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ICEBREAKER
For the Icebreaker: a Hero Quiz. The concept of heroes or superheroes has been around since the dawn of time and now has become a staple of our modern movies. Individuals who are blessed with special powers that they use to help or protect their fellow man. Well, how well do you know your comic heroes? And you can do this activity either one by one from the screen as a class or you could have them complete it individually as a handout which I’ll make available. And what it displays is a number of different superhero symbols or logos and your job is to identify the name of the hero it represents. So here we go:
Ironman
Mr. Incredible
Captain America
Wonder Woman
Green Lantern
The Flash
Lion O (Thundercats)
Aquaman
Dr. Strange
I like to use that as an introduction to our lesson today. The theme is heroes. But heroes need not only exist in the fictional realm. A hero can be defined as “a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” Heroes can be real people. And I believe that we all have them. Individuals that we look up to and admire and aspire to be like.
At this point you may even consider asking your students: Who is one of your real-life heroes and why?
TRANSITION
For, Joseph Smith is one of my personal heroes. From my study of his life and accomplishments, there is a lot to admire in him and I’m sure there are many who share my esteem for the prophet of the Restoration. But who did Joseph Smith look up to? Did he have any personal heroes? I believe he did. There’s somebody from the scriptures that pops up over and over again in his writings that seemed to give him particular strength and inspiration I want you to see if you can figure out who it is and why he admired him so much.
To do this, as a teacher, I would number off my students from 1 to 5 and assign them to look up their assigned corresponding verse and to be ready to report what they find.
Article of Faith 13
D&C 127:2
D&C 128:13-16
Compare D&C 135:4 with Acts 24:16. Who is Joseph quoting?
JSH 1:24-25
And if you took the time to look up any of those references I’m sure you found the answer. Who was Joseph Smith’s hero? It’s Paul! We’ll take a look at each of these references here.
So, with number 1, AOF 13 says
Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul which you find in Philippians 4:8. Joseph felt that the description that Paul gives here of a true disciple of Christ was fitting to include in our core statements of belief.
Doctrine and Covenants 127:2 While Joseph is in hiding because of slanderous reports against him and threats made on his life, he tells us that he felt it his common lot in life to suffer the perils, and the envy and wrath of man, that it had all become second nature to him, and that he felt like Paul, to glory in tribulation. So here he is finding the inspiration to go on in the face of adversity and persecution from this scripture hero of his.
Doctrine and Covenants 128:13-16 Joseph quotes Paul here and uses that to teach what Joseph calls “the most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel” the baptism for the dead.
If you compare Doctrine and Covenants 135:4 with Acts 24:16 you’ll find that just before Joseph is martyred at Carthage Jail that he quotes Paul in the middle of vs. 4. He says that he had “a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men” matching Paul’s exact same words. So in the last moments of Joseph’s life, he has Paul on his mind and found a connection with the New Testament apostle.
And finally, probably the most direct and powerful reference to Paul is found in JSH 24-25, and I saved this one for last on purpose, because it leads you straight into this week’s chapters in Acts. Here, Joseph directly compares his life experience to Paul's. Joseph saw himself in Paul. They both had had miraculous visions that changed their lives, they were both called to be special witnesses to the world, and they both were hated and persecuted for testifying of their visions. Just listen to this:
24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.
TRANSITION
Wow! Can’t you just feel the conviction in his writing there? Joseph found great strength in Paul’s example—his scripture hero. This is a perfect example of how somebody likens the scriptures to themselves and finds help and encouragement in them. And perhaps you’ve had a similar experience with a scripture hero. Have you ever had a time when you were studying the life of a scripture personality which caused you to say, like Joseph, “So it was with me” and found inspiration. No wonder we’re encouraged to study the scriptures daily. And what was it that Joseph so admired in Paul? Now we’re going to shift our focus to Paul’s “superpower”? His gift. What would you say that was? I would say that it was his ability to testify with power.
Do you ever wish that you could have that power? Would you like to be able to testify with boldness, conviction, and sincerity? Paul is going to show us how to do that here today.
