"Unnecessary Drowning"

You know, it can't be good news when a life guard yells, "Everybody out of the water." Well he did that day I was in the water at the Jersey Shore. My first thought "Jaws!" Since I didn't have my shark repellent, I got out very quickly. But sharks weren't the problem - drowning kids were. These three kids were too close to a jetty, it was high tide, and they were in big trouble. And so the lifeguard cleared the water, they plunged into the surf, man, some were swimming, some were rowing. Hundreds of people were lined up along the beach watching this life or death drama. Now the beach patrol guys got there before those kids disappeared, and it is a good thing. I tell you, there was no way those kids were going to be able to swim their way out of this. They were rescued, but they did not contribute a thing to being saved.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Unnecessary Drowning."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew Chapter 14, beginning at verse 27, and it's an incident from the life of Jesus and His disciples. But more importantly, it's also a picture of how a person begins a relationship with God. There is a major surprise in this for many of us religious people. Here's what it says, Jesus knows that the disciples are out in a terrible storm. He has not been with them - He comes walking on the water to them and He says, "Take courage, it is I, and don't be afraid." "Lord if it is you," Peter replied, "Tell me to come to You on the water." "Come," He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind he was afraid, and he was beginning to sink, and he cried out "Lord, save me!" And immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. "You of little faith," He said, "Why did you doubt?" Now Peter was like those children I saw at the shore - he's drowning, he's dying, he's unable to rescue himself, and He gives this simple, but powerful prayer "Lord, save me." It might be time for you to finally say that to Jesus.

See, we like to think that we will be able to somehow swim to heaven ourselves. After all, we believe in God . . . we go to His meetings . . . we give to His causes . . . we try to keep His commandments . . . we even work in His work. But God gives us a sobering description of our true spiritual condition in Ephesians Chapter 3, Verse 1. He says, "You are dead in your sins." Dead! Sin has cut us off from God. It's left us powerless to erase the sin that keeps us from eternal life, but there's hope. Ephesians 2:8 says, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith." This is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." We are saved by the Rescuer God sent into the surf for us - His Son Jesus.

But many who believe they could rescue themselves by their own goodness aren't going to make it. None of us will. So many of us, have believed the lie that eternal life is a reward for our performance. But this says it is not by works. Eternal life is not a reward, it's a rescue. If we could have made it, God's Son would have never given His life. The only possibility we have for being saved is to put all our trust in the Rescuer, Jesus Christ. To say to the Lord, like Peter, I can't make it to you Lord, I'm pinning all my hopes on You, on what You did to save me. See, tragically, many good religious decent people are in for a terrible, and eternal shock. They weren't good enough for a perfect God. No one is. And they will drown unnecessarily - with the nail-scarred hand of Jesus reaching out to them, but they never grabbed it.

If you're not sure your sins are forgiven, if you are ready to belong to Jesus, to be sure you are going to heaven, pray where you are. Pin all your hopes on Him. Those drowning kids knew what to do when the rescuer got to them. They knew they couldn't save themselves, so they grabbed the Rescuer as if He were their only hope. When have you done it with Jesus Christ? Why not now?

YOURS FOR LIFE!

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Last Update: 03/09/1997

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