Sermons
August 14th, 2011 by Pastor Solley081411AM Constrained to Enter the Storm
Sub. The disciples on the sea in the storm.
Theme: Why Jesus constrained them to go into the storm.
Text: Matt 14:22-33
“Constrained to Enter the Storm” Matt 14:22-33
Introduction
Matthew 14 contains two of the more well known miracles of Christ, the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on the water. Very few people, even among the lost do not know that Jesus walked on the water. I was listening to a talk show in the car the other day and a reference was made that a particular person is viewed as if they walk on water. People make reference to this miracle all the time, even the lost. – Matt 14:22-33 – For the disciples this cemented the truth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I. I would like to direct your attention to verse 22: – Matt 14:22 The Bible tells us that Jesus “Constrained” the disciples to get into the ship. The Lord began to impress this upon my heart last week during camp. There was much going on that week, some storms on the sea of life and the Spirit of God began to speak to my heart concerning this event in the life of the disciples.
A. Notice again that they were constrained to get into the ship: Matt 14:22 The word constrained means to bind, to drive, to exert force, to compel or force, to move with irresistible power sufficient to produce the desired effect.
1. The disciples wanted to stay with Jesus: What Ruth said to Naomi they were saying to Jesus, “For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge”. The disciples were not going to leave Jesus, they were going to stay with Him.
2. So Jesus had to constrain them, to force them to get into the ship and cross the sea of Galilee: Matt 14:22
B. But why? Why would Jesus do this, why constrain them, force them into the ship? That is the way my mind works at times.
1. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, is God in the flesh us He not? And as God Jesus Christ knows all things does He not? So Jesus knew this storm was coming in the night, knew the danger they would be in, knew the fear they would experience. Jesus knows all things from beginning to end. Jesus Christ knows all things.
2. So why send them into this storm? When they wanted to stay close beside Him why send them into the storm?
II. This storm on the sea held some valuable lessons for the disciples: They would rather remain with Jesus. The fact that they were constrained suggests that they resisted leaving Jesus. They would rather have stayed with Him.
A. But Jesus knew it would better for them to go into, to go through this storm: They did not understand why they were sent out onto the sea but Jesus did and that was what was most important. They did not understand but Jesus did. This storm on the sea of Galilee held some valuable lessons for them. Lessons that would serve them well in their service for the Lord.
B. And so do the storms on the sea of life hold valuable lessons for the believer in Christ today: No reasonable person wants to go through a storm. As far as the seas of life are concerned we would rather have the waters calm would we not? In fact we would rather stand on the shore with Jesus and not think of storms that may arise.
1. But there will be times when one is constrained to enter into the ship and launch out: Even though there may be a storm.
2. There are times when that may be the very best thing for us: And though we do not understand, Jesus does.
PROP: Every Christian needs to understand that at times we may be constrained to enter the ship and launch out into the storm.
TS. For the storms of life hold some valuable lessons for us in our Christian walk.
Body
I. The storms of life will come no matter how close our walk or deep our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ: Some mistakenly get the idea that if they walk close to Christ, walk in the light, walk in obedience to the Word of God, love Him with all their heart, soul, strength and mind, serve Him, be devoted to Him, that they should be sheltered from the storms on the sea of life. But are they?
A. None in the gospels are closer to the Lord than those who were constrained to get into the ship that night: Jesus had many disciples, there were 5,000 men plus their wives and children who were willing to follow Him in Matt 14. – Matt 14:21 These were the ones who were following Him in John 6. And many of them truly believed, Jesus called them disciples. – John 6:66
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1. But these ones would not turn away: John 6:67-69 These ones were closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Within this group there were three closer yet: Peter, James, and John formed the inner circle. These three were taken with Him into the Mount of Transfiguration. These three were closer yet.
3. And within that group there was one closer yet: John 13:23 And that is John. Jesus did not love John more than the others, John loved Jesus more than the others. Here is the one in the gospels that was closest to Jesus Christ.
