Sudden Storm
Matthew 14:22 – 36
By: JB Hall
Introduction: The event we will be considering is recorded in 3 of the gospels: Matthew 14:22 - 36, Mark 6:45 - 56, and John 6:15 – 21.
Here’s the scene: The disciples had just finished serving 5,000 people as Jesus performed a miracle, taking five loaves and two fishes and turning them into enough food to feed 5,000 men, beside women and children.
Immediately after this miracle, Jesus instructed the disciples to get into a boat and go before Him over the Sea of Galilee to the other side.
As they traveled across the sea, John 6:18 says, “And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.”
Just like the disciples here, sometimes you and I encounter a sudden storm in our lives.
Perhaps even now you are in the midst of a sudden storm.
Let’s examine this event and see if we can’t learn some things that will help us during the sudden storms in our lives.
1. A Sudden Storm will erupt as just that; a sudden storm.
A. Sometimes a storm will arise in your life out of nowhere.
B. You have not done anything to cause it to erupt; it is not your fault.
C. As a matter of fact, these disciples were following Jesus’ orders to get into the boat and travel to the other side.
D. They had not disobeyed Him, bringing His judgment upon them.
E. They were right in the center of His will; they were following His instruction.
F. So, you can’t always attribute storms in your life to God’s judgment for you being out of His will.
G. Sometimes we do bring storms upon ourselves by our disobedience to God’s will; but this is certainly not always the case.
H. Sometimes a sudden storm will erupt in your life though you are in the center of the will of God; perhaps even following His instructions; perhaps even doing the ministry He has called you to.
I. A sudden storm is often just that: as sudden storm – erupting without warning and seemingly without reason.
2. A Sudden Storm will sometimes immediately follow a great spiritual event.
A. Here, the disciples had just been used by Jesus in a great miracle that He had performed.
B. They had just received at His hand, enough food for 5,000 men, not including women and children, that He had miraculously multiplied from 5 loaves and 2 fishes; and had served it to the massive crowd of thousands.
C. What an exciting time that must have been!
D. But then here, even as they thought on this great event, they are immediately thrust into a life-threatening sudden storm.
E. They had not even had time to fully process in their own minds what had just occurred, and to appreciate the significance of their participation in it, until they were suddenly fighting for their very lives.
F. There used to be a commercial that said, “Life comes at you fast…”
G. It really does!
H. Perhaps your sudden storm has come right on the heels of a great spiritual high; a great spiritual victory or event in your life.
I. If so, don’t be dismayed.
J. This too, can be Jesus’ way of taking you to an even higher level of involvement with Him.
K. A sudden storm will sometimes immediately follow a great spiritual event; but will itself, also present an opportunity for you to move to an even higher spiritual level.
3. Though Jesus allows you to exhaust all your possibilities, He only does so, so you will learn to rely on His infinite power.
A. John 6:19 tells us they had rowed “…about five and twenty or thirty furlongs…” (3 to 3.5 miles).
B. Mathew 14:25 and Mark 6:48 tell us that it was not until the fourth watch of the night (between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM) that Jesus finally came to them.
C. Sometimes when a sudden storm erupts in your life, and it seems that Jesus is silent and disengaged; it is only because He is allowing you to come to the end of your possibilities, your energy and resources, so you will recognize you need a greater power than your own to survive.
D. It is in your helplessness that Jesus can best reveal His power and faithfulness as your Preserver.
E. So, though Jesus allows you to exhaust all your possibilities, He only does so, so you will learn to rely on His infinite power.
4. The Sudden Storm that seems will drown you, serves only as a highway for Jesus to get to you!
A. Matthew 14:24 says, “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.”
B. John 6:18 says, “And the sea arose by reason of the great wind that blew.”
C. The mighty waves that were tossing the ship, and crashing against the ship, and sloshing over into the ship; and appeared would destroy the boat and its occupants, served only as a highway for Jesus.
D. For the very waves that tossed the disciples only provided a highway for Jesus to get to them; He walked on top of the very waves that threatened their lives.
