Encouragement to keep you going
Key Passage: Mark 6:45-52
Date: June 7, 2024
Mark chapter number six of God’s Word, and the title would be for the Internet: Encouragement to Keep You Going. I believe if you’re hungry for that, God can use this true story in God’s Word to give you encouragement to keep you going. How many of you could use at least a little bit of encouragement? Anybody out there? The rest of you can come to the altar for lying; you didn’t raise your hand. We all need encouragement from time to time. Encouragement to keep you going.
This story is found in three of the Gospels. We will just try to stick to Mark. I might reference some from Matthew or John. The Bible is amazing about that; it will give a story and then have some of these others, especially the Gospels, where they give a different view on the same story, and sometimes it adds much meaning to it.
Jesus had just fed the 5,000 men plus women and children. After that was over, He went up to a mountain. Before He went up to the mountain, He said, “Hey, you disciples, go get in the boat to cross over the Sea of Galilee.” He went up to the mountain and prayed pretty much all night long. Later on that night, in the morning time, He comes walking to them on the water. This is the instance where Peter—it’s just found in Matthew—but Peter comes out of the boat walking on the water also to Jesus. It is the same story here, and we won’t really focus on that, but we want to look for just a little bit at five truths from this story. I hope and pray it will be an encouragement to you to keep going for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mark chapter number six—are you there already? Amen. Good deal. You found it already. That’s good. Would you please stand as we read God’s Word together? Mark chapter number six, and we’re going to start in verse number 45. Stick with me, because we’ll be using many truths out of this story.
Mark 6:45: “And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before, and toward Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. When He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. When it was evening, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He saw them toiling and 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. When they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed He had been a spirit and cried out, for they all saw Him and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them and said unto them, ‘Be of good cheer; it is I: be not afraid.’ And when He went up unto them into the ship, the wind ceased, and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered.”
Look at verse number 45, if you would, please. Verse number 45. “The straightway, He constrained His disciples to get into the ship.”
First thing I want you to notice is this truth: they were doing what Jesus told them to do. They were doing exactly what Jesus constrained them to do. He said, “Hey, disciples, go get the boat. Go to the other side.” They were doing exactly what Jesus told them to do.
But here’s the thing: while they were doing what Jesus told them to do, a storm came. Man, this wind came. They say the Sea of Galilee is very susceptible to quick storms. It is very low. They say the Dead Sea is the only one lower. Actually, it’s the largest freshwater lake in Israel, the Sea of Galilee. It’s a fairly good size. They say it’s about the size of Washington, D.C.—it’s 13 miles long and about 8 miles across. We’re talking about a pretty good size sea or lake.
They were on this lake, and a storm comes up. By the way, these storms—I watched a video last night of people who were on the Sea of Galilee when a storm came up. I thought about showing it to you, but you’d never listen to me. You’d be watching the storm, amen, you know? But here’s what I’m getting at: they were doing what God wanted them to do. Just because you are doing the will of God does not make you exempt from storms. Storms often come when you are doing—and you can get the complex, “Lord, I’m doing what You told me to do. I’m trying to follow Your command. I’m trying to do what You told me to do”—and these storms can make it very difficult to do what Jesus tells you to do.
It’s not always easy to do what Jesus says to do. You ever figure that out? It wasn’t easy for the people in the Bible. It wasn’t easy for Ezekiel when God said, “Hey, I’m going to call you to a rebellious people.” How would you like to preach for a lifetime to rebellious people? In fact, God said, “Ezekiel, I’m going to make your forehead real hard. I’m going to make your forehead harder than their forehead.” I don’t know if maybe they did the bumps with heads or what, you know? Maybe they got in a fight, and one would say, “Hey, come on, man, bring it, because I got a harder forehead than yours. God gave it to me,” you know. Would you like to be married to a hard-headed husband like that? Poor Miss Ezekiel, you know.
I mean, I’m trying to think that through, but it wasn’t easy. It’s not always easy. He told them, “I want you to go and get the gospel to everybody in the world.” Well, try to do that when Nero is trying to kill you. Man, the two don’t go together very good. They were getting slaughtered, by the way. But He said, “Hey, I want you to get the gospel around the world.” It’s not always easy, but it doesn’t mean it’s not right, friend. Sometimes when you do the will of God, storms come. They were right, dead center in the will of God, doing what Jesus had told them to do. He told them to get in the boat and go to the other side. That’s what they were doing their best to do, and yet a storm came.
