If this was all that Paul said to these soldiers, he did not tell them that these men were attempting to abandon ship. The stern of the ship began to break up. Verse Concepts. Here are three unique leaders who serve as great examples of democratic leadership: Abraham Lincoln President Lincoln took office understanding his decisions over the next four years would determine the fate of the United States. All rights reserved. It is not surprising, though, that he would take the advice of the ships captain and its pilot as being more expert. Read Chapter All Versions. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. Paul encouragement the passengers to trust God to do all that He promised. Today's nomenclature calls it tough love. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. The encouraging news that Paul was about to tell them was that he was both right and wrong when he had warned them not to sail. Here are some examples of their leadership. The winds seem to have blown the ship away from the island of Crete. The most probable account is that they dropped a floating anchor or drift anchor, which was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer the maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of a wave. Bruce, p. 486. 542 The ship in which they embarked belonged to Adramyttium (modern Edremit), a seaport of Mysia in northwest Asia Minor, opposite the island of Lesbos. 4. They had to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. 4. Paul accomplishes all this without any formal leadership position or authority. A late night visitation by an angel of God and Pauls words of encouragement to his shipmates is reported in verses 21-26. When you are walking in accordance with Gods purposes, whatever obstacles to the accomplishing of His will are encountered, He will overcome. The Fast is the day of atonement (Yom Kippur), which falls on Tishri 10. But more than this, God had already assured Paul that he would reach Rome. And also for Pauls sake, all of the prisoners were spared from execution by the soldiers. He loved God. While Paul had not lost hope, as had his shipmates, he must have been afraid. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. The amount of talking by the leader is another clue. They took down the sail, which would have been ripped to shreds by the winds, and lashed down the rudders, which would have been broken up as they were smashed against the ship by the waves. Moses is remembered as the liberator, the leader, the law-giver, the prophet, and the intermediary in the covenant between God and the Jewish people. The question was where the ship would make port for the winter. Engage group members: The leader involves members and encourages them to involve others. It was a coasting vessel, which was to call at various ports of the province of Asia; at one of these Julius knew he would find a ship, preferably a grain ship, bound for Italy. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 477. 1. And He has come forth from death and the grave, to give us new life. He spoke prophetically of the fate of the ship and its passengers. It was drifting wherever the storm carried it. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. 554 The wind would tend to blow the ship much more quickly than the current, and so a sea anchor would reduce the force of the wind on the ship by using the sea as a brake. How often, I wonder, are others benefited by the presence of a believer? They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. He must live wisely and be just. They complained and whined at every inconvenience (Ex. Their safety was contingent on the presence of Paul and the patience of God. I could talk about David, Moses, or Nehemiah, but I want to talk about three lesser-known leaders who make great examples of Godly leadership in the Bible. Allow me to make one last observation here. Let me suggest a few characteristics of Pauls leadership in this crisis, which may provide fuel for future thought. Julius and the others did not seem to look upon Paul in religious or spiritual terms, but only in terms of practical and proven ability and knowledge. Nearing land in a storm is a very dangerous thing. Pauls skillfulness and leadership gave the gospel a credibility it would not have otherwise have had in the eyes of these people. The meeting's facilitator will be acting democratically if they actively seek out the team's thoughts and opinions and encourage them to voice them. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Moses was seen as the patient leader of a people with little faith (Ex. He was courageous as indicated by the spy scenario in Numbers 13:31. The chapter may therefore be outlined in this way: One way or the other, Festus must have found some way to explain Pauls appearance before Caesar. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. And so they were strengthened, both in spirit and in body. The angry mob, which the Asian Jews had incited in Jerusalem, were trying to kill Paul, but God used Claudius Lysias and his soldiers to save his life. Now, when they knew where they wanted to go, they again began to rig the ship for sailing, to whatever degree this could be done in such a storm. They cut loose the anchors, which set the ship free, as wind and waves propelled it toward land. They were not men who manipulated people or their circumstances in order to further their own power or position. Pauls safety and deliverance was so certain that it was sufficient for others as well. I see people working for a place a leadership, rather than working to serve others, and letting leadership develop or not on its own. Their troubles to this point would seem insignificant compared to what was soon to come. While it is great to learn from others, you dont have to try to be like others. In a democracy leaders. If the leader becomes a wimp, he will lose his leadership role. It was too late in the sailing season to travel on to Rome by sea. 31 What then shall we say to these things? 