As Preached by Pastor Mark Finley
Father, as we open your word today, we pray that you’d guide us. open our hearts speak to us through your spirit. As the text is read, and exposed and positive, we pray that the very word of God, inspired by the Spirit given by Jesus indicted by God would be with us today. burning in our heart and changing our lives in Christ’s name, amen. Every one of us in our lives some time are going to pass through stormy waters. We are not yet standing on the sea of glass. We are on storm tossed seeds and at times the waves are high in the winds are fierce in the night is dark. Now we don’t know when the storm is going to come. We don’t know the intensity of the storm, how strong is going to be? Neither do we know how long the storm is going to last. But we do know this. The storm is on its way. Now that need not fear. Its grip us with fear that lead not frightened or terrify us. Because of the story although the storm is on its way, we know the master of the wind in the waves. Now there’s a wonderful story in the Gospel of Matthew that encourages us when we face stormy waters. I invite you to take your Bibles and turn to Matthew the 14th chapter. Matthew chapter 14. And we’re going to be studying this morning verses 22 to 23. As we look at this passage, it’s helpful to understand the background of the passage. Jesus has preached all day And you find that in the early parts of Matthew chapter 14, and as Jesus has preached all day, the hungry multitude cries out for food.
The disciples urge Jesus to dismiss the crowd and go to so they can go and get something to eat. Jesus takes five loaves and two fishes, and multiplies them and feeds the 5000. At this point, Jesus is at the pinnacle of his popularity. The crowd wants to make him king. The crowd is urged on by the disciples who want a position of prominence in the new kingdom. Jesus recognizes that if he gives the crowd their wishes, there will be revolution in Palestine. There’ll be bloodshed and death. So to prevent the crowd from rioting to push for him to be king, Jesus quietly and commandingly dismisses the crowd, the disciples linger. The scripture in Matthew chapter 14, verse 22 says this and if you have your Bible and I hope you do here at living hope this is a Bible study our we come not to hear the word of man, but we come to hear the Word of God. And here in Matthew chapter 14, verse 22, it says, immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side. So Jesus gives an immediate command. Now we get a little nuance on this from john six, because in john six, verse 15, John’s Gospel indicates that although Jesus gave an immediate command. The disciples did not obey immediately. JOHN six and verse 15.
The Scripture says, Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come, and take him by force to make him king, so you see what’s going on here, Jesus just multiplied the loaves and the fishes. The disciples urge the crowd odd. They say anybody that can work miracles like that can lead us against the Roman armies. Even if some of our soldiers are wounded, Jesus can heal them. Even if we need food, Jesus can multiply Loaves and Fishes He is our king. So Jesus perceives that he departs to a mountain by himself alone. Now verse 16, is interesting. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea. So when you look at Mark, Matthew 14, it says Jesus immediately told him to go That was the end of the afternoon, about four o’clock or so. The sun is not set. The disciples lingered there, they did not immediate immediately obey Christ command. And during the time they were lingering, the storm on the Sea of Galilee was building. Had they gone immediately and obeyed Christ, they would have avoided the storm when Jesus impresses your heart to do something. Do that thing for Christ, because delay can be deadly. When in your prayer life, you’re praying and you’re seeking God and the Lord impresses you to take a step in faith. Whatever that step is, listen to the voice of God be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit.
Ellen White comments on this passage in Desire of Ages page 379 and 380 and says this, the disciple had not put off immediately from landish. Jesus directed them, they waited for a time hoping that he would come back. They wanted him to come back. They wanted him to reconsider. Becoming King, I continue, they had left Jesus with dissatisfied hearts. They were more impatient with him than ever before. They murmured because they had not been permitted to proclaim him king. They blame themselves for yielding so readily to his command. They thought that Jesus if they would have tried to persuade him more, would have allowed them to accomplish their purpose. Now their hesitancy to do what Christ said immediately, their delay, put them in a position where they would be right in the center of the storm. They’re murmuring. They’re complaining their unbelief, their failure to see the miracle before their eyes, the breaking of the bread. All of that led them into a storm where they would learn deeper lessons of faith. Had the disciples grasp the promises of God and saw him as Messiah and by faith launched out, as he said, they would have not had to face the greater storm.
