# Toiling In The Rowing

Key Passage: Mark 6
Date: June 7, 2024

Turn your Bible, if you would, to Mark chapter number six. Mark chapter number six in God’s word. Matthew, Mark, Mark, chapter number six of God’s word.

Mark chapter number six. Once you find it, let me kind of get your own board where we’re at. And Mark chapter number six, and James are going to get him a Bible. I’m glad for it. He wants to have a Bible. That’s a good deal, James. I’m glad you want to have a Bible and see it. That’s a good thing. Brother Patrick had one back there, but he was holding on to him. I’m going to give it to you. I’m teasing with him. Amen. Mark chapter number six, if you would please.

Once you find it, would you look right up this way at this good, strong, sturdy, good-looking pulpit, amen? Not the person, but the pulpit. You thought I was going to say something else. I’m not going to lie in church, amen, you know. But I’m not preaching yet, amen. I’m going to tell the truth right now. But I’m teasing with you.

But Jesus had just fed the 5,000 men plus the women and children with just five loaves and two fishes. And a great, great miracle. And it had been a busy time for them. And thousands, literally thousands. Now, if it was 5,000 women with the men, that’s 10,000; they had two children, that’s 20,000. And just try to comprehend the thousands that were there, and they need to kind of get away for a bit. You heard it said, “You better get a part or you’ll come apart,” type thing.

And so Jesus, He sends His apostles. He said, “Y’all go get in the boat down there and go to the other side.” And Jesus went on a mount to get along with the Lord. By the way, that’s so important. He was the Lord, but He wanted to go and get along with His Father. And you just feel weary. Remember a couple Sundays ago we preached on that, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

And Jesus went along the mountain alone, and He sees the apostles out there on the lake. It’s often called the Sea of Galilee. It’s the largest freshwater lake in Israel, a very large lake. It’s about the size of Washington, D.C., this Sea of Galilee. If you were just to drive around the circumference, it’s 33 miles.

It’s 13 miles long. It’s 18 miles wide. So you’re talking about a ledge. Lige. That’s large and lake mixed together, amen. That’s the only speaking in tongues we’ll have, right? But it is a large lake. But that’s where they were. And they went down there in the lake in the boat.

And Jesus is up on the Mount. He prayed all night long for the most part there on the mountain, kind of overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Now that’s where we’ll pick up the story at here where Mark chapter 6. Would you look at verse number 45? And if you would please, if you’re able to, would you please stand as we show the word of God respect like they did in the book of Nehemiah? Mark 6 and verse number 45 of God’s word.

And the Bible there says, “In straightway, He constrained His disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before, unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. And when it was now dark, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. 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. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit and cried out, for they all saw Him and were troubled. And He immediately talked with them and said to them, ‘I like this right here: Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.’”

Aren’t you thankful for the time, sometimes in the middle of the night and you’re in a storm, and the voice of God says, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid”? And He went up unto them into the ship, and the wind ceased. They were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered.

Would you pray with me just a bit that God would give us what we need? So many, so much difference for different people here, but just what we need. Would you pray that as I pray? Father, these people are gathered in Your house on Your day, and they, I believe they came to get something from You. Lord, You said over there, if they’re hungry, You’ll fill them. Lord, help us to truly be hungry to hear from You. Would You be speaking to hearts, minds, Lord, give encouragement where they be? Lord, those that are just weary, giving strength. Lord, those that may need conviction, give them that. Lord, if we just need our faith increased, would You do that today? Would You meet the needs? Only You can, Lord. Would You meet the needs of every individual here this morning? Father, would You do that? I’m asking for that, Father. And we’re asking based on the merit and favor of Jesus Christ for You to do that. We’ll thank You for it. And it’s in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

Would you look back? Would you look back at verse number 45? We’re just going to try to point out some things from each of these verses. Look back at verse number 45 here, Mark chapter 6, verse number 45. “And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship to go to the other side before, unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people.”

I think I want you to note—I want you to note—they were doing exactly what Jesus told them to do. They were right in the midst of just obeying Him. They were not going against Him. They were not, they were not, they were not sinning. They were not bar-hopping; they weren’t out there smoking, drinking, cursing. They weren’t doing any of that, whatever it may be. They were doing what Jesus told them to do. He had told them, “Once you”—He constrained them—“get gone, get down there in that ship once you go to the other side of Bethsaida.” And they were doing exactly what…

Now, let me just say a little side note on that. We’ll develop that a little bit more. But let me just say this: When God tells you to do something, keep doing that until it tells you to do something different. Some of you military men, you’ll know there’s a certain term for that. I don’t know exactly what that term is, but we have several that were in the military. There’s a certain term. You keep doing that command until you are given another command.

