CRISIS CHRISTIANITY!!
Matthew 14:25-30
INTRODUCTION: Why do so many Christians wait until they have gone under for the third time to cry out unto the Lord?
Why do married couples wait until it is too late to cry unto the Lord?
Why do churches wait until the congregation has gone or until the spirit is dead to cry unto the Lord?
I wish I knew the answers to these questions. I do not.
There is an O.T. parallel in Psalm 107. We will refer to that a little later on in the message.
This will have to be a two-part message, as I will not be able to cover everything in one night.
But first I want you to see what has to be given up or what is lost by living a “crisis life”. I’ll give you three or four things tonight, and then I will deal with avoiding these places in a later message.
I. LIVING A CRISIS LIFE IS A HARD WAY TO LIVE
A. Always Needing To Be Rescued.
1. Never rescuing anyone else.
Peter was always in trouble. The Lord had to rescue him out of several different “hardships.” We talked about one last Sunday AM from Luke 5, where Jesus had to help him with his fishing.
2. They never seem to learn from their mistakes.
You know people who are always in trouble.
3. They jump from the frying pan into the fire.
B. You Should Anticipate These Crisis And Be Ready For Them Spiritually, And Then You Won’t Get Blown Out Of The Water.
Illustration: Sgt. Williamson in the military. During a parade and just before the cannon salute, whether it be eleven or thirteen shots fired, he would start preparing us for the loud “bang”. He would say, “Steady, steady, steady”. Just before the cannon would fire, he would intensify his voice, “STEADY, STEADY, STEADY.” We knew that the cannon was about to go off, and the bodily response to the loud noise and concussion wasn’t nearly as great as it would have been had we had no knowledge of when the cannon would fire. I remember some of the “new guys” that would come into our outfit and had never been in a parade before, when that cannon would fire, sometimes they would drop their rifle, or their helmet would fall off. They would always get a good ribbing back in the barracks when the parade was over. “Did everyone see what that ‘new guy’ did? He dropped his rifle.” I know exactly what some of you are thinking. You think that I was one of those who dropped his rifle. I didn’t. I fell down instead.
If we are spiritually ready for any crisis to come, then we will be less affected by it.
Don’t wait until you are on your way down to cry unto the Lord.
Don’t live in a “crisis situation” all of the time.
II. LIVING A CRISIS LIFE CAUSES YOU TO MISS OUT ON A LOT OF SWEET FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD
A. It Is Nice To Be Able To Talk To The Lord Sometimes When He Is Not Having To Rescue You.
1. It is sweeter to walk side by side with the Lord rather than Him having to carry you to safety all of the time.
B. Too Many Christian’s Total Life Is In Response To A Crisis Of Some Nature.
1. Putting one fire out after another.
2. I know people whose entire life is that of going from one crisis to another. They never get out of the crisis living.
C. The Lord Enjoys The Fellowship Of A Christian When There Is Not Always An Emergency.
1. He wants to hear from you at times other than from the spiritual emergency room.
2. He wants to fellowship sometimes when there is no crisis.
Don’t you want your children to come to you at times other than just to kiss a bruise or treat a scratch?
D. Crisis Christianity Is Not The Way God Wants You To Go.
1. He wants a day by day fellowship.
2. A time of sweet personal worship because of love and not because of an emergency.
E. When The Emergency Comes, Of Course, Call On Him.
III. GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS CHOOSE A CRISIS SITUATION WITH WHICH TO WORK WITH YOU
A. If That Is The Only Way In Which He Can Get Your Attention, Then He Will Allow Crisis Situations To Come On You.
Psalm 107:4-6.
Psalm 107:11-13.
Psalm 107:17-19.
Psalm 107:25-28.
Each of these four passages are speaking about the same condition as in Matt. 14.
In each of these times of deliverance in Psalm 107 we see that the Lord delivered them from their “distresses”. Strong’s Concordance likens that to “narrowness” or a tight place.
We get ourselves into “tight places” sometimes and cannot get out without crying unto the Lord.
I am not trying to discourage you from crying unto the Lord when these “crisis times”; “tight places” come, but if we can learn a better way, it would be to our benefit.
Let’s look at these four passages in Psalm individually for a moment.
1. Psa 107:4-8.
2. Psalm 107:11-13.
3. Psalm 107:17-19.
4. Psalm 107:25-28.
This entire chapter deals with “crisis situations”. The children of God went from one crisis to another. That is not the way He intends for us to live.
B. He Wants To Give Us The Peaceful Life.
1. (Psa 29:11) "The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace."
2. (Psa 85:8) "I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly."
3. (Prov 16:7) "When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."
4. (Isa 26:3) "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
5. (Isa 32:17) "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever."
6. (Isa 48:22) "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked."
7. (John 14:26) "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
(John 14:27) "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
We could find scripture about peace of the soul all night. There are 429 references on “peace” alone in the Bible.
Why do we insist on living a “crisis life”? Why not let His peace dwell within us and live a life of peace?
That seems like the way to go to me. Doesn’t it seem like that to you?
INVITATION
Beth Haven Baptist Church
PO Box 891523
OKC OK 73189-1523
405-691-8701
icasteel1@cox.net
This sermon and thousands of others are available on a CD Rom Disk and may be purchased for $75. If interested contact the above information.