Storms come. It’s part of it. By the way, I’d rather have a storm from doing right than a storm for doing wrong. I’d rather be in trouble for witnessing than have cirrhosis of the liver from drinking. I’d rather be put in jail for witnessing than put in jail for robbing a bank. I’d rather be in trouble for maybe trying to go to church and live for the Lord and maybe somebody give me a hard time than ruining my marriage because I’m living a life of sin. Everybody has storms. I’d much rather have a storm right dead in the middle of God’s will. The storms come. They come to everybody, and sometimes you are right dead in the center of God’s will, but storms come.
But can I say this? These disciples did a wise thing. They continued doing what He told them to do until He gave them another command. You know, in the military—I’m not an expert on the military, but some of you men can testify better than me—there is a term for it: you keep doing the last command until another command comes.
I heard a story from around World War II in paratrooper training that they were marching for miles and miles and miles. One guy was sick of it; he wanted to get out. He was doing anything he could to get out. The person giving instructions had told him to march, and he got sidetracked, busy talking or doing something. They came to a fence. Well, common sense says you stop, but “General Order Number One.” So he climbed over the fence and went AWOL. They actually called him later on and put him in court-martial, all that, but he got out because he said, “Hey, General Order Number One, I kept marching. You didn’t give me another order.”
But these guys here, they were doing what Jesus told them to do. It’s difficult, but they kept going. Man, it’s difficult to have a good marriage and raise Godly kids in our day and time, but you keep going after what God told you to do. You keep going until He gives you another order. That’s so important.
I thought about this when we were in our last building, our last storefront building, and the Lord had filled it up. We were pretty full. It wasn’t a huge place—I don’t know, 120, 130, whatever—but we just thought, “What are you going to do? We’re going to try to keep winning souls and preach and do what God told us.” Everybody came to me and said, “Man, we’ve got to have a new building. We’ve got to have a new building.” They were on me about needing a building. I would do the pastoral thing: “Well, God’s going to take care of it in His time. God will give us a building.”
But we tried to stay faithful and keep doing what God called us to do. It’s amazing. We were just trying to do that thing. I never forget, we almost bought land in LaVergne, where Old Nashville Highway and Jefferson Pike come together there—it has that Y. There’s a gas station there now, but there was old several acres of land back through there. We knew the man that owned the house back in there, and he owned all that, and we were going to buy a good portion of that. Two fairly good roads meet there, and we were excited about it. That was our plan.
I went to the city and said, “Hey, we’re going to build. We’re going to buy there and want to build there and need to talk to codes and whatnot.” The code official said, “We can’t guarantee you can build there. There’s a creek flowing through there, and there’s a FEMA issue.” Oh, when they mentioned FEMA, your heart sinks. You understand what I’m saying? Oh, your plans—oh, my goodness. We were not going to buy there. I went back to my office, just crushed.
And yet we just kept trying to—and it was amazing. That very afternoon, that very afternoon, Brother Dylan, that pastored here at Bible Baptist Church, a little smaller, by the way, called and said, “Hey, how about you coming over here?” I’m talking about the exact day. I’m just talking about you keep doing what God called you to do, and unless He gives you a different order. And by the way, His orders haven’t changed a whole lot. You understand what I’m saying? Now the way may change, but the lot doesn’t change.
These disciples just kept doing what He told them to do. Now, I don’t want you to see something else. That’s point number one: they were doing what Jesus told them to do when the storm came. Now look in verse number 48. I want you to see this. Jump on the mountain; He’s alone, He’s praying, He’s looking out over the Sea of Galilee. Verse number 48: “And when He saw them…” What’s the next three words?
Toiling. That toiling has to do with pain. You study the word out; it has to do with working real hard. It has to do with you’re rowing so long that you’ve got blisters on your hands. You feel like your arm’s about to fall off. Your whole arm is shot out; you ain’t got nothing left. I mean, your arms are like spaghetti. Do I need to keep going? You got the hint.
