When the Storm Comes

Anchored  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  46:36
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Today, as we continue our Anchor series I’d like to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve already covered together. In week 1 we introduced Hebrews 6:19 and the idea of being anchored to hope. Then we talked about the necessity of having a firm and secure hold on the anchor of hope. And today we are going to speak bluntly about the fact that we live in a world where storms will come, which highlights the necessity of having an anchor.
It’s not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. The storms are coming and there will be adversity, suffering, and pain. When we are faced with any of these we need to be prepared beforehand, ready for whatever may come our way.
I can’t imagine a ship ever leaving port without an anchor on hand… So why are so many of us just floating through life with no real direction, no greater plan for adversity, and no anchor on board? Maybe we don’t see the need for an anchor, maybe we’ve never really had to plan ahead, or maybe we’ve had a relatively easy life and we don’t think too often about hardship or suffering.
We believe in the promises of God right?
John 16:33 CSB
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
Whatever the case may be, it’s not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. When the storms come, what are you going to do?
Last time we looked at Matthew chapter 6 and how it relates to the hope we have in the kingdom of God. This week, we’re going to take a look at Matthew chapter 7 and how it relates to having hope in the midst of a storm.
Matthew 7:24–27 CSB
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
In this section of scripture, Jesus is putting an exclamation point on the previous teaching in Matthew chapters 5-7, which is called the Sermon on the Mount. There are many who believe that this is, for many reasons, the greatest sermon ever preached. For hundreds of years it has been commented on, scrutinized, picked apart, and had countless books written about it. And at the conclusion of Jesus’ greatest sermon, he gives us this short section at the end of chapter 7 which compares 2 builders.
One of whom builds on solid rock and the other who builds on sand.

Make a Choice

In both cases, the builders heard the words of Jesus. Unfortunately, only one builder acted upon them and responded to the teaching of Christ. A.T. Robertson said in Word Pictures in the New Testament, "Hearing sermons is a dangerous business if one does not put them into practice…" And I think we would all agree that it’s easy enough to listen to something, harder to really dig in and hear, and even harder to put what you’ve heard into practice.
And yet it would seem this is the exact choice Jesus lays out for us at the end of Matthew chapter 7. We’ve got to hear and respond to His teachings.
Erik Weihenmayer is blind, yet on May 25, 2001 (Nepal time), he reached the peak of Mt. Everest. Suffering from a degenerative eye disease, he lost his sight when he was 13, but that didn’t stop him.
On a mountain where 90 percent of climbers never make it to the top—and 165 have died trying since 1953—Erik succeeded, in large measure because he listened well.
He listened to the little bell tied to the back of the climber in front of him, so he would know what direction to go.
He listened to the voice of teammates who would shout back to him, “Death fall two feet to your right!” so he would know what direction not to go.
He listened to the sound of his pick jabbing the ice, so he would know whether the ice was safe to cross.
When we take a perilous journey, listening well can make all the difference.
Like I said, it’s easy enough to listen, harder to hear, and even more difficult to put what you’ve heard into action.
But if this resonates with you then be encouraged about this fact; even the closest disciples of Jesus, who traveled and lived with him, took years upon years to really put into practice all the things they’d learned. So, there is grace for the process and at the same time, there’s encouragement to listen and respond. Choose to be like the wise builder who built on solid rock and not like the foolish builder who built on sand.
That way, when the storms do come, which they will, you can make the most of it knowing your hope is firm and secure in Christ.

