Life is full of storms. Some we see coming, while others catch us off guard. In Acts 27, the Apostle Paul found himself caught in a literal storm—a violent shipwreck on his way to Rome. His journey was anything but smooth, but through it all, God was at work.
We all face storms—unexpected crises, failures, and hardships that threaten to sink us. But Acts 27 teaches us some powerful lessons about faith, obedience, and trusting God when everything around us is falling apart.
Lesson #1: Ignoring God’s Warnings Leads to Trouble
Paul warned the ship’s crew not to set sail, but they ignored his counsel. The Bible says:
“Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.” (Acts 27:11)
How often do people do the same today? They ignore God’s Word, dismiss wise counsel, and choose what seems convenient rather than what is right. The result? Unnecessary trouble.
History gives us plenty of examples. Think about the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. This massive airship was considered safe—until static electricity ignited its hydrogen-filled body, destroying it in under a minute. Then there’s the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. Engineers had warned that a massive storage tank was unsafe, but no one listened. When it finally burst, a 25-foot-high wave of molasses killed 21 people.
Ignoring God’s truth may seem harmless at first. The skies may look clear. The winds may be soft. But smooth sailing doesn’t always mean safe sailing. When we reject God’s direction, we invite disaster.
Lesson #2: Fair Weather Can Be Deceiving
“And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.” (Acts 27:13)
They thought everything was fine—until a storm swept in and nearly destroyed them.
Life can be like that. We go along thinking all is well, only to find ourselves caught in an unexpected storm. Maybe you’ve been there. A sudden crisis, a financial collapse, a broken relationship—everything seemed fine, then suddenly, your world flipped upside down.
Years ago, I took a class trip to Pensacola, Florida. It was a beautiful day, and a group of us decided to head down to the beach. The sand was scorching hot, so we waded into the water, cooling off and having a great time. Someone had bought a few cheap Styrofoam surfboards—flimsy things, but enough to float on—and we paddled around, splashing each other and enjoying the moment.
What we didn’t realize was that a gentle breeze had been slowly pushing us farther and farther from shore. At first, the wind was soft and harmless, barely noticeable. But by the time we looked up, the beach seemed much farther away than we remembered. Then, we noticed something else—dark clouds gathering on the horizon.
Before we knew it, that soft breeze turned into a fierce wind. The waves grew rougher, and thunder rumbled in the distance. We were now nearly a quarter of a mile out in the Gulf, and the storm was coming in fast. Panic set in. We tried to turn our little surfboards around and paddle back, but no matter how hard we worked, the wind and waves kept pushing us farther out.
Meanwhile, one of our high school counselors on the beach saw what was happening. He ran to call the Coast Guard. The officer on the line, calm and unbothered, simply said, “Yeah, we lose a lot of them that way every year.” That didn’t bring much comfort!
Out in the water, exhaustion set in. The waves knocked us around, and every stroke forward seemed to push us two strokes back. I remember thinking, We may not make it. The storm raged around us, the sky grew darker, and our muscles started cramping.
Then, suddenly, I was knocked off my board by a wave. As I scrambled to grab it again, my feet brushed against something solid—sand! Relief washed over me. We had drifted close enough that the ocean floor was within reach. From there, we tiptoed and fought against the current, gripping our boards as we made our way back to shore.
Looking back, it’s terrifying how deceptive that gentle breeze was. We were completely unaware of the danger at first. That’s how life’s storms hit us. One moment, everything is calm. The next, we’re struggling to survive. That’s why we need God’s guidance before the storm comes.
Lesson #3: The Need for Faith in the Storm
When all hope seemed lost, Paul stood up and encouraged everyone on board:
“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.” (Acts 27:22)
How could Paul be cheerful in a life-threatening storm? Because his faith wasn’t in the ship—it was in God.
Faith allows us to see beyond our present crisis. It reminds us that God is still in control, even when everything around us is falling apart.
There have been times over the past three decades that our church checking account has been down to nearly nothing. I mean, right at the zero mark. More than once, I’ve had our treasurer come to me and say, “Preacher, we’ve got a problem. We’ve got payments coming up, missionaries to support, bills to pay, insurance due… and we don’t have the money.”
I’ve always tried to respond the same way: “Well, looks like we’re just going to have to trust God.” (As if that should be our last resort instead of our first!)
And somehow, every time, God has provided—often in ways we never expected. Just when it seemed like we wouldn’t make it, yet, at just the right moment, God always provided—sometimes through an unexpected gift or donation that we never saw coming.
Month after month, year after year, God has proven Himself faithful. As far as I know, in all these years, our church has never missed a single payment. Even when it looked like we wouldn’t make it, God always pulled us through. He wasn’t worried, so why should we be? Faith isn’t wishful thinking; it’s believing that God will keep His promises.
Paul told the men on the ship, “I believe God.” (Acts 27:25) That’s the key. Faith is rooted in God’s Word, not in circumstances.
Lesson #4: Obedience is Crucial in the Trial
When the ship began to break apart, some sailors tried to escape in lifeboats. Paul warned them:
“Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” (Acts 27:31)
Sometimes, when storms come, we want to bail out. We want to escape. We stop praying. We stop going to church. We try to fix things in our own strength.
But partial obedience is still disobedience. If we want God’s help, we have to trust His way, not ours.
A businessman once struggled financially. His pastor advised him to start tithing, so he did. Soon, his business flourished. But later, when he started making too much money, he told the pastor, “I can’t afford to tithe now!” The pastor replied, “Let’s pray that God reduces your income so you can afford to tithe again.” 😆
God blesses obedience, not half-hearted commitment.
Lesson #5: When the Ship Goes Down, Trust the Captain
The ship in Acts 27 was ultimately lost. But every life on board was saved—because God had a bigger plan.
God doesn’t always calm the storm, but He does bring us through it.
Take the Apollo 13 disaster in 1970. Two days into the mission, an oxygen tank exploded, crippling the spacecraft and putting the lives of three astronauts in jeopardy. NASA engineers scrambled to find a solution, and after an intense four-day journey home, the astronauts faced one final hurdle—re-entry. For six agonizing minutes, mission control lost contact, unsure if the damaged spacecraft would survive. Then, finally, their parachutes deployed, and they splashed safely into the ocean. Their mission didn’t go as planned—but they made it home.
Sometimes, life takes unexpected detours. Your ship may break apart. But God’s plan is bigger than your immediate storm. He is still in control.
Storms Have a Purpose
God often allows trials so we can help others.
“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)
Have you been through a difficult season? A health crisis, a financial struggle, a family heartbreak? God can use that experience to help someone else.
The greatest example of suffering for others is Jesus Christ. He endured the cross—not for His own sin, but for ours. If He could go through that for us, we can trust Him in our storms.
What Should You Do When Your Ship is Sinking?
Listen to God’s warnings – Don’t ignore His voice.
Recognize that fair weather can be deceiving – Stay close to God, even when things seem fine.
Have faith in the storm – Trust that God is in control.
Obey, even when it’s hard – Partial obedience leads to shipwreck.
Trust the Captain – When all else fails, hold on to Jesus.
If life feels like a sinking ship right now, don’t panic—trust the Captain. He will bring you through.
If you found this article helpful, you can check out the full sermon on our SermonAudio page.
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