I remember a story my old preacher used to tell. Well, we’re two times in boot camp, a guy, he was just trying everything to get out. And they were marching, and the drill instructor, whoever was, had the march, and they were marching, and he got sidetracked. And so they’re marching, marching, marching until they really came to the edge of the base where there was a fence. And they couldn’t go any farther, but they were doing what they’re told to do until they’re given another command.

And so, in fact, one man that wanted to get—he wanted the excuse to get out—he climbed the fence, and he kept marching. And he went AWOL, you know. He escaped, and they caught him and said, “Hey, you know, court-martial or whatnot.” And he said, “No, no, no, I was doing what I was commanded to do, and you didn’t give me any other instructions.” So I kept marching, amen. And they said he actually got off from that right there, you know.

Now, just to know, when Jesus tells you to do something, even though it may be very, very hard to do sometimes. I think about Ezekiel. God called Ezekiel to preach to a rebellious people. I mean, that’s pretty tough to do. I mean, I have a hard time with Brother Frank sometimes, just rebellious, you know. Brother Frank, I’m sorry. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever met. We always give him a hard time, you know. He’s always kind of the brunt of our jokes. But sometimes it can be. But you say, “Preacher, you don’t know what it’s like to love my enemies and to love my husband or love my spouse and after they do all this to whatever it may be.” Frank, can I just encourage you? Keep doing what Jesus commanded you to do until He tells you to do something different.

Just keep doing it. That reminds me of the man. They were in church. It was packed out, and all of a sudden the devil came in. Man, the devil started roaring. People started running out of that place. They were like just all over the building. One man made a new door to that building. I mean, they’re just getting out of there, you know.

But one man up here, he just stood there, didn’t move like a flint. I mean, he just stood there. The devil’s like, “Wow, I’m going to scare him.” Ran out, and he just roared right in his face, you know, the roaring lion. And the man didn’t flinch, didn’t blink an eye, anything. You know, the devil said, “Man, what’s wrong with you? I’m the devil. Don’t you know who I am?” He said, “Yeah, but you’re nothing. I’ve been married to your sister for 40 years, buddy.” Now that’s a joke, all right, not the truth. Reagan says, “Oh, my goodness.” That’s found in—no, that’s not found in the Bible, amen.

Hey, keep doing what He told you to do until He tells you to do something different.

Now, look in verse number 48. Verse number 48. How was it going? They were doing what Jesus told them to do. Look at verse number 48. Jesus is on the mountain. He’s looking out over the sea, verse number 48. “And he saw them”—watch this—“toiling in rowing.”

Then it says, “For the wind was contrary unto them.” We’ll go back, we’ll get the rest of that later on. Toiling in rowing. You said, “What does that really mean?” In our modern-day technology and terminology in Tennessee, it would mean they’re stuck in the mud. They’re spinning their wheels, weren’t going anywhere. They were rowing. They had, by the way, they didn’t read it, we’ll get to—it was the fourth watch of the night. That’s between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. They were rowing all night long. This didn’t have an Evinrude or a Johnson of Mercury on the back. I mean, it had 24 arms, apostles, you know, just rowing. I mean, they have been rowing pretty much all night long, and they weren’t getting anywhere. They were stuck.

You ever feel like that in your Christian life? You ever try to lead your uncle, so-and-so, aunt, so-and-so, your mom, your dad, your neighbor to the Lord, and it seemed like the harder you try, you try everything, you pray, you try to give them a tract, you try to witness to them, and just seem like the harder you try, you’re just spinning your wheels? Anybody ever feel like that?

Try to get ahead on your finances. You’re tithing. You’re trying to obey God’s word and follow His principles. And you’re just trying, and it seems like every step you take forward, two steps back. That’s exactly where these men were. They were just toiling and rowing. They were putting the work out. They were putting the effort into it. I can imagine them complaining to each other.

“Well, Peter, if you stop talking and start rowing up there, you’re always running your mouth, Peter.” “Yeah, I guarantee you something that was going on. Shut up, Thomas. You’re always doubting everything,” you know.

