WEBVTT

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 Verse number 22 of chapter number 8 in Luke's Gospel, in your copy of God's Word, it says this,

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 Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his disciples, and he said unto them,

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 Let us go over unto the other side of the lake, and they launched forth.

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 But as they sailed, he fell asleep.

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 And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy.

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 And they came to him and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish.

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 Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging water, and they ceased, and there was a calm.

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 And he said unto them, Where is your faith?

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 And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this?

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 For he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him.

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 It's kind of a familiar passage of Scripture.

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 There's some great truths that we can take from this.

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 And the question we need to ask ourselves is this, Who is this man?

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 Who is Jesus to you?

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 Is he just somebody that he hopes in the boat, maybe can fix a few things?

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 Because I think the disciples are really starting to realize who Jesus Christ is.

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 Because he's more than just a miracle worker.

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 He's more than someone just to fix your problems.

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 No, he is the Lord of all.

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 Even the wind and seas obey him.

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 Let us be reminded of that truth this morning.

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 Father, thank you for this opportunity you've given us to be here.

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 Lord, thank you for the wonderful songs that have been sung.

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 Thank you for this special.

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 And Lord, sometimes we look at our life, we look at our world, and we should all have that desire that you would come.

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 But Lord, I pray that while we are still here, Lord, that we would live for you.

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 We would do what you've called us to do.

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 Lord, I don't know what kind of storms people are facing in their life right now,

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 but I pray that over these next few moments that maybe the storm doesn't leave, but their focus has changed.

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 Lord, I pray that if there's someone here today that does not know you as their Savior, that today would be that day.

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 Lord, I pray you'd be with me now.

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 I pray you would just empty me of self, cleanse me of sin.

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 Lord, fill me with your spirit.

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 Lord, I need your help.

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 Lord, I need you every hour.

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 Lord, I pray you'd be with us now as we open up your word.

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 In Christ's name, amen.

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 Thank you for standing.

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 May be seated.

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 Did anybody ever watch Deadliest Catch?

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 Like, I don't know what those people, how many screws they have loose to get in those boats.

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 It's amazing when you see that.

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 And now I know why crab costs a lot of money when you go to the store and you go to the restaurant and you want crab.

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 You're like, well, that's expensive.

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 Well, watch the show and you'll understand why they charge so much money.

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 I mean, they are risking life and limb so you can eat some crab on the patio at a restaurant one day.

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 But it is crazy.

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 See, I can't imagine being on a boat like that and being out there.

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 I mean, and the boat's going all the way up and it's coming all the way down and the waves are coming over.

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 And those guys are just chilling.

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 And they're just kind of hanging there.

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 I mean, it's just normal life for them.

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 I heard about a cargo vessel that was crossing the North Atlantic and encountered a violent storm.

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 And the waves began to crash over.

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 They were so high.

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 And they started just ripping off the lifeboats and just battering the ship.

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 And some of these greenhorns on the boat, they began to panic and they're running around.

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 Except there was one man.

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 He was in the galley and he was just sitting at a small table, sipping coffee.

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 Like it was just some ordinary day on the boat.

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 And one of these rookies yelled at him, how can you sit there so calm?

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 Don't you see what's going on?

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 I'm pretty sure we're going under.

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 The man just smiled and he replied.

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 He said, I've been through worse.

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 And besides, I've seen the captain and I know he's at the wheel and I trust him.

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 See, that man had been through some things before.

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 And yet he knew the captain of the boat that he was on and he trusted him with his life.

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 And as we come to Luke's gospel and our text this morning, that's kind of the same thing that's going on.

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 Except the crew members have forgot who's actually in control of the boat.

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 They forgot who the captain really was.

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 And before we really dive into this, I want us to see that this passage isn't about whether storms will come.

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 They will.

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 You're welcome.

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 I wish we could come in and say, well, here's a way to avoid storms in your life.

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 And if you do these few things, then you're never going to, you're going to have smooth sailing.

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 Well, I can't find that anywhere in the Bible.

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 And we're going to see in a minute, we don't want smooth sailing.

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 Because smooth sailing doesn't create skillful sailors.

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 It doesn't allow us to grow closer to the Lord.

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 No, this passage is about whether we truly trust the one who's at the helm.

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 Who's guiding the boat.

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 Who's leading us where he has called us.

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 And in this short yet unforgettable story, Luke records how Jesus reveals his identity through this storm.

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 Because that's what he wanted to teach his disciples.

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 And we're going to see this in a minute.

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 Jesus knew what was coming.

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 And yet they were still in the boat.

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 And he taught his disciples then.

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 And he teaches us still today that, number one, that God orchestrates the circumstances of our lives.

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 That's what we see there in verse number 22.

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 It says, now it came to pass on a certain day that he went to a ship with his disciples.

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 And he said unto them, let us go over onto the other side of the lake.

