September 21, 2003pm   Riding the Storm Out!      Eph. 5:1-15

(Surfing in WV  --  A Youth Sermon)

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

Recently we were warned that there was a storm coming.  We watched it weave its way across the Atlantic Ocean.  The storm was called Isabel.  We were warned of what it could do.  Folks postponed football games.  People made changes in their schedule because they knew that the storm was coming.  It came and it passed but we didn’t see much more than a little blow and a little rain and we were thankful.  I believe that many times we are threatened by the storms of this world and we postpone our Christian lives.  But one of the distinct features of this storm was the prominent eye.  This eye was huge.  One of our church members has boasted that he has surfed in the eye of a hurricane.  This is what God wants us to do.  He wants us to surf through the eye of the hurricane.  As the storm moves then the eye moves.  So do we.  We move with the Lord as the storm of the spiritual struggle rages all around.  Go into the eye.  The eye of the storm.  Remember there is:

 

Courage for today --  Hope for tomorrow  --  Peace in the Presence.

 

Scripture Text:  Eph. 5:1  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,

 

If you choose to be an imitator of God then you choose to take a chance on the Lord and ride through the storm of life living with Him. 

In WV we have a sport called Raftin’.  Now going down a huge wide river in a raft really seems to be kind of peaceful and calm.  But just before you go around the bend in the river you can hear a rumble.  Rounding the bend you can see the cause of the noise.  It is a huge rock in the river with waves and water bouncing up into the air.  Are we really going to go through that?  When you look at the river, the huge boulders, and waves you would naturally think that there is no way to go through there.  This is the way it is when we stand above the crowd to make a difference for the Lord.   Living out your faith in a world that is pushing against you is not a peaceful ride.  Don’t become a changing lizard (chameleon).  Take a paddle and smack it into the wave to ride above the flow of the current.  

 

The boat:  Living the Life you have been given through Christ.  You will be peculiar and different.  But you will be making a difference for the Lord as people see living with the Lord in the eye of the storm and riding above the ways. 

 

 The paddle:  Your faith.  Stick it into the water and give it a pull.  This keeps you and the boat on top of the waves and the water that will suck you under.   Keep paddling. 

 

The wave:  The storms of life and the rocks in the river that cause the problems in your life as a Christian. 

 

The life jacket: This is the presence of the Lord in your life.  This is the support of the church and Christian friends. And this is the prayer of the saints that lifts you with an unseen hand. 

 

The Guide: Your guide for your ride through life with the Lord is He the Holy Spirit.  He will show you the proper way to go.  Our guide has taken us backward through the double z on the New River.  I thought it wasn’t the right way to go.  But it proved to be the best way to go to avoid certain trouble.  We had to trust him to take us through.  Will you trust the Spirit to lead you to do the right thing? 

 

The Helmet: In Eph. 6 the Bible tells us that the helmet is the salvation we have been given from the Lord.  Don’t go into the river without your helmet.  Don’t go through the storms of life without the Lord, which is your salvation.  He will protect and keep you from fracturing your skull on a rock when you fall out of the raft. 

 

Surfing:  Surfing occurs when you challenge the waves of the river.  The guide leads you to go back up the river towards the wave.  Then when you get to the wave you stick the end of the raft under the edge of the wave.  This creates a storm of resistance and a great amount of water and noise.  Just before you go under the guide leads you out of the wave and back around to the eddy.  Sticking your head out and taking a chance on the Lord and following the leading of the Spirit is just like surfing.  You can really have a lot of fun and you can make a huge difference in the world.  Let’s go surfing.   

 

Falling out: This is called going swimming.  Actually you should always strive to stay in the boat, but things will happen and you will fall out.  Some friends just having fun may even knock you out.  Be sure you will fall out.  What do you do when you fall out?  You get back in.  Get back in as soon as possible.  Especially if you realize that there is another huge wave or waterfall just ahead.  How can you get back in?  It is nearly impossible to back into a raft on your own power.  You need help.  Someone in the raft has to reach into the water and pull you back in.  Pull someone back in to the boat of the Lord today.