(Breath of Life Theme Music)
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Sermon #B677 - Is
Jesus In Your Boat?
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and so I would invite you to
take your Bibles and go with me
to the Book of Matthew.
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Matthew chapter eight
verses twenty-three through
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twenty-seven. We want
to get right in the word.
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Matthew chapter eight
verses twenty-three through
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twenty-seven, the word of God
says to us today "And, when he
was entered into a ship his
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disciples, followed him and
behold there arose a great
tempest in the sea and as much
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that the ship was covered with
the waves, but he was asleep..."
Verse twenty-five "...
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and then his disciples came to
him and they awoke him saying
Lord save us we perish
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and he sayeth unto them, "Why
are ye fearful O ye of little
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faith?", Then he arose and Jesus
rebuked the winds and the Sea
and there was a great calm
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but the men marveled saying
"What manner of man is this that
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even the winds
and the sea obey him?"
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Today, we want to just challenge
you with the message and title
'Is Jesus in your boat?'
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Is Jesus in your boat? God, we
have prayed we have seen video,
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we have sung, and we have
worship you through all these
liturgical elements
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but God we need a word from you
right now. So Lord we need you
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in our boat today. We need you
in this boat, in this sermon, in
this moment right now.
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So God, may your spirit pour out
itself, through the television
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airwaves, through the internet
Airwaves man pour out in this
sanctuary right now,
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and we promise we will
give you the praise, the honor
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and the glory now moves when
appeal time comes, Lord save me.
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I pray forgive us of our
sins in Jesus' name, Amen.
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Is Jesus in your boat? If you
would have told me seven months
ago that twenty-twenty would
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have been like this, I would
have thought you had lost your
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mind. Twenty-twenty was
supposed to be a year of vision,
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twenty-twenty was supposed
to be a year of victory,
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but we did not see any
of what we have seen coming.
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We never expected twenty-twenty
would be disrupted by a global
pandemic that would
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shut the world down and claimed
the lives of over six hundred
thousand people worldwide
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and counting. We never thought
that we would be wearing masks
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everywhere, that schools would
be going virtual, that hospitals
would be at capacity
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and there would be no ICU
beds anywhere in some places,
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but then we do not stop there
because it is not only COVID-19,
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but we never expected that the
remixed Civil Rights Movement
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would recapitulate and strike a
fever pitch with the death of
yet another unarmed black man in
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that of George Floyd. So we have
seen the demise of images like
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Aunt Jemima and the Washington
Red Skins. Several statutes and
monuments have also come down.
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The Mississippi state flag has
been retired in order to remove
the Confederate emblem.
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The Confederate flag is now
banned in NASCAR and the United
States Marine Corps.
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Some cities have even painted
giant black lives matter murals
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on major streets. Washington DC
even went as far as to change
the name of a portion of a
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street leading directly to the
front lawn of the White House
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and approximately thirty million
people from all ethnicities
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from all colors from all
cultures and Creeds have
participated in the gorge Floyd
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protests. No time in Earth's
history have we lived in such a
volatile time like we do right.
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You turn on the television, you
surf the Internet and because
there is so much going on,
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you begin to realize how
uncertain how unpredictable, and
how unstable society is.
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Times are getting rough and
times are getting tough. The
devil is not playing with us.
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Death, disease, and destruction
are rampant, gunfire is
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commonplace, the proliferation
of sexual deviancy and variety
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is widespread. The coronavirus
is exploding and it is far from
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over, new hospitalizations have
increased in thirty-four states,
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deaths have increased in
twenty-seven states, businesses
have gone bankrupt,
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air traffic, air passenger
traffic is down by nearly ninety
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percent, racism is also out of
control, knees are on our necks,
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social media wars are erupting
between church folk on the
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internet, frustrations are
mounting, tensions are reaching
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a boiling point. The storms of
life are raging, winds are
blowing, waves are tossing,
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the sky is thundering. We
are in the midst of a storm
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and the storm does
not seem to be going away
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and this preacher just wants to
know that through all this, is
Jesus in your boat?
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Now, you need to know that there
is nothing more out of control,
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nothing more out of human
control than being in a boat in
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a storm, at sea. You see I have
been deep sea fishing before and
when you are out at sea in a
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boat, you are completely subject
to the Grave circumstances that
are outside of your control
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because if it rains, what do you
do? If it storms, what do you
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do? If there is lightning, what
do you do? If there is
thundering, what do you do?
