Sermon for 10/9/2005
Christopher Columbus
Introduction:
A. October 12, Wednesday, is Columbus Day. It is the day that he landed in America. We celebrate it tomorrow so that those who work government or bank jobs can have a long weekend.
B. Many of us know, In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
WBTU:
A. I have always wanted to do a sermon on Columbus. This evening, I am brave (or foolish) enough to do it.
B. There was a lot of observances for Columbus Day in 1992, the 500th year of Columbus landing in America. Really there are few observances for Columbus Day on a regular year except among the Italian population.
C. Around 1892, the 400th year of Columbus landing in America, a monument to the memory of Columbus, was erected in his native city of Genoa, Italy, in the centre of one of its public squares, where it is surrounded by flowers and shrubbery. It is composed of marble, and is about forty feet in height. On four panels between four pedestals on the bottom of this monument, in sculpture, are four great events in Columbus’s life.
D. We will talk about these four great events this morning from the life of Columbus and these four symbolize four things in the life of every Christian.
Thesis: This evening let us talk about faith, hope, love and persecution.
For instances:
1. Faith
A. Christopher Columbus was born in 1451. He was born in the city of Genoa, Italy, where his father was a wool weaver. Today, Genoa is Italy’s largest port and it was a large port in Columbus’s day too.
B. The sea life fascinated Columbus. He didn’t follow his father’s footsteps but went out to sea at the age of 13.
C. When he was 25, Columbus set out for Holland and Britain on a trading mission. Once they had sailed through the straits of Gibraltar, Columbus saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Then tragedy struck. The fleet was attacked by pirates. All of the ships sank including the pirates in the battle that followed. Many men were killed or drowned but Columbus survived. Hanging on to an oar, he managed to swim to the coast of Portugal, six miles away.
D. Columbus was to stay in Portugal for 8 years. His brother Bartholomew joined him there. Together they set up a chart-making business in the capital city of Portugal, Lisbon. While Columbus was there, he married Felipa Perestrello. She came from a noble family that had fallen on hard times. After 5 years of marriage, Felipa died. Even though they were poor, Felipa and her family were friends with many noble families. This would be important in the future because it gave Christopher a chance to talk about his great idea with people who could bring it to pass.
E. While in Portugal, Columbus came up with the idea of sailing directly across the Atlantic Ocean to the Indies (meaning China, Japan and India). IF the world was round, as the experts said, then one must be able to travel around it and come back home again. In the Middle Ages all sorts of luxury goods came by camel overland from the Far East. The journey was very long and hazardous so countries in Europe were looking for an easier route.
F. Columbus wrote in the margin of one of his books: “Between the edge of Spain and the beginning of India, the sea is short and can be crossed in a matter of days.” He was sure that the voyage could be made and he was quite prepared to embark on it. He calculated the journey to Japan was 3,000 miles- in fact, Japan was 12,000 miles away. Also, unknown to the people of Europe, there was a land mass in the way and another sea, the Pacific Ocean.
G. IN Columbus’s day there were many parts of the world which no one knew about. Most people considered his great idea quite crazy, and thought Columbus was a little soft in the head. Considering that sailors in that day did not take off across open water unless they had a map, most people did not support his idea. Sailors took comfort in knowing that they were near land.
H. From the age of 33, Columbus went all over Europe trying to get someone to fund and support his idea. He first went to the King of Portugal, but the Portuguese had another idea of going around Africa to the Indies. His idea was not accepted there.
I. He moved from Portugal to Seville, Spain in hopes of persuading the new King and Queen of Spain to support his idea. In that time there were three kingdoms that made up modern day Spain. One was ruled by King Ferdinand and the other by Queen Isabella. Ferdinand and Isabella got married and so the two kingdoms united. They joined forces and declared war on the third Kingdom, the Moors to the South. There goal was to make Spain one Christian nation. The Moors were Muslims and the plan was to drive them over the Straits of Gibraltar back into Africa. But they needed funding and they were looking for ways to raise money. Columbus talked with them many times trying to persuade them to support his voyage. He said that if they supported him that he would bring back gold and jewels and riches beyond imagination. However, this was not enough to convince them.
J. On one occasion, Columbus met with the Cardinal of Spain to try to gain his support called the Council at Salamanca. Columbus described his ideas and the Cardinal met with several priests and astronomers. The Councils conclusions were that Columbus’s ideas were irreligious. This Council is depicted on one of the panels on the statue of Columbus in Genoa. It symbolizes his faith.
B. (Heb 11:1 NIV) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Heb 11:32 NIV) And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, (Heb 11:33 NIV) who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, (Heb 11:34 NIV) quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
C. Columbus was arrogant because he had faith in himself. No, it went beyond that. He was confident in his purpose. WE must have faith in ourselves if we are to accomplish anything. Those with no faith in themselves do nothing.
D. However, we must be sure that our purpose is godly. We are nothing but through Christ we are something. We have something to contribute. Columbus believed that this voyage of discovery was God’s will.
