Follow Jesus Series

The Storm Your Faith Needs

Text: Matthew 8:23-27

Introduction

Every life is made up of moments, chapters, seasons, etc. I call these the in between areas of life. These can endure for a short or long period of time. Now, these categories of life are bookended with a launch point and destination.

You and I live in a time when the “destination” is all that we sometimes focus upon. I don’t only mean in our lives, but also the lives of others. There is always the area (in between the book ends) that we sometimes just want to rush through, praying it will end, or hoping it will pass quickly.

The launch point has a predetermined purpose for your life, but the destination will only reflect that grand purpose in a way the glorifies God and points the world to Jesus only if you live out a faith in one particular person: JESUS CHRIST!

Jesus is purposefully leading these men into an in-between moment. He will instruct them to launch out on the Sea of Galilee (about thirteen mile long and eight mile wide) and set a course for the other side; the country of the Gadarenes (directly opposite of Galilee) (SHOW MAP).

Not that they had learned that Jesus had revealed things many of the learned Pharisees did not know, they probably were thinking lofty of themselves.

Our faith must be lofty, not our attitude about our faith.

It is one thing to LEARN Biblical truth, it is another to practice it by your will — Ephesians 6:6 “6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;”

Let us discover once again why we should ROOT ALL THAT WE ARE into Jesus Christ.

1) Jesus Is Always With You

THEY LAUNCHED OUT TOGETHER

JESUS’ PRESENCE WITH OMNIPRESENCE

Every believer is blessed with the ever presence of God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He walked with them through a human body. In our day, He walks with us through His Spirit.

God promises that His Spirit will NEVER LET YOU GO!

Illustration: Isn’t it a wonderful things to have someone to do life together. It could be your spouse, children, sibling, good friend, church family, etc… Yet, when you have none of those options, God is always there!!!

Rev. 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Jesus bookends all of eternity! Nothing will begin or end without his approval.

Every launching out point is an opportunity for you to GO DEEPER INTO JESUS!

Listen to this quote from Adrian Rodgers: “Don’t get the idea, “Well, I’m saved now. I’ve got Jesus, and I’m going on.” You don’t go on; you go deeper. You’ll never need more than Jesus, but you can have more of Jesus. You can go deeper into Jesus. You’ll never go beyond Jesus. Jesus is all you need. You should seek nothing more; and friend, settle for nothing less. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the omniscient One.”

2) Jesus Is Always Aware

Question: How many of you can sleep through a storm? How many of you can’t? Who of the two is the most aware of what is going on during a storm?

Illustration: While in England, our friends shared some special moments they had had during their time in Guam. One in particular was their scuba diving and snorkeling. There was a lake you could snorkel with hundreds of jellyfish. I thought to myself, there are so many things happening above and underground that we are completely unaware of. However, God is sovereign over every movement.

JESUS’ PRESENCE WITH OMNISCIENCE

Question: How many of you think this storm took Jesus by surprise?

If you want to enter every chapter of your life with comfort and peace, you must enter it with a solid understanding of Theology; the doctrine of God.

Prov. 3:3 “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the table of thine heart:”

Remember these scriptures:

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

Deut. 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

God’s knowledge is different than yours; perfect verses passive.

Lexham Survey Of Theology — Consequently, God not only knows that which he wills but also that which he does not will. In other words, God knows all states of affairs, both actual and possible (what the Christian tradition often calls “middle knowledge”).

3) Jesus Is Always In Control

JESUS’ PRESENCE WITH OMNIPOTENCE

Question: When you think of someone in complete control, is the first person you think of someone sleeping? NO.

Let’s think about the fact Jesus is sleeping:

What gave Jesus such a desire to embrace this boat ride with a nap?

What can you and I learn from such actions?

First — Jesus’ actions are completely in line with His claims about being ONE with the FATHER. (A different sense than a believer’s connection to the Father, yet a great teaching point)

Second — Jesus was sure in who He was as the ruler and over-ruler of all creation.

Third — Nothing could hinder Him from caring out the Father’s will.

Think on this — Do you honestly think the winds and seas were going to destroy their Creator? NO NO NO. However, those whom Jesus loved thought He was going to let them face a purposeless life.

4) Jesus Is Always Shaping You

JESUS’ PRESENCE WITH PURPOSE

There are times when a storm is sent from God because of your disobedience; like Jonah. Not so in this event. This storm came because they OBEYED the Lord!

God told Jeremiah once to go down to the Potter’s house in order to learn more about who He is.

Jesus is the Potter and every believer is the clay. You are His lump of clay!!!

Listen…the Potter’s hands are nothing less than perfect!

The sometimes unpleasant pressure from the Father’s hands does not equate to a less than perfect.

We are not just in the hands who will suite us for Heaven, but who is shaping us for earth:

Phil. 3:21 “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Shaping you for what??? — Read verses about demon possessed man.

Shaping you so that you would stop at nothing to bring the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL to all who need it.

Jesus braved a storm to come to these men!