E. You see, it is that which appears that it will destroy you that provides a highway, a path, for Jesus to make His way into your situation.
F. Jesus often goes unnoticed when things are going well for you.
G. We give credit to good luck, good choices, skill and ability, and many other sources for our successes.
H. We often do not give credit to the Lord for His blessing us and making us successful.
I. But when you run into something you cannot handle, it provides Him an opportunity to show off His great power; but also His great mercy and grace in taking it upon Himself to be your supply.
J. So, when a sudden storm erupts in your life, and seems that it will swallow you up; remember it will only serve as a highway for Jesus to get to you so that you will notice His appearance when He shows up.
5. Sometimes God doesn’t deliver you out of the storm; He delivers you in the storm.
A. You and I always want to escape the storms of life.
B. But, we cannot always escape the storms.
C. Experience teaches us that sudden storms do erupt; and that we are forced to deal with them.
D. That’s the problem with the prosperity gospel.
E. It teaches that if you are in a storm, then it is because you are not exercising faith; that you are not claiming your victory.
F. In John 16:33 Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
G. Here, Jesus promises that in this world we will have tribulation.
H. We’re not exempt from storms and tribulations just because we are children of God.
I. As a matter of fact, sometimes our association with Jesus will create its own set of storms.
J. II Timothy 3:12 says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
K. So, living out your Christian faith will result in a set of storms reserved only for those who “…live godly in Christ Jesus…”
L. So then, to entertain the notion that we can escape all storms is not only unrealistic, it is contrary to scripture and will serve only to diminish our faith when sudden storms occur.
M. God often chooses not to deliver you from the sudden storm; but rather to deliver you in the storm.
N. Here Jesus didn’t remove them from the storm and then arrive; He came to the disciples in the midst of the storm.
O. His saving work was done at the height of the storm; not by removing them from the situation.
P. Thus, He proved His great power over the storm even as it raged and threatened them.
Q. In the same way, if you were removed from the storm, then you would not be a witness to Jesus’ great power over the storm.
R. But, by delivering you in the storm instead of from it, He demonstrates His power over anything that might threaten you; even in the future.
S. Sometimes God doesn’t deliver you out of the storm; He delivers you in the storm.
6. Jesus’ presence in your storm gives rise to faith and removes fear.
A. In Matthew 14:27 and Mark 6:50 Jesus speaks these words to the disciples upon His approach, “…Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”
B. Mistaking Jesus for a spirit, a ghost, the disciples cried out in fear.
C. Sometimes our fear distorts our perspective.
D. The danger and threat we are experiencing often shapes our view of everything else around us.
E. Therefore, when Jesus appears, we either do not recognize Him; or, we anticipate He is approaching to do us harm.
F. But, the presence of Jesus in your storm, will squelch your fear, and give rise to faith which will correct your perspective.
G. Notice Jesus calms their fear before He calms their storm.
H. The power of Jesus is greater than the power of your storm; and just His presence will calm your fear, even though the storm still rages and has not yet subsided.
I. As your fear subsides, your perspective begins to come back into focus, and you begin to realize the storm does not hold your destiny; Jesus holds your destiny, regardless of the magnitude of the storm’s assault.
J. You then begin to realize that your faith taking hold of Jesus is your safety; whether the storm rages or is calmed.
K. Jesus’ presence in your storm gives rise to faith and removes fear.
7. Even fragile faith, properly focused on Jesus, will destroy your storm’s affect on you.
A. Matthew 14:28 & 29 say, “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” “And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”
B. The waves, that a few minutes earlier had threatened to swallow Peter up, now served only as a pathway to Jesus.
C. These mighty waves had completely lost any influence and affect on him.
D. The difference between now and a few minutes ago? – Peter’s simple, childlike, fragile faith in the person and power of Jesus.
E. Matthew 14:30 says, “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”
F. When Peter began to consider the power of the waves, and focus on their power more than on the power of the Lord of the waves, his power to walk on his storm dissipated.