They were rowing for hours and hours. I mean, one of them said, “My arm’s about—I can’t even feel it anymore. My mind feels like rubber. They’re about to fall off.” And they were just toiling and rowing. They were not getting much accomplished.

Let me read for you. It’s found in three of the gospels, this story in the Bible. Let me read for you what Matthew says about it. Matthew 14:24: “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, and tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary.” The book of John says there were 25 to 30 furlongs out there. That’s a little over three miles. They were right smack dab in the middle of this sea, and the wind was blowing. That’s later on, not in this gospel, another one of the gospels that tells us this is the account when Peter walks on water. Remember how the wind and the waves—that’s what’s called—they’re in a storm. They’re giving it all they’ve got, but it seems like they just don’t have enough to get the job done.

That they were toiling and rowing. I mean, just working so very, very hard. This is an interesting little phrase He said right there. He says, that verse number 48, He says right there, “And he saw them toiling and rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them.” By the way, if you try to live for the Lord Jesus Christ in 2024, you’ll find out that the wind is contrary to us.

You’re trying to be a godly man, a godly lady, at work with all the cursing and filth and junk out there. You’re trying to get away from all the junk TV and movies and music and all the rest of that, and the wind is going to be contrary to you. Any time you do something for God, there’s going to be opposition. We have an adversary, the devil, that walks about seeking whom he may devour.

But the wind, it was just blowing against them. And they were still at it, though. My hat is off to them. They hadn’t gave up. They hadn’t tossed in the towel. They hadn’t said, “Fooey on this. Why in the world? Jesus tells us to do this. He’s God. He knew the storm was going to come. Why are we here?” They didn’t do all that. They were just out there toiling and rowing. They were still working at it. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them didn’t have blisters bleeding by this point.

“One, I’ve worked the fingers to the bone, lost the thumb of the finger on that.” What about I tell you? “I ain’t not just toiling and rowing.” They’re just working, working, working.

You’re going to have times like that. You say, “For someone living for God?” Yeah, they were doing exactly what God told them to do. Jesus had constrained them: “Get down in that boat and get in the water.” They were doing exactly what He wanted to do, and they were obeying the Lord, and yet there was opposition—the wind was coming. You say, “Why didn’t God just make everything smooth and easy for me?” Well, that’s going to be heaven one day. Amen, we’re talking about that earlier. That’s why we’re looking forward to it.

But right now, friend, we live by faith, then we’ll be living by sight. But the just shall live by faith. By the way, if there wasn’t faith involved, we could not please God. Because Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” And your worst of days, when everything’s going against you, and yet you’re still toiling and rowing, it requires the greatest of faith. You’re probably pleasing the Lord the most on those days.

“I don’t feel like it because I’m not getting the results I want.” But it’s not the results that pleases God. That’s God brings the results. It’s the faith that pleases God.

They’re toiling and rowing, just rowing, rowing, rowing, and not getting—they’re just stuck in the middle of the lake. They cannot accomplish what the Lord told them to do. You never feel like that? That’s where they’re at. Exactly what’s going on in this story.

Now, I want you to see this. Look back in verse number 48. I want you to see this. This is very important. Verse number 48. You’re there this morning? Amen. Look at that, Mark 6:48. “And when he”—who’s the ‘he’ right there? Jesus—“saw them…” Is that what it says? “And when Jesus saw the wind, how strong it was?” Is that what it says? “When Jesus saw the waves, He said, ‘Oh, those boys are in trouble down there.’” No, it didn’t.

What was God, God in flesh—what was He focused in on when He saw them toiling in rowing? He’s God; He can see anything. He could have said, “My goodness, those are 10-foot swells out there.”

Peter and James, half of them are fishermen, they ought to know them better and take that little bit of old boat out there and they’re going to have a storm. Storm comes up very quickly on the Sea of Galilee. They ought to know better. He didn’t see all that. The Bible says the thing that He saw—He saw them. The thing He was looking for, He was looking at—He saw them. They weren’t getting anything accomplished, but I don’t know that He was really concerned about that. He saw them toiling in rowing.

He saw them out there. They weren’t getting anything accomplished, but I don’t think that really bothered Him. He saw that they were still trying to do what He had told them to do. That’s what He was concerned about. You say, “Preacher, I wish I had more talent. I wish I had more money. I wish I had more experience and all the rest of them.” Hey, the thing that Jesus is looking at, He’s looking to see if you’re using what He’s given you for His glory.

