Let Jesus take the lead on the storm

MAIN TEXT

Matthew 14:22–33 NKJV

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22–33 RVR95BTO

En seguida Jesús hizo a sus discípulos entrar en la barca e ir delante de él a la otra ribera, entre tanto que él despedía a la multitud. Después de despedir a la multitud, subió al monte a orar aparte; y cuando llegó la noche, estaba allí solo. Ya la barca estaba en medio del mar, azotada por las olas, porque el viento era contrario. Pero a la cuarta vigilia de la noche, Jesús fue a ellos andando sobre el mar. Los discípulos, viéndolo andar sobre el mar, se turbaron, diciendo: —¡Un fantasma! Y gritaron de miedo. Pero en seguida Jesús les habló, diciendo: —¡Tened ánimo! Soy yo, no temáis. Entonces le respondió Pedro, y dijo: —Señor, si eres tú, manda que yo vaya a ti sobre las aguas. Y él dijo: —Ven. Y descendiendo Pedro de la barca, andaba sobre las aguas para ir a Jesús. Pero al ver el fuerte viento, tuvo miedo y comenzó a hundirse. Entonces gritó: —¡Señor, sálvame! Al momento Jesús, extendiendo la mano, lo sostuvo y le dijo: —¡Hombre de poca fe! ¿Por qué dudaste? En cuanto ellos subieron a la barca, se calmó el viento. Entonces los que estaban en la barca se acercaron y lo adoraron, diciendo: —Verdaderamente eres Hijo de Dios.

INTRO

The text we’ve just read is one of the most well known and preached passage of the Scriptures. It is recorded here and in Mark 6 and John 6, as well;

We must not mistake this episode with the story we have in Matthew 8 - in that case when the storm came Jesus was INSIDE the boat, and here the disciples were by themselves, while Jesus was praying;

This is an irrefutable lesson of faith, a powerful demonstration of the infinite power of the Lord Jesus and an impressive proof that no matter the storm, we are never alone in our journey with Jesus;

The context:

Jesus had just performed a miracle feeding 5000 men, not counting women and children, therefore between 20 and 25 thousand people, in the event we know as “the multiplication of the fish and bread!”

This miracle is so relevant that, besides His resurrection, it’s the only event in Jesus’ ministry that was recorded by the 4 Gospels;

His ministry in Galilee was just exploding, in a positive way, and He was very, very popular.

In John Chapter 6 we read that after the miracle of feeding the multitudes, “they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king!

However, Jesus Himself says that “they wanted food, they wanted freedom, they wanted revenge against Rome, but He had not come to kill, He had come to die”. They wanted more common bread, and in the same chapter He offers Himself as the “Bread of life”.

Today, we will study this fascinating miracle of Jesus calming the storm, but there is something very important we need to understand before anything, and that is:

When it comes to problems and storms in life, it is fair to say that we are in one of these 3 categories:

We have just passed a storm; we are in the middle of one; we will face one soon.

(And this is not a prophecy of catastrophe, it’s real life!)

At some point in the study of this event, the disciples had difficulty understanding that when the storm was raging, Jesus tried to get ahead of them, and they wouldn’t let Him. So, the theme for today’s message will be:

LET JESUS TAKE THE LEAD ON THE STORM

(We will briefly find 7 lessons we can learn with the storms)

1. STORMS MAY COME AS RESULT OF OBEDIENCE

Matthew 14:22 NKJV

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

Matthew 14:22 RVR95BTO

En seguida Jesús hizo a sus discípulos entrar en la barca e ir delante de él a la otra ribera, entre tanto que él despedía a la multitud.

Notice that Jesus “made” His disciples get into the boat”… the word here is “constrained”, “compelled”;

IMPORTANT NOTE: So many times we try to defend God as if He needed! The text is absolutely clear: Jesus made them to get into the boat and face the storm because He had a lesson to teach them, He had a plan!

