The Divine Pattern of Deliverance

What a privilege and a joy it is to be here! As I look out at your consecrated countenances, I am reminded of a truth: when righteous men and women are united in the cause of Jesus Christ, miracles happen. My young friends, Brigham Young University is a place of miracles—a place of holiness where students can come to know their Savior in a deeper and more meaningful way as they strive to emulate His divine attributes.¹

Righteous men and women from the beginning of time have served as types and shadows of Jesus Christ. Nephi testified:

Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.²

As we look for parallel patterns between individuals in the scriptures and the Savior, we come to understand that we too “should be living witnesses that he has come”³ and will come again.

With a thoughtful study of the New Testament, we find that the events near the end of the ministry of the apostle Paul and the events leading up to the death of Jesus Christ have notable similarities. Paul, like Jesus, traveled to Jerusalem and foretold of the hardships he would experience, faced stratagem by certain Jews, was arrested and handed over to Gentile authorities, was tried before the Jewish council and a Roman governor, and testified before kings and judges.⁴ The apostle Paul was a type of Jesus Christ!

In Acts 27, we learn further about this connection as Paul navigates a dangerous sea voyage. As we study his deliverance from the perilous journey, we discover a divine pattern of deliverance in our own lives and lessons to be learned that will help us successfully navigate the storms of our day.

After Paul completed his third mission, he was accused of defiling the Jerusalem temple and was arrested by Roman soldiers.⁵ The Roman authorities in Judea recognized Paul had done nothing wrong and were in favor of letting him go. But Paul had requested to be tried before Caesar, so he was sent to Rome.⁶ “And entering into a ship . . . , [they] launched, meaning to sail by the coasts ofAsia.”⁷

The first day at sea was uneventful as the ship sailed on calm waters near the shore to the port of Sidon. Paul and the other prisoners were placed under the guard of Julius, a centurion who treated his charges with dignity and generosity. Julius not only allowed some of Paul’s friends to accompany him on his journey but also granted the apostle the liberty of visiting the Church in Sidon.⁸ The companionship of Paul’s noble friends undoubtedly strengthened him for the trials that lay ahead.

Lesson 1: Choose Good Friends

A simple yet profound lesson we can learn from Paul’s journey is the importance of choosing good friends. One of my favorite stories about Jesus Christ has to do with individuals whom I like to picture in my mind as young adults around your age. In Mark 2:1–12, we read about faith and the incalculable blessing of having good friends. [A video was shown of the story of Jesus healing a man with palsy.⁹]

And again [Jesus] entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.

And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

I admonish you to seek friends who will lead you to Jesus Christ! Friends who will not be easily deterred. Friends who will pick you up and carry you, if need be, to the feet of the Savior. Friends who will follow the counsel of Jesus Christ’s living prophet. And most specifically, I pray that you will be that kind of friend!

Now, continuing with Paul’s journey: “And when [they] had launched from [Sidon, they] sailed under Cyprus, because the winds werecontrary.”¹⁰ The captain decided to change course and seek protection, navigating away from the treacherous waves raging in the middle of the Mediterranean. As we navigate the storms of life, it is essential that we too seek protection.

Lesson 2: Trust Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ has the power to give us the protection we need. Trust Him! We access His power by virtue of the covenants we have made. President Russell M. Nelson testified, “Each person who makes covenants in baptismal fonts and in temples—and keeps them—has increased access to the power of Jesus Christ.”¹¹

Referencing the New Testament account of the Savior calming a storm, President Jeffrey R. Holland lovingly declared:

Always remember in that biblical story that He was out there on the water also, that He faced the worst of it right along with the newest and youngest and most fearful. Only one who has fought against those ominous waves is justified in telling us—as well as the sea—to “be still.” Only one who has taken the full brunt of such adversity could ever be justified in telling us in such times to “be of good cheer.” Such counsel is not a jaunty pep talk about the power of positive thinking, though positive thinking is much needed in the world. No, Christ knows better than all others that the trials of life can be very deep and we are not shallow people if we struggle with them. But even as the Lord avoids sugary rhetoric, He rebukes faithlessness and He deplores pessimism. He expects us to believe!¹²

