First Baptist Church Litchfield
November 10

      • Hebrews 11:1ESV

      • Hebrews 11:6ESV

  • This I Believe (The Creed)
  • You Are God Alone (Not A God)

      • Romans 10:11ESV

  • Great Is Thy Faithfulness

      • John 7:38ESV

  • Good And Gracious King
  • From The Inside Out

  • Ira Sankey

    Kent Hughes tells the story of Iara Saneky, a story he read in the Moody Monthly, a magazine of D.L. Moody’s ministry. Ira Sankey met Moody in 1870. He partnered with D.L. Moody as a evangelist and Song Leader in the same manner as Clifford Burton Barrows or George Beverly Shea was for Billy Graham.
    After five years of International crusades, Sankey and Moody had developed a large following in the United States.
    “It was Christmas Eve, 1875, and Sankey was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River. It was a beautiful, starlit evening and many passengers were on deck who encouraged the famous evangelist to sing. Sankey, who was leaning against one of the steamship’s great funnels gazing at the stars in silent prayer, consented, intending to sing a Christmas song, but felt compelled to sing William Bradbury’s “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us.”
    There was a deep stillness as his baritone floated across the quiet river that Christmas Eve. When he had finished, a man stepped from the shadows and said: “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?”
    “Yes,” Mr. Sankey answered, “in the spring of 1860.”
    “Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright, moonlit night in 1862?”
    “Yes,” Mr. Sankey answered, very much surprised.
    “So did I, but I was serving in the Confederate Army. When I saw you standing at your post, I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling upon you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to heaven and began to sing. ‘Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself. ‘I can shoot him afterwards.… ’
    “But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly: ‘We are Thine, do Thou befriend us. Be the Guardian of our way.’
    “Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me.…
    “When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim again. I thought, ‘The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ And my arm of its own accord dropped limp at my side.”
    Two men find themselves in peril of civil war. One man with a gun pointed at his enemy with a sure kill, while the other man with a song, vulnerable to a sure shot. All that stood between them was a soverign Lord, our Lord, who stirred one man to sing a song of worship in order to melt the heart of his enemy so both men could enjoy life. The story is so miraculous. Such power. Such authority. Only Jesus, our soverign Lord, could do such a miraculous thing.
    Unfortunately, too many people cannot see Jesus in this story. Some will chalk it up to being overwhelmed with nostalgia. Others may see it as a moment of weakness in a soldier. The danger of unbelief is that it blinds you from seeing Jesus as he truly is; the Lord. You cannot see his hand in the power to perform the miraculous. You cannot trust his authority in matters that seem to invade your life where fear overwhelms you.
    Our text this morning displays Jesus’ power and authority as Lord, something Jesus’ disciples did truly understand about Jesus.
    Ignorance or unbelief is a common problem for Jesus’ disciples in the gospels. For example, when Jesus provides food for over 5,000 people from two loaves and fish fish, Jesus warns his disciples of the leaven of the pharisees-using the previous miracle as a springboard to teach them. The disciples do not understand Jesus’ point. They are more concerned about where they are going to get bread to eat. Jesus rebuke’s them, saying,
    Mark 8:18–19 ESV
    18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”
    Mark 8:20–21 ESV
    20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
    Why couldn’t the disciples understand Jesus? Their hearts were hard with unbelief. They did not have eyes to see Jesus as Lord.
    So, Jesus, being concerned with his disciples heart, is going to strengthen their faith and open their eyes to His Lordship. He’s going to bring them to a place where they find the end of themselves-a storm, so he can prove to them He is Lord. In other words, brothers and sisters,

    Jesus will lead you into the storm to strengthen your faith by revealing Himself as your Lord.

    Last week, we explored the cost of discipleship. Genuine disciples possess devoted hearts and a unified love for Jesus that surpasses all earthly loyalties. They prioritize the kingdom of God over worldly security and are willing to follow Jesus wherever he guides them. Jesus instructs us with the command, "Follow me.” Therefore, true disciples heed this call. In Matthew 8:23, the disciples obey Jesus, boarding a boat that will take them directly into the heart of a storm, a storm that will test their faith and reveal Jesus as Lord.
    To better understand Jesus as your Lord, there are three movements for you to make this morning in your Christian faith.

