Danger! Rough Seas Ahead!

*Sitting on the altar is a flashlight turned on with a dark cover over it to keep the light from shining out.

Imagine. If you will for a moment, a large merchant ship is out on the ocean. And you are the captain of this ship. The seas start to get a bit rough and it is late at night. No stars are in the sky. Clouds are rolling in and a fog starts to rise up and becomes as thick as pea soup. You cannot see your hand in front of your face. The only sound you hear are waves crashing on the hull of your ship, and you have no clue if you are near your destination you set out for. Not knowing that about 100 yards out is jagged rocks waiting to do some rough damage to your ship. You continue to turn the wheel figuring you can ride this out, and it will all eventually pass. Then as you look through your binoculars you see a light appear. This light is so bright; it illuminates the danger that is waiting for you. So immediately you begin to turn the wheel and pull hard on the starboard side. Coming close to fate that was awaiting you. As you pass by the light, you notice that there was another person waving to you and that person was the keeper of the lighthouse. Gratefully you wave back, and I am sure when you came to port, you would tell all of your near miss. And about how this one man saved your life.

Well this is a person before their saved. They’re heading for a collision course on those rocks. Sin keeps you from seeing anything in front of you. When I was unsaved I thought I was headed in the right destination, but I wasn’t. Sin can and does blind people. It deceives you into thinking you are on a perfect course. And little do you realize that “death” awaits you. Just like the jagged rocks that were waiting to cause a shipwreck. Satan is the one that causes the fog to rise up. And he is the one who will whisper softly to your ear that you are doing just fine. You’re right on course. Full speed ahead! Old sea captains at one time believe in the folk lure that mermaids or Sirens would sing a melody that would entice the captain and his crew and to cause the ship to be crushed on the rocks. That’s exactly like sin. It sings a seductive song, that says;

“It is okay to drink; curse and steal. No one will ever see.

It is okay to do what you want to do behind those close doors, so go ahead and do those drugs and abuse those you love. You had a hard day at work and it was kind of rough, so it is okay to unwind like that.

It is okay to keep those lousy thoughts inside your head and heart. Go ahead and spread those rumors about the one that you dislike. You are justified in your actions, every bit of it.

It is okay to tell those lies to your employer or your spouse. It is none of their business what you do when they’re not around.

It is okay to work for money and keep it off the books. You deserve to live the good life and Uncle Sam does not need to know.”

Sounds a bit extreme? No not really. Look at the world today. I need not have to stand here and list on all my fingers and toes the sin that is prevalent in today’s society.

Gods Word says in 1 Peter5:8

Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Yep… Satan is trying to crash your ship.

But remember in the story I said the captain raised his binoculars and saw a light. The captain was searching for some clue as to where he was. I think about before I gave my life to Jesus. I was searching for something. Wasn’t quiet sure what it was I needed. I thought at first if I worked hard and attained the best of everything it would fill the void. It did for a few months, but then I went about searching again. The need to fill the emptiness bothered me. I just had no idea what could get me on course. Then back in September of 1988 a Baptist Pastor came to my door and invited me to his church. There was something in the things he said that made me pause to think, so I agreed to attend a Sunday service. I walked into a church and I was a complete stranger to all there. But the people treated me warmly, which made me feel out of place. I sat in the back, scooted down some, so that no one would notice me. I sat through songs that seemed foreign to my ears and church announcements, which had no meaning to me. But then all of a sudden the Pastor got up and walked to the pulpit and gave a message about how Jesus could fill “THE VOID” in your life” Hearing that my ears perked up, because that sermon was tailored made for me. At the end of that sermon he said something I had never heard anyone say before. He said; “If you die tonight, where are you going?” I left the church immediately after the service and didn’t stop to talk to anyone. The things I heard spoken sounded too true and all the while satan was trying to sing a song of seduction saying; “Forget what you heard, your not a sinner. You’re a good person. You treat others well.” But for once the voice did not win out. That night I contacted the Pastor of that church and made a commitment to Jesus Christ and I saw for the very first time what kind of collision was waiting for me.