Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 13, Ahad 23 September 2018

Pelajaran Sekolah Sabat 13
Ahad 23 September 2018

Berlayar Ke Roma

Selepas dua tahun dalam tahanan di Kaisarea (Kisah 24:27), Paulus telah dihantar ke Roma. Dilihat oleh orang pertama jamak dan kekayaan terperinci yang digunakan untuk menggambarkan perjalanan laut yang jauh dan bergolak ke Itali (Kisah 27:1-28:6), Lukas menemani Paulus dan seorang lagi Kristian bernama Aristarkhus (Kisah 27:2). Satu lagi watak penting dalam cerita ialah Pegawai Tentera Roma, Julius, yang mempunyai banduan dalam jagaannya (Kisah 27:1).

Mereka memulakan pelayaran pada akhir musim panas. Puasa merujuk kepada Hari Perjamuan, pada pertengahan bulan Oktober. Memandangkan keadaan musim sejuk, pelayaran melalui laut Tengah biasanya dihindari di antara bulan November dan Mac. Bagaimanapun, pada waktu ini, mereka berhadapan beberapa kesukaran sejak permulaan dan hanya selepas beberapa penangguhan mereka tiba ke teluk kecil bernama Fair Havens – pulau Kretea (Kisah 27:8).

Sila baca Kisah 27:9-12. Sementara berada di Fair Havens, bagaimana Paulus mencampuri dalam cerita ini dan bagaimana penerimaan terhadap campurtangannya?

Amaran-amaran Paulus tidak dipedulikan, lalu mereka mengambil keputusan untuk belayar kearah barat iaitu 64km jarak ke pelabuhan (Phoenix), di mana mereka akan mengharungi musim sejuk dengan selamat. Malangnya, oleh kerana perubahan cuaca yang tiba-tiba, mereka terperangkan dalam ribut yang ganas sehingga anak-anak kapal tidak mempunyai pilihan melainkan membiarkan kapal itu dihanyutkan oleh angin kearah selatan, jauh daripada daratan. Segera mereka mula membuang barang muatan bahkan beberapa gear kapal untuk meringankan dan kerana sangat cemas – kapal sudahpun dimasuki air. Keadaannya sungguh dramatik. Selepas beberapa hari waktu dini hari, penglihatan kurang jelas, hujan lebat dan angin badai melanda, tanpa mengetahui di mana kedudukan mereka serta merasa terlalu keletihan, mereka “akhirnya berputus asah untuk dapat diselamatkan” (Kisah 27:20).

Sila baca Kisah 27:21-26. Apakah campurtangan Paulus yang kedua dalam cerita ini?

Dalam kata-kata nubuat, Paulus beritahu anak-anak kapal suatu mesej yang dia baharu terima daripada Tuhan. Tidak ada sebab untuk berputusasah atau tiada harapan. Masih ada bahaya dan barangan akan hilang, tetapi semua mereka akan terselamat.

Mengapa seperti Paulus yang beriman dan hamba Tuhan yang berdedikasi harus melalui begitu banyak kesengsaraan? Apakah pelajaran yang kita dapat pelajari daripada pengalamannya?

Sabbath School Lesson 13
Sunday September 23

Sailing to Rome

After about two years of confinement in Caesarea (Acts 24:27), Paul was to be sent to Rome. Judging by the first person plural and the richness of details used to describe the long and turbulent sea journey to Italy (Acts 27:1-28:16), Luke was accompanying Paul, as was another Christian named Aristarchus (Acts 27:2). Another important character in the story was the Roman centurion, Julius, who had other prisoners as well in his charge (Acts 27:1).

It was late summer when they departed. The Fast (Acts 27:9) refers to the Day of Atonement, in the second half of October. Because of the winter conditions, travel in the Mediterranean was normally avoided between November and March. This time, however, they faced difficulties from the beginning, and only after much delay they reached the small bay of Fair Havens, in the island of Crete (Acts 27:8).

Read Acts 27:9-12. While in Fair Havens, how did Paul intervene in the story, and how was his intervention received?

Paul’s warnings went unheeded, and so they decided to sail westwards another 40 miles for a harbor (Phoenix), where they could winter with safety. Unfortunately, with a sudden change in the weather, they were caught in such a violent tempest that the crew had no option but to let the ship be driven southwest by the wind, away from land. Soon they began to throw the cargo overboard and even some of the ship’s gear in a frantic attempt to lighten it, as it was already taking on water. The situation was dramatic. After several days of scant daylight, poor visibility, heavy rain, and raging winds, without knowing where they were and in complete exhaustion, they “finally gave up all hope of being saved” (Acts 27:20, NIV).

Read Acts 27:21-26. What was Paul’s second intervention in the story?

In prophetic words, Paul told the crew a message he had just received from God. There was no reason to despair or lose hope. There would still be danger and loss, but all of them would survive.

Why would such a faithful and dedicated servant of the Lord like Paul have to suffer through so much? What lessons can we learn from his experiences?