SEARCH
In these final chapters of Acts we have the opportunity to see and hear Paul testify various times to a number of different people. Allow me to give you a brief overview or summary of what happens in these chapters first.
Summary
If you remember last week in Acts 21 Paul is being beaten by the Jews at the temple in Jerusalem when Roman soldiers pull him from the crowd to put him into the castle. But Paul requests to speak to the people who have just violently attacked him, and he testifies to them of his vision on the road to Damascus in Acts 22. The majority of the people are not impressed, and they demand his execution. The soldiers take him into the castle to bind and scourge him to which Paul basically says, “Uh, you realize I’m a Roman citizen, right? You feel ok doing this without due process of law?” And this is a place where Paul’s Roman citizenship really comes in handy. The chief captain unties him and allows there to be a trial of sorts. But from this point on, Paul is going to be in Roman custody for the rest of his life. He’ll never be a completely free man again. And to make a long story short, in the succeeding chapters from Acts 23-26 we watch Paul defend himself and testify first to the Sanhedrin (the Jewish leadership), then before the Roman governor “Felix” in Caeserea, then the new governor Festus, and then before King Herod Agrippa. And for years, Paul is passed from one jurisdiction to another while the Jews consistently plot against him, slander him, and encourage his execution. During one of those trials, Paul appeals to Caesar which is his right as a Roman citizen, and the governor agrees to send him to Rome. So chapters 27-28 describe the account of Paul’s journey by ship to Rome which is a great story, and the book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome awaiting his trial before Caesar. And the last verse of Acts is so fitting. Just take a look at the last description we have of Paul.
“Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” What a way to end the historical books of the New Testament with Paul doing what he loves most, testifying of Christ.
Testifying with Power
Well what was it that gave Paul his confidence to testify with such conviction and power? That’s our BIG overarching question here. There are a number of verses from this week’s chapters that we’re going to take a look at to help us answer that question. Do you remember the number you were assigned earlier from 1 to 5? We’re going to use those same numbers to give you another scripture search assignment. And each assignment is accompanied by a “guiding question” to help you interpret the verse. Now as a teacher, once they’ve been given a chance to study and understand their verses, I either call on specific class members to share or I ask for volunteers to share.
So number ones: Acts 23:11. The question is: How do you cheer up Paul?
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
How do you cheer him up? You give him another chance to testify. He’s apparently feeling a little dejected at this point, and The Lord knows exactly what is going to make him happy. So how do we gain more confidence in testifying of Christ? Find joy in the testifying, not necessarily whether people accept your testimony or not.
Even when we are rejected, we can still find happiness and satisfaction in the effort. I’ve personally found this to be true. I remember finally getting up the courage to invite my neighbor to attend church with our family. He said no, but as I walked away from that interaction, the Lord filled my heart with peace and joy that I had made the effort. Many people rejected Paul, but that didn’t matter. He just gloried in the privilege of being able to be a witness of Jesus Christ. Paul was outcome independent. That can help us too, to testify with power, and the Lord will bless us with joy in the testifying.
Number 2’s. Acts 24:16 What gave Paul confidence to testify with power here? He says:
16 And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.
So what gave him power? His personal righteousness. He strove to do what was right and to follow the two great commandments, Love God, and love your fellow man. Paul was no hypocrite. He lived what he preached. I believe that we will have more confidence and power in our testimony if we strive to live what we teach and to have a conscience “void of offense” towards God and man. Of course, nobody can live the gospel perfectly, and I don’t believe that we have to have a Christlike characteristic mastered before we’re qualified to teach it to others, but we should be striving for it, and be committed to it. Hypocrisy undermines our power, while steadfastness strengthens it.
Number 3’s. Acts 26:22 Was Paul alone in his efforts to testify?
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
And here we learn that Paul obtained help from God. Maybe something that will help you to testify with confidence and power, is to realize you don’t have to do it alone. If you put your trust in God, he will help you.
