Days when it feels like God is asleep

Matthew 8:23–27 NLT

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

This is a short text that states a lot of truth.

Lord Save us

The disciples fears are stimulated by their circumstances that are beyond their control.

Only a few verses prior we hear Jesus calling the disciples to come and leave everything and follow him.

Matthew 8:22 NLT

But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”

Then the opening of our text is where they are in the boat going across a lake. These people saw Jesus do many amazing things, supernatural acts, but yet when the winds breezed up there was great panic.

The disciples fears were stimulated by their circumstances. That has hit home hard to me this week. May we are a church as Christians not allow our lives to be gripped with fear that is caused by the circumstances in our lives. May our fears be annihilated, may we place our confidence in Jesus and not to allow the circumstances of life to sway us from strong faith. May we trust and not panic.

This week when I had the phone call about Bro. Gordon I will admit my world was rocked, panic hit heard, shock gripped my heart and I knew that it would only be God who could bring him through this. I pleaded with God to care for this beloved brother, for our church, and to give me the words to say this morning.

Then the irony of it all… I get emailed devotions sent to my inbox every morning and this particular day after this pleading prayer and grueling night the email entitled “For days when it feels like God is asleep”.

The timing of it all is absolutely perfect. Aren’t you glad this morning that we have a God with perfect timing. You may say Pastor why did Gordon and Dorcus have to endure this evil attack? I have no answer.

I know that there is evil in this world we are told that in scripture.

John 16:33 NIV

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John

So with that in mind here is the peace - God’s hand is in this.

Prayers went up

Our church has once again been knit closer together by tragedy but none the less the knitting together has been beneficial

Family has been awakened by the lateness of the hour and the need to be ready at all times because there can be a sudden change.

Take note at verse 24

Matt. 8”

Matthew 8:24 NLT

Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

Note that word Suddenly!

No warning. No respect of time. It came out of nowhere.

All of a sudden! At one moment all was well then chaos!

Suddenly here indicates no respect for persons, no warning, imperfect time!

Suddenly also indicates to me panic and fear! Chaos!

Jesus gets in the boat and the disciples follow. The boat leaves to go across the lake. Then it is involved in a great quake or in our text it is called a fierce storm, but according to my word study in the Greek the word used states - a violent shaking or commotion, shock, agitation

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 918). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

It was not just a breeze but a life altering storm from my understanding.

The image that is created in my mind here is that of a chaotic supernatural force had taken over the winds and the water. The waves swept over the boat and the boat was being swamped by the waves… but where is Jesus… asleep!

Apply this to the situation with Gordon this week

when news came out our world was rocked

this was a storm for our church & community

we did not know what the news would be next

the situation looked oh so bleak - so much bleeding, so many wounds inflicted the outcome did not look positive.

we could not handle the hurt and we hurt for the family because they are our family.

The disciples go to Jesus and wake him and say how can you sleep?

We went to God saying where are you? Why Lord Why?

Jesus was sleeping

Jesus instruction of faith

You see the enemy wants us to stay in a state of fear, worry, panic.

He wants us to doubt the power of God. He wants us to resent Him for not stopping the acts of evil.

This is where fear vs faith comes into play.

The disciples went to Jesus in fear and panic saying Lord save us! We are perishing!

Fear:

Stops us on our tracks

Paralysis our faith

Causes doubt

Interrupts what God is doing in us

Fear is a liar!

Note Jesus’ manner - He asked why are you afraid? O you of little faith?

Faith:

Note Jesus’ manner - He asked why are you afraid? O you of little faith?

Is calm

Is Peaceful

Is worryless

Continues on the path of God’s plan - no interruption

Matthew states that Jesus questions there level of faith. Little faith is when the disciples stop thinking about the power and presence of their Lord and then no longer can act. Faith’s strength consists of nothing but turning to the Lord and being supported by Him. In our belief of the church which is known as ecclesiology, the church bears witness to the presence of the Lord with His church always until the end of the world.

Matthew 28:20 NLT

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Faith is not believing God can - It is knowing He will!

Jesus responds to the disciples by getting up calming and He rebuked the wind and the waves and Suddenly there was a great calm.

