Christian Optimism
II Tim. 1:12
6-23-02
On July 16, 1945 the USS Indianapolis left the San Francisco Bay carrying mysterious box to Tinian, a small island in the west Pacific. Nobody knew that in the box was the Atomic Bomb that
the Enola Gay would soon drop on Hiroshima. After making the delivery the Indianapolis headed for the Philippine Islands.
At 12:14 a.m. on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,196 men on board, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remainders, about 900 men, were left floating in shark-infested waters with no lifeboats and most with no food or water. The ship was never missed, and by the time the survivors
were spotted by accident four days later only 316 men were still alive.
Harlan Twimble, one of the survivors told of their ordeal.
“Toward nightfall of the first day it became evident to me that no one had seen us. No one had heard us and no alarms had been received by those on shore. No planes had showed up, no ships had shown up and this started to frighten the men. They started to question whether or not this was the fact.
I then decided that we had to get their minds off of what they were thinking and I said, "Let us pray." And I became the chaplain of the group. And I led the men in prayer and it was a most solemn sight to see these men who just a few minutes before had been scared and frightened to death, place themselves in the hands of the Lord. And we prayed and when the prayers were over the men had quieted. The first night didn’t bring any great surprises, but the second day did.
It wasn’t too late in the second day, after daybreak, when the first sharks arrived. Again this brought unbelievable fear into our group. None of us had ever fought sharks. All of us knew that sharks were not man’s best friend. During the morning, several people drifted away from the nets. They’d cut themselves loose and we noticed that, I noticed that these were the men that were attacked the most. These were the men that the sharks took first. I then decided that we had to have a shark watch and I asked everybody to participate in it. And we set up a watch and I asked that as soon as anyone saw a shark to scream shark and then we would all kick and scream -- try to create commotion and dishevel the sharks. We did this from that day on. We always had a shark watch; we always had people watching for sharks.
This continued for several days. We had men dying of wounds. We had men dying of dehydration. We had men dying of saltwater. I attempted to convey to the people in the water the fact that the best thing we could do would be to stick together, not drink any water and help each other. We were very successful at doing this. We went into the water with 325 people and we came out with about 171.”
Here is part of L.D. Cox’s story. Notice particularly his reaction to rescue.
“Well we thought that, that’s it. It’s getting nearly dark. And the guys were out of their heads about half the time. And I guess I was mine. I did tie my life jacket in hard knots with all the string so that I couldn’t take mine off.
I still had my jacket on, and everybody just knew that that was the end. We heard the motors again and we looked and, and there was that plane, the PBY. I guess it was a quarter or half-mile from us and it directly turned and came right over us and there was a guy -- you could see a guy standing in the door of the plane, waving to us.
And I’m telling you, that was the happiest time of my life.
My hair had to stand on end. I couldn’t even feel my scalp. And of course everybody screamed and yelled and kicked and waved and everything.” (1)
What Does it take to make Me HAPPY??
All took for L.D. Cox on that last day in the water was the sight of man WAVING at him from a rescue plane.
Happiness is a matter of perspective!
It has a lot to do with what we Expect in the Future Relative to what Experiencing NOW.
How happy would any of us be if regardless of our current state of comfort we knew we were about to go through a four-day ordeal in a shark infested ocean?
How happy would we be if we were in those shark infested waters and suddenly saw our rescuers coming like those sailors did?
Salvation is about our Rescue—a rescue from something far worse than four days in Shark infested
waters—a rescue from eternal pain, misery, shame—not just a rescue from something but a rescue
into eternal bliss.
I don’t think Heaven is our only Hope—but certainly it is of utmost importance.
In I Cor. 15:19 Paul said “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
the most to be pitiable.”
What are our expectations concerning life and eternity? How does that affect my emotional state now? In light of eternity, we should be filled with joy and gladness--not just because what experiencing NOW—not just because of what we have experienced in the PAST—but especially
because what God has laid up for us in FUTURE.
In John 14:1-3 Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
Jesus gives good reason not be discouraged—it’s about the future He has planned for us—it’s about what He has prepared for us.
My Subject this morning is Christian Optimism.
Are you an Eternal Optimist? Are you a Despondent Pessimist?
Our optimism as Christians is not mind over matter. It is not just positive thinking although that happens. It’s about a Complete Perception of Reality.
Heb 11:1
11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
I’ve got powerful evidence that God is and that He is the Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. That evidence is faith. The world will never understand that statement. But people of faith know the reality that we enjoy when trust in the Lord. The world says, “Seeing is Believing” but the Word says, “Believe is Seeing.”
What do you see for your future? Do you see something so marvelous that no present difficulty could compare to it? In Rom 8:18-19 Paul said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”
I am waiting for something worth waiting for—the manifestation of sons of God.
1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
That’s why someone wrote old song that says, “To be like Jesus, To be like Jesus, All I ask is to be like Him”
There are good and reliable reasons for Christians to be Optimistic about tomorrow!
In fact, if we’re not optimistic—we have either misplaced our affection or lost our perspective or both.
Paul & Silas sang in prison after being severely beaten. How could they do that? Why were they not complaining about mistreatment from others? Why were they not saying in their hearts, “Why
me God, I’ve tried to serve you, why is this happening to me?
The Answer is this: an Eternal Perspective on life! This life is but a vapor—here today and gone tomorrow--
Rom 8:18
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Why are we Optimistic?
