Life: If It Only Came With Instructions

Morning Worship Service - 4/30/06

I. Review

è Folks, have you ever noticed that when a child gets injured, sick, or finds himself or herself in a troubling situation, who is the first person or persons that they cry out for?

>>> it is usually mom and dad

(Illustration: immediately running to my parents when I realized that my head had been cut open by the refrigerator)

- Now as we move along this morning, I would like for you to keep that story in mind and specifically the point behind the story that it seems like children naturally cry out to their parent when in trouble.

- This week folks, I hope to wrap up this section of what might be a year long series where we consider what Jesus Christ has to say about several different issues of life. One of the best parts about having a relationship with the God of universe is that he has given us some instructions about how we should be living our lives right here, right now, on this home we call earth.

Ä Those instructions are found for us in this book called the Bible, and it contains some very practical instruction for many different areas of our lives.

Ä For this present series we have been focusing in on the instructions that Christ gives us in the first four books of the New Testament.

Ä And thus far in our study we have considered what Christ has to say about handling rat race of life. And this morning we hope to wrap up what Christ has to say about handling the storms or trials of life that come our way.

Ä Right now I am working through and asking God to give me some direction for the next set of instructions from Christ that we want to look at. Some of the instructions that I am working through right now are

1. What Christ has to say about dealing with our enemies.

2. What Christ has to say about controlling our anger        

3. What Christ has to say about how we worship God

4. What Christ has to say about our personal finances.

- Anyway, that is future stuff, this morning we want to finish up considering what Christ has to say about handling the storms of life - that each and everyone of us will face in our lifetime, because trials and hard times are inevitable in our lives. Christ understands that (which is what makes him so great) and so he give us some instructions as to ways in which we can respond correctly so that the storms don’t drown us, but instead we overcome the storm.

- Thus far we have considered the fact that Christ tells us that to handle the storms of life correctly...

ΠWe first of all need to face them with a confident attitude

� Secondly, we need to make sure that we have an understanding mind in our that we might have something to base our confident attitude on

Ž Last week we considered Christ’s third bit of instruction, and that is we need to face the storms of life with a submissive will.

Ä Satan loves to use hardships and trials in order to turn you away from submitting to God’s will for your life.

ü He convinces you that you know what’s better for you than God does.

ü He convinces you that because of the hardships you deserve to do what you want to do.

Ä He’ll do whatever it takes to remove a submissive will from your life.

Ä But as we looked at our main passage in Matthew 14, we saw Christ instructing Peter to come and submit himself to his will. And from that example we learned that in order to have a submissive will in the face of trials we need to...

ü Have a conviction that is always better to be within God’s will in a storm than out of God’s will and no storm (example of Peter as a fisherman)

ü Be listening to and looking out for the commands of God (Satan is the trial in our lives to do all he can to make our lives noisy and distracting)

II. Christ Instruction for Handling the Storms of Life

- Well, this morning, as we continue to look at the passage in Matthew 14, I would like for us to consider one last bit of instruction from Christ.

Ä There is more to the quiz than just having a confident attitude and an understanding mind.

(READ Matthew 14:22-31)

- This morning again we are going to concentrate on the interaction here between Peter and Christ. And from this interaction we are going to see that IN ORDER TO HANDLE THE STORMS OF LIFE CORRECTLY, WE NEED TO HAVE A PRAYERFUL HEART.

(We need to have a confident attitude, an understanding mind, a submissive will, and finally a prayerful heart)

A. To handle the storms of life correctly, we need to have a prayerful heart

1.) The Example of Peter

- Folks, as we have taken the time to note this morning, in spite of all that Peter knew and understood as an experienced fisherman, he still submitted himself to Christ’s instruction and he got out of the boat and started walking to Jesus.

è However, in doing so, did you notice that, that his act of obedience didn’t immediately cause the storm and all the wind and waves to stop?

Ä I think sometimes we as Christians can think that when we are facing a trial or a storm, that if we make the decision to submit and obey God in the midst of that trial, than that means that the storm should immediately start calming down in our lives.