God loves you so much. That if you fail to learn the lessons of faith in the storms you are going through now. It is great gracious mercy and goodness. He will allow you to go through greater storms in the future, to teach you the lessons of faith that you fail to learn now. I want to learn the lessons of faith that Jesus is teaching me now, don’t you? I want to be a good student in the school of the living Christ. Now notice what the Bible says about Jesus. Matthew chapter 14, verse 23, the disciples delay, the disciples hesitate. The disciples have their own preconceived ideas of their future. Matthew 14 verse 23. When he sent when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. And when evening had come, he was alone there. What was Jesus praying about? What was on his heart? What was in his mind that night, Jesus were was praying for his disciples. His disciples were impatient. His disciples were misinformed. they longed for Christ to establish an earthly kingdom. They desired position. They desired prominence they desired prestige. That’s what the disciples wanted. They felt You understand that before honor comes humility. before the throne comes the cross before sainthood comes servanthood.
Before rising high we must follow before we ever enter the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven must enter into our hearts. Before we ever walk through the gates of glory, the living Christ must walk through the garden gates of our hearts. The struggle for power, the struggle for prestige, the struggle for position is not merely a struggle that took place 2000 years ago. It takes place in families, it takes place in businesses. It even takes place in the church and it takes place in church board meetings. But Jesus leads us to servanthood Jesus leads us to humility. Jesus leads us to reach out in compassion to serve, not to seek position not to seek on are not to seek prestige. They delayed in following Christ command hoping he would return and reconsider his refusal to become king. While they waited, a storm was brewing on a dark wind stripped windswept see that would test their faith to the limit. Delay at Christ’s command, I repeat places us in vulnerability to Christ’s to greater temptations. When we know what Christ wants us to do, and fail to do it because of our own preconceived ideas, and personal desires, it’s extremely dangerous. They were on the sea. Jesus was on the mountain. Notice Matthew chapter 24. Matthew chapter 14, verse 24, Matthew 14, I’m going to look at verse 24. Jesus is alone on the mountain. He’s praying for them. His disciples are on the stormy sea. When you and I go through stormy seas. The incredible good news is that Jesus is praying for us. We are on his lips. We are in his mind. We’re on his heart. The sea may be storming. But the one who is the commander of wind and sea and rain has us on his heart has us in his mind.
He’s praying for us. Matthew chapter 14, verse 24. Notice Jesus is there, verse 23, and the mountain alone. But the boat was down in the middle of the sea, tossed by waves for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them walking on the sea. What time is the fourth watch of the night? The Jews have divided the night into four watches sunset in Palestine. was at six o’clock. So from six to nine at night is the first watch. Nine to 12 at night is the second watch. 12 to three is the third watch. Three to six is the fourth watch. So it’s the fourth watch of the night. It’s some place between three o’clock in the morning and six o’clock in the morning, more likely about four o’clock in the morning. It’s the darkest part of the night. The waves whip the light, the wind whips, the waves interfering. The boat is being tossed upon the sea. Now it’s very fascinating. If they set sail in the evening at about six o’clock, and if this is about four o’clock in the morning, how many hours on the sea had they been traveling and toilet if they set sail about six and if this is three, four o’clock in the morning How long have they been on the sea? about? About nine or 10 hours? How far had they traveled on the sea? In that nine or 10 hours? We’ll take your Bible. Keep it. We’re going to come back to Matthew 14. But take your Bible and turn back to john six because we have to guess the Bible tells us how long they had traveled during that period of time. And this becomes a very significant point.
Now notice, john, the sixth chapter, and we’re looking there and verse 19. So when they had road about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat. So they had wrote about three or four miles. The Sea of Galilee, is about three to four miles across. Typically, you could cross the sea of Galilee in rowing that distance in no more than two and at most three hours. So as they’re going out on the sea, they’ve been on the sea now nine or 10 hours on a journey that should have taken them two or three hours. The wind has blown them further south. And so in the wind, they’re struggling. They are rowing. They could have made it across shortly. But the wind blows himself. They’re no longer closer to the destination. When they started. They’re weary, they’re tired, they’re exhausted. They felt they could battle no longer. Now there are times in life where you battle and you battle and you battle and you say, I’m so tired. I’m so exhausted. I can’t fight any longer. That’s the way the disciples felt. The storms rage all around us. And sometimes we get so exhausted with the battle that we feel we cannot fight any longer. But here is the incredible good news. Although they were out of sight of land, they were not out of sight of Jesus. Although they could not see him, he could see them. Where was Jesus during this time? What was he doing during their intense struggle? He was praying for them. He was asking the father to increase their strength to give them courage to go on.
