The Drama Of The Storm

THE DRAMA OF THE STORM

September 4, 2005

Christian Life Worship Center

Mark 6:45-52&, Matthew 14:28-29 and John 6:20

When you turn to this passage you had better hold on because there is a terrible storm brewing. Read Scripture

Introduction:

Early Monday morning of this past week one of the worst hurricanes to ever hit the Gulf coast began. Its name was Katrina - an innocent enough sounding name. It had begun a few days before as a tropical depression but after sliding over the south Florida peninsula it quickly gravitated to the center of the gulf where it used the warm waters to grow until it became a category 5 hurricane. I don’t have to tell you the rest. If you are like me, your eyes have been glued to Fox news as we have watched this tragedy unfold. I submit to you that there has been more pathos and heartache here than in the epic dramas Gone With the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, Exodus or the Cherokee Indians Trail of Tears, where people have been uprooted by war, depression and political maneuvering. Here the forces of nature and poor planning caused the tragedy. And now hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from the New Orleans area to countless points around the United States. But our hearts and prayers go out to the innocent and the destitute who are looking for a miracle of recovery today.

This morning the Drama of the Storm: Prayer

1.Storms are always symbolic of upheaval in and around our lives. But you know as Christians without storms we are of very little value. Without all of storms and persecutions there is little we can do to help those coming along behind us. If you have separated yourself from life and live in an ivory palace and manage to get by without any problems or concerns for life you cannot help anyone else.

2.But someone who has been through a storm, who has been through trials and tribulations can help someone else.

3.As a matter of fact you can know very little about God until you go through a storm. The bottom line is it is in the midst of the storm that you meet God.

4.The real question is how many of us would like to know more about God?

5.The truth is that you will know more about God when you have come through a storm than at any other period In your life. That is right.

6.We cry out to God, "Lord, Deliver me from this storm." When all the time we are going to see more of God’s power and feel more of His love than at any other time. You will never forget the storm. You will learn to appreciate God more then than at any other time. This is the period when testimonies are born.

INTRODUCTION:

Well, the wind is blowing and the waves are rising. So let’s get into the drama. There are three scenes in this drama. The first scene is the disciples on the Sea of Galilee in a raging storm. In Scene two we have Jesus praying high up in the mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee. And at the end of the drama we have scene three with Jesus coming to His disciples walking on the water when a miracle takes place. The Bible says, "And immediately the ship was at the land whether they went." I chose to take the Word of God for what it says. The Bible says that the disciples received Jesus into the ship and immediately the ship was at the other shore.

I.There are two ways we can look at the drama either prophetically or personally.

A.In the Prophetic application we see the Sea which stands for the last 2005 years during which a trip is taking place from one shore to another. We see a Ship which prophetically is the Ship of Zion with the saints of God on board sailing towards heaven during the Dispensation of Grace. Then we see Jesus in the mountains praying which is a picture of Jesus ascending to the right hand of the Farther where he is interceding for those of us going across during this time of storm. Then we have a picture of a storm and waves crashing against the ship which is a picture of humanity being driven by Satan, the wind, crashing and coming against the ship of Zion attempting to keep it from arriving on the other side as the Master had instructed those on the ship to accomplish. The final prophetic picture is that of Jesus coming on board the ship and then with it immediately arriving on the other side. This is definitely a picture of the Rapture of the church during the height of the storm and satanic opposition. All of a sudden the Master appears to the disciples in the midst of the storm and takes them to the other side. What a powerful picture. But tonight I want us to look at a more practical application of this drama. It is the Personal application.