I know that before I served a mission, I was very introverted and shy. The thought of going out and talking to strangers about my faith absolutely terrified me. But I wanted to please my Father in heaven, and I wanted to serve to the best of my ability. And I know for a fact that I did not do it on my own. I obtained "help of God” like Paul did, and I feel I was able to confidently witness because of that. There is another phrase that your students might key off of here as well. Paul only taught those things which were taught by the prophets in the scriptures. That can give us power too. We don’t teach our own opinions and philosophies. We stick to the scriptures and the words of the living prophets.
Now number 4’s had a bit of a bigger assignment, but they’re instructed to just skim through Acts 22:6-11 and Acts 26:13-19 What experience does Paul always share when he testifies of Christ?
And the answer is his personal experience with the Savior. Paul always got down to a personal level. You can see that both here in Acts 26 and also back in Acts 22. He shared HIS experience with Christ. There is great power in sharing your own personal witness of the gospel. What happened to you to lead you to believe what you do? Everybody’s story is different. Everybody has their own Road to Damascus. You want to testify with power? Share yours, no matter how simple or undramatic it seems, it has potency and force.
Number 5’s. Acts 26:26 How do you think the last line of this verse gives Paul confidence?
What’s the last line of verse 26? “This thing was not done in a corner.” Such a great line. How does this help give Paul conviction and power? Paul sees himself as part of something much bigger than himself. The events that have preceded his testimony lend credence and foundation to his words. We too have the same blessing. The restoration of the gospel, the revelations of the prophet Joseph Smith, the translation of the Book of Mormon, our Pioneer heritage, the collective wisdom, and teaching of every prophet from Joseph Smith to Russel M. Nelson, the establishment of the church in all the world, millions of members, thousands of missionaries, hundreds of temples, “This thing was not done in a corner.” We are part of something amazing, miraculous, and inspired. That realization should help us to testify with confidence. We have a lot of weight behind our words. There is momentum in the story of the Restoration of this Church. Remember one of the great symbols for the Church in the latter days is a rolling stone. A stone that just gets bigger and bigger as it rolls forth. Find strength in that knowledge. This thing was not done in a corner.
There is one final set of verses that I might add myself as a teacher once the above verses have been shared. It contains an insight that may be a little more difficult to interpret without some background knowledge. I take my students to Acts 26:27-29 and ask Who does Paul try to convert here and what does that teach you?
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
This little exchange is so great. It’s between Paul and the King. Paul is so dauntless and confident, that even in chains, even before the King, he is going to try and make a potential convert out of Agrippa. And I hope I don’t burst anybody’s bubble here but that phrase that the King says: Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian, doesn’t mean that King Agrippa is almost convinced to be a Christian. He’s not saying: Paul, your preaching is so powerful that I think I’m about to join your church. More than likely this is not the case. In the original Greek translation it comes across more as, “Paul, are you trying to convert ME? OR “You think that in such a short amount of time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Almost thou persuadest ME to be a Christian”. And that may be a little disappointing to some to read it that way, but I think that makes Paul’s answer even better, even more powerful, in a way, when he responds with, “I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am. Except these bonds.” You know, minus the chains, It’s as if he’s saying, “YES! King Agrippa, even YOU. Nobody is above or beneath the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want all people to be like me, and have my faith and know what I know, whether high or low.” So what helps Paul to teach with such confidence? He sees everybody as a potential convert. Like we talked about in the last video, Paul is willing to be a witness to ALL PEOPLE.
TRUTH
Now speaking of ALTOGETHER. What have we “altogether” learned from these final chapters about testimony?
If I wish to testify with the power and confidence of a Paul, I can:
Find joy in the act of testifying
Strive to have a conscience void of offense to God and my fellowman
Put my trust in God and know that He will help me!
Share my personal faith building experiences
Remember I am part of something bigger than myself
See everybody as a potential convert.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When have you felt the power of either bearing testimony or hearing testimony? Please share.
Which one of these truths has most inspired you today? Why?
Which do you need to implement most?