But watch what He says: “And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them.” Now they are doing God’s will. A storm comes up, but man, it’s almost impossible to do what Jesus told them to do. It’s kind of like you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels? “Well, I’m trying to win my co-worker to the Lord. I’ve been going out on Thursdays or Saturdays or mornings. It just seems like I can never have anybody saved.” You just feel like you’re toiling, and the wind’s blowing. The more you row ahead, the more the wind blows you back. Toiling around, for the wind’s contrary. You just can’t get anything done.
Let me read it for you how Matthew describes it: “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea and tossed with waves.” They are trying to get to the other side. Friend, they didn’t have an Avenue 220 on the back end of that thing. They didn’t have all that. They are in a rowboat, and they are trying to get eight miles wide, and at the top it looks like they are coming across, but they can’t get there because the wind’s blowing. But they were in pain; they were hurting. They were trying so hard to be the husband, to be the dad, to be the wife. They are doing everything they can to accomplish what the Lord told them to do, but the wind—the wind was contrary.
Say, “I’m trying to obey God. I’m trying to be all God wants me to be. Every time I get gained up, step forward, the wind blows me back.” That is often the situation in the Christian life. Because there is wind blowing, it is blowing. You are doing what God called you to do; you are trying to. And you are toiling in rowing. Man, you are working so hard, but you are not accomplishing much. And Satan will remind you that day in and day out. He will try to defeat you, get you so discouraged: “Well, Pastor, you’re really trying, but you’re not getting it done.”
I haven’t talked to the Shanks much, but I take it they are still working in the children’s home. I think of speaking to the Children’s Home Director not too long ago, and we were talking about the results. Praise the Lord, they have some good kids out of their home, but he said, “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve tracked them for over the years, and sometimes that is very discouraging.” If you are not careful, friend, you will see all that and you will say, “Man, am I really accomplishing anything for the Lord?” That is what the devil does; he will get your mind on that. He loves to get your mind on that.
But I want you to see this. I want you to notice this, if you will, just how the wind was contrary to them. Look at verse number 48. We are going to jump ahead just a little bit here. Look at verse number 48. Notice what He says there: “And when He…” Who is the “He” right there? Come on now, you can do better. Who is the “He” right there? Jesus. “And He, when Jesus saw them toiling and rowing…”
Now, Jesus is about to hop down off the mountain and come down there and visit them. But the thing that Jesus looked at—He didn’t look at the boat. He didn’t say, “You big dummies, you should have gotten a bigger boat.” He didn’t say, “Fellas, you ought to have a motor on the back of that boat.” He didn’t look at the boat. Jesus—He didn’t even look at the storm. I mean, the wind was kind of blowing. Jesus came to say, “Wow, those are some 10-foot, 12-foot swells.” I think He looked at all that, but the Bible says when He saw them toiling and rowing, that is the key, friend.
When God looks down in your life—maybe Oscar back there, maybe Oscar is trying to live for the Lord in this school, trying to be a good testimony for the Lord. Maybe it is tough to do, especially during summertime, right? When he goes back to school, and he is trying to live for the Lord, trying to be a good testimony, and man, there are people always blowing against him, always talking about Oscar and giving him a hard time. And man, the wind is contrary to him. But here is the thing that God is very concerned about: He is not concerned about all that because God can change all that. God is concerned as He looks down; He wants to see if Oscar is doing the best he can. If he is toiling and rowing, if he is still trying to pull those oars back, even though his arm is about to fall off, he has blisters, and he is hurt, and his back is hurting, but he is still out there trying, trying to be a good, godly Christian in 2022.
And sometimes Satan is going to make you feel like you are not accomplishing anything for the Lord, and you may not be, but the big thing that you want to accomplish is for God to see you toiling and rowing. That is always the key for it.
You say, “How can we live for the Lord in 2022 with what our government situation is?” The key is that God sees you and I toiling and rowing. That is always the concern. Jesus, God in flesh, He looks out, and He—the thing He saw, He could have seen anything. He saw them toiling and rowing.
I think about a godly single mother who was trying to raise her son for the Lord Jesus Christ, and her dad gave her a hard time about it. Yet she just kept trying to toil and row. And for years we supported her son because he was one of the missionaries we supported. Why? How did that happen? He did not have a dad really involved. God saw her toiling and rowing. That is always the key, friend. That is always it. If He sees you toiling and rowing—you say, “Well, I don’t have much talent.” Remember, Jesus did not look at the boat. “Well, I don’t have much to offer.” The key is that He sees you toiling and rowing.