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 And they launch forth.

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 You know, we've been studying on Wednesday nights and our faith that triumphs lessons.

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 We looked at the life of Job.

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 And the life of Job is one that you might know the first couple chapters.

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 And you think, man, that guy had a rough day.

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 And he did.

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 But when you really study the life of Job, you realize that Job comes to this conclusion that while he doesn't always understand it,

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 that he knows that God is in control.

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 And God knows the way that he was taking it.

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 And Job believed wholeheartedly that he would come forth as gold.

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 Now, it wasn't easy.

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 And Job went through some extremely difficult things.

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 But he came to this conclusion, I don't know it, but I'm just going to trust God.

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 I'm just going to trust that he knows where he wants to take me.

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 And that's what we see taking place here in the beginning of our text.

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 Luke begins kind of nonchalantly that, hey, it was just another day.

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 And the disciples probably thought the same thing.

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 They're there and they're just enjoying maybe some time to get away.

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 Jesus says, hey, we're going to get on the boat.

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 And they're thinking, yes.

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 You know why?

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 Because they probably got tired of people.

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 You ever get tired of people?

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 Yeah.

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 You know, Jesus was always, every time somebody came up, they were thinking, I thought we were done for the day.

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 I thought we were going to clock out.

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 No, but they're there and there's really nothing special about the day per se.

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 What we do know is Jesus has been in this area, has been ministering to the crowds.

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 We looked at the parables.

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 He's been teaching.

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 He's been healing the sick.

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 We see that at the end of chapter 7 into chapter number 8.

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 But then Jesus just says, let us go over unto the other side of the lake.

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 Now, a couple things when we read that phrase.

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 Number one, the journey was his idea.

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 The disciples weren't trying to press him and say, hey, Jesus, this is what we want to do.

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 No, this is exactly what Jesus told him.

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 Here's what we're going to do.

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 We're going to all get in this boat and we're all going to go to the other side.

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 So, number one, the journey was his idea.

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 They didn't stumble into this storm that's going to take place here in this text by accident.

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 Sometimes this is hard for us to wrap our minds around.

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 But the one who can control the storms is the one that led them directly into it.

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 You ever been in a storm in your life?

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 You think, Lord, really?

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 Did you not see this coming?

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 Why would you lead me here, Lord?

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 But what we're going to see is many times in the storms that God can teach us things.

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 See, when they launched from the shore, conditions were calm.

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 I would assume they would have been perfect for sailing.

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 Because if the storm would have been on the horizon, you know Peter would have said something.

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 Peter likes to talk.

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 Have you noticed that about the scriptures?

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 Peter said, listen, Lord, I know you're a carpenter.

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 I'm a fisherman.

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 Let me explain.

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 See those clouds?

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 Bad news.

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 But we don't see that taking place here.

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 We see that the conditions were probably great.

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 Nobody complained about leaving the crowds behind.

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 They're thinking, yes, it's finally some good old R&R.

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 We can just get on the lake.

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 Nobody can find us here.

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 But conditions can change quickly on the Sea of Galilee.

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 And I would imagine you've experienced in your own life that conditions can change just like that as well.

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 Just like my voice is changing instantaneously up here.

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 You're just going to have to go with it this morning.

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 But sometimes that happens like that.

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 And sometimes we assume, and I think we want to believe, and we even convince ourselves that if we're following Jesus, the skies should always be blue.

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 I've thought that.

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 Yes, your preachers thought that.

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 Lord, I don't know if you know this, but I'm doing this, this, and this.

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 Why is this storm happening in my life?

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 I think that's a natural response sometimes.

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 Because we look around at the world, and you really study scripture.

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 You find some good men and women that had the same question.

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 You study the psalmist, and they're thinking, how can the wicked just do whatever they want?

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 And God's people seem to suffer.

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 And yet, we find ourselves there sometimes.

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 But this text also reminds us that many times obedience directly takes us into situations that are intended to stretch our faith.

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 See, I was like, yeah, let's get in the boat.

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 But God was going to grow them.

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 God was going to show them something.

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 He wanted to teach them a great truth.

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 And it just reminds us here this morning that your interruptions and your delays and your unexpected hardships in life, listen, they're not random.

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 Listen, a trial is never wasted when we allow the Father to work it in us.

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 God doesn't want to.

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 He's not just trying to make our life miserable.

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 No, sometimes difficulties come because He wants us to grow closer to Him, to trust Him more.

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 Listen, God uses them to reveal who He is.

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 Because we see that by the end of the story.

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 Not only does He use these storms and these trials to show us Him, but He uses it to show us our need.

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 You know, because when skies are blue, seas are calm, anybody can do that.

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 Like, this is easy.

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 Like, I can handle this boat.

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 But when the storms come, you want somebody that knows what they're doing.

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 And you realize this, I can't do this.

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 And sometimes God allows things in our life to remind us that we need Him.

