FACING THE STORMS IN LIFE
Mk 4:35-41 , Mt 14:22-33
As I watched on TV as Hurricane Ian crashed into Florida and South Carolina, it reminded me how powerful and fearful that storms can be. I noticed afterwards that it hit all kinds of buildings and people of all walks of life. Some were prepared for the storms and some were not. Some sought shelter and some did not. But all that were in its path felt the same fear and danger.
As we examine God’s Word today about storms, I want us to think the storms that we face in life. And my hope is that you can learn to face life’s biggest storms with faith in our Savior and peace in our hearts.
1. JESUS IS WITH YOU DURING THE STORMS OF LIFE.
This is very early in the ministry of Jesus. They had listened to His wise and powerful sermons. Jesus had called the disciples by the lake after they had witnessed the miracle of the great catch of fish. They had watched him heal people, watched as He cast out demons. They were amazed as they watched Him come to the rescue of many people, but it’s quite another thing to have faith when you are the one that is in need of rescuing.
Mk 4:35-38a 35 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion;
They’ve only been following Jesus a short while, and the disciples are still spiritually very weak. They have Jesus in their hearts and Jesus is certainly in the boat with them as this fierce storm blew in, but their faith is very small even with Jesus in sight of them.
* I don’t know what kind of storms you’re facing today. MAYBE
Finances, marriage, job, health, or any problem this world throws at U!
Mk 4:38-41 38 Jesus Himself 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?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
What I notice about Jesus.
(1) Jesus was not afraid of the storm.
(2) Jesus had authority over the storm.
(4) Jesus was right there with them through the storm.
(5) Jesus used that storm to build their faith.
What I notice about the disciples.
(1) At first they had great fear of the storm.
(2) Afterwards, they had great fear of Jesus.
** Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
They would find out the next morning that not only did Jesus have authority over the storm that night, but He has authority over a legion of demons that had possessed 1 poor man living in a cemetery.
2. JESUS COMES TO YOU IN THE STORMS OF LIFE.
Fast forward a year or so into the ministry of Jesus. The disciples had come to a greater level of faith in Him, but they’re not quite there yet.
They have just watched as Jesus took a gift of 2 fish and 5 barley loaves and Jesus fed 5000 men and countless women and children. And when the people were through eating there was 12 baskets of leftovers remaining.
It is time for Jesus to increase their faith. The way that Jesus grows our faith is allowing us to go through faith-building experiences. So, back out into the sea they go, but this time Jesus doesn’t go with them.
Mt 14:22-25 22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.
Notice:
(1) Jesus sends them out into the sea at night.
(2) Jesus knows that the storm is there, He may even had summoned it
(3) Jesus is watching them and is praying for them.
(4) Jesus knows every storm you go thru. Nothing ever surprises Him.
Mt 14:25-27 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
The disciples are already very afraid in the dark of the night as the storm threatens to sink their little boat. Often fear causes a person to imagine the worst. They see Jesus, but assume He’s a ghost.
When we let fear get the best of us as we face our storms and problems, like them we often imagine the worst is about to happen. When we are afraid, we often back bad decisions. We might just quit and give up.
Why does Jesus let our faith be tested in the storms of life?
So that we become stronger in our faith and spiritually mature. You see, as Jesus has the power to walk on the water, He invites each of out onto the waves that seek to destroy us and rise above them.
Mt 14:28-31 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Peter steps out onto the waves full of faith, but as he takes his eyes off Jesus, fear enters his heart and faith and fear cannot exist in the same heart at the same time. One will win out over the other. He starts to sink and calls out to Jesus to save him. And the Savior does, but notice how He refers to Peter as having “little faith”. But remember there were 11 other people in that boat that had no faith at all.
Jesus is inviting you today to step out of the boat of security and rise above the storms that you find yourself in. The question is, though, do you have enough to walk with Jesus or are you too afraid to leave the boat. Your comfort zone.
Mt 28:32-33 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
Notice, though, their faith in Christ has grown. They are no longer afraid of Him, for now they are worshiping Him.
* Maybe that is another reason why Jesus allows us to go thru storms in our lives, so that we will draw closer to Him and worship Him as He delivers us.
3. HOW WILL YOU FACE THE STORMS OF LIFE?
I’ve been thinking about these 2 times the disciples were out on the sea when they faced terrible storms. Once when they were knew in the faith and not very strong at all. They were very afraid even though Jesus was right there with them.
The 2nd time, they were stronger in their faith, yet not strong enough.
They thought they were facing this storm all alone. They did not realize that Jesus was watching them that whole time and He was on His way to rescue them though they did not know it.
But my mind wanders to another question about possibly another group of people. I wonder if other boats of fishermen were out there those 2 nights that weren’t in the company of the Jesus. Maybe they were struggling in that same storm but were totally without hope.
In our world today, literal physical storms and all the other storms that the world brings into our lives affect believers and unbelievers.
* job losses affect believers and unbelievers.
* sickness comes to believers and unbelievers.
* Financial problems affect us all.
* Loss of a loved ones happens to each of us.
* Problems of every kind happens to believers and unbelievers alike.
The difference, though, is that when the believer goes thru his storms he can do so with hope and with faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. The unbeliever, though, struggles thru storms relying on his own abilities and at times he will find that he just is not strong enough to weather the storm, struggling thru the long dark nights waiting for the storm to pass.
* Jesus, though, wants us to enjoy life to the fullest, not just the days of sunshine and laughter, but also have peace during the storms of life.
After all, Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
How will you face the storms in your life?
