Simply put, Paul warned those making the decision about whether or not to press on that continuing on was not wise. Regardless of where you find yourself, you have to lead. Now they were ready for the days activities. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:26). Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. Because of one prisoner on board that ship, all the other passengers were spared. If Paul was completely right in his previous warning, then many were about to die. (1 Kings 18:27). Paul was not striving to be a leader here, but simply trying to be of help. Here, Julius, the centurion in charge of Paul and the other prisoners, allowed Paul to go to his friends and be cared for by them (verse 3). The gospel sustains men in the greatest storms of life. Pastor Appreciation Month and Pastor Appreciation Day are great opportunities every October to show how much you care for your pastor and church leaders. There is nothing wrong with a healthy fear of danger. Take aids, or drugs, for example. The storm threatens not only the life of Paul, but also the lives of all on board his ship. 556 The following day, a more drastic measure was necessary: the spare gear had to go if the ship was to have any chance of surviving. This journey began on an Adramyttian ship, which took them as far as Myra, where they boarded an Alexandrian ship, headed for Italy. The Greater Syrtis was still a great distance away, but the wind might continue to blow for many days, and that was the direction in which it was blowing them. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. The centurion respected and trusted Paul a great deal, as can be seen by his previous dealings with him (see verse 3). Allow me to make one last observation here. Pauls execution was sought by the Sanhedrin, which first tried to execute him legally (like Stephen) and then by assassination, but God used Roman soldiers once again to spare His servant. And so Paul was correct, though not speaking at the moment with prophetic inspiration, authority, or inerrancy. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. Moses was seen as the patient leader of a people with little faith (Ex. "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Salem Media Group. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. The otherstwo hundred and seventy-six in allfollowed his example. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. She had entered the election the previous year following the death of her husband, the incumbent governor who was campaigning for a second term. Because it was a part of Gods sovereign plan, God did purpose to spare Paul and the ships passengers, but in a way that would to some seem only like good luck. The miraculous aspect is seen in Pauls prediction of what happened in complete agreement with all that did happen, even to the minute details. The angry mob, which the Asian Jews had incited in Jerusalem, were trying to kill Paul, but God used Claudius Lysias and his soldiers to save his life. Third, the port where they were anchored was not as ideal for wintering as some other ports, which were not that far away. But he was wrong about the loss of passengers. Jesus: A leader is a servant first. Gods mission for Paul was to go to Rome and there to preach the gospel. Their safety was contingent on the presence of Paul and the patience of God. One more detail about the future was revealed by Paul: the ship must run aground on a certain, but unnamed, island. Moses is remembered as the liberator, the leader, the law-giver, the prophet, and the intermediary in the covenant between God and the Jewish people. The seas were closed to sailing until the beginning of February at the earliest; the three months spent in Malta must therefore have corresponded roughly to November, December, and January, so they must have left Fair Havens not much before mid-October. Their arrival had not been without difficulty, but things were only to go from bad to worse. The most probable account is that they dropped a floating anchor or drift anchor, which was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer the maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of a wave. Bruce, p. 486. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? When this happens, there will be no protection for the lost. Paul did not have a formal position as leader, but was rather a functional leader. In fact, it seems that virtually everyone voted against him when the decision was made. Are You Expecting Too Much of Your Pastor. Humanly viewed, Paul was constantly in grave danger, but he was never more safe or secure than when he was on his way to Rome. Their objective was to work with two groups of people from different cultures and make sure one did not feel slighted over the other. 541 Lukes narrative of the voyage and shipwreck of Paul on his way to Italy is a small classic in its own right, as graphic a piece of descriptive writing as anything in the Bible. It is enough to discourage any pastor. Nevertheless, they decided to press on to a better harbor. When they set sail from Fair Havens, fifty or sixty miles brought them under the lee of Cauda (v. 16); on the fourteenth night from Cauda they drew near the coast of Malta (v. 27), and the next day (v. 39) they landed on that island, where they spent three months (28:11). His leadership was built not so much on ancestry from the Jewish lineage as by faithfulness. Paul was as secure as any man could be. Nobody said it would be easy. Why not get better at it? They eventually connected with Paul and became his partners in the ministry. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tim Cook, for example, hires people who challenge and inspire him. (5) The storm, and the gospel which leads to salvation. However, there is no story of Esther without Mordecai. By the way, Paul may not have been frightened so much for himself as for the others. If you are a Christian, the same safety is yours, when you are walking in obedience to His commands, and within His purposes. As time went on, as Paul was better known, and as the crises on board the ship became more pronounced, Paul stepped forward, giving both direction and hope to all the others on ship. This channel is the place between two seas. Here the ship, in Smiths words, would strike a bottom of mud graduating into tenacious clay, into which the fore part would fix itself and be held fast, whilst the stern was exposed to the worst of the waves. After the long battering which the ship had endured for the past two weeks, its exposed part could not take this further punishment, and it quickly disintegrated. Bruce, p. 494. You can learn valuable and unique lessons on leading the church and furthering the gospel from these men of the Bible. Then the passengers would have a better chance to reach shore. We live in a time of great crisis. You are the devil's advocate. How this decision would be regretted, and soon! 561 Before, adrift in the sea, they made no effort to guide the ship. 1 Peter 5:3. If you want to be a godly leader, I encourage you to focus on the qualities that God identifies as necessary in a leader. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong (Titus 1:6-9). God has given each leader specific gifts. 546 With the westerly winds which prevail in those seas, says James Smith, ships, particularly those of the ancients, unprovided with a compass and ill calculated to work to windward, would naturally stand to the north till they made the land of Asia Minor, which is peculiarly favourable for navigation by such vessels, because the coast is bold and safe, and the elevation of the mountains makes it visible at a great distance; it abounds in harbours, and the sinuosities of its shores and the westerly current would enable them, if the wind was at all off the land, to work to windward, at least as far as Cnidus, where these advantages ceased. Here are some examples of their leadership. Peter, the most well-known disciple of Jesus, denies even . He was not a sailor; in fact he was not even a paying passenger. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Pauls circumstances certainly do no give him any status, any clout, with anyone on board that ship. There would be no one left who was an experienced sailor, who could help land the crippled ship. Unsaved men do not have the answers. If there was ever a time for Christians to emerge as leaders, it is now. 1 Timothy 4:12. In all of this God protected Paul. 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose. There is no thus saith the Lord here, but Pauls words were worth heeding. Few managers or politicians understand that. They intended to put all the prisoners to death,563 thus eliminating the risk of an escape. Food supplies may have been washed overboard or ruined by moisture. If Paul had been right before, and his words had come to pass, he had even more important words to speak now, not from his own perception or judgment, but from the God whom he served. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS, and church supplies of $50 or more. Fearing that they might drift into shallow and dangerous waters some distance to the south,553 they put out a sea anchor of some kind, perhaps something like a parachute, which filled with water and slowed the ship down.554, The storm continued through the night, and the next day things looked even worse. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath {of God} through Him. It was only some forty miles to Lutro. Robertson, p. 461. Here is a man whose personal safety was assured, and yet who lived with care and caution. They did not know exactly where they were and they could not recognize anything familiar about the land, but they did resolve to run the ship aground in a bay which they could see ahead. Today's nomenclature calls it tough love. As the song goes, More secure is no one ever, than the loved ones of the Savior. "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. If they were to have the strength necessary to make it to shore, they would need to start the day with a good meal. I know it sounds more like mother or a TV commercial, but Paul was dealing with a very practical necessity. 558 The fourteenth night is reckoned from the time they left Fair Havens. But once the sailors discerned that land was nearby, staying on board ship became increasingly dangerous. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate them this year. [1] It is important to note that he learned leadership principles and faith from his parents (Hebrew 11:23 . If that doesn't work, he outlasts them. The need is great. Nearing land in a storm is a very dangerous thing. Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. In the sea of Adria (en toi Hadriai). The angel of God told Paul not to be afraid, which would indicate that he was afraid. Los usurpadores de poder suelen ser democrticos si han sido elegidos en elecciones . The soldiers were thus acting to save themselves, as well as the rest on board. Pauls leadership was not viewed as spiritual leadership by those on board the ship. 545 This seems to be the same Aristarchus mentioned in Acts 19:29; 20:4; Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 24. I have always looked upon the Apostle Paul as a godly man, a zealous servant of Jesus Christ, and a powerful preacher of the gospel. Because of his special blessing, he was appointed as one with judicial powers and responsibilities in Joshua 14:6-15. The final verses (42-44) tell of the plan of the soldiers to kill the prisoners, of the intervention of the centurion, and the safe arrival on land of all 276 passengers. The death penalty is certainly one possibility. Some Christians are inclined to live their lives sloppily, believing that because God is sovereign He will, on demand, produce a miracle to deliver us from the fruits of our own foolishness. And He has come forth from death and the grave, to give us new life. He had God on his side. His God was in control of all things, including the sea. Engage group members: The leader involves members and encourages them to involve others. Pauls faith and his courage were contagious. Scripture offers examples of both. I do not believe that Lukes central purpose in Acts 27 is to teach us about leadership, but I do think that Pauls leadership is very apparent in our text. They complained and whined at every inconvenience (Ex. If the leader becomes a wimp, he will lose his leadership role. This was a Jewish couple who were deported from Rome. As peoples personalities are different, so are the leadership styles. He did not claim to have a certain (prophetic) knowledge of what was going to happen. Too often, I hear leadership spoken of as a place of status, rather than a place of service. Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all . A democratic leader likes people who disagree with them and challenge their views. They all waited for the morning light. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10).
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