The Winds And The Sea Obey Jesus - [Matthew 8:23-27]

Privilege and honor to be here with you this morning.

We really appreciate it.

We had a chance to meet Mark and his family and Jonathan and his family last night

and it was great to find some other people who are not counting the days or the time

by years and days but by how many children ago this happened.

You know like a normal person like oh five years ago and seven years ago and and then you meet a large family it's like yeah that's when

we had three kids that's when we had six kids that's when we had a 15 kids so so we felt like at home.

We have a large family by God's grace.

We were able to stay with Pastor Steve and you have really nice people in your church.

We thought that Pastor Mike is the only one and we were

proven wrong.

It's great to be here, great to be loved by you and we really appreciate the opportunity to be here with you.

So the passage that I have for you today is this Matthew chapter 8 verses 23 through

27 back in our church and of course we are going through the Gospel of Matthew and Pastor Mike asked

me to have a sermon that is Christ -centered and and I think this passage will do just

that.

By God's grace it's going to be Christ -centered sermon that's going to benefit you hopefully and and

the title of this message is why are you afraid and and that's the reason why I chose actually this

message is because it's a message for me this morning to be in Pastor Mike's church

be preaching in front of him after after he taught me how to pray I was greatly

afraid and I was thinking about I need to have a Christ -centered message and something that's going to

help me not to be afraid as he's going to be sitting in a front row so there you go

so this sermon is going to benefit at least one of us it's me sorry about

it but hopefully it's going to be helpful to you as well so

I'll read a passage I'll pray and well we'll get to work.

Matthew chapter 8 verses 23 through 27 this is the word of the Lord

when he meaning Jesus got into the boat his disciples followed him and behold there arose a great storm

on the sea so that the boat was being covered with the waves but Jesus himself was

asleep and they came to him and woke him saying save us Lord.

We are perishing.

He said to them why are you afraid you men of little faith.

Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea and it became perfectly calm.

The men were amazed and said what kind of a man is this that even the winds and the sea

obey him.

God we are so thankful to be here this morning gathered in one place as your church.

We thank you so much for your word and God I pray that you would use me as a sinner who

was forgiven by Christ to preach our words to help these people to encourage them strengthen them.

And God we pray that you would just help us to see how great Christ is

your son eternal eternal son our Savior God.

We thank you that we are in your hands.

We thank you that we are in Christ's hands.

Thank you for your word thank you for your spirit.

And we just pray that you would bless us as we go through this passage right now.

Amen.

So let me get straight to the bottom line of the bottom line because I was given 40 minutes and I have four

points and I'll try to deal with that just just like that.

The truth is that each of you that are sitting here this morning is either going or was going or

will be going through some kind of a storm in your life.

Right.

That's just the fact.

That's just the bottom line.

We are humans and even though we are Christians we are going to be facing some hard times.

It might be at your job it might be in your family it might be because of your health but

your health.

But there are going to be some storms in your life.

And uh you know with every storm you as a Christian you have a decision to make and you can either in

each storm trust yourself and and and be anxious or by God's grace you can trust

Christ your good shepherd and find peace in his arms even in the midst of the of the darker

storms.

And my hope and prayer is this morning that the portion that we just read together a little while ago of

God's Holy Word will help you trust Christ no matter what no matter what a storm is in

your life or will be in your life that you will remember this passage that you will remember Christ the King

calming the storm on a Galilean Sea.

And that is going to encourage you and strengthen you as it did strengthen me when we were going through our storms

and strengthen our church as our church was going through different storms.

So as we come to our passage it will be helpful for you to know that Matthew's goal is to present Jesus in

this gospel as God's divine Messiah and King who will deliver God's people from

their sins and bring them to God's everlasting kingdom.

And the way how Christ does it obviously is by his perfect life.

It's by his substitutionary death on a Roman cross and it's through his resurrection

on a Sunday morning.

And when you would be with us and of course we would be going chapter by chapter verse by verse through Matthew's

gospel.

And in chapter 8 and 9 Matthew selects nine miracles of Jesus

to prove that he is really the divine messianic king of kings who has the power over sickness

who has the power over demons and sin and death.

Right.

Like that's the picture of Matthew's painting is here is your king he has come he is the divine he is his

God's son he is the eternal God and he is the king of kings.

