WHERE IS YOUR FAITH
LUKE 8:22-25
22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
23 But as they sailed, he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.
24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25 And he said unto them, where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, what manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Have you ever sat on the front porch and notice black clouds rolling in? You can see something coming and you can only think what will be in this coming storm.
There are times in our life's storms will arise, they will come on suddenly, swiftly and sometimes severe.
We will be tested during those times in our lives.
Vs 22- Notice here Jesus said, “Let us”, He is making it known to them that he also is involved. Any time you are going to have to cross over, cross under, Jesus will be there.
VS 23 – Here we see Jesus falls asleep, the rest stay up and worked at what they were doing. Jesus already knew what was going on and he did not need to go worrying anymore about it.
The Bible says, “They were filled with water and were in jeopardy.”
You can mark it down; storms will arise in your life. Here the disciples were as close to Jesus as anyone, but they could not escape the storm that came upon them.
In the verse we see the word “water”, which in the Bible translate to the “Word of God”, and I’m sure these disciples were filled with the Word that Jesus had told them. Even with the knowledge of the Word, life storms will still come over you under you and all around you. You may even feel in jeopardy.
Satan will still attack the Christians. Satan just won’t lie down and forget you are even around no more. He wants to ruin that testimony, that fruitful living. Satan still wants to get that jab in and make it hurt. Sometimes he can hurt us bad but thank God He can’t kill that spirit in us.
VS 24 – Here in this verse the disciples went to Jesus.
If there is anything we need to learn here is that we need to go to Jesus during the storms in our lives. Jesus wants us to come to him. He is our father, and he loves us, he cares for us.
I want to tell you something church, these disciples went to Jesus and called him Master, not once but twice. These boys were scared. They were in some kind of storm.
** I can picture all of this going on in that boat as the waves were crashing against the boat, coming over the sides and filling the boat up.
**I can see John over there with a bucket in his hand bailing away.
** I can see Matthew; he is jumping all around the place bending down and bailing out the water with his hands.
**I can maybe see James; He just don’t know what to do. But he is trying his best to stay away from the water that is coming over the sides of the boat.
** Then you have Thomas, everybody has some type of Thomas with them. He was just sitting there and saying, “I knew this boat was too little, this boat was not large enough, I know we are not going to make it to the other side.”
** Then church you have Peter! Bless his heart, I probably think he was near the front of the boat and kicking and screaming and kicking the boat. Then once his foot got too sore from kicking, he properly started cussing!
Then Peter notices the other’s trying to bail out all the water, and he tells them, “Boys this storm is just too big for us to fix. We are goners for sure, then he just sits down and start more complaining.
Peter see’s Thomas over there doubting everything and Peter starts yelling at him and tells him it’s all his fault, it sure wasn’t mine. I would just stay on the other side.
Just when all seems lost, as these disciples thought, here in verse 24 they said, “We perish.”
When things are the darkest, when things look like there are no other options, we just need to turn to Jesus.
Jesus has the power, he has the answer, church he is the answer to all, I said all our problems!
Now the Master goes to work. In the midst of your storms there’s times when you just need to take a backseat and let Jesus handle the problem.
When Jesus arose from his sleep, he went straight to the matter at hand. This was to calm the wind, rain and storms in our lives.
Here is Verse 24, Jesus calmed the storm, the Bible states that Jesus said unto the disciples, “WHERE IS YOUR FAITH”
Today I want to ask you that same question, where is your faith?
I want to point out 4 things about Jesus and our faith in the storms in our lives.
#1- Peace in the storms –
Church when the storms come into our lives and the raging winds are blowing to and fro, it may seem that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe you are at wits end? You need some assurance, or you need that peace to fill your soul in John Chapter 15:27, Jesus spoke, “PEACE I LEAVE YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE YOU: NOT AS THE WORLD GIVITH, GIVE I INTO YOU. LET NOT YOUR HEAR BE TROUBLED. NEITHER LET IT BE AFAID.”
Jesus was fast asleep during this storm. I know we all have heard this saying, “Look how peaceful they are sleeping”, Jesus was at peace while the storms was raging all around.
