When Your Life Is Taking on Water, You Can Still Avoid the Shipwreck

Sermon given during the Sunday service on October 12, 2025 at Église des Lim (ELM), on the text of Acts of the Apostles, chapter 27: the shipwreck of Paul.

Introduction: your life sometimes looks like a voyage at sea

In Acts chapter 27, the apostle Paul is a prisoner. He's put on a ship to be taken to Rome, where he's to stand trial before the emperor. What starts as an ordinary voyage turns into a disaster. The wind dies down, a storm rises, the sailors lose control. And at one point, the text says they gave up all hope of being saved (Acts 27:20, WEB).

Maybe you recognize a bit of yourself in that. There are seasons in life when everything is fine, a gentle warm breeze is blowing, and then things go south. We sometimes call it "smooth sailing" turning rough. And when the rough patch drags on, it can end in a shipwreck. Some people's lives look just like that: a crossing that never arrives, a project that collapses, a marriage that sinks, a health that gives out.

So you did well to stop and pay attention this morning. Let's try to understand why we end up there, and above all how to get out of it. Because the Bible doesn't leave us facing a wall. It shows us both the mistakes that lead to shipwreck and God's remedies for arriving safe and sound.

Outline of the message

1. The four mistakes that lead to shipwreck (Acts 27:9-13)

a) Refusing the warning (v. 10)

Paul had warned the crew: "I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives" (Acts 27:10, WEB). They didn't listen to him.

When someone warns you, it's not to scare you. Your car has a horn: it's not there to make noise, it's there to warn someone of danger. In life too, there are warning signs: the word of God, your conscience, a faithful friend. The problem is we'd rather silence the warning when we don't like it. We want to hear something else. And yet, whoever heeds the warning spares himself a lot of damage.

b) Preferring human wisdom over the word of God (v. 11)

"The centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul" (Acts 27:11, WEB). Second mistake: when the voice of the experts contradicts the voice of God, we listen to the experts.

This surely happens to you too. People around you say: "You shouldn't take the Bible literally, nobody sees things that way anymore today." And you end up listening more to human wisdom than to God's word, because it suits you better. But a ship's pilot can be wrong. God's word never is.

c) Following the crowd (v. 12)

The text says that "the more part" advised putting to sea again (Acts 27:12). Paul finds himself alone. Third mistake: believing that truth is on the side of the majority.

Remember: Jesus himself was condemned because the crowd demanded it. And if you're a Christian today, you're a minority in your society. Does that mean everyone else is right? No. Truth isn't a matter of polling. It's on God's side, even when you're all alone with Paul against 275 people.

d) The pride of the "south wind blowing softly" (v. 13)

"When a south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor" (Acts 27:13, WEB). Fourth mistake, the subtlest one: as soon as a bit of warmth returns, they think they're masters of their own fate.

It's dangerous to think you're in control of everything. In reality, you don't control much. You don't control the wind, you don't control the clouds, you don't even fully control your own life. A "south wind blowing softly" (some good news, a lull, a little success), and we think we're invincible. And that's exactly when the storm hits.

2. The four wrong reactions to the storm (Acts 27:17-30)

When they give up hope of being saved (v. 20), the sailors react in four ways. These are reactions you might have too when everything goes wrong.

a) Looking for help elsewhere (v. 17)

They use the ship's rescue equipment. That's normal, you'd do the same. But in life, where do you go looking for help when everything falls apart? Money? Money doesn't answer everything. When you're sick, it can't do a thing. Science? It hopes in new treatments, but it doesn't heal everything. Relationships? They disappoint. Some even turn to the occult, and end up in an even worse situation.

b) Letting yourself drift (v. 17)

The wind is so strong that they lower the sails and let themselves be carried along. They stop resisting. And it's true that in life, there are moments when you tell yourself: "On my own, I have no power left." So you give up. Then comes the alcohol, the drugs, letting yourself go. Some end up homeless, not because they wanted to, but because at some point they stopped fighting.

c) Wanting to run away (v. 30)

The sailors grow afraid and try to lower the lifeboat into the sea to escape. How often we'd love to run away when reality gets too heavy! Some go as far as suicide because they see no other way out.

But listen closely: you can flee to the ends of the earth, and you will never escape God's gaze. The psalmist said it: "If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me" (Psalm 139:9-10, WEB). You could go to some remote island, and there would be someone there to tell you about Jesus. Because God is chasing after you in love. You cannot escape his love.

d) Dropping anchor and waiting (v. 29)

"Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight" (Acts 27:29, WEB). This is paralysis. You stop moving, stop deciding, you just take the hits. Many lives settle into this discouraged stillness.

