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Sailing Beyond the Map

Genesis 11: 31 - 12: 5

Text Scripture:

31. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

  1. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

4. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

5. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

INTRO:

Vacation Bible School starts tonight

  • The theme is: Journey Off the Map
  • LifeWay sends a suggested sermon outline with the material for pastors to preach – if they desire to do so
  • Sharon asked me if I would consider preaching their outline
  • I told her, “Probably not!”
  • And I told her that because I wrote and preach a sermon entitled: “Sailing beyond the Map!”
  • And I would consider preaching it!  (Mine’s better ‘n Lifeway’s anyway! 

The VBS theme this week (Journey Off the Map) is about Daniel, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego (The 3 Hebrew Boys)

  • They were forced into captivity in a foreign country.
  • All the customs were strange to them.
  • Everything they did was foreign to them.
  • There was no map for what they were doing.
  • But God was their guide in all things!

My sermon is from different scripture – but presents the same truths that will be covered in VBS this week.

In verse 31 & 32 of the text scripture I’ve read today, we find one of the saddest epitaphs recorded in the Bible. In is about Abraham’s father, Terah: 31. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan;and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

32: And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

  • Haran was approximately the halfway point from where he started to where he was going.
  • It was very beautiful city with all the luxuries of the day.
  • It was a familiar place to Terah
  • It was a good place to raise a family
  • Good schools
  • Good people
  • It was “comfortable”
  • Only one problem … IT WASN’T WHERE GOD INSTRUCTED HIM TO GO!!!

Therefore, Terah’s epitaph could have read:

  • He died, having never reached his destiny.
  • He died halfway to his destiny.
  • He died in a familiar place
  • He died in his comfort zone
  • Many Christians and churches are dead today … they’re just waiting on somebody to bury them!
  • How sad, to be dead before you die!!!

What a sad epitaph! HE DIED IN HARAN!!! (He refused to travel “off the map!”)

But now, let’s contrast what the Bible says about Terah and Abraham:

Genesis 12: 5: And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan;and into the land of Canaan they came.

What a powerful statement!

  • They reached their destination.
  • They did what they set out to do!!!

What was the secret to Abraham’s success?

He was willing to:

  • Go where he had never been
  • See what he had never seen
  • Do what he had never done
  • He was willing to sail beyond the map!
  • In short, he was willing to risk everything for God!

1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (It ain’t on the map!)

ILLUSTRATION:

  • In 1492,Christopher Columbus had a nautical map of the known world for his journey to America.
  • However, he and his crew sailed beyond the map.
  • When they reached the end of the map of the known world, the crew sent the message, “We have sailed beyond the map; please send further instructions.”
  • If Columbus had not been willing to sail “beyond the map,” he would never have discovered America.

Columbus

By Joaquin Miller

“BEHIND him lay the gray Azores, Behind the Gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good mate said: “Now must we pray, For lo! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?” “Why, say, ‘Sail on! sail on! and on!’”

“My men grow mutinous day by day; My men grow ghastly wan and weak.” The stout mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. “What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?” “Why, you shall say at break of day, ‘Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!’”

They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow, Until at last the blanched mate said: “Why, now not even God would know Should I and all my men fall dead. These very winds forget their way; For God from these dread seas is gone. Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say”— He said: “Sail on! sail on! and on!”

They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the mate: “This mad sea shows his teeth to-night. He curls his lip; he lies in wait, With lifted teeth, as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one good word: What shall we do when hope is gone?” The words leapt like a leaping sword: “Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!”

Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck, And peered through darkness. Ah, that night Of all dark nights! And then a speck - A light! A light! A light! A light! It grew, a starlit flag unfurled! It grew to be Time’s burst of dawn. He gained a world; he gave that world Its grandest lesson: “On! sail on!”

I submit to you today that whether it be:

  • Abraham going into the land of Canaan,
  • Christopher Columbus discovering America,
  • The Spiritual future of this church
  • Our personal Spiritual future
  • Or for the success of any worthwhile endeavor

Sailing beyond the map is required!