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 We know we do.

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 We say, oh, I need the Lord.

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 And yet we walk out and live like we don't even know who He is sometimes.

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 Listen, we need Him every hour.

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 We need Him every minute of every day.

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 And these storms that we face in life, these circumstances that God allows, He does that so we can build trust in Him.

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 Because I would imagine there's been things you've walked through, and as you walked into it, you thought,

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 I don't ever want to do this again.

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 But when you walked out the other side, you loved Him more.

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 You knew Him more.

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 You had trust in Him.

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 And guess what?

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 When the storm comes again, you say, well, at least I know who the captain is.

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 At least I know, like that man sitting there drinking that coffee, how was he so confident?

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 Because he knew the captain knew what he was doing.

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 And that's what Jesus wanted to teach His disciples.

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 But I love this little phrase, before the wind really picks up, and before the storm really comes down on this little boat,

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 Luke adds this little detail that kind of sets the tone for the whole scene.

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 I love this.

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 Verse 23.

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 But as they sailed, He fell asleep.

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 This is great doctrine right here.

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 We talk about doctrine in the next steps.

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 This is the doctrine of napping.

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 Yeah.

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 How many of you subscribe to this doctrine?

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 Just don't subscribe right now, okay?

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 We're going to get you home, and you can take a nap here in a minute.

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 But I love this.

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 We see here in this little phrase that, yes, Jesus is fully God.

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 We know that.

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 But He's also fully man.

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 And that's really the mystery of the incarnation.

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 That He is both.

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 Listen, He didn't cease to be God.

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 People say when Jesus came that He ceased to be God.

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 That's not what happened.

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 No, He veiled His deity.

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 There was times where it really popped out and showed forth.

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 They said, wow, what is going on here?

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 We think of the disciples when they go on the Mount of Transfiguration.

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 We see other situations like that where they realize,

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 we're not dealing with just some kind of good prophet.

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 Even at the end of this story, when He calms the sea,

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 they think, whoa, where did that come from?

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 I mean, it's one thing to maybe see some of these other things,

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 but they're really beginning to see who He is.

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 And Luke really shows us His humanity.

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 That He's physically exhausted from ministry.

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 He's asleep in the boat.

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 But here's a great thought as well.

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 That His sleep is also a sign of His trust in the Father.

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 I read in a book one time, and I thought, this guy's weird.

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 But he says, your sleep can show us what you believe about your theology.

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 You know, sometimes we think we're the only people that can do it.

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 And God needs us.

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 And we're going to burn the candle at both ends,

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 because if I don't do it, nobody's going to do it.

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 You know what sometimes we just got to do?

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 Sometimes you just need to go to sleep and trust that the Father can handle it.

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 That's sometimes what just needs to happen.

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 Remember when Elijah was all struggling, and he's there,

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 and he's thinking, well, I'm the only prophet left.

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 Why don't you just kill me?

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:10.600
 God says, you know what you need, Elijah?

00:15:10.740 --> 00:15:11.519
 A nap.

00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:14.800
 Go to sleep and let me handle some of this.

00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:15.899
 Isn't that what he did?

00:15:15.899 --> 00:15:16.299
 Right?

00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:17.759
 That's exactly what he did.

00:15:18.179 --> 00:15:21.340
 But yet we find Jesus here, and he knows the storm is coming.

00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:22.899
 He understands that.

00:15:23.079 --> 00:15:23.879
 He's God.

00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:30.120
 But yet he rests, because he knows the Father's plan cannot be overturned,

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:31.980
 and he's in complete control.

00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:38.620
 And by the way, he already told him, let's go to the other side.

00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:41.679
 How many times does God tell us something,

00:15:41.879 --> 00:15:45.299
 but when the storm comes, we forget what he told us?

00:15:46.579 --> 00:15:50.019
 They completely forgot that Jesus said, hey, we're going to the other side.

00:15:50.319 --> 00:15:54.860
 This storm begins to come, and they get anxious about it.

00:15:56.500 --> 00:16:00.919
 And when we come here, we're reminded that true peace isn't the absence of trouble.

00:16:01.819 --> 00:16:02.980
 Sometimes that's what we're looking for.

00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.819
 We think, I just need peace in my life.

00:16:04.959 --> 00:16:06.679
 I just need no problems.

00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:08.899
 Like, I'm for that too.

00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.199
 Like, I'm not looking for problems.

00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:13.680
 But that's not really what it is.

00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:16.900
 It's confidence in the one who's in control.

00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:22.000
 Because you're never really going to come to a place in life where you have no problems,

00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.140
 where there's no issues.

00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:29.140
 You know, if you're there, it's probably because you've just forgot all the things you're supposed to be worrying about.

00:16:30.520 --> 00:16:30.920
 Yeah.

00:16:31.680 --> 00:16:32.960
 Like, man, I've got no problems today.

