Look to Jesus (2)

Look to Jesus

We have seen in the last week the power of a storm. What started out as a destructive hurricane and then developed into a massive flood with tornadoes thrown in has become a very destructive storm in South Texas and over into Louisiana and other coastal areas. As you all know Kaye and Kim were in Virginia last week with Kaye’s mother visiting her brother. When they flew back on Sunday the question was whether Betty Jo would be able to catch her flight back to Lake Charles Louisiana. A small delay and the flight was no problem. Last Sunday we thought everything was going to be ok for her, but like a lot of people missing the hurricane force winds was just the beginning. Eventually the flooding caught up with her. It was not just the rain where she lives but the rain throughout the area that caused the water to rise. Kaye talked to her one day and the water had risen enough to cut off the road so she could not leave, but she still felt she was going to be okay. She was well prepared for a time in the house. Plenty of water plenty of food and she has a generator. but the waters continued to rise. Now it looks like she was able to weather the storm so far with little damage, but she was an island in the middle of a lake with a part of her house underwater but not to the degree that she did not have her bedroom kitchen and bathroom okay. However, while Betty Jo thankfully did okay we know that many people did not. We know that many people died and many thousands lost their homes. We definitely want to keep those people in our prayers and lets remember the relief efforts that are going on.

We know that storms have been going on forever. Whether that was a hundred or thousand years ago or from the beginning of time there have been storms. I want to talk this morning about the account of a storm in the Bible. Sometimes in the Gospels e will have an account of a activity by Jesus and then another story. I think very natural and I know that i have a tendency to look at it this way is that the two different stories happen chronologically. The Bible does not always tell us that the stories are in order and I think sometimes we can a mistake in assuming that everything happens chronologically when we are not told that. Sometimes though the Bible does tells us the order that events occur and of course when the Bible tells us the order we can certainly rely upon that statement. I want to talk about one of those sections of Matthew.

In we have an account of a very famous storm. The account is of the apostles being on a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee when a storm arises and Jesus who is not on the boat comes walking to them on sea. Lets read Matthew 14:22-33

English Standard Version Chapter 14

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

This is obviously quite an event. When we read Matthew’s accountant of this event it is sometimes beneficial to put ourselves in the place of the characters in the story. When we think about the apostles we know that some of them are fishermen who had made their living working on this very lake. They were familiar with the sea and its propensities for storms. I have never been to the Sea of Galilee, but Kaye has and I am sure she can fill you in on some of the particulars, but my understanding is that the Lake or sea is surrounded by mountains which can direct the winds down on to water which can cause storms to arise quickly and unexpectedly. Sometimes these storms can be quite dangerous. That is what happens to the apostles this night. A sudden storm appears and suddenly their quite trip from one part of the sea coast to another has become very dangerous. As we look at this I think it important to remember that former fisherman are familiar with these types of storms through their experience as fisherman. Most of the stories of fishing on the Sea of Galilee refer to f the fisherman fishing all night. Remember in when Jesus uses Peter’s boat and then tells him to cast his nets out again.

4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

Fishing at night was what these fisherman were used to and storms were not an uncommon occurrence for them. When we look at this story I think that is important to remember. It is easy sometimes and look at Peter and think what a faithless person you are. You know here he was willing to start but once he got out into the storm his faith began to fail and he began to fall . I think we tend to put attitudes we are familiar with onto Peter. We are familiar with people who have accepted the Lord and then when things get tough they begin to waver and their faith begins to fail I think we can look at ourselves sometimes and see that attitude. I know I can look at my own life and see times when challenges have come upon me and I did not respond with the faith that I should have. That looking back I see times when I did not respond with the courage that I should have in the Lord. But I think it is also important to remember and notice Peter’s courage here. Think about the apostles reaction to Jesus walking on the water in the middle of a storm. Their first reaction is to think that Jesus is a Ghost or an apparition walking on the water. This would be a little terrifying. Jesus responds by telling them not to be afraid. When Jesus tell s them Not to be Afraid How does Peter respond? Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. IF it is you? Who else did he think it could have been ? I do not know. But h does take that step off the boat.

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.