[0:00] A warm welcome to our service this morning, and let's commence our worship by singing to the Lord's praise from Psalm 77, Psalm 77 at verse 15.
[0:21] To thine own people with thine arm thou didst redemption bring, to Jacob's sons and to the tribes of Joseph that do spring. The watershaw perceived thee, the watershaw thee well, and they for fear as I did flee, the depths untrimmily fell. The clouds and water forth were poured, so loudly did the sky, and swiftly through the world abroad thine arrows fierce did fly.
[0:49] We shall sing from Psalm 15 to the end of the psalm, that's Psalm 77 verse 15 to 20. To thine own people with thine arm thou didst redemption bring. To thine own people with thine arm thou didst redemption bring.
[1:16] To thine own people with thine arm thou didst redemption bring. To thine own people with thine totalmente manipulated, in the world in thine eldr은 впению astim Valdy. To the world inória heures of the water of the hjälp and demonet cultrouse and as he is everterared. To the world in threebel emergency movements. The- A湯 III hon's first joint управ consists of a flower numberedость tree. This power of the panel of the AmHave Clover, and faith pride souls and holiness. The water is not verge-c guidishly obamp Fachs like shaltenema, The water shall be well, and if all the air are silent, it will be the death of trembling in heaven. The clouds in water, the water were poured, so clouded in the sky, and still with the water brought thy life.
[2:36] The water shall be well, and if all the air is silent, it will be the death of trembling in the sky.
[2:48] Amongst them, a mighty voice will be. Thy light is in light, and was the water's land, but did thou be shaming?
[3:15] Thy way is in the sea and in the waters did thy path.
[3:30] That thy life is in the sea, O Lord, none of the air slain of hand.
[3:47] Thy people that did safely lead, like to a bloke of sheep.
[4:02] Thy Lord's hand, the water shall be well, and if all the air is in the sea.
[4:21] Let us unite together in prayer. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Eternal and ever-lessed Lord, we give thanks unto thee this morning that thou hast granted to us the opportunity of coming together, and we pray that we may in some measure realise the great privilege that is ours as we come together to worship thee and to acknowledge thee as our God, giving thanks to thee for the revelation that thou hast made of thyself through thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we can draw near to our Creator Redeemer through him. We give thanks that we can have that boldness and confidence today to enter into the very throne room of God and to lay out our petitions before thee, knowing that thou art the
[5:32] God who can truly meet with each one of us at our own particular point of need. And thou art the all-knowing God, there is nothing hidden from thee. And thou knowest today what each and every one of us stand in need of. And blessed be thy name, that out of the riches of thine own grace, that thou art able to meet with us at that very point of need. And as we come before thee at this morning hour, we pray that thou art grant to us of thine own spirit to enable us to worship thee as thou desirest in spirit and in truth, so that our worship may be acceptable to thee, not because of any merits that we have of ourselves, but through the merits of thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who came into this world and took our nature unto himself, the one who bore in his own body what our sins deserved upon the cross, the one who died and was buried and was buried and was buried and who rose again triumphant over death and the grave and who has ascended to thy known right hand. And we give thanks today for his continual ministry there in the intercession that he makes for all those whom thou has given to him in the covenant of redemption and for whom he came into this world and to work out salvation for them. And we give thanks to thee today for the great promise that thou has given to thy people that he will return again not to offer himself as a sacrifice for sin but to gather his people and to bring them in body and soul into the inheritance that he has prepared for them so that thy word will be fulfilled in their experience that they will be forever with the Lord. We give thee thanks for all the promises that are contained in thy word and are given to thy people that they have been sealed for us through the blood of the everlasting covenant. And as we come before thee O Lord in this act of worship we acknowledge that we are dependent upon thine own spirit. We acknowledge that without thee we cannot do nothing. And so we pray that thy spirit O Lord would unstop the ears of our people that they may hear and that the veil would be taken from their hearts so that they may understand and that thou through thy spirit would apply thy word to them for it is the work of thine own hand that shall ultimately give thee praise.
[8:59] And so we pray O Lord that thou would presence thyself among us through thy spirit this day and what we seek for ourselves we seek for all gatherings of thy people throughout the world wherever they have gathered to worship thee that thou would be among them.
[9:20] And we pray O Lord that thou would bless all thy servants who have gone forth this day with the trumpet of the gospel to proclaim thy truth.
