Even The Upright Get Uptight

By Cliff Myers
Bible Book: Selected Passages 
Subject: Fruit of the Spirit; Peace of God; Presence of God
Inteoduction

Galatians 5:22; Matthew 14

Matthew 14 is the story of Jesus walking on the Water.  What we have recorded here is a miracle. I believe that with all my heart. Do you believe in miracles? Friend, this is more than a miracle; it is a miracle with a message. The message is that you can have the peace of God during your storm. Are you going through a storm? If you are, this message is going to show you how to have peace. As we examine God’s Word, we will see there are several assurances that we can rest on.      

As I counsel with people, it is clear that everyone has issues they have to deal with periodically. 

  • Perhaps you are experiencing a Financial Crisis
  • Perhaps you are weighed down by an Emotional Need
  • Perhaps there is a difficult Family Situation you are experiencing
  • Perhaps you are plagued by a Physical Problem
  • Perhaps you are dealing with a Relationship Issue
  • Perhaps you are enslaved by a Spiritual Issue (Doubt, Fear, Unbelief)
  • Perhaps you are broken by Lost Dreams
  • Perhaps you are reeling from a Broken heart.  

Whatever it might me, pain and hurt are devastating.

 You are listening today and you are thinking in your mind, “You don’t have a message for me today. I’m just fine, I’m sailing along smoothly.  Everything is AOK.” Are you? If so, I’m so happy for you.  Enjoy it and wait a while. Eventually you will be in a storm.  So, store this up in your heart so that when you get in a storm, you can have peace during your storm.

Amy Carmichael warns, “Sometimes the enemy comes in like a flood.”

  • Famines Come 
  • Floods come
  • Storms come.

What God has illustrated in this miracle is that peace is not the absence of problems, but the addition of power. Life is often like a storm. David said in Psalm 42:7 “All thy waves and thy billows have come over me.” He was speaking poetically, but graphically. It sometimes seems we are literally engulfed in a storm.

Matthew 14:22-34 is the story of Jesus walking on the Sea. This is a great story of Jesus performing a miracle that defies the laws of gravity and physics. Let’s read it together, “22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” (NKJV)

Dear friend, this story tells us clearly and plainly how to have peace in the midst of our storm. To help you understand, I want to give you several assurances that come out of this story which will help you have peace.

I. His providence brought me here.  Vs. 24 vs. 22

A. Note that Jesus told them to get on that ship.

They were not in that ship because they were out of the will of God, they were in that ship because they were in the will of God. The storm came not because they were out of the will of God (like Jonah) but because they were in the will of God.

B. Jesus told them to go, so He providentially led them into that storm.

Never get the idea that if you are in the will of God that you will never go through a storm.  You say, maybe Jesus didn’t know there was a storm. Friends, Jesus knew there was going to be a storm there.

1. The Bible says that Jesus knows our thoughts from afar off.

2. The Bible says, “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord”

3. Jesus, as part of the Trinity created the world. One characteristic of God is that he is omniscient.  In simple terms, God is “all knowing”.  Now when we think of all of God’s creation, there is nothing that compares to His ability “to know”. Even the angels created by God have intelligence and will as does man but even though Jesus implies that they have superhuman knowledge at the same time he expressly asserts that this knowledge has its limits. Listen, friends, there is no limit to God’s knowledge, and as the second person of the Trinity, Jesus is God… God the Son.

C. Jesus could walk on the water; He could say peace be still.

He can still say that today. Listen, He knew there was going to be a storm, and he led them into the storm. It is a false theology to believe that if we are right with God that we won’t have any problems. It is false to believe that life is all honey and no bees. This is not true, and it is not Biblical.

D. There are two types of storms that come in our lives.

Let me share examples with you:

1. Jonah - out of the will of God - storms of correction.

2. Disciples - in the will of God - perfecting storm

3. So, there are storms of corrections and storms of perfection. God uses storms to correct our paths, and He uses storms to move us toward a life of holiness and sanctification. It doesn’t make any difference what type of storm you find yourself in, God is over all. God is in control! If you are in a storm right now, you can know that if God didn’t cause it, he allowed it. If you are in a storm, it did not take God by surprise.  God never says “OH No, I didn’t see that coming”.

If there is a storm in your life God is over it, under it, through it, beyond it, and in it. He is the providential God!

E. You may ask, “Pastor, what is Providence?”

Friend, providence simply means “His purpose brought me here”. It didn’t take God by surprise.  God never says “Opps”! The Bible says, “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” Listen, you are safer in the storm in God’s will than on land with the crowd’s out of God’s will. Never judge your security based on circumstances alone. Ground beneath your feet and blue sky does not mean all is well.

II. His Prayers protect me here.

A. Look at vs. 23.  What was Jesus doing on that mountain?  He was praying for his disciples.

1. In Mark 6: 47-48 we find the same story. Here the Bible says, “47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.” (NKJV)

2. The Bible says “they were straining at rowing for the wind was against them.” I want you to get the picture – they were toiling at the oars, their backs are aching, their knuckles are white, their lips are trembling with fear, and the wind is contrary. Have you ever felt like you were in a similar situation?

3. Where is Jesus?  On the mountain, and he has his eyes on them and he is praying for them.

B. Jesus Christ is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now and he is praying for you.

Romans 8:34 states, “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (NKJV) Who is at the Right Hand of God? Who is making intersession for us? It is Jesus! Just as He saw the disciples, he sees us this morning.

C. I can’t remember to pray for everyone, but Jesus can.

He has you on his prayer list. The wonderful thing about His prayers is that God the Father always hears them.

Listen, the songwriter says his eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.

III.​ His Presence comes to me Here.

I want you to know that Jesus Christ can be more real to you in your storm than any other time.

The storms that threatened them was the superhighway that brought Jesus to them.  Look at vs. 24-25 with me.  It says, “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.” (NKJV) ​The very sea that they thought was going to drown them brought Jesus to them. He always comes in the midst of your storms. If you are a child of God, if you have peace with God then you can have the assurance he will be there.

Conclusion

Friends, God has not promised us that there would be no storms, but we can see from this scripture that He is with us and comes to us in our storms. One of my favorite poems is by Annie Johnson Flint. It is entitled What God Hath Promised. Listen as I share with you the words of this great work:

God hath not promised

Skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways

All our lives through;

God hath not promised

Sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow,

Peace without pain.

But God hath promised

Strength for the day,

Rest for the labor,

Light for the way,

Grace for the trials,

Help from above,

Unfailing sympathy,

Undying love.

If you are experiencing a storm remember

(1) His providence brought me here,

(2) His prayers protect me here,

(3) His presence comes to me here