RISING TO SHINE OVER THE WORLD’S DARKNESS - ISAIAH 60:1-2; MATTHEW 14:22-33
Being the message delivered by Olufemi Babalola at the worship service on Sunday 20th September, 2020
Introduction: It is no news again to everyone living in this world that the entire universe is under a severe attack. The Covid-19 pandemic that started like a child play has dealt a great blow to every inhabitant of the world without any exemption. This is one disaster too many in a year that has not only disrupted virtually every human endeavor worldwide, it has also claimed several lives globally and ruined many individual, corporate, national and global economies.
While Covid-19 on one hand is ravaging the whole world with its devastating effects, several parts of the universe are also not at peace due to different natural and man made disasters such as hurricanes, floods, genocide, terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, rape, famines, poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Indeed, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the people.
Certain questions that one may ask in all of these include where is God? Does God really exist? Does He really care for the world? What is the fate of God’s children? Why does God permits all these troubles? Truly, there may seems to be some contradictions in the world today just as we see in the scriptures we read (Matthew 14:22-24). The truth is that there’s a solution available for you still, it is grounded in God’s sovereignty, that He has a purpose that you’re meant to fulfill, that there’s always hope, and that combined with faith, each day is one step closer to a better day. So, with Jesus you will overcome the thick darkness and with Jesus you will rise and shine again. How?
1. He knows all about your situations and He is coming to help you out of it all, Matthew 14:23-24; 10:29-31. It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to face with storms of life, but He thereby shows Himself with the more grace to them and for them. He can take whatever way He pleases to save his people.
2. Be attentive to hear from Jesus, Matthew 14:26-27. It is not unlikely that even appearances of deliverance sometimes may trigger trouble and perplexity for God's people, from mistakes about Christ. Those of us who have Jesus near us need not to fear no evil not even death itself (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).
3. Dare to take Jesus by His word, Matthew 14:28-29. Anyone who dare to trust Jesus and act on His word will surely experience the supernatural. Every bold step taken in spiritual pursuits will receive divine supports. You will never know that you can do the impossible except you trust Jesus.
4. Stay your focus always on Jesus, Matthew 14:30a. The divine principle for staying afloat and walking on the storms of life is looking only unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). As long as you keep walking by faith and not by sight you will surely overcome (2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 John 5:4-5). But the moment you look off from Christ, and look at the greatness of opposing difficulties, fear will arise. Once fear invades, there’s no pressing forward in faith or summoning of courage anymore. The presence of fear brings doubt and he who doubts is no difference from the waves of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
5. Be humble to cry out Jesus, Matthew 14:30b-31. Christ is the great Saviour; those who would be saved, must come to him, and cry to him for salvation; we are never brought to this, till we find ourselves sinking: the sense of need drives us to him. Once you become aware that you have drifted away from Jesus, the wisest step to take is to humble yourself, return to Him and cry out to Him in prayer (2 Chronicles 7:14; James 4:6, 10; Isaiah 66:2b).
Conclusion: The only antido