What Boat are you In? (Kenya 3 - 2023)

So many things in life are determined by your perspective. As a church, it might seem discouraging when it feels as though our community is far from God. It can feel as though we will never see a revival in our town, but I view things a little differently. I feel as though the farther people are from God, the more opportunity we have to see God’s glory.

As a church, we have a massive opportunity to reach a town for Jesus. You see, there are only a handful of churches in this town to reach thousands of people. We are primed to make a difference for Jesus in this place.

We want to be a church where people find a home, family, and acceptance.

But how do we do that? What can we do to bring in the harvest that I believe God wants us to experience?

Before I get into the message today. I want to encourage you. You’re in the right place. The Lord wants to speak to your heart today. If you are willing to open your heart and mind, the Lord wants to impart His wisdom, love, and grace to you today.

You may have experienced difficulties in your life this last week. Today, lay those hardships at the feet of Jesus. He wants to comfort you today.

My message to you today is about Faith. Faith is important in our walk with the Lord. In fact, if you want to please the Lord you will need to commit to walking in faith.

Hebrews 11:6 CEV

6 But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him.

Something happened with Jesus and His disciples one day that will help us in our walk of faith. We are going to learn that Jesus is never late, He has all Authority, and He is worthy of our faith.

Matthew records the story in chapter 8 of his gospel. In chapters 8-10 of Matthew we see ten miracles that proved to his readers that Jesus possessed the powers of the King that the old testament promised the Messiah would have.

When we read through these chapters we need to understand that Matthew was letting the world know that Jesus wasn’t just a great teacher, healer, or speaker; He was the King of Kings prophesied about in Isaiah 35.

Isaiah 35:5–6 CEV

5 The blind will see, and the ears of the deaf will be healed. 6 Those who were lame will leap around like deer; tongues once silent will begin to shout. Water will rush through the desert.

Not only was Christ proving Himself to these disciples, He was proving that He was the Son of God prophesied about hundreds of years before. These situations and miracles are Jesus’ credentials, proving that He was sent from God.

The decision we must make as we read this scripture is whether or not any of this matters to us. When you hear or read the sacred scriptures written by a man who saw Jesus first hand, do you believe it enough for it to impact your life?

Let’s read the story together:

Matthew 8:23–27 CEV

23 After Jesus left in a boat with his disciples, 24 a terrible storm suddenly struck the lake, and waves started splashing into their boat. Jesus was sound asleep, 25 so the disciples went over to him and woke him up. They said, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 But Jesus replied, “Why are you so afraid? You surely don’t have much faith.” Then he got up and ordered the wind and the waves to calm down. And everything was calm. 27 The men in the boat were amazed and said, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.”

That’s the story. You may have heard this before, but have you thought about what it would have been like to be there in person?

Remember a few years ago when a tornado came just a mile away form our town? It destroyed many houses. We all took cover. I can remember the sound of the wind was terrible. It just sounded like power. The effects of that storm can still be seen today.

Now imagine that massive tornado coming right for you and your best friend is asleep. How would a person be able to sleep when danger and certain death was coming straight for them? Well, imagine you wake them and then they go outside and tell the tornado to “knock it off!” How would that go for you? What would you think?

That’s kind of what it was like that day on the sea of Galilee. It’s an amazing story of something that really happened. Matthew had to share this story as evidence that Jesus was truly the Son of God.

Here’s the big question, if Jesus has authority over nature, what can’t He do for His followers? This story proves who Jesus is, but it also builds our faith to know that He is able to do anything!

The storms in your life might seem like they are going to overtake you, but I’m here to tell you that as long as Jesus is in your boat, it’s not over!

You’ve got the King of Kings on your side and He can do whatever needs to be done to accomplish His will in your life. You might just need to trust Him more.

Here’s the truth:

Jesus is Never Late

Matthew 8:24 CEV

24 a terrible storm suddenly struck the lake, and waves started splashing into their boat. Jesus was sound asleep,

Jesus was sound asleep. Why was Jesus sleeping during this storm? It was a big one!

Remember, the disciples were fisherman. They KNEW the sea. If they were afraid, then this storm had to be a doozy!

Jesus was sleeping because he was at peace. He knew that it was not His time to die.

Some have suggested that the storm was an attack from the enemy to try to kill Jesus. It wasn’t a normal storm. The original language tells us that the storm was caused by a “great earthquake”. It wasn’t a normal storm at all. But the nature of the storm isn’t what we should focus on, we should focus on the nature of Christ. He was comfortable enough to sleep.