Content in the Storm

Philippians 4:11 CSB
11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself.
This next story is a longer one, but it highlights the beauty and freedom of living life anchored on Christ. It should come as no surprise that the story comes from the missionary journey of Paul the Apostle, who said in Philippians 4:11,“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” For Paul, that contentment included being shipwrecked at sea and stranded for months on a strange island. Here’s how the story begins:
Read Acts 27:1
Acts 27:1 CSB
1 When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy, they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment.
In this first part of the story, we learn Paul is a prisoner and is being transported via ship to Italy.
Acts 27:9–10 CSB
9 By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul gave his advice 10 and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.”
Paul is not saying, if disaster comes, he’s saying when disaster comes. But, as you’d imagine, they don’t listen to him and they keep going along their way.
13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose. They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
14 But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island.
15 Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.
16 After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff.
17 After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship. Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis, they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along.
18 Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day.
19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.
Acts 27:20 CSB
20 For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging. Finally all hope was fading that we would be saved.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss.
22 Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship.
23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me
24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.
26 But we have to run aground on some island.”
27 When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land.
28 They took soundings and found it to be a hundred twenty feet deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet deep.
29 Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come.
30 Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow.
31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”
32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.
33 When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing.
34 So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.”
35 After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat.
36 They all were encouraged and took food themselves.
37 In all there were 276 of us on the ship.
38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they could.
40 After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach.
41 But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.
42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape.
43 But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore.
As the story transitions to Acts chapter 28 we learn the island they’ve been stranded on is Malta, “where the islander showed unusual kindness.”
Acts 28:1–6 CSB
1 Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The local people showed us extraordinary kindness. They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
A venomous snake darts out of the campfire and bites Paul, and still he seems unbothered by it all, shaking the snake off his hand. The people are suspicious then amazed and finally in awe.
Acts 28:7–10 CSB
7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.
As the story comes to a close, Paul meets the local Roman official and proceeds to start a healing ministry on the island of Malta where their ship has wrecked and everyone is stranded. After 3 months another ship had been secured and as the crew was ready to leave, the people of Malta “honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.”
Through this story we see what can happen when you’ve made a choice to build your home, your life, on Jesus. We see what can come from a life that is firm and secure, anchored to Jesus.
Here are a few things I saw in the story, and maybe you’d add some others:

Paul was completely content through the violent storm, the shipwreck, and being stranded.

In fact, he seemed to take it all in stride and never once complained that his plans were ruined. He was very open handed through it all.

Paul took advantage of the time he had while on Malta.

He preached the gospel and healed the sick. He could have pouted and moped for 3 months, but instead he made the best of the situation and treated it as an opportunity instead of a hindrance.

God supplied, through the people of Malta, everything the crew needed.

They had food, a place to stay, a new ship, and the provision to continue their journey. God worked it all together for good (Romans 8:28).
Through the storms, shipwrecks, snakebites, and sufferings of life you can trust God will be faithful. He will work all things, according to His will and purpose.

When the storms come, choose Him.

Choose His ways above all others.

Don’t stiffen your neck and reject good wisdom.

And like Paul, who knows where the journey may take you. You just might end up on a remote island somewhere for 3 months, ministering to people and growing in fellowship with others.
As I’ve mentioned many times today, it’s not a matter of if the storms of life come, it's a matter of when they come. Will you be ready? Will you have a firm and secure anchor for your soul?
I can’t imagine a ship ever leaving port without an anchor on hand… So why are so many of us just floating through life with no real direction, no greater plan for adversity, and no anchor on board?
Maybe that’s you today.
Maybe you don’t see the need for an anchor.
Maybe you’ve never really had to plan ahead, or maybe you’ve had a relatively easy life and you don’t think too often about hardship or suffering.
Whatever the case may be, and wherever you find yourself today, I want to encourage you to choose Jesus. Choose Him over any other thing, even if it sounds good, and sounds like a secure option. I can assure you, if it’s not Jesus, it’s not going to hold fast through the fiercest storms of life.
When the storm, or suffering, or adversity arrive, make sure you’ve got a firm grip on Christ… the solid rock.
Let’s pray together.
Pastor - This could be an excellent sermon to invite people to commit or recommit their lives to Christ. Especially in light of next week’s sermon, Remain, which will be a further encouragement to hold fast and persevere through all of life.Week 3: When the Storm Comes
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