    Follow Jesus to the storm (Matthew 8:23-24)

    Matthew 8:23 ESV
    23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
    I can imagine they did not think too much about getting into the boat. They probably assumed it would be business as usual. Maybe you could even infer they were going through the motions. They all got into the boat assuming two things. First, that they would get to their destination just fine. Second, they could probably handle whatever would come their way. These were seasoned fisherman. They had no idea what Jesus does when he gets you in the boat.
    Whenever you read about Jesus and a boat, you'll see Him either inviting His disciples to follow Him or revealing something significant about His nature.
    As Jesus starts His ministry, He calls James, John, Peter, and Andrew to leave their nets in the boats with their father to follow Him. While in a boat, Jesus demonstrates His power over creation by telling Peter to cast his net on the other side, resulting in a net overflowing with fish. Peter responds, “Depart from me, for I am unclean," and Jesus assures him that He will make him a fisher of men. We've also seen that in a boat, Jesus instructs His disciples not to embrace the leaven of the Pharisees and reminds them of how He fed over 20,000 people with just a few loaves and fish. It was in a boat where the disciples witnessed Jesus walking on water, prompting Peter to step out and walk towards Him. Moreover, it was in a boat where Peter recognized the resurrected Christ on the beach. Each time Jesus invites you into the boat, you will learn something profound about Him and your faith. For Jesus, the boat is an opportunity for discipleship.
    Discipleship means following Jesus Christ by faith and involves the complete Christian journey. It begins with self-denial and a willingness to 'take up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). It signifies a dedication to God through Christ and living in alignment with Christ’s purpose for one’s life (Donal McKim).
    The ultimate goal of discipleship is to strengthen your faith to see the infinite beauty of God. True success in discipleship lies not in programs but in cultivating disciples who love God wholeheartedly.
    J.T. English wrote a wonderful book called, “Deep Discipleship.” He identifies two significant challenges to deep discipleship: self-centered discipleship and spiritual apathy.
    Self-centered discipleship focuses on individual autonomy and self-actualization rather than on God, leading to a misunderstanding of true discipleship, which requires self-denial and following Christ's example.
    Spiritual apathy, on the other hand, occurs when individuals become bored with Jesus while remaining engaged with church activities, indicating a need for a renewed focus on Christ's preeminence.
    It has been my experience in the church that we’ve gotten really comfortable at staying on the beach. We can be busy for Jesus with all kinds of churchy things on the beach. We can come to church periodically on the beach. We don’t have to get involved in people’s messy lives or put our earthly comforts at risk if we stay on the beach. The boat is confined and scary. There is no place to run when you are in a boat with Jesus and his disciples.
    The problem with staying on the beach is, you will never know Jesus is Lord. And, when the hurricane hits the beach, your your will not stand. Nothing built on sand survives the storm.
    Following Jesus into the boat is good for your discipleship. He will show you His beauty and glory. He will show you his Lordship in a way your heart will believe and learn to rest in Him.

    Rest in Jesus through the storm (Matthew 8:25-26)

    In Matthew 8:24
    Matthew 8:24 ESV
    24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
    The storm is not your average storm. Remember, these are seafaring men, seasoned fishermen. They have seen squalls in the Sea of Galilee. This one is different.
    It is different for two reasons. First of all, their boat is in the verge of sinking. Walls of water are towering over the boat and crashing into it to the point the the disciples cannot keep up with bailing the water out.
    Secondly, when Jesus calms the storm, he does so with a rebuke.
    Matthew 8:26 ESV
    26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
    The word for rebuke can carry the sense that what was going on was being influenced by something demonic. So, the storm’s energy was raging against Jesus and his disciples.
    In verse 25, the disciples fear reaches a point where they are convinced they are going to perish. So they wake Jesus, who is sleeping in the bow of the boat.
    Matthew 8:25 ESV
    25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”
    Jesus awakes from his sleep and respond to their cry for help:
    Matthew 8:26 ESV
    26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
    As I said before, when your in the boat with Jesus it is a time of discipleship. There is something the disciples need to learn about themselves and something they need to learn about Jesus.