[9:31] grant O Lord that thou would that thou would thy truth. Grant O Lord that we may have that confidence and boldness to proclaim thy truth knowing that thy word shall not return unto the empty but that thou shall accomplish that for which thou has sent it forth.
[9:49] we pray for the congregation here for every home and every family. thou knowest their needs and we pray O Lord that thou would meet with each one at their own particular point of need.
[10:05] remember those who are ill may thy healing hand be upon them restoring them back to a measure of health and strength if that is in accordance with thine own sovereign will.
[10:18] and if it be otherwise we pray O Lord that thou would prepare them in their heart. remember any who may be grieving this day who may be mourning over empty places in their own family in their homes and in the community.
[10:39] remember a reminder to us that we are sojourners in this world that we are on our way to our long home and that our eternal destiny depends upon our relationship with God.
[10:57] a relationship broken by sin. a relationship broken by sin but a relationship that can be restored to us through the Lord Jesus Christ.
[11:07] and so we pray O Lord that we would make our utmost to be found in that reconciled relationship with thyself through thy son.
[11:19] and so that we can have peace with God. and so that our eternal destiny will be assured to us. we pray O Lord that thou would remember the church throughout the world.
[11:34] we remember those who are persecuted for their faith. and pray O Lord that thou would draw near to them and meet with them at their own particular point of need.
[11:46] we pray O Lord that thou would remember us as a nation. we acknowledge that we have gone far away from thee. but may it please thee to turn us again in repentance.
[12:02] may it please thee O Lord that we would sorrow over our sin. that we would seek thy mercy and thy forgiveness. we pray O Lord that thou would bless us as we come together at this morning hour.
[12:19] O may thou be as a wall of fire around us. protecting us O Lord from the evil one that would try to influence us.
[12:30] and would try to draw our attentions away. but we pray O Lord that we may be focused upon thy word. and that we may truly hear what thou has to say to us.
[12:45] bless we pray thee. the adherence of the congregation. O we pray that thou would come on a day of thy power. that thou would work among our people.
[12:57] that thou O Lord would call a people to thyself. that they may be effectually called. that they may see their great need. and the sufficiency of Christ that is set before them.
[13:11] to meet with that need. remember thy people here grant O Lord. that we may be faithful witnesses for thee. remember we pray thee those who are careless and indifferent to the claims of thy word.
[13:26] O may thou through thy spirit work among them. may thou draw them out to thyself. and we pray O Lord for the office bearers. of the congregation that thou would uphold them.
[13:39] in everything that they endeavor to do. to the good of thy cause. in this corner of thy vineyard. bless thy servant whom thou has set over them. and we pray O Lord that.
[13:52] as a courts of thine own house. as they go in and out among the people. that they may know that thou art. the one who uphold them. that thou art the one who is with them.
[14:05] we pray Lord that thou would continue with us now. as we come to wait upon thee. accept our worship in the merits of thy son. and all that we ask with the forgiveness of our sins.
[14:16] in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen. Amen. we shall now sing from Psalm 89. Psalm 89 at verse 8.
[14:32] O thou that art the Lord of hosts. what Lord in mightiness is like to thee. who compass round art with thy faithfulness. even in the raging of the sea.
[14:44] thou over it dost rain. and when the waves thereof do swell. thou stillest them again. we have in pieces thou didst break. like one that slaughtered it is.
[14:55] and with thy mighty arm thou hast dispersed thine enemies. the heavens are thine. the heavens are thine. thou for thine own. the earth does also take. the world and fullness of the same.
[15:06] thy power get found and make. we shall sing these verses to the Lord's praise. from Psalm 89 verse 8 to 11. O thou that art the Lord of hosts.
[15:17] what Lord in mightiness. O thou that art the Lord of hosts.
[15:32] what Lord in mightiness. the Do not make.
[15:44] O thou that art the Lord of hosts. a beast of the host.
[15:56] a beast of the hull of hosts. Theator of hosts. the Son of hosts.