And he rules and he rules over sin he rules over sickness he rules over demons and he rules over

death.

And he has power to overturn sin curse and establish a new heavenly kingdom.

And in our text today we see one of these nine miracles that that Matthew presents.

And the neat thing about this miracle is that it's it's very closely connects at least with me and and

with my life.

And and I'm really hoping and praying that it will connect also with you and with your life because it doesn't only

provide God's testimony of the fact that Jesus eternal second member of God's Trinity is

the creator of the world who has power over his creation but it also will encourage you

to trust Christ to trust Jesus in the darkest moments of your life.

No no matter what they are by reminding you that he is a mighty king who rules.

The context of our passage is that you know the day that we found ourselves in and

in the chapter races it's a Saturday evening and Jesus just had a super

busy day.

And in a town or village called Kaffir now and if you would read Matthew so chapter chapter 8

and 7 you would see that Jesus just healed the leper which was very kind very loving thing to

do Jesus.

Jesus touched him and healed him and and loved him in a moment where everybody else was running away from him.

Jesus also healed that day a centurion centurion's servant you might

remember that he even healed the day Peter's mother -in -law and and also a

countless crowd of sick people and and that is a huge testimony about Christ.

And and his love for his creation and his love for the people that he came to save and and how

much he cares for them and how much he cares for for us who are his.

And when he healed them all he told and he commanded his disciples to get into the boat and a sail

on the other side of the sea of the of the lake that that was in front of them.

And in verse 23 we read that when he got into the boat the disciples followed him.

Right.

And then when Matthew says that he he's not only thinking about a 12 disciples the 12 apostles but he's also thinking

about other people that are following Jesus.

Jesus always had a crowd of people with him right.

There was always somebody learning from him there was always somebody following him.

And and when we read that when Jesus got into the boat his disciples followed him it means the 12th but it means a lot more

people because mark 436 tells us that there are other boats with him.

So there is Jesus on his boat with a bit of 12 disciples and maybe some other guys.

There are other boats with other men and maybe other women and they are headed across the sea.

So it's Saturday evening boats departed from the shore and they are now crossing the massive body of water

which is before them.

And the first thing that I would like you to notice in our passage today is that the storm is raging.

That's the first thing that's the first point of our of our outline.

And we see in the verse 24 that Matthew says and behold there arose a great storm on the

sea so that the boat was being covered with the waves.

And a sea in this in this context does the sea that Matthew is describing here is obviously the Sea of

Galilee also known as Lake of Gennesaret.

I never been to Israel but maybe you saw the pictures you know it's a beautiful body of water really nice.

And in daylight a lot of people fishing on the lake which is which is really like a sea because even

though it's a size of a lake because of the weather conditions it's more like a sea.

So if you are in the middle of it and there is a storm you have a huge problem.

Matthew says and behold there arose a great storm.

And the word behold shows us that the storm came suddenly that it was totally unexpected and that's that's exactly

what's happening on this body of water day by day year by year even until this day

that's that's how the weather works in this part of the world that that you just never know when the storm is

gonna hit you.

Right like today you have the benefit of hey you're gonna go on a boat ride and you take your phone and you check the weather.

Okay next six hours no rain.

Okay let's go.

But in this lake even if you would have a weather app it's not gonna work that way because nobody can

predict what a wind and what a heat is gonna do.

So behold all of a sudden it shocked even the experienced fishermen who were with Jesus that there

is this storm no warning no signal.

One minute everything is smooth.

One minute everything's cool.

One minute everything's nice.

You have a your little chit -chat with your buddies on a on a boat and all of a sudden behold there is

a great storm and the great in Greek is Megas.

You know it's it's really a mega storm.

It's a it's a raging storm.

It's a it's a terrible storm.

And and Matthew is using these words to show us how how desperate the situation of the

disciples is gonna be because of how great how mega how terrifying how how

shocking this storm is gonna be.

So these waves were so big that a boat was being covered with the waves.

One moment you see the boat the next moment you don't.

Right.

Like sometimes you see it in the on a YouTube or in a TV like there is there's a boat on the

ocean and the boat the the waves are as big as this building.

So like you see the boat you don't see the boat.

You see the boat you don't see the boat just because the the waves are massive.

And Mark 437 adds.

