The Drama Of The Storm

II. I want us to learn some lessons learned from the fear and turmoil that these disciples went through that long night.

A.The Greek definition of the word "fear" shows us that the disciples were so afraid that they screamed out in utter fear that they were going to lose their lives. I think a proper title to this application would be The Factors of Fear or perhaps The Causes of Collapse...And then the Cure. Time after time when looking through the Bible we readily see that God doesn’t want His children to be afraid. He places this message upon the hearts of his messengers because He knows we have a lot of storms.

1.The first message from God after 400 years had elapsed between the Old and New Testament was, "Fear not." The angel’s message to the Priest Zacharias was, "Fear Not."

2.The angel to Joseph was, "Fear Not."

3.The angel to Mary was, "Fear Not."

4.And here the message coming to the disciples in the midst of storm is "Fear Not."

5.And I have a good idea the message of God to us here this morning is "Fear Not!!"

6.It doesn’t matter what it is, God is over all. I mean sickness, storms, financial lack. It doesn’t matter God is over it all and His message to you is, "Fear Not!"

SERMON BODY:

I. Now let’s look at the scene before us: Just before the trip across Galilee the disciples had witnessed the most spectacular miracle of all time. Jesus had fed the 5000. That was men but with their families between 15-20 thousand people. They were a party to it.They were still breathless having witnessed this miracle and Jesus tells them to gather things up that He is going into the mountain to pray and they were to sail to the other side where He would meet them later on following His prayer time.

A.The disciples had no problem with sailing. They rigged the ship in a few minutes and they were on their way: Red Sails in the Sunset. They loved sailing.

They knew all the tricks and methods to make it easy and here they are filled with the afterglow of the greatest one service they had ever been in. They no

doubt talked about all the potential for the future after what they had just witnessed. This was it. They had arrived at the turning point of their ministry.

Can you see the smiles and wide open eyes of these men who had arrived at the point of their lives where the felt they were going to see real meaning to their existence. This was the defining moment!

B.It was about 6 pm when they left. But about 15 minutes into the trip the bottom fell out. The worst wind they had ever encountered came barreling out of the Golan Heights and swirled around them.

II. Their Response to the Storm:

A.The first thing they must have asked was, "I wonder why?" Jesus looked back and commented, "the winds were contrary." Sometimes winds are contrary.Things don’t go to suit us. The winds were bashing at the boards of the little ship. They did everything they could to keep things together. The winds were contrary. Jesus Christ Himself had told them to go to the other side. That was His direct command to them. They are on their way to obey Christ’s command and the winds are pushing them back in the opposite direction. Can I tell you that there are times when we are doing God’s will and it is His plan for all hell to break lose to keep you from going where He has commanded you to go. It is His will that we learn lessons that can only be learned facing the winds.