00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:34.500
 Well, maybe you should look at your calendar.

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:35.300
 You have problems.

00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:37.559
 You just decided not to go to him.

00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:43.339
 See, if Jesus fully trusted his father, so should we.

00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:47.500
 He trusted in the father's plan.

00:16:48.599 --> 00:16:51.899
 And we're going to see next week why he got in this boat.

00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.519
 Why he was willing to go through this storm.

00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:57.799
 Because there was a man on the other side that he intended to meet.

00:16:57.799 --> 00:17:00.859
 He had a divine appointment with this man that was demon-possessed.

00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:02.659
 And everybody had written him off.

00:17:02.659 --> 00:17:06.859
 And yet Jesus knew, hey, I have an appointment with this man, and I'm going to make it there.

00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:09.119
 That we're going to make it to the other side.

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:15.740
 But when we have peace with Christ, it doesn't mean that there's always peace in the weather of life, so to speak.

00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:19.839
 And that's what Luke tells us there in verse number 23.

00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:24.480
 And there came down a storm of wind on the lake.

00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:27.419
 And everything changed in an instant.

00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:34.639
 We see this, number three, that we panic when we lose sight of who's in the boat.

00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:42.380
 Because when this type of thing starts happening in our life, it changes things.

00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:45.520
 We begin to panic, and rightfully so.

00:17:45.840 --> 00:17:51.100
 I mean, if you're in the middle of a, if you're in the lake and a hurricane comes, and a lake would be crazy.

00:17:51.860 --> 00:17:52.840
 Because those are in the ocean.

00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:55.180
 I'm on medicine, it's okay.

00:17:55.180 --> 00:18:01.299
 But just a little topography lesson here.

00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:05.580
 These sudden squalls are very common on the Sea of Galilee.

00:18:06.340 --> 00:18:10.039
 Where the way the mountains are, and the cold air rushes down the mountains,

00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:14.519
 and it collides with the warm air that's over the lake, and it produces these fierce winds.

00:18:15.060 --> 00:18:18.960
 I just know if I was alive in this time, I probably wouldn't have gotten on the lake.

00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:20.880
 Just to be honest.

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:26.120
 It seems like the disciples go every time because Jesus said, now that's a good thing.

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.780
 I guess I should rephrase that.

00:18:27.860 --> 00:18:30.900
 If Jesus said get in the boat, I probably, hopefully, would have gotten the boat.

00:18:33.040 --> 00:18:34.160
 But they're in there.

00:18:35.620 --> 00:18:38.040
 And this storm comes out of nowhere.

00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:44.800
 And it seems like it just instantly takes over, and they were filled with water.

00:18:45.100 --> 00:18:47.600
 Now, I'm not a boater, but I know one thing.

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:49.360
 It's not supposed to be in the boat.

00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.059
 It's supposed to be on the outside of the boat.

00:18:53.659 --> 00:18:54.019
 Yeah.

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.779
 I mean, some of us know better than others.

00:18:55.879 --> 00:18:58.979
 We're not going to point it out on situations like that.

00:18:59.259 --> 00:19:02.039
 But you want the water outside of the boat.

00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:08.639
 And we're reminded here, just in case we forgot, some of these men in this boat are not amateurs.

00:19:09.899 --> 00:19:11.379
 This wasn't their first time in the lake.

00:19:12.179 --> 00:19:15.000
 Four of them we know for sure, and possibly more.

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.000
 This is where they made their livelihood.

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:19.859
 These were professional fishermen.

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:22.740
 This was their stomping ground, so to speak.

00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:25.299
 They had seen a storm or two in their time.

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:28.059
 But there was something different about this one.

00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.900
 They know they're in real danger.

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.059
 And notice what they do.

00:19:34.059 --> 00:19:42.960
 They came to him and awoke him saying, Master, Master, we perish.

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:47.200
 Now, sometimes we give the disciples a really hard time.

00:19:48.639 --> 00:19:50.359
 But here's the great thing they did.

00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:51.720
 They went to the right person.

00:19:53.339 --> 00:19:54.619
 They went to the right person.

00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:58.279
 They went to the one person they knew that could probably do something about it.

00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:01.940
 But the problem they had is they didn't ask for help.

00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:05.559
 They questioned whether he really cared.

00:20:07.099 --> 00:20:08.920
 Isn't that what storms do to us sometimes?

00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:13.500
 When skies are blue, seas are calm.

00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:15.000
 You know, somebody asks, how are you doing?

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.519
 Blessed and highly favored.

00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:18.579
 You know, better than I deserve.

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:22.440
 It's easy to give a good answer when life is good.

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:32.039
 But when all of a sudden the cold wind rushes down the mountain, hits the warm air, and life is turned upside down, we say this.

00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:34.059
 Lord, do you even love me?

00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:37.299
 Lord, do you even know where I'm at?