Sometimes God will decide something that we may not understand immediately. For example: In the beginning of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Himself, the Bible says that “The Spirit drove Him to the desert to be tempted...”;

In John 9, after seeing a blind man, they asked: “Who sinned?” Jesus said: “Nobody, it is for the works of God should be revealed in him”;

We may not understand at first, but when Jesus sends us into the storm, He knows what He is doing, and we will never have to fight our battles by ourselves!

2. EVEN DURING THE STORM, JESUS IS ALWAYS ABOVE

Matthew 14:23 NKJV

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

Matthew 14:23 RVR95BTO

Después de despedir a la multitud, subió al monte a orar aparte; y cuando llegó la noche, estaba allí solo.

Jesus was interceding for them on the mountain. He spent pretty much the whole night praying!

They were about 3, 4 miles away into the sea, but He was seeing them!

We find in the Scriptures that a large part of Jesus’ ministry was spent praying for His disciples, and in the Gospel of John 17, right before His death, He prayed even for those who would be His disciples in the future!

Even today, He is at the right hand of God as our Advocate, interceding for us!!

So, don’t you worry, He is above, watching you!!

3. CONTRARY WINDS COME WITHOUT NOTICE

When is it time to prepare for a storm?? NOW!

If we knew when troubled times would come, we would go insane with anxiety. Imagine God coming to you and saying: “Be ready, I am sending a storm into your life next month!!”, we would go crazy in no time!

Matthew 14:24 NKJV

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Matthew 14:24 RVR95BTO

Ya la barca estaba en medio del mar, azotada por las olas, porque el viento era contrario.

Illustration:

Woman on a cruise very concerned after announcement of the captain about a severe storm

She calls the staff captain and sends him to the captain, asking why he simply didn’t anchor the ship.

The captain sends his assistant back, who answered with two statements, and politely said:

Madam, the Captain sent me to tell you that #1: He is in control of the ship, NOT you;

#2: This vessel was built with THIS STORM in mind!

Lesson: The Lord can handle your storm!!!

As always, He knew the speed of the wind, the height of the waves, the distance of the shore, the heart of His disciples, He knew everything!!!

Yes, contrary winds may come, but the Lord is always looking out for us!

4. GOD’S DELIVERANCE WILL NOT ALWAYS COME ON OUR TIME

Matthew 14:25 RVR95BTO

Pero a la cuarta vigilia de la noche, Jesús fue a ellos andando sobre el mar.

When Jesus came to rescue them, it was around 3-6 in the morning, they had been fighting the storm for about 8 dark hours!!

The Bible shows us several examples of situations where people thought that God was late:

Job - 16 whys, God: 70 questions!

Abraham - providence in the bush;

Lazarus - 4 days.

God’s time is always perfect!!

For our next topic, we come to one of the most important lessons in this text, (and often forgotten), which is:

5. WHEN IN THE STORM, LET JESUS TAKE THE LEAD

(For this specific topic, we will go to the parallel text of this passage, in the Gospel according to Mark):

Mark 6:48 NKJV

Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.

Mark 6:48 RVR95BTO

Viéndolos remar con gran esfuerzo, porque el viento les era contrario, cerca de la cuarta vigilia de la noche vino a ellos andando sobre el mar, y quería adelantárseles.

Basically, here we have Jesus trying to approach and take the lead, while the disciples are trying to avoid it!

If the Lord tries to take the lead in our storm, let’s not stand in His way, let’s yield to Him!!

Even being professionals of the sea, they were absolutely powerless; for sure 4 of the disciples were experienced fishermen, (some scholars think maybe even 7!);

Let Jesus pass, let Him take the lead on your storm!!

6. WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP, IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE HIM

Matthew 14:26 NKJV

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

Matthew 14:26 RVR95BTO

Los discípulos, viéndolo andar sobre el mar, se turbaron, diciendo: —¡Un fantasma! Y gritaron de miedo.

