‘keep Calm Jesus Is In Control!’

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 16)

(2). God Sees Everything I am Going Through (vs 15)

(3). God’s Help Is Always On Time (vs 18b-19)

(4). God’s Purpose Is Always For Our Growth (vs 20-21)

(5). God’s Word Never Fails (vs 20).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• “Keep Calm and Carry On”

• The phrase originated as a slogan in the spring before World War II.

• Anticipating the dark days ahead, the British government designed a poster;

• To hang in areas being targeted by German bombers.

• Around 2.5 million copies were printed, but not one of them was posted,

• As officials had last-minute doubts;

• About whether the content was too patronizing or obvious.

• They also couldn't settle on an appropriate time to hang the posters.

• Save for a select few, the majority of the posters were destroyed.

Fast-forward six decades to the year 2,000 and one of the remaining posters;

• Was discovered by a bookseller who bought a box of old books;

• And hidden inside one of the books was one of posters.

• Not realising its rarity or its values;

• The owner of in ‘Barter Books’ in Alnwick, Northumberland,

• Put it up on the wall over the cash register.

• Pretty soon, customers were asking about where they could buy a similar poster,

• And the shop's owners, Stuart and Mary Manley, decided to print copies.

• Little did they know how fast the "Keep Calm" craze would spread.

• ‘Keep Calm’ products have now flooded the market;

• The phrase is plastered on every printable surface from:

• T-Shirts, mugs, keyrings, rugs, posters and much more.

• TRANSITION: "Keep calm and carry on"

• Is the lesson the disciples are going to learn in through this event.

Now to get the full story of this incident:

• You would do well to read what the Matthew and Mark record as well;

• Because different witnesses note different details.

• i.e. Only John in his Gospel records in his account;

• That the people were going to try to make Jesus their king by force.

• i.e. Only Mark records in his record;

• That Jesus looked out and saw the disciples straining at the oars on the stormy lake.

• i.e. And only Matthew records in his narrative;

• What happened with Peter that night.

• Hard to believe you might miss out an incident like that one!

• Now, I want us to note five key things from this short event.

• Five simple applications we can pick out from John’s description pf this event.

(1). God Has A Plan For Me And It Is Good (vs 16)

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.”.

• God has a plan for me and it is Good;

• But that doesn’t mean a life without hardships and difficulties!

Ill:

• Some of you will know that for ten years I had a second hand bookstall;

• Selling mainly Christian books and Bibles at Fareham market.

• One of the other traders was a man called Simon;

• On a Monday morning when we went to get a breakfast roll and a cup of coffee,

• Simon would always ask me every week, the same two questions:

• “How was I?” and then he would ask, “And how’s God?”

• Each time he asked I gave him the same answer:

• Most weeks I would reply; “I am good!” (depending on my health etc);

• But I would always say to him; “And God is good!”

• Though he never told me,

• I was told by another trader that he had lost a son;

• And was hurting and bitter towards God.

• And this was his way of initiating or starting a conversation.

Now none of us like clichés, none of us like platitudes:

• So I was quick followed up my statement that, “God is Good” with:

• “That does not mean everything in my life is good! But God is good!”

• For all of us life is emotional roller-coaster;

• It was full of highs and lows,

• It is full of both good and difficult circumstances.

• TRANSITION: For the disciples of Jesus;

• Life was like riding an emotional roller-coaster;

• It was full of highs and lows, good times and difficult circumstances.

Just think back to the last few incidents recorded by John in his gospel:

• i.e. The high of a miracle as Jesus feeds 5,000 (or maybe 10,000plus!)

• (Chapter 6 verse 1-15)