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:39.320
 Lord, I don't know if you know this.

00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:41.120
 There's water in my boat.

00:20:42.600 --> 00:20:43.900
 And maybe you're here this morning.

00:20:44.299 --> 00:20:46.080
 And it feels like water's in your boat.

00:20:46.340 --> 00:20:48.920
 And it feels like the Lord has forsaken you.

00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:51.059
 Let me remind you, he doesn't.

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:56.740
 If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, he promised to never leave you nor forsake you.

00:20:58.879 --> 00:21:00.179
 But what are you looking at?

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:02.359
 Are you looking at the storm?

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:04.339
 Are you looking at all the situations?

00:21:04.659 --> 00:21:06.599
 Are you looking at the Savior?

00:21:07.259 --> 00:21:11.279
 See, we often believe that Jesus loves and cares when things are good.

00:21:11.399 --> 00:21:13.659
 But when it doesn't, where are you, Lord?

00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:16.299
 But that's not the case.

00:21:17.159 --> 00:21:18.500
 Listen, Jesus loved them.

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:21.819
 He already had a plan for them.

00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:28.119
 And when panic grips us, it's usually because we're staring at the storm instead of the Savior.

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.359
 And that's true in my own life.

00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:37.680
 I just keep talking about the storm and thinking about the storm and Googling the storm and this or that.

00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:39.980
 And the Lord's like, what about me?

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:42.259
 Why don't you come to me?

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:46.819
 I know the verse that we're to cast all our cares upon the Lord because he cares for us.

00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:49.400
 But, you know, that doesn't apply right now because I'm in a storm.

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.380
 No, it still applies.

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:54.019
 But God still wants us to go to him.

00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:58.220
 Listen, faith doesn't pretend that danger isn't real.

00:21:58.420 --> 00:21:59.599
 That's not what we're teaching here.

00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:01.500
 That's not what Jesus is teaching his disciples.

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:05.519
 No, faith remembers who's in command when the danger is real.

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.799
 That who's in control.

00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:14.200
 See, the disciples fear it drives them to wake Jesus.

00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:19.339
 And what he does next is really just boggles their mind.

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:22.279
 So they run and they wake him up.

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.579
 I wonder how quick he woke up.

00:22:23.619 --> 00:22:24.960
 This is just me thinking out loud.

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.419
 Because he's like my kids.

00:22:28.159 --> 00:22:29.059
 It's not the first time.

00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:33.919
 You know, I wonder if he just went slow just to kind of teach them a lesson.

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:36.180
 Kind of, hmm.

00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:40.539
 Oh, what is going on, Peter?

00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:42.880
 I thought you were in control of everything.

00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:44.640
 I thought you could handle it.

00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:47.880
 I think Jesus had a little bit of sarcasm in there.

00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:49.140
 I mean, he picked Peter.

00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:50.039
 I think he had to.

00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:52.180
 I just wonder how it was.

00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:53.120
 These are one of those things.

00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:55.259
 I hope we get to see how this kind of played out.

00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:58.460
 You know, because they're trying to be nice and they're trying to kind of wake him up gently.

00:22:58.460 --> 00:23:01.019
 But obviously this is a difficult situation.

00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:04.559
 But the Bible says there in verse number 24.

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:10.100
 Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.

00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:12.880
 And they ceased and there was a calm.

00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:16.700
 I love how it's just so just matter of fact.

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:19.340
 And it should be.

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:22.539
 Because Jesus has authority over everything.

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:26.860
 But he has authority over nature because he is God.

00:23:26.859 --> 00:23:32.179
 See, for the disciples to see this type of miracle, it boggled their mind.

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:39.879
 But really it just, it should have harkened them back and reminds us that this is the same voice that spoke.

00:23:40.699 --> 00:23:41.799
 Let there be.

00:23:42.619 --> 00:23:43.399
 And there was.

00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:47.659
 Many of Jesus' miracles, maybe you wonder why does he speak?

00:23:47.939 --> 00:23:52.899
 Because he is showing once again who he is.

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.779
 That he is the creator.

00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:57.119
 That he is the sustainer.

00:23:57.579 --> 00:24:00.480
 And that's why he could say these things and everything.

00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:03.539
 Listen, creation still obeys his voice.

00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:09.960
 And Luke uses this same word rebuke that he does when Jesus silences the demons.

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:14.799
 That it's just, they instantly respond.

00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:20.960
 We've seen that when we walk through there in the synagogue in his hometown.

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:23.220
 When he speaks, the demons listen.

00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:25.599
 Because they know who he is.

00:24:26.399 --> 00:24:29.539
 That he is the sustainer of all things.

00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:33.000
 The forces of nature are no less subject to him.

00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:39.319
 And it just, it should comfort our hearts.

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:43.019
 That everything that terrifies us.

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:45.519
 Everything that keeps us up.

