Sermon Central
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The Storm Before The Calm Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 24, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: [Hurricane Katrina--1 year later.] Jesus and His disciples are on a stormy sea, and we can learn much about our voyage thru life by way of this passage. Link included to formatted MS Word text and PowerPoint Presentation.
• They could see that the Lord Himself was at perfect peace. When you have a situation and you see someone you respect is calm as they view it, it has a calming effect on you. The opposite is true if they react in a fuss.
Ill.—I wrecked by bicycle as a kid and skinned my knee…it didn’t hurt, I was fine. I went home…and when momma saw the blood caked on my leg she went ‘ape-poo’! I cried!
Ill.—our kids get scared in a thunderstorm, and they run to our bed and ask if we are scared. Oh no, we say…[even if we are!] and that calms them.
It should calm us to know that whatever we’re going thru, our God is not shucked…He’s not wringing His hands in despair wondering what’s next. He’s in full control.
The problem…the prayer…
3. The Power
v. 26b Then He arose…
v. 24 said a storm arose, and now it says in v. 26 that Jesus arose! He calmed that storm. He doesn’t always do this…sometimes He calms you, His child! Always, He keeps us safe ‘til the storm passes by!
The problem that day was not the storm, the sinking ship, or the sleeping Savior…it was the unbelief in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus asked them, “Why are ye fearful?”
Here’s some verses written hundreds of years before this storm, that the disciples should have trusted in, and we should today:
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; [24] These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. [25] For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. [26] They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. [27] They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. [28] Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. [29] He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. [30] Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
“Sheltered in the Arms of God”
So let the storms rage high, The dark clouds rise
They won’t worry me
For I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God
He walks with me, And naught of earth shall harm me
For I’m sheltered in the arms of God.
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http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/StormBeforeCalm.html
