"God's Voice Is In The Storm"

18 October 2009

Pentecost Sunday

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

504th Compound’s Multi-Purpose Facility

Contingency Operation Base (C.O.B.) Adder

Tallil, Iraq

BIG IDEA: Regardless of the circumstances in our lives, we need to TRUST God at all times.

REFERENCES: Jonah (ESV); Job 26:7 (ESV) He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing; Proverbs 8:22 (ESV) “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old; John 1:1 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; Job 37:5 (NIV) God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. Job 40:9 (NIV) Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? Mark 4:35-41 ESV (Jesus calms a Storm); Romans 10:17 KJV So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God;

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Job 38:1-7 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Job 38:1-7 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Job 38:1-2 (CEV) From out of a storm, the LORD said to Job: Why do you talk so much when you know so little?

IV. PURPOSE: To encourage the hearers to TRUST God at all time regardless of the circumstances.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “God’s voice is in the storm”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

Why does God allow miscarriages? How come some babies – after birth – don’t live? Why does God allow some parents to die before their children are old enough to know them? Why do God allow some Soldiers – on the same deployment - to commit suicide while others live to learn how to prevent suicide? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Who can ever forget the story in Mark 4:35-41 (ESV) where Jesus calms the storm? For don’t you remember, the disciples had just left Bible Study where they had learned the purpose of parables? Jesus had taught them about the “Lamp under the basket” (in Mark 4:21-24), Seed Growing (in Mark 4: 26-29) and the “Mustard Seed” (in Mark 4:30-33).

Mark reminds us that although Jesus spoke and taught in parables – privately He would get with His disciples and explain everything (Mark 4:34). Because he didn’t want them to confused; He wanted them to learn to Trust God and to understand how God works and increases our faith in the spirit. For the Good Book says, in Romans 10:17 (KJV), “… faith comes from hearing …the word of God.”

Some theologians are under the presupposition that after Jesus taught the disciples about faith and trust; the Lord gave them an unexpected examination called – the “Storm Test”. For God’s Word must always be tested!

****** TAKE 5 BEATS ******

MOVE 1: Some people have the idea – from peeking at Jonah that Storms only come into our lives when we have been DISOBEDIENCE;

a. but if we look closer at the reading from Mark 4 – we would see that this STORM comes to the disciples because of their OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD.

b. For the Good Book says that the same day that the Bible Studies had come to an end; Jesus suggested to His disciples that they “all go across to the other side of the sea” (Mark 4:1 ESV).

c. After entering the boat with the Lord – a “Storm” came which frighten these season Fishermen. The storm started beating and flooding the boat – threatening to sink it.

d. The Good says that the disciples ran and told Jesus …

e. The Bible says that Jesus told the wind to quiet down; and He told the sea to be hush.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: … “God’s Voice is Sometimes … in the Storm!”

a. For the past 3 Weeks I’ve been briefing - weekly on our Administration and Logistic (A&L) Breeze and requesting all of our leaders (enlisted and officers alike) to “show a little more patience” and tolerance with their Soldiers and military counterparts.

b. Many of you can attest to hearing me say: “If you’re feeling both excitement and anxiety simultaneously – it’s normal. Just ‘hang in there’. If you need someone to talk to, please contact your unit chaplain soonest.”

c. “God’s voice is in the storm.”

d. Today is the 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade’s (BfSB) Religious Support Team (RST) last Sunday of being in charge of worship in Iraq; and this coming Wednesday; we will conduct our last Bible Study for Iraq 09-11.

e. Yet, it warms my heart to see you here – in this Multi-Purpose Facility – this morning.

f. This twelve month long deployment is approaching its end - fast. Just last evening we had our Custom Inspection, as we laid out our personal and organizational properties for final inspection and loading.