[16:07] The warm, the lector's grain And when the winds that all could swell Thou stillest am I in Rehab in the church of God's grace Like one that is brought to his And when I find the hour of us Is there thy hand at least
[17:12] The heavens are thine The poor, thine moon The earth does go so deep The world and wellness On the same Thy power did land and me Let us now read the word of God As we find it in the New Testament In the Gospel according to John And chapter 6 And we'll read from the beginning to the verse marked 40 John chapter 6 Out of these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee
[18:12] Which is the Sea of Tiberias And a great multitude followed him Because they saw his miracles Which he did on them that were deceased And Jesus went up into a mountain And there he sat with his disciples And the Passover at feast of the Jews Was nine When Jesus then lifted up his eyes And saw a great company come unto him He saith unto Philip Whence shall we buy bread That these may eat And this he said to prove him For he himself knew what he would do Philip answered him Two hundred penny worth of bread Is not sufficient for them That every one of them may take a little One of his disciples Andrew Simon Peter's brother Saith unto him There is a lad here Which hath five barley loaves And two small fishes But what are they among so many And Jesus said Make the men sit down
[19:13] Now there was much grass in the place So the men sat down Number about five thousand And Jesus took the loaves And when he had given thanks He distributed to the disciples And the disciples to them That were set down And likewise of the fishes As much as they would When they were filled He said unto his disciples Gather up the fragments that remain Let nothing be lost Therefore they gathered them together And filled twelve baskets With the fragments Of the five barley loaves Which remained over And above And to them that had eaten Then those men When they had seen the miracle That Jesus did Said this is of a truth That prophet That should come into the world When Jesus perceived That they would come And take him by force To make him a king He departed again Into a mountain Himself alone And when even was now come
[20:14] His disciples went down Into the sea And he entered into a ship And went over the sea To Capernaum And it was now dark And Jesus was not come To them And the sea arose By reason of a great wind That blew So when they had rode About five and twenty Or thirty furlongs They see Jesus walking In the sea And drawing nigh into the ship And they were afraid But he saith unto them It is I Be not afraid Then they willingly Received him into the ship And immediately the ship Was at the land Where they went The day following When the people Which stood on the other side Of the sea Saw that there was None other boats there Save the one Wherein two his disciples Were entered And that Jesus went not With his disciples Into the boat But that his disciples Were gone away alone Howbeit there came Other boats From Tiberius nine To the place
[21:14] Where they did eat bread After that the Lord Had given thanks When the people therefore Saw that Jesus Was not there Neither his disciples They also took shipping And came to Capernaum Seeking for Jesus And when they had found him On the other side Of the sea They said unto him Rabbi When comest thou hither Jesus answered Then I said Verily verily I say unto you You seek me Not because You saw the miracles But because You did eat of the loaves And were filled Labour not for the meat Which perisheth But for that meat Which endureth Unto everlasting life Which the son of man Shall give unto you For him hath God The father sealed Then said they unto him What shall we do That we may work The works of God Jesus answered And said unto them This is the work of God That he believe on him Whom he hath sent
[22:15] They said unto him What sign showest thou then That we may see And believe thee What dost thou work Our father stood Eat manna in the desert As it is written He gave them bread From heaven to eat Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you Not that bread From heaven But my father Giveth you The true bread From heaven For the bread of God Is he Which cometh down From heaven And giveth life Into the world Then said they unto him Lord Evermore give us This bread And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life He that cometh to me Shall never hunger And he that believeth On me Shall never thirst But I said unto you That ye also Have seen me And believe not All that the father Giveth me Shall come to me And him that cometh To me I will in no wise Cast out For I came down
[23:16] From heaven Not to do Mine own will But the will Of him that sent me And this is The father's will Which hath sent me That of all Which he hath given me I should lose nothing But should raise it up Again at the last day And this is the will Of him That sent me That everyone Which seeth the son And believeth on him May have everlasting life And I will raise him up At the last day And so on May the Lord bless And do us The redeem Of that portion Of his word We shall now sing From Psalm 118 And at verse 19 O said ye Open unto me The gates of righteousness Then will I enter Into them And I the Lord Will bless This is the gate Of God By it the just Shall enter in The evil I praise For thou be hers And hast my safety been That stone is made
[24:17] Head cornerstone Which builders Strict his vines This is the doing Of the Lord And wonders In our eyes We shall sing From verse 19 To verse 26 Verse 19 To 26 Of Psalm 118 O said ye Open unto me The gates Of righteousness For said ye Open unto me The gates Of righteousness Then will I enter Into them And die The Lord Will bless This is the gate
[25:19] Of God The gate The gate The gate The gate The gate The gate The gate Be with my grace For love Me hurts And hast My safety been That goodness Made For your soul Which Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat This is The duty Of the Lord And wondrous
[26:22] God $ confiscator Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat Threat With joy triumphantly.
[26:45] Save now my praise, Lord, I praise. Send now the cross that is me.
[27:02] Blessed be in your God's name. That come, that bless you, save.
