THE DRAMA OF THE STORM
September 4, 2005
Christian Life Worship Center
Mark 6:45-52&, Matthew 14:28-29 and John 6:20
When you turn to this passage you had better hold on because there is a terrible storm brewing. Read Scripture
Introduction:
Early Monday morning of this past week one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the Gulf coast began. Its name was Katrina - an innocent enough sounding name. It had begun a few days before as a tropical depression but after sliding over the south Florida peninsula it quickly gravitated to the center of the gulf where it used the warm waters to grow until it became a category 5 hurricane. I don’t have to tell you the rest. If you are like me, your eyes have been glued to Fox news as we have watched this tragedy unfold. I submit to you that there has been more pathos and heartache here than in the epic dramas Gone With the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, Exodus or the Cherokee Indians Trail of Tears, where people have been uprooted by war, depression and political maneuvering. Here the forces of nature and poor planning caused the tragedy. And now hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from the New Orleans area to countless points around the United States. But our hearts and prayers go out to the innocent and the destitute who are looking for a miracle of recovery today.
This morning the Drama of the Storm: Prayer
1.Storms are always symbolic of upheaval in and around our lives. But you know as Christians without storms we are of very little value. Without all of storms and persecutions there is little we can do to help those coming along behind us. If you have separated yourself from life and live in an ivory palace and manage to get by without any problems or concerns for life you cannot help anyone else.
2.But someone who has been through a storm, who has been through trials and tribulations can help someone else.
3.As a matter of fact you can know very little about God until you go through a storm. The bottom line is it is in the midst of the storm that you meet God.
4.The real question is how many of us would like to know more about God?
5.The truth is that you will know more about God when you have come through a storm than at any other period In your life. That is right.
6.We cry out to God, "Lord, Deliver me from this storm." When all the time we are going to see more of God’s power and feel more of His love than at any other time. You will never forget the storm. You will learn to appreciate God more then than at any other time. This is the period when testimonies are born.
INTRODUCTION:
Well, the wind is blowing and the waves are rising. So let’s get into the drama. There are three scenes in this drama. The first scene is the disciples on the Sea of Galilee in a raging storm. In Scene two we have Jesus praying high up in the mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee. And at the end of the drama we have scene three with Jesus coming to His disciples walking on the water when a miracle takes place. The Bible says, "And immediately the ship was at the land whether they went." I chose to take the Word of God for what it says. The Bible says that the disciples received Jesus into the ship and immediately the ship was at the other shore.
I.There are two ways we can look at the drama either prophetically or personally.
A.In the Prophetic application we see the Sea which stands for the last 2005 years during which a trip is taking place from one shore to another. We see a Ship which prophetically is the Ship of Zion with the saints of God on board sailing towards heaven during the Dispensation of Grace. Then we see Jesus in the mountains praying which is a picture of Jesus ascending to the right hand of the Farther where he is interceding for those of us going across during this time of storm. Then we have a picture of a storm and waves crashing against the ship which is a picture of humanity being driven by Satan, the wind, crashing and coming against the ship of Zion attempting to keep it from arriving on the other side as the Master had instructed those on the ship to accomplish. The final prophetic picture is that of Jesus coming on board the ship and then with it immediately arriving on the other side. This is definitely a picture of the Rapture of the church during the height of the storm and satanic opposition. All of a sudden the Master appears to the disciples in the midst of the storm and takes them to the other side. What a powerful picture. But tonight I want us to look at a more practical application of this drama. It is the Personal application.
II. I want us to learn some lessons learned from the fear and turmoil that these disciples went through that long night.
A.The Greek definition of the word "fear" shows us that the disciples were so afraid that they screamed out in utter fear that they were going to lose their lives. I think a proper title to this application would be The Factors of Fear or perhaps The Causes of Collapse...And then the Cure. Time after time when looking through the Bible we readily see that God doesn’t want His children to be afraid. He places this message upon the hearts of his messengers because He knows we have a lot of storms.
1.The first message from God after 400 years had elapsed between the Old and New Testament was, "Fear not." The angel’s message to the Priest Zacharias was, "Fear Not."
2.The angel to Joseph was, "Fear Not."
3.The angel to Mary was, "Fear Not."
4.And here the message coming to the disciples in the midst of storm is "Fear Not."
5.And I have a good idea the message of God to us here this morning is "Fear Not!!"
6.It doesn’t matter what it is, God is over all. I mean sickness, storms, financial lack. It doesn’t matter God is over it all and His message to you is, "Fear Not!"
SERMON BODY:
I. Now let’s look at the scene before us: Just before the trip across Galilee the disciples had witnessed the most spectacular miracle of all time. Jesus had fed the 5000. That was men but with their families between 15-20 thousand people. They were a party to it.They were still breathless having witnessed this miracle and Jesus tells them to gather things up that He is going into the mountain to pray and they were to sail to the other side where He would meet them later on following His prayer time.
A.The disciples had no problem with sailing. They rigged the ship in a few minutes and they were on their way: Red Sails in the Sunset. They loved sailing.
