Faith In The Storm

Faith even in the Storm

8/8/2010

Matthew 14:22-33

Some people are afraid when a storm comes. I personally am not one of them. My cats though will hide under the bed when a bad storm arises.

I heard about a little boy who when he heard the storm outside so he called to his mother and asked if he could come in her bed and sleep with her. The mom simply replies, “No baby, mommy has to sleep with daddy”. The little boy pulls the covers up over his head and mutters under his breath, “Big sissy”.

While I am not afraid of storms, I like many others do not like them. And in our life we face many storms that are not weather related. Life is full of problems. And when you enter into a personal relationship with Christ, it doesn't get any better. The bible teaches us that WHEN not IF you have problems. We all have storms that come into our lives.

It could be in the form of our finances. It could be a storm in our marriages; Maybe the storm of a wayward child. In could be a storm in the church. We all face storms. Today I want to share with you how to have faith in them.

Open your Bibles to Matthew 14. A little background before we begin. In the beginning of Chapter 14 we read that Jesus had just received the news about the beheading of His good friend, John the Baptist. Talk about a storm! Can you imagine hearing the news of one of your closest friends being killed? So Jesus went to go away to be alone, but the crowds followed Him by foot. When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them and begins healing their sick people.

As evening approaches, His disciples came to Him and told Him that it was getting late and He needed to send the crowds away to go get something to eat. He responds with Matthew 14:16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

They look at what they had, which was five loaves and two fish. Not much in the appearance of quantity to feed 5000 men not to mention the woman and children. But little is much when God is in it. So He has them to seat the multitude and not only is everyone filled, but there was 12 baskets left over.

Now we get to our text and my first point.

The TRAIL of Faith

Matthew 14:22-27 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."

Jesus had sent the multitudes away and He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. This is what if you remember what He sought to do in the first place.

So here we find the disciples doing just as Jesus had asked them to do, Going to the other side. Notice that they were in the will of God and that didn't stop the storm from coming.

And the same thing holds true for us as well. You can be doing exactly what God has for you to do and that does not mean that life will be happily ever after.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Notice it doesn't say that you can have tribulation, it says you WILL have! You can be doing the will of God and I can guarantee you that you WILL have problems.

Now we read that in previous chapters when the storms came, He simply spoke the words and calmed the storms. This time He appeared to not be there when the storms came. But God is always there in the storms in our lives.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

He will never leave us. Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."