Not Plain Sailing

Hi, I'm mat. I'm one of the leaders here. I hope City. It's my great privilege to you. I'm get a chance to talk to you this morning. And I wanted to ask as we begin whether you have ever heard of dieselgate never heard of dieselgate after you've been watching the news diesel Gates being quite a thing about it. Everything has to be something something certain car manufacturers in VW was one of them bunch of other people as well. They thought would be a clever idea to hide some secret software inside the engines of their cars which would detect when the car was being tested by the government and then it would reconfigure the engine to be super ultra Eco. So the car would like amazing the economic and amazing the environmentally friendly preet rubbish to drawing.

Not like the the government's test was meant to be but on railroads and they discovered the fuel economy numbers in the pollution numbers. We Just Tires Lee different and they don't know why I've been here and they found this this little conspiracy and a smell to write it ended up costing VW billions on because they they cheated they lied at all this false advertising but four years VW, these other manufacturers happy marks in their cars as low pollution superego doodads, which is a lovely thing to do but false advertising stinks illegal. It's a good thing. It should be illegal theory is false advertising in the world. There's also a koala a false advertising about what it's like to be a Christian. Follow Jesus and you'll be happy. Don't tell you I follow Jesus and you'll be healthy follow Jesus and you'll be rich some people would tell you I follow Jesus and you can get your own Gulf Stream jet just like Jesus had as he traveled around that doesn't follow Jesus and all your problems will disappear if you sound old Christian songs, you maybe even sung those words, but I think that's pretty straight up. And life will be plain sailing. But if you're Christian here today, I have to ask you a plain sailing.

I have been plain sailing all the way. I don't know all your stories albino enough of enough of your stories to say without a shadow of doubt. That is not true. That's normal. Christian life is like that's not what the Christian Life is actually like I'm not in my own story is not that's not been true for me either. It's not been plain sailing. No, no false advertising. Maurice's the question will how do we deal with it? Then when life doesn't go to plan? How do we deal with it when life isn't playing sailing now, we're turning on our journey through Luke's gospel this morning and all that just leaves telling of Jesus's life story. And in today's short section. They were going to look at Jesus has something to show his disciples about exactly this question. What do we do when it's plain sailing so come with me to Luke chapter 8, that's a Luke chapter 8 and chapters of the big numbers in these Bibles want to pick up one of these blue Bibles nearby. You're welcome to that Luke chapter 8 that's a big number and verse 22 the small numbers and if I've been well-prepared, I wouldn't know the plane page number for you. Here. It is. The page number is 1037 to page number 1037 chapter a big eight. A verse 22 little 22 and I know my business I've forgotten who is reading to me this morning. He was reading from this morning. Selassie Thank you so much. Luke chapter 8 verse 22

One day Jesus said to his disciples. Let us go over to the other side of the week. So they got into a boot then tight as they sailed. He fell asleep a Squall came to dine on the week so that the boat was being swamped and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him seeing master master. We are going to try and he goes out and rebuked the wind in the Raging Waters the storm subsided and always come where is your faith? He asked his disciples in fear and amazement the act one another who is this He commands even the wind and the water and they obey him. Thanks, lessee.

What Jesus has been teaching crowds publicly and then talking about his message and his kingdom with them? He's been calling for Faith calling for people to not just listen to what he saying but put it into practice. He's been teaching his closer disciples specifically in more depth explaining more to them and Jesus signs. It's time for a change of scene. You want to head over to the other side of a lake and its leg channel is it happens about seven miles across space from the crowds right Commission in mind on the other side of the lake to accomplish, by the way, the story starts has simple enough Jesus's disciples are probably thinking after some of those among Jesus disciples RX fisherman.

