Small Shifts, Big Faith: Storms Lead to Shores (Part XV)

Sermon Title: Small Shifts, Big Faith – Storms Lead to Shore

Good News Statement: Jesus encourages his church to be alive

Summary: The church isn’t perfect but yet is willing to grow in faith, practice love, and be alive today and tomorrow.

Preached: Sunday, September 20^th, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Acts 27:18-26 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Book of Acts. As Paul was nearing his journey to Rome, he and 246 other passengers encounter a storm that left many on board fearful and hopeless; but Paul new that God would get through the storm—just like He does in our own life. Let’s read Acts Chapter Twenty-seven, Verses Eighteen thru Twenty-six. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding and meaning to your life.

 

The Storm at Sea

13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16 By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven. 18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. 22 I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24 and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor, and, indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26 But we will have to run aground on some island.”

The Word of God, for the People of God; And all God’s People said, “Thanks Be To God.”

 

 

Introduction:

The ministry of Jesus Christ has been shared. Healings have been performed. The blind were able to see and the lame able to walk. Those demon possessed were set free. The chains of the oppressed were broken. People began to believe and prayed to have their “unbelief turn into belief” (Mark 9:24). Some were even raised from the dead to breathe again. And some were welcomed home after being outcast to the dark, damp, tombs outside of the city walls.

Then, after riding into Jerusalem on a never before ridden donkey and being praised as the people laid their cloaks on the ground as shouts of “Hosannas” filled the air, Jesus is turned over to the religious leaders of the day. Jesus is questioned and tortured by the Roman soldiers—beaten nearly to death—prior to receiving a crown of thorns and a purple robe as a sign of earthly mockery. He was presented to the people in the presence of Pontius Pilate, who said, “But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free” (Luke 23:22, GNT). To which the people responded, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Luke 23:20, GNT). Luke 23:24 states, “So Pilate passed the sentence on Jesus that they were asking for.”

Jesus is marched from the palace to Calvary, bearing the weight of the cross—most likely the horizontal beam—as excruciating pain shot through his body with every step, as blood dripped from his head to the ground, soaking the dirty road beneath his feet, and as both cries and shouts surrounded him. On Calvary, he hung on the cross for six hours before taking his last breath and proclaiming “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then he was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Three days later he rose from the dead to prove that death does not have the last word, that a tomb sealed by a large stone could not withhold him, and that an instrument of death—the cross—is a promise of hope and salvation. And now, after 40 days of walking this earth in his resurrected form, he has ascended to heaven; but before leaving this earth, he gave his apostles and disciples a challenge: to keep the church alive.

This is where the Book of Acts comes into play. For those that are unaware, the Book of Acts (or sometimes called the Acts of the Apostles), written during the time of 33AD to 62AD, is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Luke was a physician back in the day and has been credited to write the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. The theme of Luke’s writing after the ascension of Jesus Christ is focused on how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to declare the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. In doing so they establish the church, which is the fulfillment of God’s promises from the beginning of time. Jesus states in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Luke’s purpose for writing the Book of Acts—the journey and testimony of Paul and the rise and growth of the early church—was to give an orderly account of the early church after Christ’s resurrection; and to highlight the notion that keeping the church alive was not, is not, and will not be easy. But keeping the church alive is necessary. So, for the next several weeks, we are going to explore certain themes sprinkled throughout the Book of Acts which I believe remind us of how important it is to keep the church alive today for tomorrow. And the question I propose to you is this: “What are we doing and could be doing to keep our church and the whole Church—the body of Christ—alive?”

 

Body:

This year’s weather pattern has been nothing short of active and at times confusing. This past spring, here in the Midwest, we experienced 80 degrees, storms, and snow all within the span of 24 hours. Doing a little bit of research one could be alarmed by what meteorologists recorded just within the first four months of the year for our region. According to the website theweweather.com, as of April 2026, there had been up to 304 severe weather reports in Illinois. Illinois lead the country with reports of severe hail—approximately 115 reports before May. In regards to hail, on March 10^th of this year in the Kankakee area, the largest ever hail to fall in Illinois since the mid-1900s was recorded: coming in at 6.6 inches and weighing 1.25 pounds. Although Illinois surpassed all other states during the first four months of the year in hail and tornado reports, it came in third for severe wind reports at a 130. To put things into perspective, the website noted, “Around 87% of the tornadoes that state saw from 1950 through 2025 occurred from April through the end of the year; and right now, it is only April.”