And he says the waves were breaking over to the boat so much that the boat was already

filling up.

So you just put yourself into the shoes of the disciples.

Right.

Like you are in the middle of the sea.

You are in the middle of the night you are in the middle of the storm.

That is that is scaring the the the daylights.

I think you say you know out of you and you are terrified and and the storm is

raging and it's a not it's not a good thing in the middle to be in the middle to be in the

middle of the sea today when there is a storm and you know with the boats however 2

,000 years ago it was even worse back then because you didn't have all the high -tech and cell phones

and and somebody to call for reinforcements you know and it's it's a good reminder

for us of it life you know that's that's how it is usually in our lives right.

Like like when sickness hits you when something hits you in a work or at your family

it's not like somebody from your family calling you like hey in three weeks it's gonna get really bad because I'm really

upset at you.

Okay just that you know when you come for Thanksgiving it's gonna be really bad you know.

And then two weeks later hey just hope that you didn't forget what I said last week it's coming you know.

And then you know one week closer like like you just show up at a Thanksgiving dinner you just show up at a work you show

up at a church you you show up somewhere at a vacation and all of a sudden in the middle of the night

your your kids are throwing up or or there's a bad announcement coming from your family and and it

hits you and caught you off guard.

And that's that's the same thing that's that's what happened in here that you know it was a calm night they were hoping for an

easy and restful ride but all of a sudden totally unexpected this this huge fiercy

mega storm does the stars as one author said it were replaced by lightnings and thunders.

The calm breeze is exchanged with screaming wind and deafening rain.

Their boat is filling up with water fast and they're starting to sink.

And then you just thinking about what a storm is causing in their hearts.

It's it's fear and it's anxiety and it's it's terror.

And that's the same thing in our lives right like we might we doesn't have to be in the middle of the sea to to be all

anxious to be all terrorized or full of fear.

And the here is the thing everybody was everybody was in a panic fighting for

their lives in this raging storm except of Jesus.

And there's the second thing that I want you to notice in our passages that while the storm is raging Jesus is

sleeping.

And I love that we read in a verse verse 24 by Jesus himself was asleep

and and it should shock us because the storm was big and the boat was almost sinking and and

and and and what we see here when when Matthew tells us that Jesus was sleeping as we see a glimpse

of Jesus humanity right like he's a truly God but he's a truly man.

And right here right before we'll see the glimpse of his divinity.

Matthew shows us a glimpse of his humanity as a true man.

Jesus is sleeping as a true God.

Jesus will subdue and calm the storm.

And the question is how come Jesus is sleeping.

And partially the answer is well because he had a hard day.

Right like he just spent a whole day with people.

He just spent a whole day teaching people about God's kingdom.

He just spent a whole day preaching to people about about a gospel about repentance from sins and and and

that he is the way and that he is the truth and that he is the life.

And that no one comes to the father except through him.

And not only he was teaching a whole day but he was healing people all day and that took energy

from him.

So he was tired.

And he slept when the dark clouds covered the starry sky.

He slept when the deafening wind and lightning stroke.

And he slept when the rain started pouring down.

And he slept when the waves were destroying their boat and when everybody else was panicking and fearing

for their life.

Jesus in his humanity was sleeping.

And for sure part of the reason why he's

sleeping is because he was exhausted after a hard day.

But I think there is also a second reason why he's sleeping peacefully.

And I think the second part of the reason why he's sleeping peacefully is because he knew scriptures in his humanity.

He had to learn scriptures just like you and I have to learn scriptures.

Right.

Like like when he was 12 they found him in the temple and and his his father and his mother were teaching him the scriptures and he

was going to synagogue and he was learning just as we are learning because he is a truly man.

So he knew scriptures and he also knew that God the father has everything firmly in his

hands which is something that he knew because he's God.

But he also knew it because he's a man who learned it from the scriptures and because he knew that God has

everything in his hands.

And because he has a perfect man perfectly trusts God.

He is peacefully sleeping in the midst of the storm because he knows that there's only one who's in control

that's God the father.

Jesus knew his psalm 115 verse 3.

But our God is in the heaven he does whatever he pleases.

He knew that and he knew it's true and he he bet his life on it he depended his life on it.

So he is able to sleep in the in the in the in the great storm.