And all is calm and I can see them. I can picture them just putting out from the harbor and cruising smoothly out into the lake and everyone's quite chilled and relaxed and happy yalda Sailors know what they're doing seems like for a nap. So Jesus some settles down for this rest and that seems totally fair again draw the crowds all the teaching all the busyness. It's like an Instagram my mind, isn't it? What if anyone was thinking there may be trouble ahead or humming it we read the story and we know what happens next and suddenly it is the perfect storm. That seems to be on the lake is known for violent storm some and the lakes geography explains that to some extent far below sea level surrounded by really steep mountains. So you have to imagine you spend their lives on this late. This is their home turf you have to imagine that they and they weren't totally surprised to find one of these storms showing up in their backyard, but it seems to be a particularly serious one how you can tell Stones bad when fishermen are afraid. I mean who's seen Deadliest Catch like in in Deadliest Catch wandering around Corning Road still damp when fishermen are afraid when fishermen afraid it is a really serious storm. But he sees a fisherman there their they're terrified. We are going to drown the Shell at Jesus and verse 24 more. Literally if you translate that literally is just I'm saying we are perishing. Like right now we're dying show is over. I'm dead you're dead. This is it. That's what they're thinking that the sentence you get from their words and the urgency of the story the same story is told him Matthew and marks don't suppose as well as the disciples words to say don't you care? That's the kind of feeling you get right to think we are all going to die. We're all going to die on the lake today, don't you care Jesus your nothing? How can Jesus be sleeping in the middle of a killer storm like this happen to do that? How can I be a casual and relaxed when death is only moments away? I'm practically how come all this water isn't waking up a sleeping Jesus. I don't know about the disciples Rouse him urgently there their fearing for their lives. They're questioning his concern and then all of a sudden the story turns this is cool as ice despite the store and then he's not officially the carpenter by trade but cooler than the fisherman in the storm. He's not Panic by the way, if he doesn't wake in a haze like I do going to stumble around on deck for log on what time is it? You know, he he gets off. He rebuked the wind and the Raging Waters. It says he gets up and he said he doesn't never the word rebuke that makes this picture. This is a confrontation as a face up front is Jesus versus the waves. Meno meno abbays its creator the storm stops that that subsided you see that the storm subsided I'm makes it feel like it happened gradually any kind of watch it. It's way down and gently subsided underneath. The original language just says it stopped. Just as it stopped and isn't just a storm. The wave disappear to physicist conservation of momentum, but it's huge mass of water in motion by the waves and only stops the energy that's involved in making that transition is not a few hours of the Waves gradually washing down. Don't let it surprise you to know that the ancient Greeks the ancient Romans the ancient Jews. They all agreed. It's only the Divine that has this sort of power over nature asserting. You people didn't even they won Roman Emperor Caligula parody declared war on the sea, but they didn't you didn't actually have power over it. Pretty obvious today to ask me or humans do not have power over the waves Dewey I think about the variously named storms that hit the UK so far this year the new trend for naming everything. But anyway, the various named storms. How much power do we have to do anything about those storms scale of what's involved there? Baloo tells us that Jesus rebuked the wind and the Raging Waters the storm subsides always come. Lee wants us to be clear. Jesus is no ordinary human being. And then this same Jesus confronts his terrified disciples. Where is your faith? He asked them in verse 25. We don't know precisely what tone of voice to use there. We don't know if it was frustrated or disappointed.

It was even a muse. Where's your face boys?

But it's clear their face is deficient in some way of Jesus suggest is always missing altogether right? Where did you put it to leave on the shore? Where's your face gone? At least it's lacking something their face isn't what it should be. So the question is what sort of Faith should have been should have prayed harder because because I'm pretty sure they were praying by the time they thought they were going to die research shows even today almost everyone will pray when their back is against the wall. Like I'm sure they were praying that she's just mean they should have prayed harder. Does Jesus mean the disciples should had enough Faith to go rebuked the storm themselves doing? I don't think so Pilot Point of the episode has unique power over creation Creations obedient speaks about Jesus's identity. Will the the parallels to they said Matthew and Mark help us a little bit here. Both of them show Jesus putting his finger on the disciples fear. Matthew 8:26 Mark 4:40, they both had why are you so afraid? Where is your faith? Why are you so afraid? Where is your faith? Is there fear the shows where the problem is with their faith? They should have known their Lord will bring them safe through the storm. So you needn't be afraid. I'll have to sort of Faith Jesus was looking for that's the sort of Faith. They didn't have they thought they were going to die. They didn't think they're going to be brought stay through the storm. Jesus wants them to have faith in his presence faith in his chair facing his ability to bring them safe through and they just didn't have it when the moment came when the chips were down. They just didn't have it. They only had Terror and down in the middle of the storm.