Philippian’s 4:7 – A verse we know so well, but at times forget in these storms, “ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
We need to understand Jesus has that peace in our storms, He understands the storms, and I say to you, he cares about the storms you are going through. We just need to be like those disciples and call on the Master!
Not only is Jesus’ “PEACE” IN OUR STORMS, BUT.
#2- Powerful in the storms-
When those disciples went and woke Jesus up, he arose from his sleep and went to rebuke the storm. Jesus has the power over the storms in our lives.
Jesus is powerful, he is calmer of the waters, He is calmer of the sea, He can calm your heart, and soul and your spirit in those storms in your life.
Sometimes storms come into our lives and when they do I need the power of Jesus to rebuke those storms. Jesus can speak to those storms, and they must obey him. There is power in the voice of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus.
Jesus is Peace in our storms, He is Powerful in our storms, and he is.
#3- Perfect in the storm-
2 Corinthians 12:9 - And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Listen the Bible said, His strength is made perfect in weakness, my weakness, your weakness, and Jesus knows the perfect time, the perfect solution, and the perfect answer.
There is nothing wrong in Jesus perfect timing here, just when you have given up, the telephone rings and it is someone on the other line that God has sent to understand and help you through that storm.
The boys in that ship, everything looking lost. Everything looking like they best be getting ready to swim or sink. All seems lost…but here comes the Master. As a young boy and some of you know that are as old as I am you use to watch those westerns on TV. Those bad guys always wore a black hat, the hero always wore a white hat. I remember sitting cheering on that cowboy in the white hat.
I can see those disciples; they just saw the man with the white hat show up. Jesus has that perfect timing to deliver us from the storms in our lives.
Jesus is Peace in our storms, He is Powerful in our storms, He is Perfect in our storms, but he is also.
#4- Present in our storms-
Psalms 46:1- “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Isn’t it great to know God is present in our times of need?
In those times where it seems nobody cares, nobody wants to be around us, God is saying I’ll be there, I’ll be caring, I’ll be holding you closer than ever.
I want to tell you this, God is already where He needs to be, what God needs you to do is move to where he is.
These disciples in this boat, they knew their lives were nearing the end. I’m sure there was a lot of praying going on. I’m pretty sure they were asking God to move on their behalf.
Then it becomes clear to them, God is already where we needed him to be. We just need to move toward him. So they went to Jesus and ask him to save them. Jesus was always there, and he is for you and for me.
God is present in our storms when storms hit your life. When those storms throw you for a loop, the rain, the wind is so crashing down upon you, you cannot see anything around you. But God is present in those times, call out to him, he will be there for you.
God will not forsake his children; he will not leave you. Thank God he has the PEACE over all the storms in our lives. Thank God He has the POWER over all our storms in our lives, I thank God He is PERFECT in those storms in our lives, and I assure you He will be PRESENT in those storms in our lives.
In closing here,
In verse 25 of this chapter which I read, Jesus asks the disciples, where is your faith?
In the book of Matthew 17:20, Jesus said,
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is very tiny, and Jesus said just as a grain of that seed.
I ask you this question in closing, where is your faith today? Be honest with yourself, because Jesus will supply all your needs.
I hope we all can rely on the Master to bring us through the storms that will arise in our lives.
He can be, but as those disciples found out, they had to go to Him.
They knew who the master was, it was Jesus.
They knew that their lives were in peril during this storm, and they needed that PEACE, that POWER, they needed Jesus PRESENT in their storms, and when all was said and done, they knew Jesus was PERFECT in their storms.
You too can have all those things with Jesus, but you have got to go too Him, and just call out Master, master and He will answer you.
Do not let another storm come crashing around you anymore, you do not have to fight them all by yourself, the captain of your ship will steer you clear of the rocks and will bring you through the storms in your life and see that you are taken care of.
Jesus is asking this morning to you, WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?
He asks that very same question to His disciples, he is asking you this morning also.
If you cannot be certain Jesus is your FAITH, then come on down here and go to the master and he will be with you for all of your storms.
