A STATEMENT OF FAITH FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE
TEXT: Matthew 14:22-33
THESIS: To show that when our faith is tested we must trust in His love and compassion.
INTRO.:
A. The storms of life will test our faith. The question is how do you respond to these tests of faith? For, a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted! Whether we like it or not our faith in Christ WILL be tested. Your test may be the loss of a loved one, an automobile accident, the loss of a job, a financial crisis, a marital problem, a child gone astray, a physical problem [cancer, heart attack, stroke, etc.]… (Read the text here)
B. We need to work out A STATEMENT OF FAITH FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE. Then when we find ourselves in the middle of the storm we can turn to our “Statement of Faith” and remind ourselves that…
I. Article 1: HE BROUGHT ME HERE v.22
A. Our Storms Are His Appointments:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. Sometimes the Lord tests our faith by sending us into the midst of a storm.
ILLUS.: The disciples had just witnessed the spectacular miracle of the feeding of the 5000. No doubt they would have preferred to linger at that spot and savor the heady wine of popularity they were no doubt enjoying. But Jesus “constrained” them to leave so He could disperse the multitude. (The people were so affected by the miracle that they were about to take Him by force and make Him their King.)
John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
a. When things are going well and the Lord is blessing our lives, we have a tendency to become satisfied and our faith doesn’t grow.
b. The Lord must often push us out of our complacency and comfortable state in order that we might grow.
ILLUS.: The next time you find yourself in a storm remember that it was not an “accident” but a Divine appointment. There are no “accidents” for God’s children, there are only appointments that need to be kept. You need to remind yourself: HE BROUGHT ME HERE!
II. Article 2: HE SEES MY CIRCUMSTANCES vv.24,25
A. Our Storms Are His Concern:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. No doubt they wondered why…
a. …He sent them away when things were going so well.
b. …the weather was calm when they left and now the storm came; surely He could have prevented the storm.
c. He didn’t come with them to protect them at least – as He had done before.
ILLUS.: Jesus was obviously developing their faith – testing them. This is their third lesson. 1️⃣The first lesson took place in calm water in the morning with Jesus in the ship (Lk.5:1-11 – the miraculous draught of fish). 2️⃣The second lesson came in stormy weather at night with Jesus asleep in the ship (Mt. 8:23-27). Now comes 3️⃣the third lesson – at night, in stormy weather with Jesus no longer with them! Each new test required more faith on their part: Jesus present, Jesus asleep, Jesus absent. How would they handle this new test of faith?
3. Our response to our storms is crucial; we MUST KNOW that He sees our circumstances, and that our storms are His concern.
4. We are NOT adrift at sea in the storm without His awareness and we must trust that He knows what is best for us.
5. The disciples are to be commended at least for not turning back; He had ordered them to go to the other side and in spite of the storm they continued.
NOTE: Trouble and testings must never deter us from duty!!!
III. Article 3: HE IS PRAYING FOR ME v.23
A. Our Storms Become His Burden:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. Sandwiched between Jesus’ sending His disciples away in the ship and the howling winds and contrary waves is a prayer vigil on the mountain top.
3. When His disciples went to sea, He went to prayer.
ILLUS.: 🔸Jesus is our High Priest and our Intercessor and He “ever liveth to make intercession for us.” Between His leaving and returning He is praying for us.
🔸There is no doubt that the subject of Jesus’ prayer included His disciples. While they were on the water and in the storm, He was on His face before the Lord of glory.
4. He is always above our storms and though touched with the feeling of our infirmities; He is not in danger of being overwhelmed by our storms.
IV. Article 4: HE WILL SPEAK TO ME vv. 25-27
A. Our Storms Are His Opportunities:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. It is in the storms we seek Him out.
3. It is in the storms He comes to us. “Jesus went to them, walking on the sea…!”
ILLUS.:
📰An article in the O Timothy newsletter is interesting.
🙄Doron Nof, professor of Oceanography at Florida State University, theorized that Jesus didn’t walk on water, but that “a rare localized freezing phenomenon” in the Sea of Galilee so that Jesus “surfed” on a piece of ice!!!! 🙂The editor says this presents more problems that it could solve. “If the entire lake was frozen over solid enough for someone to walk on it, how did the disciples sail half way across before Jesus reached them (Mt.14:24)? If it was only partially frozen, it would have had to have been a patch stretching like an ice sidewalk half way across the lake. If it was only a small patch that Jesus somehow surfed on half way across the lake, to stand upright on a patch of ice in a storm-tossed sea would be nearly as much a miracle as walking on the water. Further, because of this miracle the disciples worshipped Jesus as the Son of God. Therefore they were either incredibly gullible to confuse walking on ice with walking on water, or they were bald-faced liars.” Anything but believe the Bible!!!
4. It is in the storms He speaks to us…through His Word. V.27
NOTE: 🧡We are never alone in the storm! He will meet us in the midst of it and speak to us if we avail ourselves of the opportunity. (It is humorous that He says “Be not afraid…!” Of course they were afraid and believed Him to be an apparition or a ghost!)
