Rock The Boat

Introduction

There was a time when I was in a bad relationship. It was a difficult situation that I just accepted. The effort to get out of it was going to cause conflict. And I’m one of those non-confrontational kind of guys. I’d rather deal with a bad situation than go through the awkwardness of confronting a person. And although it was less than ideal, I settled into a I don’t know, a kind of comfortableness with the situation. But but this person, they were really annoying. They were one of those uh people that talk at a really high volume so that everybody around can hear what they’re talking about because they think everybody wants to hear what they have to say. But most of the time the things weren’t even really very nice.

But they didn’t care. They they just continued to persist in this way of being.

Years were invested, but I was unhappy with each passing encounter. There were times when I thought about breaking it off, but I would weaken. Because it would be impossible to make a clean break.

And if they saw me in a new relationship, that would be bad. And I couldn’t, I couldn’t face that ugly scene. So I kept seeing this person. I would really dread every moment spent with them. And after spending time together, it would it would take me time to feel whole again. But I I didn’t have the courage to rock the boat or ask them to change. I just I just wanted calm waters. I wanted everything to to be okay, but without change, I couldn’t be my best self. Then one day this person got injured and they were confined to bed.

Now I’m not proud of what I did. But I took advantage of this incapacitation and I secretly began a new relationship. I’ll admit I was afraid of unexpectedly bumping into them in my new situation, but I took a chance. Things immediately began to improve. My self-esteem increased. I was much happier when I was with this person. And I always felt good after being with them. But I was uncomfortable sneaking around. I was always afraid there might be confrontation. Soon as I was spending time with this other person, I heard there was improvement and bed rest was no longer required for this person in my old relationship. My heart sank, butterflies swarmed in my stomach, and I was overwhelmed with the fear of returning to the way things were.

I could pursue a new relationship with the stylist that I wanted. I got what I was looking for without having to face down the situation. And I had suffered under her hands, by her hands, for many, many years, bad haircut after bad haircut. I was quite literally scalped a dozen times a year. All to avoid rocking the boat. Years when I look like I just entered boot camp without saying anything to avoid confrontation. How many of you like me go out of your way to avoid confrontation? We might get A-pluses and get along well with others, but it’s to our detriment often, and it’s not a good thing. Although I do have an idea of what I look like if I’ll ever go bald. What about spiritual things?

1. Do Not Take Your Relationship With God for Granted

Should we seek to avoid confrontation on matters of morality to keep the waters placid, to keep from rocking the boat? Should things go unsaid. I think in general, as Christian people, we have gotten scalped over the years because we’ve shied away too much from expressing our faith. I would like to exhort you to do two things. First, do not take your relationship with God or this church for granted. Challenge your convictions. Consider you could be wrong and re-establish your faith. Speak with your Creator more and learn to appreciate new things about him each day. Get more involved in the work rather than being satisfied with the effort you’re already putting in. What to improve your spiritual walk as you would your physical walk, especially if a doctor said your life depended on it.

Hebrews 12, starting in verse 1 says, Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God. Get out there and work. Face down the uncomfortable and grow closer to God. James 2, starting in verse 14, says, What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give him the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

Thus also faith by itself does not have works, it is dead. Stay active and involved, face down the uncomfortable and grow closer to God. James 4, starting in verse 7, says, Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Do not coast alone with God, along with God. Face down the uncomfortable and grow closer to God.

2. Speak Up, Be a Boat Rocker

I submit to you where you’re facing moral issues today because for years Christian people were the silent majority. We have allowed the minority speaking up for abortion rights, gay rights, freedom of speech rights, to not only shave our heads, but cut them off. Acts 4, starting in verse 18, says, So they called them and commanded them not to speak or at all to teach the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Do not shy away from confrontation. Speak up. Be a boat rocker. Ephesians 5 and verse 11 says, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Do not be afraid to call sin. Be a boat rocker. James 4 says in verse 17, therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Do the right thing at all times. Be a boat rocker. And finally, Mark 2, starting in verse 15. Now it happened as he was dining in Levi’s house that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, How is it the eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?

Conclusion

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Don’t be afraid of what others think. Be like the ultimate boat rocker, be like Jesus, and rock the boat. Now, as you consider these things, think about where you are in your life. Am I afraid of confronting things? Am I afraid of facing maybe even the own sin in my own sin in my life? Am I afraid of confronting sin in the world? Am I afraid of rocking the boat? Think about these things. Think about it every day. Think about every opportunity you may miss or pass on because you don’t speak up.

Think about the damage that can be done to the glory of God if you don’t rock the boat. That’s my encouragement and my exhortation to you today. Don’t be afraid of confrontation when it matters. And the things of God are what matter. And don’t be afraid to rock the boat. If there’s anything we can do for you tonight, come forward and let us know as we stand and sing.