It is amazing. When God sees that—we had medical debt several years back. We had had cancer in our family, and surgery, and broken bones from all the other things. Man, we had some medical debt. And I remember for years we would just toil and row. I remember calling them—some of you have been there before—calling those hospitals and places and saying, “Hey, you know, try to work a deal out a little bit there,” you know. And I remember calling them and saying, “Hey, we already have this deal. We will pay so much, or you owe this,” you know, and saying, “Hey, I remember calling them, saying, ‘Hey, I’m an honest man. I’m going to pay my bills. It is going to take a long time, and I will pay you.’” I remember I think it was $25 or $30 a month. We will pay you $25 or $30 a month." And the person on the line said, “Well, I will have to send that to review about that.” I said, “You review it all you want, but you cannot get blood out of a turnip. Review away, but that is what you are getting every month.”
And they got it every month. And it is one thing if you have one bill—medical bills, you get the doctor, and an oncologist, and then radiologists, and all the other -ologists, and then, you know, big toology. I mean, it is like, man, how many doctors and nurses are there out here? It is just part of the medical field, you know. And while we are getting all those, and I remember years, you just feel like, man, are you chipping away at it? But when God sees you toiling and rowing, He sees you just doing all you can with what you have. And man, you are obeying the Lord; you are walking in His will, but the winds are contrary. You are not getting anywhere, you do not feel like, but just keep praying. I am just saying, keep praying. Keep reading your Bible. Keep seeking the Lord. Keep trying to live for Him. Try to pay your bills. Do right at work. And when God sees you toiling and rowing, Jesus came down there. By the way, our medical bills—it is amazing. I never suspected it, but I never told anybody, but just someone God burdened their heart, and they sent us a large amount of money, and praise the Lord, we paid off all those bills.
Friend, I am just saying, you just keep toiling and rowing. That is the key that Jesus finds you toiling and rowing. I think years ago, meeting with someone who was having marriage problems, I said, “Hey, did your parents have a good marriage?” I was trying to find out if they had a good pattern to watch or not. And they said, “You know, see, my parents might not have had a good marriage for years and years and years, but they kept trying.” And she said, “I do not know what it is.” By the way, I know their parents; I preached both their funerals, the mom and dad’s funeral. The person—she was taught a couple of these stories—she said, “You know, it just seemed like years working at it, boom, God just said, ‘You know what? I am going to give them a good marriage.’” And she said, “You know, for the last 10 years, they have the sweetest marriage.”
Friend, I do not know what everything happened there, but I know this: you toil and row, and you toil and row, and you toil and row, and you are toiling. And sometimes God looks down, and He does not see your boat, how much talent, what all you get in the compass, but He sees you are doing the best you can with what you have, and Jesus says, “I am going to bless that right there.” And that is what Jesus saw. He looked out over the sea; He saw them toiling and rowing.
I think about my dad. You have heard me talk about my dad and his soul-winning. He is the most soul-winner I have ever met in all my life. I mean, he would witness at the drop of a hat. I have been to the grocery store, and there is a line of people behind us, and Dad stops to witness to the person behind the cash register, amen, you know. And he just—but can I be honest with you? I did not really like every way my dad always did it. I did not think he was nearly as thorough as he ought to be. He did not follow up like I thought he ought to be. But my dad was toiling and rowing.
And I never forget when we got the phone call at church saying, “Hey,” it was a pastor in North Georgia 30-something years ago. The secretary at the time said, “Well, no, he would be real young. This is probably…” [Speaker pauses, corrects himself] Maybe 15 years ago would have happened. That does not make for a good phone call. We will use this for a phone call. Missing part of the receiver on that—that is not a complete thing right there, you know. But the secretary said, “Well, probably his dad.” And so they put that guy in contact with my dad. And now you in North Georgia, 30-something years ago—yeah. And well, that guy you led to the Lord all those years ago has been my pastor for the last 16 years. Friend, he did not do everything like I think God did, but he was toiling and rowing like I have never seen anybody. And God—that is the key when God gets involved. That is the key. And Jesus said, “Hey, I will bless you. You are toiling and rowing.” Jesus gets involved. That is what it is all about.
Can I say this kindly to you? Stop working on accomplishments and worry about toiling and rowing. That is the key. Stop worrying about all that. That is God’s business anyway; He brings the increase. Toiling and rowing, toiling and rowing, toiling and rowing.
