06-09-2019 – Keith Cozort – Where Two Seas Met (PM Sermon)

Certainly grateful for your presence when it’s such a beautiful day outside. And yet The beauty is inside as well. With those that are here. We certainly appreciate that. Let me make a correction on your opportunity to serve sheets that you have. I put Sandy Peterson down there as being absent this morning, but she was here. I just overlooked her somehow.

But anyway, just to make you aware of that, my secretary does that every once in awhile. And then my wife pointed out to me later, but anyway, open your Bibles with me. If you will, to the book of acts chapter 27, acts chapter 27, we’re going to read verses 27 through the end of the chapter, verse 44.

This is where the apostle Paul is going to be transported to Rome to be, to appear before Caesar and where he will be imprisoned for at least two years time. But what we’re going to read is concerning part of it’s not the entire thing, because that would be the entire chapter, but a part of what is recorded concerning his journey. And so beginning in verse 27,

Luke tells us, and when the 14th night was come, as we were driven up and down the atria in atria about midnight, the Shipman deemed that they drew near to some country and sounded and found it 20 fathoms. And when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found it 15 fathoms, then fearing, unless we should have fallen upon rocks,

they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day. And as the Shipman were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea under color, as though they would have cast anchors out of the four ship, Paul said to the Centurion and to the soldiers, except these abide in the ship, you can not be saved.

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul, besought them all to take meat saying this day is the 14th day that he have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore. I pray you to take some meat for this is for your health. For there shall not be any hair fall from the head of any of you.

And when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks for gave thanks to God in presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat then where they all have good cheer. And they also took some meat. And we were in and we were in all in the ship, 200 threescore and 16 souls. And when they had eaten enough,

they lighted the ship and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land. And they discovered a certain Creek with a shore into which they were minded. If it were possible to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up anchors, they committed themselves under the sea and loose the rudder bands and hoisted up the main,

sail to the wind and made toward shore and falling into a place where two seas met. They ran the ship of ground and the four-part stuck fast and remained unmovable. But the Heiner part broke. I was broken with the violence of the waves and the soldiers council was to kill the prisoners. Lest any of them should swim out and escape, but the Centurion willing to save.

Paul kept them from their purpose and commanded that they, which could swim, should cast themselves first into the sea and get to land and the rest, some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land. Now some might think that this is only about geography and there is a great deal of geography that’s given to us here in this chapter,

but certainly that’s not the case, but I do want you to notice and I hope most of you can at least see it. Anyway. I know you’re not going to be able to read most of the names, but anyway, this gives us the journeys of the apostle Paul. And we’re interested in the one that’s going to take him to Rome. The first part of this 27th chapter tells us that they leave Cesarea here and they come up to Sidon and then they’re going to come up along Syria and Felicia and Pamphylia,

and come over here to Myra here at Myra, they are going to find a ship from Alexandria. That’s headed to Italy. And the Centurion that is with Paul has them get on that ship. And so then they are going to sail up here around roads and then come down to Crete. They’re going to come to fair havens. And here they, because the winds at this particular time of year are so fierce in the Mediterranean.

They are trying to decide whether they need to continue on in their journey or whether they just need to stay here on the Island of Crete until springtime basically. But then the winds call them down. And so they decided to go ahead and go on, even though Paul admonishes them to stay. And he, cause it’s not going to be good, but they decided to go on anyway.

And then they’re going to continue on their journey. According to Luke here. And eventually they’re going to come over here for, to Malta, which is another name for Malita, which is the Island where we learned in chapter 27 or 20 chapter 28, rather in verse one. And when they were escaped, then they knew that the Island was called Malita,

where they ended up being. And so it is the same as Multa. This is the Island where they’re going to end up being shipwrecked. And yet what is going to happen is because the winds are so fierce, they are looking for land and they find this land, but they don’t know for sure what it is. And they find that there is this inlet where a river is and they decide they’re going to Ram the ship into the inlet if at all possible,

anyway, in order to try to save the ship as well as themselves. And they are able to do that. But the problem is the back part of the ship is still out there. And Luke tells us that this is where two seas come together, where they met the North sea and the South sea, the go around the Island here of the Mediterranean sea.

