GET OUT OF THE BOAT
By Dustin Shramek
This Thursday is Thanksgiving. It is a time to gather with friends and family and thank God for all that He has so graciously provided. I'm sure that we all have many things to be thankful for. I know that I do. After all, God has been pleased to bless me with a wonderful woman who will be my wife. Maybe some of you haven't heard, but I just recently got engaged! It is very exciting as a I contemplate the wonderful gift of God that I have in Kellie.
What has God given you that you are thankful for? What is God doing in your life that you are thankful for? Everyday God never ceases to amaze me by His goodness. Psalm 136:1 says, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting." Our God is good. His lovingkindness knows no bounds. He is constantly blessing us with good things. In fact, all good things come from God, James 1:17 says, "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow."
And what amazes me most is that God not only does us good, but He delights in doing us good. It makes Him happy to do good to His people. Jeremiah 32:40-41 says, "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. And I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all my heart and with all My soul."
God rejoices to do us good. He is good to us because he wants to be good. He is good to us because it brings him great pleasure to be good to us.
Ezra 8:22 says, "The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him." Romans 8:28 says, "For we know that God causes all things to work for good to those who love God, who have been called according to His purpose."
Have we not witnessed this in our own lives? How many good gifts has God given you? Now we know that all good things come from God, so are you thanking him for all of the good things that you have? In light of the upcoming holiday, I want to spend some time looking at the wonderful gifts of God so that we can turn to him with hearts full of gratitude.
The first gift that God has given us is life. It is by his will that we are made alive. Colossians 1:16 says, "For by Christ all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created by Him and for Him." The fact that we exist is owing to the will of God. He has given us the precious gift of life. Job 33:4 says, "the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life."
When was the last time that you thanked the Lord for the wonderful gift of life? This Thanksgiving, let us remember out great God who is the almighty Creator.
And not only has God so graciously given us life here on earth, but to those who believe in His son Jesus Christ, he has given eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 says, "And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." Our salvation is the greatest gift of God that we can imagine. It is completely undeserved. And yet God has saved us. This salvation is his gift to us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." We can't earn eternal life. No, eternal life is a gift offered to us that we must receive by faith. Even this faith by which we accept Christ's gift of eternal life, is a gift itself.
Apart from Christ moving in our hearts we would never come to him. For we were dead in our sins and transgressions. "But God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." Jesus says in John 6:44, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." Our salvation is a gift from God and the grace needed to even believe in Christ is a gift from God. Philippians 1:29 says, "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to sffer for His sake." Our belief in Christ is a gift, granted to us for Christ's sake. Let us remember this great gift that has been given to us.
Another aspect of the goodness of God is witnessed in his common grace that he bestows on all people. This is in contrast to his special saving grace that he bestows on the church. Common grace is the grace and goodness that he shows to all people, even to those that don't believe in him. Jesus says in Matthew 5:45, "God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Even something as simple as rain and sunshine is completely undeserved. Yet God graciously gives us those things and he not only gives it to us, his children, but this grace is extended to all people. Our hearts ought to overflow with gratitude as we see the sun rise in the morning or when we get that much needed rain in the summer. These are good gifts from God and we must acknowledge him for them.
Think of all of the wonderful material gifts that God has blessed you with, a house, a car, food. Do you have children? They too are a gift from the Lord. Psalm 127:3 says, "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward."
God is constantly giving us good gifts. My house is full of them and I'm sure that yours is too. God has been pleased to bless Prairie Springs with many good gifts. He has given us the land to build our church. He has so graciously provided this building until then. He has given instruments so that we can worship him. Our church is full of the good gifts of God. And the best gifts that God has given this church sit right in front of me. You. All of you who attend Prairie Springs are gifts from God. Our fellowship here is a gift from the Lord. The friends that we have made here are gifts from God. Everything is a wonderful gift of God. O that we might take the time to count the many riches that God has been pleased to so graciously give us.
This Thanksgiving don't just sit around with family talking about the latest news in each other's lives. Sit with your family and share about the great gifts of God that you have been given. Come before God with your family on your knees, thanking him for the ways in which he has provided for you. Remember God this Thanksgiving. Remember that apart from his grace you would not have any of the gifts you do. Apart from his grace you would not have breath to live, apart from his grace you could not have eternal life, apart from his grace you could not enjoy nature and the way in which nature sustains you, apart from the grace of God you would not have your home, or any other possession, apart from the grace of God you would not have your family, your children, apart from the grace of God there would be no Prairie Springs, apart from the grace of God their would be no fellowship in your lives, no friends to share the tough times and the good times. Apart from the grace of God you would have nothing! O that we may be sobered by God's amazing grace and our utter dependence upon him for all of our needs. May God be pleased this Thanksgiving to give us hearts of gratitude, hearts that overflow with praise for the giver of all good things.
