Program Success Christian Reader September 2007 | Page 22

22 The Christian Reader September 2007
You can make it on
Broken Pieces!
By Pastor Leon R. Bing
North Jacksonville Family Worship Center
Jacksonville, Florida
43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their
purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should
cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the
ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.
KJV
This is a very good passage of scripture to read and there are several
messages to glean from it. So I want to share in one of the many reve-
lations that come from this passage of scripture, you must understand
what has led up to this point in verses 43 and 44. It starts at verse one,
but I was gracious and started at verse 13. Paul had finished his stating
case with King Agrippa and now was on his way to see Caesar in
Rome to state his case before Caesar. After the Centurion in charge
obtained a ship for he and the prisoners in his care, which included
Paul, they began their journey. Paul had given a warning to the
Centurion not to sail, but the Centurion would not listen to Paul. The
rest of Chapter 27 gives us the events that took place on that journey,
and gives us something to build our faith on!
Acts 27:13-44
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had
obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by
Crete.
14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the
wind, we let her drive.
16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we
had much work to come by the boat:
17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, under girding
the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksand,
strake sail, and so were driven.
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day
they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling
of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and
no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved
was then taken away.
With these verses, I want to focus on Euroclydon, pronounced “yoo-
roc-clydon”. There are two examples that we need look at; first, the
south wind. As the south wind began to blow, the ship was still navi-
gable. Then there is euroclydon, which is a northeastern wind system.
It was this system that eventually destroyed the ship. Let us see how
these two wind systems can be used to help us understand life’s issues
as it pertains to us. The south wind represents the issues in our lives
that we are able to get by with. Such as those who smoke; they will
always say, “I know I don’t need to do this, and one day I’ll quit.” Or
“it’s okay to drink a little, what’s wrong with that?” How about this,
“What’s wrong with Shacking up?” these are just a few of the issues
of life that we are able to deal with.
But when it comes to Euroclydon,
things are well out of our control!
Let’s first take a look at the effects
of Euroclydon in the Bible.
Euroclydon was the wind system
that caused Jonah to eventually be
thrown off of the ship he was on
while running from the Lord’s
command to go to Nineveh. Then
there was the storm that Jesus walked on water to get to the ship. Again
Euroclydon showed up while Jesus was asleep on the boat while his
disciples were in fear. Even in our day and time we see the effects of
Euroclydon. When ever there is a northeastern wind system, those of
you who have small boats know that you can not take your boats out
into the ocean! We are fortunate to have Doppler Radars and other
technology to warn us, unlike the early Bible times! Also in the win-
ter, it is Euroclydon that blows and brings the arctic freeze across the
country. Now with all of these examples it shows that there are some
things that are not in our control.
So then, when it comes to the issues of life, there are some things that
are out of our control, these are the things that require much prayer!
Parents who are dealing with the fact that their child is gay, or maybe
you received a bad report from the doctor such as cancer. Maybe you
are in so much debt that you’re facing bankruptcy. Or maybe you have
a love one that’s bi-polar. These are just a few examples and there are
many other out there! The bottom line is Euroclydon has blown your
way and things are falling apart! Let’s read on.
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them,
and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have
loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 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.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am,
and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar:
and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall
be even as it was told me.
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up
and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that
they drew near to some country;
28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had
gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen
fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast
four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when
they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though
they would have cast anchors out of the fore ship,
Now in verse 21 Paul makes a statement, “Sirs, ye should have hear-
kened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained
this harm and loss.” How many people have heard the preachers
see LEON BING page 32