by Ted Brooks
Every crewmember on the ship has a function. If a
command is misinterpreted, if a sail becomes fouled or isn’t reefed properly,
if a line parts because it wasn’t properly spliced or not properly tended, or if
a block fails because it isn’t cared for, results can be disastrous. But if the
lookout is sharp enough to spot the right landmarks, if the navigator is
skilled and can determine the ships’ precise location, if the deck crew
properly executes the captains commands, if the ship is in proper shape and
responds to the crew, if the sails are trimmed properly, if the rudder responds
to the helmsman, if the captain is familiar with how the ship performs and can
direct the ships maneuvers in just the right way at just the right time, the
ship remains safely in the channel. Every task is critical, each in its own way
and each in its own moment. Not everyone can be captain. But every man is essential, and when each man
performs well and as a team, supporting and strengthening each other, the ship
performs and moves almost like a living extension of the crew executing the will
of the captain. The apostle Paul is much more succinct than I when he describes
the same concept applied to the church.
“All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to
every man severally as he will. For as
the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body,
being many are one body: so also is Christ.” (1 Cor. 12:11,12). And again, in
Romans 12:4-5, “For
as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same
office: so we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of
another.”
A ships company functions because they acknowledge
and readily accept their assigned function. So it is with members of the
churches of Christ from the first century until now; we embrace our functions as
part of the whole body, which is the church (Eph. 1:20-21). In other words, “Now hath God set the members
every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where were
the body? But now are they many members,
yet but one body” (1
Cor. 12: 18-20).
Regardless of the talent or skill we possess, we
cannot effectively apply that skill to our daily work unless we are committed.
We have to be willing or we will not function to the best of our ability
whether that be handling a line, furling a sail … teaching a bible class,
leading songs, assisting those in need, or spreading God’s word to those we
meet. We have to believe in what we do! The sailor needs to believe in his
ability enough to leave the shore and strike out into the deep. His quest must
be bigger than his fears. And he must believe in success in order to support
his shipmates when the chips are down. As Christians we must have faith that
our search for God’s purpose in our lives will make us what we need to be, and
take us where we need to go, and bringing us about when we need to be there. We
must believe that “everyone
that asketh, recieveth; and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh
it shall be opened.”
(Mt. 7:8). As a sailor has faith in the sea bringing him home, So our faith
buoys us …because “without
faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6)
A ship’s crew succeeds not just because it’s
skilled, but also because it is disciplined. Discipline means a specific job
performed a specific way. There is a standard procedure and standard of
performance so results are repeatable and can be relied on by others beside
you. As Christians we rely on the Bible as our standard and have confidence
that if we study faithfully, examine carefully, and respond faithfully, God
will use us to His ends. We believe that “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10)
and that God presented our operations manual in His way and for our strict
adherence so that we would achieve consistent results. “All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
that the man of God may be perfect(mature, complete), throughly
furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Therefore, we must
learn to do things God’s way…”Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not
be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15) A disciplined crew is not easily diverted
from the task at hand by division, insubordination, disobedience or mutiny,
which might lead to failure for many or all. These same problems can affect us
as individual Christians and as a church family. In chapter 3 of his Second Epistle,
Peter warns:” some
things are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore beloved, seeing ye know these
things beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own steadfastness” (v.
16-17).
And as shipmates support one another in times of
hardship because they are drawn together by trial and adversity, by common
goals, and common foes, so we as Christian brothers and sisters exhort one
another, support one another, protect and correct one another that we may be
stronger singly and severally and all together stand into port for rest and
restoration.
‘If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens,
and so fulfil the law of Christ….but let every man prove his own work, then he
shall have rejoicing in himself alone, not in another.’ (Gal. 6:1ff)
and again from Hebrews 10:23-24, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke
unto love and to good works: not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves as is the manner of some, but exhorting
one another and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.
No mission was successful unless the crew, trained,
fortified, and unified, looked to the captain as one trusted to lead them
through hardship, through dangers, through troubled waters and winding straits
and through the narrow gate. In days of old, the ships master or captain had to
work his way up from the scullery, through the mess deck, through the gun deck,
through the main deck, into the rigging, onto the helm and finally before the
mast on the foredeck where he stood as the most experienced and proven man on
the ship. He stood as reassurance and
example to the crew because he had been where they were and had faced the same
challenges they did. They therefore placed their lives in his hands who
demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice his life for theirs. Likewise we as
Christians place our hearts, souls, and hopes for eternal salvation in the
hands of the Son of the Living God… “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God: But made himself of
no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: and being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death on the cross” (Phil.
2: 6-8).
So, we see that Christ is our Captain, or in Paul’s
words, “We see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death
for every man. For it became him for
whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto
glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb. 2:9-10).
Finally, every ship on the sea has a mission, a
purpose, which it must fulfil. If we continue
to press the analogy of the ship to the church, our mission is Search and Rescue.
To rescue lost souls from the trouble seas of worldliness, false religion,
aggressive atheism, or casual disobedience.
We do this by example; we demonstrate Christian principles to those
around us. We must “let our light so shine before
men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in
heaven.”
(Mat5:16) As example to others, we must “sanctify the Lord God in our
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1Pet3:15)
May God grant us the strength to aid the rescue of
those we can granting us fair winds and following seas. Ready yourselves to meet the Captain of our
Salvation by obeying Him (Heb. 5:8-9). Jesus
said, “believe that I am He…” (John 8:24), repent of sin (Luke 13:3), confess
Him before men (Mt. 10:32-33), and be baptized “to wash away thy sins” (Acts
22:16). May we continue then faithfully
serving the Captain (Rev. 2:10; Mt. 10:22).