My desire is that we would give thanks to God for all things. May the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 be true of us. "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
But my purpose in speaking to you this morning is not only so that you might have grateful hearts. This morning I want to sound a warning. I want to alert us of a great danger that lurks in our midst. A danger that many of us are completely oblivious to. We don't see it there in the corner peaking its devious eye, ready to turn our eyes from Christ. It is a great enemy of our hunger for God.
John Piper writes, "The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the x-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night. For all the ill that Satan can do, when God describes in Luke 14 what keeps us from the banquet table of his love, it is a piece of land, a yoke of oxen, and a wife. The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts. And the most deadly appetites are not for the poison of evil, but for the simple pleasures of earth. For when these replace an appetite for God himself, the idolatry is scarcely recognizable, and almost incurable."
The greatest adversary of love to God is not his enemies but his gifts! Amazing. How can this be? How can God's gifts draw me away from God? Very easily. What do you desire more of, God's presents or God's presence? Do you desire God or do you desire his gifts? When you contemplate the gifts of God does it drive you to worship the great giver?
Our homes are great gifts from God, but are we more consumed with making them look nice than by our great God? Food is a great gift from God, but are we more hungry in the morning for breakfast or for God? I am so aware of this danger when I think about the gift of Kellie. God has blessed me richly, but it would be so easy for me to become more consumed by her than by Christ. It would be easy for me to seek my satisfaction in her and not in Christ. And that is sin.
Jeremiah 2:13 says, "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water." When we seek our satisfaction apart from Christ we sin. Don't we see the danger that lurks behind the gifts of God? After all, I'm not tempted to go and seek my satisfaction in pornography. No, I am tempted to seek my satisfaction in God's gifts. I am tempted to seek my satisfaction in possessions that have been so graciously given to me. I am tempted to seek my satisfaction in lust for Kellie when I get impatient for our marriage.
I am not saying that we shouldn't enjoy God's gifts. We should. For it is hardly an honor to God if we don't enjoy them. But if we place them above God we make ourselves idolaters. And the very thing that God gave us to bless us, is turned into an cursed idol.
We must not allow ourselves to become consumed by the pleasures of this world so that we no longer seek the pleasure of knowing Christ. Today I want us look past all of the gifts and to feast on the giver. I want us to be willing to forsake the gifts of God so that we can be with God. Let us look beyond the gifts to the wonderful giver.
John 21 is a great place to see a man who was willing to forsake the gift of God for Christ himself. "After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples. Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.' They said to him, 'We will also come with you.' They went out, and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore said to them, 'Children, you do not have any fish, do you?' They answered Him, 'No.' And He said to them,'Cast the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you will find a catch.' They cast therefore, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. The disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord.' And so when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish. And so when they got out upon the land they saw a charcoal fire already laid, and fish placed on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.' Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn."
The disciples were out fishing all night and they hadn't caught anything. I'm sure that they were tired and hungry and wanted to go home. But when the sun was rising a man from the shore called out to them and told them to put the net out on the right side of the boat.
I wonder what the disciples were thinking then. They had been trying all night and then all of sudden this guy tells them to throw out one more time. How many times had they already thrown the net out on the right side? But they did it, they threw the net out. And suddenly they realized that it was full of fish. They couldn't even get it back into the boat it was so heavy. So they had to just drag it to the shore. What joy must have flooded over their hearts. Nothing all night and then suddenly they have the biggest catch they've seen. What a miracle.
And as they were trying to pull the net ashore, John realized who the person on the shore was. He says to Peter, "It is the Lord." "Look Peter, its Jesus. Jesus our Lord. Its Jesus over there on the shore."
And Peter, hearing that it was Jesus looks up for himself. He sees Jesus. Immediately all thoughts of the fish are gone. All he can see is Jesus. Out of respect for the King of kings, Peter puts on his outer garment and then dives into the water.
You see, Peter knew that this wonderful gift of fish was nothing in comparison to the giver. When Peter saw Jesus, he no longer cared about the fish. He forsook the fish for Christ. He forsook the gift for the giver. He recognized what would satisfy a hungry man and it wasn't fish. No it was the Bread of Life, Jesus. And so he jumped out of the boat saying, "Who cares about fish, when I can be with Jesus." Jesus was over there and Peter was over here, but Peter wasn't satisfied. "I want to be with Jesus," Peter yells as he dives into the water.
"I want to be with Jesus!" But how often to we get caught in the boat trying to haul in the gifts of God when we should be diving after the savior? We need to get out of the boat!