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If the winds blow and the
waves toss, what do you do?
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If the boat appears that it is
about to turn over, that it is
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about to capsize, what do you
do? And so being in a boat in a
storm at sea is a perfect
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example of being at the mercy
of difficult or even dangerous
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circumstances. Circumstances in
which we are helpless to do
anything but cry out to God.
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In today's text, we find such
an example. All the elements are
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here in this text. The sudden
and unexpected storm, the boat
helplessly tossing about,
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the passengers in the boat who
are terrified and fearing for
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their lives but in this storm
unlike other storms in the Bible
like Jonah's storm or Paul's
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storm. In this storm, in Matthew
chapter eight, the good news is,
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Jesus the captain of
the ship, he is in the boat
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and his presence makes all
the difference in the world
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because Jesus is not
only lord of the sunshine
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but I believe I have got a
witness that understands Jesus
is also Lord of the storms
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and when we trust him, he
will see us through the storms.
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I wish I had a witness in his
place. Now the story of a storm,
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they are on the Sea of Galilee
in Matthew chapter eight,
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begins right after Jesus
has given a series of sermons
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and he has healed a number of
people. The Bible says that in
verse number twenty-three,
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the Bible says, that "He enters
a ship the disciples follow
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him..." The Bible continues in
verse twenty-four and says that
"...a great storm comes
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and the boat is covered with
waves." I like the way the new
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King James version puts it it
says "...and suddenly a great
tempest arose on the sea so that
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the boat was covered with the
waves, but he meaning Jesus was
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asleep." Now, let me remind you
today that the disciples were
experienced, fishermen.
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They were not novices. They
were not rookies. They were not
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beginners. This was not their
first rodeo. They were
experienced fishermen. They were
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experts. They were
professionals. They were
seasoned. They understood water
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patterns. They understood how to
operate in a boat. They had been
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in storms before. They had seen
when dark clouds were coming and
they could predict when a storm
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was coming. You see, the Sea of
Galilee was known for its sudden
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raging storms and because many
other disciples were seasoned
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fishermen, they knew how to
handle it so it would just seem
logical that the disciples would
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have been prepared but when you
read the text, the Bible says
that the storm came suddenly.
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there are three, five lessons,
five, that I want to teach from
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the text and I am going to teach
them and I am going to sit down.
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The Bible says in
verse twenty-three go back
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and look at verse twenty-three
Matthew chapter eight.
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The Bible says "Now when he
got into a boat his disciples
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followed him." Let me say
that again, "...his disciples
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followed him." Even though they
knew about boats, even though
they knew about storms,
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even though they knew about
fishing, even though they were
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experienced, the Bible says they
did not go in front of him. They
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did not lead him but the Bible
says they followed him which
leads me to lesson number one
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for us today. Number one, even
when we follow Jesus sudden
unexpected storms will come.
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You do not hear what I am
saying, even when we follow
Jesus, sudden, unexpected
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storms, they are going to come
which means just because you are
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following Jesus, does not mean
that you are exempt from storms
and would not come.
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Just because you read your Bible
and pray every day, does not
mean storms would not come.
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When you follow Jesus, I am
a witness, storms are going to
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come. Now, you need to know,
friends of mine, before I go any
further. You need to know,
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that if Jesus wanted to he could
have prevented the storm from
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coming at all but his disciples
were following him and the Bible
says because they followed him,
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he led them right into a
storm but then let us expand our
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minds, why would an all-knowing
Jesus, why would an omniscient
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Jesus, why would a loving God,
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why would he allow this storm
to come if he knew a storm was
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coming? Why would he let the
disciples follow him in the boat
to face the storm in the first
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place? I have learned in my life
that there are times in our
lives when God sends us into a
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storm so he can grow our faith,
grow our confidence, grow us,
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and grow our trust so we can
step out in faith in what he is
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calling us to do. Just because
you have a relationship with
Jesus does not mean you would
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not have trouble. Those that
live Godly lives will suffer
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persecution. You can believe God
and still go through trouble.
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Let me say that again, you can
believe God and still go through
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trouble. Just because you are in
a relationship with God does not
mean you would not go through
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anything.
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So sometimes God sends us into
storms and then sometimes people
create their own storms
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and they get mad when it rains.