Were they truly toiling and rowing? Were they trying to just do whatever they want to do? No, they were out there trying to do what He told them to do. He didn’t look out there and say, “Well, if they had that Evinrude 200 on that four-stroke back there, they’d get across.” He didn’t say all that. Can I say He’s not concerned about how much talent you have? He has all the talent in the world.

He’s not concerned about how big your bank account is. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. All the rocks, He owns it all, for He is very concerned. He’s focused in on what are you doing with what He’s given you. You remember the parable of the talents—one and two and five. He wasn’t concerned about how much they had. He was concerned about what they were doing with what talent He had given them.

Jesus, when He saw them toiling in rowing, I wonder if He’s going to find me toiling and rowing in the things He’s given me to do. The temptation is when we’re not accomplishing what we want to dream or think we’re supposed to come, when we’re not accomplishing all that, we get discouraged, and Jesus doesn’t find us toiling and rowing. That’s the problem. That’s exactly what Satan’s after, by the way.

“Well, I’m not going to witness. I went witnessing one time and somebody—they got mad at me and they said they’re not interested and oh, I just—I can’t witness anymore.” The devil just said, “Well, I got them right there.” By the way, I’m not going to witness because one person tore the tract up? When Jesus shed His blood for me on the cross, was spit upon, had a crown of thorns beat down into His skull, He had His beard plucked out, and He had a kind of nine-tails, 39 times across His body—26 and what was it, 16 times on His chest—He just—that cat and just filleted His body after He went through all that. I can’t go through somebody just saying, “Well, I’m not interested in that.” Wow.

You say, “Well, they’re not getting saved.” Friend, the thing is not necessarily if they’re getting saved or not. The thing is that I’m doing what Jesus told me to do. I’m toiling and rowing. That’s what Jesus was looking for.

You know, whether our church is, you know, big or small or have, or maybe I have in here and all that. The thing is, are we doing what Jesus told us to do? That’s the thing. The results are in His category, amen. “Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He shall direct the path.” That’s His job. “I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” That’s God’s job.

“My marriage isn’t what I want it to be.” I understand, and maybe we’ll do our best to try to help that. But, friend, are you being the spouse God wants you to be? Are you toiling and rowing? That’s the key. And Jesus, when He looked out, He saw them.

He saw them toiling. He didn’t look at the storm. By the way, be careful. “Well, it’s 2024. It’s the end times. I just don’t think God can—God’s not, you know, there’s not much going on in Christianity in the end times.” Fully free on that. Hey, Jesus is still saving souls and changing lives. Amen. He’s still the most—He’s still the all-powerful God. Amen.

Brother Jim Renick, Brother Jim, Miss Angela, years ago, were in our church, got married here, and then they backslid and moved up to Baltimore. Can you believe that? Man, I’ll tell you, well, they’re just backslid, and I mean, went to the dogs, for sure, you know. That’s coming from a country girl shepherd girl right there, you know. Brother Jim said, who—he’s a Wisconsin guy, you know.

But praise the Lord, they got right with the Lord, came back to the promised land down here in Tennessee. Amen, you know. And I’m—Brother Jim during that time, some of that time, he was traveling. And he would travel in different places. He likes to tear down things. Literally he does. Demolition. I mean, that’s what he does. He was tearing—now, I’m power plants all over the United States and everywhere else. He’s just good at it. That was one of his dynamite things just went on. That was Brother Jim’s company right there. No, I’m joking about that. That was pretty good special effects, so did y’all hear that? I feel that, you know.

So, I don’t know where that’s from. Anyway, and so he traveled. He’d go to a place and stay there for a couple months until they tear something down, you know, him and his men, and then go to somewhere else. And he said this when he came back, and I appreciate it. He said, “Pastor, you know, everybody says Christianity is kind of dying in America.” He said, “Man, I’ve traveled the United States now.” And he said, “It’s amazing. He said, ‘Everywhere I go’—he was not too long before the move down. He was in the U.P. of Michigan up there somewhere, you know, kind of in the middle of—there’s only, you know, a couple people up there or a whole lot of deer up there, amen. That’s why the deer hunters go up there, you know. But he said, you know, just in the middle of nowhere. And he said, 'But everywhere I went, He said, ‘I could always find an old-fashioned independent Baptist church trying to win souls, trying to sing the right kind of songs, and trying to make a difference in this world.’” And he said, “Pastor, Christianity’s not dead in America. You travel, everywhere, there’s just somewhere somebody shining the light of Jesus.” Amen.

