All Together Now
It’s VBS week around here. So, to put it simply, things are all sorts of crazy. It’s a good sort of crazy though. It’s been a long time since I have heard kids running through the building, laughing and being, well, being kids. My VBS job is Bible time, and on Tuesday we looked at how God is faithful not just to Paul but also Paul’s captors in Acts chapter 27. Right now I want to take a look at verses 30-32
In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
The sailors see the ship as a lost cause.
They see a chance to cut loose…to do something different…to leave their responsibility behind and take care of themselves alone.
It’s easy to condemn the sailors for leaving their passengers….after all they had a job they signed on for.
It’s easy to understand and maybe even relate to the sailors…after all, every man for themselves.
Don’t you know we are stronger together?
vs
I know what’s best for me and mine!
I think that is an argument of philosophies we are very familiar with. The modern church is often trapped in this storm. It’s a tumultuous time. And in the midst of the storm we reach to our rationalism often more than we reach out with our faith.
Individualism says I don’t need the church.
Traditionalism says we should never leave the boat.
Modernism says we need to remodel the boat.
Some would say this is God sending the storm to punish.
Some would say this is God sending the storm to test.
Some would say this is simply a sin cursed world and the storm is just a storm.
Some would say this isn’t a storm, now when I was a kid….
Some will call it the storm that will bring down the boat.
And yet
Paul would say to have courage
Paul would say have something to eat.
And then Paul jumped into the water and swam towards the unknown.
Paul knew His Scripture, He trusted His savior, and He knew who He belonged to.
He wrote Philippians. If you are struggling, I recommend you revisit it.
After all
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)
See you Sunday, and remember to Trust in Jesus!
-Pastor Dan