Following the Dragonslayer
Notes
Transcript
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As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves—but Jesus kept sleeping.
When Jesus saw a large crowd around him, he gave the order to go to the other side of the sea. A scribe approached him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
“Lord,” another of his disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves—but Jesus kept sleeping.
The disciples FOLLOWED Jesus into a CHAOTIC storm. Matthew 8:18-24;
Suddenly, a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves—but Jesus kept sleeping.
You set a boundary they cannot cross;
they will never cover the earth again.
So the disciples came and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to die!”
Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.
He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Jesus SCOLDED the disciples for being AFRAID of the chaos waters. Mt. 8:24-6, Ps. 104:6-9, 69:1;
He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
At your rebuke the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder they hurried away—
The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed,
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”
Jesus calmed the storm to prove that he was the DRAGON-SLAYER—the undisputed MASTER of chaos. Mt. 8:25-7, Ps. 18:15, 104:7;
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them.
Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear.
Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads on the waves of the sea.
The water saw you, God.
The water saw you; it trembled.
Even the depths shook.
The clouds poured down water.
The storm clouds thundered;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
lightning lit up the world.
The earth shook and quaked.
Your way went through the sea
and your path through the vast water,
but your footprints were unseen.
Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Jesus SENT the disciples into another chaotic storm, but he REMINDED them that he was the master of chaos. Mt. 14:22-7; Ps. 77:16, 19; Job 9:8;
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.”
Have you traveled to the sources of the sea
or walked in the depths of the oceans?
He said, “Come.”
And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.
I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.
I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.
Peter asked to SHARE IN Jesus’ mastery of chaos, but he was OVERWHELMED by fear. Mt. 14:28-30; Job 38:16, Ps. 69:1-3;
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Reach down from on high;
rescue me from deep water, and set me free
from the grasp of foreigners
He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Jesus rescued Peter—and SCOLDED him for losing FOCUS on Jesus. Mt. 14:31-33, Ps. 18:16, 144:7;
Living with Dragons
Living with Dragons
As disciples, we must FOLLOW Jesus—even through the STORMS. Romans 8:16-18, 23-25;
The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.
As disciples, we must remember that the storms cannot WIN when we are FOLLOWING Jesus. Romans 8:31-37;
What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
As disciples, we can ENDURE—and even RISE ABOVE—the chaos when we focus on Jesus. Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.