Now, I believe that. The devil—excuse me, the Lord Jesus Christ—He’s not looking out and saying, “Oh, my goodness, 2024, D.C. is all messed up. What can we do?” Jesus is still looking out there to see if He can find someone toiling in rowing. That’s what He’s looking at. By the way, there will be someone toiling in rowing. There will be the remnant until Jesus comes back. There will be people getting saved and marriages put back together, children growing up living for the Lord until the last second Jesus comes back. Don’t believe the lie of the devil. That’s what he wants you to believe. But Jesus is looking for somebody toiling and rowing.

Can I say this? Don’t worry about the increase and the results. That’s God’s business. Just worry about the toiling and rowing. “I’m doing what God wants me to do.”

I remember our coach. I had a good basketball coach when I was in high school. He influenced my life as a Christian man. And I remember sometimes we had halftime. Now, let me say this: As a Christian school, we were 2A Florida. I think they had 5A back then. I don’t know where they’re at nowadays. But we were 2A. And sometimes, sometimes we would play a 1A team. We were bigger and better, and we would kill them, you know. Sometimes we would play up. We played a 3A school. They were bigger and better than us. They were killing us.

I’ll never forget sometimes we go in the locker room. And maybe we’re playing a team smaller and we’re better than them, and we’re out there just kind of hot-dogging it, trying to pad our stats a little bit, you know. And we come in there, and coach would just ream us out. “A sign of a good team is you don’t play down to the other team. You keep where you ought to be in. You sorry guys are out there. I’m going to put all you stars on the bench because you’re out there trying to make yourself look good instead of trying to win a ball game and for the team.” Boy, he just reamed us out.

And I remember a time or two, we were playing a bigger school, bigger team than us. They were killing us. And we went in the locker room halftime, and coach said, “They’re doing pretty good, fellas. I know you. You’re playing to the best you can. I don’t care about the scoreboard. I’m not looking at the scoreboard. I know you. I know what you’re capable of. You’re doing a good job.”

Well, it helped us guys. Do not pay so much attention to the scoreboard. Pay attention to—are we doing the best we can? And Jesus is watching. Are you toiling and rowing? Jesus can handle the scoreboard, by the way.

I never forget years ago, a lady came to our church. God changed her life. I believe she was already saved, but just backslid out of church, whatnot. She got in church. If I remember right, she got baptized here. Baptized here, and I might not be right about that. I can’t remember all the specifics of, but I remember the overall picture very, very well. And um, she—she had cat in church, got right. But her husband would not. And we’ll just—we’ll just so nobody knows who I’m talking about, we’ll just call him a creep, amen, you know. He was literally—but she got in church, started living right, doing right, became a good, godly lady. And um, we—we would typically on the phone, or another lady with all of us, we were trying to do some counseling and whatnot. And she was trying to be a good, godly wife, but her husband, honestly, he had already just kind of been into the world, and the world was just dragging him around. Sad thing. Honest truth is, for maybe six months, maybe towards a year, she was just a good, godly, sweet wife, good wife, but her husband would just go in that direction. It was already done, and he had been unfaithful and on and on. And eventually he left her. If I remember right, they split up, and she moved away to her sister’s house, whatnot.

And I’ll never forget this. She called me, though, maybe months later, maybe six months, a year later, I cannot remember. She called me one day, and she said, “Pastor Paul, of course I know who she was. And she said, ‘I want you to know I’m doing good. I’m living with my relatives here. We’re in church, doing very, very good.’” She said, “But I want you to know it didn’t turn out like we were hoping and praying it would. It was the worst scenario we thought.” She said, “But you know, I have peace about it because I know those last six months I was doing exactly what the Lord wanted me to do.” Now, the result wasn’t wonderful. It was a sad deal, but she said, “Pastor, I’m all right with it. I have peace because I was doing what God wanted me to do.”

When He saw them toiling and rowing. Now, jump back to your Bibles, if you would. Look down in verse number 51. Verse number 51. Jesus is looking at—the thing He’s looking at, He’s looking to see what they’re doing with it. They’re toiling and rowing. They’re still doing the best they can to do what He told them to do. We’ll read verse number 48 one more time, would you please? “And he saw them toiling and rowing, for the wind was contrary to them. At about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh unto them and walk upon the sea, would have passed them by.”