CONCLUSION
Well, may we all, just like Joseph Smith, find inspiration and strength in the example of Paul. He can be our hero too! This testifying superpower that he had is an attainable ability. It’s not just something that comes because you’re born on Krypton or get bitten by a radioactive spider. This power can be developed, cultivated, and practiced. And the things Paul has shown us today by example can provide us with a roadmap to that power. We can become holy heroes. We can seek to do the things he did and internalize the principles he understood. And if we do, I believe that we will receive the power to testify like he testified. It worked for Joseph Smith. It can work for us too.
ALMOST AND ALTOGETHER
There’s a brief principle that I would like to highlight based on those last verses we studied in the previous principle, specifically verse 29.
Here’s a brief way of teaching that principle.
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, I like to ask this question. Is 99.9% good enough? And let them share. And I’m sure that in some areas, it certainly is. Getting 99.9% on a test is a great score. Being in the 99.9% percentile in your profession would be an indicator that you are doing very well. However, there are some areas where even 99.9% would not be acceptable. Areas where ALMOST is not enough. If 99.9% is good enough, then:
· 22,000 checks will be deducted from wrong bank accounts in the next 60 minutes.
· 1,314 phone calls will be misplaced by telecommunication services every minute.
· Two plane landings daily at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago will be unsafe.
· 20,000 incorrect drug prescriptions will be written in the next 12 months.
· 107 incorrect medical procedures will be performed by the end of the day today.
· 315 entries in Webster's Dictionary of the English Language will turn out to be misspelled.
· 12 babies will be given to the wrong parents each day.
InSight, Syncrude Canada Ltd., Communications Division Communicator, p. 6.
So as you can see, there are things where ALMOST is not enough. Maybe you’ve heard the well-known proverb, “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades”. Well, there’s another area where we should consider this advice. And that’s in our identity as Christians and our commitment to following the commandments.
SEARCH
There is different word that I would hope we could use to describe our identity and commitment. And it’s a word that Paul uses in Acts 26:29 as he stood before King Agrippa. And this is where Agrippa says, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”. Paul’s response is brilliant. We don’t want to be ALMOST Christians. We want another word to describe us. What would that word be?
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
What’s the word? ALTOGETHER. We want to be ALTOGETHER Christians, not ALMOST.
Paul here wishes that everybody could be like him. Almost and Altogether such as I am. What’s he referring to? He wishes that everybody could have a conviction of Christ as he did. To understand what he did. To receive the blessings he had received. He doesn’t want anyone to have to be chained as he is, but to have his testimony and witness, his commitment, and his blessings.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
So let’s liken the scriptures here. When it comes to your commitment to the following commandments and actions, which word would you use to describe it. Would you answer them with an ALMOST, or an ALTOGETHER.
Do you study the scriptures?
Do you keep the Sabbath Day Holy?
Do you seek to serve others?
Are you kind to your fellowman?
Do you strive to live your covenants?
Now what if we have to answer those questions with an almost over and over again? I almost studied my scriptures. I always intend to. I know it’s important. I have them sitting there next to my bed. Day after day I almost get around to doing it. Or I almost decided to serve that person. I thought about it. I almost jumped in to do something, but didn’t quite follow through. And here’s the scary thing. I’m afraid that if we get to the final judgment and we look back on the majority of our lives and all we can answer to those question is a hesitant, ALMOST, I almost did, I intended to, Almost, almost, almost. Then, when we gather up the courage to ask “So, Did I make it into thy kingdom Lord”, he might sadly look at us and say: Almost.
TRUTH
The truth that could be shared with this could be:
If I almost live the gospel of Christ, I will almost receive the blessings. BUT
If I altogether live the gospel of Christ, I will altogether receive the blessings.
WARNING
And I recognize we do need to be careful when we teach principles like this, the purpose is not a guilt trip. You may want to qualify those statements by reminding them that we’re not talking about perfection here. We all fall short of the mark. We all need the grace of Christ. And as you’ve heard me say in previous lessons, our desires to do what’s right do count for something with our Lord. The hunger and thirst that we feel for righteousness will be considered at the judgment. The road to heaven is also paved with good intentions. However, sometimes it’s important to take a hard look at ourselves and consider this more sobering message as well. Are we being lured into a “What’s the minimum, pick and choose which commandments to keep, lazy” approach to living the gospel.
