciples like, "What's wrong with y'all?
22:07 Why are you concerned about a storm when I said we're going to the other side?"
22:11 So now, right, he goes to pray by himself.
22:14 He sees the wind is contrary.
22:20 He's calmly walking on water.
22:23 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It's
22:26 a ghost," and they cried out for fear.
22:30 But immediately, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer.
22:34 It is I. Do not be afraid."
22:38 The adversary wouldn't have said that.
22:40 It actually should have been enough for them to believe, in fact, it's Jesus.
22:45 Why?
22:46 Because he said so.
22:48 He said it is I.
22:49 Matter of fact, you know, demons would not—as disrespectful as they are, they're frightened
22:54 of Jesus.
22:55 Demons would not—demons would not imitate the actual Jesus.
23:01 Demons might attempt to come off as a false messiah, but not try to act like they are,
23:08 in fact, Jesus.
23:16 Understand the difference between acting like you're Jesus and masquerading as a false messiah,
23:23 or masquerading as an angel of light or a spirit of light.
23:29 The giveaway is what Jesus said.
23:32 "Be of good cheer.
23:34 It is I. Do not be afraid."
23:38 And Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the
23:45 water."
23:46 See, this is why the Bible says test the spirits, because when you test the spirits, false spirits
23:50 will be exposed.
23:52 They cannot maintain a facade of light.
23:56 They can't maintain it, not when they're truly tested according to the Word of God.
24:04 Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you."
24:08 And Peter, Jesus just said, "It is I."
24:13 So now we're working with a little bit of uncertainty right here.
24:15 "Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water."
24:20 See, false spirits can also do counterfeit signs and wonders.
24:30 So why weren't the first words of Jesus enough?
24:34 No problem.
24:35 Peter says, "If it's you, bid me, command me to come to you on the water."
24:43 Don't forget, ladies and gentlemen, a storm is happening.
24:49 What we're reading, right, Jesus is walking on the water in a storm.
24:52 Jesus is walking on water that is violently agitated by contrary wind.
25:04 When they see him and cry out, "It's a ghost," the storm is going on.
25:08 When he shouts back in the midst of the storm, it is, "I, be of good cheer and do not be
25:14 afraid."
25:15 The storm is still happening.
25:16 When Peter asked the question or makes the request, "If it's you, bid me to come to you,"
25:22 the storm is still occurring.
25:24 Jesus says, "Come," while the storm is still occurring.
25:27 Peter then gets on the water and walks to Jesus while the storm is still occurring.
25:36 Verse 29, "So he said, 'Come.'
25:37 And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus."
25:42 Peter's walking on the same water Jesus is walking on while a storm is happening, while
25:48 there's contrary satanic wind opposing forces, and he's walking on the water while his eyes
25:57 are fixed on Jesus.
26:00 But look at verse 30, "But when he saw…"
26:09 Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, what do you mean, "But when he saw the wind?"
26:17 He already knew there was wind.
26:18 He'd already seen the wind.
26:20 What does this mean, "But when he saw the wind?"
26:23 Focus changed.
26:25 Where was his focus?
26:27 His focus was on Jesus.
26:28 Jesus is synonymous with the Word of God.
26:31 So when my focus is on the Word of God, yeah, I'm aware of the storm, but I'm not moved
26:36 by it, because my focus is on the Word.
26:42 My focus is on the one who said, "We're going to the other side," even if that means we
26:47 go through a storm.
26:51 But when he switched focus, when he saw that the wind was what?
26:57 Boisterous.
27:00 He was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out saying, "Lord, save me."
27:07 And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him, "Oh, you of
27:13 little faith, why did you doubt?"
27:15 So of course, this tells us that little faith will prevent you from seeking immediately.
27:23 It says beginning to…
27:24 How do you begin to sink?
27:27 First off, how do you walk on water?
27:30 Then how do you begin to sink?
27:33 The moment I jump into the water, there's not a process by which my toes hit the water
27:38 and I begin to be submerged.
27:41 It's immediate.
27:43 This says begin…
27:44 He's beginning to sink.
27:48 What caused the beginning to sink?
27:52 Little faith.
27:53 No faith would have caused him to sink immediately.
27:55 Little faith caused him to begin to sink.
27:58 So what would great faith have done?
28:00 Kept him on top of the water.
