Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
INTRO:
I have never been sailing, neither do I have the urge to go sailing. My wife on the other hand, that’s on her bucket list. Might happen after I kick the bucket, but who knows. Guess she never watched Gilligan’s Island. We went to Florida years ago on vacation, took the kids, always wanted to go deep sea fishing, chartered us a boat, 30 minutes into the trip until we returned 5 hours later, and all that night and into the next day, I was sick.
Seasickness is in the same family as the stomach virus. Same feelings, and same results.
Went swimming with the dolphins once. Put my little goggles and snorkeling outfit thing a ma-jig on, jumped off the boat with about 25 other idiots into the ocean. Some where between me jumping and hitting the water, my mind started working and I realized that there were sharks bigger than me in that water and once I hit the water, I became a top water jig. I’m out. Got a cramp, ate before I got there have to let my food settle at least 30 minutes, Rachel; what are you doing, why are you getting out, we paid money to swim with the dolphins, someone forgot to tell me that the dolphins that we were supposed to swim with was wild dolphins, and I am sure no one told the dolphins that they were wild and to be nice to humans, especially the ones that looked plump and juicy and like a spinner bait.
Last time I saw that many people bobbing up and down in the ocean, was Titanic. We see how that turned out.
Christopher Columbus was a navigator who explored the Americas under the flag of Spain. Some people think of him as the "discoverer" of America, but this is not strictly true. His voyages across the Atlantic paved the way for European colonization and exploitation of the Americas.
For just a few minutes I want to read some of the “Diary of Christopher Columbus’ First Voyage to America”, written by Bartolome de las Casas.
It is an interesting account of the journey of the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria from Spain to what he thought to be the Indies.
The first entry in his journal was made on the day of his departure,
Friday, August 3, 1492:
We departed Friday the third day of August of the year 1492 from the bar of Saltes at the eighth hour. We went south with a strong sea breeze 60 miles, which is 15 leagues, until sunset; afterward to the southwest and south by west, which was the route for the Canaries. and, on this day we sailed on!
Saturday, August 4: They went southwest by south. and, on this day we sailed on!
Sunday, August 5: They went on their way and between day and night made more than 40 leagues. and, on this day we sailed on!
Monday, August 6: The rudder of the Pinta broke and the men began to quarrel and argue. Finally, they made between day and night 29 leagues! And, on this day we sailed on!
Tuesday, August 7: The rudder again jumped its fastenings, but this day we traveled 25 leagues. And, on this day we sailed on!
Wednesday, August 8: We would have liked to go to Gran Canarias to leave the badly damaged Pinta, because she leaked badly and had a damaged rudder. We were not able to reach it that day! And, on this day we sailed on!
Thursday, August 9: We reached Gran Canarias and fixed the ship! And on this day we sailed on!
In spite of adverse circumstances and repeated problems, they sailed on!
On September 7, the diary states “All of Friday and on Saturday until the third hour of night we were in very light winds.” Not much happening! And, on this day we sailed on!
Saturday, September 8: At the third hour of night on Saturday it commenced to blow from the northeast, and he took his course and his route to the west. He took much water over the bow, which hindered his way, and he made that day and night only nine leagues. And, on this day we sailed on!
Thursday, September 13: That day and night, going on their course, which was west, they made 33 leagues. The currents were against him….. And on this day, we sailed on.
Saturday, September 15: “They sailed that day and night 27 leagues and a few more on their route west. And on this night, at the beginning of it, they saw a marvelous branch of fire fall from the sky into the sea, distant from them four or five leagues. And, on this day we sailed on!
Monday, September 17: He sailed on his route west and made, day and night, somewhat more than 50 leagues. The current was helping them. And, on this day we sailed on!
Friday, September 21: That day was mostly calm and later some wind. They made between day and night no more than 13 leagues, some of it on course and some not. And, this day we sailed on!
On Wednesday, September 26 they thought they saw land and spent an entire day sailing toward it only to discover that it was sky. And, this day they sailed on!
The thing that intrigues me the most about the Diary of Christopher Columbus is this: No matter what the day brought, at the end of practically each entry was this:
And on this day, we sailed on!
Some days nothing happened! It was an uneventful, probably boring and mundane day, and on this day, we sailed on!
In fact, there were many days when the only journal entry was this, and on this day, we sailed on.
Some days the crew turned on each other and questioned the legitimacy of the mission- And on this day we sailed on!
Some days the sea was calm and peaceful – and on this day we sailed on.
Some days the storms arose, and we took water on board – but on this day we sailed on!
SOMETHING POSSESSED CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, A VISION OF WHAT COULD BE, A SENSE OF PURPOSE, WHATEVER IT WAS IT DROVE HIM ON IN THE FACE OF:
• ADVERSITY
• BOREDOM
• DIFFICULTY
• FIGHTING AMONG HIS OWN CREW
• DISAPPOINTMENTS,
At the end of each day, he summed his journey up by saying, “And on this day we sailed on!
It wasn’t easy – but we sailed on!
We suffered setbacks – but we sailed on!
We didn’t get to where we wanted to go today – but we sailed on!
We took on water today – but we sailed on!
We got a little off course – but we sailed on!