In an NPR (National Public Radio) article published in August of this year, climatologist Trent Ford is quoted saying, related to the current weather pattern, “2026 has been one of, if not the, busiest years on record for severe weather in Illinois. The five National Weather Service bureaus covering the state have issued more than 1,300 thunderstorm and tornado warnings as of August. That’s in addition to the 203 tornadoes confirmed to have touched down in the state this year—the most in Illinois history and over triple the annual average of 66 tornadoes per year.”[1] At one point, I remember hearing at the beginning of summer that the Midwest had become the new “tornado alley.” We have certainly seen our fair share of storms this year as well as storms in the past: such as the tornado that passed through Newton in June 1990 and the tornado that passed through in March of 2023.

Two storms stick in my mind. The first one took place in the early 2000s. My eldest brother just bought his house and a storm passed through blowing down a tree in his yard and taking out his fence. The neighborhood he lived in was without power for several days. My family and I spent many hours cleaning up his yard that summer. The second storm that sticks with me took place on June 21^st, 2026. Just three days before this storm passed through I had surgery which limited my ability to move efficiently. As Emily and I sat on the couch watching the weather, we received several phone calls and text messages from many of you telling us that a tornado was reported heading our way. We loaded up the cats and bird and headed over to our neighbors, Don and Valarie, who have a basement. Emily was already to their house by the time I was able to make it to the road!

I’m not a huge fan of storms. I’m not a typical Midwesterner who will sit on their porch watching the storm from beginning to end. But I will say that some storms are fascinating, breathtaking as they roll in with their colors, cloud formations, and hidden mysteries. Are you a fan of storms? Are you one who will sit on the front porch, stand in the yard, taking pictures, as a storm comes rolling overhead?

In our life’s journey, there are times we will experience contrary winds and sudden storms. There are times, as Jesus himself promised, when the rain will come down, the streams will rise, and the winds will blow and beat against us. Many of us experience such storms, so it is good to listen to the apostle Paul, who tells us of some of his own sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29: “I have worked harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?”

When we are buffeted by the storms of life, we must remember one thing: God is with us in our storms. He never tells us to go out on our own; rather, he tells us to follow him who is always leading us. It is he who promised, “I will be with you always, even unto the end of the ages.” Today, we find ourselves battling a storm with Paul; and are reminded that God is with us.

 

Movement One: Introduction to the Scripture Text…

Acts 27 speaks about a storm the apostle Paul endured towards the end of his apostolic ministry. For two years he was in a prison in Caesarea, having been charged by the Jewish Sanhedrin of being a troublemaker who defiled the temple, taught against the Law of Moses, and was against Caesar. Though he was innocent of all charges, Paul failed to receive justice from the Roman governors Felix and Festus, so he appealed to Caesar, which meant he had to go to Rome to be tried. In Acts 27 we find Paul being put on board a ship from Adramyttium, which is on the northwest coast of Asia Minor, south of Troas, and beginning his journey to Rome which ended up being about 2,130 miles.[2]

[3]When they reached Myra on the south coast of Lycia, Paul and the others were put on a large Alexandrian ship, which was carrying grain from Alexandria to Rome. This freighter was about one hundred and eighty feet in length, forty-five feet in width, and forty-three feet in depth. Besides the cargo, it also carried 276 persons: sailors, prisoners, soldiers, and regular passengers. After the ship left Myra, instead of sailing west, it was driven south by contrary winds. After many days, it arrived at Fair Havens, on the southern coast of Crete. It became clear to all on board that they could not arrive in Italy before the winter, so the centurion—Julius—the pilot and the owner of the ship made plans to winter at Phoenix, which was a better and safer port just west of Fair Havens. The majority of those on the ship favored this plan, but by divine revelation, I believe, Paul disagreed, warning those with him against leaving the port of Fair Havens (Acts 27:10). Paul was an experienced traveler who had made at least eleven voyages totaling 3,500 miles across the Mediterranean Sea and had already experienced three shipwrecks. But the authorities rejected Paul’s counsel in favor of the majority view and decided to sail to Phoenix.

The ship left Fair Havens for Phoenix, but it never arrived there. Caught by a terrible storm called a “northeaster,” it was driven along off course for many days. In Acts 27:20 Luke writes, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” Have you ever encountered a storm that left you hopeless?