Let me explain the fourth watch of the night. Would you briefly hear? The first watch of the night is from 6 to 9 p.m. Second watch of the night is from 9 to midnight. Third watch of the night is from midnight to 3 a.m. Fourth watch of the night is from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. So all the way, all night long, and in the morning time here, somewhere still nighttime, in the morning time here. That’s where He’s talking about. The fourth watch of the night, verse number 48, right there. Fourth watch of the night, He cometh unto them walking upon the sea. Would have passed some Bible when they saw him walking upon the sea? They supposed to have been a spirit and cried out, for they all saw him or at trouble. Immediately he talked with them and said, unto them, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.” And he went up unto them in the ship, and the wind ceased. And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered.

We used to sing a song, I don’t know, I don’t hear it much anymore, but you sing a song, “Here comes Jesus. He’s walking on the water. He’s coming after me so I can make it today.”

And here’s the thing. Jesus, He’s up on that mountain praying. He looks out. They’re not accomplishing or not. The wind’s contrary. They’re just kind of spinning the wheels, but He saw them toiling and rowing.

And when Jesus sees you’re toiling and rowing, I don’t know what it might be about. It may be just trying to get out of depression. You just can’t get out of your own way. You’re just defeated, but you’re still out there toiling and rowing. And Jesus, the fourth watch of the night, He sees them toiling and rowing. And here comes Jesus. He’s walking on the water. He’s coming after me so I can make it today. Hey, when Jesus comes, the wind ceases.

And when Jesus comes, it doesn’t matter how bad the storm is. It doesn’t matter what’s going on. Oh, praise the Lord, Jesus can handle the storm for Him. You said, “Preacher, you don’t know what’s going on in my life.” No, I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but Jesus knows, amen. Never has been a storm He can’t handle. Never been a mountain He cannot tunnel through. Never been a river He can’t cross for Him. Hey, listen, He’s got a thousand ways to make a way for you. By the way, Jesus doesn’t show you the way; He makes a way.

And Jesus comes walking on water. We didn’t read it. It’s found in Matthew, Matthew 14, but that’s when Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water. Jesus comes walking to you; that’s when supernatural things happen. When Jesus comes, He can get you where you’re supposed to be.

Look over in John, if you will. Look over in John, John chapter number six. A different account of the same story here. Won’t you see what happens? Chapter 6, John chapter 6. Look at verse number 21.

Same account, just a different—same story, but just a different gospel. You know, the gospels all talk about Jesus, the different angle, maybe one from the north, southeast, and west, but they’re all talking about Jesus and what Jesus did. Different angle right here. John 6:21: “Then they willingly received him into the ship, and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”

I mean, when Jesus got in the boat, boom, the boat just immediately—it was right where it ought to be. The other side. Friend, Jesus can handle the scoreboard. He’s in control of the results. You just keep toiling and rowing. When Jesus decides to step out on the water, He can get you right where you need to be.

Matthew 14:32: “And when they were coming to the ship, the wind ceased.” I thought about a—it’s a pastor’s wife. My wife and I both know them, the husband and wife very well. And she told this story to my wife. She said that her dad was an alcoholic. He wasn’t a bad, cheating, cursing man. He’d just—he’d go to work, drink every day, and they went to church.

But their mom, their mom, she didn’t belittle him, she didn’t preach at him, she didn’t hit him over the head with a beer bottle, all the rest of that. She just tried to love him, be a good wife. Now she’s in church every time the doors are open. And she didn’t criticize her husband to her daughters. She has four daughters. How many? They have eight kids. How many daughters?

Okay. Good number of daughters. Eight kids altogether. Eight. No matter what, that’s a lot of kids. That’s all I got to say. I don’t know about that Walmart bill, I know that for sure.

And here’s the thing I’m getting at. At the end of the day, this lady and several of her sisters ended up in the ministry today, the preacher’s wives. Now, I say this, that dear lady, she felt like—I promised her—she felt like times she was just toiling and rowing. Her husband doesn’t go to church, he’s not living for the Lord, but she just kept rowing.

And over time, in the fourth watch of the night, God said, “You know what? I’m going to work.” I don’t know about all the siblings how it turned out. I just know about some of the girls. Friend, I don’t know what all is going on, but the thing that Jesus looks at: Are you toiling and rowing? Fourth watch of the night.

