Big Storm, Bigger God! by Ed Pruitt

Matthew 14:22-32

Big Storm? Bigger GOD!
Matthew 14:22-32
Pastor Ed Pruitt
Sunday April 07,2003

Before we start tonight I would like to read you this little story.

The man in the story is a person who accepts everything that happens as manifestations of divine power.

All his life, misfortune had been his, yet never once did he complain.

He got married and his wife ran away with the hired man.

His daughter was deceived by a villain.

His son was lynched. A fire burned down his barn.

A cyclone blew away his home.

A hail storm, destroyed his crops, and the banker foreclosed on his mortgage, taking his farm.

Yet at each stroke of misfortune, he knelt and gave thanks to God Almighty for his unchangeable mercy.

After a time, penniless but still submissive to God, he landed in the county poorhouse.

One day the overseer sent him out to plow a potato field.

A thunderstorm was passing over, when without warning a bolt of lightning descended from the sky.

It melted the plow share, stripped most of his clothing from him, singed off his beard.

It branded his naked back with the initials of a neighboring cattleman, and hurled him through a barbed wire fence.

When he recovered consciousness, he got up slowly on his knees, clasped his hands, raised his eye toward heaven and, then, for the first time in his life, asserted himself and said, "Lord, this is getting plumb ridiculous."

How many of you feel like you have been there?

I would guess that all of us have been there one time on another!

Every once in awhile we back up and say, "Why am I being hit with this storm of life?"

Now, sometimes these storms are caused by the devil, sometimes by other people, sometimes by us.

Sometimes, they are even allowed by God!

Now we need to realize that the storms of life reveal the following things about us:

The strength of our faith.

The strength of our commitment.

The level of our maturity.

The healthiness of our attitude.

The measure of our ability to learn.

Now, think about this for a minute!

What do we learn and receive from the storms of life?

What we should be able to learn is how much we have matured in our spiritual walk with Jesus Christ!

If you would let’s turn to our text, Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home.

23 Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
26 When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost.

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “I am here! Don’t be afraid.”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water.”

29 “All right, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.

30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. “You don’t have much faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

First thing I would like to share with you is that everyone has storms.

Many of you, perhaps, are in the worst storm of your life, but what I want you to realize is everyone has them.

All of us!

In fact, Jesus said in, Matthew 5:45

45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.

So you can see storms, problems, difficulties, trials come to all of us.

There’s no exception.

Just because you’re a believer, doesn’t mean you’re going to be excluded from the storms of life.

James 1:2-4

2 Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

3 For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

Now, some storms come because we are out of God’s Will.

An example of that, of course, is Jonah, who deliberately disobeyed God’s Will in the Bible.

Another example is in I Corinthians 11:30, where Paul was talking to the church about how they had unworthily came for communion and the Lord’s supper and he said,

30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

Some storms come because we are in God’s will.

Just because you’re encountering a storm in your life, does not mean necessarily that you’re out of the Will of God or willfully disobeying him.

As we look at our text again we see in verse 22, Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home.

In other words, here these guys are out in the middle of a lake in the midst of a terrible storm.

They’re fishermen and they’re still afraid, so you know it’s got to be a bad storm.

Here they are out in the midst of the storm, but Jesus is the one who put them in the boat.

He’s the one that told them to get out in the middle of the lake.

They’re right in the middle of God’s Will but they’re having the storm of their life.

Job, of course, is our perfect example.

We know that when Satan came to God concerning what was happening on earth, that God challenged him and said, "Look at Job; he’s a perfect man."

We know all about the boils, head to toe on Job as he sat on an ash heap.

Had he sinned?

Absolutely not!

Was he faithful?

He was a perfect man in God’s sight and yet he was going through the storm of life.

The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of it.

Here we see Paul who has gone through a shipwreck, has been beaten and finally even dies a martyr’s death.

But he’s a man of God!

He’s in the center of God’s will.

I’m saying that it is possible for you to be obeying God, walking in all the light that you possibly could.

Be right in the center of God’s Will and yet at the same time encounter a terrific storm.

You can never look at a person, see what they’re going through, and say,

This person’s doing right and that person must be doing wrong because this person is being blessed and that person is being cursed.

Nonsense, that’s not true.

I share that with you because I know a lot of wonderful people who really do love God, who really do obey Him.

And yet because of life’s uncertainties and the sin of the earth, life gives them a tough blow.

When we have that difficult time, we have to have our feet on the ground, and understand, that storms happen to people, in the Will of God, as well as outside of His Will.

I want to give you the background of this story.

Jesus is very popular at this time.

It’s probably the best time of his ministry in the eyes of the people.

Many good miracles have happened.

The feeding of the 5,000 has just occurred.

But even though it’s the height of the popularity of Jesus, the religious rulers of the time are becoming very unsettled.

They see Jesus gaining in the respect of the common people.

But then we see it’s a very difficult time for Jesus because Herod has just beheaded his cousin, John the Baptist.

And so as always, when the burden gets heavy upon his Spirit, our Lord wants to withdraw by Himself and Pray.

Therefore, He sends His disciples on the boat, gets rid of the crowd, and gets away to pray.