CONCLUSION
Let’s be "altogether” disciples, as opposed to "almost” disciples. Let’s altogether study our scriptures, serve others, keep the Sabbath-day holy and strive to keep our covenants. Almost AND altogether as Paul. If we do, God will “altogether” bless us and welcome us into his kingdom.
THE TENTMAKER OR THE MASTER AND THE MORE PART
Now I just love, love, love Acts 27. It is so powerful and so relevant and the lesson it teaches I find to be especially effective with the youth.
The icebreaker I like to use for this chapter is a story that was told by Elder Spencer J. Condie in General Conference of 1993. He relates the following:
“In January of 1975, on a dark, rainy night in Tasmania, a 7,300-ton barge smashed into two piers of the Tasman Bridge, which connects Hobart, Tasmania, with its eastern suburbs across the bay. Three spans of the bridge collapsed. An Australian family by the name of Ling were driving across the bridge when suddenly the bridge lights went out. Just then a speeding car passed them and disappeared before their very eyes. Murray Ling “slammed on his brakes and skidded to a stop, one yard from the edge of a black void” (Stephen Johnson, “Over the Edge!” Reader’s Digest, Nov. 1977, p. 128).
Murray got his family out of the car and then began warning oncoming traffic of the disaster ahead. As he frantically waved his arms, to his horror, a car “swerved around him and plummeted into the abyss” (ibid.). A second car barely stopped in time, but a third car showed no sign of slowing down and crashed into the Lings’ car at the edge of the bridge.
Suddenly a loaded bus headed toward Murray, ignoring his waving arms. In desperation, risking his very life, he “ran alongside the driver’s window. ‘There’s a span missing,’ he yelled” (ibid., p. 129). The bus swerved just in time and came to a halt against the railing. Dozens of lives had been saved.”
Spencer J. Condie
(Conference Report, October 1993)
Now can you imagine what it would have been like to be him in that situation? To know that certain disaster lay ahead and all you can do is wave your arms and hope that people will listen to you. How must that have felt to have watched that one car ignore his warning, swerve around him and continue anyway? Or the relief he must have felt when the bus finally decided to heed his warning and stop? Like Murray Ling, I believe that there are people in our day who have given a special foreknowledge of coming dangers that have been sent by a loving Heavenly Father to warn and help us. When their warnings are ignored, disaster always follows. But when they’re heeded, safety and happiness are the results.
TRANSITION The story we find in Acts chapter 27 begins with a warning. Paul is going to give a very specific warning to the people that he’s traveling with on his way to Rome. Remember that? He’s appealed to Caesar for trial and is now being transported from Caesarea by ship all the way to Rome. Now at this point in the journey they’ve already sailed to the island of Crete. And they’re docked there at a place called the Fair Havens. But the sailing season is nearing its end in the Mediterranean and the Centurion who is in charge of Paul has a decision to make. There’s a different port that they’d rather go to, to stay for the winter. But this is where Paul issues his warning. Can you find that warning in verses 9-10?
9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
And the answer is that Paul warns them that they should not continue their voyage at that time. That they should stay in the location that they are at until the dangerous winter sailing season was over.
We have an issue here, don’t we. Should they stay or should they go? Paul is saying no, others are saying yes. And I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the Roman centurion that has to make that decision. Let’s say you’re that centurion. And you’ve got these two sides pulling on you—these differing opinions. Which would you follow? Well, let’s examine the two sides. And let’s begin with the reasons not to follow Paul. What arguments do the “Let’s go” crowd have for ignoring Paul and pulling away from the shore? I want you to look for those reasons. Find all the justifications not to listen to Paul in vs. 11-13. I see at least 5. How many can you find? Here’s what I see.
