On the evening of October 22, 1918, the Canadian Pacific Steamship “Princess Sophia” sailed from Skagway, Alaska bound for Vancouver.
She carried with her 268 passengers and a crew of 75.
Some of the leading citizens of Dawson city, Yukon, along with many Alaskans, were trying to escape the winter.
And in addition to other cargo there was a million dollars in gold from the Klondike gold-fields aboard.
They were sailing so hard and fast that the 245′ ship ran completely up and out of the water.
but she tore a huge hole in the bottom of her hull.
and it would have been suicide to try to launch any of the life boats.
and a larger CPR steamer from Vancouver could reach and rescue everyone.
Then on the morning of October 25 at the point of the highest tide, a huge way drove the Princess Sophia over and off the reef.
She sank in minutes and all 343 men, women and children perished.
Only about a hundred of the bodies were ever recovered.
Only our gracious God, knows how many of those people had been redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus.
Not one of them reached their loved-ones in the south.
But if they were children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, then every one of those Christians DID make it safely to “the other side.”
This morning, once again, I’d like us to take Paul’s shipwreck in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean, and think about the fact that “they escaped all safe to land.”
I’d like us to think about the physical, albeit miraculous, reality.
And then I’d like to make an application to something higher and more spiritual.
The storm of the century, the perfect storm, a deadly storm was devouring their ship.
Logic said that they were doomed, but they DIDN’T drown.
As we have pointed out a couple of times, perhaps these winds were being stirred by Satan himself.
I think that he would have been delighted to get rid of Paul, the extraordinary preacher of the gospel.
There were hundreds, of not thousands of Satan’s servants who were being swept into the Kingdom of God through faith in the Christ that Paul was preaching.
The Devil would have given his right arm to drown Paul, crush Paul, behead Paul or otherwise silence Paul.
And if 275 other people perished in the onslaught, it certainly wouldn’t have disturbed the Evil One.
But there probably weren’t more than a handful of people who gave the Devil a second thought at that time.
Most of those people had been overcome with their fears.
They had been driven for days by hurricane force winds, and the ship was heavily damaged.
And they had even had to toss much of tackling and necessary equipment of the ship into the sea.
Unlike most of the people of “Princess Sophia,” Paul’s fellow passengers were filled with a morbid fear that they could not possibly be saved.
Have you ever been so afraid that you were paralyzed?
I remember once, when I first began pastoring, being asked to speak to a group of preachers.
And then when I opened my mouth and began to speak I began to hyper-ventilate;
I literally was so terrified that I couldn’t even breathe, let alone speak.
My physical condition was real, but the thing that I feared was imaginary.
And then on the other hand, the things that we ought to fear the most, we either ignore or embrace.
We ought to hate and fear sin, but most of us, even Christians, have gotten over that fear.
We ought to fear God, because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but we so live our lives as if we were gods ourselves.
One of the greatest emotional needs that we have as human beings, even as Christians, is getting our fears straightened out.
In the case of Paul and the people on this ship, there was reason to fear the storm, Euroclydon.
In any other storm of that magnitude they should have been putting their houses in order and writing their last wills.
But in this case there was the promise of God that they had no reason to fear.
Fear, like anger or lust, is an emotion, a feeling, and we have options on how we respond to our feelings.
We need to learn to respond to our fears in faith, trusting the Lord.
We need to respond to all our feelings in ways that glorify the Lord and match the teachings of the Word.
But sometimes our fears are based on what we know about ourselves; particularly our sins.
Do you remember what we read from the first chapter of Jonah last week?
Some would call it superstition, but it was more like intuition, when the captain and crew believed that the storm had fallen upon them out of divine wrath upon some person on board.
“And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.”
A friend of mine sent me a humorous story about a new airline flying out of Minneapolis.
A funny thing about funny stories is that often there is a lot of truth in it.
“In da event of a water landing, I’d say forget it.
Start saying da Lord’s Prayer and just hope you get to da part about forgive us our sins as we forgive doze who sin against us.”
And whether people like to admit it or not, “as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
There is a tiny voice, even the heart of the most stubborn atheist that there is judgment for sin.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Or if he didn’t like to use the word “sin,” then he knew that there were things in his character which were worthy of death.
Probably the sailors on that ship knew how to swim, but we see them trying to occupy the life boat.
They knew that not even they were strong enough to withstand the breakers crashing in upon the shore.
But then after the sailors, there were a great many people who didn’t even know how to swim.
Without life-vests, all that they could do was find some floating debris to hang onto to stay above waves.
Physically speaking, it didn’t look like any of them had much of a chance to reach the safety of the shore.
When the Princess Sophia went down, she was on a reef with the nearest shore 3½ miles away.
Of the ten bodies that were immediately recovered, eight were either in, or close to, ruined life-boats.
The best plans, the best hopes, the strength of some and the wisdom of others could not avail in saving a single person on that ship.