Jesus knew what they did not know. Jesus knew the cross was coming. Jesus knew that the nails were coming through his hands, Jesus knew the crown of thorns was coming upon his head. Jesus knew that the Romans would crucify him. He knew the fear that would seize the disciples heart. Jesus knew that a much greater storm was coming so he allowed them to go through that storm. Jesus was preparing them for the storm in the future. Is there a storm coming in the future in our generation? That is relentless in its fury. Is there another storm coming in our day? Could it be that Jesus lets us go through trials of faith today to strengthen the muscles of our faith to prepare us for the storm that is coming in the future? I read in a book called reflecting Christ page 311. A storm is coming relentless in its fury. Are we prepared to meet it? We need not say the perils of the last days are soon to come upon us. Already. They have come. We need now the sword of the Lord, to cut to very soul and marrow, a fleshly lust of appetites and passions. So sometimes God allows us to go through storms today. Sometimes the winds blow sometimes the rains fall to prepare us for the greater storms that are coming tomorrow.
The disciples saw the storm Jesus saw them Their eyes were fixed upon the waves. Jesus eyes were fixed upon them. To the disciples. Everything seemed out of control. But in the midst of the storms of life, Jesus was still in control. Are you going through some storm? He has not forsaken you in heaven sanctuary, he’s praying for you. Are you going through some storm? You wonder where he is. You cannot see him, but he sees you in the storms of life. He is there. In Matthew chapter 14, verse 25, and 26 in our story, the winds are our fears. The waves are high. Jesus, there in the midst of the storm sees his disciples. Matthew 14, verse 25, and 26 the scripture says. 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 in fear. Now, the word fear in verse 26 is a very, very strong word. In the English language, it says they cried out in fear. In the Greek language, it says they were terrified. They were terrified. They were shaking with fear. They were filled with anxiety, they were terrified. Now, here is the problem. The disciples feared, what they did not know. You see, they thought that what they saw was a ghost or an apparition. Belief in evil spirits was very common in first century Palestine.
The idea of Ghosts, goblins and phantoms was widespread. Now these disciples had spent years with Jesus. But yet in a time of fear, their emotions overwhelmed them. And they could not think rationally. And they thought that this might be a phantom. The unknown often creates fear. When you see why are we afraid at times? Why does worry give us knots in our stomach? Why does worry, give us headaches? Why does worry keep us from sleeping at night? Why does worry bring out anxiety? There are two reasons why fear is fear. See, fear is an emotion that sweeps over us. And there are two great reasons why we fear the first reason we fear is we think Fear, the unknown, we fear what might come. For example, what if I do have cancer? What if I do have to go through chemotherapy? What if I do have to go through a bone marrow transplant? What if him in the hospital for three months between life and death? See what if that lump under your arm is cancers? What if that heart problem requires quadruple bypass surgery? What if that diabetic condition leads you to a diabetic coma? See, so we fear the unknown we project the worst in our mind.
Let me give you another example of how fear plays havoc with our minds. Every wife will resonate with this it’s 530 at night Your husband typically is home from work If he’s ever lady call, he’s going to call you. Somebody said mark, you’re not realistic. It’s eight o’clock at night. My husband’s home from work, not home. All right, whatever time is you choose the time. Don’t let the preacher choose the time. Okay? So let’s suppose it’s he’s supposed to be home at 630 we’ll compromise. Let’s suppose he’s supposed to be home at 630. He always calls you if he’s going to be late. 730 not home. 830 not home. No phone call. How you gonna feel as a woman? If your husband has told you, he’s gonna be home at 630 for supper. He always calls you if he’s not and it’s a 30 you begin to project on your mind on the window of your mind fear. And you begin to think was he in a terrible accident? is is is there some pile up on the highway? So you begin to project fear? What about this illustration? Gentlemen, your company is making severe cutbacks. The economy has turned around, and people are being laid off. And you begin to think, if I am laid off, how can I make the mortgage payment? How can I make the house payment? Another words fear often comes with the unknown. You have a teenage son, he’s 13 years old. He’s going on a camping trip with the church. And you say Call me when you get there. He calls you when he gets there. You say, you know, son, just give me a call every day. Let me know how things are going. Three days go by. The fourth day goes by and you haven’t heard from your son. You begin to call the leader and the leader his cell phone is out. How you feeling as a mother. If you’ve gone for days without hearing from your child, you begin to fear.
