God Called Shotgun?
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” Now, this statement is very important. He said, “we’re going to the other side” Think about that statement. If He says the other side, that’s where your going if He’s in your boat! He didn’t intend to take them to the middle to drown!
Of course, this went right over the disciple’s heads. If they would have remembered this during the storm they might not have been so scared. Fear can happen to any of us, a phone call, an accident, a sickness, and before you know it your right in the middle of the storm.
So Jesus and the disciples set out to cross the Sea of Galilee in one boat, with several others following. The Sea of Galilee is bad for storms. The Sea of Galilee (really just a large lake), is below sea level, with mountains rising to the east. And in the west, there are narrow corridors, which the wind can roar down, causing 6-12 ft. waves.
And as they get part way across the lake, "A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.” Now, remember, some of these guys made their living on this sea as fishermen. They were used to storms and their boats being rocked by waves, so this must have been a major storm! And they’re freaking out! We’re gonna drown! We’re gonna die! I’ll never see my family again!
Then look at the reaction of Jesus in v. 38 "But he was in the stern, asleep on a cushion." One thing this shows me is the humanity of Jesus. He got tired. After a full day of ministering, teaching and preaching, He was exhausted. He lays down and takes a nap. This shows me that Jesus can identify with your fatigue.
Another thing this passage shows me is that Jesus was with them in the boat and it still stormed. Being a Christian and having Jesus walk beside you doesn’t make you immune to experiencing storms in your life.
So this huge storm happens. They’re trying to hang on, bail out water, sneaking glances over at Jesus waiting for him to wake up and tell them what to do. He is their leader you know. But He’s tired, man. He just sleeping through all of this.
This shows us that even with Jesus in the boat, we still face storms and we’re not always delivered instantly when the storm comes. You see, storms help us grow in our faith. How many times has God ever failed you? I can tell you that He has NEVER failed you.
The disciples have been with Jesus for a while now. They should have known when Jesus said, “We’re going to the other side”, they were going to the other side, storm or no storm. Sure they may have to work a little bit, bail some water, but they were going to the other side!
But those disciples are just like us today. They panicked and woke Jesus up saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Did you notice the irony of this verse? This is the only time in the Bible that Jesus slept and the disciples woke him up! Right, like Jesus was gonna drown!
How many of you think that Jesus knew there would be a storm before they got to the other side? Of course He did! He says, “You guys handle our getting to the other side. I’m gonna catch some zzz’s” He knew all about the storm.
Nothing ever surprises God. “God, I’m in financial trouble!” He knows. “God, I’m having health problems!” He knows. Nothing ever surprises Him. He knew that storm was coming.
Are you going through some kind of storm? What’s rocking your boat? What’s flooding your ship? Is it a strained relationship? Is it a financial difficulty? Is it a health problem? Is it a secret storm? Something on the inside? Guilt? Grief? Anger? Bitterness? Jealousy? Worry? Maybe you feel like you’re just a little toy boat out there in a big ocean and you’re getting bashed back and forth every day. And you’re thinking, “I’m going under! I’m not going to make it!”
The Bible says three things about the storms of life that I want to make sure you understand.
1. Storms in life are inevitable. They will happen. You can’t avoid them. If you’re not in a storm right now, just wait, you will be. They’re a part of life. In James 1:2 it says, "When you face trials..." It does not say “If you face trials.” Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Nobody goes through life sailing easy from the cradle to the grave.
2. Storms are unpredictable. They come suddenly and they come unexpectedly. Psychics notwithstanding, we can’t predict the things that will happen to us. People try anything to see if today’s going to be a good day or a bad day. But we can’t predict storms. Storms come without warning. They are unpredictable.
3. Storms are impartial. They happen to good people, they happen to bad people. They happen to believers, they happen to unbelievers. They happen to everybody. Matthew 5:45 says, "He sends the rain on the just and the unjust." Being a Christian does not exempt us from being in storms. There is a common misconception that the only time we have tough times is when we’re disobeying God. That’s not true. The disciples got into a storm because they obeyed God. Jesus said, “Get in the boat.” They got in the boat and they sailed right into a storm. They were obeying God. They were in the center of His will. And they were right in the middle of a storm. When you’re going through a tough time, don’t automatically assume, “I must be out of the will of God.” You may be exactly where God wants you to be.
Of course this begs the question: If Jesus knew that this storm was going to happen, which He did, then why did He let them leave off shore right into the teeth of it? How did they wake him? TEACHER…… He wanted them to learn a lesson. Jesus was always the teacher.
There are many lessons in life we can only learn by experience. This is a lesson we all must learn. Jesus can be trusted in the storms of life. The first song I ever sang in church was an André Crouch song called “Through It All” which has the line in it, “If I never had a problem, I’d never know that God could solve them. I’d never know what faith in God could do.” But the only way we learn that is to go through the storms.
“He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased and there was a dead calm.”
When the storm is raging, we don’t hear Jesus’ calming words of Peace! Be still, I’m in control! The God who created the land and the sea has the power to calm the very sea he created.
And therein lies the problem for most of us. We become fearful when the storms of life howl and the waves threaten us because we think WE are in control. We think WE can save ourselves. We think WE can fix the problem on our own. We think WE have all the answers. We think we’re in charge. We keep one hand on the rudder, just in case God doesn’t know where he is going.
Brian Stine is a Christian comedian we saw at Promisekeepers last weekend. He did a bit on bumper stickers. “God is my co-pilot”. He said he had to drive up there alongside to see who was driving, because he must be some driver to make God call shotgun. We need to move over and let God drive.
We must remember in the storms of life, amid the chaos of suffering, through all the temptations that we face, in the unexpected hurricanes and tornadoes that blow against us, God IS present and God IS in control. We need to move over and let Him drive.
So just because we have Jesus in the boat with us, it doesn’t mean our lives won’t get rocked. It doesn’t mean that being in relationship with Jesus promises us perfect health, a satisfying marriage, a successful career, or a life without cares. Even as Christians, we are still subject to all the same adversities of the human condition which others experience. The message we need to take from this is that when the storms of life threaten us we have someone to call on. We have someone who will steer us to a safe harbor. That someone is Jesus Christ.
Mark Twain and a friend walked outside one day in the rain. The friend said, “You think it will stop?” Mark Twain said, “It always does.” That’s true with any storm. You’ve got to go through it, but it’s not going to last forever. Some of you feel like you’re in a major storm right now and God’s word to you is, “Hang in there!” Keep on living. Don’t be afraid. The sun will shine again. There is hope. God is with you. He’ll get you through. You’ll make it to the other side - just like Jesus said. Just remember, don’t make God call shotgun.
