Welcome back, today’s story is from Acts 27/28 and our lesson on this story from last year can be found HERE.

So Paul had been put in jail AGAIN for teaching about Jesus. The leaders decided he and some other prisoners would go to Rome to go to the judge who would decide what to do with them.

It was not an easy trip. They were in the boat a lot longer than they were supposed to be because there were storms. When they were ready to keep going, Paul warned them, “This is not going to be a good trip. It will be really dangerous and we might even die!” But the guard didn’t listen to Paul, instead he followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship and they decided to keep going.

Before very long, a huge storm came, like a hurricane. The ship was caught by the storm and it rocked the boat so hard they had to hold the boat together with ropes! They had to throw all the stuff off the boat because it started sinking and everyone was afraid they would die.

Paul stood up and said: “You should have listened to me! But don’t be scared, because no one is going to die; but the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of God stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You will go to the judge; and God Will protect the lives of all who sail with you.’ So be brave and trust, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

They got closer and closer to an island and some of the guards tried to escape in special life boats, but Paul said to the soldiers, “Unless you stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

Then the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the guard wanted to save Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and swim to land. The rest were to get there by riding on planks of wood or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely, just like God said.

When they got to land the people there helped take care of them and Paul was able to teach them about Jesus and do some pretty cool things. He was bit by a snake and didn’t die and he helped some sick people get better. (God gave him that power so he could show everyone GOD’S power and that God is real and can do ANYTHING!)

Even though the ship crashing and being put in jail were sad and scary things, God had a plan! He used Paul to teach the guards and people on the island about Him. Sometimes when sad or scary things happen to us, we can remember that God is in control and that He loves us no matter what and that He has a plan. We should always trust God, even when we don’t know what will happen next, just like Paul did.

We made little boats today with flags that read “Trust in God, Acts 27”

Thanks for joining us, love to you all!