The Storms of Life
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Passage-
Matthew 14:22-27
Attention-
There is a lake in Valenzuela Maracaibo where it storms 300 days per year.
Lightning strikes on the average of 28 times per minute and sometimes unleashes 3,600 bolts per hour (that's one per second)
Some evenings the storms can be seen from as far as 250 miles away.
Introduction-
As you think of the average thunderstorm that we experience there is not all that much lightning activity…usually a few minutes in-between lightning
Nothing like 28 times per minute.
I bring up lightning because there are times that life feels a bit like a storm
Sometimes it’s like one of our Midwestern thunderstorms and other times it feels like we are down in Venezuela
There are a lot of storms we face:
Political storms
Financial storms
Health storms
Friend storms
Family storms
Even faith storms
The thing is…the Bible is clear that we will have storms in our lives
Main truth-
But never forget…Jesus is ready to walk you through the storm
Transition #1-
What is being taught? (Explain the passage and draw out the 1st century truth)
Here in this passage Jesus…the word Matthew uses here is that Jesus pressured them to go
I think they did not want to leave Him
But Jesus had a plan and he compelled them to get in the boat and go
While they were on their way Jesus dispersed the crowd
I think this is a part of the real reason that Jesus sent them…He needed time alone, with the Father
While Jesus is in prayer the sea that the disciples are on contrary…the word litterally means opposite or set against
In other words the lake became the opposite of what water is when nature is not acting against it…calm
THis lake became the opposite of calm
It became set against being calm
Verse 25…Jesus went walking on the sea
Jesus was walking on to of the storm
The waves, the winds, the thunder and lightning…Jesus walked through it unphased
In verse 26 the disciples assume it’s a ghost and they freaked out
Jesus response is fantastic
Be of good cheer…although we get this sense of rejoicing or celebrating from the phrase what Jesus means is “BE CONFIDENT”
What is their confidence based on?
“It is I!!!”
There is no reason to be afraid
The next verses are where I use to like to focus but this morning I want to stop here and spend some time on the words of Jesus here
Did the disciples have reason to fear…from the human perspective?
Absolutely
Think through all of what could happen in a boat on an angry sea in the early hours of the morning
It was about 3:00am
Lets look back…verse 24
The sea was contrary
Their boat was in the middle of the sea
Which is generally the deepest
Their boat was being tossed by the waves
This word tossed is a highly understated translation
The word means to be put to the test
It was often used for torture
In the sense of an interrogation
there is a testing of the spirit to see when it will break
When the person will give the information they want
The boat that the disciples were in was being tortured to the point of breaking
I think they had a lot of reasons to fear
And this storm that was preparing to tear their boat to pieces is what Jesus simply walks across
Transition #2-
How do we understand this in our context? (Bridge 1st century truth to today)
We face storms
We have a number of ways of naming our storms
Anxiety
Worry
Fear
Persecution
Grief
Jesus faced these storms as well
Anxiety, fear, grief are all found in the Garden of Gethsemane when He sweat drops of blood
He faced persecution as the Pharisees sought to kill Him and eventually succeeded
Thats why in Hebrews 4:15 we read
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus knows about the trials, the temptations, the emotions of this life.
As you study the life of Jesus, when one of these times would come He would pray
He would set aside time and quietly and often alone go to the Father in prayer
In the same way that Jesus needed time alone with the Father after a hard day and before he was going to face the storm we need to have regular times in our days and weeks to be alone with the Father
I would propose that as the storms increased and intensify we need to spend an increased amount of time with the Father.
As the storms come and as the storms grow stronger we still have access to the throne of mercy
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
That boldness that Jesus calls for
It is found as we cry out to Him
In the same way that Jesus calls out to the disciples “Be bold, it’s me”
He calls out to us “Be bold, it’s me”
Transition #3-
How do we live this out in our context? (Application of the biblical truth to us personally)
How should this change my thinking. (Mental understanding and/or reasoning?)
So as we face the storms of life we develop a mindset that these storms are not unusual, they are a tool the Lord uses to grow us
We cannot let difficulties sidetrack us
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Instead we ought to develop a mindset that embraces the storms of life
Not in a celebratory way but in a sens of knowing that although it’s difficult the Lord will work the best out of it
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
How should this change my heart? (What do I love?)
As we spend time in God’s Word
As we call out to Him and hear His response
As we see His character and His faithfulness
Then our affections will be set on Him
When our affections are set on Him we will boldly and confidently cry out to Him
This is what we see in the life of David through the Psalms
A man after God’s own heart that loved the Lord and knew the Lord so well that he could confidently empty his heart before the Lord.
How should this change my whole being? (Behavioral change)
So as we strive to know God, Love Him and serve Him
It is in these areas of life that we prepare for the storm.
As I think of Noah
The cutting of trees, the preparation of the lumber, the gathering of food, the building of the arc
This is for the believer the study and meditation of God’s Word…prayer…church…service
They are all in preparation for the storm
So that when the storms come we are so confident in and so in love with Jesus that He is the first place we turn and cry out to Him
Conclusion
Believers, if you are here this morning and facing the storms of life the question is…who are you trusting in?
Self? The world? Stuff?
Or Jesus?
Maybe you are here this morning and you are facing the storms of life and you do not have a relationship with Jesus
If there has never been a time that you humbled yourself and admitted your sin and asked Jesus to forgive you then you are like the boat on the sea with no Jesus
Life will be difficult and life will be without purpose
But if you call out to him he will help you
He may not calm the storm but he will walk through the storm with you
You only need to call out to him
Admit that you are a sinner and ask Him to forgive you of your sins.
In this life we will have difficulties
That is not the question
The question is this
Who are you turning to in the midst of the storm?
Closing song-