Now, let’s ask the question:

What does Jesus do for us in the storm?

He prays for us!

In verses 22 and 23, we find that while the disciples were out in the lake during the storm, our Lord was praying.

He prays for us. I want you to turn to one of my favorite passages of Scripture,

Hebrews 4:14-16
14 That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him.

15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.

We have a great high priest who has gone into heaven and He is Jesus, the Son of God.

That is why we must hold on to what we have said about Him.

Jesus understands every weakness of ours because He was tempted in every way that we are, but He did not sin.

So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God and there we will be treated with undeserved kindness and we will find help.

Jesus came to this world to talk to us, about God!

Now He is in heaven talking to God, about us.

The Hebrew writer said that Jesus intercedes for us in our time of need.

In other words, as we are here on earth encountering storms in our life, our Lord is at the right hand of the Father, interceding, praying for us.

I like to go to different parts of this church building and pray for the people that go here and also pray for the people that God is sending here!

Even though I am not speaking about revival for this church I am still praying for revival for this church!

But the best news I’ve got for you this evening is, if you’re walking through the toughest time of your life, Jesus is praying for you!

He’s interceding for you!

He’s caring for you!

He’s taking your need to the Father and he knows all about your needs because He’s been there!

He’s walked where we’ve walked!

He’s felt what we’ve felt!

He’s seen what we’ve seen!

He’s heard what we’ve heard!

And He goes to the Father and He says, Listen, that’s one of my children and I died for them!

He prays for us during the storms of our life!

He comes to us, during the storms of life,

He’s not an uncaring God, He enters into our storms!

He get’s right in the boat with us!

Look at verse 25, About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water.

Do you know what Malachi says about God?

That God sits as a refiner and purifies the silver.

Malachi says that God is like a silversmith.

I heard a silversmith one time describe his job.

He said, I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.

I never take my eye off of the silver in the furnace.

I don’t want to take it out too early because if I take it out too early, it won’t be purified.

I don’t want to leave it in too long because if I leave it in too long, it will be injured.

When the silver is in the fire, I focus, I don’t let anything distract me, I let nothing take off my focus.

I watch that silver carefully, waiting for that right moment to take it out.

When’s the right moment?

And he said, I know the silver is pure when I can see my face reflected in it.

Maybe this doesn’t happen to you, but I always think I’m in the worst part of the storm.

As soon as the storm comes, I’m saying, Okay, God, bail me out. Here I am.

Find me. Rescue me.

But sometimes he doesn’t rescue me as soon as I would like for Him to come!

I have to have the assurance that He is the great silversmith and while I’m in the furnace, He focuses and watches.

His job isn’t a quick rescue mission.

His job is to purify me!

So He holds on until just the right moment and then He comes.

Never too early.

Never too late.

Just on time!

It reminds of a Southern Gospel song sung by a group Called Gold City.

The name of the song is In Time On Time Every Time for Me.

When Jesus comes to us, He comes to us at the darkest hour.

A little before morning, that’s when Jesus came!

We know that the darkest hour of the night is right before the dawn!

He walks into the storms of life just at your darkest hour.

The time when you’re the most needy.

The time when the silver is just right, that’s when He comes out to the boat.

Do you notice they’d been in the storm for quite a while?

Was Jesus apathetic?

No.

Was he ignorant?

Absolutely not.

He saw everything.

He knew where they where.

He saw their fears.

He heard their cries.

But He didn’t come until the hour was the darkest.

He comes to us victorious over our greatest fears!

Jesus came walking on the water

In other words, he comes walking on the very thing that frightened the disciples.

Do you see it?

What are they worried about?

They’re worried about the waves!

That boat is being tossed back and forth!

They’re afraid they’re going to drown!

They’re afraid it’s going to capsize!

They’re looking at those high waves coming over the sides of that boat!

They’re bailing water as fast as they can!

These guys are fishermen!

They have been on the water all their life!

They’re scared!

The waves are coming and all of a sudden, on the very thing that fears them, those high waves, the place where their greatest fears are resting, Jesus comes walking.

In His quiet, majestic way, as He’s walking on the water, Jesus is saying, Guys, the thing that is the greatest storm in your life, I keep under my feet.

If you’re sick, He comes walking on your sickness.

If you’re afraid of death, what did He do on Easter?

He came walking on the waves of death, "Oh, death where is thy sting?

Oh, grave where is thy victory?"

He’s standing on top of the stone, He’s saying, "I’m able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can ever ask or think.

I can do that which gives you the greatest fear, the thing which causes you to tremble, the thing which causes you to falter.

I come walking on it!

I stand on that stuff!

I’m victor!

I’m the one who reigns!

He comes walking on the water!

They’re worried about those waves getting in the boat, and He’s just coming right on across.

And he says, "Fellas, you may be worried about it but I step on stuff like this."

When God allows us to be put into the furnace, he goes with us.

Do you see it?

There’s a great passage of Scripture, Isaiah 43:

But now, the Lord who created you, O Israel, says, ’Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name.

You are mine.

When you go through the deep waters and the great trouble, I will be with you!