Continuing with Paul’s crossing, the passengers were now aboard a grain freighter taking grain grown in Egypt to Italy.¹³ The ship began to make its way west, eventually coming to the port called Fair Havens¹⁴ on the south side of the island of Crete:

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

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.¹⁵

Paul, as a prophet, seer, and revelator, foresaw the danger that was to befall the ship and testified that there would “be no loss of any man’s life” and that the passengers would be preserved only if they stayed on board the ship.¹⁶

The Book of Mormon teaches that

a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed . . . , and hidden things shall come to light . . . , and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.¹⁷

Lesson 3: Follow the Prophet

It is essential that we follow a living prophet! “The centurion [unfortunately] believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”¹⁸

There are several reasons why individuals sometimes choose to reject the counsel of prophets, seers, and revelators. For instance:

(1) Worldly experience and training. Just as “the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship” (Acts 27:11) rather than the counsel of Paul, a tentmaker [see Acts 18:1–3], people today sometimes reject the words of . . . [prophets] because their counsel does not coincide with the . . . “experts” [of the day]. (2) Convenience. The ship’s crew contended that they should continue their journey because “the haven was not commodious to winter in” (Acts 27:12), meaning it was not a convenient location to spend the winter months. Likewise, adhering to the counsel of Church leaders is not always convenient. (3) Majority mentality. “The more part” of the passengers advised the centurion “to depart” (Acts 27:12). . . . Many individuals . . . [are inclined] to agree with the majority [rather] than . . . with a servant of God, whose words are not meant to be popular.¹⁹

How blessed we are to have a living prophet on the earth today—President Russell M. Nelson, a prophetic voice of warning, guidance, counsel, and love. A prophet who boldly and lovingly testifies of what we need to know and do to effectively traverse the trials of our day:

• Seek truth.²⁰
• Make covenants with God and keep them.²¹
• “Spend more time in the temple.”²²
• “Help gather scattered Israel.”²³
• “Take charge of your testimony” of Jesus Christ.²⁴
• “Know the truth about who you are.”²⁵
• “Give thanks.”²⁶
• “Think celestial.”²⁷
• Look forward to the future with hope.²⁸
• “Find [Jesus Christ] in the temple.”²⁹
• “Experience the joy of repenting daily.”³⁰
• “Make [your] discipleship [your] highest priority.”³¹
• • “Seek and expect miracles.”³²
• “Strive to end conflict in your life.”³³
• “Engage in daily, earnest, humble prayer.”³⁴
• Increase your understanding of Jesus Christ.³⁵
• “Partake of sacred ordinances worthily.”³⁶
• “Build bridges of understanding.”³⁷
• “Nourish yourself in the words of ancient and modern prophets.”³⁸
• “Prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.”³⁹
• “Talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!”⁴⁰

The centurion, unfortunately, chose to follow the advice of the captain, and since the waves looked favorable, they set out from Fair Havens. However, just beyond Crete, the wind turned dangerous. Hoping to prevent the ship from breaking apart in a storm, the crew let the wind drive the ship.⁴¹ Then they strung cables or ropes around the bottom of the ship to strengthen the hull against the battering wind and waves.⁴² In a final effort to save the ship, they threw over the cargo and some of the ship’s equipment.⁴³

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on [them], all hope that [they] should be saved was then taken away.⁴⁴

On the open sea, the only tools they had for navigation were the sun and the stars. All hope in themselves and their own abilities was now gone.

But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

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.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.⁴⁵

Lesson 4: Believe God

I feel it is significant that Paul did not simply state he believed in God but that he believed God. Paul knew he would make it to Rome because God told him he would “bear witness also at Rome.”⁴⁶

In Doctrine and Covenants 5:20, the Lord testified that He is a God who keeps His promises:

Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified.

The scriptures are replete with powerful assurances that God verifies His word, for He is a “God [who] lives in an eternal now where the past, present, and future are constantly before Him.”⁴⁷ He knows us. He loves us. And He has a plan for us.

Paul and those traveling with him had now spent two weeks in the misery and terror of the storm.