[27:21] We promise which to the Lord pertains you, blessed love.
[27:42] Seeking Lord's help and blessing, let us turn back to the portion of scripture that we read together in the gospel according to John chapter 6.
[27:53] And we'll read again from verse 15. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by foot to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain, himself alone.
[28:08] And when evening was now come, his disciples went down into the sea and entered into a ship and went over the sea to Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
[28:21] And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea and drawing nigh unto the ship.
[28:34] And they were afraid. But he saith unto them, It is I, be not afraid. Then they willingly received him into the ship. And immediately the ship was at the land where they went.
[28:50] Jesus records for us here the occasion when the disciples of Jesus were crossing the Sea of Galilee after Jesus had performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand.
[29:08] And as they were crossing, they encountered a storm. Now this was not the first time that disciples encountered a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
[29:22] The Sea of Galilee is only eight miles across, but it is situated about 700 feet below sea level, surrounded on the west, on the north, and the east by mountains, which rise about three or four thousand feet above sea level.
[29:40] Because of the geography of where the sea is, three storms can happen very suddenly. There was nothing unusual about a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
[29:54] And the fishermen would have been quite used to them. However, on a previous occasion, as regarded for us in the Gospels, Jesus was present with the disciples in a certain storm.
[30:09] Although he was asleep on the boat, but he was present with them. But on this occasion, he was absent in the storm.
[30:20] What we see here is how quickly our circumstances can change. Only hours before, they had not only witnessed one of the great miracles of the Lord in the feeding of a vast multitude of five thousand men, not including the women or children, which could easily add another fifteen thousand to the people, with five small loaves and two fishes.
[30:52] But they themselves also were involved in this spectacular miracle. Not only did they see and witness it, but they themselves were involved in this spectacular miracle.
[31:05] The disciples would come to Jesus, receive a handful, and then they would distribute that bread going among the people. And then they would come back again to Jesus for more.
[31:21] One commentator says, the pieces grew under his touch, and the disciples always found their hands full when they came back with their own hands empty.
[31:33] He was teaching them there that if the Lord is going to lead with our needs, then we must come to him without emptiness so that we can be filled.
[31:49] This required faith from the side of the disciples as they received from the hands of Jesus in order to distribute among the people. To the human intellect and reasoning, this was an impossible situation.
[32:06] But the Lord was teaching them not only their weakness and their inability and their insufficiency and helplessness, but he was teaching them that when they acknowledge their weakness and their inability and insufficiency and helplessness and put it into the hands of the Lord, that the whole situation changes.
[32:31] five roams and two fishes in the hands of the Lord can feed a hundred and many more and a whole multitude with leftovers.
[32:46] maybe you are saying today, I have nothing to give to the Lord, but what you give to the Lord, he will bless it.
[33:01] And no matter how little you give to the Lord, he multiplies it. after everyone here in this situation set before us here in the Gospel of John when everybody was satisfied, there were more.
[33:17] And they took up twelve basketful of the fragments and of the fishes. Paul writes to the church at Ephesus and he says, Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, and to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
[33:43] God provides for his people, for the people of faith, both in their physical and also in their spiritual needs.
[33:54] We have here a miracle that directly touched the lives of the multitude of the vast crowd and it obviously provoked an overwhelming reaction among them.
[34:08] Then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did said, this is our truth, that prophet that should come into the world. The people's response is interesting because in the previous chapter, in chapter 5, Jesus refers to Moses when the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken his Sabbath but said also that God was his Father making himself equal with God.
[34:41] He condemned the Jews for ignoring Moses' own testimony to him in the Bible. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuses you even Moses in whom ye trust.
[34:54] For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me. And now the feeding of the 5,000 move the Jews to acknowledge the fulfilment of Moses' of Moses' most famous prophecy as found in the book of Deuteronomy 18 where Moses says, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thy brethren like unto me and to whom ye shall hearken.
[35:25] This was a prophecy that the people waited for. Remember that when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist who art thou?
[35:38] And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ. Then they asked him what then art thou Elijah? And he said I am not art thou that prophet?
[35:53] And he answered no. Now they acknowledge that this is of our truth that prophet that should come into the world. Here they are and they acknowledge that this is the prophecy of Moses being fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
[36:13] That this is the prophet that Moses spoke of that should come into the world. And then we read that Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a king and he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
[36:31] And when the evening was now come his disciples went down into the sea and entered into a ship and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark and Jesus was not come to them and the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
[36:52] this story is not found in the gospel of Luke but it is found in the gospels of Matthew marked along with the gospel of John.