There were other boats in the vicinity, & there was an immediate search for survivors, but none were found.
When that final wave broke up and over the reef, driving the Sophia into the deeper water, she sank in less than 60 seconds.
And my point is this: look at the omnipotence of God in regard to Paul’s ship, that despite all the factors against it, not a single person on board was lost.
I would imagine that the news papers of Melita might have spoken of miracles had 50 people survived, or perhaps even if only a dozen made it safely to land, but in reality not a single soul perished.
We have in this a demonstration of the power and the will of God.
Their deliverance was determined; their deliverance was foretold and their deliverance was attained.
Praise be to God!
Those 276 people were saved from the storm by the pledge of God, the providence of God, and by the power of God.
The Lord promised and He delivered.
I’m sure that after they were ashore, and after the winds subsided and their clothes dried out, some of them might have thanked their “lucky stars” that they were still alive.
Some might have refused to see it, but it was Divine Providence that they were all alive.
Those people should have ended up just as drowned as the passengers and crew of the Princess Sophia.
There go I to the bottom of the sea, but for the grace of God.
Having said all that, now I would like to raise our eye-level just a bit higher.
I would like to glorify the Lord in that miracle on the high seas more than 2,000 years ago.
But … what do people usually picture when they here the words “the OTHER shore?”
that a great many of my messages were about the eternal security of the believer.
But as I look back on my messages here in Post Falls, there have not been nearly as many messages on that subject.
Perhaps it is because at that time, I was confronted by so many professing “Christians” who believed the disgraceful doctrine of “falling from grace.”
We had so many Pentecostals, Evangelical Free, Methodist varieties and even professing Baptists, who refused to read what the Bible said about that subject that I felt compelled to preach it often.
I sincerely hope that there is no one – NO ONE – here who is confused about this subject.
If any of us escape Hell and enter eternal Glory it will be because of God’s grace.
That grace begins in the heart of God and ends in the power of God.
As Paul clearly teaches, salvation is not begun in grace and finished in our works.
It is begun in grace, maintained by grace and concludes in the grace of our merciful God.
And even though I might say “If any of us escape Hell and enter eternal glory,” the fact of the matter is that there is no IF about it.
The completion of the salvation of God’s elect is as sure as the safe arrival of Paul on the shores of Melita.
Several times we have looked at this chapter and I have pointed to things that the sailors and passengers did to save themselves.
They lightened the ship by throwing off things that they didn’t need.
I’m sure that they had crew of people constantly bailing or pumping water out of the holds.
When Paul addressed the group and told them that they needed all the strength that they could muster to make it safely to shore, he told them to eat.
Have you considered the exact words that he used?
“This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.”
All of my commentaries say that it had been two weeks since they had eating a regular meal.
They hadn’t had their regular diet of the proper green stuff, brown stuff, white stuff and yellow stuff.
And since they hadn’t eaten their vegetables they hadn’t had any dessert either.
Were any of those mariners, soldiers, or prisoners praying to their respective deities?
Were any of those men fasting in the sense of “fasting and prayer?”
Just as those people were saved from the storm by the pledge of God, the providence of God and by the power of God, that is the only way that any of us sinners will reach the “other shore.”
It’s not by the lightening of our ship that we pass safely through the narrow sea-lane into God’s harbor.
It’s not by constantly bailing out the poisonous residue of our sins.
It’s not by fasting and prayer.
Salvation from sin is by the grace of God.
When the church in Jerusalem was debating about the doctrine that Paul was preaching, Peter arose and address the crowd. He summarized his theology in same that Paul did:
“But we believe that through the GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”
We believe that by the unmerited favor of Christ, sinners are forgiven and delivered from their sin.
To the Romans Paul wrote: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”
To Titus Paul wrote: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Every Christian needs to remember is that what started by God’s grace, He alone finishes.
John 5 – “Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
John 6 – “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 10 – “It was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Romans 8 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am 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.
I Peter – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
If we chose to do so, we could go well into the afternoon reading scriptures which declare the spiritual equivalent of what we see illustrated physically here in Acts 27.
God has promised to bring everyone of his chosen people safely to Himself.
There will not be one of them lost, no matter what storms befall them in this life.
They should strive to be as righteous as the Lord, but if they fail miserably in this, their failure will not disannul the promise of God.
They should be as holy as the Lord is holy, but even if they sin, their sin cannot dilute or divert the power of God which is commissioned to save them.
The blood that Jesus shed to save us from our past sins, is sufficient to save us from our future sins.
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.”
You are a worshipper and servant of Christ, aren’t you?
Has there been a day when you knelt before the cross and you knew that the blood dripping from those wounds was for you?
Are you living in repentance today?
Are you trusting His shed blood for your cleansing?
No? Then please, please talk to some one of us today about your soul’s great need.
There is escape available through Jesus Christ our Lord.