WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:00.961 Good morning family. 00:00:00.961 --> 00:00:06.092 With Memorial Day next week, that means summer is right around the corner. 00:00:06.092 --> 00:00:08.147 How many of you are excited about summer? 00:00:08.147 --> 00:00:15.006 Oh, my goodness, I know that if you are a teacher or a student in the room, you are a spe-. 00:00:15.006 --> 00:00:16.650 Yes, I see Tyler's hand going up. 00:00:16.650 --> 00:00:17.652 She gave me a whoop. 00:00:17.652 --> 00:00:22.111 If you're a teacher or you're a student, you are especially excited about summer. 00:00:22.111 --> 00:00:24.042 Summer's amazing, summer's great. 00:00:24.684 --> 00:00:27.803 But I got to say I also really like spring too. 00:00:27.803 --> 00:00:33.063 You guys like spring, yeah, like the weather's warming up and things are still green. 00:00:33.063 --> 00:00:36.250 Well, in the spring they're green. 00:00:36.250 --> 00:00:39.767 Things are kind of starting to turn brown now, but they're still green because there's rain. 00:00:39.767 --> 00:00:45.411 At least one time a year we get rain around here, right, there's rain and there's storms. 00:00:45.411 --> 00:00:53.299 So the rain and the storms, because of them, things grow, and our faith is actually no different. 00:00:53.299 --> 00:01:00.853 In fact, storms can be catalysts for our faith to grow. 00:01:00.853 --> 00:01:13.224 To grow, storms can be catalysts for our faith to grow. 00:01:13.243 --> 00:01:15.010 Now, for some of us, we look at our lives and we're like man, I don't like storms. 00:01:15.010 --> 00:01:30.344 I mean, if I said who in the room likes hardships, who in the room likes storms, if you're raising your hand, I'm like dude, you got some issues, man, like we don't like those, but for some of us they've been instrumental to bring us to Jesus. 00:01:30.344 --> 00:01:44.786 For some of us, storms have been instrumental to bring us back to Jesus Because there were some times in our life I think all of our hands can go up where we drifted a little bit in our faith. 00:01:44.786 --> 00:01:49.888 You know what I'm saying and God used a storm to bring us back to him. 00:01:49.888 --> 00:01:51.912 There's what we're going to see today. 00:01:51.912 --> 00:02:01.811 We're going to be in John, chapter 6, and we're going to see how Jesus sent a group of people, his disciples, directly into a storm. 00:02:01.811 --> 00:02:14.367 Now, on the surface you can think that's kind of unloving, like why would he send these guys into a storm? 00:02:14.367 --> 00:02:19.241 But remember, we're in this series called signs. 00:02:19.241 --> 00:02:21.205 Everybody say signs ready. 00:02:21.205 --> 00:02:23.489 And this is what we're seeing. 00:02:23.489 --> 00:02:25.352 We're seeing the miracles of Jesus. 00:02:25.352 --> 00:02:37.735 We're not just about the miracles of Jesus, but they were to show people who Jesus was, to show people who he was. 00:02:38.620 --> 00:02:57.550 So what Jesus does is he sends some guys into a storm to show these guys that he is watch this Lord of the storms, lord of the storms. 00:02:57.550 --> 00:03:02.682 And when he sends them into the storm, he tells them this word here's the word. 00:03:02.682 --> 00:03:04.929 The word is tharso. 00:03:04.929 --> 00:03:11.992 Now, when you look at it you think you would pronounce it tharseo, but it's actually pronounced tharso. 00:03:11.992 --> 00:03:16.871 In fact, everybody say tharso on three, one, two, three, tharso, congratulations. 00:03:16.871 --> 00:03:17.900 You just learned a Greek word. 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:18.501 There you go. 00:03:20.205 --> 00:03:24.973 Tharso means be of good courage, be of good cheer. 00:03:24.973 --> 00:03:43.002 Can we just all agree that when you're in a hardship, when you're in a storm, it is difficult, it is next to impossible, to be of good courage, to be of good cheer. 00:03:43.002 --> 00:03:46.205 Why would Jesus tell some guys in a storm Tharso? 