Matthew 9:23-27
STORMY WEATHER
LIFE OF CHRIST #24
· Stormy weather! A girl breaks her engagement with her intended groom.
· Stormy weather! A child is extremely sick and hospitalized at Children’s Hospital.
· Stormy weather! A car accident occurs killing some and injuring others.
· Stormy weather! Income is at an all-time low. Expenses are at an all-time high.
· Stormy weather! Family members are not speaking to each other.
· Stormy weather! A long time friend is very angry with you and antagonistic against you.
· Stormy weather! The job is the pits! It’s terrible!
· Stormy weather! A loved one or close friend passes away!
· Stormy weather! You’re extremely sick!
We all face trials and troubles often. It is what Cole Porter called “Stormy Weather” in a song that he wrote. But there’s another song that should reflect the attitude of Christians as they face trials. Mosie Lister wrote:
In the dark of the midnight
have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Many times Satan whispered,
"There is no need to try,
For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.
When the long night has ended
and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.
Till the storm passes over,
till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by. Till
the Storm Passes By, Mosie Lister ©1958
There were a couple of times when the disciples faced storms on the Sea of Galilee. One such storm is the next event we want to consider in our chronological study of the Life of Christ.
The last time we studied we saw Jesus heal a demon possessed man who was blind and dumb. Jesus healed the man and was then accused of casting out devils in the name of the Devil. That was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
I have chosen to use Matthew’s account of Jesus calming the storm. Please remember that the authors of the Gospels did not always put things in chronological order. That’s why we were in Matthew 12 last week and Matthew 8 this week.
As we look at this story about literal stormy weather, we also learn lessons about the figurative storms that cause trials and troubles in our lives. Let’s see what lessons we can learn this morning about stormy weather.
STORMY WEATHER IS BEST FACED WHEN JESUS IS IN THE BOAT
Vs. 23 – Think of the boat as our lives.
Although God is present everywhere, there is a special sense in which God is present in our lives. When He indwells us, He has taken up special residence inside of us.
John 14:16-17 - And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
God the Holy Spirit dwells inside of the Christian.
He is there to guide us, protect us, keep us, teach us, and comfort us.
And God has promised the Christian that this presence is unending!
Hebrews 13:5-6 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. [6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
You have heard people say, and might have said yourself, “I wouldn’t want to face this problem without the Lord!”
How true! If God is willing to take up residence in our lives through his Holy Spirit it would be dumb not to avail ourselves of His presence.
Someone might be asking, “How can I know that God has taken up residence in my life so that I can be sure that I have his present help during the storms of life?”
First realize that God has a problem with every individual because we have all broken God’s laws. Every one of us has failed to obey God perfectly. We might even think that we’re really not so bad, but that’s not what God says.
Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Romans 3:10-12 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. [12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ezekiel 18:4 - Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
God, who is righteousness and just, demands that someone be punished for our sins.
God, who is loving and merciful sent His Son to die for our sins.
Romans 5:6-8 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. [8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
You can not earn forgiveness for your sins. The price for your sins was already paid for. All you can do is apply the blood of Jesus to your account. It’s saying, “I’ll let Jesus’ death pay for my sins.” How do you do that? By faith, believing that is Christ alone who can give you forgiveness and eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
When you trust Christ as your payment for sins, you are what the Bible calls, born again, by the Spirit of God. And God the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your life.
Romans 8:9 - But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
If you have truly trusted Christ as your Savior, you have God’s presence in your life no matter what the storm may be. Make sure that you have Christ in the boat that is your life!
STORMY WEATHER IS BEST FACED WHEN JESUS IS IN THE BOAT
STORMY WEATHER RESULTS FROM OBEDIENCE
Vs. 23 – The Lord Jesus entered the boat. The disciples followed Him into the boat. It was the Lord Jesus who decided where they were going.
Luke 8:22 - 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.
The disciples ended up in a storm on the Sea of Galilee because they were following Jesus in obedience.
Of course, being obedient to God as a Christian and following Jesus’ leadership in our lives is the right thing to do.
Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. [24] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Following Jesus after trusting Him for forgiveness does not mean that it will be an easy life. In fact, we will have storms.
2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
James 1:2-4 - My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; [3] Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. [4] But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
The storms that Jesus leads through will make us strong and mature. And I’d rather follow Jesus in the middle of a storm than to not follow Jesus. Being in the center of the Lord’s will is always the safest place to be.
Does God bless when we let him lead us through storms?
When I was teaching school I weighed only 120 pounds. I got drafted and one of the teachers suggested that I starve myself and flunk the physical. I refused to do that. I ended up going to Viet Nam. Although I had it relatively easy there, I still went into harm’s way.
Today I’m still benefiting from letting Jesus take me through the storm. The Veterans’ Administration is taking care of many of my medical needs.
I guarantee that you’ll face storms while being obedient to God.
But you’ll also face storms if you’re not obedient to God.
Would you rather face storms being in the center of God’s will, or out of God’s will? Which makes the most sense?
STORMY WEATHER RESULTS FROM OBEDIENCE
STORMY WEATHER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
Vs. 24 – I don’t have to tell you how dangerous storms can be. Just consider last year’s tsunami and hurricanes Ivan and Rita.
This storm was a very violent storm, and even seasoned fishermen like Peter, Andrew, James, and John were having trouble with it.
The storms of life which we face are also dangerous.
Sometimes we will be in physical danger because of persecution, accidents or illness.
Other times we are in emotional danger with our “storms” threatening to overwhelm us with fear and/or depression.