[37:03] And Matthew makes a very graphic picture of the storm that the disciples encountered at this time. He writes but the ship was now in the midst of the sea tossed with waves for the wind was contrary.
[37:21] Now notice this that it was immediately after the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 that the Lord ordained this storm. One can understand how the disciples could have been puffed up with pride with the fact that they were involved that they had not only seen and experienced but that they were involved themselves with the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.
[37:49] How that could puff them up with pride. One commentator says our sweeter times or communion are often meant to prepare us for the trials to come and the trials are intended to cure us of spiritual pride or presumption.
[38:10] The wind was in their faces and they rode only three or four miles and it was dark and we all know how darkness can increase our fear of danger when we cannot see what lies ahead of us.
[38:31] So possibly they had veered and turned back and forth from their course. They were tossed about in the rough sea with a strong wind blowing.
[38:45] Everything was keeping them back from making any progress and Jesus was not come to them. Jesus was absent from them on this occasion.
[38:58] Christian and this is an appropriate and suitable description of Christian experience in the world.
[39:10] The boat here in the midst of the storm provides for us a picture of Christian experience. the howling wind and the rough seas discripe the many trials that the Christian has to face in the world.
[39:29] In Psalm 107 we have these words for he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof. The mount to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble they reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at the woods end.
[39:51] This raging sea is a picture of the storms of life through which we are all called to pass. We must remember that the Christian the believer is not exempt from these common trials of life.
[40:10] It presents here to us the mystery of God's providence and truly God's providence can be a mystery to us. How he permits us to go through certain storms in life certain trials certain crisis points that leaves us full of fear that leaves us afraid.
[40:36] To believers Peter writes beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you.
[40:49] What the disciples went through on the sea of Galilee is something that we all go through in life. Sea of difficulty storms of trouble it may be the storm of financial hardship it may be the storm of loss of work it may be the storm of chronic illness or conflicts at home or it may be the duties and challenges of everyday existence facing the howling winds of worldly ideas and cultural fashions and you may feel that you are sinking as John tells us here it was dark when you feel the descriptions that Isaiah gives to us he writes in his prophecy who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light it was dark but to add to that dilemma we are told that
[42:02] Jesus was absent it was dark they were in the midst of a storm they were afraid and Jesus was absent from them Matthew records for us and straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him and to the other side while he sent the multitudes away the two after the dilemma not only being found in a storm being dark and Jesus absent from them but the reason that they were in the storm was because they followed the command of Jesus because he had constrained them to get into a ship and to go before him and to the other side and where they followed that command they find themselves in the midst of a storm it is dark and
[43:08] Jesus is absent to be following Jesus or in a saving relationship with Jesus to be his disciples does not mean that somehow we are going to escape the trials and the troubles of life in fact to be following Jesus may lead us right into the storms and troubles as so many suffer for their faith we can be doing God's will and find ourselves in the centre of a storm following God's command following the commands of Christ and find ourselves in the midst of a storm the disciples were doing God's will they were following the command that Jesus had given unto them that he constrained them to enter into the ship and to go to the other side they are following whose command and yet they find themselves in the midst of a horrific storm you may ask well why did
[44:14] Jesus permit this storm why did the Lord permit this storm well it was for the testing of their faith and a testing of their trust in him it was part of their school of learning J.C.