27:11 The master of the ship disagrees with Paul. Now in that situation, who are you going to trust? The guy who’s been sailing his whole life, owns the ship, and is called the master of the ship? What was Paul’s occupation? Do you remember that? He was a tentmaker. Does he have any right to call into question the master of the ship? Good question right? So that’s one reason to ignore Paul, he’s not a master of sailing.
27:12 It was not a commodious place to winter in. Which means, it wasn’t a very convenient place to stay. The Fair Havens apparently wasn’t the best port to stay at long term, in the eyes of the captain and people in the ship. Maybe it didn’t have as many restaurants or bowling alleys or what not. They preferred to go to a different place
27:12 The more part disagrees. That means the majority of the people on the ship thinks it’s a good idea to go.
27:12 There’s another one in verse 12 that may not be as obvious, and you might need to help them a little. They need to be looking at a map of the Mediterranean. And do you remember where they are at the time? It’s in vs. 8 The Fair Havens, but where do they want to go? Phenice, or Phoenix because it’s a better place to stay for the winter. Which is kind of funny because in the United States, Phoenix is a good place to spend the winter too. But look how close it is. It’s just a little way around the coast. You can almost hear the people on the ship saying, “Paul, look, it’s not like we’re going this huge distance, it’s just around the island a ways. It’s no big deal. What are you so worried about it? So another reason to ignore Paul is because It doesn’t seem like there is a big risk. And you could pair that one with a phrase in 27:13 which tells us that they are sailing close to Crete. So they’re not going to go too far from the safety of the island, just a little bit.
27:13 And then one more from verse 13. The wind was blowing softly. I’m sure that as they pulled away from the shore, that many of the people on the ship could have walked over to Paul and said, “See, what were you so worried about?” That’s our final reason to ignore Paul. All conditions seemed advantageous
So there you have it, lots of great reasons to ignore the tentmaker, and listen to the master of the ship and the more part of the people.
HOWEVER, can you think of any good reasons TO listen to Paul? Does he have anything going for him?
And I believe there is. There is one excellent, compelling, and formidable reason to listen to him. What is it? “HE IS A PROPHET”! That’s quite the credential. And in that light, all the excuses and reasons for not listening to him go out the window.
And what happens because they decide not to listen to Paul?
14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Read Acts 27:14-21 together as a class encouraging them to mark all the consequences they suffer for not listening to Paul. And I’ll begin with one that’s in verse 10
27:10 hurt and much damage
Now you look for the ones in 14-21. And what they could end up with is the following:
27:14 tempestuous winds.
27:15 caught
27:15 could not bear up into the wind
27:16 much work
27:17 fear of the quicksands.
27:17 driven.
27:18 exceedingly tossed with a tempest.
27:20 no sun or stars to guide them many days.
27:20 no small tempest lay on us
27:20 all hope was taken away.
27:21 harm and loss.
TRUTH
What truth is this story teaching us? How would you complete the following principle. If I ignore the warnings of the prophet, then ______________________. And give them an opportunity to fill in that blank. And they could finish it in any number of ways but here are some possible answers.
If I ignore the warnings of the prophet, then “storms” will come and knock me off course.
If I ignore the warnings of the prophet, then it will bring hurt, much damage, harm, and loss.
If I ignore the warnings of the prophet, then I may be lost and lose hope.
If there was one key phrase from the scriptures that teaches this principle, I would mark this one in verse 21: Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. That’s what happens we fail to hearken to the prophets of God. We suffer harm, and loss.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
And now we’re going to liken the scriptures. I like to do this as a pondering handout. Invite them to ponder each of the reasons we found in verses 11-13 and ask themselves.
How do people today use some of the same reasons to ignore the prophet’s warnings now?
Give them plenty of time to think. They don’t need to feel like they have to fill out every single one but encourage them to do their best to liken the scriptures to themselves.
Here are some of my thoughts.
The “masters” disagree.
Well, who are some of the “Masters” of our day that may disagree with the prophet’s counsel?
Celebrities, social media personalities, scholars, so called “experts”, those with a “master’s” degree in something. Sometimes these individuals promote ideas contrary to the words of the prophets.