I forget one basketball game in high school. We were—oh, I do not know how many our Christian school had in it—several hundred. So for Christian school, it was not the tiniest, the smallest, but it was not big, so we were kind of in the middle, you know. Sometimes we would go play basketball games against the tiniest schools, and I liked that because it made you look good, amen. I thought I was Michael Jordan, amen, look at that, you know. But then sometimes we would go play these big schools, and we got slaughtered.
I will never forget one halftime. We would go to the locker room, and I thought, “Man, the coach is going to kill us. We are getting killed.” I remember going to the locker room. You know, you go to the locker room, and your head is just like, “Oh no, we are getting killed out on the court. Now I am going to get killed in the locker room.” I mean, you know, I got one black eye about to have another black eye, you know. We are getting killed on the scoreboard.
I will never forget, the coach said, “Man, you guys—and I know this team’s potential, and I think you are doing great. You are playing up to your potential. You are not letting it get in your head. You are doing right. I do not care about the scoreboard. I know you. I know if you are—” and he was proud of us. He said, “Fellas, you better not go out of this locker room with your head down. Go out down that gym with your head held high and give it the best you have got. I do not care what the scoreboard says at the end.”
Well, man, we went out there tripping their team all the second half. Oh, I am joking. We did not do that. We fouled a couple times, you know. But we did not. We were excited because the coach was happy. And friend, the key is, is the coach happy with you? Are you toiling in rowing? Are you doing what is called you to do to the best of your ability? When He steps in, He will take care of the increase. Man alive, I do not have a clock back there! All right, let us keep going. We have got a couple more things to cover here. Y’all still with me this morning?
Number one: they were doing what Jesus told them to do. They were toiling and rowing. He saw it. That is what Jesus was looking at.
And then look at a couple more things, two more things. Look at verse number 51, Mark 6, and verse number 51. I am going to take another drink. I will do this very often, but I will throw it in. Look at verse number 51, if you would please. “And He went up into the ship, and the wind ceased.” They were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered.
Friend, when Jesus comes walking to you in the water, everything goes okay. We used to sing a song years ago—I hope I can remember the words to it: “Here comes Jesus, He is walking on the water. He is coming after me so I can make it today.” Hey, when Jesus comes walking on the water, you are going to be all right. And He came up in that boat, boom, the winds just ceased.
When Jesus sees you toiling and rowing, and the time of your storm, your trial, your test is over—hey, when Jesus comes in there, that is wonderful when the storm just, boom, is over. Job—I think you prayed for your friends, and I think I will turn the captivity of Job, the Bible says. Boom, it is over. God’s hand of blessing begins to move in. The church in Smyrna over there in Revelation chapter number two, He says, “Hey, your testing is going to be for 10 days.” Storms only last for so long, friend. Jesus comes in there, and wow, things you never thought could happen happen. Things you only could imagine all of a sudden are happening all over. Why? Because Jesus got involved after they were toiling and rowing.
We are not going to talk about it or focus on it, but Matthew 14 tells this is when Peter was walking. Jesus comes out there, and Peter sees, and he says, “Hey, can I come to You?” And Jesus just says one word: “Come.” And old Peter—can you imagine old Peter stepping out? The wind’s contrary. I watched this video last night, and they showed some of the swells; I think they were 12 feet tall on the Sea of Galilee. Can you imagine old Peter stepping out, you know, and he is walking on the water? Hey, that is when you walk on water, so to speak, He will do for the Lord after He finds you toiling and rowing. After you feel like, “I do not feel like I am getting anything accomplished,” that is all right, as long as you are doing what Jesus told you to do. You are obeying the first order. You are doing the best you can according to His will. Jesus lets you come down and says, “Come on.” That is when Christians walk on water. That is when they accomplish things that nobody thought they could accomplish, and that growth comes in you. You realize Peter for the rest of his life says, “Hey, yeah, I sunk. I fell when again, look at the winds and all that, but I got the world’s walking on water award beside Jesus.” He still got it. I have to have been toiling and rowing all those years, toiling and rowing.