[44:35] Ryle says by affliction he teaches us many precious lessons which without we should never learn by affliction he shows us our emptiness and weakness he draws us to the throne of grace he purifies our affection he weans us from the world and makes us long for heaven in the resurrection morning we shall say it is good for me that I was afflicted we shall thank God for every storm but here in the story we're told it is now dark and Jesus was not with them you could almost hear the disciples say to one another where is Jesus now when we need him where is
[45:35] Jesus now when we have been obedient to what he has asked us to do to enter into the ship and to go to the other side where is Jesus where is he now when we really need him maybe they were coming to the conclusion that Jesus had forgotten them maybe they were coming to the conclusion that Jesus had abandoned them is that not true of me and you how often as we go through certain trials and storms of life we ask where is Jesus now where is he when I need him however we must know that this account is not about a rescue of the disciples on the sea although they are frustrated because of the storm because of the raging waves and the howling wind but they are in no danger of drowning they are in no danger of sinking the disciples are facing a storm the disciples they feel separated from
[46:50] Jesus the disciples are in distress the disciples are at their wits end they had come to an end of themselves they felt hopeless and helpless no more strength was left in them in the midst of the storm how tempting it was for them just to give up what's the point everything is against us they may even question why they left the shore in the first place why did we not stay on land but didn't the disciples give up no they didn't they kept on rowing they persevered in the midst of the storm it wasn't easy to keep steering on the same coach but it was necessary if they were to reach the other side to persevere and to keep on going although there was much that they couldn't reason out there was much that they could not understand but they kept on going they persevered and that was necessary if they were to reach the other side oh how easily we can give in to the howling winds of worldly trends and fashions and compromise in our worship and
[48:24] Christian walk and think that if we just change course slightly we might make better headway and find it easier for ourselves but that is not what the disciples did they kept on rowing pointing in the same direction although at times they would have to use every muscle in their body to steer in the right coach it wasn't without great aids in their muscles it is with much driving the Bible says that we enter into the kingdom of God there are times in the Christian life when one storm comes upon another storm one is just past when another storm is upon us at such times it is easy for us to be discouraged and almost on a point of despair when things seem to be against us all
[49:38] I want to say now about this is that here we have two scenes set before us two scenes are set before us in this story the disciples are in the midst of a storm they are in crisis the howling wind and the raging waves and they feel that they are making no progress whatsoever and they feel frustrated they cannot reason it out they have followed Jesus command now they're in a storm it is dark Jesus is absent from them they feel as if they had been abandoned they feel lonely everything seems to be against them that's one scene but there is another scene brought before us Jesus is alone on the land and he is on a mountain and what is he doing on the mountain we're told that he's prey on the mountain the situation facing the disciples humanly speaking it is dangerous but actually they are not in danger at all because on the mountain
[50:50] Jesus is praying he is the one who can see through the darkness he is fully aware of the situation in which the disciples find themselves but because of his praying because of his intercession they are safe and his promise to them will be fulfilled and they will reach the other side if you had met with the disciples at this time and asked do you think you'll reach the other side they'd probably say well I don't I don't know I'm afraid that we might not reach the other side there is this horrendous storm there is the howling wind there is the raging waves we are it is dark and Jesus is not with us we fear that we will not reach the other side but
[51:55] Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him on to the other side it's another situation sometimes in our own experience when we may fear that we'll never reach the other side we started on the journey and we thought perhaps some of us thought it would be long until we reach the other side and yet we had just begun when we entered into the storms of life when we entered into trials and crisis points challenging points when it was all dark to us when we might have felt abandoned by the one who gave us a command by the one who constrained us to begin this journey in the first place oh where is he where is he yeah there are times of such in our own experience but he has said to us go to the other side we will reach the other side and we will reach the other side because there is one who is fully aware of our situation there is one who is praying we are always to praise
[53:23] God and thank God for Christ's continual ministry as he is at the right hand of the father interceding for us he is interceding today for his children for his people for all those who has been constrained to begin this journey in the midst of the storms of life he is interceding for us he is praying for us fully aware of our situation it may be that we feel that he has abandoned us but it's only a feeling it is not true I will never leave them neither will forsake them and he is true to his promise he is true to his promise is that not a comforting thought for ourselves when we are confronted with difficulties and crisis points in our life to know that there is one who is in total control who knows our situation and who intercedes for us and will come to us and deliver us and bring us to the other side according to his promise they were not alone he was with them he was with them in the point of his continual ministry of intercession that should have been a great comfort for them the
