Mighty Things - Peace
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Last week we started on a journey to look at the MIGHTY THINGS JESUS DID before He gave Himself up on the cross.
Things that continue on in our lives because of what He did on the cross and rising from the Dead...
Things that are filled with power and bring hope and change.
Last week, we looked at Jesus as the liberator from the law, condemnation and sin...
This week, I want us to look at:
PEACE
Peace of Mind
Peac
Peace of Heart
Peace in your spirit
The sense that everything will be ok, your secure and safe!
Whether that is in your relationships, physical security, financial security, or health...
We are living in a time like never before in the majority of our lifetimes! For the last 70 years most Americans have not had to deal with the level of conflict or fear that is rising up in our world today.
This week we have not only seen a pandemic spread and intensify in our nation, but our freedom to move about and for some to go out at all has been intensely hindered.
In addition, we have heard of another flu epidemic coming out of China, the locust plague overcoming Africa, earthquakes worldwide and across our nation, and economic failures around the globe.
For the first time we have gone to grocery stores and not been able to find mainstay basic items of need! Some medicines, ammunition, toilet paper, sugar and flour and ground beef!
Many have been temporarily laid off from work, their businesses are threatened, their hopes and dreams of near lifetime events cancelled.
So, where is a person supposed to find PEACE!!!!
Turn with me to a story in Scripture - a historical account of a MIGHTY THING that Jesus did while upon this earth...
22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.
23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
Matt
What an amazing account of the all MIGHTY GOD and POWERFUL JESUS!!!! This humble prophet, Son of God on earth doing amazing things.
Jesus had just fed the thousands in the crowd of listeners and the people were so moved they were prepared to take Him by force and make Him their King --- this was not God’s plan, so we see Jesus retreat to pray and forcefully send His disciples out to cross the lake/ sea without Him.
While there, those disciples encountered an intense wind storm. We don’t hear mention of thunder, lighting and rain (although they may have been present), but wind that drove the waves.
The disciples were in literal TROUBLE!!
Their very lives were threatened!
The boat was taking on water!
1. Fighting the Waves
1. Fighting the Waves
The first thing we see the disciples fighting is the waves!
What does a HEAVY WAVE do to people in a boat????
It forces you in a direction you don’t want to go! It takes control of your direction.
It knocks you off balance when it tips and tosses you.
It is forceful and overwhelming.
Waves get you wet - splashing, bringing discomfort, weighing you down by being water logged, inhibiting mobility and even suffocating you when striking your face!
They are a literal STRUGGLE in EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD!!!
Most of us today are feeling the beginnings of the forceful waves, although many of us not to the extreme as some.
Forced to stay inside, forced to not work, forced to be broke, forced to be sick, forced to be isolated, forced to give up important events, travel, dreams, etc., forced to do things we did not want to do…
and worst of all - we don’t know how long that force will come against us...
We are fighting the waves and some feel as this they are already drowning in the midst of these waves crashing in on top of us, suffocating us!
Nobody wants to fight the waves! Especially storm waves that have no rhyme or reason that can be ascertained or ridden with direction.
Just to let you know, that the end of the story — when Jesus gets in the boat - the WAVES STOP!
There are not waves He is unaware of, that are not beyond His ability to control, or that He cannot carry us through.
I want to remind you this morning, that this was not the first time the disciples were in a boat being rocked by the waves - in fact it was their second time - the first time Jesus had been in the boat with them and was sleeping and he arose and rebuked the wind...
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
He is the Master of the wave...
However, this time Jesus was not in the boat...
Do you think He maybe wanted His disciples to remember that He still controlled the wave?
When we are going through the storms and we feel our PEACE BEING ROBBED FROM US BY FORCE — Jesus wants us to remember that HE CONTROLS THE WAVES!!!
He knows what we are going through!
He is with us in the middle of the storm!!!
2. Fighting the Fears
2. Fighting the Fears
When we get into the midst of a frightening situation everything gets blurry!
Our fears begin to run away from us…
IN fact, the one who was master of the wave was walking on the water to the disciples and all they could see or think of was that a GHOST was coming toward them...
Their FEARS were hindering them from seeing their HOPE!!! THEIR ANSWER!!!!
Oh baby! Ain’t that the truth!
When the answer is in front of us, when the hope is coming to us, when God is moving in our direction to calm the storm, but we don’t see Him because our faith is sinking because of our fear of the circumstances!!!!
Some of you are afraid of your financial situation right now — the greater effect than a disease is the financial security of millions of people worldwide!
Jesus, the giver of peace says...
5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude
In their fear --- JESUS SPOKE SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL WORDS OF PEACE!
TAKE COURAGE - I AM HERE!!!
No one wants to be alone when they are afraid --- someone to share the moment with always brings courage!
JESUS IS SPEAKING PEACE TODAY BY REMINDING US OF HIS PRESENCE - HE IS HERE! He is with us!
Realize today that your answer might not look like you thought it would, and remember that God is with you.
The Spirit of God is called the Comforter - let His peace comfort your heart today.
3. Fighting the Focus
3. Fighting the Focus
FOCUS --- when the waves are raging, when Jesus is coming to us on the waters — what will we set your focus on???
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Jesus, who suffered greatly for us, KEPT HIS FOCUS ON THE PRIZE - KEPT HIS FOCUS ON THE FATHER’s PLAN
WE NEED TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON JESUS!!!
Why Peter asked to come out onto the water is beyond me…
For some reason, Peter wanted to venture into the supernatural in the moment - to be at Jesus’ side
Many of us feel like we are being thrown into the water without choice, but I want to tell you today, You can RISE ABOVE THE PROBLEMS OR YOU CAN SINK!
You see Jesus came to bring us PEACE --- that PEACE COMES BY ABIDING IN HIM — KEEPING OUR FOCUS ON HIM...
Many a Christian has not known true trials or testing of our faith, we live in a world where we can grab hold of so much of what we want, and when we are comfortable we are self reliant...
Than enter the forceful waves and we are full of fear....
PETER LITERALLY WALKED ON THE WAVES RIGHT TOWARD JESUS!!!!
I have never heard since of anyone walking on water --- but we can walk on the waves of turmoil in our lives...
HOW — BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS!!!!
The moment Peter took his eyes off of Christ he began to sink into the waves and become overwhelmed...
Some of your feel as if you are drowning today --- you have to keep your focus on CHRIST!!! HE IS THE ANSWER and HE WILL HELP YOU TO RISE ABOVE this storm!
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
JESUS DID A MIGHTY THING --- HE BROUGHT PEACE TO THE STORM
BOTH IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM and TO THE STORM
WHY? He wants those who receive and follow Him to know that HE is still the giver of peace today!
HIS PEACE is POWERFUL - the ability to help you ride on the waves above the problems.
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Calls Him the Prince of Peace!
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
JESUS is the PEACE you need right now....
That peace comes through relationship with Him. It happens when HE IS OUR FOCUS!!!
Fix your eyes upon Christ and rise above this storm —
Notice, when Jesus stepped into the boat with Peter - the wind and the waves STOPPED.
Allow Him to calm your storm!