God With Us - Storms
December 12, 2021
Matthew 1:23
As we move closer and closer to Christmas, just 13 days away, we're talking about the presence of God in the difficult moments of life. As I’ve said, it’s always easy to say God is with me in the mountain top experiences. On those milestone days, the celebrations and fulfillment of hopes and dreams.
But we struggle with God’s presence when we’re hurting. When times aren’t so good, when those milestone days are few and far between, when we’re walking through the valleys, through the wilderness and storms of life. We enjoy God on the mountaintops, but we get to know Him intimately in the low points of life.
Last week we talked about God in the wilderness. God whispered to Elijah and maybe the reason God can whisper to us as well is because He is close to us. That’s something we need to trust and believe. We can’t go anywhere apart from God. That’s great news!
Today, I want to talk about God’s presence when we’re in the midst of the storms of life. Some people seem to walk in the midst of a daily storm. I think that’s where social media really hurts us. We watch their lives and it seems everyday there’s a storm brewing. You know - drama!
There’s a German word for how we might feel when we see this drama. It’s called schadenfreude - it means - - we experience pleasure or joy because of another person’s troubles.
But for many of us, we’ve either been in a storm, are in a storm, or are anticipating the next storm. That’s not a great way to live, you know. Yet, the storms of life certainly occur.
Let me give you some trivial information - - they didn’t use real names until 1954 for storms. 1954 was the first year that US meteorologists started naming storms. They named them after their wives or girlfriends. Isn’t that crazy? Imagine I'm a meteorologist, I come home and tell Debbie, “there's a category 5 storm, it’s going to be devastating and it reminded me of you. We’re calling it Hurricane Debbie.” What were they thinking?
Then in 1979 there was equal right for storms, and they started to name them after men as well, and if there's a particularly bad storm, they retire that name and never use it again. OK
Maybe you’re in a storm right now that you would like to name. Maybe it’s a storm named divorce. Maybe it’s a storm called money. Or it’s called career. Maybe it’s friendship. Maybe loneliness. Maybe grief or addictions. Kids, in-laws, friends. Maybe it’s a storm called cancer.
As we’ve been talking --- we wonder where is God in the midst of my struggles. Why is God allowing this to happen? We usually don’t understand, even if we’re the culprit, it still doesn’t seem fair or right.
Yet, God is there. He’s always there in the midst of the storm. Don’t allow the presence of a storm to cause you to doubt the presence of God.
Remember, our key verse is Matthew 1:23, which tells us - - -
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). - Matthew 1:23
That’s our theme. It’s really believing and trusting that God is with us.
With that in mind, I want to look at a passage from Acts 27. As Paul was being transported to Rome, the focus was on a storm on the ship Paul was on. There was this massive storm at sea. The storm went on and on and on. The crew was so terrified that they threw cargo overboard, believing they were about to die.
In Acts 27:20, Luke tells us - - -
20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
When we read, no small tempest lay on us --- Luke is telling us this was a massive, raging storm. It wasn’t just a rain storm, the wind was blowing the skies were dark day and night, they couldn’t even see the sky.
The storm was raging and I wonder how many of us would use that phrase for what we’ve been going through. The storm - won’t - stop.
Do you see the end of that verse? All hope of being saved was abandoned. They gave up all hope of being saved. Man, that’s terrible. Have you been there? Have you given up all hope?
It’s the finances that are killing you and you see no hope. Maybe there’s a wedge between you and your spouse and you can’t see any hope. Maybe it was the diagnosis. Maybe you can’t see yourself with a mate. Maybe it’s a job, it’s the kids, it’s getting older and more dependent. Whatever it is . . . and just like those sailors, you’ve given up all hope!
The storm continues to rage and in verse 21 we read - - -
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said,
“Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss.
I love Paul! But right here, I don’t think I would want to hear that. Kind of an “I told you so!”
You should have taken my advice. You wouldn’t have lost all of this property. If you had just listened to my advice, you wouldn't be in the middle of this storm. Why were they in the storm? They were in the storm because it was their fault. They made a decision to go out when it’s not the best time to sail. It was risky from the start.
We just got done with a series on spiritual warfare and sometimes, yes, it is satan. But this one was on them, they couldn’t blame satan as much as they may have wanted to. We don’t like to admit it, but sometimes it's your own fault.
Sometimes you over-indulged and you spent too much money, or you said something you shouldn’t have said and you’re in the middle of the storm. You procrastinated and now you’re paying for it. You said yes, when you knew you should have said no!
You dated someone everyone said not to date and now there’s lots of hurt and you’re in the middle of the storm and you can’t blame anyone else.
Maybe that's why they gave up hope - - - they knew it was their fault. I think we may find it easier to believe God can get us out of a storm He called us to than it is for God to get me out of a storm we created. Does that make sense?