Some possible examples:
A nutritionist might come out and say, “A cup of coffee or a glass of wine a day is actually good for you!” These are the masters speaking. But the prophet says something different. Keep the word of wisdom. And people may rationalize and say, “Yeah, but what does the prophet know about that. He’s not a trained nutritionist. What qualifications does he have to tell me otherwise?”
Some financial advisor may come out and say, don’t worry about saving money, or paying off debt, just invest, invest, invest. While the prophets have consistently warned us to strive to stay out of debt, and to have a reserve of savings for hard times. But somebody might say, what business does the prophet have in giving me financial advice? What qualifications does he have. These bankers and investors have years of study and experience under their belt, why not listen to them?
Some social expert may come out and say that immorality and pornography are just normal human behaviors that if everybody would just accept then, it wouldn’t really be a problem.
So, do the prophets have the right to claim precedence over the masters? And I would say, YES they do! Just like Paul vs. the Master of the ship. They have one very important qualification that allows them to speak on matters that they may not have a deep background in. They’re prophets! They speak the mind and the will of God, who knows all. We’ve got to learn to trust the tentmaker over the master.
Second reason: It was not commodious.
Are there commandments that are not commodious, or convenient to live? We all experience times in our lives where it would probably be much more convenient not to be a member of the church.
Paying tithing in a time of financial stress may not be convenient.
Being the only one in the workplace not going out for drinks after work may not be convenient.
Being honest and failing the test may not be as convenient as copying the paper of the person next to you and passing.
Standing out like a sore thumb amongst your peers that all use foul language while you don’t, may not be convenient.
Trying to find modest clothing in today’s marketplace may not be convenient.
Keeping the commandments is oftentimes not convenient, in the short term. Although, I would also make the point that every single one of these behaviors will eventually lead to storms in the long term.
Reason #3: The more part disagrees
This is a common rationalization. What are the “more part” or majority of people saying about the issue? What are they doing? It’s hard to go against the grain of “the more part". Everybody else is doing it is a common teenager justification” but adults can be just as bad at that one. Are we tempted to go social media for our opinions?
How does the majority feel about the issue of gay marriage?
How does the majority feel about premarital sex?
What movies and music and video games are the majority of people engaging in?
The lure of the mainstream and the popular can be a very tough current to resist.
Reason #4: It doesn’t seem like a big deal, or you’re not traveling that far from the safety of the commandments shore.
Have you ever caught yourself rationalizing your actions with that one? It’s not that big of a deal to push the boundaries of the prophet’s counsels a little. It’s not like I’m stepping way out of line. For example, a teenager may say:
It’s not like I’m going to ruin my life by having a serious relationship while I’m young.
Or an adult might say, “Just a little gambling isn’t going to hurt me that much. If I just do it a couple times a year, what’s the harm in that?”
Or “So I lose my temper now and then, that’s just the way I am.”
Or “So I abuse these pain pills or have a drink of alcohol now and then, I can stop whenever I want,
And so we push a little past the fence of the prophet’s counsel, and comfort ourselves by saying that we’re only compromising a little, and that we can stay in control. Unfortunately when we loose form the safe shores of the prophet’s warnings, we are immediately putting ourselves into dangerous waters.
And I really love the name of the place that they are staying. The Fair Havens. Even that name suggests safety, comfort, and beauty.
We too should stay in the Fair Havens of the prophet’s counsels.
Our final reason: The south wind blew softly, or all conditions seem advantageous.
We too may look out at the sea of human experience and say, everything looks ok for me to proceed.
We may say things like, “Well, I know a guy who did this and this and this in their youth, and they still served a mission, and fixed things later and were ok. So can I!
OR that person drank and smoked their whole life and lived to be 90, I should be ok too!
OR I feel it will actually be better for me and my family if we don’t attend church on Sunday. We’ll spend time together and build our relationships that way. How can that be bad?
However, we are not always the best judges of the conditions around us. Better to be humble and trust the prophets who have a greater perspective than we do.
