BEYOND BELIEF: FEAR OR FAITH?

2024-03-10 

Matt Willmington 

Matthew 8:23-28 

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” 28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men…

·         “On the same day”

·         “Let us cross”

·         “Suddenly” = that’s life

·         “Great tempest”

• Three Storm Sources:
  • God (Jonah 1)
  • Devil (Job 1)
  • Nature

·         “Asleep”

• God as Man
• God with Man
• God and Man
• God–Man

·         “Awoke him” (Jonah 1:4-16, Gethsemane)

·         “Lord save us!” (Master, master! Teacher don’t you care?)

·         “Why fearful… little faith?”

• ‘Notitia’ = understand
• ‘Assensus’ = agree
• ‘Fiducia’ = trust

·         “Rebuked” wind / waves (Peace be still)

·         “Great calm”

·         “Marveled” (feared)

·         “Who can this be?” Job 38

• Psalm 89:8-9 O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.

·         “Came to the other side”

LESSONS

1. Jesus is in the boat.
   1. Not about the storm. Don’t be a storm tracker, be a Savior tracker.
   2. Not about you. You’re not the story’s star, so you’re not the storm’s victim.
2. Don’t mistake God’s silence in the boat for his absence from the storm.
3. Storms are faith gyms (Matthew 14 p.76).
   1. Move from fear to faith.
   2. Worship when the windstorm hits.
4. He will get your boat to shore.

Psalm 107:25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. 27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.