And it is because of that, that the winds are going to toss the rear end of the ship. And it’s going to be destroyed as a result of that. And then they’re going to end up having to, to seek and find another ship in order to continue onto their journey. But this passage here explains to us, or, or reveals to us concerning the plight of the apostle Paul as he and his fellow passengers are on their way to the city of Rome,

where Paul is going to stand before Nero Caesar to be tried. And so the ship is running ground here, as I made mention of, and yet it is going to end up being wrecked because of these two seas coming together and tossing it back and forth. Well, when you think about that, you know, figuratively, same idea applies to our lives.

If we’re not careful anyway, where we can find ourselves caught between two seas and we can find ourselves caught between being tossed back and forth. And ultimately if that is the case, we may end up being completely destroyed as a result of that. But I want us to notice some sees that meat, if you will, and notice the Savage harm that can be done as a result of that,

for example, a wrong act to oppose another wrong act. Sometimes we hear people say, well, this may not be right, but whatever he and she did was certainly not right either. And therefore they try to justify doing wrong because someone else did wrong. And probably if someone else did wrong under them, and therefore they’re going to retaliate in some particular way,

form or fashion, and yet to do wrong, just because someone else did wrong is not that justifiable. And yet there are those who will use that particular argument. When you turn over to the book of Romans chapter 12, we’ve made mentioned at various times, chapter 12 is sometimes called the chapter of the ideal Christian. But here in this chapter, the last two verses the apostle.

Paul says, therefore, if an enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst, give him drink for, in doing I had for in. So doing thou shalt heap, coals of fire on his head, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Paul could have been promoting the idea that because someone does evil to you, such as the enemy that is hungry or the enemy that is thirsty notice,

first of all, it is an enemy. And yet we are not to treat them the way that they treat us. You could do evil unto them. But Paul says to overcome evil and to overcome evil with good, we are not to be overcome of evil. And if we choose evil methods to combat evil, then we’re going to end up losing in the end.

It’s not going to be a victory because the wrong act cannot remedy another wrong act. When you turn to Matthew chapter 26, Matthew chapter 26 verses 50 through 53 Matthew records, and Jesus said unto him, friend, wherefore art thou come then came, they and laid hands on Jesus and took him and behold. One of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priests.

And smote off his ear then said, Jesus, unto him, put up again, thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword think is thou that I cannot now pray to the father. And he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels, but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled? That thus it must be here.

Of course, is when Jesus is in the garden of guests 70, and this mob is going to come in order to arrest him. And Judas, of course is leading the mob. And yet when they find Jesus, Peter draws his sword with what they are attempting to do to take Jesus. And he’s going to cut off<inaudible> ear, the servant of the high priest.

And Jesus tells him to put his sword away. Those who live by the sword are going to die by The sword. And So, even though these people are doing something, which is not right, because Jesus is not guilty of anything yet, it was not right for Peter to take the sword and attempt to kill Malcolm. The indication seems to be from what is spoken of.

He was actually aiming to cut the man’s head off, but instead he only cut off an ear. But the point that Jesus makes is that even though what they are doing wrong, it does not justify you doing wrong in order to go against what they’re doing that is wrong. And so here it is the idea of being caught between two seas and it disaster is going to end up being the result.

If that is the case, Peter was ready to kill. He was ready to kill the people who came to take Jesus here in the garden. But you know, when you think about it, nothing would have suited Satan any more than for Peter to do that. Because with that, it was going to be toward his end, what his desire was rather than what God’s desire was.

And so Jesus was not willing to stoop to the devil’s methods, just in order to keep from being taken by the mob. And in fact, Jesus has pointed. He makes to Peter into the apostles is that if you were to fight against this mom, then how shall the scriptures be fulfilled? Because this is the way it must be. And so to fight against this would be the fight against God.