00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:47.700
 Everything that causes us to worry.

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:49.759
 Is under his authority.

00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:54.839
 Everything is a shadow in his light.

00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:58.919
 There's nothing that's going to come up that's going to surprise him.

00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.699
 That he's not able to do that.

00:25:00.879 --> 00:25:04.240
 And he may not still every storm right away.

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:10.899
 Because maybe you're sitting here this morning thinking, I've been praying for the Lord to stop this storm in my life.

00:25:12.059 --> 00:25:13.319
 Well, maybe that's not his intention.

00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:17.059
 Maybe the intention is to stop the storm in your heart.

00:25:18.379 --> 00:25:23.059
 That he's trying to get your eyes off of everything else and onto him.

00:25:23.819 --> 00:25:25.859
 That's where he was trying to get the disciples.

00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:28.240
 That's what he wanted them to understand.

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:33.859
 And I would imagine, this is just me.

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:37.319
 I don't, I think he just spoke.

00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:38.799
 He didn't yell.

00:25:40.139 --> 00:25:41.619
 It was just a calm.

00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:44.699
 He has that authority.

00:25:46.059 --> 00:25:48.579
 And the lake is glassy calm now.

00:25:50.239 --> 00:25:53.679
 But the disciples are still real turbulent in their own life.

00:25:54.619 --> 00:25:57.199
 Their hearts are still kind of all over the place.

00:25:58.819 --> 00:26:02.779
 And what Jesus reminds us in verse number 25, the first part, is this.

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:07.939
 That trials are meant to strengthen our faith.

00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:11.479
 Now, we don't like to hear that.

00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:14.859
 We don't, we're not looking for trials.

00:26:16.299 --> 00:26:24.239
 But if we allow the one that's in control to be the guide, to be the captain, here's what a trial can do.

00:26:24.379 --> 00:26:25.459
 It can strengthen us.

00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:27.319
 It can help us.

00:26:27.419 --> 00:26:29.199
 It can help us to move forward.

00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:35.380
 Jesus asked, where is your faith?

00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:40.259
 Did you notice he didn't say, do you have any faith?

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:42.279
 It's kind of this.

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:44.000
 Hey, where'd you put your faith?

00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.440
 Where'd you set it down?

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:48.660
 Anybody ever set something down and can't find it?

00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:51.660
 Yeah.

00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:53.519
 You know how you walk in a room and you're like this.

00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:56.660
 Has anybody seen my keys?

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.099
 I don't know where they're at.

00:26:58.139 --> 00:26:59.200
 Has anybody seen my phone?

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:03.680
 Sometimes we treat our faith like that.

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:05.619
 We'll bring it on Sunday morning.

00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.559
 We'll bring it on Sunday night.

00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:08.339
 We'll bring it on Wednesday.

00:27:08.339 --> 00:27:08.539
 Wednesday.

00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:16.740
 But sometimes we get out in real life and the Lord's like, hey, where's your faith?

00:27:17.639 --> 00:27:19.220
 Where's your faith in that job situation?

00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:20.000
 Where's your faith here?

00:27:20.059 --> 00:27:20.639
 Where's your faith at?

00:27:21.019 --> 00:27:22.459
 Where did you put it?

00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.899
 Their fear, here's what it did.

00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:31.000
 It revealed that their faith was in good weather.

00:27:31.919 --> 00:27:32.679
 Not the Lord.

00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:38.799
 So they had no problems getting in the boat when the weather was good.

00:27:40.100 --> 00:27:42.060
 But when the weather got bad, then they had fear.

00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.460
 Because it was all based on the circumstances of their life.

00:27:47.060 --> 00:27:50.340
 As long as life is good, then I'm going to have no fear.

00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:53.220
 My faith is real good.

00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:59.740
 I always have an umbrella, except when it rains.

00:28:01.820 --> 00:28:02.080
 You know?

00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:03.019
 Isn't that how it goes?

00:28:03.939 --> 00:28:05.740
 I mean, you look at it, and sometimes you're even trying to plan it.

00:28:05.779 --> 00:28:07.319
 Like, should I put this in my car?

00:28:07.399 --> 00:28:08.419
 Should I take it with me today?

00:28:08.659 --> 00:28:09.460
 No, I won't.

00:28:09.699 --> 00:28:13.819
 And then it's lunchtime and lunch break, and you're thinking, it's a monsoon out there.

00:28:14.439 --> 00:28:15.379
 Like, I have an umbrella.

00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:16.000
 It's at home.

00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:17.359
 Well, guess what?

00:28:17.379 --> 00:28:18.299
 It's completely useless.

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.359
 Completely useless.

00:28:20.699 --> 00:28:25.019
 Listen, faith unused and untested is like an umbrella that's left in a closet.

00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:29.519
 You have it, but it didn't do any good for you.

