Stay
Clear
Luke
8:22-25; Matt 14: 22-33 NIV
Purpose: If we want to
become Jesus Christ in blood and flesh, how is that that we get discourage
for things that happen in our lives.
Luke 8:22-39
22 One day
Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of
the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out.
23 As they
sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was
being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The
disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He
got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all
was calm.
25 “Where is your faith?” he asked
his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is
this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Matthew 14: 22-33
22 Immediately
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other
side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he
had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that
night, he was there alone,
24 and the
boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves
because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly
before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When
the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”
they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus
immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I.
Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if
it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then
Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when
he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save
me!”
31 Immediately
Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind
died down.
33 Then those
who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
This is the Word of God,
for the
people of God.
Praise be to
God. Amen
Stay
Clear
Luke
8:22-25; Matt 14: 22-33 NIV
Purpose: If we want to
become Jesus Christ in blood and flesh, how is that that we get discourage
for things that happen in our lives.
I. Introduction
II. Stay
Clear on God's care and provision for us, helps us to never be discourage when He directs us to do
something.
III. Explanation
of the text, Luke 8:22-25 and Matthew 14:22-33
IV. Conclusion[s]
V. Prayer
Stay
Clear
Luke
8:22-25; Matt 14: 22-33 NIV
Purpose: If we want to
become Jesus Christ in blood and flesh, how is that that we get discourage
for things that happen in our lives.
I
always have been curious about what a storm is. According to some research a storm
is a disturbance of a normal condition of the atmosphere, manifesting itself by
winds of unusual force, often accompanied by rain, snow, hail, thunder, and
lightening. In the case of a dessert flying sand or dust. Storms generally lead
to negative impacts on lives and property such as flooding, heavy lightening,
and wildfires.[1] Storms
are created when a center of low pressure develops with a system of high
pressure surrounding it. In the center is a light pressure but the forces
outside are applying greater pressure. The combination of this opposing forces
can create winds and result in the formation of a storm.
That
means, a storm starts when in a calm place with a low pressure encounter high
pressure outside of it normal environmental circumstances.
Also,
it is important to know that not all the storms are the same. No, they are very
different. There are storms that are for winter, they included snow. They can
be very dangerous because of the cold weather. There is a storm call dust devil
is a small little storm. There are the thunderstorm this storm is very painful
because brings thunder and lightening. The thunderstorms are very common around
the world.
I
am sure that you know the parallel that Jesus was not just teaching, He was
actually living it with His disciples. Jesus was showing them how to live in a
middle of a storm, calm, peaceful and
never get discourage. Jesus was sleeping in the middle of a storm. How is
that that Jesus was able, was capable, and was willing to sleep in the middle of
a storm with any kind of protection. He was totally exposed to the storm.
Why??? I think it was because Jesus was at peace with Himself and He knew that
the Father was taking care of Him and His disciples.
Pay
attention that the storm starts when two different kinds of pressures encounter
each other and clash. Outside of ourselves, it is impossible to control
anything, the government, the economy, the environment, the decisions of our
spouse or children. What we really can
control is never become discourage when
results in life are not in the way we have expected. We cannot allow ourselves to become negative,
pessimistic, and distrust people. This is not going to happen to us.
Just
look at the example of Jesus, and again, He was living the example. In one of
the stories says to His disciples, "Let us go over the other side of the
lake." So, they got into a boat and set out. They were obedient to
Jesus command. They didn't hesitate to obey. However, when the storm came, they
were terrified to the point that they didn't care that Jesus was in front of
them . . . sleeping . It was not enough for them. They wake Him up. "Master,
Master, we are going to drown!"
In
the two stories of today, there are some common elements
1)
The disciples are following Jesus directions. Jesus has said, "Let us go
to the other side" and "Let go
ahead of me." In both stories they are very obedient to Jesus' Will.
2)
Again fear is in the picture of lives. They were terrified.
3)
When fear appears they start doubting. They want to give up. They get discourage!!!
Pay
close attention in the next point,
4)
Jesus was present with them the entire time. One Jesus was sleeping and in the other Jesus reaches them walking on the
water.
I
think Jesus was a little frustrated, because in the Scripture shows in
exclamation marks Where is your faith!!!
and Take courage.
Yes, Jesus was expecting them to be
afraid. Yes, Jesus was expecting them to call Him. What Jesus was not expecting them was to get discourage on their
mission, on their lesson, on their lives. How many times , we want to
through everything out, to quit, to get discourage. It is there, it is there,
when we allow the external pressure of this world to start putting us down, to
start doubting about Jesus' presence when we are in the middle of the storm, to
start questioning God's Will and directions of whatever He already commanded us
to do.
I
am convinced that Jesus was surprise even sad of the disciples reaction. They
easily could get discourage if Jesus was not in front of them. How many times,
we know, we know that Jesus is inside us, right here on our side, and we get
discourage. Perhaps, we start thinking, this
is too much for u, for our church, for me to accomplish. This is too much to
expect from this fallen world, and this is too scary.
So, why the disciples were so afraid? Why did they doubt even when Jesus
was in front of them? Because
they didn't stay clear.
Take for example an Olympic swimmer,
Michael helps. He has experienced inner pressure to some degree because it is
the force to keep you going, plus the outside pressure that it is tremendous.
The pressure from the coach, the pressure from the public, the pressure from
his family and friends, the pressure of the entire America
Actually,
he had a hard experience in Beijing , he says, "In Beijing
So,
again, how we can become capable to succeed with pressures in our lives and
when the storm comes how we can avoid get discourage. Well, we need to do what
Jesus did.
1) Stay clear that the pressure
of outside is NOT going to affect our behavior, our reactions because we are
going to remain clear and calm.
2) Stay clear of our identity.
Who we are, we are Olympic champions for the
Kingdom of God
3) Stay clear and positive in
our achievements because in this way we don't get
discourage.
Truly speaking my dear ones, we have
it easier than a lot of people because we know that God in Jesus is not going
to leave us alone in our storms. Stay clear gives us the opportunity to feel
the real, strong, and powerful presence of God who lives already inside us.
Stay clear helps us to never get discourage in life. Stay clear gives us the
assurance to sleep peacefully in the middle of the storms.
Let us pray,
Dear and Good Father
Thank
You for being very present in our storms. Thank You for helping us never to get
discourage even when the storms are very strong. Please help us to stay always
clear of who You are, of who we are, and of whom we want to become.
In Jesus name, we pray.
Amen
Amen
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm
(Accessed on 11.27.2015)
[2] http://www.mensfitness.com/weight-loss/burn-fat-fast/train-michael-phelps
(Accessed on 11.27.2015).
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