Ä But as this passage so clearly demonstrates, that is not necessarily the case. In fact, for Peter, I have to believe that the walk he started to make to Jesus wasn’t that easy. I have to believe that the wind was blowing against him, and the waves were crashing on him.

Ä This act of submission and obedience on Peter’s part did not stop the storm from raging, therefore it was not easy, so please don’t think that it will be in our lives as well.

Ä Obedience never makes the storms go away, but instead the storms always makes obedience a little bit harder.

- Along with this passage in Matthew, we have been springbording over to another passage in James chapter 1, and so if you would leave your finger here in Matthew and turn over to the book of James.

- James, with the passage in Matthew in mind, kind of explains why storms always make obedience a little bit harder

(READ James 1:2-3)

- As James instructs us to face trials with a confident attitude and understanding mind, just as Jesus did,  he also instructs us that trials are going to be a test of our faith.

- As the example of Peter demonstrates for us, and as James teaches us here, to have a submissive will and act in obedience to the will of God in the midst of a storm is always going to be a test of our faith. But if we have the understanding mind that Christ instructed us to have, we can have the confidence that this testing of the storm is really meant strengthen our faith.

Ä Ultimately, your faith and mine, your willingness to follow God and have a submissive will in any and all circumstances and mine, can only be strengthen by having it be taken to extremities it has never faced before.

- Go back to Matthew 14. Peter’s faith was being taken farther than it had ever been up to this point - he got out of the boat even though everything within him was telling him to stay in it.

- Yet, Peter’s submission and obedience to Christ wasn’t yet complete. He still had to make his way over to Jesus, which would require a continuing strengthening of his faith.

Ä So, when Peter stepped out of the boat, Christ didn’t immediately calm the storm and the wind and the waves in order that Peter might make his way over to him on a calm sea.

Ä Instead, the Lord wanted to take his faith a little bit farther in order to teach him this last important lesson about handling the storms of life correctly.

(READ Matthew 14:29-30)

- Peter’s faith was taken to the farthest point that it had ever been taken up to this point.

 ü His faith in his Lord and Savior was obviously strong enough to cause him to act in obedience and get out of the boat and begin to make the walk toward Christ.

ü But it was not strong enough to make the entire walk with such a strong storm around him

- Therefore, when his faith reached its farthest point, and he could not go on any farther, Peter began to sink into the water, which led him to learn the final lesson of handling the storms of life correctly. Which, as a result, would mean that he passed the test, which would mean that his faith was strengthened for even more obedience in the future.

- So what was Peter led to do as he was sinking into the water, which ultimately would lead to the strengthening of his faith in the midst of this storm.

(READ Matthew 14:30)

- Folks, remember the illustration that I shared with you at the very beginning of our time this morning, and how we talked about that it seems like children naturally cry out to their parent when in trouble.

- Peter learned that if he was going to make it through this storm, than he needed to cry out to his heavenly Father and have a prayerful heart.

Ä Kids cry out for their parents because they believe that their parents can help them out of the trouble that they are in.

Ä When Peter begins to sink into the sea, he doesn’t turn to his other disciples, some of whom were also skilled fishermen. But instead he was naturally driven to cry out to Christ, because he knew that in Christ he could find the help he needed.

-Peter learned the importance of a prayerful heart in the midst of a storm. And the thing that I love about his prayer is that it wasn’t very ornate and filled with lots of spiritual jargon and fluffiness. All he said was “Lord, save me!”

Ä His prayerful heart voiced itself with just three words

- And it was at that time that Christ reached down and gave Peter the help that he needed in and in the process demonstrated his faithfulness, demonstrated his power, and encouraged Peter to allow this test of his faith to strengthen it.

ü (READ Matthew 14:31a) - demonstration of his faithfulness

ü (READ Matthew 14:32) - demonstration of his power

ü (READ Matthew 14:31b) - encouragement to allow this test to strengthen his faith

Ä Many times we read this part of verse 31 and we can interpret it as Jesus rebuking Peter because he had no faith at all. But instead, I really see it as a reminder and encouragement to Peter to allow his faith to be strengthened by all this.

Ä Remember, Peter had a strong enough faith to get out of the boat in the first place. Where were the other 11 disciples?

