JESUS IS LORD OVER STORMS
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: JESUS IS LORD OVER STORMS
Main Scripture: MATTHEW 14:22-33; MARK 4:35-41
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
In our message today, Pastor Ryan pointed us to a truth that will help us survive and overcome overwhelming trials in life. Our Jesus, is Lord over our storms. This means Jesus has authority and power over every circumstance and trials you will face. The truth is Jesus is present in our storms. A hard truth is God doesn’t teach us to avoid trials, instead, He develops us in the middle of the them! Jesus may have had followers with little faith, but He wasn’t letting them stay that way. Jesus utilized a storm to develop Peter’s faith in Him and teach him he could do the impossible. When we face trials it may feel overwhelming but we won’t be overcome. If we meet with God in the middle of our storms, if we remember Jesus is Lord over storms, we’ll have the strength to get through every trial. Is Jesus Lord in your trials?
Notes:
The setting of our scripture is very helpful in relating and applying this scripture. The news of John the Baptist’s death had reached the disciples. They went to get his body and buried him. Then the disciples went and told Jesus what had happened. As soon as Jesus heard the news He left in a boat to a remote place to be alone, most likely to grieve and pray. But the crowds discovered where Jesus was going and followed Him. In the midst of the death of His cousin, Jesus showed compassion to a needy crowd and began to heal them. After a long time of ministry, the need arose for food to feed over 5000 people, which was provided by a boy but multiplied by Jesus to be a miracle. It was a time of grief but life and responsibilities were still pressing. After a long couple of days, Jesus sent the disciples away, most likely to get rest. Meanwhile, Jesus would finally retreat from everyone to be alone with God…It’s at this moment that things didn’t get better, they actually got worse for the disciples. They say when it rains it pours…That’s the setting of our scripture today. If you’re going through (or when you will go through) a difficult season or storm, I trust today’s message will give you comfort, strength, and peace…
Matthew 14:22-33 NLT
This is a real storm, not a metaphor. The disciples found themselves in the middle of a severe storm and were stunned by the visitation of Jesus walking on water. To make this event even more supernatural, Peter walks on water as well. The bottom line that we need to take from this scripture is this: Jesus has dominion and authority over all things, including nature. This truth was revealed to the disciples and it provoked a worship service in a boat in the middle of a lake.
If we were to see God’s mighty hand of protection work in the middle of a storm we would be in awe and give God praise and worship, too. Maybe some of you have had similar experiences where the only explanation was…That was God!
I think it’s safe to apply this story in other ways or use the storm as a metaphor for trials and challenging circumstances. The Full Life Bible commentary says, “In the ancient Near East the sea was the dominion of chaos and destructive forces. Already in the Old Testament, the waters were viewed as dangerous and destructive, and God is the One who overcomes the waters and waves to preserve life” (Job 9:8; 38;16; Psalm 77:19; Isaiah 43:16). First-century readers in Matthew’s day would read this event and apply it to the storm and waves of persecution they were facing in the church.
Today, we also could apply this to persecution for living faithfully to God’s Word, or to overwhelming challenges and circumstances coming down on us all at once. Or to relational conflict, financial burden,s or the loss of a job. Or when we need to take a leap of faith to do something we know God’s Word teaches us to do. There are many situations we could use to correlate to this storm. But the storm calms down, the waters become peaceful and the disciples worship with joy. Let’s find out how we can have the same experience…
Takeaways…
We can’t avoid every storm in life.
We are not sovereign over physical storms or trials we go through.
It really depends on the overwhelming trial you’re going through but most are out of your control just like the force of nature.
Some storms could be self-inflicted by unholy choices we make. Some storms come from disturbing the devil as you do work for God or obey His Word. Some storms can be tests from God to develop us. Sometimes it’s not a storm and a roofer dropped nails onto the road in your neighborhood and now you need to replace a $200 tire.
What’s important is where to look in a storm of life: look to God.
God is with you in the storm.
The disciples found themselves in a storm but they also found that they weren’t alone.
Jesus called Peter to come out into the storm! I know Peter asked but Jesus still said “come.”