It’s very much like, as you read in first Samuel chapter 12 and in verse 23, where the people come to Samuel and they say, give us a King. We want to be like the nations roundabout, us and Samuel looks upon this as being a rejection of him. God is going to tell Samuel, it’s not because they’ve rejected. You it’s because they’ve rejected me and you give them what it is that you,

what they want. But there in verse 23, you’re going to read where Samuel is going to pray for the people he doesn’t approve of what they are doing. And in fact, it’s going to be such. Samuel is going to tell them, now, if you end up getting a King, these are the things that are going to happen, and you’re not going to like them.

Once you get in that situation. And yet they still demand to have a King, but Samuel is going to pray for the people. Even though they are ones who don’t want Samuel to lead them anymore as being the leader of their, of the people of Israel. And so with this, Samuel could have, he could have been one who said, well,

fully on you. Or he could have rebuked them, blaspheming them or whatever it may have been, but he does it. And instead he prays for them attempting to do good for them, a wrong act to oppose another wrong act is going to end up being disastrous. Secondly, you have two ships that are going to meet when you have ignorance that meets religious ignorance.

It’s meeting religious air. When people will not seek to become informed of God’s word, then they are going to be ignorant. And when they try to talk to others that are in religious error, they’re going to end up having a battle that is not going to be able to be won because of their own ignorance in the book of Hosea chapter four. And in verse six,

the prophet Hosea says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. And the point that God is making through the prophet, Hosea is not that knowledge was not available to the people of God, but they refuse to accept the knowledge that was available and thereby they were going to be destroyed because of that, because they refuse to follow through in obedience to the word of God and complying with the word of God.

And yet they did so willfully. Well, when you turn over to Romans chapter one, as the apostle Paul is opening his letter to the church at Rome, and he begins to speak concerning the situation of the Gentiles before they were converted. And what happened with the Gentiles through their history, in the fact that they did not retain God in their knowledge.

And they did not seek to follow God. And they turned against him and therefore God turned against the people as a result of that. But in verse 27, 28, it says, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things, which are not convenient. Notice how that God did not turn his back on the Gentiles as it were.

First of all, it was they who turned against God and therefore God was left with no alternative, but to turn against them because of their wickedness, because of their evil, in what they do. And so when the people rejected, then you can’t blame anybody but themselves for the situation that they end up finding themselves in. And certainly that was the case.

But when false teachers find a situation like that, then they have a field day because of the ignorance of people, they can preach and teach whatever they want to. And many times, no matter how ridiculous it may be. And yet people are going to follow after them because they don’t know the word of God and thereby they’re going to follow just anybody that comes the long and the can lead almost anybody as a result of that.

Jesus and Matthew chapter 15 would speak concerning some of those in his day in time. And he describes them as being blind. And he says, in verse 14, let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind need the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. So Jesus acknowledges it is possible for one first of all,

to be blind. But he also acknowledges that if you have a blind man leading a group of blind men, first of all, that’s insanity. When you think about it. But secondly, a blind man leading a group of blind men, they’re going to end up falling into the ditch because there’s no one who can see accurately concerning what is ahead and what is coming forward.

And yet this was a description of those false teachers during the time of Christ, leading those Jews who lacked knowledge, who did not follow after the word of God and Jesus calls upon his own apostles, just to let them go, let them go. The block. If the blind lead the blind, they both shall fall into the ditch. Destruction is going to be the result when ignorance meets religious,

there were also in chapter 22 of the book of Matthew. Jesus is going to have an encounter with the Sadducees. This crowd of people come to Jesus and beginning in verse 23, Matthew tells us, was this the same day cave to him? The Sergeant Sadducees would say that there is no resurrection. And asked him, say, master. Moses said,

if a man die, having no children, his brothers shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren and the first one, he had married, a wife deceased and having no issue left his wife unto his brother. Likewise, the second also in the third, under the seventh. And last of all,

the woman died also, therefore in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be? The seven four, they all had her. Now they’re putting forth this account here in order to try to trip Jesus up as it relates toward the resurrection, because Jesus has been teaching, there is going to be a resurrection. The Sadducees do not believe that there is a spirit world.