🧡I have often been dismayed when visiting a believer in the hospital or at home when they are sick and I don’t see a Bible nearby. There are often other magazines and novels, but no Bible…
🧡If you CAN’T read the Bible, then He may speak to you through His Spirit. In either case you must be open to His voice.
🧡It is interesting that when they were afraid, His voice gave them peace. It is also interesting that He only said “It is I” not “It is the Lord.” Apparently they knew Him well enough that “I” was all that was necessary. (Like when someone calls you on the phone and says “Hi, it’s me…”)
V. Article 5: HE WILL HELP ME GROW IN FAITH vv. 28-30
A. Our Storms Are His Classroom:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. First Peter tests the Lord: “If it be Thou, bid me come…”
ILLUS.: Peter is often criticized for not having much faith, but none of the others asked to try to walk on water! Only two men in history ever walked on water and Peter was one of them! He holds the Guinness World Book of Records award for walking on water!
3. Some of the lessons taught in this classroom were: love, faith and hope.
4. Peter learned to walk on water! “…he walked on the water”
a. Talk about growth in faith!
b. Yes, his faith failed when he measured the circumstances and began to sink, but even then he called on the Lord…he didn’t try to save himself! v.30
c. Peter’s faith grew more than the others, in spite of his temporary lapse.
ILLUS.: The other fishermen didn’t get out of the boat! They “knew” the safest place in a storm was IN the boat, not ON the water! But Peter went overboard, trusting His Savior!
VI. Article 6: HE WILL SEE ME THROUGH vv. 31-33
A. Our Storms Are For His Glory:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. He has just given Peter a lesson on water-walking He could not have done without the storm.
3. He has given the others a lesson in trusting Him when there is no other hope.
4. When Peter began to sink, Jesus “caught him” and saved Him; it is doubtful that Peter was ever the same again!
ILLUS.: Perhaps later on the other disciples would joke with Peter about his lapse of faith. No doubt Peter would boast that at least he walked on water for a little while when they didn’t; but surely he would praise the Lord for His sustaining and saving power and give Him the glory! (As WE should do every time He bails us out of some storm!)
5. When He calmed the winds and waves, the disciples were no doubt in awe of Him.
Matthew 8:27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
6. Everyone on board gave Him the glory and WORSHIPPED HIM!
NOTE: That’s what He deserves – our worship! Nothing less will do. He is God! God alone deserves and demands worship from His creatures and His children. Only then will HE get the glory He deserves.
CONCL.:
💥Here then is A STATEMENT OF FAITH FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE which every believer has access to whenever he is being tested.
💥We need to remember that a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
💥What about yours? Are you in a storm now?
💥Review your STATEMENT OF FAITH – it will help you get through it.
THESIS: To show that when our faith is tested we must trust in His love and compassion.
INTRO.:
A. The storms of life will test our faith. The question is how do you respond to these tests of faith? For, a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted! Whether we like it or not our faith in Christ WILL be tested. Your test may be the loss of a loved one, an automobile accident, the loss of a job, a financial crisis, a marital problem, a child gone astray, a physical problem [cancer, heart attack, stroke, etc.]… (Read the text here)
B. We need to work out A STATEMENT OF FAITH FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE. Then when we find ourselves in the middle of the storm we can turn to our “Statement of Faith” and remind ourselves that…
I. Article 1: HE BROUGHT ME HERE v.22
A. Our Storms Are His Appointments:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. Sometimes the Lord tests our faith by sending us into the midst of a storm.
ILLUS.: The disciples had just witnessed the spectacular miracle of the feeding of the 5000. No doubt they would have preferred to linger at that spot and savor the heady wine of popularity they were no doubt enjoying. But Jesus “constrained” them to leave so He could disperse the multitude. (The people were so affected by the miracle that they were about to take Him by force and make Him their King.)
John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
a. When things are going well and the Lord is blessing our lives, we have a tendency to become satisfied and our faith doesn’t grow.
b. The Lord must often push us out of our complacency and comfortable state in order that we might grow.
ILLUS.: The next time you find yourself in a storm remember that it was not an “accident” but a Divine appointment. There are no “accidents” for God’s children, there are only appointments that need to be kept. You need to remind yourself: HE BROUGHT ME HERE!
II. Article 2: HE SEES MY CIRCUMSTANCES vv.24,25
A. Our Storms Are His Concern:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. No doubt they wondered why…
a. …He sent them away when things were going so well.
b. …the weather was calm when they left and now the storm came; surely He could have prevented the storm.
c. He didn’t come with them to protect them at least – as He had done before.
ILLUS.: Jesus was obviously developing their faith – testing them. This is their third lesson. 1️⃣The first lesson took place in calm water in the morning with Jesus in the ship (Lk.5:1-11 – the miraculous draught of fish). 2️⃣The second lesson came in stormy weather at night with Jesus asleep in the ship (Mt. 8:23-27). Now comes 3️⃣the third lesson – at night, in stormy weather with Jesus no longer with them! Each new test required more faith on their part: Jesus present, Jesus asleep, Jesus absent. How would they handle this new test of faith?
3. Our response to our storms is crucial; we MUST KNOW that He sees our circumstances, and that our storms are His concern.
