How to Avoid a Shipwrecked Life
Dr. Jason Robertson
September 20, 2021

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Acts 27:9 - We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it. 10 “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 11 But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. 12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure. 13 When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. 15 The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

3 WAYS TO ENTER A STORM:

  1. LISTENING TO THE

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    .

  2. DECIDING TO GO WITH THE

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  3. GOING WITH WHAT WE

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Acts 27:14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. 15 The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. 16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. 18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. 19 The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. 20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

THE STORMS OF LIFE CAN…

  1. Storms can cause us to

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    what’s
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    to us.

  2. Storms can cause us to drift from our

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    and
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    .

  3. Storms can lead to

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    .

*Acts 27:27 *- About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. 28 They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. 29 At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. 30 Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. 31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.

Acts 27:21 - No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

Acts 27:33 - Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. 34 “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” 35 Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. 36 Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat—37 all 276 of us who were on board. 38 After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard.

THREE ANCHORS THAT WILL SAVE YOUR SHIP:

  1. God’s

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  2. God’s

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  3. God’s

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BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS

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1) Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, what blessed you the most?

2) Have you watched “Social Dilema” on Netflix? If so, discuss your thoughts of that film with your Life Group.

3) How we look at any situation is influenced by how we look at the world at large – our worldview. The truths of the Bible are the guiding compass of a consistent, wise worldview. True Christianity is more than a set of ideas to use at church. Christianity as taught in the Bible is itself a comprehensive worldview that answers the following questions:
(1) Who are we?
(2) Where did we come from?
(3) Why do we exist?
(4) What is wrong with the world?
(5) How can it be fixed?
Using Scripture, how would you answer those five questions?

4) At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said these words: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built His house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25). The Word of God, the Bible, is the only rock upon which to build morality. So why should the Bible be our source for morality? Because without it, we are like ships adrift on a stormy sea.

As a comprehensive worldview, the Bible informs every answer to ever question of life and how to live life. If the Bible isn’t the Christian’s source for morality, then the question needs to be asked, “What should be?” The Christian worldview is based on two foundational axioms: 1) God exists, and 2) God has spoken to us in the Bible. If these two presuppositions aren’t the starting point in a Christian worldview, then we’re just like everyone else, trying to find objectivity in a sea of subjectivity. Do you agree or disagree? Defend your answer.

5) The current reigning “competitor” in our society to the Christian worldview is social consensus. In other words, our morality is shaped and changed by the culture around us. Social consensus is just that—a consensus. It’s a picture of the general social mores of the day. It should be easy to see that if social consensus is our moral compass, then we have built our morality on a foundation of shifting sand. There was a generation in America that considered slavery to be morally permissible. Slavery is morally wrong, but it was legally practiced in many states. A generation ago it was considered a sin to practice homosexuality, but that is not true for most people in the current generation. Basically, what we have with social consensus is what happened to the Israelites a couple generations after conquering the Promised Land: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). Would you agree that social consensus is an untrustworthy moral authority?

Should we trust leaders who lead by consensus? Why or why not?

How tempted are you to follow the moral consensus of your generation?

6) Read the following three passages of Scripture and compare them:

  • Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (ESV)

  • Proverbs 12:15 - The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. (ESV)

  • Proverbs 19:20 - Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. (ESV)

  • 1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (ESV)

7) The world is full of advice, easily assessable through mass media and social media. Christians love to be well read and thoroughly informed, but we also try to let our Christian worldview based on God’s Word inform us on which advice to take and which to discard. And as we walk by faith with Jesus—praying, reading the Bible, led by the Spirit, living righteously—we grow in wisdom. What can you do to improve your wisdom?

8) Pastor Jason mentioned in his sermon the following list of recommended sources of news and commentary from a Christian worldview. DISCLAIMER: the views and opinions expressed by the list below are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the offical policy or position of Huntington Beach Church. Nevertheless, Pastor Jason believes that we can be wiser if we listen to a variety of Christian thinkers. If you are already familiar with some of these sources, share your review of them with your Life Group.

Recommended Sources of News and Commentary from a Christian Worldview

9) Pray for one another in your Life Group, pray for your pastors and spiritual leaders, and pray for our nation.