Let’s dive a little deeper into this text…

 

Movement Two: Oppositions and Storms…

Before we look closely at our text this morning, I want to share with you some external and emotional storms that Paul was dealing with as he battled the storm that was raging against the ship. You see, as Paul found himself sitting on the ship, he was battling the storm of opposition. Opposition is often defined as “resistance or dissent, expressed in action or disagreement.” For example: Nehemiah faced heavy mockery, threats, and plots and resistance from external enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah while trying to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Moses faced direct resistance from Pharaoh, who refused to free the enslaved Israelites and increased their labor burdens. David experienced years of intense opposition and life-threatening pursuit from King Saul, who grew jealous of David’s success and favor with God. Lastly, the first recorded conflict in scripture shows Cain opposing and resisting and killing his brother Abel out of jealousy because God accepted Abel’s offering. And now, opposition has found Paul.

Paul faced three sources of opposition to this plan of going to Rome. First, the Sanhedrin opposed him when he went to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey. Paul wanted to worship at the temple and offer gifts to the poor, but while he was worshiping at the temple, Paul was seized, dragged, and beaten by the Jews. They were about to kill him when he was rescued by the commander, Claudius Lysias. As he was being taken away to the Roman barracks, Paul was given permission to defend himself before the Jewish people. He began to speak to the crowd, but again the Jews tried to kill him and the commander had to rescue him.

Then we are told forty Jewish men took an oath to kill Paul. God delivered him from this trap and had him transferred to Caesarea. While he was there, we are told the Sanhedrin demanded before Governors Felix and Festus that Paul must be condemned to death, saying, “He is a troublemaker. All over the world he makes trouble. Didn’t he defile the temple and teach against the Law of Moses? And not only that, he is against Caesar!” There was only one problem with the opposition of the Sanhedrin: they could not prove these charges against Paul. Paul’s opposition, his storm on land, has to deal with a group of people who didn’t believe him nor did they like him. They resisted Paul because he thought differently than them even though in front of King Agrippa he confessed that they have the same hope, the same ancestors, studied the same tribes, and have all received promises from the same God. And above all us, they couldn’t prove him guilty.

Paul’s second opposition rests with the soldiers.[4] The soldiers who were in charge of the prisoners wanted to kill them, including Paul, because they knew that if any prisoner escaped during the shipwreck, the soldiers in charge would be killed.[5] The soldiers were about to kill Paul, but at the right moment, Julius the centurion intervened and stopped them. Why did he intervene? Because no one can frustrate God’s plan. The Lord ordained that Paul must witness in Rome. He was indestructible and invincible until his work was done. And, as we said before, God had also promised the safety of everyone on the ship, so these soldiers were prevented from killing the other prisoners as well. However, the threat was still present. The soldiers resisted, dissented, and opposed Paul because of who Paul was. Paul lived several days of his life on this ship knowing that every day his life was threatened, every day the soldiers wanted to kill him, every day the soldiers caused Paul to experience an emotional and mental storm.

Can you relate? Are there people in your life who make it their goal to resist and oppose you? Are there people in your life, like the soldiers, who put fear in you, who make you second guess what you are doing? Are there people in your life, like the Sanhedrin, who will do anything in their power to constantly make you feel as if you are on trial, as if you can’t do anything right? In addition to the physical storm, Paul is dealing with an internal storm because of the people around him. He knows that God is with him; but the people around him are making it hard to believe that. What sort of opposition are those in your life making you go through today?

 

Movement Three: Opposition from the Storm…

The third opposition focuses on our main topic: the storm. Luke begins this moment by sharing in Acts 27:9-11, “Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Day of Atonement had already gone by, Paul advised them, saying, ‘Men, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.’ But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.”

There are a few things to consider at this point. First, note how Paul gives those on the ship a specific warning that something disastrous is going to happen. As a matter of fact, he tells them that there will be loss of cargo, loss of ship, and loss of life. This storm is dangerous and life-threatening. Paul, a man of God, is giving them a warning or as the Book of Revelation puts it, “a series of woes.” Although a prisoner on board a Roman ship with other prisoners who he probably didn’t know, Paul has this urge to help prepare and protect those on this ship. Paul doesn’t want the storm to win. Rather, he wants to be heard and taken seriously. This moment begs me to ask, “Has someone you know or maybe you didn’t know ever warn you about something? Did you listen to them? Did you ignore them? Have you ever given a warning to someone about something that may happen? Did they listen to you?” Now for a more serious question, “How many times has God given you a warning and you, like those on board the ship, didn’t listen or believe?” I believe it’s a safe to bet that we have all ignored God’s warnings in our life from time to time.

