________________________________________________________________________

We have read a weird text in Job and have given a strange title for this message. In considering the strangeness of the title "am I a sea?," realize that Job also said "or a whale?" I could have preached to you today from the subject "am I a whale?"!! That would certainly be a message to remember!

Now let me make a little disclaimer here. I would have, of course, preached the message from the standpoint of Ezekiel 32:2 where God called Pharaoh, king of Egypt, a "whale" because he "troubled the waters" of Israel and not in reference to the gumbo and menudo that some are going to eat after this service. The word for "whale" here in the Hebrew is the word, tanniyn (tan-een'), which is a broad term for any large creature that is not easily controlled by man, particularly referring to water animals. It is used for such concepts in scripture as "dragons," "sea serpents," "hippopotamuses," and "crocodile." The idea expressed in Ezekiel 32 is that all of these such animals when in the waters around human beings, dirty and stir up the water and make it hard to see, and can even be dangerous. In the sense that Ezekiel uses the term, the word "whale" would mean "trouble makers." And I've known churches that were full of "whales" -- in other words, trouble makers -- who were always stirring up the mud and causing the waters to become a turmoil wherever they were. In that sense only it is true that we don't need or want a church full of whales! And it would have made a memorable message, if I had taken the time to preach to you the lesson of the whales, and I probably could have worked Jonah and his little situation somewhere into the message and how that God had to put a "trouble maker" in his situation to get him back in the will of God and get out of his comfort zone! It would have been a good sermon, but alas, we need to move on. Just this week, if you seem somebody being a trouble maker and making a bad situation worse, just think "they are a whale," and then ask yourself the all-important question: "am I a whale?"!! :)

________________________________________________________________________

But let's move on to the other strange, but perhaps a little more serious question of Job:

What a strange question, and even stranger when you realize that it was to God that Job addressed this question. Job was frustrated because of the trial that he was going through and in his frustration, we find that he asked questions of God. It's the natural human response when you are going through something to ask "why?," and in the book of Job we find some of the very same questions that you and I ask when facing a situation of suffering or unease from which we are not sure why we are having to endure: questions like "what have I done to deserve this?" and "what do I have to do to get out of this test?" and such.

But here in our text, Job asked a question that has probably never been asked by any of us here in a bad situation, and that is he looks up to the heavens and in frustration says "am I a sea?" "Am I a sea?" What did he mean by that? Understand that if Job thought enough to pose the question to God, then he desired an answer. Understand also that the question obviously had something to do with the situation which Job was in, and to completely understand why Job would ask such a strange question, we have to fast forward to the end of Job when God appeared in a whirlwind and answered most of his questions. The answer to this particular question was found in the following scripture where God turned the tables and asked Job some questions:

God said in this chapter "were you there when I created the earth?" Why do you, the creation, have a right to question me the Creator? And then God goes on to answer Job's question by saying that it was He who "shut up the sea with doors." And then God goes on to say that He "brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors." In other words, God was saying, "the sea stays were it is and never goes beyond it's limits because I have orchestrated that it be where it's at." God has promised that He would never destroy the earth again with water, and so He has defined the coastlines and the edges of the oceans and seas as the place where the sea stops and the land begins. To allow the sea to cover the earth again would be for God to break His promise to Noah, and do something that God cannot do: lie. We find this same imagery in the book of Psalms when talking about God, the psalmist wrote:

The imagery and point is this: the waters of the seas that were such a destructive force in Noah's time are now tamed by the command of God who has declared that they should remain within a certain place and upon which God has set a "bound" upon.

So in our text, Job is in the midst of his crisis and he feels "stuck" and "bound" into his dilemma. He feels like he can't "break out of the boundaries of his situation," and that he's "hemmed in" by trouble. And so he cries out to God "am I a sea?" In other words, "am I so unruly and destructive and inherently evil, that I would be as the oceans and have to have God put limits and boundaries upon me?" To Job's mind, the answer to the question is "no, I'm not as bad as the sea, and the ocean is far more unruly than my spiritual man." To his mind, the answer is "why do I need constraints and laws, after all I'm a righteous man." As Job asks this question, he is comparing the sea to a man and visualizing himself as better than the sea. As not needing so close scrutiny to keep in line as the oceans. And so he directs his thoughts toward God with the question "am I a sea or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?" To which God responded by saying "I am the creator, and I know what my creation needs and doesn't need, and I know you better than you know yourself, Job." In other words, God responded by saying "what's it to you? If I feel that you need such constraints, then you need them, no matter how righteous that you think you are. God is saying "I'm God and you're not, and although you can't see it, there is a purpose for everything that I do." Such is the lesson of the book of Job and such is the setting of a question that at first seemed strange but begins to make sense after a little study and understanding of the context.

