Moses. What can we learn about leadership, which can benefit others, and can promote the gospel? Paul knew that he would reach Rome, but he also strongly sensed that the ship and some of its passengers would not. But Paul did not presume to have God on tap and thus to be able to perform some miracle any time his wished. Now, no one had the use of this boat. The Bible is pretty clear about what Godly leadership looks like. 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. He left this to God. "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. They want to use numbers and influence decisions based upon voting power. Given all these factors, the ship set sail from Fair Havens. He was both blessed and disgraced almost in the same breath. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Netherlands are a few others. All rights reserved. Christianity is not a fair weather religion. Did Paul pray for their meal, as well as his own? 1. His leadership was built not so much on ancestry from the Jewish lineage as by faithfulness. For Pauls sake, all the passengers on board his ship were spared from the storm. 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. When the ship set sail, they began to encounter unfavorable winds. They were also able to build a church that met in their home. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath {of God} through Him. To reinforce his words, Paul now did what he urged each of them to dohe ate. Remember this applies whether you are leading one or many. 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. When you study closely, you will discover these examples of leadership in the Bible can help you address all of lifes situations. He took Pauls warnings seriously here, too. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Their safety was relative, however. 1 Timothy 4:12. He was courageous as indicated by the spy scenario in Numbers 13:31. 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? Paul was as secure as any man could be. Some things dont change. It was only some forty miles to Lutro. Robertson, p. 461. Proud member God does not jump through our hoops and thus Paul never presumed that he had Gods power on tap to use when and how he chose. 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Paul did not seek to sanctify his words by giving them any spiritual flavor. They had to move quickly now to get off the ship and to swim to shore. It was the crew of the ship who lived dangerously, foolishly risking the ship, the cargo, and the lives of all on board, just to get ahead a little. His military role came at a pivotal time in world history- World War II. Leadership Styles in 1 & 2 Kings Merida introduced his Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings by touting the relevance of the biblical text to the modern world. The sovereignty of God is no excuse for us not to work, but the assurance that our work is not in vain, in the Lord. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. The sovereignty of God is the basis for our safety and security, but it is not an excuse for our sloppiness. Some are not as visible; all are useful. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who dont have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. They were so sure of the wisdom of their decision that they did not even draw up the small boat attached by a rope to the vessels stern (verse 16). What kind of leadership did Paul exercise, and how did this impact the gospel? 553 The storm was now heavy upon the lumbering vessel, as it came roaring out of the north-east. 33 Who will bring a charge against Gods elect? They cut loose the anchors, which set the ship free, as wind and waves propelled it toward land. When the ship was far out at sea, and no one knowing how far they might be from land, abandoning ship was no temptation. If you want to be a godly leader, I encourage you to focus on the qualities that God identifies as necessary in a leader. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (Romans 5:8-10). They did not know exactly where they were and they could not recognize anything familiar about the land, but they did resolve to run the ship aground in a bay which they could see ahead. 564 Would he not have dared to command the soldiers not to kill Paul, but to have allowed the others to be put to death? Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Verses 14-20: A Sudden Storm and Lost Hope, Verses 21-26: Pauls Night Visitation and Words of Encouragement, Verses 30-32: Sailors Stopped From Abandoning Ship, Verses 33-41: Pauls Encouragement and the Ships Grounding, Verses 42-44: Prisoners and Passengers Spared From Death. The prisoners (at least the dangerous or violent ones) may have been in chains. All must abandon ship now. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Not once or twice the world has had to thank the great saints and mystics for providing timely help in moments of crisis when realistic, practical men of affairs were unable to supply it. Bruce, p. 475. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. (This also required a small boat, which was going to be taken by those abandoning the ship.) He had had enough. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS, and church supplies of $50 or more. A democratic leader likes people who disagree with them and challenge their views. This necessitated sailing close to the coast of Cyprus, which, to some degree, sheltered them from the contrary winds (verse 4). There is no place safer than the place of obedience to the Word of God. But the storm brought men and women face to face with death, and with the truth of the gospel. It was simpler, it seems, to forbid them from killing any of them. Let me suggest a few characteristics of Pauls leadership in this crisis, which may provide fuel for future thought. Because of its size and cargo, it required deeper water. What grace was made evident in this storm! I do not agree. Pauls caution is rather interesting. Even running under the shelter of a small island (Clauda, verse 16), they could hardly get the ships dingy on board. Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable. Paul was not striving to be a leader here, but simply trying to be of help. The storms of your life may not have been sent your way to destroy you, but to turn you to Gods salvation. Paul: "Believe in something bigger than yourself." "I have appointed you as a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:47). All in all, it would be best to wait out the storm at sea. "Perhaps he's sleeping and will wake up!" For others it extends beyond the walls of your home possibly into your community, your job, or even your ministry. Every passenger made it safely to shore. If there were but ten righteous in the city of Sodom, God would have spared the city for the sake of those righteous (Genesis 18:22-33). He wanted to spare him, and so he forbade them from killing any of the prisoners.564 All of the prisoners were spared, on account of one personPaul, just as all of the passengers were spared for Pauls sake. In the sea of Adria (en toi Hadriai). Several days before, Paul had told the passengers, who had lost all hope, that they would all be saved, although the ship would run aground (verses 21-26). The death penalty is certainly one possibility. Few managers or politicians understand that. Democratic Leadership Examples President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was famously democratic in his leadership style, once said that "leadership consists of nothing but taking responsibility for everything that goes wrong and giving your subordinates credit for everything that goes well." They were not going to get to Rome until after winter was over anyway, and they could stay right where they were, with no real problems. The seas were closed to sailing until the beginning of February at the earliest; the three months spent in Malta must therefore have corresponded roughly to November, December, and January, so they must have left Fair Havens not much before mid-October. Since leadership is important, how does Godly leadership fit into the equation? Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. Here are seven whose leadership played a significant role in leading the early church and furthering the gospel. 36 Just as it is written, For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Paul was a leader here because people followed him. But it is here, in our text, that I see Paul as a very wise man in practical matters, a man who is a leader of men, and whose counsel is taken seriously because he knows what he is doing. Moses. 549 Smith observes that Fair Havens is so well protected by islands, that though not equal to Lutro [Loutron, a port some 40 miles farther west along the coast], it must be a very fair winter harbour; and that considering the suddenness, the frequency, and the violence with which gales of northerly wind spring up, and the certainty that, if such a gale sprang up in the passage from Fair Havens to Lutro, the ship must be driven off to sea, the prudence of the advice given by St. Paul may probably be supported even on nautical grounds. Bruce, pp. I suspect so. In a democracy leaders. Inclusive Meetings A weekly meeting provides the best illustrations of the democratic ideology. And Joshua did so.". First, those who were considered the experts favored doing so. The short version is that there was a plot to destroy the Jews, and Mordecai got wind of the plot. Nobody said it would be easy. Paul encouragement the passengers to trust God to do all that He promised. Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in 2011. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them (Acts 6:3-6). He had a special place. The ship ran aground on a reef, where it would be broken up by the action of the still raging waves. If the prisoners were to make it to land, the soldiers would have to release them.