Jesus has a tendency to show up at just the right time; I think all of us can write our own song, give our own testimony and end it with the same phrase; some of us would say something like this; “when I know I was about to lose my mind…in fact I know I would have…but “then came Jesus!” It is a song that we all could write; it is a part of our life’s story; and isn’t it strange, that God will give us all our own story; for all of us have one; it’s unique, for we are all different; and no two story is just the same, but we all have a “then came Jesus” moment… for we have come this far by faith; not in our own intellect; not on own merit, not in our own strength.
If you will this morning, think, of your “then came Jesus” moment; because we all have a moment; “I would have died from covid, leukemia, bleeding to death on the operating table, drug overdose, sclerosis at the liver; lungs collapsed, stroke at the brain, severe cancer, walking past a coffin for the last time, worried half to death, about to pull my hair out but then came Jesus!” personally, I can write my own book this morning; chapter after chapter; line after line; no matter where we are community, he always finds us; doesn’t He? And he will show up when we least expect him or when we are at our wits end; be encouraged somebody this morning if he has not got to where you are yet; God, I am so glad that Jesus knows how to find me, no matter where I am! he will show up when it comes to his children.
Even in the Old Testament, when the nation of Israel would turn away from God; when they would backslide and prostitute themselves with false gods Jehovah God always went to them, He sought them to return unto him; Moses, the greatest prophet of the Old Testament did not go to God; God went to Moses in the burning bush and called out to him; perhaps somebody this morning can remember your own story; a “then came Jesus” moment. When God came to you when you needed him the most. That if he came then, he will come now. Community, I wouldn’t serve a God that will not be there when I need him. That can’t find me when I need him. And I say that today because some of us are serving false gods; what do you mean pastor? I mean wherever we turn in the worst of times can become our gods; ask yourself this question this morning; if the worst of the worst was to happen right now, where would I turn? Where would I go? Seriously the message today is a reality check; we need that sometimes; because we forget that He won’t always come right when we want him in the daylight; sometimes he will come in the night time.
Matthew chapter 14:22-33 is so familiar to some Christians, I want to put a different spin on it; but the difference is that we always highlight the fact of Jesus walking on the water; we highlight the fact that Jesus gave Peter permission to walk on the water too; and he did; but today I want to highlight the fact of Jesus coming to them; I want to highlight the fact that he waited until things were so out of their control and then he showed up; because I do understand this morning that somebody may be rowing and tossing and turning on your ship, and you’re about to go down for the last count.
Jesus sends His disciple in a ship to the other side while he goes into the mountain to pray (vs 23). but he knew when he sent them out on the sea that a storm is on the rise; community let me say in love this morning, don’t buy into this preaching that because you are saved you won’t ever have storms; that we are to live in heaven on earth; be pain free and have smooth sailing all the time; that’s not bible and that’s not reality; but we can learn something here from this; remember first of all that “He brought me here!” it is not an accident that you are in the storm that you are in; “He brought you here!” I know it’s painful; you don’t want to be in it; and you don’t understand; in fact, the question arises in your mind “Why would Jesus bring me into this storm?” But then know that he is praying for you. God’s people are on the sea, in the midst of a storm. Yet Jesus Christ is in heaven “making intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34).
He saw the disciples and knew their situation (Mark 6:48), just as He sees us and knows our situation. Friends, just know that Jesus is praying for you. So that we need to quit saying “this thing is out of control!” I know the wheels are turning; but in this storm Jesus was in control the whole time. And He’s in control now. Community, I want to tell somebody this morning, that Jesus did not save you to lose you! Or for you to drown in your storm; He saved you to keep you! So that no matter how great your storm is, you are going to make it to the other side! “Then came Jesus!”