1 Timothy 4:12. Paul believed in the power of God and in His infinite control over all things, in heaven and on the earth. His church was a murmuring people. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house (1 Corinthians 16:19). The God who was to rescue them was Pauls God, the God whom he served, and to whom he would bear testimony before Caesar. If they were to have the strength necessary to make it to shore, they would need to start the day with a good meal. I know it sounds more like mother or a TV commercial, but Paul was dealing with a very practical necessity. You can learn valuable and unique lessons on leading the church and furthering the gospel from these men of the Bible. Paul was a prisoner, on his way to stand trial before Caesar in Rome. By the way, Paul may not have been frightened so much for himself as for the others. Far to the south, off the African coast, lay the notorious Syrtes (17), the graveyard of many ships, as underwater archaeology has vividly revealed in recent years. Examples. 565 In particular, much may be learned from Lukes portrayal of Pauls character and behavior in circumstances in which the real man is most likely to be revealed. 550 As they waited for a change of wind at Fair Havens, it soon became clear that they could not complete the voyage to Italy before the onset of winter. I would say that is a great example of Godly leadership. The bottom line is that everyone leads in some fashion, be it great or small. These passengers were spared, I suspect, so that they could not only hear the gospel, but experience the hope which the gospel gives, and the power by which the gospel saves unworthy sinners. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. Why not get better at it? nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. Neither Lasea nor Fair Havens is mentioned by any ancient writer, two of the hundred cities of Crete. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1930), III, p. 460. There were no petty thieves on board this ship. The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Not the Adriatic Sea as we now call the sea between Italy and the mainland of Illyricum, but all the lower Mediterranean between Italy and Greece. Robertson, p. 469. The one whose fate was sure and certain, was the most cautious; those whose ultimate fate was most uncertain were those who lived most dangerously. He had God on his side. His God was in control of all things, including the sea. Second, the majority of those who voted on this issue favored going further. They made port in Sidon, a city about 70 miles north of Caesarea. He refused to bow to the king and ended up in the lion's den. If you see shortcomings, those are the areas that you can ask God to help you develop. It was Paul who showed caution, warning those in charge of the dangers ahead. Thankfully if God has called you to leadership, he will take the time to help you grow into it. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:26). Whatever God has promised to do, He will do. Misconceptions about "Real" Leadership vs. Servant Leaders. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. When the ship is grounded and the passengers must swim for their lives, the soldiers plan to kill Paul, along with the other prisoners, to prevent any from escaping. It seems as though the passengers, including Luke and Paul, were needed to help carry out this operation (see verse 19).556. Navigating the challenges and joys of ministry life. Your family. Hence the battle to maintain a westerly course, aided, it appears, by a veering of the wind to the east, as the cyclonic disturbance shifted its centre. Blaiklock p. 190. As a church staff or volunteer ministry leader, you can learn valuable and unique lessons from several biblical characters. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Without God's constant guidance in our lives, how can we be confident of what we are teaching, how we are ministering, or why we are even leading? Focus on who you are and allow God to develop you into the leader he has called you to be. The grounding of the ship, some distance from shore, and then its breaking up poses another threat, which all survive. Their arrival had not been without difficulty, but things were only to go from bad to worse. On the third day, some of the unnecessary tackle on board the ship was thrown overboard. Time would prove Paul right. Scripture offers examples of both. God used this two-year delay of Felix and the bungling of Festus to bring Paul to the point where he would appeal to Caesar. The dangerous season for sailing began about September 14 and lasted until November 11; after the latter date all navigation on the open sea came to an end until winter was over. One more detail about the future was revealed by Paul: the ship must run aground on a certain, but unnamed, island. A late date for the day of atonement is required also by the time notes of the subsequent journey to Italy. He did get disgusted. Great leaders focus on serving those who follow them. Pauls leadership emerged in a democratic society. We are told that the majority reached the decision to sail on, rather than to winter in Fair Havens.

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