A Bridge over Troubled Waters
Matthew 8:23-27
In our Christian walk, we go through different seasons. There are seasons where we are experiencing the good times: blessings one after another. During these times, we sing the songs of Zion with joy. Then there are seasons where it feels like we are going through a drought and famine. This is when the test and trials comes. The enemy tries also to steal our joy and song. Where do we get the strength to handle all the pressures of life? How do we navigate through life’s rocky paths in a fleshly tabernacle? We will experience tough times along the way.
God has thoughts of peace for us. Before the beginning of time, God was still king. God created the heavens and earth. God says we are more important than the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. How do we get a testimony when we go through a trial by fire, how do we keep our sanity in a depressed state?
To get from point A to Point B in our Christian walk, we have to go through troubled waters. In these waters, there are alligators, crocodiles, and piranhas that will take you under. It does not matter what your status is in society and how smart you are, you cannot travel from point A to point B on your own strength.
There has to be a solid foundation where we walk on to progress from one destination to the next in our spiritual life. Jesus Christ is the foundation on which we stand. He becomes our bridge when we encounter troubled waters. So let read from Matthew 8:23-27 and find out how Jesus can be a bridge over troubled waters:
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”
(Message: A Bridge over Troubled Waters)
In our scripture we find Jesus and His disciples entering a ship after a time of ministry. After the Sermon on the Mount, before they entered the ship, the bible records 4 miracles that took place:
• Jewish leaper got healed with Christ present.
• Healing of the Centurion’s servant from a distance.
• Healing of Peter’s mother in-law, with Jesus there in the house.
• Healing all that were demon possed, sick and lame, with Jesus present.
They left from Capernaum to pass over the Sea of Galilee to the Eastern shore. And the Sea of Galilee was known to have storms.
So we need to ask ourselves, why do we go through trials?
Trials are hardships that test our faith. There are different types of trials, but they are designed to strengthen our faith in Jesus, to cause us to look toward Him not away from Him. And when we look to Him we find that we come into a better place with God. So although our trials may seem strange and hard we should realize that there will be joy when we come to the end of them as 1 Peter 8:12-13 tells us:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
We know that tribulation is a state or time of great affliction. Tribulation is connected with deliverance. Tribulations are viewed as entirely within the will of God, serving to promote moral purity and godly character:
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:3-5
Through the testing of the believer’s faith, it leads to greater stability and maturity:
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4
EXAMPLE:
1. The life of Job (how he endured without knowing what was going on, and got blessed at the end).
2. We are God’s workmanship in Christ Jesus. We are called to do something. It might be the ministry, to be parents, or just to be faithful, to be employees, or to be an employer.
But no matter what we are called to be we need to understand that:
• First, the Lord has to have first place in our lives:
i. Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 6:1 saw the Lord high and lifted up and His train filled the temple.
ii. Moses went to Pharaoh after having a meeting with God.
• We cannot do anything until we see the Lord high and lifted up in our lives.
• So seek the Kingdom first and we will see the Lord high and lifted up in our lives. And when He is high and lifted up He will become a bridge over troubled waters in our lives.
Who are you trusting in the troubled times?
Put your trust in Christ Jesus, not other people. Trust means to place confidence in something or someone. Trusting in Jesus means to have faith in Him and His promises for your life. For the psalmist tells us in Psalm 119:49-50 why we should place our trust in Him:
“Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”
Comfort comes from God’s promises. To claim God’s promises is called faith in action. And this faith in action causes us to:
• Not looking at my trouble, but looking towards to my blessing.
• Not looking at my desert storm, but looking towards to my sunny day.
• Not looking at what man says about me, but looking toward God’s deliverance.
• Not looking at my current situation, but looking toward to my breakthrough that’s coming.
• Not looking at my present storm, but looking to when the storm blows over.
“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31
You might be troubled on every side, yet not distressed.
You might be perplexed, but not in despair.
You might be persecuted, but not forsaken.
You might be cast down, but not destroyed.
For this cause we faint not because Christ is our bridge over troubled waters, those floods of life that bring us to the point where we are cast down, to the point of exhaustion when we think we can not go another inch. But through it all we find strength, the strength that only Christ Jesus can bring, a bridge over troubled waters.
He is our bridge of assurance because of His life, death, and resurrection.
We praise Him in the midst of our pain because He is the prince of peace.
We are reconciled with the Father because He is the bridge of forgiveness.
Across the horizon a ray of light is breaking forth and the teary eyes will be wiped dry, for weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning; because Jesus is our bridge to joy.
When the storms of life arise and you call upon His name He comes to your aide and calms the storm with “peace be still” and the storm obeys His command. So don’t give up and don’t give in because Jesus will carry you through for He is a bridge over troubled waters.