28:04 Beginning to sink, he cried out saying, "Lord, save me."
28:06 And Jesus immediately stretches out his hand, catches him and says to him, "Oh, you of
28:11 little faith, why did you doubt?"
28:13 According to Mark 11:23, doubt and faith cannot occupy the same space.
28:18 They can't.
28:19 It says, "And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased."
28:23 So mind you, the storm is still happening.
28:26 Beginning to sink, there's still a storm.
28:29 Jesus reaching out and catching Peter, there's still a storm.
28:33 Oh, so in some storms, we walk with Jesus.
28:39 In some storms, he carries us.
28:44 In some storms, we start walking with him and then he has to carry us.
28:49 Contingent, of course, on our faith and what we choose to believe regarding his word in
28:56 that storm.
28:59 Verse 33, "Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped him saying, 'Truly you
29:04 are the Son of God.'"
29:11 Notice that Jesus had the power to stop both of these storms immediately if we're just
29:16 focused on his ability and his ability alone.
29:20 God has all ability, right?
29:22 No one can argue that.
29:24 And yet, why would God allow Hurricane Hillary to even exist?
29:31 Why would he allow it to move?
29:35 Why would he allow it to make landfall, become a tropical storm, get worse as it goes further
29:39 out into the Inland Empire and areas east of us?
29:43 Why would he allow that?
29:45 Well, if you know God, you know why he allows things, because he's God.
29:51 He doesn't violate wills, neither does he violate himself.
29:56 So, so, my, my life circumstances are not gonna change just because I simply believe
30:06 in the God of all ability.
30:09 My life circumstances are gonna change when I invite the God of all ability into my life
30:15 to be Lord over it.
30:18 In other words, I'm gonna take my will and I'm gonna line my will up with his will so
30:23 I can see his will in my life.
30:29 Because not every, not, there is the will of God, but not every part of it is something
30:33 that happens automatically.
30:36 Some things, yes, God overtly does and causes, and there are other things that he allows
30:42 and permits.
30:43 Okay, look now at Acts 27.
30:48 And you're gonna see the conditions of the storm that are a little bit different than
30:53 what we have seen in these accounts of Jesus and his disciples.
30:59 We'll spend the rest of our time here in Acts 27.
31:07 Look at verse 1.
31:08 "Did the storm end in Matthew 14?"
31:12 In the end, yeah.
31:14 The wind ceased.
31:18 Now in Matthew's account, that is, there's nothing in the writing that said he caused
31:24 it to cease like we read in Matthew 8 where it says he rebuked the wind and the sea.
31:32 Some storms have a course to run.
31:37 Some storms are rebuked and spoken to.
31:44 Some we rebuke, speak to, and command to get out of the way.
31:49 And some storms have a course to run so we speak to ourself in them.
31:56 Maintaining our position in God and in this covenant while the storm is brewing and while
32:02 the storm is moving.
32:05 Look at this one right here, Acts 27.
32:09 It says, "And when it was decided," this is a long one, oh, but there's a lot of good,
32:15 lot of good nuggets in this one.
32:17 "When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other
32:23 prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan regiment."
32:29 A soldier, leader of a hundred in Caesar Augustus' military, this regiment.
32:42 It says, "So entering a ship of the Adramidium," this is a seaport, it says, "We put to sea,"
32:53 meaning to sail along the coast of Asia, the coast of Asia.
32:57 Now when you read Asia in the Bible, don't think of the continent of Asia today.
33:03 Asia back then was pretty much the nation of Turkey.
33:06 Our modern-day nation of Turkey was basically referred to as Asia.
33:11 Asia consisted of mostly Turkey, maybe pieces of some other territories, but it was not
33:16 the full continent that we know today.
33:20 Need to sail along the coast of Asia, "Aristarchus, a Macedonian, a Macedonian of Thessalonica."
33:30 That's interesting, he's of Thessalonica, but he's Macedonian.
33:35 This says, "Was with us," and then it says, "And the next day we landed at Sidon," that's
33:40 Canaan, that's Phoenicia, "and Julius treated Paul kindly and he gave him liberty to go
33:46 to his friends and receive care."
33:48 Why are we being told this?
33:50 Paul's a prisoner.
33:54 Look at what he's receiving in his imprisoned state.
33:58 Kindness, favor, like Joseph.
