Julius the Centurion’s Conversion Acts 27 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Introduction:
- Read verses 1-6, going to look at Julius the Centurion’s Conversion
- Summarize what is happening in this passage (Paul being taken to Rome, and who is Julius.)
- Pray
Read verses 7-13 and expound
Chose to believe the wisdom of man (worldly vs Godly) Feelings vs Facts
Verse 11 – “believed the master and owner of the ship, more than those things spoken by Paul”
Acts 23:11, clearly shows God’s will, and Paul was pronouncing Godly wisdom
He chose Carelessly – verse 9 – “when much time was spent”, impatient, hurried
- Long term consequences and maybe out run God
- Not planning ahead causes us to hurry our decisions
- May cause us to give up or quit
Convenience – verse 12 – “not commodious” or convenient
- The easy way out
- Rarely is the right thing to do convenient
Crowd – verse 12 – “the more part” or majority
- Following the crowd is almost always wrong
- 13-14, spies – 10 against, 2 for
- 1 Sam. 8-10, “make us a king”
- 27:20-22, they chose Barabbas
Circumstances – verse 13, “supposing that they had obtained their purpose”
- Every open door is not of God
- 3:5-7, Satan tempted Eve with a golden opportunity
Read Verse 14 – 32 and Expound
Chose to believe the man of God (By Faith)
Verse 31-32 – “the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall”
- What he was doing was not working
- Verse 31, it became personal, “ye cannot be saved” Personal
- Decision made by faith, He had to trust in what Paul said.
- Have you ever reached a point like this?
- All of us that are saved reached a point where we had to trust God
- Julius reached a point where he made a CONVERSION, based on faith.
- Salvation application, reaching a point in life that you know you can’t do it by yourself.
- Christians need to reach that same point
- Believing God’s words is one thing, but acting on them is needful.
Read verses 33-44 and expound
Chose to Act on the wisdom of God
Verse 43-43 – “But the Centurion willing to save Paul”
Now He made a complete conversion: He took Control
Not Carelessly – “and commanded…”
- He knew that everything depended on what God had said
- He started making every decision based on God’s words
Not Convenient – “lest any of them should swim out and escape”
- To kill all of the prisoners was the convenient thing to do
- Looking at a broken-up ship, “me first” decisions are the easiest
Not with the Crowd – “kept them from their purpose”
- Didn’t choose to go with the crowd
- Opposite of the majority, that’s what we are!
Not with the Circumstances – “came to pass, that they escaped all save to land”, as God had said
- He trusted in what god had said
- Circumstances looked bad, but ALL made to land SAFE
Conclusion:
- Summarize the Conversion
- Apply to the Christian and the Lost