Who is this? That is the question they ask him response. Implication is they've really still don't quite know who this Jesus is that they've been going around with traveling and watch him do things. This event is Rock their world. It's challenge their understanding of just who it is. They've been following watching listening to failing with. They thought they knew him already, but they didn't. They just discovered he is even more than they'd imagined. The Bible scare the one who commands the wind and waves is God himself. You'll find that rent. Lots of places throughout the Bible. There's a whole bunch of place that makes that point so who is this then in the boat with us? Jesus is busy blowing their minds.

a cool story

we always have to ask when we read a story like this will so I want That's interesting. Nice for the disciples good to know about the sea, but what are you and me here? And today we're going to fight with Jesus Will mostly landlubbers, right? Jesus died risen to send it to heaven and he's there. So what is the story like this one teach us today? Well tell you first of all, it tells us following. Jesus isn't plain sailing. Anyone who tells you it's going to be an easy ride to follow Jesus just hasn't read the book.

As these first disciples physically follow Jesus around the face of the Earth. They run into trouble they run into storms literal storms like this when we've been run until talking about today for all sorts of other storms as well. They ran into trouble with the authorities into trouble with hostile people. As you see if you follow the story almost they don't walk as smooth and easy path and its people said I had to follow Jesus today. We should know it is not a smooth path. Not an easy ride is not playing sailing that is not wisdom promised anyone. And it's not just like hidden in some small print somewhere, you know, you have to turn to page 32 of the contract and then look down in the fine print of the bottom and you'll discover may not be playing shearling large print on the top all over the place is very plain and easily discerned if you look at what's going on Ice playing from the words of Jesus himself. He does not promise an easy ride. He says he came to bring not peace but a sword is playing from the life of his first followers. If you read their stories you would see if they didn't have an easy ride things didn't go smoothly for them from other writings in the Bible. I want Peter 4:12. It says dear friend don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal that's come upon you to test you if there's something strange what happened to be surprised when things get tough strange.

I'll be totally false advertising the Bible doesn't give us that false advertising. It doesn't make those false promises it straight about the truth following. Jesus is not playing sailing. Has all kinds of different storms to throw at us. So when we find ourselves in the middle of a storm, I tell you what, that means. It means you haven't taken a wrong turn somehow steps off of God's good playing easy straightforward simple path on to the difficult accidental siding. It doesn't mean that I doesn't mean that God is cross with you. It doesn't mean that you've gone to his dark side or is wrong side. It doesn't mean your face is broken or you've been deserted by God. That's not what storms mean. Stones a part of the path Life has storms. But here's the thing Christians are not alone in the storm.

Jesus promises his followers in his final commissioning of them some of his last words them surely I am with you always known the story red daisies was physically there in the boat right next to them not safe and comfortable on the shore thing. You guys say that and I'll I'll enjoy the sun here on the beach. I know he's with them in the boat know Jesus isn't physically with us anymore. He's risen to send to be with God the father but he has sent his holy spirit to be with his followers to be with them through every storm. Just like the disciples in that boat his presence at his care had his power to coil on my we still have his present scared and power to call on the Bible invites us to do that that same letter 1 Peter says this 1 Peter 5:7 cast all your anxiety on him. Because he cares for you. In today's story. We seen it doesn't just care if he has the power to do something about it. He's able to help life has storms life has storms when you run into a storm is not the something's going wrong. But when you run into stormy is true that you are not alone in it. I will also see rather rather wasn't this way. I'm but storms do you have things to teach us? Jesus asleep in this storm for the disciples good I cares enough to lay down his life for the nest was going to go on to do he's going to lay down his life for his disciples so I can tell you he cares enough to stay awake if that's what was needed here. You could have met stitches eyes or ancient Coffee Day or whatever they did back then he could have this is not selfish nap. If it would have been better, of course you can stay awake. He only allows the storm to come on the disciples boat for their goods to the question. We have to be thinking about is what does it teach them? That's my purse would have claimed that plenty of faith. I think what they done they're giving up their occupations to go and follow this man. That's a pretty big step of Faith, isn't it? They've been walking around with him, but they said on sure they would have said if they started sailing they had plenty of faith in this men, but the storm showed them the real limits of their faith. At least I would have told you that they knew who they were traveling with. They knew who they were following but this and cancer in the Storm shows them. more of you Jesus istam

