Confidence in the storm

Sermon notes from Sunday 26 November 2017

Luke 4 verses 35 - 41

Confidence in the storm

3 of the Gospel writers take up this subject, the theme of a storm upon the waters of Galilee.  It engulfs the disciples on board the ship.  It shows us how important this story was that 3 of these disciples would take up the idea of what it means to be in the midst of a storm.  Let us apply this teaching to our lives today.  If I was to be caught out in the midst of a storm, in the middle of a sea who would I like to be with?  Who was in this boat here?  The disciples were experienced men of the waters, fishermen.  Storms arose quickly on the sea of Galilee.  I began to think to myself.  These men were seasoned fishermen.  If there was anywhere I would like to be in the midst of a storm it was with them.  There seemed to be no human help whatsoever.  Have you ever be in a storm spiritually speaking?  When you wondered how would you ever get through that day?  There are many like that today.  Sitting in homes waiting for Christmas to come and they have nothing, they are in the midst of a storm.  This message is for someone here today.  There is a storm brewing.  Maybe it is in the past, you have already experienced a storm or maybe you are right there in the midst of this storm.

First thing I notice about the storm is - the suddenness of the storm.  It tells me in verse 35 "and the same day".  The same day they had been gathered around the feet of Jesus as he taught and preached, healed the sick to the multitudes as they gathered around him.  The disciples didn`t want this day to end but days do come to an end.  We have to make every opportunity count.  The disciples were in the midst of the multitudes.  The Lord was at their hand this very day.  This storm brewed up "when evening was come".  There is a evening coming for each and every one of us.  Are we prepared for it?  There is an evening of death coming on us.  We have gone through childhood years, teenage years, young adult years, then move into our more senior citizen moments in life.  Then we come to the evening time of life - the body gets weaker and frail, hands don`t do the things they used to do, legs are not as strong as they once were.  The evening time can bring a storm of fear because we are not ready for what lies ahead.  As even time comes we are not ready for that time with all its heartaches and problems.  When we step out into God`s presence that is the only readiness we can have for that time in our lives.  That is why coming to trust the Lord as our own and personal Saviour, giving our all to him today, then we are ready to step across the great divide into God`s eternity.  Are we ready for that final storm?  It tells us here not only in verse 35 he saith unto them let us pass over unto the other side.  Here are the disciples - where are they?  In the centre of God`s will.  They are in the boat going across the sea to the other side.  In the place where God wanted them to be.  Don`t be mistaken that no harm will come to us because we are children of God.  Storms will come on us.  They were in a boat and on the way to the other side.  "And there arose" it seemed without warning.  It didn`t catch them out.  what caught them out was that there was no human help.  They thought they were capable to plunder on through and conquer the storm.  The only way to look when in a storm is to look up.  "My help cometh from the Lord" the Psalmist said.  Perhaps you are using the experience to get through a storm like these disciples and have forgoten about the Lord.  Wouldn`t we find it strange if no storms would come in our lives.  If we are Christ`s and walking according to the will of God there will be storms of all sorts and they will come suddenly.  Life`s storms come without warnings to us.  Peter tells us not to think it strange when we go through fiery trials.  James also says there will be divers temptations we have to handle and we are not to think it strange.  Think of the woman in 2 Kings with a husband who was a prophet and they had 2 sons.  Everything was so good but then her husband died.  There was a debt left.  Now she has a problem she never thought of.  There was no money to pay the debt.  The first thing in her mind was lets go to the man of God.  Moses down in Egypt had the real blessing of God on him.  All of God`s people were being brought out behind him.  He was happy, God had done a mighty work that day.  He is 2 feet off the ground.  He was marching the children of Israel across the wilderness.  He was at the brink of the Red Sea when all of a sudden the cry goes up `The Egyptians are following us.`  If you are saved today the devil sends his army after you.  Moses was standing at the bank of the Red Sea, could see the cloud of dust of the Egyptians and on the other side was the sea and the mountains.  Couldn`t Moses have been pardoned from the thought coming to his mind `Lord I have done this work for you, you told me to do this, I am at the very place you would have me to be, the enemy is coming after me.`  He might have been forgiven for thinking like that.  Might have been like Jonah of old.  The Lord told him to go to Nineveh to preach a particular message.  His reply was `not so Lord.`  He went the opposite direction and boarded a ship.  God had to send a storm to bring Jonah back to himself.  Moses was in the place where God wanted him to be yet God still brought the storm to him.  Joseph was 17 years of age when he was told to take bread down to his brothers by his father.  He headed of, left his home, maybe his father prayed with him.  As he left he never thought for one moment he would never see his father for 20 years.  The storm broke on his life.  Maybe for you and I there is a storm brewing.  Maybe you are right in the midst of the storm, cannot see your way through it.

