Date:   11/11/2007

Text: Acts 27-28 (28:30-31)

Title:   A Major Detour

Theme: Since God is in control in all circumstances, our lives can be enriching even in those undesirable moments.

Introduction:

  While driving home on S. Main in late October, I saw a sign saying, “Major detour from 10/26 to 10/29, expect delays”. My reaction was: not again ; the stop and go traffic, wasting time and gas. Detour due to construction is a common sight in Houston. Just think of the I-10 construction. Such detours also brought back the memory of my going to college from HK to Tokyo, Japan on a cargo-passenger ship. The trip to Japan by sea usually would take about 4 days. However, the moment we got onboard, we were told that the ship would have to go to Manila first. Therefore a 4 day journey lasted almost two weeks. Talk about a detour. No one likes detours for they upsets our plans, making us feel out of control of our life events.

  This morning we'll conclude our study of the book of Acts. In my preparation, I have found John Stott's commentary on Acts very helpful, thus using some of his ideas as a springboard for this message. In chapters 27 and 28, Luke recorded a major detour in Paul's life as he approached the last few years of his ministry.

I.   God's hands are in life's detour moments.

  Certainly, Paul was not unfamiliar with detours in life. Remember early on, he wanted to go to Damascus to threaten and arrest the believers. On the way there, God intervened and appeared to him. As a result of this, Paul became a follower and apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul the persecutor of Jesus and his disciples, is now being persecuted for Jesus. Then there was Paul journey to Troas which we studied few months back. Many years later, another major detour which Luke devoted almost two chapters to.

  Paul had wanted to go to Rome to visit the believers (Romans 15:25-29). However, he was arrested in Jerusalem. Because there was a threat on his life, he was transferred to Caesarea and imprisoned there for two years. Since Paul was a Roman citizen who wanted to appeal to Caesar, the Roman authorities began the journey to transfer him to Rome.

  In chapter 27 we read about the bad weather in the Mediterranean Sea, the journey was delayed as they waited for the weather to clear up. They experienced a ship wreck and the soldiers attempted to kill Paul and other prisoners so they could sail away. The ship finally landed on the island of Malta. They set up a fire to keep themselves warm. Then out of the sticks, came a poisonous snake and bit Paul. Miraculously he did not die. Eventually 6 months later, they arrived at Italy and then travelled by land to Rome. Paul had wanted to go to Rome as a free man to visit the believers there. Instead, he arrived at Rome as a prisoner. This was quite a detour from his original plan.

  As we follow the events, we also noticed Luke going into great lengths to describ what happened at Sea: the weather, waves and the shipwreck. Have you wondered why? Sailors and those familiar with sea warn us that we are not to take the sea lightly. It is often unpredictable and can be dangerous. Chinese have a saying: ????? . In the OT, the sea is seen as an evil power in opposition to God. Therefore what Luke described happened in the Mediterranean Sea was not just nature at work, or the soldiers' plot to kill Paul and other prisoners as human schemes, but evil forces working through Nature and the soldiers in opposition to God. We can think of some examples in the Bible:

  Pharaoh tried to drown baby Moses. In the book of Esther, Haman plotted to annihilate the Jewish people. King Herod wanted to kill Jesus by killing all the babies in Jerusalem. In the book of Acts, the Sanhedrin was doing their utmost to destroy the young church. And now the storm, the soldiers and the poisonous snake all working to stop Paul from arriving in Rome. As we follow the story, we can't help but ask, will the evil forces prevail? Will Paul be able to arrive at Rome?

  However, in Acts 23:11, Luke did give us a hint, “ 11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "“Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” Yes, Paul wanted to go to Rome and Jesus also affirmed that he will be his witness in Rome. Really? Will Paul really be able to get to Rome?

  Luke also gave us plenty of hints in these two chapters. He described in great detail how Paul was rescued from the storm, shipwreck, sailors' plot to kill him and the snake bite. He is telling us that in the midst of these evil forces working against Paul, God will eventually over-rule them. So finally, after almost 6 months at Sea, Paul arrived at Rome. He wanted to come to Rome to visit the believers, Jesus also affirmed him that he will be in Rome, except with the omission of a minor detail. That Paul would arrive there as a prisoner. Talking about a detour in life. Yet from this, we also learn how God is in control in those detour moments. He overrules the evil forces that are against him.

  Some of us may find ourselves in such detour moments. We are not sure when we will get to what we have set out to go or do. It is very unsettling, right? But the comforting thought is that even in such moments, God is in control. It may turn out very radically from your original plan, but take heart, he knows the best.

II.   In Paul's detour moments, his ministry was expanded.

  Let's now take a look and see what happened in Rome. After his arrival, Paul was placed under house arrest for two years.

1 •  Influx of visitors (28:17, 23, 30)

We learn from these verses that local Jewish leaders, the Jewish community came and listened to Paul's explanation of the kingdom of God. He welcomed everyone that came to his house. We can also assume that people from all places had come and listened to him. then they would bring the message back to where they came from. If Paul was a freeman, he could only go to one place at a time. But now, it's like the world has come to him.

2 •  Paul's witness before Caesar.

Paul is in Rome, but did he appear before Caesar? There is no biblical or historical record on this. However, circumstantial evidence suggests that he did. In Acts 27:24, “ 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar….” God promised Paul that he would stand before Nero. We also know that Nero would personally hear the capital offense. So we could conclude that Paul did eventually appear before Caesar, the ruler of the then western world.