In our lives, we are going to find ourselves right in the middle of an attack from the enemy many times. It could be sickness, pain caused by another, disappointment, or many other things. Storms are going to happen to each and every one of us.

We might be tempted to question God. We would be wise to remember that in the midst of the storm the Lord was at peace. This is the peace we can have when we know that we are in the center of God’s will.

Seemingly insignificant steps of faith are the steps that can define our lives. Seeking Christ is accompanied by taking risks. In fact, taking risks to make our lives extraordinary is essential if done according to God’s plan and principles. God wants us to trust Him in all things, and when we do, He can turn even the smallest obedience into the biggest blessings.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 NLT

1 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.

When this verse was written, grain was a very valuable commodity, even though one grain in the hand seemed small and insignificant. The author of Ecclesiastes suggests that we should take steps of faith when following God and His plan, even if it costs us something.

He says that if we take a risk, with time, we can expect a return. This may be true in many areas of life, but it is most true with God. If we walk in faith according to God’s will, then we can expect that God will provide some sort of return.

When we are in the middle of the storms of life we need to take small seemingly insignificant steps of faith knowing that God will meet us and exceed our needs according to His will.

We need to TRUST Jesus and walk in FAITH.

Matthew 8:25–26 CEV

25 so the disciples went over to him and woke him up. They said, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 But Jesus replied, “Why are you so afraid? You surely don’t have much faith.” Then he got up and ordered the wind and the waves to calm down. And everything was calm.

The disciples were afraid of the circumstances. In the moment of the storm they questioned whether or not Jesus cared enough to save them.

It’s so easy to judge these guys. We weren’t in the boat! In the emergency moments of life, the real us will always rise to the surface. Are we full of faith or are we full of fear?

Jesus is always on time. If you are going through difficulty right now, I encourage you that Jesus is in your boat. He’s at peace. You can be at peace to know that at the right time He will show up in a big way.

In this church. Our mission is rooted and based in Faith knowing that Jesus in with us. He has a plan. The enemy would love for us to think that what we are doing isn’t going to amount to anything. NOTHING could be further from the truth.

We are with Christ and Christ has all the authority to accomplish His will. We can be at peace knowing that we aren’t going under. He is with us! Jesus is never late.

Here’s the second truth we can pull from the scripture today:

Jesus Has All Authority

Matthew 8:26 CEV

26 But Jesus replied, “Why are you so afraid? You surely don’t have much faith.” Then he got up and ordered the wind and the waves to calm down. And everything was calm.

Jesus stood up in the raging sea, the blowing wind, this storm that had seasoned fisherman afraid for their lives and He just told it to stop. And IMMEDIATELY everything changed.

At the sound of Jesus’ voice everything changed. What was a terrible life threatening attack was turned to a sea of tranquility. WOW!

Jesus has all authority. He is all powerful. The wind and the waves have to obey Him.

Let’s go have for a minute to Ecc 11:1

Ecclesiastes 11:1 NLT

1 Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you.

It’s interesting the author of this verse tells us to cast our grain across the sea because the sea is volatile. It’s unpredictable. One moment it’s peaceful, but within minutes it can turn into a raging storm.

In life, it’s tempting to stay on the shore where it feels safe and secure, but the Lord is calling us out onto the sea of faith. What we fail to remember is that the Lord is the Master of the land and sea. He is in control of even the most chaotic circumstances of life.

Jesus is still able to calm the storms in our lives. Our primary responsibility in seeking Him is to trust Him to accomplish His will in our lives. Even when it feels as though He has forgotten we are in trouble. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He’s given us the Holy Spirit to strengthen, comfort, and guide us in the worst times of our lives.

Matthew 8:27 CEV

27 The men in the boat were amazed and said, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.”

Matthew recorded the amazement of the men in the boat who wondered what kind of Man He was.

Jesus is so much more that we can ever know or understand. One day we are going to see Him in all of His glory. Jesus is NOT a genie in a bottle we can call on when we need a prayer answered. He is the living Lord.

Just as those men were amazed that day, we should live in awe of the presence of the Lord. He is so great and awesome.

John paints the picture of the gloried Lord in Heaven.

Revelation 1:12–18 CEV

12 When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. 13 There with the lampstands was someone who seemed to be the Son of Man. He was wearing a robe that reached down to his feet, and a gold cloth was wrapped around his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white as wool or snow, and his eyes looked like flames of fire. 15 His feet were glowing like bronze being heated in a furnace, and his voice sounded like the roar of a waterfall. 16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword was coming from his mouth. His face was shining as bright as the sun at noon. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead person. But he put his right hand on me and said: Don’t be afraid! I am the first, the last, 18 and the living one. I died, but now I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys to death and the world of the dead.