    What do the disciples learn about themselves?

    Fear has weakened their faith.

    When Jesus awakes to their cry for help, he ask them a question; “Why are you afraid?” He then qualifies his question by saying, “O you of little faith.” Jesus connects their lack of faith to their fear. In this case, fear is a form of unbelief. Their fear arose in their heart no so much because to the storm, but because of what they did not believe about Jesus.
    The storm is merely a vice that is squeezing their heart. The storm does not produce fear. Fear is what is in your heart. The storm is merely a vice the presses it out of your heart.
    The same thing happens with anger. Let’s say your spouse says something to you that is offensive. You get angry. Your spouse did not produce anger in your heart. It was already there. Their words may have stirred your heart, but your anger comes from your heart. Jesus says,
    Matthew 15:17–19 ESV
    17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
    In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus says hateful anger in your heart toward someone is equivalent to murder. Like anger, fear is in your heart, and fear is a form of unbelief. What were the disciples not believing about Jesus? Jesus reveals that to him when he reveals something about himself.

    What does Jesus reveal about Himself?

    Jesus is Lord.

    In Matthew 8:26
    Matthew 8:26 ESV
    26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
    When the disciples woke Jesus up, they said, “Save us , Lord.” It’s not that they had not faith. Being afraid is not a lack of faith. There is healthy fear that warns you of danger. The disciples fear had become irrational in the sense that they lost hope. They could not see any way out of their danger, even though the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings who holds the entire world together, was with them, sleeping in their boat.
    Irrational fear blinded their the eyes of their heart. Irrational fear, says Daniel Doriani, “resists comfort. It forgets the power and goodness of God. It extinguishes faith. Godly fear recognizes the threat at hand, but it is tempered by confidence in God. When dangers loom, we should remember that God masters storms.”
    Had they known Jesus as their Lord, they would’ve realized although the situation looked as of everything was out of control, Jesus was holding it all together. Maybe they would’ve remembered how God stirs and stills the seas in Psalm 107:25-30
    Psalm 107:25–30 ESV
    25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
    Had they seen Jesus as Lord, they would’ve rested in Jesus by trusting his power and his authority over the storm.

    What does resting in Jesus look like?

    Illinois is located on the northern edge of Tornado Alley, meaning that springtime in the Midwest often brings severe storms. The darkness of night amplifies the storms’ intensity. The flashes of lightning, the rumble of thunder, the howling winds, and the relentless rain, all shrouded in darkness, can be frightening for a child.
    When a child is scared by a nighttime storm, they often rush to their parents’ bedroom, seeking refuge in their bed. They squeeze into the space between mom and dad, quickly burrowing under the covers and cuddling as closely as possible to either parent. Mom and dad reassure them that even if the storm rages on throughout the night, joy will greet the morning.
    Moments later, the once terrifying storm transforms into a magnificent display of nature’s beauty and glory, lulling the child into a peaceful sleep.
    What has changed? It is their closeness to those they trust and perceive as authoritative and powerful — their parents. Just as a child finds comfort in the presence of their parents during a storm, we too, brothers and sisters, can rest in the presence of Christ, a far greater presence for He possesses the complete power and authority to quell storms.
    The disciples should have nestled up to Jesus during the fierce storm, hands trembling and hearts racing, but in trusting His power and authority, they could have found peace.
    Jesus is your Lord. He is God almighty. He stood up in that boat and commanded the sea and the wind to be still. There is no one on earth who has ever lived did such a thing beside Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth.
    Brothers and sisters, if the Lord Jesus can quell the raging storms in the Sea of Galilee, He sure can quell the storms raging on the inside of your heart. But you must trust him as Lord.
    You must draw near to Him. In your panic and in your fear seek refuge in him the way a scared child does in his parents bed. Squeeze into the space and quickly burrowing under the covers and cuddling as closely as possible to Christ. He will reassure you that even if the storm rages on throughout the night, joy will greet the morning. In a matter of time, the storm you fear transforms into a magnificent display of Christ’s beauty and glory, lulling you into a peaceful rest, and your rest helps your heart to respond to Jesus in worship.