Then you read on the news that there’s a terrible storm that has come in that area, where they’ve been mountain climbing. And that some school group has been caught in the midst of the storm, and somebody has died. What do you begin thinking? Is this my son? Is this our school group? See, fear of the unknown grips us. Now there’s the second reason that we fear. It’s not only the unknown, but it’s the known. See, some of our fears never come to reality. But some of our fears do come to reality. What if there was an accident? What if your boy was lost? What if the disease is malignant? So there are two great reasons for fear one, we fear what might happen and we play the what if game. The second great reason for fear is the reality that what might happen has in fact happened. But there is an answer to fear You see, fear is an emotion. Faith is an attitude and focus is a choice. Fear is an emotion. Faith is an attitude and focus is a choice. We fear the unknown, or we fear the reality of the known. Faith does not deny the existence of a stormy sea.
Faith believes that the Christ who is walking on the stormy sea will take my hand and get me through the store. So faith rather than focusing on the waves, and the what ifs or the reality, faith focuses on the one who has conquered, conquered every storm, the one who has calmed every see the one who took Peter by the hand and took him through what is faith. Faith is trusting God as Friend well noon, knowing they will never do me any harm, knowing that his strength is to get me through whatever I have to deal with. That’s what faith is. So faith says I can face the unknown. Faith says I can face the deepest trials in life, because my hand is in the hand of the living Christ. You know, let me give you an example of faith. Another word for faith is trust. That you have absolute trust in God, no matter what happens in your life. I’ll need to go to for these treatments I was telling you about and I was talking to one of the owners of one of the clinics are going to be and one of the treatments I’m going to do is a complimentary treatment called a hyperbaric chamber treatment. They use that to build up the immune system they use that to strengthen the bones etc. It was typically originally used for divers who needed to decompress when they’re coming back but they’re using it now for a Amazing met, they’re getting amazing medical results with it. And so here’s what my friend told me. Now this hyperbaric chamber is about 31 inches wide, it’s about that wide. And they put you in there, and you and it’s closed in, there’s a little acrylic thing you can see out, and they seal it, and you’re in there for an hour. And so I said to my friend, you know, I don’t know about this. I it’s a little claustrophobia. You know, when you’re in that thing, he said, Mark, the problem is not claustrophobia. The problem is trust. And I said, What do you mean? He said, here’s the problem is, when we put you in there, it’s impossible for you to get out. No way. You can’t get out. We put you in there. And we locked that thing, and you’re in this chamber. So he said, it’s not a matter of claustrophobia. It’s a matter of trust. Do you trust the person that puts you in is going to get you out? Do you trust them? Because if you do not trust the person that puts you in there, it’s going to get you out. You’re going to panic inside. Because you cannot get out on your own. The storm you’re going through, you can’t get out on your own.