00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:39.579
 And what we're reminded here, as we kind of close this text out, is that faith is tested in storms.

00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:43.379
 Listen, you should want your faith to be tested.

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.740
 That's how God grows us.

00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:49.259
 That's how God brings us closer to Him.

00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:50.839
 That's how we trust Him more.

00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:59.180
 That's how you can see some seasoned Christian, and you're thinking, how can they just walk through this difficulty in life with a smile on their face?

00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:00.319
 They know the captain.

00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:02.059
 They've seen it.

00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:02.619
 He's at the wheel.

00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:03.319
 They know it.

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:05.700
 And it doesn't mean that it's easy.

00:29:05.939 --> 00:29:08.240
 It doesn't mean that, like, hey, I don't have any worries all the time.

00:29:08.460 --> 00:29:08.899
 No, no.

00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:12.960
 But God uses these trials not to sink us.

00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:17.419
 Because the Bible told us that they were filled with water, and they were in jeopardy.

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:21.200
 They were certain from all accounts they were going under.

00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:23.639
 That's not why Jesus put them out there.

00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:28.440
 Jesus wasn't going to let them sink in the middle of the lake.

00:29:29.840 --> 00:29:30.940
 You know what He was trying to do?

00:29:31.100 --> 00:29:34.280
 He was trying to anchor them more deeply into Him.

00:29:35.800 --> 00:29:37.900
 They weren't just trusting life.

00:29:38.520 --> 00:29:41.780
 And they weren't trusting their own abilities as sailors and fishermen.

00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:45.820
 They weren't trusting their own talents and all of those things.

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:47.900
 No, they were trusting Him.

00:29:49.120 --> 00:29:50.940
 That's where He was bringing them to.

00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:57.059
 That even when life seems to be going well, you still need to be anchored into Jesus Christ.

00:29:58.299 --> 00:30:01.460
 Not say, well, I don't need Him right now because everything's good.

00:30:02.660 --> 00:30:04.240
 No, you need Him right now.

00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:13.200
 See, the disciples' fear now shifts from the storm to Jesus.

00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:17.080
 Notice what they say in verse number 25.

00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:20.139
 And they being afraid.

00:30:20.839 --> 00:30:21.419
 No kidding.

00:30:22.439 --> 00:30:25.500
 I love when the Bible kind of just says that real quick.

00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:28.659
 Jesus just stood up.

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.460
 Woke up, actually.

00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:32.599
 Calmed the storm.

00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:34.419
 I wonder what their faces were.

00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:37.019
 I mean, I can't imagine.

00:30:37.419 --> 00:30:38.740
 You ever just been somewhere like that?

00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:41.939
 You just look at it like, did you just see that?

00:30:41.940 --> 00:30:44.660
 I mean, they're shocked by it.

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:46.440
 And they start talking to each other.

00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:51.019
 And they said, what manner of man is this?

00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:59.680
 For he commanded even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.

00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:08.640
 They realize He's worthy of our trust.

00:31:09.860 --> 00:31:12.920
 He's worthy to follow.

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:16.440
 He is the one that is in control.

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:24.539
 And as long as my eyes are on Him, as long as He is in the boat with me, as long as He is my Savior,

00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:28.060
 then I'm going to be okay, come what may.

00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:31.919
 And we need to be reminded of that.

00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:37.039
 Because we can set up, I can set up here and preach it, but I know there's going to be something coming in my life,

00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:39.139
 and I'm thinking, Lord, do you even love me?

00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:40.759
 Oh, He does.

00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:43.859
 He's in control of everything.

00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:52.460
 The thing that is, I feel like wrecking my life, all He has to do is just say, peace be still.

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:56.200
 You think, well, why doesn't He just say that sometimes?

00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:58.779
 Why don't He just calm my storm?

00:31:58.920 --> 00:32:00.759
 If He really loved me, why wouldn't He calm me?

00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:03.559
 No, if He really loved you, He wants to make you more like Him.

00:32:04.299 --> 00:32:11.880
 He wants to gain your focus and gain your trust, and so we can build that and grow closer and closer to Him.

00:32:11.880 --> 00:32:18.460
 When Jesus looked at Him and said, well, guys, you survived.

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:20.300
 That's not what He said.

00:32:21.800 --> 00:32:24.420
 He said, where's your faith?

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:27.480
 And that's the question I just want to leave with you today.

00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:31.120
 Jesus doesn't ask that question to shame them.

00:32:31.560 --> 00:32:33.400
 He doesn't ask that question to us to shame us.

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:36.180
 No, He asked that question because He wants to shape us.

00:32:37.220 --> 00:32:39.440
 He wants to grow us more.

00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:46.460
 See, every one of us will face moments where the wind howls and the waves rise higher than we think we can handle.

00:32:47.820 --> 00:32:49.180
 Some of you have walked through them.

00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:51.540
 Some of you are walking through them right now.

