In our Anxiety

Good morning!!! My name is Ryan Hanson and I have the honor of serving here at The Light KC as the lead pastor. I’m so glad you’re here with us, and a special welcome to those joining us online. We hope your doing well and hope to see you in person in the coming weeks.

KIDS SERMON - Advent Candle

Shepherd Candle - Candle of Love

Explanation

The shepherds candle reminds us that God sent the angels to proclaim His arrival to the common man and that He still uses ordinary people today to spread the good news of Christ. The candle is pink or rose and represents God’s love and faithfulness.

Luke 2:8–20 (NIV)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Select child to help light the candle

ME/INTRO - Tension

Good morning again.

We are in the middle of our Advent series called “God with Us”.

So far we’ve looked at how God is with us - In our Pain, where we discussed how we may enjoy God in the mountaintops, we get to know Him intimately in the valleys. We talked about how every journey or Pilgrimage we take to a good place requires that we pass through some valleys. These valleys are not places we want to be, typically full of pain and misery. But while we’re there, God calls us to keep our minds right, focusing on Him and the destination He’s given us. We’re also called to do something. God calls us to dig symbolic wells, preparing a place we believe in Faith that God will fill with His provision. And…through it all, we need to rely on God’s strength, not our own, for each step we take through the valley to the promised destination God has given us.

Last week we discussed how God is with us - In our Waiting, where we discussed how your deepest need becomes a gift, when it drive you to depend on God. How during periods of prolonged waiting, God is close to us. We can’t run away from Him, or toward Him, because He’s already right next to us. While we’re waiting, God is growing in us deep roots that we’ll need for the growth He has planned for us. Our job is to wait eagerly, expectantly, hopefully, and patiently while God does His work within us.

This week I want to talk about something we really haven’t touched on yet. We’ve talked about life’s valleys, and when were forced to wait for prolonged periods, but what does God want us to do when we’re caught in the middle of the “storms of life”. When we’re not just waiting, but when we’re in the middle of a full crisis.

The title of today’s sermon is “God is With Us - In our Anxiety”.

Anxiety is defined as

A deep sense of despondency, discouragement and sadness, often linked with a sense of personal powerlessness and a loss of meaning in and enthusiasm for life.

I remember back when I was in 8th grade. My parents had decided that instead of taking a small vacation every year, they would take us all on a bigger vacation every 5 years on their “major” anniversaries. When I was in 8th grade it was their 20th anniversary and they decided to take us on a Caribbean cruise. They involved us in the planning. We all reviewed the different cruise lines, different ships, different excursions they offered. We decided on a Princess Cruise that went to the Yucatan Peninsula as we wanted to see, and climb, the Mayan pyramids. We were super excited.

I’m not sure how familiar you are with cruising, it’s definitely not for everyone, but every cruise I’ve been on has at least 1 day at sea where they do the majority of the traveling to get you to the destinations and you have to keep yourself occupied on the ship; swimming, eating, watching shows, etc. On this cruise, while we were at sea, in the middle of nowhere, the stabilizer broke, a storm popped up, and the cruise ship was no longer fun to be on. I remember it clearly as my brother and I decided the best thing to do on our day at sea was to play ping pong. He may remember differently, but I remember that I was winning handily, ready to serve the match point, when the ship went from level to what felt like a 45-degree angle. The ping pong ball went flying, we fell to the ground, and the boat was rocking uncontrollably. The captain came on the intercom and told everyone to get to their cabins while they fix the issue.

I learned what anxiety was that day. I went from a very excited 14 year old who wanted nothing but to climb a Mayan pyramid to someone who was in the middle of the ocean on a broken boat bouncing among the waves. I felt powerless and the enthusiasm I had just seconds before was now gone.

WE - Tension

I hope you haven’t found yourself in the middle of a storm, literal or figurative. That feeling of powerlessness is a terrible feeling to have. We talked about valleys and how we can dig figurative wells, preparing a place for God’s provision while we wait.

The storms of life are different. There is really nothing we can do.

Maybe you can relate. I hope not.

I’ve regularly heard it said, you're either coming out of a storm, or you're in the middle of a storm, or there's a storm around the corner.

I hope this isn’t true for you, but I think we can agree, life can be really difficult.

But when we do find ourselves in one of life’s storms, what does God call us to do?

I want to look at a story in Acts 27 where Paul finds himself in the middle of a storm.

We’ll have the scripture on the screen, but if you have a Bible with you, or Bible app on your phone, I’d encourage you to turn to the passage and follow along. There is nothing that replaces having God’s word in your hand. As you turn there, let me give some context to where we’re at in Paul’s story.

Paul is near the end of his missionary travels.

He was just warned by a prophet that if he goes to Jerusalem he will be arrested. But, he went anyway because the Holy Spirit led him to go.

He does get arrested in Jerusalem based on false accusation that he brought a gentile into the temple, which he did not.

As he was being arrested, he started witnessing to the crowd, which turned them violent and they tried to kill him.

He was saved by a Roman Commander because he was a Roman Citizen

Paul was put on trail by the Sanhedrin

During the trial 40 Jews made a pact to kill Paul

Paul’s sister’s son found out and warned the Roman Commander who transferred Paul to Caesarea for his safety and trial there.

Paul stood trial in front of Governor Felix, who found that he did nothing wrong, but as he enjoyed talking to Paul, Felix kept him in prison for 2 years

Paul then went on trial in front of Governor Festus, which led to Paul appealing to Caesar, similar to seeking a trial in the Supreme Court.

