Amen. All right. So first and foremost, I want to thank our pastor for this opportunity to preach and everyone here for coming on this
Great trip so far. We've had 81 salvation so far
So praise the Lord for that and I'm thankful to be here as well
Now what I'd like to preach to you today briefly on is the subject of faith now, of course, that's a very broad subject
you know, there are different types of faith, you know, we know about
The faith that it takes to get saved before saving faith, that's not what I'm gonna be preaching about today
I want to be preaching. I want to preach to you today about
You know the type of faith where you read something in the Bible and you believe it for what it is
you read about God's promises to us and then you take it for what it is you believe in it you have faith in that and
For example how you know, they yay, though. I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear and we go for thou art with me
That's a promise that God has made to us that whenever we go through hard times
God will be with us through those hard times, you know as long as we're you know
Following him and we're saved and we and love the Lord and we're trying our best
That he's gonna be with us and he's gonna lead us through that Valley of the shadow of death
So specifically I want to talk about believing in God having faith in God whenever bad things happen
Now the title of my sermon today is faith through the storm faith through storms
So, of course we all have storms in our lives
We have bad things that we go through and we're gonna take a look at a few of the examples of storms in the Bible
We have many stories in the Bible about storms. So now you're there in
Matthew chapter 8 and then I'm gonna start reading to you in
In verse 23 look down if you would at verse 23
Now this is the famous story and it says in verse 23
It says and when he was entered into a ship
His disciples followed him and behold there arose a great tempest in the sea in so much that the ship was covered with the waves
So first and foremost, I want to point out is that they're in a ship and the storm comes as it often does
However, notice that first book they it says that the disciples followed him followed Jesus, right?
So they're following the Lord there, you know, they're serving the Lord. They're following him
That's why they're the in the ship in the first place and then guess what happens a storm comes and oftentimes we face
Tribulations of persecutions in our lives and storms will come bad things will happen whenever we're serving the Lord
Well as we're following Jesus
Right and it says in behold in verse 24 says and behold there arose a great tempest in the sea
In so much that the ship was covered with waves. So this is a big storm, you know, we have little storms
It's a big one where the entire ship is covered and waves end up in the
Parallel verses and I think mark mark chapter 4 it says that the waves beat upon the ship and filled it
It was pulled so it was it was taking on water is full of water
And so this is a very scary situation that they're in and then it says
But then it goes on to say after it says that it was covered with the waves look down if you would at the end
Of verse 24 it says but he referring to Jesus was asleep
now
We're gonna see in this next verse in verse 25 of the disciples. They're panicking
They're trying to do whatever they can to fix the situation, but notice the two attitudes, you know the disciples on one hand
They're trying to fix everything. They're there, you know doing everything that they can but Jesus what is he doing?
You know, he's asleep. He's asleep in the bowels of the ship and the parallel passage
It says that he's asleep on a pillow just emphasizing the fact that you know, Jesus isn't worried about this
He's got this under control, but of course the disciples they're lacking in faith in this story
And so they're freaking out they're doing everything that they can and then finally whenever all hope is lost look down
If you would at verse 25 it says and his disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us we perish
Okay. So look this is what I want to point out about that. It's not we are going to perish
It's not we're having a really bad time. It's not over hurt. It's we perish like right now like they've lost all hope
You know, they've waited this long before they actually go and get Jesus, you know, they should have gotten them sooner
They should have gotten them whenever the storm first came or maybe this one was on the horizon or or something like that
But no, they waited until every possible
Alternative was exhausted and then they came to Jesus with it, you know, they did everything that they could
Beforehand and here's the thing about that, you know, we need to take everything to the Lord and prayer
You know whenever we're having a hard time
Whenever bad things are happening to us
The first thing that we need to do is go to Jesus not the last thing not whatever we perish not
It's back whenever we are here, you know, we're up there. We're about to perish on me or you know bad things are happening
You know the point I'm making is that we should go to him first
We shouldn't wait till the end but that shouldn't be our last resort, you know, but it was for them
You know that it's basically the proverbial, you know, whenever you're drowning, right, you know, they tell you
You know if you're drowning you're having a hard time they call out for help, but you know oftentimes, you know
That doesn't happen, you know the person in the water who's having a hard time
They're like I can fix this I can try to you know
I'm trying and trying you know and then water gets in their mouth and then they're like, oh no
And then at that point they can't call out and that's how it happens a lot of times
Whatever they could have just called out for help sooner
But then they just try to fix it themselves and then they didn't ask for help
So you never be afraid to ask somebody
You know and in this context in this sermon ask Jesus take it to Jesus alone and look it down
If you would at verse 26 because Jesus is gonna give him a piece of his mind
Why are ye fearful oh ye of little faith
So he's he's basically reproving them and he's saying look you're little you have little faith
You don't have a lot of faith and he says why are you fearful?