The story I told you—not going to be done. The story I told you about the lady came to our church for a year or two. God changed her life. It was years later. She called me and she said, “I had peace because I knew I was doing what was right.” And she said, “I’m all right. I had peace.” Years later, years and years. I don’t know how many years later, maybe 10, 12 years later. And I had a funeral here. Was that at the church? And I think it was visitation, and the body was here, the casket was here, and all that. And I remember this. I remember it real clearly. A family came in—husband, wife, two children. It looked like a sweet family. It looked like a Christian family. They came in. They came down, visitation, viewed the body. They were standing over here. I did not recognize any of them. And I’m standing here, just fellowship of people, whatnot. And the lady called me over. So, “Pastor Paul, would you come over for a second?”

I was a little surprised you knew my name, Pastor Paul. So she probably heard it from the crowd. And she said that—she said, “Pastor Paul, you don’t remember me, do you?”

I said, “No, I don’t.” And she said, “I’m so-and-so. Remember? I came. I was in this church for a year or two, and God changed my life.” And you remember, and all the faults started coming back. Oh, yeah, her husband. And the results weren’t what we wanted to see. She called. They all just kind of flooded back. And she said, “I want you to know my husband now…”

And I’m not saying I’m for divorce, but her husband left her and all the rest of that. But she said, “Yeah, we go to such-and-such church. She said, ‘These are our two kids. We’ll raise them in church.’”

All those years later, that lady just kept toiling and rowing. Staying in church, staying in reading around, trying to be a good, godly lady. And God decided for that instance. Jesus said, “I’m going to come on the water.” She said, “We’re happy. We’re in church. We’ve got a good Christian family.” Not so happy for her. Friends, when Jesus comes, He can handle no matter what the storm is, His time, His way.

Would you bow your head and close your eyes? Our heads are bowed, eyes are closed. You’re there and you say, “Preacher, you know, I need to get back toiling and rowing. I need to get back to doing what Jesus told me to do. Sometimes it’s difficult to do, but I’m just going to stick at it. He hasn’t given me any other orders. I’m going to stick to it.” God spoke to my heart. I need to get back. I need to stay in there, maybe I need to get back or stay in there in toiling and rowing. God spoke to my heart about that.

That’s you this morning? Just lift your hand. “That’s me, preacher. That’s me. That’s me.” God bless you. God bless you. Friend, I know it can be difficult all the way to the fourth watch of the night. When Jesus comes, that’s what He’s looking at when He saw them. He didn’t see all the storm. He knew about all that. When He saw them toiling, that’s what He’s looking for. Let’s just stay toiling and rowing. None of us are perfect. Not a perfect one here. For those who just stay at it. They’re just trying. They fall, but they get back up. They just keep trying to serve the Lord.

Maybe you’re here and you say, “You know, I’ve got my eyes stuck on the results. I need to get my eyes off of that. Just get my eyes on—am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing where I’m at? I’m so caught up on the scoreboard, and I need to get my eyes off of that. Now, I want to be pleasing Jesus. I want Him to find me toiling and rowing.” I’m pretty sure God spoke to your heart. “I’m so prone to the results, and I need to leave that to God.” And God spoke to my heart about that right here. “I just need to get back to toiling and rowing.” That’s you this morning and preacher, God spoke to my heart about that right there. God bless you. God bless you. Oh, I’m there so many times. So many times. Oh, God bless you. God’s probably told me a million times, “Get your eyes off the people. Get your eyes on Me. Am I pleasing Him? Is He pleased with where I’m at, what I’m doing?” That’s what matters. Results up to Him.

Maybe here this morning and said, “Preacher, there was a time, there was a time that I was truly saved. I realized I could never get myself to heaven. Jesus is the only way. And I put my full faith in Jesus and went to the cross to save me, pay for my sins. I’m born again. I’m a child of God. I’m saved.” There’s a time in my life when I trusted Jesus as my personal Savior. I am a born-again Christian. I’m on my way to heaven. I know I’m saved. If that’s you this morning, say, “Preacher, I’m saved.” Would you just lift your hand up? “Preacher, I’m saved.” Would you just slip in the testimony of the Lord? “I’m saved. I’ve trusted in Jesus to be my personal Savior.” God bless you. God bless you. Many, many hands. Many, many hands. Thank you so very, very much. Thank you so very much.

You said, “Preacher, I didn’t raise my hand. I’m not sure of that right there.” Thank you. We’re not trying to embarrass anyone. Our heads are bowed, eyes are closed, but I appreciate you being honest about it. If you’re here this morning, can I just say Jesus loves you so very, very much? He shed His blood for you on the cross of Calvary. As far as us getting to heaven, we can never row the boat to heaven. The only way to get to heaven is through Jesus. When He gets in your heart, He moves inside. You’re sealed. You’re as good as in heaven. You’re a child. The Bible says, “I give it to them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” You’re His child.

