JESUS WORKS THROUGH THE STORMS OF LIFE
Matthew 8:23-34
DEALING WITH STORMS OF LIFE
V:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, \”Lord, save us! We\’re going to drown!\”
- Jesus had a long day teaching and healing those brought before Him.
He was tired. He got in the boat going toward the other side of
The lake and went to sleep.
- His sleeping shows the human side of Jesus.
- He was as much human as us, but without sin.
- Let me suggest that His flesh was sleeping, but His spirit was awake.
- Following Jesus does not prevent trouble in our lives
- In fact, following Jesus is the reason, for trouble in our lives.
- The sudden violent storm put the fear of drowning into
The minds of the disciples.
Having witnessed the miracles of Jesus, the disciple still
Didn’t understand the power of Jesus.
- The fear that the disciple felt was evidence of their weak
Faith.
- They were in their right mind to go to Jesus for help.
- We should never be without Jesus at the forefront
Of our thoughts.
- The problem with the disciples was their lack of
Confidence in the presence of Jesus.
- As believers in Christ, we should face trouble with
The confidence of victory.
- Trouble is all around us. We should be prepared to
Go to Jesus in prayer with thanksgiving.
- We should not be anxious about the problem but
In Peace doing the storm.
- Jesus may have appeared to be asleep, but He was conscience
Of the problem.
The disciples came to Jesus in a panic fearing the loss of their
Lives.
- God does not give us a spirit of fear, but power, love and
Sound mind.
They lacked power and their minds were rattled by the storm.
- We need storms to stir up our weaknesses so we can
Work on our faith in Jesus.
FAITH TESTED; FAITH BUILT
V:26 He replied, \”You of little faith, why are you so afraid?\” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, \”What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!\”
- It is through the storms of life that learn the power and authority of Jesus
Over our circumstances.
- It is through the storms of life that we learn the love of Jesus for
Us.
- It is through the storms of life that we gain confidence in Jesus.
- We should not be amazed that Jesus calms a storm as if we didn’t
Know He could do it. We should be amazed that He can do exceedingly
Abundantly more than we can think or conceive.
- Jesus created heaven and earth with His Word from
Nothing.
- Why couldn’t Jesus calm a storm that He gives power to?
- The reason we fear anything is our lack of trust in Jesus
Power and authority.
THE LORD WILL COME TO SEE ABOUT YOU
V:28. When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 \”What do you want with us, Son of God?\” they shouted. \”Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?\”
- The devil and his demons know Jesus by name.
- The devil and his demons know the mission of Jesus.
- The devil and his demons know the power and authority
Of Jesus.
- The devil and his demons fear the authority of Jesus.
- The devil and his demon know that they will be
Destroyed by Jesus.
- Without Jesus in our lives, we become a violent servants of
The devil.
- A man or woman without a relationship with Jesus
Is capable of any, and all types of violent acts.
- A man or woman without Jesus is corrupt and destructive.
- The demon-possessed men were controlled by the devil
And given extraordinary strength.
- The evilness of men is no match for the devil.
THE POWER OF JESUS OVER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES
V:30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, \”If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.\”
32 He said to them, \”Go!\” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.
- The devil’s demons knew they were doomed when Jesus showed up.
- They had the sense to give Jesus options of what to do with them.
- They knew they had to come out of the men so they
Chose the pigs to occupy.
- Jesus agreed with their selection.
Pigs were animals that Jews were forbidden to eat.
The community was in violation of God’s commands.
- Let me suggest that the pigs were smart enough not to want to
Live with demons.
- The pigs frightened by the demon ran into the water and died.
- Let me suggest that since demons are evil spirits, they
Left the pigs in search of other people to possess.
REJECTING THE WORD, ACCEPTING THE DEVIL
V:33. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town, and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
- The word about the work of Jesus traveled quickly.
- The healing power of Jesus is received with joy to
Some with hatred for others.
- This community was not joyful about the healing of
The demon-possessed men.
- The community was angry about the loss of their pigs.
- Many people are more concerned about their
Possessions than they are the welfare of others.
- Unlike other towns Jesus visited, the people of this town
Did not come to hear a word from Jesus or bring their
Sick to be healed.
- The community had evidence of the power of Jesus
In front of them, but they refused His power.
- Because of the loss of their pigs, they asked Jesus to
Leave.
- We have to be careful when we lose something we love
Not to neglect the love of Jesus, the giver of life.
- Sometimes the stuff we lose is what keeps us from following
Jesus.
- Having rejected Jesus, the demons had the whole town
To inhabit.
RESCUED TO SPREAD THE WORD
- The men who Jesus healed became the messengers of the
Gospel
Mark 5:18-21
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, \”Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.\” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
- God pays special attention to your wellbeing, so you can be his
Messenger.
- It is our job to share our testimonies about the goodness of the
The Lord with others.
- Notice, Jesus commanded the men He cast the demons out
Of to share their testimony with their families first.
- Following Jesus starts in the home.
- They became the Church of Jesus Christ to their community.
TELL SOMEBODY ABOUT THE WORK OF JESUS IN YOUR LIFE
Rev. M. Mitchell N