So I want to want you to notice those two
Distinct differences you got faith on one side and then you've got fearful on the other they had little faith
So they were fearful and see that's the thing we have faith and we have fear and we shouldn't have fear
You know, God has not given us a spirit of fear
But a power and of love and of a sound mind see the disciples here could have had a sound mind if they had just
Talked to Jesus if they had just given their problems to him and let him know what was going on
But he was asleep
Okay, and of course I'm applying this to our lives because an actual story
And then let's see what Jesus does next in verse 26
It says why are you fearful? Oh ye of little faith
Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm
So then he rebukes the waves and sea and there was a calm now
It doesn't say that he sent the storm away or that he stopped the storm
It's just that it's calm and in our lives, you know
Whenever we take it to Jesus in prayer
Whenever we tell Jesus about the bad things that are going on in our lives
That doesn't necessarily mean that it's just going to go away automatically
But what it does mean is that we can have a sound mind that we can have a great calm
In our heart in our life and we can just accept those things and um just try to move forward and you know
Do the best that we can to serve the lord in whatever capacity that we're in
So let's look at the next part of this
So then that's the end of that story, but I want you to now turn to matthew chapter 14 now
You know, we talked about that first story where jesus was asleep now
I want to talk to you about faith through the storm
You know how they have faith or their lack thereof in matthew chapter 14 now over in matthew chapter 14
This is the famous story where jesus is walking on the water
So once again, you know, we have a ship we have storms and look down if you would at verse 22
It is in straight way jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him onto the other side
So once again, they're calling jesus. They're doing what he told me to do
Okay, same same concept
While he sent the multitudes away
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray and when the evening was come
He was there alone, but the ship was now in the midst of the sea
Tossed with waves where the wind was contrary. So there's his horn
All right
They're in this storm and they're in the ship and then in verse 25 it says and then the fourth watch of the night
Jesus went under them walking on the sea and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea
They were troubled saying it is a spirit for they cried out for fear. So there you go again
That's that operative word again. There's fear. All right, we're talking about faith. They had fear
Okay, now let's continue
It says in verse 27, but straightway jesus take unto them saying be of good cheer. It is I
Be not afraid. So I want you to remember that phrase be of good cheer. We're going to talk about that later
But the the fact of the matter is, you know, they had no reason to be afraid because jesus was there and uh,
He says be of good cheer. It is I be not afraid and we
Can have that same assurance that we don't have to be afraid whenever bad things happen to us
In our lives whenever we face hard situations because we're serving the lord
Hey, we don't need to be afraid. We need to be of good cheer because jesus is with us
right and
In verse 28 it says in peter answered him and said lord if it be thou did me come unto thee on the water
And he said come so peter's very zealous. He wants to call the lord even even onto the water
Okay
And he said come and when peter was come down out of the ship he walked on the water to go to jesus
But when he saw the wind boisterous look at this next part look at this next phrase and when he saw the the wind boisterous
He was afraid
and beginning
Let me pull it up and beginning to sing. He cried saying lord safety
So once again peter is afraid here. We're talking about fear versus faith
And here's and he's he's afraid and not only that he begins to sink and that's how we feel sometimes whenever
Bad things happen to us because we're afraid and our heart begins to sink. Have you ever heard that term before?