Then one other thing about this: would you look over in John chapter number six, please? John chapter six. Mark does not talk about this part of the story, but I want you to see it. Matthew and John talk about it. John chapter six, we will look at verse number 21. John 6, verse number 21, would you please? John 6, verse number 21. Are you all there? John 6:21, amen? Amen. “Then they willingly received Him into the ship.” And watch this, here it is: “And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”
I am talking about when Jesus—He is coming up on that boat. Remember, they are trying to get to the other side—I think around Gennesaret, if I remember right? And Jesus is coming up, and when Jesus puts His foot in that boat, boom, all of a sudden they are there. Can you imagine those fishermen? “How did we get here?” You got there by Jesus getting involved. You say, “How in the world could I have a good marriage? We have been trying so many years and so hard.” Don’t give up, friend. When Jesus steps in the boat, you are there. “I would like to at least see my uncle or my aunt or so-and-so, a co-worker, saved.” And the more I witness to them, the meaner, the harder they get—the wind’s contrary. Hey, when Jesus steps in the boat, boom, you are there. “I am trying to pay my bills off. I want to be an honest, upright citizen, and you ought to pay your bills. I am not trying to write it all off. I am trying to obey what God told me to do, but I just can’t seem to get there.” You keep toiling and rowing, and when Jesus steps in the boat, boom, you are there. Immediately, they are there.
I thought about a—my wife will know who I am talking about, maybe my daughter, I do not know. But a—we know a daughter involved in the situation. But as she said, “My mom raised us for the Lord. My dad was a functioning alcoholic. He would go to work every day, and he would work hard, and he would come home, and when he came home, he would just—” and I am not saying this is right; men should not do this, but it is wrong—“but he would come home, he would get in his easy chair.” And the lady that I know, she and her husband are in the ministry. She said, “Mom would pull his boots off, and he would drink.” And she said, “Honestly, Mom never criticized him. We just kind of thought that is the way it was.” She said, “It was not a mean drunk, but he never went to church, never did anything that was really the father ought to be. But that Mom just kept those girls—she had several girls; I cannot remember, four girls, maybe, three girls—we are not sure, somewhere along there—and had several girls. And she kept us girls in church and never criticized that, but always pointed us to the Lord.”
And here is the amazing thing: you are talking about wind contrary, and you talk about feeling like you never get anything accomplished. And she said, “We felt like that so much.” But she said, “You know, all my sisters, they are all in the ministry today, serving the Lord.” If I were to tell you—some of you may know the ministry is larger, ministry of God’s blessing—you used a great way. Well, how does that happen? Because that old Mom, that dear Mom, just kept rowing. She felt like she was spinning her wheels, but Jesus said, “I am going to step in there,” and boom, you are immediately there. That is the way it works.
One last thought. We are done. One last thought. Look back over here in Mark, chapter number six. Look back one more thing we haven’t discussed yet. Mark 6, and we will look at verse number 48. Mark 6, verse number 48: “When He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, and about the…” What’s the next two words?
Fourth watch of the night. What is that? The first watch of the night is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The second watch of the night is from 9 p.m. until midnight. The third watch of the night is from midnight to 3 a.m. The fourth watch of the night is after 3 a.m., somewhere between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Friend, I am talking, they rowed all night long. I am talking about hours and hours and hours and hours, and they were not getting anywhere. The Bible tells us about 25 to 30 furlongs—I believe that is over in John that talks about that. It is about three miles. Friend, it is 13 miles long; it is 8 miles across. They are trying to get to the other side. They were not getting there. But they were trying to accomplish God’s will for their life all night long. Somewhere in the twilight hours, Jesus, He saw them.
I wonder how long He had been watching them. I wonder if He said, “Hey, I wonder if old Peter is going to give up for Thomas. Is he going to start doubting? Are they going to give up? I wonder if they are just going to throw in the towel and say, ‘Forget it. We cannot do what Jesus called us to do.’” But in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus says, “We are going to go.” Man, when He came in there, boom, peace came. The wind ceased, and they were there.