They knew all the tricks and methods to make it easy and here they are filled with the afterglow of the greatest one service they had ever been in. They no
doubt talked about all the potential for the future after what they had just witnessed. This was it. They had arrived at the turning point of their ministry.
Can you see the smiles and wide open eyes of these men who had arrived at the point of their lives where the felt they were going to see real meaning to their existence. This was the defining moment!
B.It was about 6 pm when they left. But about 15 minutes into the trip the bottom fell out. The worst wind they had ever encountered came barreling out of the Golan Heights and swirled around them.
II. Their Response to the Storm:
A.The first thing they must have asked was, "I wonder why?" Jesus looked back and commented, "the winds were contrary." Sometimes winds are contrary.Things don’t go to suit us. The winds were bashing at the boards of the little ship. They did everything they could to keep things together. The winds were contrary. Jesus Christ Himself had told them to go to the other side. That was His direct command to them. They are on their way to obey Christ’s command and the winds are pushing them back in the opposite direction. Can I tell you that there are times when we are doing God’s will and it is His plan for all hell to break lose to keep you from going where He has commanded you to go. It is His will that we learn lessons that can only be learned facing the winds.
1. Paul is an example: He faced wild beasts, he was shipwrecked, beaten with rods, and he was left for dead. He was devoted to accomplishing God’s will and yet he faced many storms throughout his life.
2. A storm is not always a sign of God’s displeasure with you life. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.
3. Ask Job.
4. Some may have said, "I know if Jesus were just here we would not be facing this."
5. I have to hand it to the disciples. They labored at the oars. Rowing is hard work. (Give example of rowing.) They were straining at the oars.They were rowing for all they were worth.
7.Going to the other side meant they were feverishly rowing into the wind. Now they did not get far but they did not stop rowing into the wind. To accomplish this they had to row together. If not they would
have gone around in circles. We will never get anywhere unless we work together. It is a miracle that they didn’t give up and let the wind blow them back to the shore. They had enough faith in Christ’s
command that they labored heading in the direction He had commanded. Do you realize that they were headed right smack into the middle of the storm. What faith!
8."The winds were contrary." This could have been one of the causes of the fear that gripped their hearts.
B.Another thing that Jesus recognized which was far more serious. He said, "They considered not the miracle of the loaves." They did not think about the
spectacular miracle Jesus had just done a few hours before.
1.You know they had to be talking about something. We all do when we get together for any reason. Be sure that you are responsible for saying something that will lift people up.
2.It seems that while they were struggling and rowing they began talking negatively. "Jesus should not have told us to cross over. He knew this was going to happen! We could have walked with the crowd and
we would be there now. It just wasn’t considerate of Him to do this. And look, He’s not even here with us.
3.It could have been different. Peter could have put his arm around ole James and said,(role play) "Hey, let’s hang in there James. We are going to make it. Come on Thomas, you can do it. Come on fellaws, Jesus said to go to the other side. He didn’t mean that we should go to the middle and sink. Don’t give up now! Come on! Don’t you remember how Jesus healed the leper? What about the loaves and fishes. And what about
the last time we were in a storm and He was asleep. It didn’t even bother him enough to awaken. When we woke him up He just told the storm to be still and it did. Don’t you remember?"
4.He could have been positive. But do you know more spiritual graves are dug with the tongue than anything else? I’ve seen it happen. Oh, if we could just talk about what Jesus has done: Talk faith. Talk positive. Talk love and the power of God. Remind the one next to you of the wonderful service last week.
5.Have you ever been at a restaurant and someone who has just come out of a great service sits down by you and begins talking, you may be feeling bad but when they begin lifting you up by sharing you felt the power of positive conversation lifting you up.
6.The disciples should have been talking about how Jesus turned the water into wine. They should have remembered how the little woman crawled through the crown and touched the hem of his garment and she was instantly healed.
7.But no, they were only talking about the present storm and fear gripped their souls. This is one of the causes of the collapse of Faith.
8.Do you remember the story of the two men who built a house? One built on a rock the other on sand. They both were men of God who knew the word of God. The difference was the man who built in the sand did not ACT on the word, which he knew, but the man who built on the rock acted and lived on the word of God. The man who built on the sand was like a man trying to change his foundation while the storm is beginning and the floods are coming. It is too late. A proper foundation of living a life of acting on the word of God must begin before hand so that one?s faith is prepared to weather the storm.
C.Also, we see in verse 45 that the disciples had to be constrained to get into the ship.
1.They were convinced that they were leaving the greatest opportunity for the future of their evangelistic organization that they ever had. "Jesus
we don’t think this is the right time to leave. Don’t you remember what happened here to day? 15 - 20 thousand people were here for church and on top of that we witnessed the greatest miracle of all time. Do You think we should leave all that?" They were only worried about organizing the Christ’s kingdom and their positions in it. I am convinced the disciples never would have dismissed that huge crowd. They probably would have gone straight to Jerusalem with this size crowd to set up Jesus as king.