G. The lesson to you – when you focus your fear on the power of your storm, it empowers your storm to take control of your life.
H. But, when you, instead, focus your faith on the Lord in your storm; it destroys your storm’s power to affect you.
I. Though the storm has not subsided, the storm has completely lost it power to affect you.
J. You are living as if the storm did not exist, though it still does.
K. As long as Peter’s faith was focused on Jesus, he walked on the very water that had threatened to claim his life just a few moments earlier.
L. It was only when he began to fear the waves more than he trusted the Lord of the waves that the storm’s power was reenergized and it renewed its danger to him.
M. Even fragile faith, properly focused on Jesus, will destroy your storm’s affect on you.
8. A Sudden Storm does not determine your destiny; it only prepares you for it.
A. In Matthew 14:22, “...Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side…”
B. Notice, Jesus’ instruction was “…to go before him unto the other side…”
C. His instruction was not to get destroyed along the way; but to go to the other side.
D. The disciples’ destiny was not injury; it was ministry.
E. Ministry awaited them on the other side of the sea.
F. Jesus was sending them ahead of Him to the place of ministry where they would serve next.
G. I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
H. Jesus does not call you to ministry only to allow a sudden storm along the way to destroy you.
I. There were many sick and hurting people on the other side whose bodies and lives needed healing.
J. Faith would need to be strong so that Jesus’ power would not be inhibited by unbelief; and the infirmed would be able to receive their healing.
K. The storm then, was only a time-out to strengthen the disciples’ faith as they saw the power of the Lord displayed over the forces of nature.
L. If Jesus could walk on violent waves, and calm the raging sea, it would be no problem for Him to heal people’s bodies.
M. Their sudden storm was not their destiny; it only prepared them for it.
N. Has God called you to ministry?
O. Does a sudden storm appear to have destroyed the prospect of that becoming a reality?
P. Then learn a lesson with the disciples: your destiny is not injury; it is ministry.
Q. Your sudden storm will not determine your destiny; it will only prepare you for it.
9. A Sudden Storm, instead of delaying your destiny, can be a shortcut to it.
A. John 6:21 says, “Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.”
B. The waves submitting to the command of the Lord Jesus was not the only miracle that happened that day.
C. As soon as the disciples received Jesus into the ship they were in, they were, that moment, at their destination.
D. They learned 2 great lessons that day: not only were the forces of nature subject to Jesus; He could also manipulate time and space to conform to His will.
E. Sometimes on your way to do the will of God, a sudden storm will seem to interrupt your plans and delay you fulfilling your calling.
F. But God, being the God of time and space, can use the sudden storm in your life to bridge the time/space gap so that instead of causing a delay in you reaching your destiny, it provides a shortcut to it.
G. A sudden storm, instead of delaying your destiny, can be a shortcut to it.
In Summary:
(1) A Sudden Storm will erupt as just that; a sudden storm.
(2) A Sudden Storm will sometimes immediately follow a great spiritual event.
(3) Though Jesus allows you to exhaust all your possibilities, He only does so, so you will learn to rely on His infinite power.
(4) The Sudden Storm that seems will drown you, serves only as a highway for Jesus to get to you!
(5) Sometimes God doesn’t deliver you out of the storm; He delivers you in the storm.
(6) Jesus’ presence in your storm gives rise to faith and removes fear.
(7) Even fragile faith, properly focused on Jesus, will destroy your storm’s affect on you.
(8) A Sudden Storm does not determine your destiny; it only prepares you for it.
(9) A Sudden Storm, instead of delaying your destiny, can be a shortcut to it.
In Conclusion:
• Jesus is the Lord of your sudden storm. It is subject to Him and must obey His command.
• Jesus is your Lord in your sudden storm. He gives you power to tread upon the very waves that threaten to engulf you.
• Jesus is the Lord of time and space. Your sudden storm will not determine or delay your destiny. Instead, it will prepare you for it, and can be a shortcut to it.
