Why Are You Afraid?

Introduction

Matt 8:18-27 “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead.” When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?””

Vs. 18-22

Matthew places teaching on discipleship next to the their experience on the storm.

It’s easy to see why. . .discipleship was never promised to be easy!

Even though there was a crowd, Jesus is not just interested in the crowd, He wants committment.

HE doesn’t simply want enthusiasm, He wants to know if you’ll stick around when things get scary!!!

Discipleship/following the Master may mean that you have some scary moments.

Matt 8:23 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.”

Notice that Jesus got into the boat. . . the disciples followed Him. APPL. Maybe why we can’t see our way is because we got into a boat, that Jesus wasn’t on!

Notice that they followed Jesus. They were willing to go where Jesus lead. APPL. If Jesus leads, will you follow?

Matt 8:24 “And behold, there arose a great storm [shaking like an earthquake] on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.”

A life with Jesus is not all cupcake and rainbows. Sometimes life gets shaky when you decide to follow Jesus. [that’s why He wants you to count the cost] - Will you be afraid, or will keep following Jesus?

Did you notice where Jesus was? - He was asleep in the storm - This is what peace looks like.

I don’t know How Jesus did this. How was he able to do something like sleeping in the midst of a storm

When God gives you peace people will be asking the same of you How can you pray/sing/study/worship/serve. . .in your storm. Tell Them “this is what peace looks like”

Sometimes Jesus needs to calm the storm inside us, before he calms the storms outside us. It doesn’t always mean that the storm will leave immediately, but He can calm the storm in you.

Matt 8:25 “And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!””

They knew who to come to. They came for help and they came to the right place. APPL. Only Jesus can save. There is no one that can match Jesus in WISDOM, POWER, MIGHT, GLORY, AUTHORITY, MAJESTY

He was Sleeping but He was there/ He was sleeping but he had power

Someone tonight needs to come to Jesus

“Save us, Lord” - Isn’t it funny, how we know what to call Jesus when we’re in trouble?

Lord, acknowledged that Jesus

In control

Will take care of you

They recognized how bad the situation was “we are perishing”

SIN does the same thing to you it leaves you perishing. . .BUT Jesus can save you!

Matt 8:26 “He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.”

APPL. When faith decreases fear increases

Fear came when they lost sight of the true power

As powerful as the storm was Jesus has more power

ANALOGY. Elephants are large and powerful animals and it fears nothing

When it walks on the plain it doesn’t matter what’s there because it know IT HAS POWER.

SIMILARLY “great is he that is in you than he that is in the world” - [SICKNESS, TRIALS, PERSECUTION, BROKENNESS, BROKENESS

So when things/people come around tell them “I brought Jesus in my boat”

Don’t forget what yo have on the inside: JESUS!

Matt 8:27 “The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?””

What are you waiting on?

What are you still afraid of?

Rom 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

What will it take to follow Jesus?

Maybe this is why some of us are afraid.

We have decided that following Jesus will cost us

Friends

Family

Noteriety

Money

Matt 8:19 “Then a scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.””

Consider what is said in Matt 8:23 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.”

Notice who followed Him

So What will it take to follow Jesus?

The Text

Mt 8:23 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.”

Notice Jesus got into the boat first

His disciples followed Him