Saved For Success Series

Most of us probably have some money in a saving account where it

is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Cooperation, or FDIC for

short. This brilliant idea which saved the banks after the depression,

and saves all savers a lot of anxiety is a gift God gave to the American

people through a Christian banker in Philadelphia. His name was

Leon H. Sullivan. When black Monday hit on March 4, 1933, and

closed the banks, he went to prayer and labored long over a plan to

reopen the banks. He thanked God for the idea which led to the banks

being able to open. It was the FDIC idea.

He came to Christ as a boy of nine, and by twenty five he was the

youngest bank cashier in the U.S. Banking was his life. But like all

successful Christians he had a struggle with pride. He began to crave

more power, prominence, and possessions. He began to have social

parties in his large house with champagne. He stopped going to

church, for his new goal kept him too busy for the God who had saved

him. He got so greedy that he went into partnership with a

non-Christian. His wife warned him, but he would not listen, for there

was a fortune to be made. The entire real estate deal collapsed,

however, and he lost everything. He was one hundred and fifty

thousand in debt, and had no reputation and no friends. He was

sinking fast, but unlike Peter who cried out immediately, "Lord save

me," he held on for twelve days in pride.

After twelve days of living on corn flakes he finally cried out to

God in brokenness, "Lord save me!" It took years, but he was saved

and restored and became a successful investment broker who helped

Christian colleges and other Christian causes raise millions. By his

fall and failure he learned to be successful as a Christian in the world

of business. Successful Christians often have to fail so they can be

saved for success as Christians. Their success becomes an idol and

leads them away from God, and only by means of failure can they be

brought back to God to succeed for him. Christians only need to be

saved once for eternity by putting their faith in Christ, but they need

to be saved many times in time, as they begin to sink because of their

lack of faith.

Peter was a saved man as a hand picked disciple of Christ. If he

would have drowned in the storm, he would have been welcomed into

heaven. He was a saved man, yet, we see him here crying out, "Lord

save me." It was not the sinners prayer. He was not crying out to be

forgiven and reconciled with God. That was not his problem. He was

already saved that way, and you never need to be saved that way

again. When Jesus is trusted as Savior you are saved for eternity.

But here is Peter still calling out, "Lord save me." A saved man can

still use some saving when he is sinking.

Balzac, the Sir Walter Scott of France, wrote a famous short story

called Jesus Christ in Flanders. A ferry-boat is carrying a mixed

crowd of passengers when a furious gale strikes and throws everyone

into a panic. A stranger with a glow on his face is calm and serene as

if he knew he would not die. As the boat begins to sink the stranger

speaks, "Those who have faith shall be saved! Let them follow me."

He then stepped out upon the waves and walked on the water. A

young mother took her child up in her arms and followed him. A

soldier and two cousins also followed and walked upon the sea, and

they came safely to the shore. The stranger vanishes, but they

recognize he is Christ. Balzac's story is obviously an adaptation of

our text. But it is a focus on the fact that even saved people; people

who already have faith in Jesus, still need to be saved from storms,

and all kinds of threats to life and health.

Jesus could say, "How do I save thee, let me count the ways." And

they would mount up to a high number. The point is, this prayer of

Peter as he began to sink is a prayer that needs praying often because

even saved people need perpetual saving in this storm tossed world.

Let's look at just some of the ways we need saving as suggested by

Peter's experience. First of all we all need to be saved-

I. FROM LITTLE FAITH.

Whenever a Christian begins to sink, you can trace the trouble

back to little faith. The negative realities of life begin to overwhelm