34:03 You all remember when Joseph was put in jail and then he became the warden?
34:08 Favor.
34:11 You don't have to go looking for favor, favor will come find you.
34:17 Look at verse four, "When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of
34:20 Cyprus," just went to Cyprus in the latter part of 2022.
34:24 This is where Barnabas is from, "because the winds were contrary.
34:31 And when we had sailed over the sea," which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, "we came to
34:38 Myra, a city of Lycia."
34:40 All of these territories are near each other, north, south, east, west.
34:43 Galatia is included here.
34:45 What's important about Cilicia, the capital of Cilicia was a place called Tarsus.
34:49 You've heard of Tarsus, it's where Paul's from.
34:53 Verse six, "There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship," as in Alexander the Great, the place
34:59 he founded in Egypt, not Egyptian, but Greek, "sailing to Italy and he put us on board.
35:06 When we had sailed slowly many days and arrived with difficulty off Snidus," pay attention
35:13 to these next words.
35:17 This is why we have to make sure we truly understand faith.
35:23 Some people heard the message of faith and they heard the message of a mystical power
35:29 that will allow me to do whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want, and that's
35:35 not how it works.
35:36 Because how many of you would say that Paul was a great man of faith?
35:40 I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna wager that the second best teacher on the subject of
35:45 faith behind Jesus was Paul.
35:49 We learned what we know about faith from Jesus and Paul.
35:54 My dad was a master teacher on faith because of what he learned by the Holy Spirit from
35:58 Jesus and Paul.
36:00 I think it is safe to assume that if anyone knew how to activate faith, how to operate
36:06 faith and how to walk by faith, would we all agree that was Paul?
36:10 And yet, Paul, a great man of faith, is number one, a prisoner right now.
36:15 And look at number two, verse seven here, it says, "When we had sailed slowly many days
36:20 and arrived with difficulty off Snidus, the wind not permitting us."
36:32 Hold on to that for a second.
36:34 The wind didn't permit him.
36:36 Paul, why don't you just speak to the wind?
36:39 Oh, there's a time when we call wisdom onto the court.
36:49 Because we want to make sure that our faith isn't masquerading as testing God.
36:57 God, here's what you're gonna do.
37:01 I know the reports say don't fly today, but I'm gonna fly and I expect you to protect
37:05 me.
37:06 No, no, right now, the weather's not permitting you.
37:13 Paul, we just—the wind not permitting them.
37:17 It already sounds like this storm is not gonna go the way of what we read in Matthew 8 and
37:24 Matthew 14.
37:25 "The wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete."
37:30 I didn't get to go to Crete because of stupid COVID.
37:38 I'll get there though.
37:42 The shelter of Crete off Salmona passing it with what?
37:47 Difficulty.
37:50 Did we think that this Christian life was going to be without difficulty?
37:55 No, there's difficulty.
37:58 Are we gonna tap out?
38:00 We gonna give up?
38:01 We gonna quit?
38:02 Are we afraid of difficulty?
38:05 Absolutely not.
38:06 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.
38:15 Fair Havens, this was a harbor.
38:17 Watch this.
38:18 "Now when much time had been spent and sailing was now," what?
38:24 "Dangerous."
38:26 Nothing is dangerous because the fast was already over.
38:30 What did Paul do?
38:32 Paul advised them.
38:33 Now, Paul was a prisoner at the time and Paul, this great man of faith and power, rather
38:41 than declaring some unrealistic move of faith, advises and says what?
38:53 He says, "Men, I perceive," key words that he received a word of wisdom because he's
39:00 about to talk about something that's going to happen in the very near future.
39:05 What does he say?
39:06 "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the
39:12 cargo and ship, but also our lives."
39:14 What's Paul saying?
39:16 "Men, if we keep going the way we're going, this will end badly."
39:22 Paul wasn't in charge, was he?
39:24 Look at verse 11.
39:25 "Nevertheless, the centurion was more persuaded by," not Paul, "but the helmsman and the owner
39:32 of the ship than by the word of wisdom spoken through Paul.
39:38 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail
39:44 from there also if by any means they could reach Phoenix, another Cretan harbor toward
39:50 the southwest and northwest and winter there."
39:57 Look at verse 13.
39:58 "When the south wind blew softly," see, remember I told you about the four winds.
