Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Temple Baptist Church - 12-28-2022

John 6:14-21

 

Introduction:

 

A. This coming Sunday, we will begin the New Year. 2023! I find that amazing that we are still here; I find that amazing that I am still here!

 

B. Last Wednesday, we read these verses and I preached on “The Storms of Life”. Tonight, I want to make another application that will be of help as we approach another year.

 

C. I do not know what this new year holds for us and am glad that I don’t as we are to walk by faith, not by sight.

 

D. I do know for certain that things will progressively get worse. Paul, when writing to young Timothy in 2 Timothy, one of the Pastoral Epistles, referenced this fact 2,000 years ago.

 

2 Timothy 3:10-13 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (11) Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. (12) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (13) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 

E. Do not be discouraged or disappointed as we know what time it is spiritually, and God’s “clock” is still “ticking”. In these verses we find:

 

1. The Absence of the Lord. His physical presence was not to be seen though we know that He is always present.

 

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

2. The Darkness of the Hour. Atheistic Humanism has replaced Biblical Christianity. Our world is permeated with sodomy, the murder of children from conception to birth, lawlessness on every hand, morality gone, government corrupt, churches apostatized, good has become evil and evil has become good. Dark enough for you? It will get worse and worse.

 

3. The Winds of Change. Not just changes in morality but “every wind of doctrine”. Over the past 100+ years, they have attacked the very foundation of our faith: the Bible. It has led to doctrinal change and heresy.

 

3. The Resistance of Liberalism. We who continue to stand where our fathers stood, but where they stood has become the wrong and liberalism has become the right. Pogo’s quip was a pun based on the famous quotation “We have met the enemy and they are ours”!

 

4. The Fearfulness of Many. People today live in fear! Financial fear, fear of the “virus”, fear of the unknown, fear of death.

 

F. Tonight, I want you to grab an oar and get into the boat with me. Pastors, like all of you, suffer the same ups and downs in life thus we have the great numbers of those who are no longer in the ministry. Like it or not, you and I are in the same boat so just grab an oar and let’s go. THINGS WERE LOOKING BAD THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT AND THEIR FAITH BEING TESTED.

 

1. THEY WERE AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN. There was no going back because the distance was the same either way. Might as well just keep on rowing. John 6:19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. (The Sea of Galilee is 7 ½ miles wide at its widest point where the disciples rowed that night. They had rowed app. 25-30 furlongs or 3 ½ miles.)

 

2. They were Toiling: tortured, pained, vexed. They were rowing hard with little results. Stuck in the middle of the sea. Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing …

 

3. Everything seemed to be working against them. They had a “head wind” instead of a “tail wind”. Nothing was going right for them. Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them …

 

4. It was the darkest time of the night. The weariness of the Fourth Watch. Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night

 

5. The Lord had been physically absent from them but He came in the Fourth Watch, walking upon the sea. Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

 

G. YOU JUST STAY IN THE BOAT AND KEEP ON ROWING! “Row, row, row your boat.”

 

1. Just Keep Rowing in Faithfulness. Psalms 12:1 To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

 

2. Just Keep Rowing in Prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

 

3. Just Keep Rowing in Service. 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

4. Just Keep Rowing in Thanksgiving. Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

 

5. Just Keep Rowing in Witnessing. Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

 

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

 

6. Just Keep Rowing in the Old Paths. Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

 

2 Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

 

7. Just Keep Rowing in Holiness. 1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; (16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 

8. Just Keep Rowing in Fellowship. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (So many have found an excuse to stop.)

 

Conclusion:

 

a. You see, it is going to get darker outside, the winds of change are going to blow harder, the things contrary will continue to resist the truth more and more, the “rowers” are going to get fewer. It will get lonely out there on the sea of life.

 

b. But the Saviour is still watching over us, the Saviour is still praying for us, the Saviour can still walk upon the seas of life and come to us, the Saviour will still get into the ship with us, and the Saviour will take us to the other side, either through the Rapture of the Church or through the vail of death.

 

c. We are a winner either way. It will be worth it all when we see Christ.