________________________________________________________________________

But for our purposes, let's move on from Job's situation. Job assumed that the sea was much more unruly and much more a problem to God than he was, and the question was asked with that thought in mind. Am I a sea? And to Job the answer was "no, I don't need near the attention to keep in line as the sea does!" "I'm better than the sea." But let's turn the question around. Because when you begin to study the "seas" in the Bible you will find that they have some tremendously GOOD qualities. Job asked God the question, but now God wants to ask you and I the question: "am I a sea?" In other words, does my goodness and positive attributes as a child of God, live up to the positives of the sea? It's a fair question, and one that you can only answer after you hear some of the things that the sea has in common with what a child of God should be. Let's look at some of these things.

First, we find that the seas are commanded to praise God!

The scriptures say:

You might say, how can an inanimate object praise God? By it's moving. By it's actions. By it's continual activity. Drive down the coast some time, and even if you park your car away from the coastline and try to sneak up over the sand dunes, when you get there you will find that the waves are still rolling over. The tide is still ebbing and flowing. It doesn't do it just because you are there, or just because of a crowd, but the ocean is constantly, whether you know it or not, moving and flowing and filled with activity. And by doing so, it is praising God!

So the question then becomes, "am I a sea?" In other words, do I continually praise God night and day? Do I praise God during the storms, and during the calms? Do I praise God when I'm in a crowd, and yet praise Him with that same intensity if there is only a few around that will join me in activity? And what about when no one else is around? If you were to go to the fartherest reaches of the oceans, beyond the shipping lanes and the normal places where people travel, you will still find the sea moving, and obeying the command of God to praise Him through activity! The sea's praise is not based upon who is there or where it is or it's particular environment. In the sunny places, it praises; in the wintertime and the chilly northern latitudes, it praises. No matter what may happen or where it is, it praises God. And so, it's a good question, Job, one that I'm not sure we can adequately answer because the answer might reveal some of our flaws: "am I a sea?"

"Oh, preacher, that's a little far out." No, it's not because the Apostle Paul wrote:

Can you praise God everywhere, the same without letting things aggravate you and causing wrath, and without doubt entering into your mind? Can you praise God and pray to Him in every place the same without a little troubling thoughts like "I don't know if God can do this or not" entering into your brain? What's changed? God's still the same. He's still on the throne. God can move in your home and in your car and He can heal at your school and at your job and such just like He can at work, but you've got to be like the ocean: it doesn't matter where it is or what's going on, it's going to be praising God like it was created!

How about you? In your daily activity, is it done in such a way that your everyday activity praises God? Do you continue to live in every activity according to the plans and the laws of God? The sea does. It follows the patterns of movement that God has orchestrated and never deviates from it. As much as things change, things stay the same. At least in the sea. But how about it? It's a good question, Job: Are you like the sea?

But let's move on to some other good characteristics of the sea found in scripture. Not only does the sea continually praise God, but it respects the boundaries that were put on it by God. The prophet Jeremiah preached to a rebellious people and wrote:

Here what God is saying here! He is saying "do you not understand who I am? Even the mighty sea has boundaries of sand that I have established and it does not pass over that boundary." A storm can come, but the sea will return to it's resting place. A flood can arise, but eventually it will subside. Why? Because the Lord has decreed and spoken it so. But then the Lord goes on to say "but this people has a revolting and rebellious heart." In other words He is saying "this people are not even as obedient as the mighty sea is, because they continually go beyond the boundaries that I have set for them."

I'm preaching to you that this Word of God has the principles that will bring everlasting blessing and goodness into your life. God has made some decrees of things that you should do and things that you shouldn't do. It is THE manual for life. There ARE some things that are black and white. We live in an age that is trying to push relativism, the belief that nothing is wrong under every circumstances but that all is relative to it's situation or your interpretation. I heard a story recently of a pastor that was teaching a new congregation on a Wednesday night and he got out a chalkboard and drew a line and asked the people to give him things to write down that were absolutely wrong in every situation regardless of the circumstances. To his amazement and despair, no one in his church could think of anything that they felt was wrong in every circumstance. They could think of nothing that was absolutely wrong.