4. Yet they were all in the storm, all constrained to enter into the ship: Those closest to the Lord.
B. In the epistles of the New Testament no one is closer to Christ than the Apostle Paul: Paul gave all to Christ.
1. No one in the epistles is closer to the Lord Jesus Christ than Paul: 2 Cor 12:1-4 No man closer to Christ.
2. Yet no man went through more storms than Paul did: 2 Cor 11:23-31 No man went through more storms.
C. The storms of life will come no matter how close our walk or deep our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ: And that largely because we have an enemy that seeks to destroy us. – 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1. As prince and power of the air Satan does all he can to destroy God’s child: From the sifting of Peter to the trials of Paul Satan did all he could to destroy those men and he does the same today.
2. We have an enemy that seeks to destroy the Christian: 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: It seems at times the closer to Jesus the greater the attack.
3. So why draw the closer to the Lord? Try going through the storms of life without being close to the Lord. The storms will come if we are close to the Lord or not. Try going through them without being close to the Lord.
4. This is why Satan does get the victory over many: Why Demas turned away loving the world more than Jesus.
a. And we see the ships that have been wrecked on the sea of life today do we not?
b. Satan attacks no matter what.
5. Only our closeness to the Lord will being victory over the storm:
D. The storms of life will come no matter hose close our walk or deep our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ: But they will come even if we are not close or devoted to the Lord and if we walk far off from Him it assures our defeat.
II. The storms of life will come no matter how successful we seem to be in our walk or service for the Lord: This is another area many are mistaken about today, that the more success one has in his or her walk or service for the Lord the less the trials of life.
A. But consider those who were most successful in their walk and service for the Lord in the New Testament: They come of course from those who were closest and most devoted to Him.
1. Peter was given the keys to the gospel message and opened the door of salvation to the Jews and Gentiles: 3,000 souls were saved the first time he preached. So great was the power of God on Peter that the diseased lay in the street hoping that his shadow would touch them. Yet how great were the trials of Peter, how great the storms in his life, and what was his end in this world?
2. John was allowed to see into heaven, stand in the presence of God, and given the book of Revelation: Yet where was John when God gave him the vision and the words of the book of Revelation?
3. No one started more churches, reached more people, saw more souls saved than Paul: Yet what was his end in this world?
4. Great success in walk or service does not keep one from the storms of life:
B. In fact the greatest storms seem to follow the greatest success: It is interesting as you read through the Bible that the greatest storms seem to follow fast on the heels of the greatest success.
1. It was after Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal that he fled from Jezebel: 1 Kings 19:1-3
2. It was after an entire city was turned from idols to Jesus Christ that Paul was cast into prison: Acts 16:19-24
3. It was after 5,000 were fed that the disciples were constrained to enter into the ship:
4. The greatest storms seem to follow the greatest success:
C. And there are two basic reasons for this: One on the part of God for it was Jesus who constrained the disciples to get into the ship and one the part of Satan for he stirred up the leaders of the city against Paul.
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1. On God’s part success without humility will bring pride in self: Pride in self takes attention away from Jesus Christ.
a. What might Elijah thought of himself having just slain 400 prophets of Baal and calling rain down out of heaven?
b. What might Paul have thought of himself turning an entire city away from idols and casting out demons?
c. What might the disciples thought of themselves having just distributed food to feed 5,000 from 5 loaves and 2 fish?
d. People like to take full credit for things when they play just the smallest part.
ILL. A good illustration of this is a football player catching a touchdown pass…
2. On Satan’s part he knows we are weakest after we have exerted the most energy: Whatever the task, whenever energy is expended one is left in a weakened state. This is true physically and it is true spiritually as well.
a. A great deal of time and energy went into getting ready for camp and more expended during camp. People got tired.
b. So it should be no surprise that there were storms during the week for some.
c. It should be no surprise that there were storms after the week for others.
D. Think then of storms after success from man’s viewpoint: You could say you don’t need them; but is that really true.
1. If we didn’t have them we would take full credit for the work of God: Just ask Moses who claimed to bring water out of the rock himself. The storms humble us before God.
