Confident Expectation

GETTING STARTED

“Faith” is a word that is sometimes thrown around lightly in Christian circles. What does it really mean to have an ongoing and active faith as a Christian? I had a friend give the following simple clarification about faith: Faith is living with a confident expectation in God and his promises at any particular moment. When my emotions fail me, as they do so often, I have a decision to make: Do I confidently run back to the Cross and God’s Word, or do I allow my own opinions to win the day?

  • How would your life change if you lived more moments in your day confident in God and his sovereignty?

READ THE WORD: ACTS 27:39-44 (ESV)

39 Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. 40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. 41 But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, 44 and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. Reread verses 39-41. What was the ship captain’s initial plan with the ship? What actually occurred?
  2. Reread verses 42-44. What was the soldiers’ immediate plan once the vessel struck the reef? What actually occurred with the prisoners?
  3. The soldiers would have had to pay with their lives if their prisoners escaped (See Acts 12:19 and 16:27). With this perspective in mind, how does this change the dynamic of this story?
  4. Previously in this chapter (vs. 23), Paul shared a God-given dream that the ship would run aground, but no one would perish. How do you believe Paul’s prediction coming true impacted these 276 survivors?
  5. Can you think of a time in your life when God intervened, just as he promised he would? How did this situation strengthen your faith?

RESPOND TO GOD

In this dramatic and vivid chapter, we see an amazing story of God’s sovereign control over all circumstances. In this particular instance, God desired for Paul to minister in Rome, and there was nothing any man could do to stop it. This story reminds us of another instance, one where Jesus controlled the wind and the waves of Galilee to accomplish his will and to communicate his identity (Luke 8:22-25). Later in the Gospel story, Jesus also predicted that he would build his church and that Hades’ gates would not overwhelm it (Matthew 16:18). These three stories, and many others like them, show to what lengths God will go to remain faithful to his promises.

  • Take a moment to praise God for always keeping his promises. Ask him to give you the strength to confidently trust him as you go about your day today!