Other times we are in Spiritual danger, with Satan’s attacks challenging us to give up or to sin.
And this verse alludes to another danger. We might be concerned because in the midst of the storm God appears to be asleep. He does not seem to be responding to our problems during the storm. He seems to be silent.
Our Lord Jesus was able to sleep because He had a human body that got tired. He was also able to sleep because, being sinless, He had a clean conscience. He was also able to sleep, because He quietly allowed Himself to rest in the hands of His loving Heavenly Father.
If you are doing what is right before the Lord, confessing your sins as a Christian, and striving to live for Him, don’t panic when God appears to be asleep. He’ll show Himself to be very much alive at just the right time.
Alexander MacLaren – “He delays His help, that He may try our faith and quicken our prayers. The boat may be covered with the waves, and He sleeps on, but He will wake before it sinks. He sleeps, but He never over-sleeps, and there are no too lates with Him.” Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Volume VI, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Co. 1944), p.413
STORMY WEATHER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
STORMY WEATHER INVOKES FEAR AND PANIC
Vs. 25 – When storms come we tend to fear. And sometimes
when storms come we will go into a panic. The
situation seems to be absolutely hopeless!
Humans tend to be fearful. If we didn’t tend to be fearful, God would not have put so many verses in the Bible telling us not to be afraid. I’ll just give you two samples, but there are many more “do not fear” verses in the Bible.
Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
We tend to fear and worry about what might happen but hasn’t happened.
We tend to fear and worry about the future.
We tend to fear and worry about the opinions of others.
We tend to fear and worry about our children, our parents, our spouses.
Then comes the times our problems are so real to us that they tend to overwhelm us. We hit the panic mode.
Black Bart was a professional thief whose very name struck fear as he terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line. From San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier. Between 1875 and 1883 he robbed 29 different stagecoach crews. Amazingly, Bart did it all without firing a shot. Because a hood hid his face, no victim ever saw his face. He never took a hostage and was never trailed by a sheriff. Instead, Black Bart used fear to paralyze his victims. His sinister presence was enough to overwhelm the toughest stagecoach guard. Today in the Word, August 8, 1992, http://www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=543
Who or what are the “Black Barts” in your life?
What is intimidating you with fear or panic?
Yes, many fears are justified. But there is a proper way to handle fear.
These seasoned fishermen were literally in over their heads and they knew it, coming to Jesus in panic.
STORMY WEATHER INVOKES FEAR AND PANIC
STORMY WEATHER REQUIRES PRAYER AND FAITH
Vs. 25 – The disciples awoke the Lord Jesus.
Their anxious prayer was an indication that they had come to the end of themselves, and that they had at least a little faith that Jesus could help.
I personally think that they waited too long to ask Jesus for help. The moment things got a little stormy, I think they should have come to Him.
We are like that. If things seem to be just a little stormy or troublesome, we’ll just worry over it and try to solve it ourselves, instead of bringing it to God right away.
But when problems get full blown, we come in a panic with a little, but not much faith that God can help.
Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
James 1:5-8 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. [6] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. [7] For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. [8] A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Vs. 26 - Note that Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for waking Him up. Like I said, I feel that He would have welcomed being woken up sooner.
Notice our Lord’s calm rebuke in the midst of the storm.
He was not in a panic. He’s totally under control. He can even take the time to rebuke the disciples before He did anything. He is master of the situation.
Let’s remember when we give our stormy problems to God, that He is not in a panic. He can solve the problem leisurely if He chooses to. There is no reason to get in a dither or bent out of shape.
William Hendriksen – “When a forest fire rages, it frequently happens that for days in succession the newspapers report that the destructive holocaust is still spreading and not yet ‘under control.’ Finally the bulletin for which everyone has been waiting arrives: though the flames have not yet been completely extinguished, the fire is now ‘under control.’
“The danger to life and property has been sufficiently checked to justify an optimistic report. On the other hand, as Matthew pictures it, Jesus has this storm ‘under control’ even which the winds are still roaring and the waters seething! The storm is his instrument for the strengthening of the disciples’ faith…” William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary, The Gospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1973), p. 411
STORMY WEATHER REQUIRES PRAYER AND FAITH
STORMY WEATHER REVEALS THE GLORY AND POWER OF GOD
Vs. 26 – Jesus said the word and there was perfect calm.
It was like there had been no storm.
There was no rocking of the waves that normally follow a storm. There was perfect peace.
When Jesus speaks the Word there is perfect peace.
Sometimes the problem totally disappears, but more often than not the place where the greatest miracle has occurred is inside of us.
We are at peace.
God has calmed the ragging in our souls.
Vs. 27 – The disciples were absolutely amazed! The Lord Jesus had done what they had never seen before. A human being told the storm to cease and it did. The winds obeyed Him! The waves obey Him.
They had a new appreciation for the power of Jesus!
They had a new appreciation for the glory of Jesus!
And when Jesus calms our storms, we too, should have a new appreciation for the power and glory of the Lord Jesus.
We should be amazed!
We should be filled with praise and worship.
We should be ready to trust Him when an even bigger storm comes.
STORMY WEATHER IS BEST FACED WHEN JESUS IS IN THE BOAT
STORMY WEATHER RESULTS FROM OBEDIENCE
STORMY WEATHER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
STORMY WEATHER INVOKES FEAR AND PANIC
STORMY WEATHER REQUIRES PRAYER AND FAITH
STORMY WEATHER REVEALS THE GLORY AND POWER OF GOD