2. If we didn’t have then we would think there were no more battles to fight: If the enemy didn’t attack again and again we would tend to think the battle to be over.
E. The storms of life will come no matter how successful we seem to be in our walk and service for the Lord:
III. The storms of life teach us that Jesus Christ is never far away: Matt 14:22-23 Jesus was in the mountain alone with the Father and as far as the disciples were concerned they were on the sea alone. Jesus might as well have been a million miles away.
A. That is why they did all they could to save themselves: They never even cried out to the Lord. And they were doing much.
1. According to John 6:17-18 it was dark and a great wind had arose: They were is trouble, they could not see the land, the wind was blowing them one way and then another. These fishermen were is trouble and they knew it.
2. According to Mark 6:48 they were toiling and rowing: They were getting swamped and the storm was getting worse.
a. So some of them would be bailing water out of the ship, they were toiling.
b. And some would be rowing. It tells us in John 6 they rowed about 20 or 30 furlongs. The distance was not clear because they were most likely going this way and that blown by the wind, bounced by the waves.
3. But they never called out to Jesus; why? Because Jesus was back on the land, up in the mountain. Jesus was far away.
B. But was He? Was Jesus far away? Jesus was as close to them as He ever was. – Matt 14:24-26 They still didn’t call out to Jesus, they just called out in fear. But Jesus was as close to them as He ever was.
1. Remember that Jesus knew the storm was coming: Before Jesus constrained them He knew the storm was coming.
2. And Jesus could see them toiling on the sea: Because Jesus can see everything, nothing is hidden from His eyes.
3. And when they needed Him the most they found Jesus right beside them: Matt 14:27 Jesus was never far away.
C. There are times when in the midst of a storm that we think Jesus us far away: After all Jesus is at the right hand of the Father above the stars in heaven and we are here in this present world. So we often do all we can to calm the storm ourselves, to row out of it if you would. I have a pattern that in the flesh I often follow. I identify the storm, analyze it, and then make it worse.
1. But is Jesus ever far away? Isaiah 43:1-2
2. Where do I go that He is not with me? Ps 139:1-1-12
3. When am I ever separated from the presence and power of God? Heb 13:5
D. The storms of life teach us that Jesus Christ is never far away:
IV. The storms of life teach us that impassable storms mean improbable victory when we trust in Christ: Matt 14:27-32 This ship was going down in the storm unless Jesus would do something to help them. So would they cry out for the storm to cease, would they ask Jesus to transport them to land, would they ask for water to be taken out of the ship. For what would they ask.
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A. The first to call out to Jesus is Peter and he makes an impossible request: Matt 14:28 I can almost imaging what the others must have thought. They needed the storm to stop, they needed the water out of the ship, needed to get to land. And what does Peter ask?
1. Peter asked the impossible: Matt 14:28 They most likely thought they would see Peter drown and they all would drown.
2. But Peter trusted in the Lord and looked past the storm: Matt 14:28-29 And Peter walked on the water.
3. It was only when he took his eyes of Jesus that he found trouble again: Matt 14:29-30
4. I believe they all could have walked on the water if they had just fastened their eyes on Jesus and trusted in Him:
B. And think of the impassable storms and improbable victories that we see in the Bible because men trusted in the Lord: And we can line them up one after another and we need to because they are an encouragement to us.
1. The king of Syria sent an army after Elisha and his servant: But God surrounded His prophet with horses and chariots of fire and two defeated an army because they trusted in the Lord in the midst of the storm. They had an improbable victory.
2. The King of Babylon in a fit of rage cast the three into the fiery furnace: But the Son of God stood with them in the fire, protected them, and when drawn out they didn’t even have the smell of smoke on them. The three came out of the fire because they trusted in the Lord in the midst of the storm. They had an improbable victory.
3. David stood before Goliath and no man gave him a glimmer of hope: But David stood in the name of the Lord, had victory over the giant because he trusted in the Lord in the midst of the storm. He had an improbable victory.
4. And how many more could we speak of this morning? Impassable storms bring improbable victories when God’s people trust.