00:03:46.205 --> 00:04:06.259 Now you would say, well, I know why he did it because he wanted them to have a positive mindset, because if you just have a positive mindset you can get through anything and everything, not so fast. 00:04:06.259 --> 00:04:07.983 I know why Jesus told them Tharso? 00:04:07.983 --> 00:04:09.884 Because, well, if they would just believe in themselves, then they would have more courage. 00:04:09.884 --> 00:04:19.240 No, he told them that they could have Tharso because his presence was with them in the storm. 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:27.634 In other words, they could have peace in the storm because of the presence of Jesus. 00:04:27.634 --> 00:04:32.757 And because of the presence of Jesus you can have peace in your storm. 00:04:32.757 --> 00:04:35.985 Now, sometimes you experience a storm, and this is what we think. 00:04:35.985 --> 00:04:39.773 When the storm is over, then I'll have peace. 00:04:39.773 --> 00:04:52.201 Not necessarily. 00:04:52.201 --> 00:04:55.990 It's possible that you can have peace right now, in whatever you're facing, if you will be aware of the presence of Jesus. 00:04:55.990 --> 00:05:05.392 And today we are going to see the power of Tharso in our lives and how it is possible for us to have that, and we're going to see it in John chapter 6. 00:05:05.392 --> 00:05:08.045 If you're ready for it, would you say amen, amen. 00:05:08.045 --> 00:05:09.689 Jesus is Lord of the storm. 00:05:09.709 --> 00:05:15.449 In John 6, verse 16, it says when evening came, his disciples they went down to the sea. 00:05:15.449 --> 00:05:17.540 Now this sea is the Sea of Galilee. 00:05:17.540 --> 00:05:19.002 Everybody say Galilee, ready. 00:05:19.002 --> 00:05:21.026 Sea of Galilee. 00:05:21.026 --> 00:05:23.810 It's a lake, think a lake like Berryessa. 00:05:23.810 --> 00:05:26.834 It's a lot bigger than Berryessa, though they're on this lake. 00:05:26.834 --> 00:05:27.964 He sends them here. 00:05:27.964 --> 00:05:31.911 They had just had this incredible spiritual high. 00:05:31.911 --> 00:05:41.687 Remember, last week we talked about how Jesus fed 5,000 men, not to mention their ladies and their kids, and he fed them with five loaves. 00:05:41.687 --> 00:05:42.771 And how many fishes? 00:05:42.771 --> 00:05:44.586 That's right, two fishes. 00:05:44.586 --> 00:05:46.740 So this literally had just happened. 00:05:46.740 --> 00:05:52.189 Now they get into a ship and they go on their way. 00:05:52.189 --> 00:06:00.673 Verse number 17, it says they get in a boat, start across the sea to Capernaum, cute little fishing town on the Sea of Galilee. 00:06:00.673 --> 00:06:08.240 Sea of Galilee. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:09.362 Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come. 00:06:09.362 --> 00:06:10.144 So they're in the boat at night. 00:06:10.144 --> 00:06:13.271 They're in the boat at night. 00:06:14.233 --> 00:06:31.646 Matthew's account because Matthew gives the same account of the story in the book of Matthew and the book of Mark Matthew's account tells them that Jesus had sent these disciples and told them to go on this boat and indirectly go into the storm. 00:06:31.646 --> 00:06:32.949 In fact, look at what the text says. 00:06:32.949 --> 00:06:35.802 It says immediately he this is Jesus. 00:06:35.802 --> 00:06:43.639 He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him on the other side. 00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:47.170 On the other side and in verse number 18 of John 6,. 00:06:47.170 --> 00:06:51.064 Well, look what they found. 00:06:51.064 --> 00:06:52.730 On the Sea of Galilee. 00:06:52.730 --> 00:06:59.627 They found a high wind arose and the sea began to churn. 00:06:59.627 --> 00:07:01.413 This is a storm. 00:07:02.880 --> 00:07:11.045 When they had rowed, after they had rowed about three or four miles, which I read that and I think about that. 00:07:11.045 --> 00:07:11.507 I'm like them. 00:07:11.507 --> 00:07:12.569 Boys must have been tired. 