4. We are NOT adrift at sea in the storm without His awareness and we must trust that He knows what is best for us.
5. The disciples are to be commended at least for not turning back; He had ordered them to go to the other side and in spite of the storm they continued.
NOTE: Trouble and testings must never deter us from duty!!!
III. Article 3: HE IS PRAYING FOR ME v.23
A. Our Storms Become His Burden:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. Sandwiched between Jesus’ sending His disciples away in the ship and the howling winds and contrary waves is a prayer vigil on the mountain top.
3. When His disciples went to sea, He went to prayer.
ILLUS.: 🔸Jesus is our High Priest and our Intercessor and He “ever liveth to make intercession for us.” Between His leaving and returning He is praying for us.
🔸There is no doubt that the subject of Jesus’ prayer included His disciples. While they were on the water and in the storm, He was on His face before the Lord of glory.
4. He is always above our storms and though touched with the feeling of our infirmities; He is not in danger of being overwhelmed by our storms.
IV. Article 4: HE WILL SPEAK TO ME vv. 25-27
A. Our Storms Are His Opportunities:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. It is in the storms we seek Him out.
3. It is in the storms He comes to us. “Jesus went to them, walking on the sea…!”
ILLUS.:
📰An article in the O Timothy newsletter is interesting.
🙄Doron Nof, professor of Oceanography at Florida State University, theorized that Jesus didn’t walk on water, but that “a rare localized freezing phenomenon” in the Sea of Galilee so that Jesus “surfed” on a piece of ice!!!! 🙂The editor says this presents more problems that it could solve. “If the entire lake was frozen over solid enough for someone to walk on it, how did the disciples sail half way across before Jesus reached them (Mt.14:24)? If it was only partially frozen, it would have had to have been a patch stretching like an ice sidewalk half way across the lake. If it was only a small patch that Jesus somehow surfed on half way across the lake, to stand upright on a patch of ice in a storm-tossed sea would be nearly as much a miracle as walking on the water. Further, because of this miracle the disciples worshipped Jesus as the Son of God. Therefore they were either incredibly gullible to confuse walking on ice with walking on water, or they were bald-faced liars.” Anything but believe the Bible!!!
4. It is in the storms He speaks to us…through His Word. V.27
NOTE: 🧡We are never alone in the storm! He will meet us in the midst of it and speak to us if we avail ourselves of the opportunity. (It is humorous that He says “Be not afraid…!” Of course they were afraid and believed Him to be an apparition or a ghost!)
🧡I have often been dismayed when visiting a believer in the hospital or at home when they are sick and I don’t see a Bible nearby. There are often other magazines and novels, but no Bible…
🧡If you CAN’T read the Bible, then He may speak to you through His Spirit. In either case you must be open to His voice.
🧡It is interesting that when they were afraid, His voice gave them peace. It is also interesting that He only said “It is I” not “It is the Lord.” Apparently they knew Him well enough that “I” was all that was necessary. (Like when someone calls you on the phone and says “Hi, it’s me…”)
V. Article 5: HE WILL HELP ME GROW IN FAITH vv. 28-30
A. Our Storms Are His Classroom:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. First Peter tests the Lord: “If it be Thou, bid me come…”
ILLUS.: Peter is often criticized for not having much faith, but none of the others asked to try to walk on water! Only two men in history ever walked on water and Peter was one of them! He holds the Guinness World Book of Records award for walking on water!
3. Some of the lessons taught in this classroom were: love, faith and hope.
4. Peter learned to walk on water! “…he walked on the water”
a. Talk about growth in faith!
b. Yes, his faith failed when he measured the circumstances and began to sink, but even then he called on the Lord…he didn’t try to save himself! v.30
c. Peter’s faith grew more than the others, in spite of his temporary lapse.
ILLUS.: The other fishermen didn’t get out of the boat! They “knew” the safest place in a storm was IN the boat, not ON the water! But Peter went overboard, trusting His Savior!
VI. Article 6: HE WILL SEE ME THROUGH vv. 31-33
A. Our Storms Are For His Glory:
1. A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
2. He has just given Peter a lesson on water-walking He could not have done without the storm.
3. He has given the others a lesson in trusting Him when there is no other hope.
4. When Peter began to sink, Jesus “caught him” and saved Him; it is doubtful that Peter was ever the same again!
ILLUS.: Perhaps later on the other disciples would joke with Peter about his lapse of faith. No doubt Peter would boast that at least he walked on water for a little while when they didn’t; but surely he would praise the Lord for His sustaining and saving power and give Him the glory! (As WE should do every time He bails us out of some storm!)
5. When He calmed the winds and waves, the disciples were no doubt in awe of Him.
Matthew 8:27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
6. Everyone on board gave Him the glory and WORSHIPPED HIM!
NOTE: That’s what He deserves – our worship! Nothing less will do. He is God! God alone deserves and demands worship from His creatures and His children. Only then will HE get the glory He deserves.
CONCL.:
💥Here then is A STATEMENT OF FAITH FOR THE STORMS OF LIFE which every believer has access to whenever he is being tested.
💥We need to remember that a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
💥What about yours? Are you in a storm now?
💥Review your STATEMENT OF FAITH – it will help you get through it.