Who's Controlling Your Ship?

 

A certain sea captain and his chief engineer argued as to which of them was more important to the ship. Failing to agree, they resorted to a unique plan of swapping places. The chief engineer ascended to the bridge and the captain went to the engine room. After a couple of hours, the captain suddenly appeared on the deck covered with oil and soot. “Chief!” he yelled, wildly waving aloft a monkey wrench. “You’ll have to come down here; I can’t make her go!” “Of course you can’t,” replied the chief. “We’re aground!”

What kind of world would we have if there were no rules to live by? Think of the resulting chaos. We have just about reached that point in our world today. Many have come to believe that the rules that govern others simply do not apply to them. One sees them in traffic, and in stores. They are rude and hateful. God speaks of those who have become “a law unto themselves.” With such people others do not matter. They are more important than others for they make their own laws. One day the Great Law Giver will return, and all will be judged by His Law (Revelation 20:21). In a world where men make their own rules what would your life be to those kinds of people? It produces men without conscience.

[Luke 2:7] The world has always had trouble finding room for the Son of God. From His birth to this very day, He often finds Himself an outsider. 1) No Room In Politics, Government and Business. Christ has largely been banished from the halls of government. Much of the framing of our country purposely reflected much of the teachings of God. But the principle of “separation of church and state” has been distorted to mean total isolation of Christianity from the process of government. Nor is there any evidence of the influence of Christ in the boardrooms of our giant corporations! Is there no room for Jesus in public life? 2) No Room In The Schoolhouse Christ has been barred from the classroom. It is permissible to speak of Hitler, Napoleon, Stalin, and other figures of history who bathed the world in blood, but it is not permitted to speak of the Prince of Peace! The ideals of Karl Marx and Charles Darwin are welcome in the classroom but not Jesus Christ! 3) No Room In Many Churches Modern religion is often embarrassed by Christ and His teachings. Liberal churches deny the virgin birth, the resurrection, or the divinity of Christ and feel no loyalty to His standards of morals and ethics. Many churches are more interested in social issues than they are in atonement. 4) No Room In The Lives Of Many Who Claim To Follow Him Often there is little evidence of the compassion, mercy, love, and morality of Christ in the lives of His would-be followers. Christ should be more visible in our lives! (Galatians 2:20) Many call themselves Christians but can’t make room in their life for regular worship attendance, generous giving, Bible study, prayer, and Christian service to others! We are living in a world that has frighteningly veered out of control. We have become so advanced technologically and scientifically, yet our world is full of loneliness, heartbreak, and sin! Is there any wonder? We have rejected and left Christ out of most everything! Life will always be empty and off course as long as we refuse to make room for Christ. The poet has said: “No room for Him, We grieve that it was so, And then we go, busy upon our way, With no more courtesy than they who turned our Lord away.”

Jerimiah spoke the truth when he wrote, “Oh Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jerimiah 10:23). In fact, when you and I seek to take control of our own ship, we often “run it aground” for “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). We need direction! The real issue is Lordship. Who is going to be the lord of our lives? Me or Christ?