00:32:53.060 --> 00:32:55.420
 Maybe it's a diagnosis that changes your life.

00:32:56.460 --> 00:33:01.500
 A phone call in the middle of the night, a financial storm, a relationship that feels like it's sinking.

00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:05.660
 And you think, Lord, if you would just fix this.

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:12.460
 See, in those moments, the temptation is to look at the storm.

00:33:12.819 --> 00:33:18.640
 But this text reminds us that the invitation is actually to look at the Savior.

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.440
 Where's your focus?

00:33:22.380 --> 00:33:23.500
 What are you looking at?

00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:25.980
 Storms are coming.

00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:29.680
 You think, well, I just got through one, so I'm good for a while.

00:33:30.380 --> 00:33:31.359
 But they're still coming.

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:35.519
 In this world, you shall have tribulation.

00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:37.599
 But be of good cheer.

00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:41.119
 He has overcome the world.

00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:44.440
 See, what you're going to face, you can't overcome.

00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:46.420
 You can't make it through.

00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:47.740
 You are in jeopardy.

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:48.759
 You will sink.

00:33:49.559 --> 00:33:50.200
 But He won't.

00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:55.519
 See, the disciples thought the real danger was the storm.

00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:58.160
 But the truth is the real danger was in their doubt.

00:33:58.160 --> 00:34:04.279
 And God wants to work that out in the storm that we face in life.

00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:09.260
 God wants to move us from that and say, yes, it could be raging all around.

00:34:09.260 --> 00:34:12.720
 But as long as Jesus is there, you're good.

00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:16.160
 Because remember when Peter walked in the water?

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:17.780
 It wasn't calm seas.

00:34:19.080 --> 00:34:20.380
 The storm was raging.

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:25.160
 And as long as Peter was focused on Jesus, he was good.

00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:29.259
 But the Bible says he began to look around and began to see all the things going on.

00:34:29.319 --> 00:34:30.420
 And he said, what am I doing out here?

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:31.539
 I can't do this.

00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:32.440
 And he began to sink.

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:49.900
 What I love about our Savior, and we see it in this text especially, is that even when they forgot, even when they doubted, even when they questioned, Jesus didn't abandon them.

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.679
 He rose.

00:34:53.380 --> 00:34:54.159
 He spoke.

00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:55.860
 He calmed.

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:59.880
 Not just the waves, but their fears.

00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:03.740
 And here's the good news.

00:35:04.740 --> 00:35:10.360
 The one who commands the wind and the water still rides in the boat with his people.

00:35:12.260 --> 00:35:13.559
 Maybe God's telling you this.

00:35:14.300 --> 00:35:15.900
 Let's get in the boat and go to the other side.

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:21.140
 Maybe you're not experiencing any storms because you're not in any boat.

00:35:22.300 --> 00:35:23.200
 You've got to get in the boat.

00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:27.039
 You're not going to experience the storm on the sea when you're sitting on the shore.

00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:35.380
 Yes, sometimes obedience leads to this, but you're going to come through the other side, and you're going to see things you never thought you could see.

00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:37.860
 You're going to see God working in a way you never thought.

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:43.840
 We're going to see next week when they get over there, they meet this maniac of Gadara that no man could tame.

00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.860
 Well, there is one man.

00:35:47.059 --> 00:35:47.460
 Jesus.

00:35:49.539 --> 00:35:52.139
 And see, they built some trust here on the water.

00:35:52.579 --> 00:35:54.079
 Then they're going to build some trust there.

00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:58.819
 Then they're going to come back, and they're going to see him work in Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue.

00:35:59.079 --> 00:36:01.799
 And it's just a reminder over and over and over.

00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:07.860
 Stop looking at all the things going wrong in your life, and just look at the one constant, Jesus Christ.

00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:09.539
 He's not distant.

00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.719
 He's not powerless.

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:12.279
 He's never lost a battle.

00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:18.099
 And so when you leave here today and the clouds start to gather in your life, don't ask, how big is this storm going to be?

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:21.860
 You can walk out and say, I'm thankful I serve a big Savior.

00:36:22.799 --> 00:36:24.440
 I'm thankful God is in control.

00:36:25.219 --> 00:36:27.179
 God, would you use this?

00:36:27.279 --> 00:36:30.599
 Would you help me learn what I need to learn here today?

00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:38.400
 And we can answer the same way that the disciples said, wow, what manner of man is this?

00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:41.500
 That he did this in my life.

00:36:41.500 --> 00:36:46.039
 And it can be a testimony to all those around you.

00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:48.900
 Would you stand with your heads bowed, with your eyes closed?

00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:49.400
 Amen.

00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:49.900
 Amen.

00:36:49.900 --> 00:36:50.320
 Amen.

00:36:50.320 --> 00:36:50.400
 Amen.

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:50.400


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00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:50.400