And now one final question:
Without naming names, Can you think of any real-life examples of somebody who ignored the warnings of the prophets, and it brought them harm or loss?
I mean, is there evidence that our principle is true?
And sadly I can think of many examples from my own life and the lives of people I know.
I can think of a young woman I taught years ago who ignored the prophet’s counsel on morality and became too serious with a boyfriend too young. She felt it was no big deal and that nothing bad could ever come of it. She got pregnant at age 16 and the boy wanted nothing to do with her after that.
I know of a man who allowed pornography to slowly overcome his life until he lost his job over it, and then his family.
I know of an individual who allowed the opinions of the masters and the more part to convince them that the church was getting its social policies all wrong, and has now left the Fair Havens of church membership.
I know of a good friend who after graduating from high school decided to attend some wild parties, justifying that he would be able to handle the temptations there, that he would “stay close to shore” and not travel too far off. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before he too found himself participating in the drinking and the drugs, and the immorality. The pull of the tempestuous winds proved to be too strong for his ship, and he could not bear up under it. And he lost control of his ship.
And then, in my own life, I have definitely experienced harm and loss when I’ve ignored or fudged on keeping the commandments. More than I care to admit.
I sometimes like to point out a phrase in vs 14 by asking how long it took for things to get bad on the ship. And it says “Not long after” there arose against it a tempestuous wind. It oftentimes doesn’t take very long for things to go bad when we leave the safety of the prophet’s warnings. Almost as soon as they pull away from the shore, the wind really picks up and before they know it, they are at the mercy of the sea.
CONCLUSION
May I pause from the story then for a minute and just bear witness to you that I know that you can trust the prophets, they are men of God and will never lead you astray. Trust the tentmakers! More than even the masters and the more part. When they wave their arms to warn us of the dangers ahead, I pray that we will heed them. Like you used to sing in primary: Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet, don’t go astray, follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet, he knows the way. And as we do that may we always enjoy the safety of the Fair Havens of the commandments, as incommodious as they may seem at times. And may our storms and shipwrecks be few and the harm and loss that accompanies them avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE REST OF THE STORY
Well, that is where I would spend the majority of my time on a lesson in Acts 27, but you don’t want to finish there. I would be sure to at least summarize the rest of the story. It’s always better if you can end on a positive note. And this story does have a happy ending and an additional principle and message of hope for us. So take them to verse 21 again and remind them of Paul’s words “Sirs, ye should have listened to me.” But he doesn’t stop there. Continue on into verses 22-25. Paul says that there is still reason to hope. And we too have reason to hope even if we do find ourselves in the midst of the storms of the consequences of our poor decisions. He says:
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
So he calms their fears and says, yes, we’re going to lose the ship, however, if you’ll listen to me, nobody will die. We will all get to shore safely. Be of good cheer!
So there is one more test of these sailors. After a long time in the storm, they sight land and now they are worried about being driven into the rocks, so the shipmen are about to abandon the boat in a lifeboat and leave the rest of the passengers to fend for themselves, so Paul says to the centurion with him in vs 31 Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Which if you think about it, is another really challenging instruction from Paul the tentmaker. Cut off the lifeboat, and stay in the ship. And now they have a decision to make, do I follow the prophet or the master and the more part. And thankfully, this time they listen to Paul, they cut off the lifeboat, and he sits them all down, he calms their fears, tells them they should eat a little food. And vs. 36 tells us that they were all of good cheer. So, in the next verses they run the ship aground on the island of Malta, and the ship is ripped to pieces by the waves and people are swimming and holding on to broken pieces of the ship. BUT!!! Just look at verse . And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land. I really love that principle as well. There will probably be times in all of our lives where we ignore the warnings of the prophets. But the end of our story doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom from there. When we find ourselves caught in the storms of our bad decisions, there is STILL a safe way back to land. If we’ve ignored the counsels of the prophets in the past, then we can start heeding them NOW! As soon as we do, things will improve. And ultimately, I believe that we will eventually escape safely to shore. There is a way back, even from the midst of exceedingly tempestuous storms.
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