The severity of the storm - verse 37.  There arose a great storm.  One of the disciples recorded this for us, never seen like it before.  There they were in the midst of it.  It came with a great severity.  Mary and Martha loved the Lord.  It was a home where the Lord was present.  Many a time they cared for Jesus and nourished him.  A storm brew into that home - Lazarus came down sick.  All of a sudden with no warning.  The severity of it.  He died.  The storm came suddenly but it came severely because he died.  The woman in 2 Kings was the same.  The storm was brewing.  When her husband died, the storm would break her heart.  We can be confident in the storm that the Lord is in the midst all the time.  He knew all about it.  Remember Job.  The storm came suddenly in Job`s home.  He lost everything in a few hours.  One moment riding on a cloud, loving family, great herds, land, flocks, everything.  Into the midst of that storm he lost everything even his very health.  Storm comes to the home.  We get anxious and afraid.  Then we lose our health as well.  The storm the disciples suffered was awful, fearful time for them.  These are seasoned fishermen, used to the storm but never faced like this.  Can you imagine the scene - the darkness descended on the sea.  isn`t it amazing how the Lord allows us to go through a time of darkness.  For Joseph he not only experienced the suddenness of the storm but also the severity of the storm.  He was only 17 years of age.  Going down to meet his brothers.  He thought he was in good company.  They looked out into the distance and said "here`s this dreamer coming again".  In their minds they had begun to plot and plan.  The devil does that today.  That happened to Paul in the early churches.  Not only keen to put him out of Thessalonica but followed him to Berea.  As he preaches again the enemy raises another crowd against Paul.  Joseph was sold as a slave into Egypt.  He was put in chains even around his very ankles.  When they took him down to Egypt he was sold as a slave, sold to Potiphar`s house.  An allegation was made against him by Potiphar`s wife.  That poor lad was cast into an old prison house for nothing that he did.  This is the severity of the storm today.  The storms of life can erupt suddenly, can be severe.  Maybe like Joseph one day heaven is blue and clear and suddenly as you go out into the day everything changes.  A storm that is brewing.  Maybe find your job is being run down, closed up, lives are turned upside down.  Mortgages and other commitments are affeected.  A relative goes to the doctor when all of a sudden life is turned upside down.  Where are  our priorities today?  We can have confidence in the midst of the storm.

The secrecy of the storm.  The disciples didn`t fully understand what they enjoyed.  The Lord was with them right in the boat, right where they were.  Verses 36 - 38 - Jesus was asleep even in the midst of the storm.  He had a confidence that made him able to sleep.  When Peter was arrested and put into prison, Herod was prepared to put him to death., where was Peter?  He was lying asleep on the bed.  The disciples took their problem to the Lord.  Is there a storm today?  Sometimes a storm will do one of 2 things - will either draw us to the Lord or drive us away.  Here in this particular situation the disciples tried for a while to combat the storm.  They realised there was one lying on the bottom of the bottom who could help.  They went to where he was sleeping.  I am not saying God is asleep today for we are told he slumbers nor sleeps.  Does our asking, pleading arise him today?  Jairus found what he needed was Jesus and he was there all along.  The Lord is the answer.  What a wonderful picture the prophet Isaiah paints in chapter 43.  Relationship with God`s people and God of heaven speaking of trials and temptations things affected the people of God.  In the midst of it all God says fear not.  God is speaking here about his own redemption.  The people I have called me by my name thou are mine.  Is the Lord walking with you today?  Is he talking with you?  Isaiah 43 when thou passeth through the waters I will be with you.  The Lord didn`t say if you pass but rather when the lot of the child of God is to go through the waters. The Lord promises to go with us.  When the people went through the furnace of afflication there they were rejecting God.  God lifted his hand of protection off them.  Nebuchadnezzar came down and took them into captivity into Babylon.  He promised 70 years but I will bring you back.  God told them they would go through a storm but the Lord was with them all along.  The waters didn`t overflow them.  The fires didn`t burn them.  Fear not for I am with you.  Even Hezekiah the great king of Israel could  see the enemies coming against him.  The Lord told him they would come to his very gate but not fire an arrow into the city.  David could say "yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me."  We are God`s redeemed people.  The confidence we can know.  You are accepted in the beloved.  Trusting in Christ and nothing else.  You are the redeemed people.  Sometimes as we go through the storms it doesn`t feel like that. 

The safety of the storm.  They went to where Jesus was.  They were rocking to and fro in that ship.  The waves were coming up.  Imaging holding onto the sides as they made their way to the Lord.  They came unto him.  He arose and rebuked the winds.  Not all storms are the devil`s way but this one was.  The Lord stood to his feet and rebuked the winds that day because of the source they came from.  Sometimes we make storms for ourselves.  Sometimes storms come without any warning but the Lord allows them.  We get anxious and worried.  We can be confident in the storm.  He is there ready to rise up, to rebuke and bring calm to the sea.  They looked to what they had come through.  They thought to themselves "what manner of man is this?"  What does an unsaved man hold onto in the time of storm today?  Get your eyes on the Lord, forget about human help.