    Worship Jesus as Lord in the calm after the storm (Matthew 8:27)

    Seeing the wind stop and the sea become like glass, the disciples are beside themselves. The Jesus they got into the boat with is not the Jesus they are seeing in front of them. The storm has changed everything. Matthew records,
    Matthew 8:27 ESV
    27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
    The word marveled carries the idea of astonishment and awe. They were in awe of Jesus, which is the appropriate response. Jesus is awesome. They just witnessed Jesus be awesome. So they are left with a more of a rhetorical question: What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the seas obey him?”
    In antiquity, the seas were untamable. Only God has the power to control the sea.
    Canute the Great was a Danish king who ruled England from 1016 to 1035. A well-known story recounts how Canute placed his throne by the seaside and commanded the incoming tide to stop, declaring that it should not wet his feet or robes. However, the tide continued to rise, splashing over his legs without regard for his royal status. He then stepped back and proclaimed,
    “Let all men understand how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for only He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws is truly worthy of that title.” Canute the Great
    Jesus just proved to His disciples that he is worthy of that title. Jesus is King. He is Lord of creation. He spoke to the wind, and the wind listened to his voice. He commanded the sea to be still, and the sea obeyed his command. Jesus is not merely a man. He is divine. He is God. He is worthy of your worship and praise. When the eyes of your heart have been open to see Jesus as Lord, worship is the correct response.
    In a display of humility, Canute the Great, after realizing his power as king was worthless in light of God, hung his gold crown on a crucifix and vowed never to wear it again, honoring God, the supreme King.
    Have you hung up your crown? Have you vowed to never wear it again, honoring Jesus as your Supreme King? Is He Lord of your life?
    Jesus says to you this morning, “Follow me. Do not worry about the things of this world. Follow me.” Are you a disciple of Jesus? If so, are you in the boat? Are you allowing Jesus to intimately lead to you people, places, and circumstances that may be uncomfortable, but strengthen your faith to see the infinite beauty of God.
    Are you engaged in our community at FBCL or are you stuck in self-centered discipleship focuses on individual autonomy and self-actualization rather than on God?
    Are you bored with Jesus, suffering from spiritual apathy, maybe engaged with church activities, but have lost sight of Jesus beauty and glory?
    Has Jesus lead you to a storm? How are you responding to Him right now? Is irrational fear crippling your faith, or are you resting in Him as Lord? Are you able to worship the Lord, even in amidst the storm?
    It is my conviction, Jesus is calling FBCL to get in the boat. He is going to teach us his truth and reveal more of his nature and mission to us as a body. There will be times when the water is calm. There will also be times the sea rages. Sometimes it wall rage because Satan is hard at work trying to sink the ship. Other times, it will be a test of our faith. Either way, it is imperative that we see Jesus as our Lord. He is our Lord who brings us to the storm, sustains us through the storm, and enables us to worship him with a better understanding of his Lordship after the storm.

      • Matthew 8:23–27ESV

      • Mark 8:18–19ESV

      • Mark 8:20–21ESV

      • Matthew 8:23ESV

      • Matthew 8:25–26ESV

      • Matthew 8:24ESV

      • Matthew 8:26ESV

      • Matthew 8:25ESV

      • Matthew 8:26ESV

      • Matthew 15:17–19ESV

      • Matthew 8:26ESV

      • Psalm 107:25–30ESV

      • Matthew 8:27ESV

      • Proverbs 3:5–6ESV

  • God Of Wonders
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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