Maybe it’s the captain’s fault. You’re just a sailor and you didn’t have a say in it. You heard Paul, but you believed the captain and now through no fault of your own, you’re in the middle of the storm. How many of you have ever been in the middle of a storm and it wasn't your fault?
Your parents divorced and you thought it was about you. The company made poor business decisions which impacted you. Someone gave you their word and you believed them. Whatever it was, you were the victim. You’re in the middle of the storm and you’re giving up hope!
Now, Paul says in verse 22 - -
22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
Literally, Paul is calling them to have a positive spirit - - to have good courage. He is reassuring them there will be no loss of life.
How many of us need to hear that. Be of good courage. That’s a theme throughout the Bible. Remember what God told Joshua in 1:9 - -
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Be of good courage! Be courageous.
Don’t be afraid Don’t be discouraged.
Don’t be defeated. Don’t give up hope! WHY?
Because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go! That’s news we need to hold onto! It’s great news when we’re giving up hope!!
Then in verse 23 Paul said - - -
23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship,
Talk about a powerful statement from Paul!! You're in the boat in a raging storm and an angel stands beside you. I wonder what some were thinking.
I truly believe there are angels all around us. There’s angels in this room right now ministering to you. I really do believe that. I believe the spiritual world, when we get there some day, is going to totally blow us away with what’s going on.
Imagine that you're in the middle of a storm and the presence of God is with you in this moment. You have no idea all the different ways God is with you. He could be with you as an angel. His Spirit is with you. Jesus is with you. God is not bound by time, He’s with you yesterday, today and forever. He is listening to your prayers. He’s interceding on your behalf to the Father.
We have no idea how God is with us at all times, even in the storms.
It’s what Paul told Timothy - - -
16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me... 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me - 2 Timothy 4
Isn’t that great!? The Lord stood by me and strengthened me. The Lord didn’t leave me, the Lord didn’t fail me nor forsake me. He’s with me, at my side, and He is with you at your side, and He's giving you strength.
Never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God.
You know, I’ve never had a body guard! I don’t think most of us have. But you know, if I had the Rock, or Rambo, or Mark Wahlberg or Vin Diesel, I’d feel pretty safe.
I think it’s that way with God at our side. When we know and trust that God stands with us. When He’s at my side, I can be confident that I have nothing to fear. I can stand tall and be courageous. God is my rock and my shield and I have nothing to fear.
When you recognize that even though you're in the presence of a storm, the Lord is with you. He is with you and He is strengthening you, it changes how you ride out the storm. It's all about who's in the boat with you in the middle of the storm.
In Mark 4 there’s a story about a storm that the disciples struggled with. The crazy fact in this story is that Jesus was with them. Listen to verse 38, of Mark 4 -
38 But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
The disciples did what we do in the middle of our storms. They freaked out. They cried out and woke Jesus . . . “We're gonna die! Jesus, where are you? Why don't you care? Aren't you gonna do anything?”
And Jesus does what Jesus does - - -
39 And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
They experienced peace! Why did they experience peace? Because Jesus was on the boat. Real peace is not found in the absence of a storm. Peace is found in the midst of the storm through the presence of Jesus.
Following Jesus doesn't mean bad days won't happen. That's bad theology to think that it does. Jesus said that in John 16:33 - - -
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
We will have trouble, but Jesus promises us He will be with us and on top of that, He has overcome the world. That means Jesus is the victor! We have our victory in Jesus.
We can't control what people do to us. But we can control what we believe and where we put our faith. My faith is in the One who created the wind and the waves. I have faith in God that what He says will come to pass. What He says will happen - - - will happen.
Who is God? In Psalm 46:1-3, the psalmist tells us - - -
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. - Psalm 46:1-3
Don’t you love that? In the midst of our storms, God is our hiding place. He is our refuge and our strength. He is always ready, willing and able to help us in times of trouble.
Why? Because He is with us. Who is He? He is Immanuel. He is God with us. Because He is with us, we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, even though the seas roar and rage, and the mountains tremble.
If we lose our job, if the relationship falls apart, if the economy gets shaky, I still will not be afraid. Why? Because He is with me. Because He will never leave me. Because He will never forsake me. Because He is what I need.
Because He is my safety. He is my strength. He is my comforter.
He is my redeemer. He is my righteousness. He is my friend.
Because He is a rock. He is the living bread, the bread of life.
He is the living water that satisfies my soul.
He is the gate through which I enter.
He is the good shepherd.
He is my comforter and peace.
Peace is not found in the absence of a storm. Peace is found in the presence of Jesus, and He is with me.
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). - Matthew 1:23
And that's why you never let the presence of a storm cause you to doubt the presence of God. True peace is not found in the absence of trials and storms.
That's a part of life. True peace is found in the presence of Immanuel. God with us.