I’m Optimistic about tomorrow Because:
1. “…I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have
committed unto him…” 2 Tim 1:12
Think about Who this is in Whom we have believed. This is the great I AM, the eternal God,
the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. One who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think.
“I’m persuaded.” Are you Persuaded? That’s the key to joy. That’s a key to optimism—being fully convinced that God is God—in charge of the universe and in charge of my life—and able.
What have you “committed” to Him? Your finances, your health, your career, your marriage, your children? “…He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him.
I’m optimistic because
2. “No temptation” will overtake me “except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow” me “to be tempted beyond what” I am “able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that” I “may be able to bear it.” 1 Cor 10:13
Are there temptations in your life? If you’re breathing there are. There are temptations that are common to all of us—temptations to give up at times—to leave our post of service—to throw in the towel, temptations to cross boundaries of purity—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life.
Joseph was tempted but he also found the way of escape and took it. Jesus was tempted in all points, yet without sin.
I’m optimistic because I know that God is always faithful to provide the way of escape for me when I’m tempted.
James 1:12
12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. NKJV
This goes beyond survival—this takes me into a crown of life. God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I’m optimistic because
3. My Labor is Not in Vain
1 Cor 15:58 “…be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
your labor is not in vain…”
In Malachi God’s people got all confused in their thinking. They got discouraged and started saying,
“It’s vain to serve the Lord, there’s no profit in it.” They were calling the proud, the ungodly, happy.
Mal 3:14-15
14You have said, ’It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance,
And that we have walked as mourners Before the LORD of hosts? 15So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ "
NKJV
Jesus said even a cup of water given in His name would not lose its reward.
Col 3:23-25
23And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. NKJV
Why does that tell us to work heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men? Because people sometimes people don’t even realize what we’re trying to do for them. Sometimes even if they do and are appreciative they are just not able to pay us back or reward us.
But God is never in short supply. He is never stingy.
Rev 22:12-14
12"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." 14Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. NKJV
I’m optimistic about the future because
4. God’s Attitude me is Optimistic & Benevolent!
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of
evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jer 29:11
The devil robs so much from us when he convinces us that God is against us instead of for us.
Have you ever felt like you were the scum of the scum and even if God could love you He could not possibly like you. Where do you think that comes from? It comes from the Accuser of the brethren.
Yes, we’re in a training program and sometimes God corrects us—in the same way a father corrects a child he loves. But, the Bible says that God delights in those who fear Him. Do you fear the Lord? He isn’t trying to find a reason to curse and destroy you—that would be easy to find in all of us. He’s looking for a reason to bless you. And guess what? He’s found that reason in Christ. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
I’m optimistic because
5. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” 2 Peter 1:3
There is not anything I could possibly need that God is not able and willing to give me.
Will I believe Him for that? Will I trust Him for that?
Ps 84:11-12
11For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12O LORD of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You! NKJV
I am optimistic because
6. He will Never Leave me. Heb 13:5-6
5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." NKJV
That verse tells us to live above the power of covetousness. How do we do that?
By living in the presence of the Lord and delighting ourselves in Him.
It really doesn’t matter a lot were we are or what we go through if we can know that God is walking us through that.
The three Hebrew children—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—went through a fiery furnace.
What a terrible experience that would be except for the fourth man who went through it with them.
Jesus was that fourth man.
Daniel went through a lion’s den. How could he sleep at night with a bunch of hungry lions next to him? The Lord was with him—the angel of the Lord shut those lion’s mouths.
Are there some mouths that need to be shut where you work? What he did for Daniel He can do for you.
I’m optimistic about tomorrow because
7. In God’s economy, Death is followed by Resurrection!
If God could take something as horrible as a gruesome crucifixion of the sinless Son of God and turn it into redemption for mankind—if God could take what seemed to be the ultimate defeat and make it the ultimate victory—He just might be able to turn some things around in our lives as well.
Rev 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.
And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Rev 1:18
I’m optimistic because
8. “… we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” Rom 8:28 NKJV
If you and I alone were working, that would just be religion—that would be cause for despair.
But God is working—working in ways we can not see or even imagine. Because God is working a lot of good things can come out of it all.
I’m optimistic because
9. God is not slack concerning His Promises.
II Pet 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
That tells me some people are going to get saved—some lives are going to be radically changed.
Matt 24:14
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. NKJV
“This gospel shall be preached. I want to be a part of that process—not just as a preacher but also as a giver, as an encourager, as a helper, as an intercessor. This gospel is going to get preached—terrorism will not stop it, opposition will not stop it, and all hell cannot stop it. It’s going to get preached to all people groups. Then what? The end will come. This age will not end in defeat. It’s not going to end with the Antichrist in control. The Day of the Lord will come—every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that He is Lord.
I’m optimistic because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Are you an Optimistic Christian? I said earlier that two things could rob us of that optimism.
Misplaced Affection “Love not the world neither the things in the world..” or
Lost Perspective. Has either of those happened to you? Today we can set our affection on things above. Today we can look beyond the temporal and see the eternal.
Notes:
(1) www.discovery.com/exp/indianapolis Used audio/video presenting actual voices
of survivors rather than retelling their story. Twimble’s story is excellent illustration
of power and importance of teamwork.
Richard Tow
Grace Chapel Foursquare Church
Springfield, MO
www.gracechapelchurch.org
