Faith, Hope and …. Friends
-
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
-
Let’s begin with a question. Share your answer with the person or people beside you. ‘What is the most traumatic event you have seen during your lifetime. It can be something you have seen in the media or something you have seen locally. For example, I witnessed Slieve Donard Hotel in Northern Ireland explode in an IRA attack during the Troubles.
-
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
This weekend we are using ‘troubles’ and ‘storms’ as a metaphor for ‘storms of life.’ The only way to handle these tribulations is to remain in or abide in the Lord by staying in the scriptures daily, in prayer and worship. I would like to suggest three things that will help us abide.
Faith — What you believe
Hope — Who you trust
Friends — Who you lean on
Faith
When trouble comes clarity goes. Here we are in the beautiful Lee Abbey, Woody Bay, Devon with scenic views of rocky crags and crashing waves on granite rocks below. However, imagine when the sea mist or fog descends here. You know it is scenic but you cannot see it, the clarity goes. You know the beauty is still there but the fog has clouded your vision. When troubles come, storms of life, it can be like fog descending and we get foggy about what we believe as Christians. In times of trouble, we need to cling onto these pillars of Faith – rock steady foundations.
Firstly,
God is not the author of evil (he is the author of creation). Scripture is clear Jesus teaches in John 10v10 that Evil one comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus gives life abundantly. It’s as clear as black and white. When trouble comes hold onto these rock-solid truths. When someone slanders me. Someone is taken in their prime. Someone is crushed in an explosion (supposedly in the name of God). Someone loses their life savings. When I hear about these things, John 10:10 tells me the enemy is at work.
Secondly,
God never abandons us
I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; —Isaiah 49:16
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you — Deuteronomy 31:6
I will never leave you nor forsake you. — Hebrews 13:5
I am with you always — Matthew 28:20
God is close to the broken hearted. — Psalm 34:18
Though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. — Psalm 23:4
When trouble comes we are inclined to feel alone, isolated, under attack. Choose to believe this when trouble comes
Thirdly,
God will bring good from our adversity if we remain in him. Romans 8:28 ‘all things work together for good.’ Sometimes in midst of trouble, it’s hard to see any good that could come out of it.
Joni Eriksson initially found it impossible to reconcile her paralysis with a loving God. All God's gifts she had as an active teenager were taken from her. Through three years of tears and encountering God in the brokenness...and regaining clarity through Gethsemane and the victory of the cross she began to see God’s strength would be made perfect in her weakness.
Trouble will come but never so much that good cannot overcome. Fight for this truth.
“When you pass through the water I will be with you".” —Isaiah 43:1
Fourthly,
Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world — 1 John 4:4
and ‘I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me.’ — Philippians 4:13
Trouble is overcomable through the strength of Jesus (and our weakness).
Some of you have had hard lives… and it’s hard to believe God can bring anything good from it.
When trouble comes, when the fog descends on your faith, hang onto these truths.
Hope
Sometimes we fall into prolonged period of darkness or despair because we lose sight of the HOPE we have in Jesus, who he is, what he has done and what he will do. In John 16:28 we have it in a nutshell ‘I came from the father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.’ That’s our hope. 1: He came, not just born, entered the world (existed before, He was and is and is to come) both incarnate and divine. 2: I’m leaving (this is the hour he spoke about during his life’s ministry, this is about the cross. I’m leaving also says I am in control (this is our Hope). 3-Going back to the Father. He will rise again, ascend and be our advocate with the father (this is our hope).
The Greek word in John 16:33 for ‘take heart’ is Tharseo and it is better translated as ‘be hopeful’ or ‘Dare to believe.’ There is hope …the tomb is empty, Jesus is the over-comer, He gives peace even in the turmoil of trouble.
John16:33 Jesus said ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world.
In this world you will have trouble but be hopeful, dare to believe - he has plans for you, plans for good and not to do harm (Jeremiah 29:11).
Friends (to lean on)
Lean on Jesus Christ, (after all He is closer than a brother). He is your ever-present help in times of trouble.
I suggest you lean on Jesus, by giving to Jesus your sacrifice of worship. Yes, lean on him by giving. Pour out your heart in worship. Joy comes, you will be enlivened.
Matt Redman wrote his song ‘Blessed be your name’ from a place of personal suffering that coincided with the 9-11 atrocities.“Blessed be Your name, on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering, Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll, turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord…..my heart will choose to say, blessed be the name”
2. Friends; lean on a few faithful, trustworthy friends
Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and at Gethsemane called on Peter James John ‘my soul is sorrowful, watch with me.’ They were like an inner circle of closest friends.
Bill Wither’s song comes to mind,
‘lean on me, when you’re not strong, I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on.’
I have only two or three men who I turn to in this way. To be honest, I hate doing it. I want to give the impression I’m strong, holy, perfect, the minister, leader, preacher. But after I share my trouble (even my sinfulness), with a friend I don’t feel embarrassed. I feel stronger. I feel like I am an ‘overcomer.’
It is important to have a few people in our life with who you can share trouble with, it can also be a trusted spiritual stranger like a chaplain or someone here at Lee Abbey.
This will make you resilient to despair and resistant to the sinful nature, an overcomer in Christ.
Trouble comes but in Jesus you can know peace the peace of Christ through leaning on the overcomer, Jesus and faithful friends, by holding on to truths of faith when the fog descends and by daring to hope in our Lord Jesus Christ; who he is what he has done and where he is.