Jesus knew that he will not die a minute too early or too late right.

Matthew 10 29 says that Jesus says are not two sparrows sold for a cent and yet

no not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father.

Like Jesus knows that you know that the day when you are born and the day when you

die are not in your hands are in God's hands and that it's it's God who said the time when you

will be born.

And God is that the one who says the time when you will die so I can rest peacefully in the middle of the storm

because I'm not gonna die if it's not God's plan for me to die.

And if it's God's plan for me to die I'm gonna die even if I would be in a submarine right.

Like or even if I would be on the shore thinking like oh I'm so glad I'm not on the boat with them.

And there's a lightning coming because you know that's the time that God said for you to die and and you just cannot escape it.

So so Christ is trust in God and and he trusts the scriptures.

And he knew that he did not come to die on a boat as a powerless sailor but he came to die

on a cross as a powerful savior.

So so he's he said ease he's he's resting on a boat because it's not his time

to die.

He knew Psalm 22 that prophesied about him that he will be delivered to Gentiles who will pierce his

hands and feet.

He knew Deuteronomy 21 that is a prophecy about him that he will be crucified.

So therefore he knows he cannot die on that boat in the middle of the storm because God

has a different plan for him.

How could he not be sleeping.

Right.

Like people might be thinking like how can you be sleeping.

And it's like how could I not be sleeping like I know I'm in God's hands.

I know what my purpose is.

I know how I'm gonna die and I'm fully trust in God who has all things in his hands

and he is sleeping and he is resting because this storm is not an accident but it's a part of God's plan.

And I want you to know this morning if you are a Christian I want to encourage you there are no

accidents in God's universe right.

There was a R .C. Sproul who said that there are no maverick molecules in this universe like God is sovereign over

every single molecule and atom which also mean that there are no

maverick or loose accidents in God's universe.

Psalm 93 says what?

How does Psalm 93 begins?

The Lord reigns.

It's so encouraging to know that it is our Lord it is Christ the son it is God the

Father is the Holy Spirit is God the true God who rules and who reigns.

The Lord reigns and what it means in Psalm 93 is that he always reigns.

He reigns everywhere he reigns over all.

And the good thing is that it's not a storm it's not the storms that are reigning in your life.

It's not Satan or bad people you know they do not reign in your life.

It's not fortune or luck that would be reigning in your life.

There is only one who reigns in the universe over every single storm over every single trial

over every single sickness.

And that's God himself.

And that's a good news for us.

And that was a good news for the disciples and was good news for Christ.

There's only one who reigns and that is three in God of the Bible.

So there are no loose maverick storms in your lives that would not be under God's control that God would not

preordain in order to build you to be more like Jesus for his own glory and for your good.

And that is why Paul can declare with such a confidence.

And in Romans 8 28 we know not we think not perhaps or

maybe.

But we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love

love God.

Right.

And and and the way how all things work together for good to those who love God is that they are

shaping us to be more like Christ.

They are shaping us to love Christ more to depend on him more.

So Jesus is sleeping because he knows that this storm is not

happening in order to kill them but so he can be worshipped by them by

his disciples.

And I want you to know that if you are going or will be going through a hardship in your life you need to know

that hardships and trials and storms are not meaningless.

And in the hands of Almighty God in the hands of loving God in the hands of all -powerful

God.

Storms and trials and hard times and sicknesses even death none of this

is meaningless because the meaning we just read about it in Romans 8 28 God is using all

these things to bring us closer to him to love him more to be more like Christ his son.

And Jesus knew that they must go through the storm so his disciples can see a

glimpse of his glory of his divinity.

I don't know if you ever thought about it but I had this thought and I probably read it somewhere or heard it somewhere.

You know have you ever thought about how it would be if Jesus would just stayed with the disciples on a

shore like like Jesus could tell his disciples.

Hey guys I'm God.

And I know what's going to happen tonight.

If you get on a boat right now they're going to sail into the middle of the of the sea and there's going to be a huge

storm.

It's going to be such a great storm that like you never seen before you will all be scared for your lives.

This boat is going to almost sink.

You will be panicking and freaking out even though you are you are fishermen and you know this sea better than anybody else.

And I just want to prevent that from you because I love you so much and and I want you to know that.

