It was very early this morning that the Lord woke me up with an unfamiliar passage of scripture. This verse is found in the book of Psalms 107 which is the 1st psalm of the volume 5 of the Psalms. The particular scripture the Lord spoke to me was verse 23 that is describing the Mariners that go down to the sea in ships to do their business on the mighty waters.
This morning as I was preparing this message I discovered that this Psalm 107 is actually widely known as the "Sailors' Psalm" and has been historically read at maritime memorials, ship christenings, and burials at sea.
There is something very powerful about the oceans and the seas. In this psalm we see a image of God’s deliverance, guidance and refuge. It is said that in their most desperate moments, the sailors cry out to God. The scripture describes how He then calms the raging tempest, brings the waves to a whisper, and guides the crew to their "desired haven" (port).
But we do not need to be a sailor or a ship captain to be in distress. We all at some point or another find ourselves being tossed by the waves of the sea of life. God has given us a promise of hope, comfort and safe passage when we call on him.
Jesus’ disciples had first hand experience of Christ deliverance from the tempest of the sea as recorded in the Gospels of: Matthew, Mark and Luke. In this famous passage of scripture we read how Jesus has power of the “wind and the sea” Let’s go refresh our memories from Sunday School and read the story again:
Mark 4:35-41
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
***First point of the Message: Life has storms even when you follow the Lord’s instructions, and Jesus is in your boat.
Verse 35 clearly says that Jesus told them, let’s go to the other side and then Jesus went to sleep in the faith of his direction to the disciples.
What does that tell you and me today:
***Point #2 of the Message: Jesus has more faith in you than you have in yourself.
This story clearly indicates that Jesus was confident and comfortable enough in the disciples ability to navigate the boat to the other side that Jesus went to sleep on a pillow in the back of the boat. Jesus is not a backseat driver! In her famous song; Jesus, Take the Wheel, singer Carrie Underwood describes a young mother giving God control of the direction of her life.
But here is the truth. Jesus will not be a backseat driver for your life but he is cheering for you, he is praying for you, he is protecting you.
Listen to this exchange between Jesus and Peter at the last supper:
Luke 22:31-34
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
**My friends Jesus prayed for Peter, Jesus had faith for Peter even when he knew Peter would deny him…….
***First point of the Message: Life has storms even when you follow the Lord’s instructions, and Jesus is in your boat.
***Point #2 of the Message: Jesus has more faith in you than you have in yourself.
***Point #3 of the Message: Jesus is praying and advocating for you!
***There are some people who say we should not apply the words of Christ to the disciples directly to our lives today as Jesus did not speak them to us but to them. I want to show you a scripture that you can stand on with confidence that Jesus prayed for you and is continuing to pray for you.
***The setting is Jesus walking from the last supper toward the garden of Gethsemane. He is praying to the Father God. He is confirming the near completion of his mission here on earth and he is praying for the disciples he is going to be leaving when he returns to the Father.
John 17:13-21
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
***Point #4 of the message today: God prioritizes protection over deliverance to bring us through the storms of life.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
***Let me hit you with a few more scriptures that reinforces ***Point #3 of the Message: Jesus is praying and advocating for you!
Romans 8:34
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:22-25
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
***First point of the Message: Life has storms even when you follow the Lord’s instructions, and Jesus is in your boat.
***Point #2 of the Message: Jesus has more faith in you than you have in yourself.
***Point #3 of the Message: Jesus is praying and advocating for you!
***Point #4 of the message today: God prioritizes protection over deliverance to bring us through the storms of life.
***But I want to go back to our key passage of scripture from the Sailor’s Psalm:
Psalm 107:21-31
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
***In Closing I want to go back to words of Jesus right before he tells the disciples, Let’s get in the boat and go to the other side of the sea of Galilee:
The Sea of Galilee is a relatively small, pear-shaped freshwater lake in northern Israel. It spans roughly 13 miles in length and 7 to 8 miles in width, covering a surface area of 64 square miles. It was no Atlantic Ocean and compared to the great lakes it is just a pond…..
**So what am I saying: It does not matter how small you have made your life you are not immune to life’s storms, but Jesus is still with you. It does not matter if you are crossing a city street or a interstate highway Jesus is with you. Your life may have a small thunderstorm or a hurricane or tornado.
God’s promise to us is he will never leave us and never forsake us.
Just before getting into the boat, Jesus is teaching the people about faith and about the kingdom of God. Jesus uses parables so that the people can understand and relate to the truth of what he is saying. Let’s begin reading together in verse 30 of Mark 4:30
Mark 4:30-41
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Later recorded in Luke Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God as being in us!
Luke 17:20-21
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
***What is Jesus saying: How is the Kingdom of heaven in us?
Colossians 1:12-27
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
***First point of the Message: Life has storms even when you follow the Lord’s instructions, and Jesus is in your boat.
***Point #2 of the Message: Jesus has more faith in you than you have in yourself.
***Point #3 of the Message: Jesus is praying and advocating for you!
***Point #4 of the Message today: God prioritizes protection over deliverance to bring us through the storms of life.
***Point #5 of the Message today: Christ dwelling in you is a mystery to some but is our hope of glory.