Ä Therefore, Jesus’ words here to Peter, I see as an encouragement to Peter’s faith that Christ faithfulness and power in Peter’s life is present even in the midst of such an incredible storm and test of his faith.

III. Conclusion

- Folks, Peter’s example to us here in this passage so very clearly demonstrates to us that if we desire to make it through trials and storms of life correctly by having our faith and obedience to God strengthened, than without a doubt it will require a prayerful heart.

- Storms have a tendency to take our faith and our submissive will to its extremity, which as a result can cause sinking and potential disobedience. Which is why a prayerful heart is so important.

Ä Part of the testing and strengthening of our faith is the test to see if we will call out to God in prayer or try to continue in our own strength and power.

Ä Our faith and future obedience will never be strengthened by the second choice. Instead, it can only be strengthened when we are taken as far as our present faith can go, and at that point we call out to God in prayer, who is right there waiting to demonstrate his faithfulness and power in order that our faith might be nurtured, grown, and extended that much further.

- Now, not only does Peter demonstrate this truth for us in this text, but this truth is also taught in a couple of different places throughout Scripture as well. One of those places being our passage that we have been springboarding to - James chapter 1

(James 1:2-5-6a)

- In verse 5, James encourages us to have this prayerful heart in the midst of storms by saying, “let him ask of God”.

è Now what is it that James is encouraging us to ask of God for?

>>> WISDOM

Ä One commentator has said that “wisdom is the understanding and application of the promises of God’s truth to our lives, which is what a strong and sound faith is based on to begin with.”

- If you and I desire to make it through the storms of life correctly, which again means not allowing the storm to overwhelm us and cause us to think or act in some sinful way, but instead allowing our faith to be strengthened in order that we might continue to have a submissive and obedient will to God, than James reiterates what Peter demonstrates, and that is that we must have a prayerful heart.

Ä If there is ever a time where our prayer life should increase, it is when we are facing a trial. Because it is during a trial that our faith will be tested the most.

Ä During storms of life. our faith will be brought to its farthest point, and it is only through a prayerful heart that God can grow and extend our faith by demonstrating his faithfulness, strength and power in our lives.

- If you would, turn over with me to one last passage this morning, I Peter chapter 5

(READ I Peter 5:6-7)

è Folks, do you think that Peter learned the lesson that day on the water?

- Here, he tells us to make sure that we humble or submit ourselves to the mighty hand of God in order that he might exalt us in due time.

Ä And I think in light of Matthew chapter 14, part of that exaltation means a strengthening of our faith and our obedience to Him even in the midst of a trials or storm.

- Now after encouraging us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in verse 6, Peter continues in verse 7 in order to tell us the key to making all of this happen

(READ I Peter 5:7)

- The key to staying humble and submissive before God and therefore being exalted by God is a prayerful heart.

- Peter describes this prayerful heart as “casting our cares upon him”.

Ä If you are a fisherman here this morning, you probably heard that word cast and your mind has immediately gone to the lake and fishing for bass or whatever you try to catch.

Ä However, that word cast doesn’t necessarily have a fishing kind of thought. Instead, when Peter says to cast our cares on God, he is referring to throwing something on someone else. In other words, you are purposely taking something that is on you or is a part of you and you throw it away from you. But this casting just isn’t aimless, instead it is a targeted toss on to God himself.

Ä And the things that are a part of us that we should be accurately tossing on to God are our cares or anxieties. And that can include discouragement, despair, questioning, pain, suffering and whatever other feelings or issues that might arise as a result of the trials that we may encounter.

- Peter learned his lesson about the importance of having a prayerful heart in the midst of the storms of life. Like a child, who when in trouble naturally cries out to his parent, Peter did the same thing. And as a result, he instructs us to do the same.

è Folks, whose the first person you cry out to when in the midst of a storm?

- If you truly are a child of God’s, understand that your faith is being tested by the storm. It is being taken to it’s farthest limits in order that it might be strengthened and grown. But that will only happen as we act like a true child of God’s, and cry out to our heavenly Father, in order that he might show us his faithfulness, power, and encouragement.