If you’re here this morning, say, “Preacher, I’ve never been saved. I’ve never truly came to a time where I called on Jesus to be my personal Savior. I need to settle that thing. I need to get saved.” Our heads are bowed, eyes are closed. “Preacher, I need to get saved.” If that’s you this morning, you just lift your head up, just lift it up. All across the auditorium, anyone? “Just I need to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior.” Anybody? Anybody?

And just a moment, we’re going to all stand. We’re going to have a word of prayer. Just a short prayer. When I say amen, if you raised your hand, God spoke to your heart, you feel a tugging in your heart. Would you be obedient to that tugging? You need to come down to the old-fashioned altar. Would you do that? It’s a precious place for God’s people to come or anyone to come and just meet with the Lord, just do business with God. If you’re feeling that tugging, don’t pull against it. All right. Would you meet with the Lord? You can meet with Him anywhere you can’t—right where you’re standing, wherever it be. But if He’s tugging, you’ll be obedient to Him. At that time, if you’re not sure you’re a child of God, saved, there’ll be a man standing in the front. He’ll be facing the congregation. You come and you shake his hand. He’ll take the Bible—if you’re a man, if you’re a lady, he’ll get a lady. They’ll take the Bible from the Bible, how you show you how you can know for sure you’re going to heaven. You can be saved. You can go home today knowing, “I’m going to heaven no matter what.”

You say, “I don’t know if I want to come out in front of everybody up front.” That’d be all right. We’ll have a man. Brother Joshua, can I get you just stand in the back? Our deacons are sick tonight. We’ll get you standing in the back. There’ll be a man in the back. One down front and one in the back. You go shake their hands. “I want to go to heaven.” You let them know that.

Would you please stand? Would you please stand? Let’s all stand if you would, please. Would you please stand? I’ll have a quick word of prayer. If God’s tugging on your heart, you’ll be obedient. Do what He tells you to do. Father, thank you that You don’t look at all our talent. I don’t have much. You don’t look at our bank account or all that. We don’t have much. Lord, You look at what we’re doing with what You’ve given us. Thank you for that. Father, I pray You to help us where You can find us being faithful and doing what You told us to do, even if it is toiling and rowing. Lord, there’s one here not saved. I pray it to come get it settled today. I know we love them, put in their heart. We enjoy being a help leading them to You. Bless these few minutes, invitation. Would You take control in Jesus’ name we ask? Amen.

You know, those halftimes or the end of the game, and you’re going to the locker room, and you just got killed, and you’re like, “Oh, great. Coach is going to ream us out. We just got killed on the court. Now in the locker room about to get killed again,” you know. And sometimes, sometimes coach would go in there and he said, “You guys, you don’t have any reason to hang your head. You did a great job. You played up to your potential. I’m proud of you. You leave this gym with your head held high. You did exactly what I told you doing the game.”

And there’s going to be times in the Christian life, you know, “Man, the devil’s beating the snod out of me,” you know. If you’re doing what God’s told you to do, you don’t hang your head. Get your eyes on the Lord, and you’ll find the Lord looking now and smiling, pleased, because faith pleases Him. That’s the time it requires the greatest of faith. And if you will, don’t hang your head. Keep your head held high. “I’m doing what He told me to do. I’m going to keep doing the best I can until He tells me something else to do.” Amen.

Glad you’re in church this morning. Appreciate you being here. I’ll be honest with you. I thought, “My goodness, who’s going to come?” We’ve got people out sick, and you’re here today. Praise the Lord for that. That’s awesome. Thrilled to have you. No choir practice today, and we’ll get things going again here real soon on all the different cylinders, you know. But looking forward next Sunday, and Brother Carter will be with us. You’ll enjoy hearing him preach. She’ll give that testimony Sunday morning. It’s just encouraging. You’ll love it. I got saved. And bring someone. No Sunday school. 10:45 everything starts, and then tonight 6 o’clock. Be back in your place. Good to have everyone. Honored to have you guest. If you just drop off that card to the welcome center, we’ll get you some gifts there, and thrilled you’re here in the Lord’s house today, and I’m so happy about it.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - Toiling In The Rowing - Sunday AM 02252024