You know, my heart is sinking like oh man, you know, uh, this is just terrible and I don't know what to do about it
And it's and it's bad news or whatever and you know that that's maybe a parallel that you can draw there
But he says and he cried saying lord saved me
So I want to to show you that he did one thing right and one thing wrong
You know the thing that he did wrong was the fact that he was afraid in the first place
He should not have been afraid
He knew that jesus told him to go into the ship and then he knew that jesus told him to go out into the water
So he should not been afraid to have done that but then he got afraid that was the wrong thing
They did he had that fear, but the right thing that he did was that he said lord save me
See whenever we call out to the lord, he's gonna he's gonna help us, you know, we're safe. We're following the lord
We're trying our best. We're doing what we can but of course the storms are gonna come, you know
It's inevitable that they're gonna come and then all we have to do is say lord save me and look at this
It says in immediately. I like that and immediately jesus stretched forth his hand
See jesus didn't wait for a little while or anything
He immediately came to his aid because jesus loves us and he wants to take care of us
And he wants to pull us out of these hard situations or at least calm us in them
And immediately jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and he said unto him
Oh thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt so earlier he said oh he of little faith
So you guys oh you guys of little faith now, it's more of a proof
But now it's more of like a review. Oh thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt
So now, you know because we've already gone through this land. We've already been on a ship
We've already been through the storm and you know, you you only came to me at the last
As the last uh resort and so now it's in the old bow of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt
He didn't get the message because now they're on a new boat and everything and when they were coming to the ship the wind ceased
So see jesus miraculously stopped the storm
Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him saying of a truth thou art the son of god
And so I want to point out that as well, you know, that should be our reaction
Whenever jesus helps us through these storms in life whenever he helps us through these bad things that happen in our lives
What's the first thing that we need to do? You need to worship him
We need to you know, praise him for getting us out of this hard situation that he has gotten us into or uh
That we've gotten into and uh, just just helping us through that and we should worship him
That's the first thing that we should do
You know
The first thing uh that we should do whenever something bad happens is go to him
Ask him for help and then as soon as it's resolved or as soon as we have that peace in our heart
That surpasses all understanding we need to worship him after that
now
I want you
to turn to acts 27
Acts chapter 27 now, this is another story about uh a ship and a storm and everything. That's a little well, uh,
Less well known I think but this is the apostle paul and the book of acts in acts 27
And of course he's sailing to uh, he's sailing across the sea and um
If you look down there in verse nine, we're going to start reading this this
The story and it's going to have a lot of parallels with the other two that we've already looked at
It's going to involve faith and fear
Now look down if you were to verse number nine
It says now when much time was spent and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already passed
Paul admonished them and said unto them sirs. I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage
Not only of the leading of kinship, but also of our lives
So the first thing that I want you to take notice of is the fact that paul is warning them
I don't think we should go on the iron. In fact, I know that we should not go on this voyage
Because of the fact that it's dangerous. So basically he's telling them
Uh, he's telling them not to go because we're going to be in danger of our lives
But look at this next part in verse 11. It says nevertheless the centurion
Believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken by quote provide paul
So at the beginning of the sermon we talk about what faith is
It's reading, uh something in the bible reading a promise that god has for us and just not believing and believing it
That's what faith is and then if we don't believe it if we have fear if we have doubts then that's not believing it
And that's not happening and in this, uh verse right here this centurion is not having faith in what paul is saying, right?
And um, we're making parallels and everything about that
But basically he's not believing what paul is saying
He's believing more what the master and owner of the ship is saying
Hey, I I need the ship to get out here for for um the money or whatever and so they didn't believe paul
They didn't have the thing what paul was saying
Now let's keep going
It says and because the haven was not collodious to winter and more part advice to
Depart thence also if by any means they might attain to panisi and there to winter which is an agent of pretty
And life of the south west and northwest, okay
And it says and when the south wind blew softly supposing that they had obtained their purpose
They sailed close by creek in verse 14. It said but not long after there arose against it a
Tempestuous wind called
Neuroclaida, so here we see that paul is right, you know, here comes the storm. This is the storm right here
Had a tempestuous wind pain
And it's called neuroclaida
Now we're going to skip some verses. We're going to go down to verse 20
So look down at verse 20 because it's just got some more details about um, the third day and the next day and all that stuff
Um the days of the week
So look down if you would at verse 20 it says and when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared
And no small tempest lay on us. So it's not a small tempest. It's a big tempest. It's a big storm
Right all hope that we should be saved was then taken away
They didn't have hope that they were going to make it out of this just like from that first story that we talked about
Matthew chapter 8 they lost all hope
Okay, but let's see what happens next
It was all taken away all their hope had been taken away. It's been many days up now
but
Verse 21 it says but after long abstinence
Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said sirs you should have parking under me and not have loose from cream
And to have gained this time and loss and now I exhort you to be
What verse was that that was
22 thank you
I lost my place. So 22, uh starting at the verse it says and now I exhort you to be a good cheer
But there shall be no loss of any man's life among them but uh the ship so here
Paul is giving them a positive message saying basically. Hey, look nobody's gonna lose their life, but the ship it's gonna be lost
You guys didn't listen to me at the beginning. The ship is gonna be lost. You know, you guys are gonna suffer some
Some setbacks and everything for not listening to me at the beginning. But hey listen, you're still gonna be safe
Okay, that's what he's telling them now
And then it says put up the ship verse 23 it says for there stood by me this night the angel of god
Whose I am and whom I serve saying fear not called thou must be brought before caesar and lo
God have given thee all them that sail with thee wherefore sirs listen to this. This is the this is the key verse right here
Paul says wherefore sirs be of good cheer
That's exactly the same words that jesus gave in matthew chapter 8 he said hey be not afraid be of good cheer, right?
