It Will Be All Right

See these Scriptures: Matt. 9:1-2; Mark 6:45-55;

John 16:33; Acts 23:11

I have come here this morning to tell you, "It will be all right." But you know, things are not all right are they? We are living in a day when there is gang violence. We are living in a day when more and more people are dying of lung cancer. In spite of 100% proof that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer, more and more of our teenagers are smoking cigarettes. Drug abuse is on the rise. And one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. People are being laid off from jobs that they had hoped would provide for their retirement. It is no longer a guarantee that the "good company" that you went to work for will be the "good company" that will take care of you.

It does not appear that things are going to be all right. But God’s Word says, "Be of good cheer." But there is no reason to be of good cheer. How can we do that in light of this present age, and these present circumstances.

Because of the Power of Jesus Christ

In Matt. 9 there is the story of the man brought to Jesus who was a paralytic.

In the KJV it says that he was sick of the palsy. If you examine the disease that the Bible is speaking of, it is much like our modern day Parkinsonism.

I don’t know if all of you know about that disease, Marie Robertson is very closely acquainted with it. My aunt died from complications of Parkinsonism.

It is an incurable disease that attacks the nervous system and ultimately results in death. This man was completely dependent upon others to take care of him. He was incurably sick with a disease that still plagues us today.

And Jesus came along and said, "Be of good cheer." It seems so glib, it seems so insignificant in light of the devastation that so many face. But the good news is, everything will be all right because Jesus still has the power to forgive sin. It sounds so easy. And Jesus does offer immediate release from the sin in our lives. If you genuinely want to repent of your sin, Jesus will forgive your sin.

Now, don’t assume that you can go right back to that sin, because repentance means a turning away from the sin, it means to turn your back on that sin, it means to go in the opposite direction. But, if you sincerely ask for forgiveness from your sin, by accepting Christ and then by confessing your sin daily, Jesus has the power to do that. The problem is, too many people live with guilt. They are forgiven but they cannot forgive themselves. And they are handicapped by the guilt that builds over a lifetime. They haven’t learned that there is one thing God cannot do. Are you aware that there is something God cannot do? One thing.

God cannot remember your sin. It will be all right because of the good cheer of the power of Jesus Christ.

Because of the Presence of Jesus Christ

In Mark the 6th chapter there is the story of Jesus sending the disciples out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. They had just come from the plain of Gennesaret, where Jesus had taken five loaves and two small fish and fed five thousand people. The disciples were tired. Jesus was tired. So He wanted to spend some time by Himself. It is interesting the number of times Jesus would isolate himself in order to prepare Himself. People often forget that it is essential for us to spend time alone with the Father if we are going to be effective in ministry. So, Jesus sends the twelve ahead on a boat as is so often the case on the Sea of Galilee, a storm came up. I understand that it is not uncommon, given the terrain and atmospheric conditions that rather violent storms can happen in a matter of moments on the Sea of Galilee. And the disciples find themselves in the midst of the storm.

You know, isn’t that something of a parable about life. We are often confronted with storms that we never saw coming. And there are some storms that you just have to live with. I have learned as a pastor, there are times when you are thrust in the very heat of the fire. You can’t pastor a church without ending up with some smoke on your coat. If we are honest we would rather not be in the storm. But sometimes that is exactly where we are and we learn that we must stay in the storm. But Jesus came to those men and said be of good cheer, for it is I. Everything is going to be all right because Jesus is with us in the time of the storm. We don’t have to face our storms alone. Now don’t misunderstand me.