Jesus calls us to come to Him and to keep our eyes on Him in the middle of our storms.
God sees you and will help you in your time of need.
God doesn’t remove storms He uses them to teach and develop us.
Why did Jesus stay out in the middle of the storm allowing the waves to continue to rock the disciples’ boat? Why didn’t Jesus calm and silence the storm? Because Jesus was about to use it to teach the disciples who He is, what faith in Jesus can do, and to always keep your eyes on Jesus.
Jesus may have had followers with little faith, but He wasn’t letting them stay that way. Jesus utilized a storm to develop Peter’s faith in Him and teach him he could do the impossible.
It’s not in the calm seas of life that we learn the power and faithfulness of God. It’s in the seas that test our faith that we learn what God can do!
Jesus spoke to Peter and the disciples in the middle of the storm. God will do that through His Word and it won’t always be loving encouragement, it can also be loving rebukes and correction.
Jesus rebuked Peter about His faith. You would think there would be a better time for that rebuke but Jesus needed to correct Peter’s heart.
God isn’t just trying to teach us, He’s trying to change, transform, mold us, discipline, and train us to be His disciples who can handle greater responsibility.
Peter would go on to be the leader of this pack and we are called to lead those around us. We have to be able to grow in our storms so we can help navigate others through their storms.
“No one becomes a skilled sailor sitting in the harbor.”
God knows how to get us to the other side
V. 34 says they landed and got to the other side of the lake. God has gotten you to the other side time and time again.
We live with hope, peace, and joy because on the other side of this life is an eternal safe harbor that we look forward to.
Maybe some of us have been looking at the horizon more than others lately, looking for the return of Christ. We don’t know when but we know He is already with us in this life, storms or not, helping us get to the other side. Praise the Lord.
Even Jesus needed to retreat to be alone with God. Jesus teaches us where to go when we are overwhelmed.
We may feel overwhelmed but we won’t be overcome.
We worship the Lord who walks over storms!
The disciples worshiped Jesus saying, “You really are the Son of God!” As you can imagine this was joyful worship because the waters had calmed and they were safe. But it was also because their hearts had witnessed God’s Son rule over creation.
This wasn’t their response in a previous storm we can read in Mark 4:35-41. We could call that sermon, “Jesus sleeps through storms” LOL!
In this encounter, they appear to not be completely sure who Jesus was.
They acknowledged His sovereignty and power over nature, “even the wind and waves obey Him.”
It’s in another trial, another storm where Jesus' identity and authority become crystal clear! There is no confusion or questions anymore about God’s faithfulness or worth…He is worthy of our worship!
We grow in our knowledge, faith, and worship of God when we go through the calm or stormy waters of life.
We serve and worship the God who walks on water.
Leave the harbor and step out of the boat!
Don’t let previous storms or the fear of future ones keep you from living, from making new friends, from serving God, from doing hard things for God.
Physical storms and trials are bound to happen. Conflict storms and trials are bound to happen. Health storms and trials are bound to happen. We live in a fallen world so we can’t avoid storms and trials altogether. But we can have peace that God is fully aware of and in the midst of every storm. The key is keeping your faith that He knows, He is present, and keeping your eyes on Him.
Peter and the disciples learned a new level of God’s power when Peter stepped out of the safety of the boat and into faith in Christ. The Lord doesn’t want us to be so afraid of life and trials that we no longer live. As believers, God is calling us to follow Jesus and do fulfilling but hard things with Him. Remember Jesus calls out to where He is.
Closing
Is Jesus Lord over your storms or do you try to handle storms on your own?
When we face our storms with faith and keep our eyes on Jesus we will walk over our storms.
Discussion:
What scripture verse stuck out to you from this sermon and why?
What takeaway stuck out to you and why?
Why did Jesus allow the storm to continue, why didn’t he just stop it right away?
Pastor Ryan encouraged us not to stay in the harbor or in the boat…what was he implying and helping us to overcome?
How do you need to apply this message to your heart, mind, decisions, and every day life?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!