It's the same verses. It's the same word. Okay, so paul is paralleling. Jesus from the other way
It says wherefore sir be of good cheer for I believe god. There's that belief
There's that faith in god and what he just said what he has promised
Where for I believe god that it shall be even as it was told to me
So see paul is not having an issue here
It's the other people who are having issues and basically they um
But but paul is telling them that their lives are going to be spared
He says be of good cheer and that's exactly what jesus said from the other one now, let's jump down to verse 29
So it gives a few more
Details in between but in verse 29 says been fearing. So once again, they're still afraid. It's been hearing they still have fear
They're still afraid and fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks
They cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day
And as the shipment were about to flee out of the ship when they had let down the boat into the sea
Under color as though they would have passed anchors out of the core ship paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers
Except these abide in the ship. Ye cannot save so they're trying to escape the ship
They're trying to jump out. That's not what paul said though
Paul said that their lives would be spared
But they just need to stay in the ship and if we keep reading then you'll see that the soldiers actually listen to him this time
So, you know, but they're still afraid though
But he says that if you jump out of the ship, then you're not going to be saved. You cannot you cannot be saved
So they're going to listen to him this time. Finally. They finally get the message
now
It's now let's skip down to verse 41
Verse 41 we're going to skip down and then it says
And falling into a place where two seas met they ran the ship aground and the four part struck the stuck fast
And remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves and the soldier's council was to kill the prisoners
Plus any of them should swim out and escape but the centurion
Willing to save paul kept them from their purpose and commanded that they which could swim
Should cast themselves first into the sea and get to the land and look at this next part verse 44
This is the last verse of the chapter. It says in the rest
And the rest of the people and the rest some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship
And so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land
so
You know what paul said was correct and what paul said it actually came to pass that every single one of them survived
It says that they all all escaped all escaped safe to land so they made it they
Made it and and what paul said was true
And you know what we can have the same assurance that what the bible says is true in our lives
You know, uh in psalm 23, I quoted it earlier, but it says yay, though
I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for thou are with me see in all these passages
What's going on? You know, jesus is with the disciples. Jesus is with them and paul is with these guys
And he's trying to help them. He's telling them, you know, uh what to do and everything and all they need is to have faith
And what he said and so my message to you is whenever you go through these hard times in your lives
You know whenever you know storms, uh, assail you and everything whenever you're serving the lord and whenever you truly love the lord
And bad things happen just trust in him and just take your cares to him him alone
And he will protect you he will save you from those storms. Just don't be afraid
You know, that's what you gotta do just you just you gotta you gotta not be afraid about it
And uh, just pray just take everything to the lord and prayer
So that's what I have for you guys today. So just uh, please bow your head and we're gonna end with a with a
With a prayer dear lord. I prayed that my sermon would have been edifying to someone
And um, I just prayed that we would all keep this in our minds that whenever we're going through hard times in our lives
That we just seek to move first and we're not and we don't get afraid, you know, we don't get
Bogged down with with all these bad emotions and fear and doubts
But that we would just trust you because you're going to lead us through it lord if we just seek you
And seek your your face lord in times of trouble
And just please help everyone to get this message. It's very important message and um, it's in christ's name. I pray
amen