3. God's remedies for arriving safe and sound (Acts 27:33-44)

Thankfully, the story doesn't end there. God sends Paul a message of hope: "Don't be afraid, Paul... behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you" (Acts 27:24, WEB). And Paul offers three concrete remedies.

a) Listen to the word of God and feed your soul (v. 33-36)

"Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing" (Acts 27:33, WEB).

Having refused to listen to Paul earlier, this time they listen to him. This is the turning point of the whole passage. And Paul feeds them: physically first, but the image speaks of feeding the soul too. How long has it been since you last fed your soul with the word of God? Jesus said it: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4, WEB). Without that nourishment, your soul starves in the middle of the storm.

b) Lighten the ship (v. 38)

"When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea" (Acts 27:38, WEB).

It's a terrible thing to throw the wheat overboard, that's the wealth, that's the money. But if they keep the wheat, they go down with it. So they make a choice. And in your life, there may be things weighing you down so much that your heart looks like a cellar or an attic full of clutter. One day you'll leave this earth and take nothing with you. Nobody heads to heaven with a moving truck. So learn now to lighten your load, to let go, in order to live what matters most. Learn to disconnect from earthly things so you can connect to heaven.

c) Throw yourself into the water by faith (v. 43-44)

"He commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land" (Acts 27:43-44, WEB).

Throwing yourself into the water is an act of faith. You leave what seems stable (a ship that's breaking apart, but still holding you), to entrust yourself to what seems unstable, the water. Concretely, that means two things. First, believing: leaning on Jesus by faith, even when everything around you is cracking apart. Second, if you haven't done it yet, taking the step of baptism. Not the infant baptism that others chose for you, but the baptism of someone who, as an adult, publicly says: "Jesus is my Savior, I want to follow him." Jesus commanded this to his disciples: baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

What God wants to tell you this morning

All the passengers made it to the island of Malta safe and sound. The ship itself was destroyed. And that might be the strongest word in this whole passage: God doesn't promise you that your ship will stay intact. He promises that you will make it safely to shore.

Material things break. Your own body, the Bible compares it to a jar of clay that will one day shatter (2 Corinthians 4:7). But inside the jar, there is your soul. And your soul is eternal. If you've welcomed Jesus into your life, your soul will return to God, and he will welcome you into his glory. If you haven't welcomed him, that's a different story.

God's will is that no one here would be shipwrecked. That no one would capsize. That you'd still be standing five years from now, ten years from now, testifying that God rescued you, blessed you, restored you. But for that, you need to stop making the four mistakes, refuse to get trapped in the four wrong reactions, and take hold of God's remedies.

Key takeaways

• God's warning is a grace, not a threat. When God's word bothers you, listen to it twice rather than once.
• Human wisdom and the majority are not the truth. Paul was right alone against the whole ship.
• The "south wind blowing softly" is more dangerous than the storm. It's when everything's going well that you're most at risk of thinking you're master of your own fate.
• You cannot flee from God, not even to the ends of the earth. That's good news: his love pursues you.
• God doesn't always save your ship, but he always saves your soul. What matters is arriving safe and sound.

Personal application

1. What warnings from God in your life right now would you rather not hear?
2. Who do you listen to more: the experts, the majority, or the word of God? How do you know?
3. Is there a "south wind blowing softly" right now that's making you think you're the master of your own life?
4. What's weighing down your heart so much that it looks like a cluttered attic? What could you throw overboard this week?
5. Have you ever thrown yourself into the water by faith? If you're an adult believer who hasn't been baptized, when will your water baptism be?

Scriptures cited

• Acts 27 (WEB) · Paul's shipwreck
• Acts 28:1 (WEB) · "When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta"
• Psalm 139:9-10 (WEB) · "If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea"
• Matthew 4:4 (WEB) · "Man shall not live by bread alone"
• Matthew 28:19 (WEB) · The command to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
• 2 Corinthians 4:7 (WEB) · "We have this treasure in clay vessels"
• Luke 22:19 (WEB) · "Do this in memory of me"

FAQ

What should I do when it feels like my life is drifting off course?

Start by going back to Acts chapter 27. Look at the four mistakes that lead to shipwreck: ignoring God's warning, preferring human wisdom, following the crowd, thinking you're master of your own fate. Then return to the word of God, lighten your life of what's weighing it down, and throw yourself into Jesus' arms by faith. You may not arrive with your ship intact, but you'll arrive safe and sound.

Does God hear me even when I'm far away, even at the ends of the earth?

Yes. The psalmist says it: "If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me" (Psalm 139:9-10, WEB). You cannot flee God's love. There will always be someone to tell you about Jesus, because God is chasing after you in love.

What does "throwing yourself into the water" actually mean?

It means two things. First, believing: leaning on Jesus by faith, even when everything around you is falling apart. Second, if you haven't yet been baptized as an adult believer, taking the step of water baptism, that public testimony that Jesus is your Lord, just as he asked his disciples to do (Matthew 28:19).