You know if you would go on the sea and we would be caught up in the middle of this storm I would stand up in the boat

and I would say one word and the whole storm would just end and then you guys would fall on your knees and worship me.

But we are not going to do that because I love you.

I don't want you to go through that thing.

So why don't you just worship me here on the shore and we take it easy from here like you

like you you think Peter would be like yes.

Right like everybody would be like I you know I don't

know about it Jesus.

Right.

Like because because there is this need for them to go through the storm so Jesus

divinity can be revealed to them in in in very special way.

That's that they would experience that and and that's that's that's that's why Jesus is taking them through the storm.

One one of the reason you know they had to go through the storm in order for Jesus to be

glorified because nobody would glorify him on the shore if he would just tell them this story and for them to see who Jesus

really is they need to go through this storm.

And for you and for for all of us as Christians you know it's it's beneficial that they went through this

storm because now we can read about it we can read about what they experienced we can read about their fear.

We can we can relate to them we can see like yes they they react to the storms in their lives the same

way how we relate.

And and this is what Jesus did in the middle of the storm.

And and there is something we can learn about Jesus and apply it to our lives when we are going to go in our

trials through our trials realizing that they are underneath his sovereign care.

So so they went through their trials so Jesus can be glorified so we can learn from it.

And and you know that that that often that is also another reason why God allows you to go

through your storms.

Because he will use your storms and and the way how he leads you through them and and the way how he

strengthens you through them as a testimony to other people.

Isn't it so.

Right.

Then and when you were in your storms you you probably reached out to people who were through similar

stores before you.

Right.

Like like you guys had a hard marriage we are going through a hard time.

Like how did Jesus helped you how did Jesus led you through it.

Like oh okay like you repented and and you forgave one another and and and he restored your marriage.

And and and now now you're your hard times are helping somebody else to go through

their hard times.

Right.

Or hey you dealt with a dying wife.

You you you dealt with a dying husband.

Right.

Because they they had this sickness or that sickness like how did Jesus helped you.

How how did God help you how did he led you through it.

And and all of a sudden there's hard time that you went through a year ago or ten years ago is being

transformed into something that's being helpful to somebody else and it's helping somebody else to grow

in their relationship to Christ.

So you know the same is true about storms in your life.

You can be in peace in the in the middle of who knows what you are going through.

You can you can sleep in the midst of the horrible things that are happening around us.

Not because you are naive and not because you are uninformed but because you know that is the Lord who

reigns.

And you know that Christ is in charge.

You don't have to worry.

You don't have to panic.

You don't have to be afraid.

You just have to make a decision by God's grace and by his strength to trust Christ to trust God

instead of trusting yourself.

And as the decision that we are always constantly are making am I going to glorify myself.

Or am I gonna gonna glorify God.

Will I be trusting myself and my abilities and my knowledge.

Or will I be trusting the promises I have in the Bible.

We as the Christians have the privilege to rejoice in the storms.

1st Peter 1 verse 6 and 7.

In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by

various trials so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable even though

tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor and the revelation of

Jesus Christ.

So God is using meaningfully the hard times in your life to bring

you closer to Christ to be more like Christ and to purify your faith.

So great Christ can receive all the possible glory when he returns.

That's what's happening.

Storms are not out of or above of God's control but under God's control.

And that is a fact.

And God wants you to remember that if you're going through them you don't have to be ashamed or feel

like a second great Christian.

Right.

Like sometimes and in some churches they teach like well you know if you are sick or if you are going through this or if you're going through that that

means that you have unconfessed sin.

Or it means that you did this wrong and you did that wrong.

And you need to confess and confess and confess.

And yes yes sometimes that might be true but not always not always.

You know sometimes we are sick and and it's not because we sinned just because we are in a sinful world and God is going to use it

for his glory.

Romans 5 3 through 4 says.

And not only this but we also exalt in our tribulations.

Know it that tribulation brings about perseverance and perseverance proven character and proven

character hope.

So Jesus who trusted God the Father was sleeping by disciples who were trusting in themselves

were screaming and that's the third point.

That's the third thing that we see in our passage today.

Disciples are screaming verse 25.

They came to him and woke him saying save us Lord.

We are perishing.

And these guys are experienced sea dogs.

Right.

Like this was their this was their occupation.

Like they knew the sea they knew the boats they knew the storms.