C. These truths have not changed today, impassable storms bring improbable victories when we trust in the Lord: When a Christian says they have never seen in that way in his or her life it is an indictment against them and not the Lord.
1. Jesus Christ and His power have not changed today: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2. The storms of life have not changed: The storms we face are the same as the storms the saints of old had to face.
a. Hezekiah was sick unto death.
b. David faced enemies in his own family.
c. Hosea had trouble in his marriage.
d. Peter didn’t have the money to pay his tax.
e. Elijah became weary in the fight.
f. Paul had no man that would stand with him.
g. The storms of life have not changed.
3. When we are overcome it is because we have not trust, not because he failed us: We need to remember that.
a. Too often we are like Demas. We love the world and look to it and we are overcome.
b. Too often we are like Solomon. We trust in our wisdom and our riches and we are overcome.
c. Too often we are like Jonah. We do our own thing and we are overcome.
D. But that one who will trust fully in the Lord when in an impassable storm will find an improbable victory:
V. The storms of life as they come give us confidence to face the next one: Matt:14:32-33 What of the next storm these men would face, and there would be many more for all of the them.
A. Could they not look back on this and remember what Jesus did for them? Do you think they ever forgot this? I can’t imagine that a day passed without them thinking of what Jesus did for them in the storm on the sea. I don’t believe they ever forgot this.
1. So that when Peter and John were arrested and threatened they would think this is a little thing: Acts 5:27-29, 40-42 They would not stop preaching the name of Jesus.
2. So when Peter was arrested and about to die he was so worked up he slept like a baby: Acts 12:1-6 This was a little thing.
3. So when John was beaten and exiled he stood on Patmos with Jesus: Rev 1:9-16
4. They had absolute confidence to face the storms of life because of what Jesus did for them on the Sea of Galilee:
B. And so do we have the confidence to face the storms of life after we have trusted and been delivered: I do not believe we are to rest on past blessings forever, we are to move forward in the Lord. But as we move forward we are wise to remember what God has done for us, how God delivered us, protected us, provided for us in the past. This is what it is to have a testimony my friend.
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1. I remember praying for my wife when I literally thought I had lost her: I remember prayer changing from Lord help her to Lord don’t let her babies see her go like this. And God lifted her up.
2. I remember being faced with leaving the ministry because working two jobs was costing me my family: And praying and say Lord I don’t know what to do. And never saying a word to anyone about what I had to do and the church asking me to quit my job in the factory just before I was going to have to resign or do something. And God provided and answered prayer.
3. I remember having to go and face those who were trying to destroy the work of the Lord: And it was like looking into the face of Satan himself. But god gave the victory.
C. As the storms of life come and God gives the victory it give us confidence to face the next storm on the horizon: The next one just doesn’t seem that bad.
Conclusion
Having looked now at the disciples constrained to get into the ship and sent into the storm can we better understand why Jesus did that? Why we face the storms of life today?
I. The storms of life will come no matter how close our walk or deep our devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ: Some mistakenly get the idea that if they walk close to Christ, walk in the light, walk in obedience to the Word of God, love Him with all their heart, soul, strength and mind, serve Him, be devoted to Him, that they should be sheltered from the storms on the sea of life. But are they?
II. The storms of life will come no matter how successful we seem to be in our walk or service for the Lord: This is another area many are mistaken about today, that the more success one has in his or her walk or service for the Lord the less the trials of life.
III. The storms of life teach us that Jesus Christ is never far away: Matt 14:22-23 Jesus was in the mountain alone with the Father and as far as the disciples were concerned they were on the sea alone. Jesus might as well have been a million miles away.
IV. The storms of life teach us that impassable storms mean improbable victory when we trust in Christ: Matt 14:27-32 This ship was going down in the storm unless Jesus would do something to help them. So would they cry out for the storm to cease, would they ask Jesus to transport them to land, would they ask for water to be taken out of the ship. For what would they ask.
V. The storms of life as they come give us confidence to face the next one: Matt:14:32-33 What of the next storm these men would face, and there would be many more for all of the them.