Jeremiah 6 reminds us that the people of Judah ignored the warning signs, despised God’s counsel, and rejected God’s call to return. Ignoring God’s warning is never without consequences. In Jeremiah 6:19 the Lord declares, “Hear, O earth: I will bring disaster on this people—the fruit of their thoughts.” When people refuse God’s way, they eventually reap the painful harvest of their own choices. Judah thought rebellion would give them freedom; instead, it produced captivity, disgrace, and destruction. Sin always promises pleasure, but delivers sorrow. Rebellion promises independence, but ends in bondage. Indifference to God’s voice promises peace, but leads to judgment. No one has ever gained anything worthwhile by resisting the warnings of God.

Jeremiah informs us that God’s warnings arise from His compassion, not His cruelty. Paul is not warning the people to scare them. He is warning them because he cares about them. He doesn’t want anything to happen to them even though they could care less about him. Sometimes the storms we go through in life are more than warning signs; they are actually reminders that God cares about us so much that He wants us to change something in our life. The storms God places us in are meant for us to listen when God speaks, yield to His refining hand, and to realize that He cares about us. So don’t ignore the warning signs of God because they just might save your life.

Second, after Paul gives the warning of potential loss, we read that the centurion soldier ignored Paul and instead listened to and followed the advice of the pilot—the captain—and owner of the ship. Now if the pilot was Jesus and the owner of the ship was God, this scenario would be okay. However, this is not the case. But, we shouldn’t be too quick to blame the soldier. Remember, Paul is a prisoner—a supposed criminal. To the soldier, Paul is simply a prisoner, a nobody, someone without worth, someone without value, someone who doesn’t know anything. So why would the soldier, a ranking official, listen to Paul?

I’m sure we can find ourselves in this text. I’m sure we have dismissed a warning because the one giving the warning is below us, we don’t believe they know what they are talking about, or maybe because we don’t trust them. We have all ignored someone in our life for some reason or another. If you haven’t ignored someone, then maybe you have been the one that has been ignored. All Paul wants to do is offer his advice—his God-received advice—but is ignored because of his status and because of who he is. In 2007, famous violinist, Joshua Bell, dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap, and played classical pieces on a $3.5 million violin in a subway station in Washington, D.C. Out of the 1,097 people who walked by, only 7 people stopped to listen: talking about being ignored.

Church, I have to wonder, who have we ignored? Who have we chosen not to listen to? Who have we deliberately walked by? Sometimes in our storms, we only want to listen to ourselves. No matter what someone else says, we ignore them, we choose not to listen. However, if we did listen I bet we would hear a voice trying to help us get through the storm. I bet we would be able to hear God saying, “Be still; and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I bet we would be able to hear Jesus saying “Don’t be afraid.” I bet we would be able to hear a friend, a loved one, or even a neighbor telling us that we are not alone. During our storms, as loud as the wind may be, we have to do our best to listen, to hear, and to understand that others want to help us.

A few verses later, Luke records in Acts 27:18-20, “We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.” Storms have a way of stripping us down, of making us feel vulnerable, of making us feel afraid and in the dark, and at times abandoned and hopeless. The crew and everyone else but Paul are scared for their life. They have encountered a storm that they feel as if there is no other outcome except to go down with the ship. In our text we are told specifically that the crew threw the ship’s tackle—ropes, pulleys, and gear for navigation—overboard with their own hands. They tried to solve this matter on their own.

I don’t know about you, but I have tried to solve and resolve many storms on my own. Sometimes there is success and other times success is far off in the distance. We like being in control, but at some point we have to let go and let God guide us through the storm. We have to let Him be our lighthouse. We can’t continue to throw ropes, pulleys, and navigation gear overboard if they aren’t the root issue. They might be the very things that will save us. Before you go throwing things “overboard” during a storm, take a deep breath and let yourself search for the root of the issue: lean on God for help. How do you deal with the storms in your life?