I wish I had a witness in this
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place. The disciples were
following Jesus. They were doing
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the right thing. They were
obeying the Son of God and yet
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this violent, this
life-threatening storm suddenly
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came their way but let us
quickly get back to the text.
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Verse twenty-four, the word of
God says "And behold suddenly,
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a great tempest arose on the
sea so that the boat was covered
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with the waves..." But the Bible
says, "He was asleep." Wait a
minute. The disciples are in a
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storm and they are worried but
Jesus is asleep. Now somebody
might be asking right now.
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Why was Jesus
asleep? Yes, Jesus was asleep
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and remember that his life was a
continuous interplay between the
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human and the Divine, and in
his humanity, he is tired. It is
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Humanity. He is sleepy, he works
hard. He has to deal with all
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kinds of people. In my
profession, I have to deal with
all kinds of people.
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I know he was sleepy so he is
tired and he has got a right to
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be tired. So the Bible says
he goes to sleep but friends of
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mine, I do not believe that that
is the only reason he went to
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sleep but I also
believe that Jesus went to sleep
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because he was not in a
panic over the situation.
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He was in perfect peace
in the midst of the storm
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because he knew that the
storm was under his control.
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I wish somebody knew what I was
talking about. He is unbothered.
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Why is he unbothered? He is
unbothered because he controls
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the wind. He controls the waves.
He knows he is not going to die.
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So then if he is not going to
die, the disciples are not going
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to die. As long as Jesus is
in the boat, the disciples are
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going to be okay. So in his
humanity, he is sleepy but in
his divinity, he controls the
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winds and the waves. You all
hear what I am saying. Remember
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he is the God-man, two natures
harmonize but never completely
blended. He got tired as man but
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as God, he said "Come unto me
all ye that labor and are heavy
laden and I will give you rest."
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As man, he got hungry, but as
God, he took two fish and five
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loaves of bread and fed five
thousand men plus women and
children. As man, he got thirsty
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but as God, he said "Drinking of
fountains of Living Waters that
shall never run dry."
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As man, he prayed but as God, he
answered prayer. As man, he
wanted companionship,
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but as God, he had to tread the
winepress alone. As man, he wept
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at Lazarus' grave, but as God,
he resurrected Lazarus from the
grave. As man, he is sleepy, but
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as God, he controls the winds
and the waves. When you go
through a storm, Hallelujah!
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It may look like God is not
aware of your storm. It may seem
as if the Lord is asleep,
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but he that watches over
Israel slumbers not nor sleeps.
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He never sleeps on us and if it
appears that he does it is only
meant to test our faith.
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So that leads us
into lesson number two.
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When you are in the midst of
your storm, just remember that
Jesus is in the boat
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and he is in the midst
of the storm right with you.
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Hallelujah! That is shouting
news for somebody. It might seem
like Jesus is asleep
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but he still
present in the storm.
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His apparent silence is just
to see if you will trust him and
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have faith in him. Now. Let
me be clear on this, do not get
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this twisted, do not
misunderstand or what I am about
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to say. Just because Jesus
is in the boat with you, just
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because Jesus is in the
midst of the storm with you,
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does not mean you do not
have to prepare for the storm.
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When this storm
of the coronavirus,
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but you still got to put on
a mask. You still need to wash
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your hands. You still need to
socially distance yourself and
then after you have done all you
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can, that is when God will do
what you cannot but God still
requires of us to do what we
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can. Are you hearing what I am
saying? We are in a storm of
racism and racial inequality
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and yes, God is with us in this
storm, but yes, we still have to
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march, we still have to
peacefully protest we still have
to go out in vote and then,
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after you have done all you
can, God will do what you cannot
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but he still requires of us to
do what we can. So yes! Jesus is
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in the boat. Yes! Jesus is in
the storm but we still have to
do what we are supposed to do
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what did I tell you last week,
you got to see it, say it, and
then seize it but I am not done.
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Verse twenty-five, look at it.
The Bible says "And his
disciples came to him,
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and awoke him saying
Lord save us, we perish."
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Disciples went to Jesus in the
midst of the storm, they woke
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him up and they said "Save us."
That is lesson number three.
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The next lesson teaches us that
the best thing we can do in a
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storm, is to cry out to Jesus
and Jesus will hear us because
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he is in the boat. Now the
disciple said, "Lord save us we
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perish." The disciples get
straight to the point in the
text. Lord save us.