What is faith? Faith is trusting the one who allowed the storm to come, that he is going to take your hand and get you through that storm. See, fear is an emotion. Faith is an attitude of trust. And focus is direct is a choice to place your confidence in the one whom you cannot see the Lord Jesus Christ, who’s going to get you through your storm. Now in the midst of the storm, the raging in the raging waves Peter cries out, take your Bible, Matthew 14 verse 28. Peter cries out in Peters said to him, Lord, verse 28, if it is you command me to come to you on the water. And he said, he said, Come, Peter did not allow his fears at this point overwhelm his faith, so we lose focus. Faith leads us out of the boat. Faith leads us to walk on stormy seas with Jesus. Faith leads us to face the winds and the rains with our eyes fixed on the master the wind and the Lord of heaven and earth. Faith triumphs over fear. Faith overcomes the obstacles. Faith enables us to walk on the stormy seas. Have you ever noticed the many times in the Bible that Jesus says, Come? Matthew 11 you remember Jesus says, Come unto me, all you that do what are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus says in john six and verse 37 him that cometh to me Our nowise cast out and notice how the Bible ends with the invitation to come. Revelation chapter 22. There in the stormy waters of the Galilee, Jesus says to Peter, come, step out of the boat, take a leap in faith. Trust me, Peter, I’m not gonna allow you to drown. Revelation ends with this marvelous passage in Revelation chapter 22, verse 17, and the spirit in the bride say what come and let him who hears say what come and let him move thurs come in whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Jesus says come step out of the boat, and Peter flings himself into the jaws of death in the face of the howling wind. Peter does not allow his fears to paralyze him. What Are your greatest fears? What are your greatest fears?
What do you worry about the most Christ is greater than our fears. Christ is bigger than our doubts. Christ is larger than our questions. Christ invites us to come to him on the stormy seas of life. When Peter kept his eyes focused upon Jesus, he walked on the water. But something happened to Peter. And what happened to Peter often happens to us. Faith led him out of the boat. But in the midst of the storm, Peter, lost focus. That’s kaback math. 14 verse 30, in the midst of the storm, Peter lost focus. When Peter kept his eye fixed upon Christ and His Word and His power, he walked on water. When he focused on the waves and the treacherous, the treacherous situation he was in. He’s saying, you see, we either look at our difficulties from an earthly perspective, with our human reason and weakness, or we look through the eyes of faith at the promises of God. Matthew 14, and you’re looking at verse 30. See, at first Peter was looking at Jesus. His fear gave way to faith, and his faith led him to focus. But here, he loses his perspective. He loses his focus, verse 30, but when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out, Lord Save me. Now notice it it begins to sink beneath the waves were dominated by fear we sink, and the sinking of our spirits is the result of the sinking of our faith. Did you get that? When we are dominated by fear, we begin to sink and the sinking of our spirits is the result of the sinking of our faith. We fear when we forget. Now, here are two amazing passages to ponder. But can you say with me, we fear when we forget together. We fear when we forget, once again, we fear when we forget.
Let me give you the biblical evidence of that. Isaiah 51 Isaiah 51 we fear when we forget Isaiah 51st chapter Speaking of the Israel and you’re going to look there at verse 12, and 13 Well, we need a reversal 11 as well, verse 1112, and 13 of Isaiah 51. So the ransom The Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing with everlasting joy on their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. That’s focus. It’s focused not on the waves. It’s focused not on the wind. It’s focused not on the darkness of the night. It’s focused not on the sickness, it’s focused, not on my fear. Notice what it says. It says, focusing on the day that the ransom to the Lord come design with singing and everlasting joy and sorrow and sighing flee away now first Well, I even I am he come for two. Who are you that you should be afraid go says, Who are you that you shall be afraid of a man will die, and of the Son of Man will be made like grass. In other words, God says, I’m holding you in my hand. And the worst thing that can happen to us you’re gonna die. But one day you’re gonna walk on sea of glass. One day you’re gonna rejoice in Zion with singing. Then he says, verse 13, and you forget the Lord your maker, you going through this stormy sea, you’re going through this difficult you’re going through this trial, you forget the larger maker, he stretched out the heavens, he laid the foundations of the earth, you feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor when he’s prepared to destroy you, and where’s the fury of the oppressor? You see, God says, I’m your Creator, I’m your maker. Rejoice. Rejoice. Second text, Psalm 43, verse five, let your fear give way to faith and less faith.