We chased after land that wasn’t there – but we sailed on!
At the end of the day, we can say – this day we sailed on!
I.) IN OUR TEXT, I’m sure probably by now you know being a Christian you’re going to have to fight along the way. I have been sent to remind you on this Wednesday Night that no matter what you face you can’t give up, that you must sail on. You might not be running as fast as your neighbor, but baby you keep running, you keep sailing!
II.) WHAT GOD IS LOOKING FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN US IS COMMITMENT AND PERSERVERANCE and Faithfulness!
You will encounter persecution – but sail on!
You will encounter problems – but sail on!
You will encounter criticism by your own brothers and sisters – but sail on!
Some days will be boring – sail on!
Some days will be perilous – sail on!
Some days it will feel like the devil is winning-sail on!
Some days you will be broke-sail on!
Some days you will want to lay in bed on Sunday morning and not get up-sail on!
Some days you will be depressed-sail on!
Some days will be filled with anxiety-sail on!
Some days you will want to sin more than other days-sail on!
Matthew 10:22
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Have you ever entered your name in a drawing and read these words: YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN?
That is the stipulation to receiving a crown of life – you must be present to win!
Paul went to the chopping block, not with a spotless record, not with the testimony of a man who had never made a mistake, but his grateful refrain on the way to his graduation was this:
I can't think of anyone in the entire Bible apart from Christ who lived a life of gratitude more than Paul the Apostle. This is significant considering the terrible trials and sufferings he went through. Here is a list that still falls short of all he suffered. It comes from 2 Corinthians 11:23-33:
in labors more abundant-on this day he sailed on
in stripes above measure-on this day he sailed on
in prisons more frequently-on this day he sailed on
faced death often-on this day he sailed on
from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one-on this day he sailed on
three times I was beaten with rods-on this day he sailed on
once I was stoned-on this day he sailed on
three times I was shipwrecked. -on this day he sailed on
a night and a day I have been in the deep-on this day he sailed on
in journeys often-on this day he sailed on
in perils of waters-on this day he sailed on
in perils of robbers-on this day he sailed on
in perils of my own countrymen-on this day he sailed on
in perils of the Gentiles-on this day he sailed on
in perils in the city-on this day he sailed on
in perils in the wilderness-on this day he sailed on
in perils in the sea-on this day he sailed on
in perils among false brethren-on this day he sailed on
in weariness and toil-on this day he sailed on
in sleeplessness often-on this day he sailed on
in hunger and thirst
in often fastings-on this day he sailed on
in cold and nakedness-on this day he sailed on
Given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him (2 Corinthians 12:7). -on this day he sailed on
Abandoned by all his friends while imprisoned (2 Timothy 1:15). -on this day he sailed on
I think we all get the picture.
But we find when he was about to die, he wrote the young preacher Timothy:
2 Timothy 4:7-8
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
• I have made my mistakes – but I sailed on!
• I have been beaten – but I sailed on!
• I have been persecuted – but I sailed on!
• I have been shipwrecked – but I sailed on!
The time of my departure is at hand and my testimony is this: -on this day he sailed on
Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world – BUT I SAILED ON!
At my first answer no man stood with me – BUT I SAILED ON!
The temptation many times was to give up – BUT I FINISHED THE COURSE, I DID NOT FALL OUT BY THE WAY, I SAILED ON!
Job 17:9
9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
God is looking for righteous people who will just hold their way! Our strength is gained by just holding our way! Our strength is gained by just sailing on!
III.) GOD IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL SAIL ON THROUGH:
• Perilous times
2 Timothy 3:1,14
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Many will be turned away and proceed no further.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
• Tribulation
John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
• Uncertainity
1 Corinthians 15:58
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.
Others may not see your labor, but God does!
Some days the only entry in our spiritual journal is: “And this day we sailed on!”
We didn’t see any fire fall from the sky, we didn’t discover any new land, we didn’t hear the shouts of praise from the onlookers, we didn’t get rich, people left the church, our spouse walked out on us, we lost our job, we had a flat tire, someone lied on us, somebody talked about us, someone blamed us, someone done us wrong, someone belittled us, but we sailed on!
But it is in those times that God is building character in us! It is in those times that God uses monotony to build perseverance in us!
An old carnal analogy says, “Anyone can dance while the band is playing, but no one wants to stay around and clean up afterward!”
Any preacher can preach when the crowds are whooping and hollering, but a man or woman of God is shaped in obscurity and silence!
God wants people who will be faithful in times of silence! It’s the silent times is where the true believers arise, not the shady Christians, who is just around when the place is jumping, and the church is the place to be, or they have the best preacher, or youth group, or choir around. When it feels like God has shut heaven up and you couldn’t pay for a prayer to be answered, that’s when you sail on!
IV.) IS THERE ANYONE WHO IS JUST ABOUT READY TO THROW IN THE TOWEL?
Let me tell you what you need to do , you just need to sail on one more day!
I know that things are coming against you – but on this day sail on!
I know that things are less than perfect in your life – but on this day sail on!
I know the temptation is to give up and turn back – but on this day sail on!
Revelation 2:10
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Just be faithful until the end and the crown is yours!
And this day – sail on!
