What sort of man?
Gospel of Matthew • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewOne of the requirements of faith we see in Christ and the truths of His call is that He is God in the flesh. Here we see another proof.
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Today we see that even with Jesus in the bow of the boat, fear can drive out faith. But we know, that faith in the Love of Christ, can cast out fear. We need to hear the Words of our Christ today and be encouraged and know that we can trust in what Jesus calls us all to obey.
Matthew 8:23–27 “ Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?””
Here in 8:23-27 we see authority over creation. But this whole section again puts the sovereignty over everything that Jesus has, in 28-34 we see authority over satan and in 9:1-18 we see authority over sin, sickness & disease. The trifecta.
We see the events recorded in Mark 4:35–41; Luke 8:22–25 and they really aren't dissimilar. This really began in Matthew 8:18 “ And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.” Then a bunch of whiners kicked in, i cant go, waaa, waa. Then…
Matthew 8:23 “ Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.”
reminder of who most of his guys were. Peter specifically profession was a what? Fisher’O’man. he would either own or know who to borrow boats from. This was their world.
Where jesus went, the guys followed.
Matthew 8:24–25 “ And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!””
I mean, tempest just sounds cool right? Not just a tempest, but a GREAT tempest. Is a big storm. Huge. In the Navy when we were in a huge storm in the middle of the Atlantic, even our aircraft carrier was rocking and rolling in the sea. The list was so bad the entire ship smelled like umm, maybe I should stop there. Storms at sea can be terrifying.
fear is the motivator for them to cry out. These are experienced sailors, raised on the waters of Galilee. And they are scared.
I want to make a point here though, do we remember the storm of Job. He was in the midst of a terrible storm because he what? Disobeyed God.
Now notice, why are the disciples in the midst of a storm the storm is an observation that in the midst of obedience, we can be set on by storms. Peace, safety, none of these are guaranteed except where guarantees are called for. Here Jesus has plainly called them to go to the other side of the lake.
This is also a note that Jesus plainly means what he says and says what He means. Even if your life seems mad and without purpose, it doesn't mean (with the exclusion of sin/dumb mistakes) you got it wrong. They were called to the storm, to see their faith, to know the truth. Its all about trusting Him.
I cry, Lawd, hep me. This is fear and is from our own hearts fear om 26 is deilia - can also be translated cowardice. He hasn't called us to run scared like scared toddlers but to see all in light of faith. 2 Timothy 1:7 “ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (self-control).” To walk in fear is the opposite of control. Our self control and confidence is born from trusting Jesus
we often stress, cry, and we do so when we lose that trust. Now, even david struggled with this as we see in the psalms. And we need to be sure like the disciples to cry out to Him. After they woke Him up.
Matthew 8:26 “ But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Jesus says, y’all a bunch of chickens. Remember what we read in 2Tim. the contrast of fear vs faith 2 Corinthians 5:7 “ For we walk by faith, not by sight.” to not walk in faith is to run around like scared chickens.
Now, there are a number of things that we could fake and pretend but not this. Reminder many of these guys are experienced fishermen and they were afraid of dying! They had pulled their own friends and family from the same Sea! They knew this wasn't a setup, no simple magic trick to impress them.
What should they have done? Prayed! Trusted! Praised! The sons of Korah sang in Psalm 46:1–3 “ God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah” they got their eyes stuck on the waters.
in Exodus 14:26 “ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”” and it did and destroyed the Egyptian armies, the difference Jesus Himself rebuked the storm. He is a greater than Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:15–22) and we need to see the who He is. Because even Moses did not have this.
Listen, some think that they have to save themselves by works or even faith. Jesus saying they have little faith doesn't mean they aren't saved or just a little saved. Jesus will say later Matthew 17:20 “ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Even a little trust in who jesus is and what he did for us, can save even a sinner like you. With an almost immeasurable faith. Pretty good deal if you ask me
Matthew 8:27 “ So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?””
WOW! BKC “They were amazed (ethaumasan; cf. 9:33) at the supernatural character of the One whose rebuke was sufficient to bring nature into perfect peace. No normal human can do that.
This is why throughout the gospels, the confession that He is the Son of God is a primary doctrine and understanding of Who He is. Not A, but THE (in contradistinction to all others), THE. He is THE Son of God come in the flesh.
When we say He came in the flesh, He has always been God. He humbled Himself, took on flesh and dwelt among us. (Jn 1:14). The verbiage indicates he dwelt in flesh. Like living in a tent. Lets take a look (short one) at the doctrine of the Incarnation. You could also say that doctrine directly leads to the trinity.
Turn to Romans 1:1–6 “ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;” Do you know Christ? Do you realize He always existed and has now come into our reality, clothed as Human? (Its why we are made in His image)
This reveals who Jesus truly is. Turn to: Galatians 4:4–7 “ But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Thats how this miracle called the church, still goes after all this time, Philippians 2:5–11 “ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Paul revealed it as a creed in 1 Timothy 3:16 “ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.”
All of the cults deny this. They explain it away (plainly in the context of every verse we read he is God come in flesh). They add to the Word of God. JW think jesus return in or only as A Spirit - ignoring plain teaching.
The apostle John said that our confession or recognition of this is an revealing by the Holy Spirit (turn to) 1 John 3:24–4:6 “ Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, (many will twist this definition but john explains…) 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
Its a key doctrine. It how we know we follow the true one, because to not see this would be worshipping more than a man and be multiple Gods. But we worship one God who is 3 persons. Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 1 John 4:7–11 “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Knowing who Jesus is, our confession of Him as the Son of God leads us to a place where we can love one another in the Spirit of Truth because the Father has through them, saved us to the uttermost.
When they marvelled, they literally said, What sort of man is this? Well, what sort? Is he just a man filled with the Holy Spirit who taught as the ultimate rabbi? Or was He the son of God. More than teacher, the resurrection reveals he IS THE SON OF GOD. You can trust Him for your salvation. We are told inin John 20:31 “ but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Later John would also write, 1 John 5:10 “ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.”
Would you give your life today? Stop trusting in your works or condemning yourself for the lack of them? Die to this world and be set free from sin?