[54:53] Lord who I say arrives for our comfort fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shall not be burnt neither shall a flame kindle upon thee in the storms of life the promise of God should be like an anchor to our souls he has given us the promise of his everlasting presence I will never leave thee nor forsake thee for I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Saviour he is not unaware of our situation we may not have the comforting consciousness of his presence but he is still present the disciples did not have the comforting consciousness of Jesus being with them and yet he is with them he is on the mountain he knows the situation he is praying it is so easy for our faith to be overwhelmed by the wind and the waves of the troubles of life the crisis points that we experience in our journey the disciples felt that
[56:16] Jesus didn't care there can be times when we can feel that the Lord seems so far away from us that he is not aware of what we are going to do that he is that he doesn't care do you ever feel like that do you experience what is called here it was dark do you ever experience the dark night of the soul the psalmist himself was very conscious of such experiences in one psalm he says why standest thou afar off O Lord why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble and another psalm he says give ear to my prayer O God and hide not thyself from my supplication and another he says how long Lord will thou hide thyself forever shall thy wrath burn like fire Jesus himself on the cross
[57:16] Psalm 22 why art thou so far from me I cry in the night time and there is no one there is no voice why art thou so far from me so when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty films they see Jesus walking on the sea and draw nigh into the ship and they were afraid according to Matthew they thought that he was a ghost Mark says they supposed it had been a spirit and cried out for they all saw him and were troubled what was their problem Jesus comes to them in a most unexpected way walking upon the raging waves something that no earthly finite person could do he comes in a way that they didn't expect and that made them afraid they do not recognize him and are more friends by his presence than they are by his absence he comes with all the power of almighty
[58:36] God who controls the mighty forces of the wind and the sea he tries to reassure them by making himself known to them in his glory and in his power instead they are full of fear and they are afraid Mark says in his account of this event that Jesus would have passed by them Jesus would have passed by them now that is a term that we find in the Old Testament when God communicated to his people his glory and power for instance when Moses asked God to show him his glory we read in Exodus 33 I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy and he said thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live and the
[59:41] Lord said there is a place by me and there shall stand upon a rock and shall come to pass when my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a cliff of the rock I will cover thee with my hand while I pass by and I will take away mine hand and shall see my back parts but my face shall not be seen also in first kings chapter 19 the Lord tells Elijah to stand on the mountain go forth and stand upon the mountain before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and break in pieces the rock before the Lord but the Lord was not in the wind and after the wind an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the phrase is used when there is a particular manifestation of the Lord's glory and power that he passed by passed by so when
[60:44] Mark records for us that Jesus would have passed by the disciples in the midst of the storm what he means is that Jesus wills for them to see his glory and his power that's what Jesus is manifesting he's making known to them his glory and his power it won't seem as he would pass by but he was manifesting to them his glory and his power in the midst of the storm he does not rescue we notice he does not rescue the disciples from their predicament but he teaches them by passing by them the wind and the waves presented no obstacle for him he who can tread upon the waves as we sung there in psalm 77 thy way is in the sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known in Isaiah 43 we read thy way is in the sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known or chapter 51 of the same prophecy art thou not art thou not it which hath dried the sea the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea away for the ransom to pass over see what
[62:04] Jesus is doing here is communicating to the frustrated disciples in the midst of the storm who he is who he is Jesus was making himself known to them in the situation by manifesting his glory and power is that what true for me and you how often in the midst of storms of life and the crisis points that we confront in our life we get more knowledge of Jesus we get more knowledge of who Jesus is he manifests himself to us more sometimes in the trials and crises of our lives wherein we say it was good for me why because I got to know Jesus much more intimate in my trials and in my crisis points we so often fail to recognize that the Lord passing us by when we are the recipients of his presence or fail to recognize his presence in our lives we can be like the two disciples walking on the road to
[63:12] Emmaus and fail to recognize who was traveling the way with them it was only in retrospect that they recognized that it was Jesus and like it was in retrospect that we can recognize that the Lord was with us when the trial is over when the difficulty is over then looking back we recognize the Lord was with us all the time he was there and we come to realize that in that hour of storm that we were in the very presence of God in the winds of the storm and Christ revealed himself to us in a more intimate way often at such hour that Jesus is passing by showing us his love and his power and leading us through all those troubled waters Matthew tells us that he was during the fourth watch of the night that is about 3am after the disciples had been rowing for hours and were made wearied and perhaps dismayed almost on the brink of despair with their situation and how often it is on the fourth watch that the
[64:31] Lord comes to our aid when we are helpless and hopeless in ourselves when we have come to the end of our terror when we have come to the end of ourselves but the lesson is never to give up again going back to Isaiah who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeith the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God when we go through troubled waters what can be our greatest comfort we find comfort in knowing that even when we do not see Jesus Jesus sees us even through the darkness of our situation and he comes in the hour of our need Jesus does not rescue his disciples out of the sea but he enables them to continue the voyage he does not relieve them of their struggle but promises victory if they are faithful if they trust in him if they hold on to the promise that he began with when he constrained them to go into the ship and to begin this voyage to the other side to the other side they must keep on rowing but the power to cross over the sea of life and reach the final destination is not theirs it belongs to God and the same is true for me and you we must keep on the power to reach the other side to reach our destination it's not ours it is
