Thursday, July 22nd
Read: Acts 27
The word ‘hero’ may conjure up a mental picture for you of someone who is strong and courageous, intelligent and persuasive and who beats the odds. The truth is, heroes often come from the most unlikely circumstances. Think of Jesus, savior of the world. He came from the most weak and humble of beginnings yet conquered sin and hell and did so through a life of servant hood. Think of your favorite superhero. He/she likely came from humble beginnings too or appears with the natural eye to be feeble and unlikely to accomplish much.
In this chapter of Acts we see some of the heroic nature in Paul. Paul was a man who had been entirely humbled by the Lord. His conversion was a dramatic one that caused him to change the entire course of his life. All that he knew and pursued was wrong, and he died to himself in order to live a servant life for Christ. He endured suffering and imprisonment at the hands of his enemies for the sake of the gospel. That doesn’t sound much like a typical hero to me.
Paul’s encounter with Jesus was revolutionary. From that time on, no matter the circumstance, God’s power was displayed and used for Christ’s glory. This truth is evident as we read about his experience on a boat during a disastrous storm, in the middle of nowhere. He was a prisoner and had no rights; the authorities cared far more about themselves than him, a filthy, no-good lawbreaker. Waves and winds were strong and hope was small. Paul knew lives may be lost. He warned the ship’s crew of the impending disaster—shipwreck, loss of cargo, injuries and loss of life—but they cared little about what he said.
In this situation you would probably feel panicked and angry that no one listened to you. Paul encountered an angel who assured him that they would be safe and eventually arrive at their destination. In typical Paul fashion, he took the risk to speak up again to the ship’s crew and assured them that they would survive. He gained their confidence and was then able to give them further instruction on how to survive the storm (vs. 31-38). His help and wisdom also gained him favor as the commander of the ship spared him from death by the soldiers.
Paul didn’t panic; he knew God had everything in His hands and nothing Paul could do could save them. God was faithful and spared their lives and only the ship was destroyed. Would you, a prisoner, be so sure of God’s faithfulness and tell your captors that God would save you? Or would you do all you could in your own strength to escape or save just yourself?
The only reason that Paul was a hero is because he allowed Jesus to revolutionize his life. Paul held fast to the promises of God and pressed in to them even when times were tough. Paul gained safety and protection and favor with man because of his faithfulness to the Lord. The hero in Paul was Jesus. This means, for us, being a hero is inevitable, we just need to live as servants who aim to please our master.
Process:
1. Have you been in a situation where you tried to do everything yourself?
2. When faced with trials, do you rely on God or on your own strength?
3. How does Jesus want you to be a hero?
4. Is your faith strong, like Paul’s?