They do not believe in a soul. They do not believe in a spirit. They do not believe that there’s going to be a resurrection. And so they have devised this story whereby they are going to try to trip Jesus up as far as his teaching, concerning their being a resurrection. And so they say, well, here it is that. According to what Moses taught us anyway,

that when a man marries and, and if the man dies before producing any children, then his brother is to take his wife in order to raise up children to the dead brother. Wow. Oh, we know of a woman where she was married to a man and her husband died and he has six brothers. And so she’s given to the second brother to raise up children to the first brother and he dies without buried any children.

And so she’s given to the third and the fourth and the fifth and the sixth, and then even the seventh one. And they all ended up dying. And then finally she dies. And the conflict is, well, if there’s really a resurrection, then in the resurrection, whose wife is she going to be? Cause she was a wife to all seven of them.

Well, first of all, Jesus is going to remind them, of course, that this is that which the law spoke about. And Deuteronomy chapter 25, verses five through 10, this was acceptable under the law of Moses. It was part of what we call deliberate marriage law and lever it not being because of the Levi’s, but Lee bites, because,

but rather it is that which is concerning the producing of children and keeping the family alive, keeping the family going because of the inheritance they’ve received. And because of the, the Messiah that is come and get with them, this Jesus is going to show when you go on reading verses 29 and 30 Jesus answered and said unto them, you do earn not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection.

They neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. And so Jesus saying that after the resurrection, there’s no going to be husband and wife situation. As there was here on this earth, there’s not going to be that relationship there. And therefore it’s not going to be the problem that we will be as the,

and therefore there will not be this tie between us of husband and wife, as there was here on this earth. And so that, which they thought to use in order to try to trip Jesus up, supposing that he would be, he would basically put himself in a corner and not be able to get himself out of it. Jesus demonstrates while you don’t even know what the scriptures teach and says.

So, and yet, suppose Jesus did not know the truth. At that particular time, when this situation is presented to them, then the likelihood is that that Jesus would have been caught in a corner, which of course he never was. He always knew the right answer to give. And yet Jesus is here by because of his knowledge of the scriptures being inspired of God and being full of the Holy ghost.

He knew the correct answer to make and thereby error was not triumphant over Jesus. And it was never a triumphant over Jesus. But when a false teacher comes along today does not the same danger exists. If we don’t know what the, the scriptures teach concerning the law of God, both in old Testament times, as well as new Testament times and how easily it can be for us to be tripped up by those who are teaching things that are not right.

If we’re not familiar with what the scriptures teach, Where two CS met Can be disastrous as it was disastrous for the ship that Paul was on traveling to the city of Rome. But another example of this could be where liberalism meets arrogance and dissatisfaction. If there were to be one who would come into our assemblies and he, or she is one who is be labeled as being liberal,

as far as their thinking is concerned, what generally ends up happening is that they will seek out one who is weak in the congregation, spiritually speaking one who is disgruntled in the congregation and seek to begin to be their friend and to join themselves with them. And if they can find those who feel neglected in the congregation, then they will be friend them as well in order to try to gain their confidence in what they begin to do is they begin to try to undermine what is happening in the congregation.

So as to begin to try to take control and it’s happened, Oh, so many times throughout history, as far as that is concerned, But what They are attempting to do is very much like Absalom did. When you go back to second Samuel chapter 15, and in verse six, there it speaks concerning Absalom and how that he would steal the hearts of the people in order to take the kingdom away from his father,

David, and for them to begin following after him instead. And it was very effective. He did a very good job in doing that. And yet ultimately it’s going to bring about his own demise because of the fact that God is not going to be with him in this particular matter. And when these forces meet, then you can see the beginning of discord and confusion that takes place.