Matthew 8:26 NLT

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

Take note here these words in that verse

Take note here these words in that verse

Rebuked

Suddenly

Great Calm

Rebuked - take authority, express strong disapproval

You see before we noted that when the storm happened it was like a supernatural quake something out of the ordinary. Therefore it took a supernatural God to tame it!

Suddenly - Immediate action

There was no pause in the storm stopping.

Jesus has supernatural authority and power over all therefore when He speaks there is no hesitation in obedience of these elements.

when jesus speaks peace to my situation all my sorrows have to flee

When Jesus

i know he is aware and he really cares about all that pertains to me

Great Calm - complete absence of wind or presence of wind having a speed, peace, state of tranquility.

The total suppression of the wind and the sea. The image is of flat glassy waters or as we like to say in Newfoundland “Flat calm”. Also not a breath of wind.

This act shows the total power and adequacy of Jesus and His ability to handle any situation.

Matthew 8–20: A Commentary on Matthew 8–20 2.1 Following Jesus into the Storm (8:18–27)

Jesus’ miracles take place in the world’s forum and are part of the proclamation. Verse 27* also shows that for Matthew the miracle’s uniqueness cannot be surrendered, for that is what attracts people’s attention. Thus our story is for him not only a portrayal of faith experiences in the form of a miracle story; it is a report about a miracle that actually happened that only in retrospect becomes transparent for what the church has experienced with the same Lord who performed it.

Our faith is being called on here in this text to recognize the security that we have in our lives through our faith in Christ. This is such an example of the journey of discipleship. We are called to trust to have faith in Christ no matter what the circumstance.

Jesus’ authority over all

Hebrews 1:3 The Message

This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God’s nature. He holds everything together by what he says—powerful words! After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God,

Hebrews 1:3 NIV

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

After all this happens the disciples are awestruck with wonder of yet another miracle.

I know they are awestruck because of their response

Matt.

Matthew 8:27 NLT

The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Jesus’ miracles take place in the world’s forum and are part of the proclamation. Verse 27* also shows that for Matthew the miracle’s uniqueness cannot be surrendered, for that is what attracts people’s attention. Thus our story is for him not only a portrayal of faith experiences in the form of a miracle story; it is a report about a miracle that actually happened that only in retrospect becomes transparent for what the church has experienced with the same Lord who performed it.

Jesus’ miracles take place in the world’s forum and are part of the proclamation. Verse 27* also shows that for Matthew the miracle’s uniqueness cannot be surrendered, for that is what attracts people’s attention. Thus our story is for him not only a portrayal of faith experiences in the form of a miracle story; it is a report about a miracle that actually happened that only in retrospect becomes transparent for what the church has experienced with the same Lord who performed it.

Luz, U. (2001). Matthew: a commentary. (H. Koester, Ed.) (p. 21). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

He is Lord over all! Over circumstance, over the elements of nature and the world, and over us!

Conclusion:

This morning, when stuff happens in your life to do not panic. Do not think God is asleep.

On the days when the things in our world (the world He created and we’ve broken) does not make sense. Sometimes our faith feels like putty, you know the stuff you use to plug or repair holes in a boat when it is leaky and filling full of water./

We feel like we have holes in what we believe, we feel like we are in the boat with the disciples and the storm is coming but Jesus sleeps!

How can He sleep when my world is falling apart?

How can He sleep with all this going on?

Doesn’t He care?

I want to yell: WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!

Then our spirit gets checked:

I am not the first to stand desperate in the boat, afraid of the storm, wondering why is Jesus asleep on the job.

Those shaky disciples and I look at the waves and dark clouds and we are afraid of what is coming.

We want control, to outrun, to survive!

But our faith is slipping through our fingers, the boat is wobbly and the savior is asleep.

Something we need to note is this:

Jesus wasn’t sleeping because He did not care, He slept because He had NO FEAR!!!!!!

He is the carpenter who builds boats that don’t sink

He is the one who speaks and even the winds and seas obey

He brings peace in the midst of pain

He brings harmony in the midst of horror

He brings victory in the volatile

When we think there’s no hope He heals!

And this week hasn’t He proved that to us once again. With Gordon, With Dorcus, With Crystal.

So surely goodness we can not allow our faith to be shaky for the other stuff we are praying and believing for.

God is in this! The enemy is putting up a fight but he is a defeated foe!

Sing: Jesus Christ our living Hope