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Ironically, this is the same
prayer that Peter prayed in
Matthew chapter fourteen
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when he was supposedly walking
on water, took his eyes off
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Jesus, began to sink and he
cried out, "Lord save me." But
because that was one disciple,
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and this is more than one
disciple in Matthew eight.
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It is now in the plural
form 'Lord save us' and that was
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their prayer. Three simple
words: Lord save us. Which
reminds me, friends,
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it is not the length of your
prayer but the strength of your
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prayer. Some people think we got
to pray these big words these
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flowery sermonize prayers to get
God's attention, but when you
are about to lose your mind,
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I believe somebody knows all you
have got time to do is say "Lord
00:18:45.25\00:18:50.03
save me." When your body is
rocking with pain, "Lord save
00:18:50.06\00:18:54.40
me." When your back is up
against the wall, "Lord save
00:18:54.46\00:18:58.43
me." When the storms of
life are raging, "Lord save me."
00:18:58.47\00:19:02.14
When your bills are due and your
money is low, "Lord save me."
00:19:02.17\00:19:06.64
Any way you do it, I will be
satisfied. When cancer is in my
00:19:06.68\00:19:11.28
body, I do not care what the
doctor says, "Lord save me."
When the coronavirus is killing
00:19:11.31\00:19:16.92
you, "Lord save me." When you
are tired of racism and tired of
being treated like a less than,
00:19:16.95\00:19:22.42
"Lord save me."
00:19:22.46\00:19:26.33
and I do not know who I
am speaking to right now
00:19:26.36\00:19:29.00
but God told me to tell
you that you may be in a storm
00:19:29.03\00:19:33.20
but if Jesus is in your
boat, you are not going down.
00:19:33.23\00:19:37.97
You may have financial trouble,
but you are not going down.
00:19:38.01\00:19:43.18
You may have sickness in
your body, but you are not going
00:19:43.21\00:19:48.12
down. You may have lost your job
but if Jesus is in your boat,
you are not going down.
00:19:48.15\00:19:54.09
You may have lost your marriage,
lost your family, lost your
00:19:54.12\00:19:58.53
children, but you are not going
down because when you exercise
your faith when Jesus is in your
00:19:58.56\00:20:04.60
boat. If you begin to sink,
there is a savior. If you begin
to drown, there is a deliverer.
00:20:04.63\00:20:10.77
If you begin to go
under, there is a go-between.
00:20:10.81\00:20:14.28
If you begin to fall there is a
friend and his name, what is his
name? His name is Jesus.
00:20:14.31\00:20:22.12
I feel like preaching but I got
to hold on. Go back to the text,
00:20:22.15\00:20:26.15
verse number
twenty-six, "He saith unto them.
00:20:26.19\00:20:30.09
Why are ye fearful O ye of
little faith?" So he rebukes,
first, the disciples.
00:20:30.13\00:20:36.36
The text continues and then he
arose and rebuked the winds and
00:20:36.40\00:20:41.30
the sea and there was a great
calm. He rebukes the storm, he
rebukes now the weather
00:20:41.34\00:20:48.08
and the water. He first rebuked
the disciples, now, he rebukes
the weather and the water.
00:20:48.11\00:20:54.75
Now, it seems crazy that Jesus
is talking to wind and waves.
00:20:54.78\00:21:00.56
If I went out to the
nearest lake, Tennessee River
00:21:00.59\00:21:02.82
and I began to talk to the water
you all would look at me like I
00:21:02.86\00:21:06.86
had lost my mind but Jesus
begins to talk to winds and
water you all do not hear what I
00:21:06.90\00:21:11.57
am saying, but the
results speak for themselves
00:21:11.60\00:21:14.64
because the Bible says that
"After he spoke to the wind
after he spoke to the waves..."
00:21:14.67\00:21:20.14
the Bible says "...there was
a great calm." Which leads me to
00:21:20.18\00:21:25.61
our fourth lesson. Lesson number
four: Jesus can change a great
storm into a great calm with
00:21:25.65\00:21:32.82
just one word. You all do
not hear what I am saying.
00:21:32.85\00:21:34.59
He can change great storm into
great calm with one word. That
is all it takes, one word.