Relativism: that's what the schools and colleges are teaching our kids. It's the agenda of the press today. You are supposed to be tolerant of sin and false beliefs because everything is really relative. It's only wrong if your particular slant or religious-taught morals say it is. What's wrong for you is not necessarily wrong for me. Oh, but wait! You're forgetting that God, Himself, has set some boundaries! There are still some things that a human being shouldn't do. There are still some things wrong in every situation! There are still some lines that God's Word has drawn in our lives that we should not cross!

Worshipping or praying to idols in any form is still an abomination to God. God still hates for men to act and dress like women and vice versa. Sexual sins, whether they be sex outside the sanction of marriage by heterosexual couples or by homosexual "partners" is still a sin in the sight of God under EVERY circumstance. Lying is still wrong under every situation! Lust is still a product of a fleshly will not submitted to the will of God. It's still wrong to steal. It's still wrong to gossip. It's still a sin to murder and back bite and covet and not be content in all things. It's still a sin to be deceitful and speak evil of one another. It's still wrong to destroy the temple of God, your body, through a party lifestyle. Pornography is still wrong. Taking the Lord's name in vain is still in this book! God still needs to be first! There are still some black and whites!

And despite many religions that have adopted the relativism of the world, there are some things in scripture that are very concrete! Jesus said "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). That's very definite and it means what it says. Peter preached that the promise of the Holy Ghost was for whosoever the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:38-39). That's very definite. You still need a church. You still need a pastor. You still need the Spirit of the Lord. You still need a savior! You still need to be baptized in the name of Jesus. You still need His blood to wash your sins away. It's still about the cross. It's still about Calvary. It's still about denying yourself and following Him. It's still about a place one day where I'll spend eternity. It's still about Jesus Christ is coming back for a church that is ready. It's still about living holy and separated! Say what you want, but God does not change. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever and the boundaries set by God are still valid, even if most of this world routinely exceeds them.

So I ask you a simple question from the lips of Job: am I a sea? Do I obey and live within the boundaries set the Word of God? In my daily activity do I always return to the course set by God? Do I obediently and reverently live my life in the course of God's will? Am I s the sea in my walk with God?

In our other text, we read of the very familiar account of Jesus asleep in the bottom of the boat during the storm. It stands out to me that in scripture almost every time the disciples get in a boat at the command of Jesus, there is a storm and something supernatural happens. In this case, Jesus is tired from a full day of teaching and He commands the disciples to go to the other side and then decides to take a little nap. I want you to realize that this entire narrative was a test and a lesson for the disciples and for us. As Jesus was fluffing up His pillow and arranging Himself comfortably on the bottom of the back of the boat, He knew full well that a storm was brewing. He knew that the wind was about to kick up and the waves were about to toss that ship like a rubber duck in a toddler's bath. He knew all of that, but He was setting them up to learn a little principle.

In the middle of the storm, the disciples are fearful that they are going to drown and the storm within them produced by fear was just as violent and active as the storm around them in the natural. Finally somebody goes back to Jesus, messes up His nap and screams at Him "Don't you care that we're about to die!!?" Listen to what Jesus did and said:

I want you to notice the difference between the sea and the men. When Jesus spoke the word to "be smooth," it instantly calmed and became very docile. The sea stopped responding to the storm, the second it heard it's creator's voice! But the disciples are a different story. The wind has ceased and there is a great calm, and yet Jesus turns to them and says "why are you still scared? Where is your faith?" And then in the very next verse, the story ends by saying

The storms long gone and yet the disciples are still in a storm inside! They are still fearful. They are still scared. They are still affrighted. In this story, they are not like the sea, but are continuing to be scared despite that the Word of the Master has spoken "Peace" and despite that Jesus is in the boat. As for the sea, it has instantly obeyed and responded to the command of the Creator!

Am I as a sea? When I find myself in a difficult situation and the storms of life are pounding me and it seems to my human reason that all hope is lost, and then the Word of the Lord comes to me that "He's in control and that everything is going to be alright because I've got Jesus on the boat." Do I let that calm me and cause me to stop reacting, or am I like the disciples in this story, with a fear and doubt that hinders me even after the storm is over? The sea, knows that if Jesus has said something that it shall be done and so it acts accordingly. But how about you? Do your actions in the storm indicate that you are completely convinced that Jesus is in control? Or do your actions find you screaming at God in your storm "why don't you do something!?" Are we content to trust God with the calm, firm belief that God will do what He has said, or do we panic at the slightest wind of doubt and adversity in our life?

