God's Love Changes Everything - Part 755

It all began with Paul delivering his own personal testimony to captives. At the time, it already seemed unreasonable that a prisoner would be sent to prison without having first being charged with a crime. Because of this, King Agrippa (who was considered an expert in the customs and questions of the Jews) had agreed to hear Paul’s story. “Thou art permitted to speak for thyself” he told Paul.

And speak Paul certainly did. Indeed, Paul had a testimony that most would be ashamed to share. Paul, who was well known and recognized by many because of his previous esteemed societal status, had lived after the straightest sect of his religion since his youth. In fact, He had been a Pharisee. During his life, he had done everything contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, imprisoning and putting to death many of the saints. As such, he gained a name for himself for actively persecuting those who believed and followed Jesus.

However, after he had been blinded by a bright light from heaven on the Road to Damascus, Paul (previously known as Saul) was completely transformed. Jesus told Saul that He had appeared to him for the express purpose of making “thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee ... to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:14-18)

God not only assigned Saul with a new name, but now Paul had a life mission. His new life song consisting of preaching the good news gospel of Jesus and His kingdom to everyone who would listen.

“And now I stand [here before all of you] and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.” Paul continued, asking, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?”

What he was really asking his accusers is why one would think it incredible that Almighty God would heal people of their diseases. That Almighty God could take a broken heart and make it whole. That Almighty God would empower His people to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, they would recover. (Mark 16:15-18)

Or that Almighty God loved us so much that He would willingly become as a Son – flesh and blood as we are -- so that you and I could be made completely whole too.

Paul then told his accusers how he continued from that first moment unto this day “witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come – that Christ should suffer and that He should be the first that should rise from the dead and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22-23)

You see, as we see here Paul trusted his Saviour without question. He knew firsthand that God’s love changed everything for him. And he was not looking back.

For he was “persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

But Festus accused Paul of being “beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” Paul denied that he was mad, speaking forth the words of truth and soberness. Indeed, Paul was so convincing that even King Agrippa was almost persuaded to believe in Jesus’ love. How do we know? King Agrippa said so.

Paul knew how he felt because Paul had been there too. He had heard the testimonies of saints who refused to negotiate another day on this earth in exchange for blasphemy. Still, Paul said to the King, “I would to God that not only you but also all that hear me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.”

Set free to be sons and daughters of the Most High King. “When we were children, [we] were in bondage under the elements of the world but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.” Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” (Galatians 4:3-7)

King Agrippa knew that in spite of the chains, Paul in his heart had already been set free. Thus, the King wanted Paul released from this situation too. But Paul had appealed to Caesar – a mistake in King Agrippa’s mind. But the King was unaware that God’s love changes everything.

So, when it was determined that they should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band. First, they sailed on a ship named Adramyttium and then next on a ship of Alexandria. Throughout, the winds were contrary and the sailing extremely dangerous.

Paul admonished the masters of the ship, saying, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of lading and ship but also of our lives.” (Acts 27:10)

But the centurion did not believe Paul so they continued on their way. Not long after, there arose against the boat a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let the boat drive on its own. The crew on the ship used helps, undergirding the ship; fearing lest they should fall into the quick sands, strake sail, and so were driven. And as the scriptures state, the boat and the two hundred plus people therein were exceedingly tossed with a tempest. So much so that the very next day the ship’s crew decidedly lightened the load, hoping to gain control of the boat.

Day three was not much better. “And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. 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.”

They were not only scared to lose their goods and ship but also their lives.

After what must have seemed as a long abstinence to those on board, 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. [The good news is that] 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.”

The tempestuous winds had not changed. The boat was still being tossed to and fro. What made Paul so confident? The answer is simple. Paul knew firsthand that God’s love changes everything. That the same God who created the universe could similarly calm the waves and halt the storm in an instant. That God had called Saul to be a child of His kingdom, and as such, had a mission for Paul. That is, “preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” (Acts 28:31)

So Paul told each and every one of them on the ship that during the night, an angel of God appeared to Paul – the same God “whose I am, and whom I serve” saying, “Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.”

But still the boat tossed to and fro in the waves. The tempestuous winds making the boat ride anything but peaceful. In fact, it was two weeks later -- when the fourteenth night was come before “the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country; sounded, and found it twenty fathoms.” Even longer before they sounded again and found it fifteen fathoms. Fearing that they might fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day light so that they could see. The shipmen wanted to flee so they let down the boat into the sea.

These did not have faith. Neither did they believe that Paul, a prisoner could predict a positive outcome to their situation.

But Paul knew. He told the centurion and soldiers, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” So the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let the boat fall so that none could leave. They were in this situation together. And whether they knew it or not, God had a purpose for their life too.

When the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, “This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat for this is for your health: for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you.”

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to his Almighty God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. What do you think Paul was saying to them, while they ate? You guessed it. Paul was preaching the good news gospel to one and all – and they were all of good cheer. All two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore. And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

The soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose. Did his heart change? Did the centurion experience God's love on that boat -- God's love that changes everything? We are not told the answer in the scriptures but we do know that the centurion then commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land, and the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship to do the same. 

As we know from the scriptures, God kept His promise. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safely to land. 

Not one crew member or prisoner was lost because they were cuddled in the safety of the Most High King.

Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ wrote in I Corinthians:

“And I brethren, when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God, for I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your/our faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God. Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the princes of this world knew; for they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory … but as it is written, “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him .. but God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (I Corinthians 2:1-10)

Paul finishes the chapter stating, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (I Corinthians 2:16)

By believing on Jesus, and seeking His righteousness in our lives, we too know firsthand that God’s love changes everything. As a consequence, we are now sons and daughters of the Most High King – the same heavenly Father who -- even before the world was formed – loved us enough to know that He would have to willingly sacrifice His humanity on an old rugged cross for us.

Just like Paul, we need to take hold of His promises. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. We need to believe that “He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love – having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.” (Ephesians 1:2-5)

We need to recognize that His grace is sufficient. “His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved -- in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself.” (Ephesians 1:6-9)

We need to know “that in [this] dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him ... in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will. That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ … in whom [we] also trusted after that [we] heard the Word of truth, the gospel of salvation, in whom also after that [we] believed, [we] were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of [our] inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14)

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)

Why? Because God’s love changes everything. Stand in the offering plate!