40:05 "When the south wind blew softly," it's blowing underneath, it's blowing gently, "supposing
40:12 that they had obtained their desire."
40:16 The wind is blowing softly, so they're thinking, "See, we didn't have to listen to Paul.
40:22 We're doing fine."
40:23 Isn't that like some Christians?
40:28 Holy Spirit done given you 8,000 warnings, but you decided to do it your way.
40:33 And at first, things are coasting pretty well.
40:37 Then you realize you're in over your head, because they're about to realize they're in
40:40 over their head, because look here.
40:42 "Putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete, but not long after a tempestuous,"
40:49 there's another tempest, "a tempestuous."
40:54 Here's what tempestuous means.
40:56 We read what tempest mean, what tempest meant, but a tempestuous wind, watch this, "is a
41:03 stormy, smoky whirlwind-like wind."
41:10 Now watch this, it has a name.
41:18 Did you think naming storms was something recent?
41:25 Hillary and El Nino and, no, they've been naming storms for quite some time.
41:33 Look at verse 14, "But not long after a tempestuous headwind arose called Hieraclodon."
41:41 Sound like a kaiju monster in the Godzilla universe.
41:45 Here comes Hieraclodon.
41:50 Watch this, in Hieraclodon, most of these winds, they don't, they don't, they don't
41:57 evaporate into nothing.
41:59 They move on elsewhere.
42:00 Hieraclodon is still around today.
42:05 Hieraclodon is a wind from the east that shows up at times in the Mediterranean Sea.
42:18 Matter of fact, the oldest text that mentions Hieraclodon is actually our Bible, what we
42:23 read right here in Acts 27.
42:26 The New Testament book of Acts is the oldest recording of this wind called Hieraclodon.
42:32 There are other texts and sources that are familiar with Hieraclodon as well.
42:36 Like I said, Hieraclodon is still here today.
42:39 Here's what Hieraclodon means, a violent agitation.
42:45 It's a southeast wind that raises mighty waves.
42:49 It causes broad waves.
42:52 So it started off with a soft blow and then Hieraclodon showed up.
42:59 Now what did Paul say earlier?
43:01 "Men, I know I'm not in charge.
43:03 I'm not the captain, but I'm not the skipper.
43:09 But I perceive this voyage is going to end in disaster, not just the loss of cargo, but
43:14 the loss of our lives.
43:17 We're not going to listen to you, prisoner.
43:19 I'm going to go with the captain."
43:22 Now they're in Hieraclodon.
43:23 Look at verse 15.
43:24 So when the ship was caught—see, we're going to still see God's mercy and grace manifest
43:33 even when we don't listen to him.
43:38 When the ship was caught and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
43:45 When running under the shelter of an island called Clodagh, we secured the skiff with
43:53 what?
43:54 There it is again, difficulty.
43:56 Right?
43:57 The hollow vessel.
43:59 Now this is powerful.
44:00 Watch this.
44:01 Look at verse 17.
44:02 When they had taken it on board, they used cables, right, or ropes or chains.
44:09 Pay attention to this, because we need to apply this to our life.
44:15 When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship, and fearing
44:22 lest they should run aground on the surges sands, they struck sail and so were driven.
44:30 You see that word "undergird"?
44:33 Anyone ever heard the word "undergird" before?
44:36 Let me give you some of the context we've heard it in like a church setting.
44:41 For example, I, the pastor, I have assistant ministers that undergird me.
44:51 Wives undergird their husbands.
44:56 What does undergird mean?
44:58 The technical meaning here in the Greek, to undergird is to bind a ship together laterally
45:06 with girths or cables or ropes or chains, watch this, to enable it to survive the force
45:17 of waves in a tempest.
45:18 In other words, watch this, undergirding doesn't do away with a storm, undergirding allows
45:25 you to survive and get through a storm.
45:31 Okay.
45:35 Look at verse 18, "And because we were," what?
45:40 "Exceedingly tempest-tossed."
45:43 What did we just read here?
45:46 This ship is, it is, we read in the account of Jesus taking a nap in the boat that the
45:54 waves were covering the boat, but here, tempest, the tempest is just tossing them back and
46:01 forth.
46:02 Not only are the waves covering the boat, this is excessive rocking.
46:05 I mean, I would not be surprised if both sides of the ship touch the water.
46:12 Tempest, exceedingly tempest-tossed.