Lastly, while everyone is running around in a frantic and frenzy manner, Paul can be heard offering words of encouragement. Paul shared, “I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor, and, indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we will have to run aground on some island’” (Acts 26:22-26).

At the beginning and end of Paul’s speech—I can see him sitting on a crate, relaxed, observing the chaos unfold before him—he tells everyone to have courage and to not be afraid. An angel of God told Paul that God had granted safety to all those who were sailing with him. In a time of storm, God is promising that everything will be okay. Paul wants us to know that in any kind of storm of life, God has given us courage. God has given us hope. God has given us tools to overcome the fear before us. We may not feel courageous or faithful or even be hopeful when something rocks our boat, but in and through God we are being protected. God is watching over us: helping us become safe and secure from all alarms.

But, then Paul says something that I believe we forget from time to time. Paul said that because of the storm they “will have to run aground on some island.” After overcoming the current storm, those on the ship will need to overcome another hurdle. Just because one storm ends doesn’t mean that all other storms dissolve and disappear. Sometimes the storms we encounter leave us with a new challenge, a new project, and a new perspective. Sometimes the storms we battle open other doors but through God they lead us to ground.

But did you catch what Paul said? He mentioned the word “island.” After the storm all those on the ship will survive and will make it to shore. Even though the crew and the prisoners didn’t listen to Paul, God will get them to shore. This moment reminds me of the criminal on the cross in Luke 23. The criminal is unnamed. The crime of the criminal isn’t specific, he may be a thief. The criminal was a sinner. The criminal mocked Jesus. However, Jesus got him to shore. The criminal didn’t know the doctrine of justification. The criminal didn’t understand grace. The criminal didn’t belong to a committee at a local synagogue. And the criminal wasn’t a follower of Jesus Christ. When he got to heaven, I’m sure an angel asked him, “How did you get here?” To which the criminal said, “The man on the middle cross said I could be here.” On that day, Jesus turned to him and said, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). You see, if we trust in God, if we listen to the man on the middle cross, we will be able to get through our storms. And the best part is, we don’t have to know everything, we don’t have to be perfect, and we don’t have to understand all things in order for Jesus to rescue us. We just have to believe there is an island upon which we can stand, a solid rock that is our firm foundation.

These people suffered the loss of their ship and cargo, but God showed mercy and told them through Paul, “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. You will stand upon ground again.”[6] It’s no wonder Paul wrote in Romans 5:3-4 that “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Paul knew that God ordains suffering for his people so that their character could be developed. He also wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” In Romans 8:39 Paul wrote, “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul wrote from his prison in Rome to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

No matter how minor or major our storms, if we believe in God, we shall not perish but be guided to shore. “God will find a way when there seems to be no way.” Again, Paul is giving the people hope, giving the people the assurance that God is with them just like He is with you during your storms and suffering. Are you ready to step on solid ground? I hope so, because God is guiding you to shore.

 

Movement Four: Beyond the Storm…

I want to remind you that Paul wasn’t the only one who experienced a physical storm in scripture. Remember in the Book of Jonah there was also a storm. They threw everything overboard in great fear, but in order to calm the storm it was Jonah who needed to sacrifice himself. He walked the plank, jumped into the sea, was swallowed by a large fish, and three days later was vomited on the shore of Nineveh. (Jonah found land!) The storm was calmed for the crew but Jonah still had another hurdle to leap.

What about the time when Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the stern of boat while the disciples were caught in a storm that they couldn’t navigate. They were so scared that they woke up Jesus. Jesus calmed the storm for them and possibly for everyone else on the Sea of Galilee that day. Although asleep in the boat, the disciples had nothing to fear because Jesus was with them. And then what about the time Jesus was off praying by himself while his disciples were caught in yet another storm. Jesus witnesses their fear and struggle and decides to help, although he intended to walk by them. Jesus calms the storm and guides them to shore.

Sometimes I have to wonder why certain teachings, parables, and events are repeated in scripture. Could the authors not think of anything else to write about? Did they have writers block? But then I recall what my New Testament professor said, “If scripture repeats itself it is because humanity didn’t figure it out the first time.” I believe we read about several storms in the Bible because in our own storms we succumb to fear and try to resolve it on our own, even though we don’t have the tools to do so. We need the constant reminder that we can’t calm our storms on our own. We need the reminder that even those who believed in God and chose to follow Christ and who helped grow and develop the church were not exempt from experiencing storms in their life. Even the faithful encounter storms. Even pastors and ministers encounter storms. Even churches encounter storms. Everyone is subject to storms in their life, but not everyone relies on Christ to get them to shore.

