February 26, 2023 – Acts 27 – 28

Lesson Date: February 26, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Acts 27:1 – 28:31

AIM: To lead students to discover that God made and kept some very specific promises to the Apostle Paul, and to encourage them to trust the promises He has made to us.

Before class: Read the notes on Acts 27 – 28 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the word “Promise” on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the word “Promise” written on the board.  Ask: “How would you define the word promise?” (they might say that a promise is a declaration or assurance that you will do or will not do something).

Tell the class that promises are a part of everyday life.  Ask: “What are some common promises that we make to one another?” (I’ll be there on time; I’ll get the job done; I’ll pick that up on my way home from work; I’ll be there for your game;  I won’t be late).  Tell them some promises carry a lot of weight, such as promising to repay a loan or promising to love and live with your spouse the rest of your life.

Ask: “Has anyone ever broken a promise they made to you?  Have you ever broken a promise?”  Comment that it hurts when someone breaks a promise they have made to us.

Ask: “Do you know anyone who is so trustworthy that if they make a promise, you can rest assured that they will keep it?”  Tell them such a trustworthy friend is a genuine treasure.

Tell the students the title of today’s lesson is Promises Kept.  As we study Acts 27 and 28, we will see that God made and kept some very specific promises to the Apostle Paul.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson from Acts 25 and 26 about?” (Witnessing Always – Paul used every opportunity to tell people about Jesus).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Acts 26:23).
   • Remind the students that after being imprisoned by the Romans in Caesarea (locate on the Map) for two years, Paul appealed his case to Caesar; today’s lesson describes his trip to Rome (locate on the Map).
2. Sailing Into a Storm.
   • Read Acts 27:1-8.
   • Referring to the Map, tell the class that these verses describe Paul’s journey, under Roman guard, from Caesarea to Crete.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 27:9-10.
   • Explain the following:
     • The ship remained at Fair Havens on Crete (locate on the Map) past the time when it was safe to venture out into the open sea (v. 9).
     • Paul warned the centurion and ship captain to remain there through the winter (v. 10).
     • They ignored Paul, setting sail around the island, hoping to spend the winter in Phoenix (locate on the Map; v. 11-13).
   • Read Acts 27:14-20.
   • Tell the class that just as Paul had warned, the ship was overtaken by a terrible storm.
   • Ask: “According to the last part of verse 20, how did everyone on the ship feel?” (they lost all hope of surviving).
   • Summarize: The ship on which Paul was traveling was caught in a terrible storm. After doing everything they could to save themselves, those on board lost hope of surviving.
3. Promises of Safety.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 27:21-22.
   • Ask: “What did Paul say in verse 21?” (you should have listened to me when I warned you not to leave Fair Havens).
   • Ask: “What promise did Paul make in verse 22?” (none of us will die in this storm, but we will lose the ship).
   • Ask: “How could Paul make such a bold promise?” (the answer is in verses 23-24).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 27:23-25.
   • Ask: “How did Paul know that everyone on board the ship would survive the storm?” (an angel from God appeared to him and told him that he would live to appear before Caesar, and all those with him on the ship would also survive).
   • Stress the fact that God promised Paul that he and everyone on the ship would survive the storm and that he would live to be brought before Caesar.
   • Ask: “According to verse 25, why did Paul say they should cheer up?” (because he believed God would keep His promise).
   • Explain the following:
     • Paul said they would be shipwrecked on some island (v. 26).
     • On the 14^th night of the storm they began drawing near to land (v. 27-29).
     • Paul warned the centurion that the sailors were going to abandon them (v. 30-31).
     • The centurion had his soldiers cut away the boat so the sailors couldn’t leave (v. 32).
   • Read Acts 27:33-38.
   • Tell the class that Paul told everyone on the ship to eat to strengthen themselves (v. 33).
   • Ask: “What did Paul promise them in verse 34?” (that none of them would die).
   • Ask: “How could Paul make that promise?” (he believed God’s promise in verse 24).
   • Explain the following:
     • Paul took bread, gave thanks to God, and began to eat (v. 35).
     • The rest of the ship’s company then ate and were encouraged (v. 36).
     • There were a total of 276 people on the ship (v. 37).