00:21:34.62\00:21:43.00
All he has to do is speak one
word to your storm. Somebody is
in a storm right now
00:21:43.03\00:21:48.50
and I just came to let you know
all he is got to do is speak one
word to your storm.
00:21:48.54\00:21:52.94
All he has to do is speak peace
to your storm. If he can command
the winds and the waves,
00:21:52.97\00:21:59.75
do not you know, he can command
everything else in your life.
00:21:59.78\00:22:03.52
All we have got to do is trust
him. All we have got to do is
00:22:03.55\00:22:08.09
lean on him. All we have got to
do is depend on him. I am almost
00:22:08.12\00:22:10.16
done but I got this fifth and
final lesson, go now to verse
twenty-seven. We are almost
00:22:10.19\00:22:14.63
done. Verse twenty-seven,
"But then the men marveled
00:22:14.66\00:22:18.30
and said what manner of man is
this that even the winds and the
00:22:18.33\00:22:29.71
sea obey him." Matthew says the
disciples marveled at what just
happened. They were in awe of
00:22:29.74\00:22:40.36
Jesus. They were in admiration
of Jesus and they were in
astonishment of Jesus.
00:22:40.39\00:22:47.76
They were in amazement of Jesus.
They were in respect of Jesus.
00:22:47.83\00:22:54.97
They were in reverence of Jesus.
So what did they begin to do?
00:22:55.00\00:23:00.48
They begin to worship Jesus and
that is the final lesson for us
00:23:00.51\00:23:06.45
today. When Jesus rescues us in
our storms, get ready, get
ready, get ready, S-O-S,
00:23:06.48\00:23:13.72
scoot over some because it
is time to worship him. Worship
00:23:13.76\00:23:19.39
happens, my friends when you
have been through a storm but
God brings you through.
00:23:19.43\00:23:23.87
When you are going through
something and God brings you
through that something,
00:23:23.90\00:23:27.44
you will learn to worship him
like you just do not care. What
am I talking about?
00:23:27.47\00:23:31.44
Go with me back to the Exodus go
with me to the story of the
children of Israel.
00:23:31.47\00:23:35.48
After living in Egyptian
captivity for over four hundred
00:23:35.51\00:23:39.08
years, the children of Israel
experienced God's mighty hand,
deliver them from the mean,
00:23:39.11\00:23:43.45
old Pharaoh. They witnessed the
mighty hand of God defeat the
most powerful army on the
00:23:43.49\00:23:48.06
face of the globe. They were
slaves one day, but they were
saved the next day.
00:23:48.09\00:23:53.40
They had seen God released
frogs, flies, and lice to fight
00:23:53.43\00:23:58.97
Pharaoh. They had seen God make
a red see a dry highway. They
00:23:59.00\00:24:04.11
had seen Pharaoh and six hundred
chosen chariots get drowned in
00:24:04.14\00:24:08.08
the Red Sea. The Bible says it
was so powerful that Moses'
sister Miriam took her
00:24:08.11\00:24:13.42
tambourine and so for you all
who do not like tambourine, the
Bible says she took her
00:24:13.45\00:24:16.85
tambourine and she took her
tambourine and she looked back
at the man who had oppressed
00:24:16.89\00:24:21.66
him. She look back at the
man who had raped their women.
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.19
She looked at the man
who had beaten their sons.
00:24:24.23\00:24:26.73
She grabbed that tambourine and
started beating that tambourine
00:24:26.76\00:24:30.10
and started praising God and
God said, "The enemies you see
00:24:30.13\00:24:35.34
today. You will see them no
more. Hallelujah! When you go
00:24:35.37\00:24:40.21
through a storm, after you come
out of the storm, you ought to
go on and worship God.
00:24:40.24\00:24:43.85
You all do not
hear what I am saying.
00:24:43.88\00:24:45.55
Worship is not worship until you
are able to trust him, lean on
him, and depend on him.
00:24:45.58\00:24:50.12
When I was a little boy my mom
and daddy taught me to trust in
the Lord with all thine
00:24:50.15\00:24:53.69
heart and lean not unto your own
understanding but in all thy
ways acknowledge him
00:24:53.72\00:24:59.76
and he shall direct your path.
So even when you do not
understand him, worship him.
00:24:59.79\00:25:05.17
When you can not see your
way out, still worship him.