And this was not a first storm that they in current encountered here.

But it's one was exceptional that and it was so exceptional that even these fishermen are

begging a carpenter for help.

You know it's like you're in the middle of the sea on your own boat you are the captain of the boat you are a

fisherman and you are going to ask a carpenter for help.

The storm was big.

The storm has to be really really great if this is happening you know and they are coming to him and they are

saying save us Lord.

We are perishing.

And Mark 438 says that they said teacher do you not care that we are perishing.

Right.

Like they're not coming with a humble attitude they are coming like raging at Jesus like like Jesus what

are you doing.

You're supposed to be helping us and saving us and and you do not care about us like great like you told us to get

on the boat.

You do you wanted us to sail across the sea.

And now you do not care.

And they are confused.

And sometimes we are confused in our in our lives in the middle of the storms.

Right.

Like we believe Christ we trust Christ we know who Christ is and and they and they

somehow at least partially knew who Christ is but their small faith was

mixed with a great mistrust because they turn their eyes away from

Christ.

And they and they started looking too much at themselves.

And I think it was Mark yesterday night or maybe Jonathan.

And then they reminded me of the other other time when when the when the disciples were with Jesus on

the on the same lake.

Right.

And and Peter asked Jesus to step out of the boat to walk to Jesus in the middle of the storm.

And as far as Peter was able to see Jesus and keep his eyes on Jesus and

trust Jesus he was so safe it was so good.

Right.

But in the moment when he took away his eyes from Christ and started looking around and at himself

he started thinking and that's what they are doing.

They are panicking.

They're freaking out that they're scared.

They think that Jesus doesn't care.

It's very unpolite it's very rough it's very rude.

And they're basically saying don't you care save us.

Do something as Levis Johnson said

that these disciples did not learn yet that is far better and safer to be with

Jesus in the biggest storm then without Jesus on a shore.

And that's true.

Right.

It's so much safer with Jesus in the middle of the storm on a boat

then without him on a shore.

And they are started.

They started doubting Jesus.

They started thinking that he doesn't care.

But here's the question how could the Savior who came to redeem them from the storm of their sins

with his own blood not care about their earthly storms like Jesus

cared so much that he left his heaven and his angels and all the glory he had there.

He cared about him so much that he added humanity to his divinity that the one who created

time the one who created space the one who is eternal and and wasn't limited by time and space

put on flesh.

And the one who gives life was was born on this on this earth.

And and the one who rules everything was now dependent on his mother and on his father and on

his heavenly father.

How could he not care about him.

How could a good shepherd who came to seek and save the lost not care about his sheep once

he found them.

And I want you to know brothers and sisters that storms in your life do not mean that Jesus doesn't care.

And then you know what.

In my life and probably in your life.

Like sometimes that's that's the temptation.

Right.

Like we are in the hard times God doesn't care.

Well he does care.

And we need to realize that storms are not a sign that doesn't care that God doesn't care.

But they are rather a tool in his hand to rightly remind us how

weak we are and how much we need him.

And it is it is when we are the weakest.

It is in the darkest storms when God's power is most visible isn't it so you remember

apostle Paul.

You remember the problem he had.

He had some kind of a thorn in his in his flesh.

Right.

Like we do not know if it was a sickness.

We do not know if it was a some guy in a check trying to kill him with hazelnuts.

We do not know what it was.

But we know it was a thorn in his flesh.

And we know he was asking God three times to remove it from his life.

And in 2 Corinthians 12 9 we see God's response.

And here is God's response to Paul's trials.

My grace is sufficient for you.

For power is perfected in weakness.

And Paul says most gladly.

Therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

And Paul is rejoicing in his weaknesses.

He's rejoicing in the in the hard situations he's in because he knows that whatever good comes out

of it will be for the glory of God not for his own glory.

That that everybody will be able to look at Paul and say you know what what Paul is doing.

And where Paul is.

That's only possible because Christ is in his life and because Christ is working in his life.

And we know that the power is not in the vessel in the earthly vessel.

That's that's just that's just a clay and has many cracks.

But if the power is in the treasure that's in this vessel and that's God himself.

So Paul is rejoicing in his weaknesses.

And and that's what what a what a disciple should have done on the boat.

Be rejoicing.