46:16 The next day, what did they do?
46:17 Oh, grab a hold of this too.
46:20 The next day, they lighten the ship.
46:22 You're going to have to lighten your load.
46:26 While you're in a storm, you're going to have to throw some stuff overboard.
46:29 Might have to throw some people overboard.
46:31 Might have to have them walk the plank, but get them out of your life.
46:35 Get them and get some of that stuff out of your life while you're in the storm.
46:40 You can't carry them with you in this storm.
46:43 You want to survive?
46:44 You've been undergirded to survive the force of the storm.
46:49 But there's some folk or some things in your life while you're in this storm that'll make
46:52 you sink.
46:53 You better get rid of them.
46:55 You better get rid of it.
46:59 You better lighten that load.
47:01 You better lighten that ship.
47:03 On the third day, we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands.
47:08 Throw it overboard.
47:09 Throw it out of your life with your hands.
47:14 Now when—okay, picture this.
47:16 I need you guys to see this.
47:17 I need you guys to see this.
47:18 You got to get this.
47:19 Just like the storm was going on the entire time, Peter and Christ are having this engagement
47:27 while the disciples see this phantom-like figure walking on the water.
47:31 There's a storm.
47:33 While Peter begins to sink, there's a storm.
47:36 You need to see this.
47:38 Everything we've read so far since verse 14, they are still in the midst of Eroklodon.
47:46 Exceedingly tempest-tossed, lightening the ship, throwing things overboard.
47:52 Eroklodon is still going on.
47:55 Look at verse 20, "Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days."
48:04 Do you see that?
48:06 Many days, they didn't see the sun or stars.
48:10 If you can't see the sun or the stars, what do you see?
48:15 You should be able to see some stars in the darkness.
48:18 That means there was a thick blanket of darkness in the darkness.
48:22 A thick blanket of darkness in the night.
48:25 The blanket that was above them prevented them from seeing the night sky.
48:28 In other words, they couldn't tell whether it was morning or evening.
48:38 And at the same time, what does it say?
48:40 And no small tempest beat on us.
48:46 All hope that we would be saved was finally given up.
48:50 Oh, and there are so many.
48:55 That storm has been whooping our tail for so long.
48:59 We are on the verge of giving up.
49:02 We are right here at the edge of giving up.
49:06 And I encourage you, don't.
49:10 Don't give up.
49:12 Don't quit.
49:13 Look at this, verse 21, "But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of
49:20 them and said," Paul is in his imprisonment, is able to fast and therefore hear from the
49:30 Lord.
49:31 Not that fasting is the only way to hear from the Lord, but look, he's in the midst of a
49:34 storm, he's in chains, he can't move at his liberty.
49:39 His whole focus is on God.
49:40 Look at this.
49:41 "Paul stands in the midst of them and says, 'Man, you should have listened to me.'"
49:49 How many of us can recall that person we should have listened to?
49:55 Should have listened.
49:58 How many of us children should have listened to our parents?
50:03 We thought they were preventing us from engaging in fun activities.
50:10 Our parents are haters.
50:14 They don't let us do anything.
50:17 And it's so funny, they don't let us do anything and they let you do a whole lot, but because
50:20 they don't let you do this one thing, suddenly they don't let you do anything.
50:27 Should have listened.
50:28 He said, "You should have listened to me and not have sailed from Crete and met your
50:32 rock LeDawn and incurred this disaster and loss.
50:36 And now I urge you to take heart for there will be no loss of life among you, but we
50:42 losing the ship."
50:46 We losing the ship.
50:49 Ever been in an accident?
50:50 The car is done, but you got your life.
50:53 You got oxygen, breath and blood in your body.
51:00 "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and to whom I
51:06 serve."
51:07 I like how he words that because he's on a ship with a bunch of heathens, a bunch of
51:14 Jupiter worshipers.
51:15 He's—let me tell you about—I received a visit from an angel from the God I serve.
51:19 You know, that's the same God who spoke to me by His Spirit and said we should not have
51:24 sailed in the first place.
51:28 And this angel said what, verse 24, "Do not be afraid, Paul.
51:32 You must be brought before—you must be brought before Caesar."
51:35 That's the same as we're crossing over to the other side.
51:39 So the angel told him, "Paul, you're going to have to stand before Caesar.