When you go through the rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up, and the flames will not consume you!

Why?

For I am the Lord, your God!

Thank God, He ministers to us in the storms of life!

Look what happens in verse 26 and 27, are you ready?

When they saw Him, they thought He was a ghost.

They were terrified and started screaming.

At once Jesus said to them, I am Jesus. Don’t be afraid.

He ministers to us in spite of our misunderstandings.

They didn’t know what was happening.

They looked out and thought He was a ghost.

They were all ready scared to death.

Now, they’re even more scared.

They don’t have a grasp of the situation, and Jesus walks in and says "Don’t worry."

You know, I run into Christians all the time who somehow think that they should understand everything.

Do you know nowhere in the Bible does it tell you, as a believer, that you should understand everything?

I run into Christians who feel guilty because they say, "I’m going through a terrible storm in my life and I don’t know what’s happening to me!

There must be something wrong with me because my connection must not be right with God or surely I could figure it out!

Can I tell you something?

There are things in this life that you and I are never going to figure out!

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you’re going to know everything!

In fact, Paul said, "We look through a glass darkly on this earth."

Now, He says there will be a time when we’re with Him, when we’re going to see clearly.

But you’re not going to understand everything.

I sure don’t understand everything.

I don’t have all the answers.

I don’t even like pastors that think they have all the answers.

I don’t like Christians that think they have all the answers.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that you’re going to understand everything.

Now, Paul says in Romans 8, "For we know all things work together."

Paul said we know it.

Why do we know it?

Because we know that God’s on the throne and God’s sovereign!

We know that it’s going to be okay because of God.

But Paul doesn’t say you understand everything.

We’re not going to figure it all out.

You see, our security isn’t what we know in our mind.

Our significance is not what we know.

Our security is in Who we know!

So we’re in the midst of the storm.

We say, I don’t understand it.

I’m not even sure it’s fair.

I don’t like it.

But I know who’s sovereign over the storm.

And we can be just like Job.

He wasn’t a prosperity preacher.

He had more sense.

He said, The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Job, do you like the ash heap?

"Absolutely not."

Do you like the boils?

"No, thank you."

Do you like your wife coming out the back door and saying, "Curse God and die?"

No, it doesn’t really thrill me.

But the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

All Job is saying is, I don’t understand it.

Probably don’t think it’s right.

Certainly don’t like it.

But I know who’s in control.

He ministers to us in spite of our misunderstandings.

He ministers to us in spite of our fears.

Yeah, He does.

You, see, the disciples have seen Jesus do some wonderful things.

But they had never seen Jesus minister to them at their darkest, most difficult hour.

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water.”

29 “All right, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.

Here we have Peter getting out of the boat and stepping onto the water!

Not in the water, but on the water!
Peter had faith when he knew it was Jesus out there!

And we like Peter if we want to walk on water we are going to have to get out of the boat!

We are going to have to take that first step!

Now look at this next verse!

30 But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Key words, he looked around, he took his eye’s off Jesus and the same thing will happen to us in our storms!

The minute we take our eye’s off Jesus, were going down!

I like this next part!

Three words!

Save Me Lord!

There wasn’t any 10 minute prayer that night!

Save me Lord!

Peter took his eyes off the Lord Jesus while he was walking on the water.

When he began to sink, he prayed the shortest prayer in the Bible, “Lord, save me”!

If Simon Peter had prayed this prayer like some of us preachers pray, “Lord, Thou who are omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent … ,” Peter would have been twenty-nine feet under water before he would have gotten to his request.

Peter got right down to business, and you and I need to pray like that.

And what does the next verse say?

31 Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. “You don’t have much faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Look at this with me for just a moment!

Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him.

That should give us more hope than we have ever had!

Instantly! Not a day or a week or a month! Instantly!

Now you might say, well the next part of that verse Jesus said,

“You don’t have much faith,”

Well Praise God, Peter might not have had much faith, but he had enough faith to cause Jesus to Instantly reach out to him and keep him from going under!

And just think, what would have happened, if Peter would have just kept his eyes on Jesus!

Peter allowed the storm to pull his attention away from Jesus just for an instant and he started down!

The same thing will happen to you and I!

The storms of life can get the best of us if we don’t stay focused on Jesus!

Let’s read that 32nd verse again,

32 And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

Here comes the comfort, they climbed back into the boat!

Jesus got into the boat with Peter, the wind stopped!

If you and I will just let Jesus into our boat, stay focused on Him we will find the comfort that we all long for.

And in closing we read that 33rd verse,
33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Our Lord performed this miracle for His own, that they might be brought into the place of faith.

Even Simon Peter, who was audacious enough to say, “Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water” and actually walked on the water, which should have cemented his faith, got his eyes off Jesus, and his faith failed.

I don’t want to criticize Peter because that has been my problem, also.

I have stepped out on faith many times and then have taken my eyes off Him.

This is the tragedy of the hour for us in our day.

But these things were done that the disciples might worship Him and know that He was the Son of God.

And that is exactly where we need to be tonight!

We need to worship Him and know that He is the Son of God.
 

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