Maybe some of you are experiencing storms right now. You have been dealt a hand that you can’t explain, that you never saw coming. You feel as if your boat is coming apart, the sails are being torn by the fierce winds, you can’t see the shoreline through the down pouring of rain, the waves tower over the boat, resources are being tossed overboard. You feel as if no one is listening to you. You feel lost. You feel alone. Life seems overwhelming and fear settles in. If you are going through some sort of storm today, do me a favor: give it to God. Let God calm your storm; wake up Jesus; see Jesus walking on the water; and have hope that God will lead you to an island. You aren’t alone in your time of storms. As Vernon J. Charlesworth penned, “The raging storms may round us beat, a shelter in the time of storm; we’ll never leave our safe retreat, a shelter in a time of storm.” No matter the storm, God will give you a shelter.

Church this applies to us today as well. The early church wasn’t formed in a perfect world. It wasn’t formed in a vacuum. It didn’t grow in a sinless world. It didn’t thrive in world that had all the answers. The early church was formed in a world filled with storms. Church, throughout your history, you have encountered storms that have left you hopeless, but you are here today. You have encountered storms that have battered your boat, but you made it to shore. You have encountered storms that generated arguments and disagreements, but your doors are still open today. You have encountered storms which made you throw things overboard, but now you have room for new things, new ideas, and new dreams. Churches grow and learn to live because of the storms they overcome. But the question we need to ask ourselves as a church is, “How do we overcome the storms that we find ourselves in?” We pray. We lean on each other. We call out for help. We offer help. We trust in God. We don’t give up.

Acts 27 ends with these words, “And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:44). Storms are a part of life. They are a part of our faith. And, they are a part of the church. In every storm, we must not be afraid, we must not be overcome by the opposition, and we must not lose hope. Have courage and know that God will lead you to shore.

 

Conclusion:

As we conclude this message, I leave you with two things. First, Paul told everyone on the ship, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31). Sometimes to survive the storm—as easy it is to jump overboard—we must remain in the ship and trust that God will get us to shore. Second, I invite you to keep this saying in your back pocket: “When there seems to be no way, God will make a way.” Even during your storms, God is paving a way for you. Don’t fear, don’t lose hope, don’t give up, and don’t toss everything overboard. Instead, have courage because there is a shore waiting for you to land on. No storm is strong enough to keep God from rescuing you.

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, help us in our storms and guide us to shore. May we have the courage and hope to lean on you and to trust you as we allow you to be a shelter in the time of storm in our life. In your mighty name we pray, Amen.

 

Benediction:

Church, when there seems to be no way, God is making a way. Even when you find yourself in a storm, God is making a way. Trust Him, believe in Him, and have faith in Him because He will get through the storm. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth knowing that God is making a way in your life. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

 

[1] Ben Singson, “2026 one of Illinois’ busiest severe weather years on record, state climatologist says,” NPR Illinois, published August 18, 2026, Accessed September 16, 2026. https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2026-08-18/2026-one-of-illinois-busiest-severe-weather-years-on-record-state-climatologist-says

[2] To give you an idea of what that compares to, the average distance from the east coast to the west coast of United States is about 2,800 miles, and the Mississippi River which begins in Minnesota and empties into the Gulf is about 2,340 miles.

[3] In Acts 27:1-2 we read that Paul was placed under the custody of a centurion named Julius and that Luke the physician and Aristarchus from Thessalonica traveled with Paul to help him. In Acts 27 and 28 we have Luke’s eyewitness account of Paul’s journey from Caesarea to Rome.

[4] As the ship neared land, it ran aground on a sandbar and began to break up. Now another problem developed which threatened to frustrate God’s plan of bringing Paul to Rome.

[5] Remember the Philippian jailer of Acts? After the earthquake, he was about to kill himself because he thought his prisoners had escaped and he would be killed in their place.

[6] The Bible tells us that the people of the world are without God and without hope, and certainly we see this demonstrated here. The others on the ship had become anxious and hopeless in this great storm, but one man on the ship was full of hope. He spent the time praying to God, and I believe he also sang, as he had done previously in the Philippian jail.