Bear in your heart, a new focus. is a focus on the Lord. The master of the land and the sea. Is Psalm 43 verse five. Notice what Scripture says. And remember, when you lose focus, you begin to sink. And the sinking of your spirits is because the sinking of your faith. Psalm 43 verse five, David raises this question, why are you cast down on O my soul? In other words, why are you so discouraged? Why is so depressed? Why is so filled with fear? Why you cast down on my soul, and why disquieted within me? Why are you so anxious? Why are you trouble hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him. They help with my countenance and my God. When Peter began to sink beneath the stormy sea there’s only one thing It saved him. It was not his skill as an experienced fisherman that saved him. It was not his knowledge of the Sea of Galilee that saved him. It was not his wisdom in solving problems, it saved him. It was not his ability to swim back to the boat that saved him. The Scripture is playing. Matthew 1414 verse 30. Now you’ll notice in the passage, there are two cries. There’s the cry of fear and the cry of faith. First, there’s the cry of fear in Matthew chapter 14. When they cry out in verse 26, they think it’s a ghost and they cry out in fear. But when you come to verse 30, when he saw him he saw that the wind was boisterous. This Peter, he was afraid and beginning to sinking sinking beneath the waves. The dark cold waters are pulling him down. waves are beginning to crash all around his body. He’s going under. It’s dark, it’s cold, it’s wet. He cries out, see the first cries the cry of fear. Second Christ the cry of faith. You can either cry out and fear you can cry out in faith. If you cry out and fear. You’re going to be troubled, disappointed, discouraged downhearted, dejected. If you cry out and faith your spirits will soar.
Notice it says he cried out saying, Lord, save me. And then the scripture says, Now, Matthew is writing this from a first hand experience. Matthew was a witness to what was happening, Matthew sitting in the boat, and and any seeing this scene play out before him. Now he doesn’t write it when he’s in the boat. His parchment would have got a little wet. He writes it later. But Matthews in that boat and this is not something that Matthew was told. Is something indeed that Matthew experienced? Notice what it says, verse 31. And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and gaudium. And he said to him, oh, you have little faith. Why do you doubt? I love it. Immediately Jesus stretched out as an accordion. When Peter cried out, Jesus immediately responded, Jesus is there in the storms of life. He’s there when the waves are high in the night Stark. Now, Jesus cries out. Peter cries out and Jesus reaches out. Peter cries out, Jesus reaches out. When we cry out, Jesus reaches out. When we cry out in our weakness, Jesus reaches out in his strength. When we cry out and our frailty Jesus reaches out and his enduring light. When we cry out, and our other inability to solve our problem, Jesus reaches out. We can have absolute confidence that Jesus Never turns away from those who cry out in faith. His arm is strong to hold us up.
Turn to Psalm 20 verse six, underline this one, write it on a card, memorize it. You may not need it today, but you’re going to need it tomorrow. Psalm 20 verse, you’re looking at Psalm 20, verse six. Now I know some 20 verse six that the Lord saves his anointed. As a child of God, are you one of the anointed of Jesus? Indeed you are. Now I know the Lord saves his anointed Psalm 20 verse six, He will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and summon horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God verse nine Save Lord. May the king answer us when we when we call. Did you notice what Jesus said to Peter though? He said, Oh, you have what? little faith? Some people look at that passage and they say, well Peter only had a little faith. I say to you a little faith is better than no faith at all. You see, a little faith is better than no faith. It reminds me of Jesus statement. Remember what Jesus said if you have faith as a grain of what mustard seed, a mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds in Palestine. When we exercise the little faith we have our faith in Christ power to get us through the storms of life will grow into a mighty force that enables us to work on stormy seas. If you have faith of the grain of mustard seed, you’ll say to this mountain, move this mountain of difficulty this mountain of problems, this mountain a trouble you’ll say move it it’ll move see if you only have A little faith, if your faith is really, really small, trust Jesus with the faith you have, exercise the faith you have. And when you exercise the faith you have that faith is going to grow and grow and grow.