what to think about what our minds do what our hearts do when we find ourselves caught in a storm. I just want to get out. I just want to have it over with so what happens to me when I run to the store and then like this off, please I'd like to get back to the shore now. The practice something for us to learn as well. Perhaps we can find Comfort even in the middle of the storm by knowing that he has something to teach his press about our faith. That's about our savior. Not an easy thing to appreciate storms is it it's not an easy thing to appreciate storms. But Jesus let this happen for a reason on accident. Jesus Alanis storms in your life for a reason not an accident even though it's hard to appreciate it. A final fling this story shows us is that Jesus is able to bring us safe through every storm. Think through every storm of Life the other disciples see its power over the wind. They see his power over the waves here and adults back in like who is this? But I can see even more. They're going to see more yet. Jesus has all power. He's able to deliver from Every Storm. There's nothing too difficult for him. It doesn't it doesn't matter what storm you're going through. Jesus is able to bring you stay through every storm of life.

But I may have to ask well, how come then? We don't see every Christian always delivered from every trial in this life. I may be able to bring us safe through if he's really with us if he really cares who really has the power what how come some Christians died as Martyrs for their faith. How does that happen?

And they have done since Jesus's day. How come some Christians fight disease and lose?

How come some Christians struggle with depression with anxiety with mental health and some live in that storm for their whole lives? How come not every storm passes?

We don't know or see or understand everything. These are these are some of the biggest questions of our faith. Really, I don't think they're simple satisfying answers. We can draw that in the face of life's difficulties, but one thing nothing always helps us some more here is perspective.

This life isn't the whole story.

It's not even the main story.

This life is just the Prelude is just the introduction is just the opening credits. This is not the main event and Jesus isn't about getting us through to calm water and plain sailing in this life. That's not his big objective or his main goal for us Jesus about taking us through the last and greatest storms of life through death itself and out into the calm Beyond with him. That's what he's about. The ultimate answer to the storms. This life is not going to be still here now, but the one day there was a place and a time where they will wear all these things will be done and finished. We're all wind and waves still.

I disciple sold Jesus's power of a creation here. Ultimately. They will see it power over the Last Enemy death is Jesus defeats it through the cross rises again. Because of his death in our place simply. We are offered Life Beyond Death Safe through the last storm. Jesus will bring those who trust him safe through.

29 faced life's storms and we will face storms as we Face line of storms that maybe we'll even last us all the way to the end. The question we have to ask ourselves is the one Jesus asked. Where is your faith?

Jesus will bring those who trust him stay through all the storms. We don't need to be afraid.

So I asked you today. Where is your faith? The hard question is a big question.

Let's pray together for a minute.

Like Jesus, we would choose a life without storms.

We would choose a life of plain sailing.

But that's not what you've chosen for us. Irisee here today.

Thank you that we know you're with us. Through every storm. Thank you that we can trust that you care for us. How you care enough to give you life? Thank you that we can trust you have all the power to do whatever is necessary.

Someone help us not to face storms with fear.

the movie face storms with faith Please help us to grow our faith. episode learn in the storms you give us

about to trust you all the way. Thank you. You carry a safe through to the end.

a man