As a precursor to his trial with Caesar, Paul stood trial in front of King Agrippa, who would have released him, but couldn’t since Paul already appealed to Caesar

In Acts 27 we find Paul on a ship headed for Rome

GOD - Text

Okay, let’s jump in.

Acts 27:13–20 (NIV)

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

I can relate to their situation. This pretty much describes what I remember on the cruise ship.

For those of you who have not been in a storm on the ocean, I found this video of a tanker that was caught in a storm. This should be pretty close to what Paul experienced as they were aboard a large grain ship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nydwk87iEuM (9:30-10:00)

I’m not sure this is exactly what they faced, but the general idea holds. When faced with this type of storm, day after day, it is hard to remain hopeful and giving up seems like the only option you have left.

I hope it’s not true, but have you ever been so deep in one of life’s storms that you considered giving up?

When all the hopes and dreams you had around a future you thought you were working toward were now gone and you settle for the new belief that life isn’t going to be as good as you thought it could be. That life is going to continue to be hard. That there will always be a nagging sense of disappointment, loss, pain that you will have to learn to live with.

This is where the crew of this ship found themselves. They had given up and considered their lives over.

BUT…God wasn’t done yet

Lets continue in V21

Acts 27:21–26 (NIV)

After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

Isn't it amazing how God uses normal people to do His kingdom work. This is not related to today’s topic at all, but I find it very encouraging that in the middle of a crazy storm, Paul, a hero of faith, someone who wrote most of the New Testament, decides it’s time to throw out an “I told you so”.

Isn’t it true...God can use anyone to accomplish His goals. If you think, for any reason, that you’re not “good enough” for God to use, look to verses like this to remind you that nobody is perfect, nobody is “good enough”, but anyone can be used by God. God equips the called, He rarely calls the equipped.

Sorry, tangent over. Back to the story.

The sailors had given up all hope. They had considered their lives over. Yet, after a visit from an Angel who delivered a promise from God, Paul kept his faith and courage through the storm.

This leads us to the main point of today:

Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God

That is what we’re called to do when facing the storms of life.

Remember who God is

Remember what God has done

Remember the promises God has made

Keep faith that God will fulfill those promises

Be courageous when everything seems to be falling apart.

So, who is God to you?

Let’s go to the source and see what the Bible say out God.

God is...

Eternal - Exodus 3:14

All Powerful - Genesis 17:1

Unchanging - Exodus 3:14

Creator - Genesis 1:1

Helper - Psalm 30:10

Redeemer - Isaiah 49:26

Warrior - Jeremiah 20:11

Our Shield - Psalm 3:3

Our Refuge - Psalm 91:9

Our Fortress - Psalm 18:2

The one who sees - Genesis 16:13

The one who provides - Genesis 22:14

The one who saves - Psalm 20:9

It is by remembering who God is, what God has done, and what God has promised He will do, that we can be confident in our faith, and courageous during the storm.

YOU - Takeaway

When you realize that God is with you, it changes your posture, it changes your mood, it builds your faith, it redirects your mindset

So, who is God to you?

What has God done in your life that He’s calling you to remember?

What has God promised through His word, that you need to cling on to right now?

Where do you get your courage from when life’s storms hit.

WE / JESUS - Redemptive Close - Call to Action

There is another storm story in the Bible. The disciples found themselves in the middle of quite the storm in Mark 4:35-41.

Let’s look at Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35–41 (NIV)

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

I also found a video of a smaller boat during a storm (80 MPH wind) to give us an idea of what these disciples were going through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-cpPF4f2KM (5:30 - 6:00)

I don’t blame the disciples one bit for being scared. In this storm the sails were ripped, the boat was leaning over, nearly tipping over, and the crew had to literally stand on the side of the boat to keep it from capsizing. I’d be petrified.

YET…Jesus was sleeping.

Jesus wasn’t scared. He knew

The Father’s plans for Him weren’t over

The Father was in control and more powerful than any storm

Jesus never let the presence of a storm cause Him to doubt the presence of God.

We shouldn’t either.

Until this week, I honestly had no idea what a stabilizer was, only that it broke on that cruise ship I went on in 8th grade.

Lucky for all of us, I found a video. Here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BC6OzhXi7o0

This little wing, keeps an entire cruise ship level and under control during huge storms.

which begs the question...

Who is the stabilizer in your life?

Who keeps you level and under control when life tries to beat you down?

Who do you rely on when you’re ready to give up?

As Christians we’re called to follow a God that wants to give us peace in the storm. Another name Jesus was known by was the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Real peace isn't found in a trouble-free life. You will never have a trouble-free life.

Following Jesus doesn't mean that bad days don't happen. That's bad theology to think that it does. Jesus said that in John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble." That's a promise from Jesus. "But take heart," he said, "for I have overcome this world."

Real peace is not found in the absence of trouble.

Real peace is found in the presence of Jesus

This week, as we endure whatever storm we’re facing, let’s rest in the peace that’s only found in the presence of Jesus.

PRAYER

Will you join me in prayer...

SONG

Eye of the Storm - Ryan Stevenson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2FqFLKisys

As we enter into our final song, I want to open the steps up front as an altar to anyone who find themselves in a storm. The steps are open for you to pray to the God who is with you, who loves you, you wants to give you His peace.

You may feel a hand on your shoulder as I or one of the elders join you in prayer.

BENEDICTION

Philippians 4:4–7 (NIV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This week…no matter what storm you’re facing, let’s rest in the peace of God by...

Remembering who God is

Remembering what God has done

Remembering the promises God has made

Keeping faith that God will fulfill those promises

Being courageous when everything seems to be falling apart.

No matter how big or scary the storm is that you’re facing,

Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God

I hope you have a great week.

Go in peace.