51:41 I know this is rough, but you're going to get there."
51:45 Some journeys, oh, some roads.
51:47 You ever been on a bumpy road and sadly you can't get off of it yet?
51:56 You just got to take the bumps.
51:59 You ever been on an airplane?
52:02 Turbulence hits.
52:03 What you going to do?
52:04 What you going to do?
52:05 Anytime I'm on an airplane, I'm thinking why won't this pilot switch lanes?
52:10 But you just change lanes so we can get off this bumpy road.
52:14 Guess what?
52:16 Turbulence comes with it.
52:19 Some flight—I've been on flights, ooh, turbulence from start to finish.
52:24 It is a discomforting flight, but I got to stand before Caesar, so I'm going to get through
52:29 it.
52:31 He said we're going to the other side.
52:34 He didn't say it would be bumpy road free, turbulence free.
52:39 "Indeed, God has granted you all those who sail with you."
52:44 Oh, because they're with Paul, there's favor on them.
52:47 The favor on Paul trickles onto them.
52:50 "'Cause therefore take heart, men, for I believe, God, that it will be just as it was
52:54 told me.
52:55 However, we must run aground on a certain island."
53:00 Right now when the 14th night had come as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic
53:03 Sea, about midnight, the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land.
53:08 And they took soundings and found it to be 20 fathoms, very close.
53:12 And when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be 15
53:16 fathoms.
53:17 They're getting closer.
53:18 Then fearing less we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from
53:22 the stern and prayed for day to come.
53:24 By the way, our covenant with God is our anchor.
53:30 It says, "And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let
53:33 down the skiff into the sea under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul
53:38 said to the centurion and soldiers, 'Unless these men stay in the ship, you can't be saved.'
53:45 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off."
53:50 Let's just finish this chapter.
53:51 I mean, yeah, let's just finish this chapter.
53:53 It says, "And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them, beseeched them, begged of them
53:57 to do what?
53:58 To take food, saying, 'Today is the fourteenth day.
54:02 You have waited and continued without food and eaten nothing.
54:06 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment for this is for your survival, since not a hair
54:09 will fall from the head of any of you.'
54:13 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence
54:16 of them all.
54:17 And when he had broken it, he began to eat.
54:19 Then they were all encouraged and also took food themselves.
54:22 And in all, we were 267 persons on the ship.
54:26 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the
54:30 sea."
54:31 Now, this could have been avoided had they had… had they have listened to the Holy
54:36 Spirit in the first place.
54:37 But of course, why would these heathens listen to the Holy Spirit?
54:42 So sometimes we just won't hear God and we put ourselves in a situation where there's
54:50 a violent agitation.
54:54 But if we keep our ears open, we can hear from God in that violent agitation to find
55:01 out that our outcome will ultimately be for our good.
55:06 We may incur some loss of things, but not loss of us.
55:12 When it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they observed a bay with the beach
55:15 onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.
55:17 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile, loosing the rudder
55:21 ropes and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.
55:25 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground and the prow stuck fast
55:30 and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves,
55:35 still not completely listening.
55:38 And the soldier's plan was to kill the prisoners.
55:41 Look at that, after experiencing grace, you're only alive because of the words that came
55:45 through Paul.
55:47 When the soldier's plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away
55:50 and escape, but the centurion wanting to save Paul kept them from their purpose and commanded
55:55 that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land.
56:00 And the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship, and so it was that they all escaped
56:04 safely to land.
56:05 What do these last two verses tell us?
56:08 Some storms are so violent that we go through, they break everything up.
56:13 And sometimes you got to finish the journey by swimming or finding a piece of that ship
56:19 and getting on top of it and letting it take you to shore.
56:22 But you're going to get there because Jesus said we're getting over, crossing over, we
56:26 will make it over to the other side.
56:33 So we hear about storms, we need to be wise.
56:38 We need to listen to the Holy Spirit.
56:41 Sometimes that's your gut.
56:43 That gut feeling, that's the Holy Spirit.
56:46 Listen, listen to counsel, listen to wisdom.
56:50 There are some storms that can be avoided.
56:53 Thank God for His favor, His grace, His mercy in the midst of those storms if we didn't
56:59 listen earlier on like we should have.
57:04 But thank God in it all, He's with us.
57:07 Father, we thank you right now.