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Don't let the pleasures of this world steal your joy for Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Don't get caught up in the things of this world.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Don't stuff yourself with fish of this world.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Don't let the gifts of God turn your eyes from God.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Seek Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Long for Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Hunger for Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Come to Christ, swim to him.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Feast on Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
Satisfy yourself in Christ.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
People, we must be seeking Christ and his kingdom. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you."
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!
When we see Christ on the shore our hearts ought to overflow with longing to be with him. We must forget the things of this world and dive in for him. We must be willing to get out of the boat and get our clothes wet.
Unfortunately, not many of us are moved to jump into the water. I think that this is because we have a weak view of the glory of Christ. We don't see him as the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. This is why we get so easily entangled in sin. We don't see Christ as all satisfying and so we go elsewhere to be filled. All of our sin can be traced back to a reduced vision of the supremacy of Christ in our hearts. We must look to Christ and see his greatness. We must see him exalted on the right hand of God. We must see him as he really is, our great God and savior.
Hebrews 1 gives a great vision of the supremacy of Christ. Please turn there with me.
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things..." Jesus is heir of all things. All things belong to him. He has all authority over all things. In Matthew 28:18, Jesus says, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Hebrews 2:8 says, "Thou hast put all things in subjection under Christ's feet." Christ has all authority and he is over all things.
"Through whom also He made the world." Christ was very active in the creation. John 1:3 says, "All things came into being by [Christ], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." Colossians 1:16-17 says, "For by [Christ] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Christ is the Almighty Creator!
Verse 3 goes on, "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature..." Christ radiates the glory of God. When John saw Christ glorified he writes in Revelation, "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man." Christ is the manifestation of the glory of God. In John 1:14, he writes, "And the Word [Christ] became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Jesus is the radiance of God's glory because Jesus is the exact representation of God's nature. When we look at Jesus we see the nature of God. Why? Because Jesus is God! Jesus says this about himself in Revelations 22, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Jesus is eternal. He is the second person of the Godhead, having the nature of God. Jesus was not merely a good man. No, he is God incarnate! And being God, Jesus is Lord. He is Lord of all things. Christ is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He is the one who we must bow down to and worship.
Don't listen to the liberal theologians who spout out a bunch of heresy embodied in the Jesus Seminar. It is blasphemy and Christ hates it. We ought to also. God will not sit idly by and let people profane the name of His Son, He will act and vindicate the holiness of Jesus' name. For "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus is God and we must exalt Him as such.
Verse 3 also says, "Christ upholds all things by the word of His power." Jesus is the sustainer of all things. Your existence right now is owing to Christ's mercy. It is by the power of His word that you remain in existence. He is constantly calling you into existence. If he were to stop, you would vanish, for he upholds all things by the word of His power. The fact that I wake up every morning and am still Dustin Shramek is owing to providential power of Christ's word. Let us meditate on the great truth that Christ is our sustainer and rejoice in Colossians 1:17, "And [Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
"When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." Christ, by his death, made purification of sins. He atoned for all of the sins of those who would believe in him. That means that he died in our place, thereby taking the wrath of God upon himself. And by so doing, He reconciled us to God, enabling God to extend his favor to us. Christ satisfied the justice of God. My sins deserve an eternity of conscious torment in hell and I would never, in all of eternity, satisfy God's justice. For if I did, I would no longer need to be punished. But Christ did satisfy God's justice. What an awesome testimony to the greatness of our savior who could endure the great wrath of God and satisfy his justice.
And now, Christ is exalted at the right hand of God. He is above all things, reigning as the Sovereign Lord of the universe. This is the person who stands on the shore. When we see Christ as he really is, the fish in the net become very unappealing.
But we must get out of the boat to enjoy His excellency. Jonathon Edwards says this, "So honourable a person as this offers himself to you, in the nearest and dearest friendship. And would you choose to have a friend not only great but good? In Christ infinite greatness and infinite goodness meet together, and receive lustre and glory one from another. His greatness is rendered lovely by his goodness....Christ will give himself to you, with all those various excellencies that meet in him, to your full and everlasting enjoyment. He will ever after treat you as his dear friend; and you shall ere long be where he is, and shall behold his glory, and dwell with him, in most free and intimate communion and enjoyment."
It is Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, on the shore. We must forsake the pleasures of this world. We must stop stuffing ourselves with things that can never satisfy. We must turn from our sin and rightly honor Christ as the all satisfying savior.
Repent from your sin of idolatry.
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!!
If you are on the wide road leading to eternal wrath and punishment,
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!!
The boat is heading for the rocks and we will be dashed in pieces. Put down the net,
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!!
The Bible says that apart from Christ we are dead in out trespasses and sins, we are sons of disobedience, by nature children of wrath. May God give you life this morning. May He be pleased to grant you repentance leading to faith.
Christ stands on the shore and I plead with you,
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!!
GET OUT OF THE BOAT!!!!!
All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, by the Lockman Foundation.
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