Friend, it may be 2:45 for you. Wouldn’t it have been sad if they would have quit rowing at 2:45? They would have for years and years and years and years said, “Well, there is no way you can do all that.” But they kept rowing and rowing and rowing. And somewhere after 3 a.m., Jesus says, “I am going to come to them boys.” Peace, and immediately they were there.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Heads bowed, eyes closed. You said, “Preacher, there is an area in my life where I need to get back to toiling and rowing. I’ve just stopped the rowing.” Maybe it is in forgiveness. Maybe it is in overcoming a sin. Maybe it is in being a soul-winner. Lord, I do not know, whatever it is, but I need to get back toiling and rowing. God spoke to my heart. There is an area that I have kind of—I am not accomplishing much, and I understand that, but I am going to get back there trying. And God spoke to my heart. I need to get back to toiling and rowing in some area of my life. God spoke to my heart about that. And that is you this morning. You slip your hand up. “Preacher, that’s me. That’s me.” God bless you. Many of us—I am there so often. Oh, God bless you. Thank you for letting the Lord speak to your heart. Many, many hands. God bless you. Thank you so very much. You can put your hands down.
Maybe you here this morning say, “You know, I’m tempted. I get weary. I get beat down by the world. I get weary. I’m so tempted, but I’m going to keep growing.” Maybe it is in your prayer closet, maybe asking God for something, and I want to quit, but I’m just going to keep rowing. God spoke to my heart. I’m still rowing, but I was about to quit, but I’m going to keep rowing. God spoke to my heart about that. That’s you this morning. Anybody like that? Slip it up. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, yes, my friend. Oh, yes. God bless you. Oh, can I encourage you? Keep rowing. Let Him see you toiling and rowing. Thank you so very much. You can put your hands down.
One last question. You are here this morning. You say, “Preacher, I’m not saved.” Friend, He looks over His own. These were disciples. Those that are His own—the Lord Jesus Christ—He looks, He watches, He comes to those who are toiling and rowing, those that are His own. You hear this morning, say, “Preacher, I’m not saved. I need to get saved. I need to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior. I’m not a born-again Christian. I need to get saved.” That’s you this morning. You slip it up. “Preacher, I don’t know if I’m going to heaven. I don’t know I’m saved.” Anybody like that? You slip it up. “Preacher, I’m not saved. I need to get saved.” Anybody like that? Slip it up. Just slip it up. Hey, let Him find you toiling and rowing.
Would you please stand? Would you please stand? We won’t be long. We won’t be long. We are going to have word of prayer. Since we are done praying, our instruments will play. Would you come? Just spend some time here. Raise a hand if God spoke to your heart. Would you come be obedient to the Lord? Would you do so?
Father, thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You, Lord. You’re watching. Jesus, You’re interceding for us on the mountain. If You would, I pray that You’d find us toiling and rowing. Let’s get back to it. Bless our people during the invitation, Father, please. We’ll thank You, Lord, for what You do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Would you come be obedient to the Lord? Just let them find you toiling and rowing. Would you do that?
Two say a young man was dying. The chaplain came over there to talk to him, and he said, “Do you have anything on me?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Yes, I want you to tell my mom I died happy.” And anything else? He said, “Yes. Would you tell—” Look up, find my son who’s teaching school—“and tell my Sunday school teacher I died living for the Lord. I listened to her all those years ago. I remember what she taught, and I died living for the Lord.” Here’s the sad thing in that story: they say they found that Sunday school teacher, and they told that Sunday school teacher. And that Sunday school teacher said, “I can’t believe that. I never thought he was listening.” He’s seen me. The sad part is I quit teaching a month ago. That teacher said, “I’m going to go back to it.” We never know when the fourth watch of the night is.
Just keep toiling and rowing. Glad you’re in church on a Sunday morning. I’m thrilled to have you here. Amen. Six o’clock tonight we’re going to talk about Why the Bible Versus Calvinism. We started part one last week; we’ll get part two this week. And I hope you come. It is a false doctrine that is rampant in America, and there are plenty of people still going by the Bible. We’ll talk about it tonight.
We have T-U to cover tonight; we have L-I-P to cover tonight. And so we’re looking forward to that. I hope you’re in your place tonight. We’ll have a good, good time with all that. And good to have the Shanks here this morning. I heard just a minute or two before they came in—they were coming—and the way he said something about it, he had sunglasses, this man, Brother Martin, and he put the sunglasses on like this. And I said, “Yep, I know he would talk about.” Can you turn around, Brother Jim, back there? See there? See that way? I knew. I knew who was right there. That’s it. That’s it for sure. Brother Jim, would you dismiss with a word of prayer, please?
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - - Encouragement To Keep You Going - Sunday AM 07172022