A Sermon with Sound Doctrine Part 1

DON'T BE SHIPWRECKED IN THE SHALLOWS!

You know the story.  When Paul was being taken to Rome, the ship in which they were sailing came to Fair Havens on the Isle of Crete.  However, because Fair Havens "was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also." Paul warned them not to do so, saying, "Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul," and they set forth "when the south wind blew softly. . but not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon!" The ship was "caught" and exceedingly tossed with that tempest for fourteen days.  Finally, "after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, YE SHOULD HAVE HEARKENED UNTO ME, AND NOT HAVE LOOSED FROM CRETE, AND TO HAVE GAINED THIS HARM AND LOSS."

You know the rest of the story too, how "when the fourteenth night was come," as they neared Melita, the shipmen "sounded, and found it TWENTY fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it FIFTEEN fathoms," and then they were SHIPWRECKED IN THE SHALLOWS, with "the forepart" of the ship "stuck fast", "but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves." (cf. Acts 27:9-41).

I am sure all 276 aboard that ill-fated ship were mighty happy to be alive, including the ship's owner.  He was fortunate he didn't lose his life and perhaps his soul!  However, because he DIDN'T LISTEN TO PAUL'S WARNING he may have lost his entire earthly fortune!

Now the application:

Millions today, like that ship owner have their minds fixed upon earthly gain, and are IN A BIG RUSH TO GET IT!  In the process they are PAYING ABSOLUTELY NO ATTENTION TO ANY OF PAUL'S WARNINGS IN GOD'S WORD!  As a result, most of them are going to forever lose their fortunes, their lives, AND THEIR SOULS!

There are OTHERS on board ill-fated spiritual ships who are SAILING IN THE SHALLOWS!  They profess to be Christians, but if "soundings" were made of their spiritual depths they are becoming, NOT DEEPER AND DEEPER, but MORE AND MORE SHALLOW: -- "Twenty fathoms, Fifteen fathoms, Ten fathoms" -- and on the very verge of making ETERNAL SHIPWRECK!

Writing of Hymenaeus and Alexander, the same faithful apostle Paul declared that in putting away a good conscience concerning faith, THEY HAD MADE SHIPWRECK"! (cf. 1 Timothy 1:19-20).  A good conscience and spiritual depth go together; while putting away a good conscience will inevitably take one into the shallows and spiritual shipwreck!

In 1 Timothy 4:3, Paul said, "the time will come when THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE."  SOUND DOCTRINE IS DOCTRINE WITH DEEP SPIRITUAL DEPTHS, but we have arrived at the time of which Paul prophesied.  Millions are "sailing in the shallows" -- and their souls are about to strike the rocks of Eternal Destruction!

I can picture the apostle Paul, if he were allowed to speak at the Judgment to the millions who paid no attention to his gospel, saying to them, "SIRS, YE SHOULD HAVE HEARKENED UNTO ME, AND NOT HAVE GAINED THIS HARM AND ETERNAL LOSS OF YOUR SOULS!"

Preacher brethren, some highminded theologians today would have us believe that their supposed enlightenment and insights are deepening our understanding of of the Bible, when, in fact, they are guiding the ill-fated spiritual ships of those believing them into increasingly shallow waters and SPIRITUAL SHIPWRECK!

Preacher brother, if you would keep this from happening to those sitting under your ministry, listen to one more bit of advice from the faithful apostle Paul, "SPEAK THOU THE THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DOCTRINE" (Titus 2:1).

As Christ said in Luke 5:4, "LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP"! -- Stay out of the shallows, and safely sail both yourself and those with you into "The Haven of Rest in that "Land That Is Fairer The Day"! -- Duane V. Maxey, November 5, 2015.