First of all, Jesus seeing the disciples from distance was a miracle in itself, they were about 3, 4 miles distant;

The disciples thought it was a ghost: the greek word here is “phantasma”;

When we read: “They were troubled” - The expression here is the feeling of someone absolutely terrified!!! They were “screaming”;

“It’s me!”, Jesus said. We must learn how to recognize the Lord in the storm. If we concentrate and fix our eyes on the waves only, and try to make it on our own, we will never be able to see Him.

And the last lesson we learn is:

7. OUR GREATEST VICTORIES WILL SINK, IF WE TAKE THE EYES OFF OF JESUS

On verses 28-31, we have the record of the only man who ever walked on the water, besides the Lord Jesus!

Sometimes we blame Peter for always taking the lead and being so bold, but It’s been said that “it’s better to be a wet Peter than a dry Thomas”;

And Peter being Peter, he requested to go towards Jesus. Be careful with what you ask the Lord!

Illustration:

Couple celebrating 40 years of marriage, in a restaurant. Both 60 years old.

Genie of the Lamp offers 1 wish to each one;

Wife: “Travel the world!”. Bam! Done!

Husband: “To be with a lady 30 years younger than me!” Bam! Suddenly, he was 90 years old!!

So, be careful about what you ask!

We also must be careful to not remove our eyes from the Lord! Peter did that here, and would do that again later:

Matthew 26:58 NKJV

But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

Matthew 26:58 RVR95BTO

Pero Pedro lo siguió de lejos hasta el patio del sumo sacerdote; y entrando, se sentó con los guardias para ver el fin.

But, in the same way that his eyes again turned to Jesus here, he would also experience that in the future:

Luke 22:61–62 NKJV

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:61–62 RVR95BTO

Entonces, vuelto el Señor, miró a Pedro; y Pedro se acordó de la palabra del Señor, que le había dicho: «Antes que el gallo cante, me negarás tres veces». Y Pedro, saliendo fuera, lloró amargamente.

In his biography, one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century, Charles Spurgeon said that the Lord called him to salvation with this text:

Isaiah 45:22 NKJV

“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:22 RVR95BTO

»¡Mirad a mí y sed salvos, todos los términos de la tierra, porque yo soy Dios, y no hay otro!

What happened to Peter here, happens to all of us : faith and fear, mixed.

Four times in the Gospels Jesus rebukes people for their “little faith”, one is here.

There was even a time when a man told Jesus: “I believe you, help me in my unbelief...”

We must look at Jesus in every circumstance, good or bad, calm or stormy, keep your eyes on Him, all the time!

FINAL APPLICATIONS

In an incredible demonstration that He is the Lord of the universe, Jesus calmed everything, and they came from confusion to confession, from fear to faith, from frightening to festive!

Mark: the Gospel of “immediately”… the text starts and finishes with this word;

The disciples worshiped! The expression here is literally “out of their minds”… every deliverance should end in adoration!

Isaiah, the prophet chosen by the Lord Jesus when He started His ministry, wrote:

Isaiah 43:15–16 NKJV

I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

Isaiah 43:15–16 RVR95BTO

Yo, Jehová, Santo vuestro, Creador de Israel, vuestro Rey. Así dice Jehová, el que abre camino en el mar y senda en las aguas impetuosas;

Very important question:

- Why did Jesus chose to walk on the waters, instead of another method?

Because the water was exactly the greatest obstacle of the disciples in that moment, it was what they feared the most!

Jesus wants us to be sure, that the water that can make us drown, is the same that is under His feet!

My beloved brother and sister, dear friend who watch us today, your storm will pass!! The Lord is in control, and He will come to rescue you!!

As we close, let’s read one more verse:

Jeremiah 5:22 NKJV

Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

Jeremiah 5:22 RVR95BTO

¿A mí no me temeréis?, dice Jehová. ¿No os amedrentaréis ante mí, que puse la arena por límite al mar, por estatuto eterno que no quebrantará? Se levantarán tempestades, mas no prevalecerán. Bramarán sus olas, mas no lo traspasarán.

Let’s pray.