I submit to you that the first step in gaining Spiritual Direction for our lives and this church … is to realize that there is a vast difference between MOTION and DIRECTION.

  • MOTION is merely movement, which may or may not have a defined purpose.
  • DIRECTION is MOTION with a purpose

I submit to you that Spiritual Direction will never be realized, or occur, in our personal Spiritual journey, this church, or any church’s Spiritual journey - until we become dissatisfied with Haran, (The map) allow God to lead us, and sail completely off the map!

As long as we are satisfied with our Spiritual condition, and the Spiritual condition of this church, we’ll never realize our Spiritual Direction.

  • We’ll stay in Haran.
  • We’ll stay on the map in familiar territory.
  • But I want you to know that Spiritual excitement begins where the map ends!

How long since you’ve experienced the Spiritual thrill and exhilaration of just being out there on the cutting edge with God?

Proverbs 3: 5-6:

5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

He is The Way! … He is The Map! (Jesus is our Guide) (VBS)

Today, I want to just walk through the whole Bible and examine cases where Spiritual Renewal occurred, when people were willing to SAIL BEYOND THE MAP!

1: Noah:

  • Build a boat … I’ll give you the blueprint!
  • Tell the people it’s gonna rain … What’s rain, God? … Slap off the Map!

2: The Twelve Spies.

  • Ten wanted to stay where they were (On the map!)
  • Two were willing to SAIL BEYOND THE MAP and go into the Promised Land!

3: Moses:

(Take your shoes off … all they know how to do is walk where the map leads!)

SAILED BEYONG THE MAP:

He walked into Pharaohs palace and declared: God said, “Let my people go,” he brought plagues, and when got to the Red Sea and stuck his staff out and opened it – and let the Israelites cross on dry land, then closed it back with Pharaoh’s army still inside! Slap off the Map!

4: Gideon:

  • He and 120 men
  • He was facing an entire army
  • When they broke their pitchers and became Irreversibly Committed!
  • They SAILED BEYOND THE MAP

5: Woman with the Issue of Blood:

  • When she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment – SHE SAILED SLAP OFF THE MAP

6: The Woman at the Well:

  • Jesus SAILED BEYOND THE MAP when he diverted His course to go to Samaria to talk with a half-breed woman that the Jews hated. (Woman at the Well)

7: Peter:

  • SAILED BEYOND THE MAP when he walked on the water.

8: Jesus:

  • SAILED BEYOND THE MAP when He suffered and died on Calvary, and rose again on the third day.

Close:

  • I want you to know that Spiritual excitement begins where the map ends!

Spiritual renewal begins when we SAIL BEYOND THE MAP!

  • If you want to experience what you’ve never experienced before – You’ve got to do what you’ve never done before!
  • Go beyond the map
  • Have faith in God!

Albert Einstein: Insanity: Doing the same thing, the same way, expecting different results.

Aaron McCollough: if you always do, what you’ve always done, you’ll always get, what you’ve always got!

ILLUSTRATION:

(On the map!)

Charlie Brown … bow and arrow … targets … Lucy … Charlie: Yea, but you never miss if you do it my way!

(Off the map!)

Firing Range:

  1. Ready, aim, fire!
  2. Ready aim, aim, aim, aim, aim, and never fire.
  3. Ready, Fire, Aim!
  • Pull the trigger and you may hit something
  • Don’t pull the trigger – and I guarantee you’ll never hit anything!
  • Spiritual renewal begins when we SAIL BEYOND THE MAP!

Perhaps for a long time you have been troubled about your Spiritual Condition …

How long has it been since you’ve Sailed Beyond the Map of your life?

Do you know my Jesus?

Would you be willing to Sail Beyond the Map today?

Preached: 5-31-15 @ Teaver Road Baptist Church LaGrange, Georgia