Calm During the Storm 10/27/13

Good Morning Dear Friends,

I am drinking a hot cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee to help me wake up.

Let's get right to it.

Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
²⁹ “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Funny thing happened once while I was preaching on walking on water. While giving it full fire and brimstone, the folks in the Saturday night service started pointing to the door behind me. It had been raining pretty hard outside and when I turned around and looked the storm water was blowing passed the door and soon we were up to our knees in water. A few cars were floating in the parking lot. I never did thank the Holy Spirit for adding the great special effects to my sermon. Another funny thing is that our pastor/elder board has strongly urged me to never preach on that subject again.

But back to our lesson. Note that the disciples of Jesus were in a storm and Jesus was not with them. They were probably wondering where Jesus was and why He did not go with them. They looked out and saw him walking on the waves in the storm. ( The sea had not been calmed yet). Then Peter asked to get out of the boat and walk to Jesus. Again note. The storm was still around them. Jesus was not in the boat but out on the waves. Peter asked to come to Jesus. Note again , that when Jesus said "come" the storm was still there. The storm was not quieted until Jesus got into the boat with Peter.

Our lives have many battles, trials and just plain old stormy days. We look for Jesus in the safety of our comfort zone. Where we need to look is out in the storm of our lives. Jesus can be found there and the storms do not impact Him. He still calls us to follow Him through the storm. If Jesus calmed every storm before they really got to us we would never experience walking through and overcoming a storm with Jesus. We would always fear the storms instead of embracing them knowing that they increase our faith and give us strength and confidence for the next one.

So when the storms of life come, call out to Jesus and ride out the waves with Him.

God bless.
Marty