Jesus is the one who has conqueror all the evil of the world. He has taken on sin and overcame. He has all authority.

Walking with Him means that we are protected. We can know that nothing the enemy might throw our way is greater than the Lord Jesus can handle. Our job is to look to Him for our strength.

Our faith must grow if we are going to walk in Christ’s authority on earth. He has given us His authority to do His will on this earth.

John 14:12 CEV

12 I tell you for certain that if you have faith in me, you will do the same things that I am doing. You will do even greater things, now that I am going back to the Father.

Jesus said this right before He returned to Heaven. He was saying that we have the privilege of prayer and relationship with Him. The greater works He was talking about refer to the wonderful miracles we read about in the book of Acts. The works He does through us today are “greater” in the sense that we are mere human vessels, while He was God in human form here on earth. He is moving in His authority through the lives of believers!

We don’t need to be afraid of the storms of life because Jesus is the Lord of the storm and has endued His believers with HIS power and Authority to be more than overcomers in the world.

Don’t forget that even in the struggles the enemy hurls our way that we are not defeated!

Romans 8:31 CEV

31 What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?

We are loved by the One who stood in the boat that day and hushed the wind and waves.

Romans 8:37–38 CEV

37 In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. 38 I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future,

Jesus has the authority! We should walk in faith knowing that He is in control. Don’t be afraid anymore. Trust Him. Take step of faith. Risk it all knowing that the Lord is going to accomplish His will in your life!

What else matters? He’s got you covered by His blood!

Here’s the truth of the scripture today:

Jesus is never late

Jesus has all authority

Jesus is Worthy of our Faith

Matthew recorded this story because he fully understood who Jesus was. Maybe in the moment in the boat wasn’t enough for him. He sat there wondering who this man was who could calm the storm with the sound of His voice, but surely as days turned into months and years Matthew understood that Jesus was the Messiah.

Matthew was a sinner when Jesus met him. He was a hated man by most accounts because he was a tax collector who made his living by cheating people. When Jesus called him he followed and his life was never the same. He witnessed the miracles. He saw Jesus crucified. With his own eyes he saw Jesus resurrected. He was taught many thing by Jesus after the resurrection. Once Jesus ascended to Heaven, Matthew was filled with the Holy Spirit and devoted his life to sharing the good news of Jesus.

He wrote the gospel we are reading from today.

Here’s another thing you may or may not know about Matthew. He became a missionary top Africa and was arrested in Ethiopia. It was there that he was staked or impaled to the earth by spears and then beheaded. We don’t know much more than that since Matthew was in such a remote place in Africa and went where few historians or Christians ventured to go.

He gave his life for this Man who stood in that boat and calmed the storm.

If Jesus is never late, and Jesus has all Authority, why was Matthew murdered for telling the world about Him?

Here are verses that in context might be different than we’ve thought about it before:

Romans 8:28–29 CEV

28 We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for his purpose, 29 and he has always known who his chosen ones would be. He had decided to let them become like his own Son, so that his Son would be the first of many children.

Do these verses mean that God is making all things good for those who believe in Him? Does they say that believers will never have bad things happen to them? Of course it doesn’t say that…in fact, it actually tells us something much different.

It says that God is at work for the good of everyone He loves. What is this “good” God is working in the lives of those He loves?

In verse 29 it tells us…He had decided to let them become like his own Son.

That’s the good God is working in the lives of believers. He’s not so concerned about our big houses, promotions, comfort, or pleasure. God is concerned about making people more like Jesus!

Remember we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard. We needed a redeemer to step in and pay our debt. Jesus made it possible for us to stand in the presence of God healed, whole, and set free from sin. Jesus made it possible for us to be adopted as sons and daughters. We are joint heirs with Christ because of the price He paid on a cruel cross.

We must never forget that the one who calmed the seas is the won who set us free. We are made whole and righteous only because of His sacrifice.

So, Matthew understood this about Christ. He knew that he had been a dead man walking. He understood that Jesus was His Saviour. He saw it with His own eyes!

What did that cause him to do with his live? He GAVE everything to SERVE Jesus!

Listen friends, Christianity is not for the faint of heart. It’s not for those for are looking for a free lunch. It for those who realize that Jesus is WORTHY of our lives. He is the one who gave it all for us.

Having faith in Him means that He becomes the Lord of our life no MATTER WHAT comes our way. We are committed to Him because He was committed to us!

Where are you today my friends?

Jesus is never late. Jesus has the Authority. Jesus is Worthy of our lives.