Yes this is gonna be a great opportunity for Jesus to shine.

Not for us to shine not for us to save ourselves but for Christ.

And we just cannot wait how he's gonna solve this.

But they got off the focus.

They they got a wrong focus.

So they are crying and weeping and being scared and being terrified.

And the storm on the Sea of Galilee was terrifying but was good because it brought even these

disciples to the end of themselves after they tried everything they come into Jesus.

Right.

Like after everything fails we'll pray.

Right.

Instead of like no we pray all the time.

We pray first.

No.

After we tried everything.

After we called all our friends after we tried all the banks after we tried all the hospitals.

Okay there's nothing else to do.

Let's just pray while we were should have been praying the whole time.

And this storm brought them to Jesus and brought them to the only one who can save them.

And the disciples were wrong when they thought that Jesus doesn't care.

And that's why Jesus is rebuking them.

In verse 26 he says.

Why are you afraid you man of little faith.

And there's a rebuke to them.

You should have trusted me.

Did you not see my power over sickness.

Where we just like over in Capernaum.

Didn't I just like heal so many people during the whole day that.

Didn't you see me raising people from death.

Didn't you see me turning water into wine showing you that I have the power over the reaction over the

creation.

Didn't you see me casting out demons like like how could you think that you are gonna

die.

Where is your faith.

You have seen all these things.

You see my love.

You see my compassion.

You saw that I saved your mother -in -law.

Are you seen that I touched the leopard and not no one else wanted to touch.

How could you think that I do not care.

So he rebukes them.

And the passage in front of our eyes this morning brings a question.

A similar question for every one of you.

And the question is how are you dealing with storms in your life.

Is it sometimes more like pagans who believe in luck.

Or are you are you dealing with them to God's glory.

Like Christians who have sovereign God.

Right.

Like you look at people around you that do not know God.

Do not know that there is sovereign God.

And they believe in luck.

They believe in fortune.

They they believe in flipping flipping a coin or or who knows what.

And and yes like understandably they are scared when they have a cancer.

Understandably they are scared when they lose their job.

Understandably they are scared when this and that happens in their life.

Because because they have a totally wrong worldview they don't understand that God has everything in his hands.

But it's one thing for unbeliever to act like an unbeliever.

And another thing for me or you to act like an unbeliever when we know Christ and when we

know that he is with us that he never leaves us and that all all power all authority

in heaven and on earth is given to him and that he rules our lives.

Why.

Why are you afraid.

Why you're afraid.

Isn't God faithful.

Hasn't wasn't he faithful in your life already.

You know like we have the testimony of the scriptures that shows us how how faithful God is.

But by his grace each of you.

If you're a born -again Christian you can give thousands of testimonies of God's faithfulness in your

life.

Right.

And they should all help you to face the next storm with with more courage and with more faith

in Christ.

Because you know what he has done already in your life.

Did not God promise in Hebrews 13 verse 5 and 6 I will never desert you nor

will I ever forsake you.

So that we can confidently say the Lord is my helper.

I will not be afraid.

What will men do to me.

Like even in the midst of persecution.

Right.

Like I had this dear brother from Ukraine coming to me this morning they said hey my grandfather was persecuted

and was in a was was in a prison in Ukraine.

And because he was a Christian but he didn't have to be afraid.

Why.

Because he has God who rules every man who rules every prison who rules every every secret

police officer.

What will men do to me.

We have nothing to be afraid of.

So the good news is that Jesus did not only rebuke his disciples but he also

saved them.

And that's the worst.

I mean that's the worst.

26 is the fourth and last point.

And we are gonna wrap up here shortly.

Jesus is saving.

We saw the storm raging.

We saw disciples screaming.

We saw Jesus sleeping.

And we also see now Jesus and him saving.

Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea and he showed them that he really cares.

He rebuked the winds and the sea.

He commanded them.

And Mark 4 39 tells us that he got up and rebuked the wind and the sea.

Hush be still.

That's what he said one word.

And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

Jesus just said one word.

He just said one sentence and everything was over.

The storm was gone and the big waves that were there a second ago

were gone and the whole sea was as calm as a mirror.

It's another miracle.

Right.

Like sometimes we go to the lighthouses right after the storm.

And even the storm is gone even though the sky is clean and the sun is shining and and the sky is

blue.