D. (Rom 12:3 NIV) For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
E. (Mat 17:20 NIV) He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
2. Hope
A. Landing in America. At 2 o’clock in the morning on October 12, 1492, Columbus and his crew landed on San Salvador, an island not far from Cuba. This is why we celebrate Columbus Day. This landing is depicted on one of the panels on the statue of Columbus in Genoa. It symbolizes his hope.
B. His hope was for a better life.
C. His hope was for a better way to the East.
D. Hope= To look forward to with confidence or expectation.
D. (Rom 8:23 NIV) Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.(Rom 8:24 NIV) For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? (Rom 8:25 NIV) But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
E. (2 Cor 3:12 NIV) Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
F. (Eph 2:12 NIV) remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
3. Love
A. Presenting the Indians to Queen Isabella on his return. This scene is depicted on one of the panels on the statue of Columbus in Genoa. It symbolizes his love. At the top of this monument in Genoa, there is a statue of Columbus. At Columbus’s right hand is a naked Indian maiden, sitting modestly at his feet, holding in her hand a small cross upon whish she is gazing intently. This figure represents America; and the faith of Columbus that the New World would receive the religion of Jesus Christ is indicated by the symbol of the Cross.
B. Columbus’s love for the Church and for the spreading of the gospel is what caught Isabella’s heart.
C. From a history book published in 1890’s- Columbus’s religious convictions were deep and controlling, and his zeal was fed by an earnest desire to serve God and benefit mankind. When he told the Queen of his faith and hope- a belief that he was ordained of God to bear the Gospel of Jesus to the heathen of unknown lands, and a hope that he should bring back to her the glad tidings of pagans converted to the true faith- her face kindled with enthusiasm. Isabella quickly arose from her chair, and stretched forth her hands and with her soft eyes raised toward heaven, she fervently invoked the blessing of Almighty God upon the person and deeds of Columbus. The navigator stood in awe, with bowed head, before the Queen. The colder Ferdinand’s soul was warmed, and to the benediction he responded, “Amen.”
C. John 3:16
D. (Rom 13:10 NIV) Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
E. How dare Columbus go and disturb the Indians! (John 14:6 NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
F. (Mat 24:14 NIV) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
G. We don’t know how genuine Columbus was in his remarks about converting the Indians, savages. Columbus was the one who called them Indians. He really believed that he had found the Indies and not a whole new land. Columbus did not bring any Christian preachers with him to the new world. When he took his eyes off of this goal is where his problems really began.
H. During his first voyage, the Indians were friendly with them. When Columbus left to go back to Spain, he left about 30 men behind. These men set up a fort and began to fraternize with the Indian women. The Spaniards refused to let these women go back to the Indian villages or so the story goes. The Indians attacked them and wiped them out. On Columbus’s second voyage, he found the fort destroyed and all the men dead and so he began to enslave the Indians instead of converting them to the faith.
I. Columbus took his eyes off of converting the Indians and it ruined him. If he was interested in the Indians, he probably would have found Mexico where all of the gold was. However, because he wasn’t interested in the Indians, it restricted his expeditions. His sins of loving money more than people ruined him. Queen Isabella, back in Spain, went from his biggest supporter to one less than enthusiastic about what he was doing. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Columbus went to his death bed wanting more money.
J. Many Indian groups hate Columbus Day. Can you blame them?
G. (1 Cor 13:13 NIV) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
4. Persecution
A. The Admiral in Chains is the last depiction on one of the panels on the statue of Columbus in Genoa. It symbolizes his persecution.
B. Columbus brought some of his problems on himself but some of it was because of Envy.
1. (Mark 15:10 NIV) knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.
2. (James 3:16 NIV) For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
C. Did not deliver what was promised.
1. Many people are looking for the same things in Christianity. I want my pie in the sky right now. It is not that way.
2. (Mark 4:19 NIV) but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
D. Columbus was mistreated. He was a poor governor of the New Lands and colonists were coming regularly. There was a rebellion against Columbus. The King sent a man named Bobadilla to take over the situation. When Bobadilla found Columbus, he put Columbus in chains and sent him back to Spain. Columbus wore the shackles all the way to Spain. When he was brought back to the Spanish court, Queen Isabella had the chains removed. Columbus kept the chains at his home for the rest of his life and asked for them to be buried with him.
E. (2 Tim 3:12 NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
F. He kept his chains. (Gal 6:17 NIV) Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
Conclusion:
A. Columbus died in 1506. He had a few good friends but also many enemies. He was clever and cunning, bold at times, at other times weak. To many people he was completely puzzling.
B. Christopher Columbus was a single-minded, stubborn man. That is, he saw before him just one path and he was determined to follow it.
C. In that way, may we be more like him. Let us not be double-minded.
D. Columbus also launched out in faith. May we be that way in our service to the King of Kings? Take a step out and only trust Him!