But when the fourteenth night was come, as [they] were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.⁴⁸

Sailors would send out a sound or boom and then count until it hit an object to determine the distance from land.

Then fearing lest [they] should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.⁴⁹

Do you ever find yourself during the struggle of life “wish[ing] for the day”? Praying for and seeking calmer seas? When do those calm seas come? After you complete your next project, semester, or degree? As soon as your health improves, relationships are better, you are married, have a family, own a home, or are established in your career? There is always going to be something in life we wish was different. Instead of wishing for the day—wishing and waiting and hoping for calmer waters—we would be wise to strengthen and fortify our anchors.

Anchor Yourselves

Let us review some anchors we have discovered from our study of Paul’s experience:

Anchor number one: Choose good friends. It has often been said, “Show me your friends and I will show you your future.” It is essential in these last days that you choose good friends who will lead you to Jesus Christ, and, most importantly, that you choose to be that kind of friend as a way of honoring your covenant responsibility to love God and serve Him.

Anchor number two: Trust Jesus Christ. As we “trust in the Lord with all [our] heart . . . , he shall direct [our] paths.”⁵⁰ Trusting in the Lord means believing that He has a purpose for our lives and “that all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good.”⁵¹

Anchor number three: Follow the prophet. Prophets see things we cannot. The most important prophet—as far as you and I are concerned—is the one living today. “God’s revelations to Adam did not instruct Noah how to build the ark. Noah needed his own revelation.”⁵² We need to heed the counsel of our living prophet.

Anchor number four: Believe God. It is not simply enough to believe in God. Like Paul, we need to believe God. Believe that He will fulfill all that He has promised

• When He invited “all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”⁵³ All means all.
• When He counseled, “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.”⁵⁴ All means all.
• When He declared, “He that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.”⁵⁵ All means all.

My dear friends, believe Him!

These four anchors tethered me to the Savior as I navigated the “storm” of a cancer diagnosis and treatment several years ago. And because of that experience, I will be tethered to Jesus Christ for the rest of my life.

For those of you here with me in the Marriott Center today, I would like to invite you to pull out your phones. Using the QR code provided, in one or two words share an anchor that helps keep you grounded during the storms of your life.

QR code question: What anchors you during the storms of your life?

In the results from this exercise, I see the temple. I see family. I see Jesus Christ. Your parents. Your wife. Revelation. Gospel music—that’s powerful. Patriarchal blessing. Gratitude. Hope. Isn’t this extraordinary? I was hoping someone would actually put someone’s name up there. Have you ever thought that maybe you are an anchor in someone’s life? What a sacred privilege that mustbe.

Let us continue with Paul’s journey:

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship . . . ,

Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. . . .

[So] they [took] up the anchors, [and] they committed themselves unto the sea. . . .

. . . They ran the ship aground; and . . . the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. . . .

. . . And . . . they escaped all safe to land.⁵⁶

Prophecy fulfilled! My friends, I plead with you to “abide in the ship”!⁵⁷ Heed the words of a living prophet and build your foundation on Jesus Christ.⁵⁸ Anchor yourselves to Jesus Christ!

As Elder Weatherford T. Clayton admonished:

Should you ever choose to step off that wonderful foundation you are building upon the Rock, for whatever reason, be warned that the mists of darkness will almost immediately surround you. . . . You will not see clearly and likely won’t be able to see where you have come from nor where you are going.⁵⁹

Paul’s journey to Rome helped realize Jesus Christ’s commission to take the gospel “unto the uttermost part of the earth.”⁶⁰ Paul’s journey was also a journey home: not to his ancestral home in Tarsus⁶¹ nor his missionary home in Ephesus⁶² but to a prison where he would be executed and liberated from the persecution of his day—ultimately returning home to live again with God the Father and His Only Begotten Son.

Paul faithfully declared:

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.⁶³

I testify that our loving and merciful God has established a divine pattern of deliverance for His children. Jesus Christ is He who stands ready to assist us in our hour of need. May we rejoice in our redemption and with bowed knee acknowledge the Son of God as our Redeemer and Deliverer⁶⁴ is my prayer, in the sacred and holy name of He “who is mighty to save,”⁶⁵ Jesus Christ, amen.

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