Without this long detour, this would not have happened. God over ruled those adverse situations and evil forces so that Paul would be a witness in the capitol of the western world, and finally, before the supreme ruler of the Roman empire.

I think that some of us are here, not by choice, but due to different circumstances or detours, you ended up here. I can almost hear many of your complaints about this place. May be we need to pause and look at your situation from God's perspective. It is under his sovereignty you are here. Not only this, he had also shown you ministry opportunities that you did not have before. He wants to stretch and expand you, thus bringing you to new heights.

III.   In Paul's detour moments, his ministry was further enriched.

In this detour, Paul was imprisoned for 2 years in Caesarea, 6 months of sea travel, and 2 years of house arrest in Rome. While under house arrest, we learn that he received visitors and told them about the good news of God's kingdom and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. What else did he do during those two years?

He wrote the three prison letters: Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. When he was awaiting trial by Caesar, waiting for his thumbs up or down judgment, Paul also recognized that the supreme authority to which he must bow to was not Nero, but the lord Jesus Christ. In those 3 prison letters, we repeatedly read the themes of the supremacy of Jesus Christ. These letters are full of exhortations and encouragement on contentment, joy, peace and patience. In the dark hours of his house arrest, the Christian virtues of faith, love, hope, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit clearly radiated.

The German pastor and theologian, Bonhoeffer, during the dark hours of imprisonment by the Nazis, wrote letters to encourage those outside the prison. He faithfully ministered to the fellow prisoners. William Cowper, a well known British hymn writer of the 19 th century, was constantly in the dark chambers of depression. Yet out of his pen, flowed some of the most beautiful hymns. Such as: God Moves In A Mysterious Way, There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood and O For A Closer Walk with God. Out of those dark dungeon experiences, he was moved to write about God's sovereignty, forgiveness and his ever presence.

I also know that many of you have experienced or are still in some of the darkest hours in life. Yet these experiences have deeply enriched your life and relationship with God. Seldom did I hear you complain, but your mouth is full of thanksgiving. For example: if not for this, I would not have known God. if not for this, I would not have experienced the love of so many believers. Detours can enrich our lives and ministry.

IV.   In Paul's suffering, his message was authenticated.

  In these 2 chapters, we also read about Paul's suffering. Later in his letter to the Corinthians he wrote in greater detail of his sufferings: more imprisonments, countless beatings, often near death. Beaten 3 times with rods, 5 times of 39 lashes, shipwrecked 3 times, a day and night drifting at sea, plus other dangers.

  We have certainly read or seen news reports of how some monks in SE Asia set fires and burned themselves to death. You see, the sincerity of our belief is directly proportional to our willingness to suffer.

  In the book of Isaiah, we learned that the servant Messiah who would bring light to the nation must suffer. Jesus taught that the seed must die before it would multiply. Paul's life was full of suffering for the gospel. History told us that after 2 years of house arrest, he was freed for 2 years. He was then rearrested and executed. He died for the gospel message for which he was a messenger. Paul, the witness was martyred for his belief. And you know what? The word Witness is the same as the word Martyr.

  His suffering and death show both the sincerity of his belief and the truth of the message he proclaimed.

  The same is true with us. the more willing we are to suffer for the gospel, demonstrate our sincerity and loyalty to the lord we follow. If I am serious about following Christ, then I will be willing to be ridiculed by others because of my stand for the Christian faith. I will not be ashamed of talking about Christ at the appropriate time.

  You remember in the 1 st chapter of Acts, we heard Jesus instruction to his disciples: “ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Throughout the book of Acts, we see how the disciples, in good and bad times, wherever they go, they were witnesses of Jesus Christ. This gospel message eventually reached the capital of the Roman Empire; the center of the western world. And now, with Paul's death, this gospel torch was passed onto the next generation of believers to carry it to other parts of the world. So one generation followed another generation, bringing the gospel message further and further away from Jerusalem and Rome. This is how this message had come to each one of us. It is now our responsibility to be his witness at home, work, school and in our community. It is our responsibility to be His witness both in Houston and other cities.

Conclusion:

  What a detour Paul experienced. He wanted to go to Rome and Jesus also assured him that he would go to Rome, except for a minor detail. But the way he arrived there was beyond his imagination. He arrived at Rome as a prisoner. However, this detour expanded and enriched his ministry.

  You remember the detour I had when I went to Tokyo, Japan over 40 years ago. You see, because of the detour I got to visit Manila, Okinawa, Osaka and Kyoto. It was frustrating that a 4 day journey turned into two weeks, but it had certainly enriched my life.

  About 3 years ago, one evening Cynthia made this comment: “The road that took us to where we are today was very crooked indeed. But God was good and in control.” It was a detour that none would have planned. Yet as I reflect, I begin to realize how this has deepened my understanding of God's holiness and human brokenness, His sovereignty and human responsibility. This detour has also enriched my life by reminding me how much I need him. Without Christ, I can do nothing.

  Dear brothers and sisters, you may be in the midst of a detour. You can't see clearly where you are or where you are heading. Scary and frustrating, right? Yet, why not just pause for a moment and think: even in the darkest moment in life, our Savior sees clearly where we are and where we are heading toward. He has never left us alone for one moment. Moreover, in such moments, He wants to further enrich and stretch us, showing us things that we have not even dreamed of. And now, shall we just simply ask him to help our little faith and trust in this great God.