SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE, 6 September 2026
Sermon Series: “The Acts of the Apostles” (#44)
Sermon Text: Acts 27:1-38
Main Points:
Introduction
I. When the storm overwhelms us
II. When God’s Word sustains us
III. When faith gives us courage
Conclusion
As we come to today’s passage, we may well wonder why Luke gives us such a long and detailed account of Paul’s voyage to Rome.
We’ve been following the book of Acts since October last year. And now, suddenly, Luke gives us a whole chapter filled with details about a sea voyage – winds and currents, the course of the ship, the decisions of the sailors, and the dangers they faced at sea. Some of these details may have been quite meaningful to those who knew the sea well, but for ordinary readers like us, they can seem technical, unfamiliar, and difficult to follow.
So, why does Luke tell us all this? What are we supposed to see in this long account of a journey at sea? And, perhaps most importantly, what message are we meant to take away from it?
As I read this passage again and again, one thing began to stand out above everything else. There is so much happening in these verses. Outwardly, nature is in turmoil; inwardly, the people on the ship are increasingly overcome by fear and uncertainty. The winds drive the ship off course. The storm grows stronger. The sailors struggle to keep control. They throw the ship’s cargo and equipment overboard. And finally, Luke tells us in v. 20 that “all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.”
But, in the midst of all this turmoil, one person stands out. While everything around him is being shaken, Paul remains steadfast. He does not lose sight of where he is going. He does not surrender to fear. And, most importantly, he does not lose confidence in the God who has called him. Even in the middle of a storm that he cannot control, Paul remains firmly anchored in God’s promise.
It is almost like seeing a small piece of gold glinting among pebbles and grains of sand in murky water. There is so much debris being stirred up around it, yet, that small piece of gold catches your eyes. In the same way, amid all the winds, waves, fear, confusion, and human struggle in this passage, something shines through clearly; Paul’s faith.
And I believe this is what we are meant to see today – not simply how Paul survived a dangerous voyage, but how faith responds when the storm rages. The storm is real. The danger is real. Paul does not pretend otherwise. But his faith rests because he knows the God who has spoken to him and whose promise cannot fail.
So, today, I’d like us to consider this message: ‘When the storm rages and faith rests.’ As we listen to this passage, let us listen to the confession of faith of this faithful servant of Christ. Let us see how God’s Word steadies him in the midst of the storm, and how his faith gives him courage to encourage those around him.
I. When the Storm Overwhelms Us (vs. 1-20)
The dominant theme in this section is clear: the ship and everyone aboard are increasingly brought under the power of adverse winds and relentless storms. V. 20 gives us a brief but unmistakable summary of their condition in these words: “All hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.”
But, the chapter does not begin that way. At the beginning of the voyage, there is confidence, a plan, a destination. There is a ship. There are experienced sailors. And there are decisions that, at least from a human perspective, appear reasonable. Everyone seems to know where they are going and how they are going to get there.
Isn’t that how we often begin our own journey? We make our plans and set our course. We think, ‘I have a plan. I’ll make it happen. I’m sure I can do this.’ We have our goals, our abilities, our experience, our resources, and perhaps even a carefully worked-out path ahead of us. We begin with a sense that we’re in control of our journey.
But, gradually, and then quite suddenly, everything begins to fall apart. For the ship and its passengers in Acts 27, the journey becomes increasingly difficult. The weather turns dangerous. The sailors’ confidence in their own ability proves inadequate. Eventually, they lose control of the ship. They throw the cargo and equipment overboard in an attempt to save themselves. And then, comes that devastating statement in v. 20: “all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.” The storm has taken away almost everything they thought they could rely upon.
And this is something we know from our own experience. We may set our course with confidence, but we cannot control the winds that blow across our path. Sometimes, an adverse wind comes against us; sometimes it develops into a relentless storm. Circumstances change. Plans collapse. Things happen that we neither expected nor wanted and, most painfully, cannot control.
And when that happens, we can become overwhelmed! Our plans are blown away. Our sense of direction becomes uncertain. The resources we trusted prove insufficient. And sometimes, like those on Paul’s ship, we can reach a point where we no longer see any way forward.
The ship in Acts 27 therefore gives us a powerful picture of the limits of human control. We may plan our course, but we cannot command the winds. We may prepare for the journey, but we cannot determine every circumstance we’ll encounter along the way.
There’s something here that we especially need to remember as Christians – that is, faithful Christians are not exempt from overwhelming circumstances. Paul is not in this storm because he has abandoned God or running away from God’s will. He is on his way to Rome because God Himself has appointed him to bear witness there.
But, Paul finds himself in the middle of a violent storm. That means we must be careful about how we interpret the storms in our own lives. A storm is not necessarily evidence that we have taken the wrong path. Sometimes, the storm is precisely where God, in His providence, has appointed us to be. We should not automatically interpret every difficulty as God’s displeasure. Nor should we conclude and think, ‘If I were really walking with God, this wouldn’t be happening to me.’ Paul was walking in obedience, and yet the storm still came. Sometimes, we’re exactly where God has placed us – and the storm is still raging.
Then, if the storm can overwhelm us, where can we find confidence when everything around us is being shaken? That brings us to the second point.
II. When God’s Word Sustains Us (vs. 21-26)
Now, at the very moment when all hope of survival seems to have disappeared in the violence of the storm, I want you to hear what the Apostle Paul says in v. 25: “Take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.” My friends, I believe this is the theological centre of the passage.