The ocean is what still raging.

Right.

Because like the the physics and and whatever else is happening there.

But Jesus made this miracle by calming the sea instantly that the effects and

everything.

One sentence.

And the storm was gone.

The mega storm turned into a mega calm.

The stormy sea became like a mirror immediately.

And that's how easy it is for Christ who's the creator God.

That's how fast Jesus can do things you know if he pleases.

What else would you expect when Jesus speaks.

Right.

Like like he spoke this universe this universe to to being some six thousand years ago with the

power of his word.

He he he separated the waters with one word.

He he set the limits for oceans with one word.

And now he commanded this storm to be still.

And all of a sudden the sea was still.

There is a power that only God has.

Jesus did not pray to God to calm the storm.

Jesus is God who calmed the storm.

And this miracle is recorded for us to remind us that he is not only truly man but also

truly God.

God who cares.

God who came among his people lived with his people live the life the perfect life that none

of the people lived in order to fulfill God's law.

So he can also die on a cross in their place for their sins and be risen on a third

day for their righteousness and for their salvation.

How good is to know that Jesus is faithful even when we are doubting if he cares.

How good is to know that he is powerful when we are weak.

How good is to know that he is mighty when we are helpless.

And how good is to know that he helps and saves even when we are totally

miserable.

So that's my encouragement for you this morning.

Christ rules.

Christ is the king who reigns.

Christ is God and he loves you and he cares for you.

And and and you know calm in the storm is a sign of his divinity is a sign of his

of his kingly credentials that he rules over his creation.

But it also brings comfort to our hearts knowing that Christ can calm any

storm any minute of our lives.

And here's the deal.

Do you believe that Christ is Almighty God.

Do you believe that he is all -knowing God.

Therefore that he knows about the storms in your lives and that he can settle them once for all if he pleases.

I hope you do believe that.

So why is he not doing it right now while you are still in the middle of the storm.

It's not because he's powerless right.

And it's not because he doesn't know because he is all -knowing.

So there must be another reason why you are still in the storm or why you will be going through the storm even though

he can prevent it or he can stop it.

And the reason is for him to be glorified and for you to be sanctified and to be more like him.

And if you are unbeliever if you are a friend or a guest in this church today if you do not know Christ

as a as a personal Savior here's one thing that you need to know.

You need to know that there is there is a lot greater storm headed your way.

You know be in the middle of the sea in the boat that is sinking is one thing.

But if you are unbeliever and if you are not reconciled with the Holy God through Christ alone by

grace alone then there is a storm of God's judgment come in your way.

And this is not trying to threaten you with hell.

God's judgment is a fact.

Christ spoke about hell.

Christ spoke about God's judgment.

And Christ also told us that he is the only one who can reconcile us with a father.

That's why he came.

That's why he died.

That's why he rose again.

So we can escape the judgment of God at the end times.

And you need to know that there's only one way there's only one door that is only there's only one way of salvation.

And that is in Jesus Christ.

And you don't have to give money to the church.

You don't have to do some religious things.

You just need to bow your knee in front of God.

Ask for forgiveness for your sins.

If God is working in your life and showing you that he is a holy God who created you and that you are a great sinner that sinned against him

and that Christ is the only way what you need to do is humble yourself by God's grace ask him by

God's grace for forgiveness and trust in Christ and Christ alone.

God we thank you so much for the time we were able to spend in your words and God we pray that right now with your spirit

you would do the things that you can only do God.

We as preachers we can bring your words to people's ears.

But you're the only one who can who can impact and regenerate and encourage the heart.

So God I pray that you will do just that with your Holy Spirit right now.

I pray for blessings for this church.

I pray God if there are some people who are unsafe to this morning that you would show them that you are

God.

And that there is only one way through Christ that you would be merciful to them and God.

I pray for the believers in this church that you would give them unity that they would love you that they would follow you that they

would evangelize other people that I would disciple the ones that that know you and God

whatever in your sovereign plan you have for this church and for those people

individually whatever storm whatever hardships please remind them that it's all good.

It's all in your hands that it all has a meaning to to glorify you to bring them closer to you to make them

more like Christ.

God please help us in the middle of the storm.

Don't forget about things that we have seen so clearly on a bright day that you are in

control that you are the Lord who reigns.