Let me remind you that He has promised that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He has promised that He will never put more on you than you can bear. He has promised that with every temptation and trial that there will be a way of escape. He has promised that He will be everything that you need in every circumstance! And God cannot lie and His Word has already been spoken. His promises are "yeah and amen." If He said that He will give you the Holy Ghost, then He will give you the Holy Ghost if you have faith enough to believe Him for it. But you've got to push doubt away. You've got to respond to the words of the Creator more than to the winds of trial! Every problem that you will ever face has already been met and addressed by the Creator! Whatever problem that you are facing, the Word of God has already been spoken to "peace, be still." He is the master of every situation! He is the GREAT I AM! He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, A to Z, and everything that you need. BUT will you respond to the sureness of His Word and obey what it tells you to do, or will you give in to your fear and your doubt and focus on your storm? Am I a sea, or as an unbelieving disciple? The sea knows that what the master Creator says will happen, will happen. The sea knows that Jesus Christ can walk through it's situation even in the midst of the storm. The sea supports those who keep their eyes on Jesus and responds to true faith. And so once again the question is asked: am I a sea?

The Psalmist again said:

Remember this: a storm in your life is simply an opportunity by God to reveal to you the supernatural, and to bring you into a safe haven! The next time, you are in a storm, be reminded of the Word of God and of Whom you have on board your boat and choose to praise God for His power and look around expecting the miraculous instead of being of a fearful heart! Be like the sea! Return to your normal praise activity at the master's command! Be calm, He's in control!

________________________________________________________________________

Job asked the question: "am I a sea?" It's a strange thought, but a good question to ask ourselves. And so I give you one more characteristic of the sea from scripture with which you can answer the question in your life. It is found in an unlikely source, the depressing book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon wrote:

The point is this: the sea constantly receives the inflow of the rivers and streams and water is constantly being poured into it and yet the sea never gets full. There are two lessons that can be learned from this verse.

First, the sea is not selfish. It is continually giving of itself through allowing the sun's rays to evaporate and so it is not like the Dead Sea which just takes and takes and never gives of what it is has received. The sea is full of life, the place where life lives most abundantly, and that is because everything that it receives, the sea gives forth and shares. That's what keeps it filled with life and "blessed abundantly" as God called it in creation.

But the most important lesson is an "attitude" of the sea found here in this scripture. The sea never has the attitude that "I'm full." No matter how much it receives from the rivers that bring it's life, it never rejects them. It never gets to a place where it will not receive any more.

Throughout scripture the Bible equates the Holy Ghost to wells and springs and rivers of living water. And so the question of Job becomes even more potent: "am I a sea?" Do I always hunger and THIRST after righteousness? Am I "poor in spirit," in other words, always wanting to receive more of what God has for me? What sort of mindset have you brought to church today? Is it like the sea? Or have you come with the mindset that you have received everything that you need in your walk with God and that you don't need any more knowledge, a better revelation of who He is, or a greater experience in the Spirit? Are you like the sea, today, in that you never say "I'm full?" That whatever God has for you today, you will gladly receive, or have you come feeling as if you've got it altogether spiritually and that you have reached the level in God that is all you need?

God is looking for someone who will be hungry for more of Him. Someone who will not settle for just what I've experienced to this point. I'm preaching to everyone, today, from the newest to the most experienced Christians in here: what's your attitude toward receiving more of what God has for you? Are you interested or are you not really expecting anything great? Ask yourself the question and answer it by taking stock of where your faith is at today: Am I a sea?

I close with this:

There is coming a day when Jesus Christ will rule and reign all over the entire earth for 1,000 years. That is, He will reign over those who love Him and those who hate Him, they will have no choice. During His reign, there will be no war and Bible scholars refer to this time of future history as the "Millennial Reign" of Christ. You can read about it in Revelation chapter 20. But there are other scriptures that tell us what this time will be like, one good chapter is Isaiah chapter 11, and there we find an interesting prophecy:

The prophet Habakkuk said the same prophecy:

"As the waters cover the sea," so shall the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord! I bring these scriptures to you to remind you that God can change what needs to be changed through His power and glory, after all one day He will force the entire earth to submit to His glory just as He makes the water cover the sea. But now, now in the present, Jesus Christ will only reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over those hearts who willing allow Him to sit upon the throne of their life. It's a willing and "living" sacrifice that He wants! Am I as a sea? If not, then let Jesus be Lord of All in your life and change you to be as faithful as creation is to Him!