2. The disciples never got the message. When they came to Jesus about feeding the multitude Jesus said that He wanted THEM to feed the people. He was trying to prepare them for the future when He would be gone. "You feed the people. I am not here to become a king - at least not yet anyway. I am trying to prepare you fellows to minister to people." Don’t laugh. It is hard for us to realize what God wants us to do also. He has to use unusual tactics some times to get us on the right page. It is not organization so much as it is ministering to the people. They must be fed and we are the hands of Jesus.
3. Do you remember Jesus last message to Peter on the shores of Galilee? "Feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my sheep." I think Peter got the message.
D.And finally, Jesus got them on the ship and they got into the worst storm of their lives. Their bodies were aching from the stress and the strain after hours and hours straining at the oars. The truth is they never got out of his sight. He was watching them from the mountain. He knew where they were and he knows exactly where you are today. "He is touched with the feeling of your infirmities." This is a truth we need to have burned into our minds. He looked down and saw His disciples toiling at the oars and He came to them. Listen to me! This is very important. Jesus comes to his disciples in the midst of storms! There was nothing that could keep Him back. He saw them and He was coming. He knew they were in desperate straits. He saw them and He was coming. He came straight down to the shore and He didn’t wait for a boat to rent. He was coming to his men right then. It took the disciples 12 hours to go 4 miles. It only took Jesus minutes to go the same distance to be with them. He knifed through the winds and the waves and the fog right to where they were. Here He comes walking on the white caps to a His disciples. He loved them. He cared for them. And here He is before them. We need to understand the love of God for us in the midst of the storm. But we have to understand the deeper truth which is God’s concern for our character development during the storm.
1.The disciples looked out and they saw Jesus but they did not know it was him. They though He was a ghost. The Bible says, they sceamed out in utter fear. They were shaking all over in fear and from the exposure
of hours of rowing in the driving rain. They were reduced to a quivering mass. They thought that death had come for them.
a.Sometimes Jesus appears to us as an unknown element in our lives. And the very thing we think has come to destroy us is meant to save us. It may be something we don’t want to give up and we don’t want the change. Listen to Jesus in the storm. It will be something we need to hear.
b.How many people find Jesus when things are going wrong. (Give example.)
2.Look at the difference that the presence of Jesus made in that ship. Peter has faith to walk on the water. He says, "If it is you Lord, let me come to you on the water." And Jesus said, "Come." In the presence of the Lord there is a difference in the way you face things. I can see Peter with a glow on his face and the storm spray glancing from his cheeks." He is going to Jesus. "Lord, I am coming to you." Jesus said, "All things are possible to him that believeth." Jesus response to words of faith is always, "Come!" Some of you here today are sick. You have been told by the doctor that you will have to live with your condition. I am telling you to step out on the invitation of Jesus. There have been others who have stepped out and they were not disappointed. The little woman who touched the hem of his garment did. The crowd did not matter. The religious laws of the land did not matter. She stepped out and touched the hem of his garment and she was instantly healed.
3.Some of the other disciples may have discouraged him because he got his eyes off of Jesus and on the waves around him and he began to sink. That happens. I imagine he heard the voice of Thomas shouting, "Look out Peter a wave is coming towards you." We still have people who get our eyes off Jesus during the time we need to keep focused the most. It seems that there is never a shortage of them.
4.Oh yes, Simon Peter started going down. The waves were rough. The wind was strong, but not strong enough to keep the man of God down very long. Simon cried out, "Lord, save me." This morning some of you have that sinking feeling. You have heard voices crying out in your storm saying, "You can’t live the Christian Life. You are going to sink!" Peter didn’t try to hide his doubt. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" And that should be your cry this morning as well! Get your eyes back on Jesus.
5.Jesus got a hold of Peter’s outreached hand and pulled him back up and guess what? He was walking on the water again and so can you! Some commentators say Peter was a little rash in his decision to walk on the water. Baloney. Peter was living a life of faith for the first time and it prepared him for miraculous days ahead as he would lead the early church. The safest place on this earth is walking on the water at the Lord’s command.
CONCLUSION:
1.And then the Bible tells us in John 6:21 that when Jesus came into the boat "and immediately the ship was at the land whether they went." Let’s look at the
prophetic meaning of this passage. He comes in and the winds cease and immediately the ship along with all the disciples is on the other side.
2.What does this mean? The ship of Zion packed full of the saints of the ages have been faithfully rowing across the ages with one purpose in mind. To take its passengers across to the other side. The old ship is in the middle of the worst storm it has ever engaged but the saints of God continue to faithfully row into the wind with the forces of evil pushing against it with everything they’ve got.
3.But lift you head saints of God. Jesus is about to return to receive unto himself the saints in the ship. It is called the Rapture of the church.
4.The question today is not how severe is the storm but are you in the ship!
5. And what about the tragedy associated with Hurricane Katrina? God will sustain and bring recovery. But through it all I think God is giving us a reminder of where we are in time. Matthew 24:37 tells us, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." What was the most notable thing about Noah’s day other than the great evil? It was the size and the scope of the flood. When you think about Katrina, also think about Christ?s soon return.
