Faith In the StormFaith In the Storm

Matthew 14:22-14:33 22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

Matthew 14:22-14:33 24but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.

Matthew 14:22-14:33 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said.

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Matthew 14:22-14:33 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” .

Matthew 14:22-14:33 32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

John 6:31-34 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

John 6:31-34 33But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Mathew 14:2525During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them…(Mark 6:47-48a)

Types of storms (difficult periods in your life):

Natural storms – we live in a fallen world, and some of the troubles we face are simply that – natural disasters

Faith in the Storm

Types of storms (difficult periods in your life):

•Storms of correction – Like the storm sent to the boat Jonah rode to escape the call to preach to Nineveh. These usually last until we turn from our false course.

Faith in the Storm

Types of storms (difficult periods in your life): •Storms of perfection – Storms that God uses to build our strength and our faith. God doesn’t rescue us immediately. They are like the silversmith’s refining fire, where the raw silver ore is kept in the hottest flame until all the impurities are burned away, and it becomes strong, pure metal.

Faith in the Storm

Mathew 14:26-2726When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Keys

"If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Thy hand will lead me and thy right hand will lay hold of me." Psalm 139:8-10.

Faith in the Storm

“Quote-worthy”

"Ships are safe in the harbor, but that’s not what

ships are made for" -John SheddJohn Shedd

Faith in the Storm

Matthew 14:28-29

28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Peter had to make a decision

– he was given the choice of leaving the safety and comfort of the boat for the unimaginable call to walk on the water.

Matthew 14:30-32

30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

“Quote-worthy”

“I’ve missed 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six

times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and I have missed.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. But I never quit, but kept trying. That is the secret of my

success.” -Michael JordanMichael Jordan

James 1:6

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 14:33

32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

John 6:21

And immediately the boat was at the land where they were going

Challenge

• The tragedy of this story is that the 11 other disciples never made any effort to get out of the boat.

• In the Church today there are far too many people who prefer the comfort of the boat.

• They will never experience the blessings of taking steps of faith.

Faith in the Strom

Keys-To Walking on Water

· Take risks, get out of our boat.· God will send us into the storm· We will need to look for Christ to show up, and be ready to do what he asks· We will need to stay focused on him to succeed – we must be strong in faith· We can’t succeed on our own efforts, but the power of Christ can easily accomplish the impossible

Faith in the Storm

Psalm 89: 9-10 New Revised Standard Version

You rule the You rule the raging of the sea; raging of the sea; when its waves when its waves rise, you still rise, you still them. them.