Notice this point, Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat, but he didn’t have enough faith to get through the storm. Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat, but he didn’t have enough faith to get out, get through the storm. Jesus often allows us to walk in the storms of life with the little faith we have to grow our faith. Do you think Peter his faith grew that day? Do you think by going through this storm? Peters faith was strengthened that day. Jesus often allows the storms of life to blow upon us to increase our faith. See if we would believe more we would doubtless Can you say that with me? If we believe more, we doubt less again, if we believe more, we doubt less. The business of faith is to resolve our doubts. So we place confidence in Christ and Christ alone. Imagine this scene. Imagine this See, Peter and Jesus walking hand in here and then a calm moon would see, with stars shining like diamonds in the sky. Jesus said, Peace Be still. Jesus is calmed. The troubled seed is calm their troubled hearts. Jesus is spoken, and as Lord of land and sea and wind and rain, the moon shines again, the sea is like a sea of glass with not a ripple upon it. And Jesus and Peter together, hand in hand, work back to that boat. The elements were out of control, but Jesus was in control. The boat was out of control but Jesus was in control. The disciples emotions were out of control. But Jesus was in control. In spite of the devil’s attacks, Jesus is in control of your life in the safety and security of the boat. Look at what the disciples exclaimed. last verse. Matthew 14, verse 23. Here it is. Faith has triumphed over the storms of life. Jesus, the ward of wind and rain and sea, has calmed, the storm and their troubles hearts.
And in Matthew chapter 14, last verse in this passage, verse 33, then those who are in the boat came and worshiped him saying, truly you are the Son of God. What a day it had been for them. They cry out truly you are the Son of God. Within a 24 hour period, they saw Jesus take five loaves and two fishes and multiply it feed 5000. If that doesn’t amaze you, I don’t know what would within a 24 hour period, they saw Jesus walking on the water. If that doesn’t amaze you, I don’t know what would. Within a 24 hour period, they saw Jesus calm a storm on the Sea of Galilee. If that doesn’t amaze you, I don’t know what would in a 24 hour period, they saw Jesus boot Peter up and walk back to the boot. If that doesn’t amaze you, I don’t know what would now there are three vital lessons in the story. Here they are, number one. Christ allows the storms of life to come to every one of us. No human being living in the stormy waters of earth will get from here to glory without going through a storm. You’re either going through a storm right now or you will go through one less than one crying allows the storms of life to come in order to strengthen our faith and reveal his power not to drown us. God allows the storm Jesus allows the storms of life to come to strengthen our faith and reveals his power not to drown us. Number two. Christ governs the intensity of the storm and the duration of the storm. Number three, Christ reveals himself in the midst of the storm. It’s in the storms of life we see him most clearly. We feel his presence most markedly and we experienced his power most dramatically. He sees us through the storms of life today.
So one day we can walk on the sea of glass with him tomorrow. He leads us through the stormy seas to the sea of glass on eternities peaceful shore in prophetic vision. JOHN sees another see in prophetic vision JOHN sees not stormy seas but calm seas. Revelation chapter 15. And john speaks about those. Those who’ve been through the storms of life today, he speaks of those who go through Earth’s last storm. Here is the incredible good news. Jesus will take you through the storms of life today. Here’s the incredible good news. Jesus will guide you safely to heaven. Sure. Here’s the incredible good news. The dragon will roar in the last days, the beast will threaten in the last days, the false prophet will deceive in the last days, but with Jesus one day, we’ll walk on see a glass revelation, the 15th chapter. We’re looking there at verse two and verse three and I saw something like to see have a glass no stormy seas here. No winds blowing fiercely here. No waves engulfing us here, our little boat not crashing on the rocks here I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. And those who have victory over the beast over his image over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God seeing the victorious on the Moses and the servant and the song of the lamb, saying, great and marvelous are your works. Lord God Almighty just ensure your ways.
When we stand on the sea of glass and look back over the stormy sea of life, we will say, just ensure your waves O Lord, every storm and I went through is worth it. Or the winds that I faced were worth it all the waves that I faced are worth it because now standing on the sea of glass on eternity, sure, where the winds will no longer blow. Dan Crawford was successor to David Livingston. He spent 32 years of his life in Africa as a missionary. He died of a terrible infection in the heart of Africa. And he wrote in the flyleaf of his Bible, these words I have read them to you before I read them often. His dying day. He wrote these words in the five leaf of his Bible. I cannot do it alone. The waves dash fast and high, the fog in the mist steady and the light goes out in the sky. But I know in the end, we too shall win. Jesus and I, a coward, wayward and weak. I change with The changing sky. Today I’m so strong, so strong and brave. But tomorrow, I may be too weak to try. But Jesus never gives up. In the end, we too shall when Jesus and I, in the storms of life, he is there. Though the outward body perishes, day by day our spirit saw to be renewed in him. And we saying, Lord, it is well is well, it is well with my soul.
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