     • After eating, they threw the remaining food and everything else they could overboard to lighten the ship (v. 38).
   • Summarize: God promised Paul that he and everyone on the ship would survive the storm and that he would live to appear before Caesar.
4. Safety in Spite of Shipwreck.
   • Read Acts 27:39-41.
   • Tell the class the ship ran aground on a sand bar near an island, and began to break apart.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 27:42-44.
   • Ask: “What did the soldiers advise the centurion to do?” (kill the prisoners so none of them would escape).
   • Ask: “Why did the centurion reject that advice?” (he wanted to spare Paul’s life).
   • Ask: “According to verse 44, how many of the ship’s company and passengers made it safely to land?” (all of them).
   • Stress the fact that God kept the promise He made Paul in verse 24.
   • Read Acts 28:1-2.
   • Tell the students that the island they landed on was Malta (locate on the Map), where the inhabitants helped them.
   • Summarize: God kept His promise to spare the lives of everyone on the ship, and let them crash on an inhabited island with people who could help them.
5. God Kept His Promises.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 28:3-6.
   • Ask: “How did God protect Paul?” (a poisonous snake bit Paul on the hand, but miraculously caused him no harm).
   • Ask a volunteer to turn back to chapter 23 and read Acts 23:11.
   • Tell the class that God had promised that Paul would live to preach the Gospel in Rome; shipwreck couldn’t kill him, and neither could a poisonous snake.
   • Briefly describe the events of verses 7-16, including the following:
     • God used Paul to minister to and heal many people on the island of Malta (v. 7-10).
     • After three months on Malta, the centurion secured passage to Rome on another ship (v. 11).
     • Use the Map to explain that they sailed from Malta, to Syracuse, to Rhegium, and then to Puteoli, after which they traveled by land to Rome (v. 12-16).
   • Read Acts 28:17-23.
   • Tell the students after arriving in Rome, Paul called the leading Jews of the city together.
   • Ask: “According to verse 23, what did he tell them?” (he preached to them about Jesus).
   • Stress the fact that God kept the promise He made to Paul in Acts 23:11.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 28:24.
   • Ask: “How did the Jews in Rome respond to the Gospel?” (some believed, but some did not).
   • Read Acts 28:25-27.
   • Tell the class in those verses Paul quoted Isaiah 6:9-10, saying the Jews could hear and see but not understand, because their hearts were closed to the Gospel, cutting themselves off from salvation.
   • Read Acts 28:28-29.
   • Ask: “According to verse 28, who did Paul say the salvation of God was being sent to?” (the Gentiles, who would receive it).
   • Ask a volunteer to turn back to chapter 22 and read Acts 22:21.
   • Stress the fact that God kept the promise He made to Paul in Acts 22:21, that He was sending Paul far away to the Gentiles.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Acts 28:30-31.
   • Ask: “How long did Paul remain in Rome?” (two years).
   • Ask: “Where did he stay?” (in a rented house, where he could receive guests).
   • Ask: “What did he preach?” (about Jesus and the kingdom of God).
   • Ask: “How much freedom did he have to preach?” (he preached “with all confidence, no man forbidding him”; also, he was under Roman guard, so no one could harm him).
   • Stress the fact that God kept the promise He made to Paul in Acts 23:11.
   • Summarize: God kept His promises that Paul would preach the Gospel in Rome and that he would take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Review the lesson by telling the students the following:

• God had previously promised that Paul would carry the Gospel far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21).
• God had previously promised that Paul would preach the Gospel in Rome (Acts 23:11).
• In the midst of the terrible storm at sea, God promised that Paul and everyone on the ship would survive (Acts 27:22-24).

Stress the fact that God kept all the promises He made to Paul.

Ask: “What does that fact tell you?” (that He can keep the promises He has made to us).

Ask everyone to turn to page 47 in the current Sunday School Member Quarterly.  Tell them twelve Bible promises are listed there, but the Bible contains many more.  Ask some volunteers to look up and read some of those promises.  After each one is read, ask: “What does God promise in that verse?  Do you think He will keep that promise?”

Tell  everyone to memorize one or more of those promises this week, and to trust God to keep His promises.  Voice a closing prayer, thanking God that He always keeps His promises.

CONCLUSION: Give everyone a copy of the new Sunday School Member Quarterly for our study of Psalms, which begins next week.  Encourage them to do the Daily Bible Readings, which begin tomorrow.