Get in the Boat
Jesus walked up on some down and out fisherman. Common joes who had fished all night, not caught a single fish. Jesus asked them with uncommon confidence, “If you want to catch some fish, then join me in your boat!” Can you imagine what went through their minds? This brother is cocky, but something about Jesus caused these men to obey.
I love fishing. One thing I know, when you have fished all night and haven’t got a bite, it is time to go home. Picture this. I just loaded my boat and pulled it out of the water with my truck when a man walks up and ask me if I will take him fishing. The odds of me getting in that boat again, even if he were Billy Graham, would be slim to none.
What drove Simon, James and John to get in the boat with Jesus that morning?
Bible stories that included a boat started with Noah. The first boat ever! It turned out to be. a very good decision to get in the boat that day. What about Jonah? He got in the wrong boat going the wrong direction. That proved to be a poor decision.
Moses began his life with his mother placing him in a little boat, but years later he didn’t need a boat as God honored Moses’ obedience and parted the Red Sea! Joshua took over for Moses and later saw God part the waters of the Jordan River to open the path to the Promised Land!
Then we come to Jesus. It sure seems to me that Jesus loved boats! The day the disciples rowed into a storm and Jesus came walking on the water must have been a shocker! If that wasn’t enough, how about the time Jesus was sleeping in the bow of the boat, while the disciples were in a full fledged panic. They woke Jesus up from a nice nap, which seemed to disturb Jesus a bit. He blew their minds as He commanded the winds and waves to stop and they obeyed.
Our team theme this year is based on a group of boys and a boat that won a Gold medal in the 1936 Olympics by defeating the unbeatable Nazi German team with Hitler watching. It was an impossible feat accomplished by an unlikely group of young men. A movie called “The Boys in the Boat” was released on Christmas Day about the miracle that happened when these boys got in the boat with uncommon unity.
Jesus has called us all to get in the boat with him! He promises us salvation and a personal relationship with Him. We can even spend eternity with Jesus in Glory, if we only get in the boat with Him!
Will there be storms and waves? Guaranteed! Will there be plenty of reasons to give up? Oh yeah! Will it always be clear sailing. Not a chance!
If that is the case, then why get in the boat?
The Answer: Jesus!
He is Love like no other. He is forgiveness. He is Peace. He is Joy.
Today on Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, who who came to die, so that we can spend eternity with Him and the Father.