God of the Storm

Intro

Good morning my friends. God is great today! Can we praise Him again?

Remember Last week, Jesus fed the 5000? A grand miracle, Praise God for His provision! They had Twelve baskets left over full of food. God doesn’t just provide, He blesses. Immediately follow this miracle Jesus goes up on a mountainside to pray alone, and He tells His disciples to get in a boat and go across the sea of Galilee also known as the lake of Tiberias. So the disciples get in a boat and start heading across to their destination, in theory with these 12 baskets, when waves begin crashing on the boat, slowing their progress to a crawl. Its night and they are barely moving thanks to the wind. and the waves.

Have you ever followed Jesus, my friends, taken a step of faith only to find yourself stuck in spiritual waves. Or life's waves. You are trying to move forward but everything just keeps crashing into you? A car breaks down, an unexpected illness, the death of a loved one. I’m sure we have all be there.

I like the beach, but I do not like the water. some people do, but I am not one of them. Getting beat by waves is not my idea of a good time. I will get in to my knees, but that's about it normally. I hate walking in the ocean, minding my own business, then out of nowhere comes some wave to beat on my head. No thank you. But that is how life is, you want to move forward. You are ready to move forward, but Life crushes you. It beats you down. Sometimes its the enemy, sometimes its just life.

What is especially confusing though, is when you are doing Gods will, you are living for God and things blow up.

Here are these disciples, listening to Jesus, but they end up in a battle, a struggle, to get where God has called them. My friends,

Jesus Called them to Battle!

read with me.

Matthew 14:22–24 NIV

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Mark 6:48 NIV

He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them,

They Were Stuck in the battle! Struggling to move forward. Jesus Got them Stuck in the middle of a lake.

Thanks Jesus.

Do You ever feel stuck in a battle by God? You follow God and now you are stuck, in battle, in struggle, in an uncomfortable place.

What is even more interesting is that these disciples were coming from the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. So this boat is likely hauling all of the leftover baskets of food. So there they are sitting there in the battle in the middle of of this lake helpless, with the abundant blessings of God weighing them down. The extra weight is potentially a huge contributing factor to the factor that they are struggling. If God hadn’t blessed so much we wouldn’t be in this position.

If we know anything about these guys, the praise of the miracle is likely gone and they are complaining and figuring.

This is what Satan does, when God blesses Satan begins to mess. He tries his very best to turn that blessing into a curse.

Another thing, Jesus was about to walk by them, but he saw them struggling, and he began to come to them.

My friends, Gods past blessings, and victories, are not problem. They are anchors of grace and faith, meant to remind you and I that when we find ourselves in the battle, Christ has a plan!

Look for Jesus in the Night!

Jesus begins to turn to them,

Jesus Struck Terror and Awe in the Disciples

Matthew 14:25–28 ESV

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Its 3AM. the battle is hard, and they are delirious.

Jesus Struck terror and Awe in the Disciples.

Fear on one hand. WHy is He walking on water. Nothing walks on water. But Jesus Speaks, Take heart, It is I. that is what He says to you and I in the battle. Be still, I am here. But then Peter hungry for Jesus, not satisfied with the current blessing, yells, If it is you, call me out!

When we see Jesus for who He is, it will strike both fear and wonder in our hearts.

What will happen if I get out of this boat? perhaps the blessing will be lost? On the other hand, if I get out and risk my life, the blessing I may get Christ.

Luke 17:33 NIV

Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.

Peter understands this. Call me out to you. I want the depths of God!

In the Kingdom, You don’t gain anything by playing it safe! Faith by it very nature is risky. Its a gamble. will I be caught? Will I sink like a rock? I don’t know!

Dad letting me sink as a kid

Don’t let the Battle keep you from Jesus.

Matthew 14:29–31 ESV

He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

There were many reasons to stay in the boat that day, but one reason to get out. Christ was calling him! When God call you, it is really irrelevant your reasons for saying no!

Peter Could have said like everyone else:

I’m going to protect the food, the boat, our lives, whatever their excuses were. Peter is certainly not a perfect person, but only one man stood up that day and said call me out into the struggle.

The waves are the problem, they are preventing the blessing of God from reaching the shore to do more ministry. If the boat can barely handle the waves how is Peter going to?

But he stands and says waves or no waves I want Jesus. I want to be with my King. Call me into the battle.

How many of us make that proclamation? Lord I want to know you so badly, that if I have to walk through the fire to be with you, so be it. Call me into the fire.

who prays that? That’s Crazy! Only one disciple did! Few Have.

Job

Job 13:15 NIV

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did

Daniel 3:17–18 NIV

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Call me into the Unknown.

Who prays that?

Peter did,

Call me out into the unknown with Jesus!

Would he sink would he die?

If that water didn’t hold him he certainly would.

This is the call of the Gospel. Get out of the boat with Jesus! and explore the presence of God.

This world is heading into a struggle, a battle. we as Christians, will not escape the coming storm, baring the rapture.

Struggle, Battles, Wind, waves, Fires, storms. Bring it on if it means we get Jesus in the end!

Ministry Time

Are you ready to get out of the boat with Jesus?

Note here as well, Peter wasn’t ready for the depths. He walked out and sank.

He sank! Failed! Messed up!

But here is the key! Jesus Caught Him.

You will sink, mess and fall. But that being said. Its time to get out of the boat boat and let Jesus catch you.

If you are ready to get of the boat we are about to worship God. I want you to ask Jesus. Call me out to where you are.