And we end up having so many times anyway, in several different congregations, end up having an uproar of those who are rebelling against the elders. Those who are rebelling against the men of the congregation and the leaders in the congregation, whatever it may be because they were dissatisfied to start with, but somebody else came along and coddled them to follow after their ideas rather than following after and continuing to be faithful to what the word of God teaches.

It ends up being disastrous in many times, congregation split as a result of that. And certainly that is not what God prefers as far as his people are concerned, even though sometimes it may, may be necessary for that to take place. James, in the book of James speaks concerning this idea in James chapter three, when he says beginning in verse 13,

who is a wise man, and indeed with knowledge among you, let him show out, have a good conversation. His works with meekness of wisdom, but if he have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory, not in lie, not against the truth, this wisdom descended not from above, but is earthly sensual devilish for where envy and strife is.

There is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. And so Paul R. James here rather as he is writing speeds concerning this idea of envy and strife as being that,

which is Coming from the devil, It is that which he describes as being sensual and devilish rather than that, which is described as being a righteousness toward. And so it’s such that this kind of deceit that is used is such that it’s going to serve no good purpose. And yet it happens quite often. And so we need to watch our attitudes and we need to be sure that those who would be wanting to try to take us away to come in under stealth measures anyway,

to try to deceive us or those who will not be effective in doing such. But when liberalism meets arrogance and dissatisfaction, it generally ends up being disastrous to seize having Mitt. Finally, we need to be on guard. We need to always be on guard because remember, as a result of these two seas meeting at the end of this particular aisle, the aisle of Malta,

the shipwreck is going to end up being the result. The ship is going to be completely torn apart as a result of this. Well, such can also happen as far as we are concerned. And as far as the church is concerned, Paul, when he writes to the Corinthians in first Corinthians chapter 10 and in verse 12 says wherefore led him that think of take heed,

lest he fall, let him that think if these standards take heed, lest he fall. And so it is that we need to be ones who are watchful concerning our own attitudes, watchful concerning the way that we are living watchful concerning our desires. So as to make sure that they do not go against what God would have us to be doing, and therefore ended up falling by the wayside as a result of that,

we should not allow our souls to become part of the debris area because of the shipwreck that is going to take place by not being ready and not being prepared and not doing what God would have us to do in order to be in a right relationship with him. Even though the ship is going to be lost. We find here in acts chapter 27 yet no one died as a result of that.

All souls that were on the ship were saved. And Paul of course was told by God that as long as they did what God instructed them to do then, and remained in the ship, they would be saved and such was the case. But as you think concerning this idea of where to CS met and the problems that can arise because of that, we need to that a wrong act to oppose another wrong act is going to be disastrous.

We need to remember that ignorance when it meets religious error is going to end up being disastrous as well. And when re liberalism meets arrogance and dissatisfaction, you’re going to have disaster. And therefore we need to be on guard. We need to be on guard. So as to make sure that we do not end up the church does not end up suffering a shipwreck because of going contrary to what the word of God teaches.

If you’re one, who’s not a member of the body of Christ this evening, we need to be those who will examine the scriptures. And we encourage you to examine the scriptures, to see what God would have you to do in order to become a Christian. There are all different kinds of ideas and theories concerning that is in the religious world, as you well know.

And yet our emphasis is what does the Bible teach? The Bible teaches that one must hear the word and must believe it must be willing to repent and to confess their faith in Christ, and then to be baptized in order to receive the remission of their sins in order to be saved. And that’s what one must do. There is no other way to salvation,

no matter how sincere one may be, no matter how morally good they may be, they have to do it the way that God said, do it in order to receive the desired results. If you’re one who is in that situation, we encourage you. We plead with you to obey the gospel as is recorded in the new Testament. If you’re already a member of the body of Christ,

and yet you’ve brought reproach upon the church, you’ve turned against God, turned against the church, whatever it may be, please come back and repentance, praying to God for forgiveness and begin again, walking in the way of righteousness so that you can end up having the desired result. If we can help you, will you come as together? We stand and as we sing.