Sermon prepared by the Holy Spirit and Pastor Andrew T. Okai

10^th Sunday after Pentecost

August 13, 2017

Sermon text: Matthew 14:22–33

Sermon theme: Taking Courage in the Storm

Introduction

Many Christians today view having a relationship with God as a stay-out-of-trouble relationship. So when trouble shows up in their lives, they say, “God I’m serving you, so why am I still having troubles?”

There is no place in scripture where God promises to keep us free of trouble while we are traveling through this life, though he did promise to be with us through our trials. And as we well know, this is a world full of good and evil, storms everywhere

The Three Cs

• The contrast: Matthew 14:22–24 Jesus was on the mountainside alone, and the boat with the disciples was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. They had just had a miraculous moment they had just experienced and suddenly they were in storm. Most of us have had these ups and downs moments.
• The covenant: Matthew 14:25-26 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. Jesus shows up to protect, assist, sustain, and strengthen us.
• The conqueror: Matthew 14:27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” When a storm enters our lives it brings fear, which destabilizes us. And then the voice of the conqueror of all storms says, “Take courage, it is I. Don’t be afraid.”

This morning whatever your storm may be, I come to let you know that the conqueror is in your storm, and in a still quiet voice, he is saying, “Take courage; it is I. Don’t be afraid...”