[66:17] God's belongs to God he maketh the storm a calm so the waves that are still then are glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them into their desired heaven today you may be burdened with your sin perhaps you are today torn apart with an inner conflict that nobody knows about nobody else knows about your conflict perhaps it is problems in the home perhaps struggling to make ends meet perhaps maybe problems at work maybe even the fear of death and eternity may be troubling you today it may be a burden upon you maybe something leaves you overwhelmed with sorrow and grief maybe something that nobody else knows about maybe you're panicking maybe you're saying to yourself today well how can I go on in life what can
[67:19] I do well going back to psalm 107 that we quoted earlier we read then they cry unto the lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses where do you go you go to jesus you go to the lord what calmed their minds for we are told that they were afraid what calmed their minds in the midst of the storm when they heard his voice it is I be not afraid it is I be not afraid as it was for them so it is for me and you it is the word of the Lord that achieves this calming influence upon our lives the more familiar we grow with the voice of the Lord the more familiar we are with our Bibles it will have this calming influence upon our lives as we go through the storms and crisis of life if we know our
[68:29] Bible if we know the word of God that's why it's important that we immerse ourselves in the word of God and come to know the word of God because when we face these difficulties and trials and storms of life whose word will calm us it'll give us comfort it is I be not afraid it it is his voice that shall comfort us on our voyage from the shores of this world until we reach the other side we read then they were willing to receive him into the ship and immediately the ship was at the land where they went to the unsaved today I ask you are you willing to receive him into your life before the disciples set out in the boat across the sea we are told that Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him and to the other side there was that promise contained in these words that they would reach the other side and this was a test for them whether they believed his word that they would get over to the other side oh everything started off or to have the word of promise in the midst of the storms of life we have even more reason to trust in him amid all the storms of life because he has demonstrated his love to us on the cross what shall we then say to these things asks the apostle if
[70:10] God before us who can be against it he has spared not his son but delivered him up for us how he gives us all things when the storms comes let us put our trust in Jesus to get us safely on to the other side through this experience we're getting to understand and know Jesus better we have only not only to believe but we have to live out our faith in practical ways we have faith not to get us out of life's troubles but we have faith in order to help us through life's troubles I wonder if the disciples on reflection would conclude that it was worth to go through a storm like they had gone I wonder if they sat down when they reached the place and they sat down and reflected on what their experience was I wonder if they said it was good for us to have gone through that storm in order to enter upon our peace like we are now experiencing the famous gospel song do you not fear the stormy seas your bath may overwhelm you need not fear the
[71:36] Lord is near and Christ is at the helm heave out your boat and come on board you sailish plight to roam the captain says you are welcome now make no delay but come then hoist the sails and catch the breeze and soon the journey is over the ship will land you save at last on Canaan shore and to you today I say come join our happy crew we're bound for Canaan shore the captain says you're home for you and Rome for men more Jesus constrained them to enter into the boat and I pray and hope that today if for to this point of time you have not entered into the Christian way that you will feel constrained today to enter into the boat to enter into the Christian life yes you will meet storms yes there will be crisis points in your life yes you will come almost at times on the brink of despair yes sometimes you will doubt if you ever reach the other side maybe you have the thought had
[72:48] I not stayed on land yes you will have all these fears and times things will be done but he has promised that those who follow the constraint to enter into the boat and set sail they will reach the other side enter the ship go over to the other side may the Lord bless our thoughts let us pray eternal and ever blessed Lord we give thanks that whatever storms may confront us in our journey through this world that thou art with us that thou art faithful to thy promise even in the midst of our unfaithfulness that thou remain faithful that thou are faithful to thy word that those who are constrained by the power of thine own spirit to enter into the ship to begin this journey that the promise is sealed for them that they will reach the other side we pray oh
[73:53] Lord that our thoughts and our meditation upon thy word would be a means of encouragement to us in this way and would be a strength to our faith go before us we pray and forgive us for all our amen we shall conclude by singing from psalm 107 and at verse 29 the storm is changed into a calm at his command and will so that the waves which raged before now quite are still they are glad because at rest and quite now they be so to the heaven he then brings which they decide to see all that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then and for his works the wonder done unto the sons of men we shall sing these verses to the Lord's praise verse 29 to 31 the storm is changed into a calm at his command
[75:19] Nya And quiet love they be.
[75:45] So turn the heavenly embrace. Which they desire to see.
[76:00] O that men to the Lord would give.
[76:12] They polish goodness in. And for his words of wonder again.
[76:29] And to the sons of men. Amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[76:43] And the love of God the Father. And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Be with you all. Now and forevermore. Amen.