Notice the contrast between vs. 20 and 25. In v. 20, Luke describes their condition: “All hope … was at last abandoned.” But, in v. 25, Paul says, “Take heart.” What has changed? Not the circumstances. The storm is still raging. The ship is still being driven about by the winds. There is still no safe harbour in sight, and there is nothing they can do to bring the storm under their control. So, what has changed?
God has spoken! An angel of God comes to Paul and says in v. 24: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar.” Then, comes the remarkable promise: “God has granted you all those who sail with you.” Paul’s confidence, therefore, is not mere optimism. He is not saying, ‘Don’t worry; I’m sure things will work out somehow.’ No. He says, “I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.” His confidence rests upon the reliability of God’s Word.
I believe this is the message God wants us to hear through this long and detailed account of Paul’s voyage. This is the piece of gold glinting among the pebbles and grains of sand in murky water that I mentioned earlier.
Christian faith is not confidence that circumstances will turn out as we hope. Christian faith is confidence that God will be faithful to what He has promised. That is worth dwelling on.
We often want God to explain the storm to us. We want to know why this happened, why our plans have failed, why this particular difficulty has come into our lives, and how everything is going to turn out. But, notice what God does here. He does not explain everything to Paul. Instead, He gives Paul a promise! Paul does not know every detail of what will happen. He does not know how long the storm will last or exactly what the journey ahead will look like. But he knows enough to trust the God who has spoken!
And that is what faith does. Faith does not require us to know everything. Faith requires us to trust the One who does.
Now, some of you might say, ‘But, that is Paul. He was a man of great faith. He was an apostle. He was a special case. Surely, this kind of confidence is not expected of an ordinary Christian like me.’ But, who was Paul? Before he became the Apostle Paul, he was Saul – the persecutor of Christ and the oppressor of Christ’s church. When the risen Lord Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, what did He say? “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And Paul himself gives us another description of his former life. In 1 Tim. 1:15, he calls himself “the foremost [or chief] of sinners.”
Paul’s remarkable faith, therefore, was not the result of some naturally superior character. It was the work of God’s grace. And the same is true of those whom we meet throughout Scripture. Think of Abraham, the father of all who believe. He did not begin his life as a model believer. Scripture tells us that God called him out of a pagan background, from a family that worshipped other gods. Think of King David. The man whom Scripture calls a man after God’s own heart also committed adultery and murder. Think of Peter. He was one of Christ’s closest disciples, yet on the night of Jesus’ suffering, he denied his Lord three times. And when he realised what he had done, he went out and wept bitterly. These men were not born with a special kind of faith that ordinary believers could never possess.
Faith is God’s gracious gift. The same God who sustained all those men in Scripture is the God who calls you and me to trust Him. The faith that rests upon God’s Word is not reserved for spiritual giants. It is the faith God graciously gives and sustains in His people.
So, when the storm comes, we do not need to possess Paul’s apostolic calling, or Abraham’s faith, or David’s experience, or Peter’s position. We need what Paul had in that storm – that is, confidence in the God who has spoken!
So, when the storm rages, faith rests – not because we know what tomorrow will bring, but because we know the God who holds tomorrow in His hands.
III. When Faith Gives Us Courage (vs. 27-38)
But, there’s one last point we need to hear from today’s passage. That is, resting faith does not mean passive faith. Consider Paul. His confidence in God’s promise now begins to shape the way he acts towards everyone around him. His faith is resting in God, and precisely because it is resting in God, it gives him courage to act! And that courage becomes a source of strength to the people around him. This is the point we must not miss in today’s passage.
Consider Paul’s contribution to the lives of those on that ship. In v. 31, He warns the centurion and sailors when the sailors attempt to escape from the ship. In v. 33, he encourages everyone to take food. In v. 34, he urges them to eat because they need strength for what lies ahead. And then, in v. 35, he takes bread, gives thanks to God in the presence of them all, and eats. What a remarkable scene!
On that ship, Paul is merely a prisoner. He has no authority over the ship. He is not the captain. He is not one of the experienced sailors. But, as the storm intensifies, he becomes the person who brings courage and direction to everyone around him. The sails cannot make the ship navigate through the wind. The rudder cannot control the ship. The sailors cannot guarantee their survival. But Paul has something they desperately need – confidence in the God who has spoken.
His faith does not remove the storm, but it changes the way he stands in the storm. And because he stands firm, he is able to strengthen those who are trembling around him. This is what resting faith does. Faith that rests in God becomes faith that strengthens others.
Perhaps this is the practical lesson for us today. When the storms of life come, people around us may be looking for someone who can stand firm. They may not need someone who has all the answers. They may simply need to see someone whose confidence is anchored in God. And Paul’s faith became a means through which God strengthened others.
Conclusion
And that brings us back to the message of this passage. At the beginning of the voyage, everyone seemed to have a plan. They had a destination, a ship, experienced sailors, and confidence in their own ability. But the storm stripped all of that away.
Then, when all human hope was gone, God spoke. And Paul believed God’s promise. And because Paul believed, he could stand firm. Because he stood firm, he could strengthen others.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Acts 27 is the historical record of an extraordinary servant of Christ and his remarkable journey towards Rome for the sake of the gospel. But, as we listen to this story, we also see the blessings of a faith that rests in God’s promises. ***