00:25:05.20\00:25:08.14
When what he asks is more than
what you are able to give, still
00:25:08.17\00:25:12.54
worship him. When you must
surrender that for which you
must give your life, worship
00:25:12.57\00:25:16.34
him. When you feel like giving
up and throwing in the towel,
you must worship him.
00:25:16.38\00:25:20.22
When you are in your storm,
worship him. I will praise him
00:25:20.25\00:25:24.39
in the morning, praise him in
the noonday, praise him when the
00:25:24.42\00:25:27.96
sun goes down. From the rising
of the sun to the going down of
00:25:27.99\00:25:31.83
the same, God is
worthy to be praised
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.70
because God would not take you
to it unless he was God enough
to bring you through it
00:25:33.73\00:25:37.03
but you got to have faith
that God will bring you through.
00:25:37.07\00:25:43.30
I am closing but church folk,
let me say: Church folk, I do
not care what denomination,
00:25:43.34\00:25:48.41
church folk, while we
say we are a people of faith,
00:25:48.44\00:25:54.82
we are also a people who do not
like uncertainty. Think about
00:25:54.85\00:26:01.09
it. Think about our church,
our collective corporate church.
00:26:01.12\00:26:05.63
Our entire theology is based
primarily on rationality, logic,
00:26:05.66\00:26:14.40
and reason. It has to make
sense. Prophecy has to line up.
Numbers have to line up.
00:26:14.44\00:26:22.24
One plus one must equal two
00:26:22.28\00:26:26.08
but the quandary of
the creative tension that
00:26:26.11\00:26:28.32
were in is faith is the
opposite of all of that.
00:26:28.35\00:26:32.92
Faith is believing
when you cannot see.
00:26:32.95\00:26:36.36
Faith is trusting God when it
does not even make sense and so
00:26:36.39\00:26:41.76
today, we are in a storm and it
is a storm of fear versus faith
00:26:41.80\00:26:47.84
and I do not know what you are
going to do but I am going to
take faith over fear
00:26:47.87\00:26:53.68
because I still believe in a God
who can do things I cannot do,
00:26:53.71\00:26:58.98
who can reach things I cannot
reach, who can move things I
00:26:59.01\00:27:04.59
cannot move, who can give me
things I cannot give myself. If
I did not believe in a God like
00:27:04.62\00:27:10.39
that, I would not be here at
this church today preaching to
00:27:10.43\00:27:14.46
empty pews. I did not come here
out of obligation. I did not
come here to check a box.
00:27:14.50\00:27:18.73
I did not come here
just to say I was present.
00:27:18.77\00:27:21.44
I did not come here to
show you my suit or my tie.
00:27:21.47\00:27:24.41
I did not come here to prove
to you I am working during a
00:27:24.44\00:27:27.64
pandemic, but I came here
today to build up my faith.
00:27:27.68\00:27:31.58
My hope is built on nothing
less than Jesus' blood and
00:27:31.61\00:27:36.65
righteousness. Jesus is in my
boat. Jesus is the captain of my
ship and I would rather be in a
00:27:36.69\00:27:43.32
storm, in a ship with Jesus,
than in a storm in a ship
without Jesus. Oh, Jesus.
00:27:43.36\00:27:49.53
What storm are you in? Because
every one of us has a storm
00:27:49.56\00:27:57.64
and is Jesus in your boat?
Because I can face any storm as
long as Jesus is in my boat.
00:27:57.67\00:28:10.75
Thank you very much for tuning
in to this week's Breath of Life
00:28:10.79\00:28:14.99
broadcast. We hope and pray that
you've been blessed by Dr.
Byrd's inspirational message.
00:28:15.02\00:28:19.69
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:28:19.73\00:28:22.13
please feel free to visit
us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:28:22.16\00:28:27.90
Or, call us at (256) 929-6460.
00:28:27.94\00:28:40.95
When I was eight years old,
I was diagnosed with Crohn's
00:28:40.98\00:28:46.86
disease. When I was fifthteen, I
had my first surgery. When I
think about the time that I lost
00:28:46.89\00:28:57.60
during my adolescent years, I
just can't seem to put it
togther. Even now I'm doing
00:28:57.63\00:29:08.44
treatment for my disease.
Everyone experiences loss. It's
not of matter of if but when.
00:29:08.48\00:29:21.92
www.breathoflife.tv
00:29:21.96\00:29:30.47
[END]
00:29:30.50\00:29:45.51