00:07:12.569 --> 00:07:19.211 Can you imagine rowing three or four miles in a storm Y'all? 00:07:19.211 --> 00:07:20.574 There were no motorboats right here. 00:07:20.574 --> 00:07:24.165 These guys are rowing. 00:07:24.165 --> 00:07:29.125 Them boys must have had some big guns, man, I'm telling you what rowing and that these guys are strong. 00:07:29.185 --> 00:07:32.392 Three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. 00:07:32.392 --> 00:07:37.124 He was coming near the boat and they were what's that word. 00:07:37.124 --> 00:07:39.086 They were afraid. 00:07:39.086 --> 00:07:40.127 You know why they? 00:07:40.127 --> 00:07:45.814 Because they see somebody walking on the water. 00:07:45.814 --> 00:07:54.071 Okay, imagine You're in a boat in a storm at night. 00:07:54.071 --> 00:07:58.630 All of a sudden, you see somebody walking on the water towards you. 00:07:58.630 --> 00:08:04.343 You're going to be scared, you're going to wet yourself. 00:08:04.343 --> 00:08:05.247 Okay, or at least I would. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:10.990 Matthew even says when they saw him, they saw this figure, they thought it was a ghost. 00:08:10.990 --> 00:08:14.168 They were like what is going on? 00:08:14.168 --> 00:08:17.668 Somebody walking on water is not something you see every day. 00:08:17.668 --> 00:08:19.906 What was Jesus doing? 00:08:19.906 --> 00:08:38.307 He was showing them that he is Lord of the storms and he's not limited by physics, he's not limited by what seems possible, he's not limited by what in our human imaginations could possibly happen. 00:08:38.307 --> 00:08:40.868 That he's bigger than all of that. 00:08:40.868 --> 00:08:44.885 And in verse 20, he shows up and this is what he tells them. 00:08:44.885 --> 00:08:50.768 He said to them it is I, don't be afraid. 00:08:52.409 --> 00:08:53.652 In Matthew and Mark's account. 00:08:53.652 --> 00:09:01.125 Before he says it is I, he says the word tharso, be of good courage. 00:09:01.125 --> 00:09:03.708 In verse 21,. 00:09:03.708 --> 00:09:13.667 Then they were willing to take him on board and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading. 00:09:13.667 --> 00:09:26.172 Matthew tells us that as soon as he got on the boat, the storm ceased, the crazy storm that was all over the place was going crazy. 00:09:26.172 --> 00:09:31.520 Jesus gets on the boat Peace. 00:09:34.826 --> 00:09:35.788 Here's what's interesting too. 00:09:35.788 --> 00:09:41.844 This is the same account where Peter walked on the water, but John doesn't include that detail. 00:09:41.844 --> 00:09:55.605 Now, I mean, maybe I'm I don't know, maybe I just have a weird perspective, but I'm like John, that would probably be a pretty cool detail to include, that, like Peter got out of the boat and, like, walked on the water, like how come you didn't include that? 00:09:55.605 --> 00:10:06.075 Here's why Because John's entire purpose, like we had talked about writing the book of John, was to show us who Jesus was, and he wanted our focus to be on Jesus, not on Peter. 00:10:06.075 --> 00:10:11.168 He wanted the focus to be on who he is and his power. 00:10:11.168 --> 00:10:19.235 And let's not run over the fact that the last part of the verse that at once, the boat was at the shore where they were heading. 00:10:19.235 --> 00:10:23.765 So Jesus gets on the boat and all of a sudden they're where they were going to be, like that. 00:10:23.765 --> 00:10:25.589 This is crazy. 00:10:26.971 --> 00:10:33.945 And when you looked at this text, there's three paradigm-shifting realities about the person of Jesus. 00:10:33.945 --> 00:10:38.533 And what do you do in storms? 00:10:38.533 --> 00:10:48.855 Here's the first paradigm-shifting reality Jesus will send you into storms. 00:10:48.855 --> 00:10:52.726 Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. 00:10:52.726 --> 00:10:55.302 What do you mean? 00:10:55.302 --> 00:10:56.729 Jesus is going to send me into storms. 00:10:56.729 --> 00:10:58.567 He's supposed to make my life easier and better. 00:10:58.567 --> 00:11:03.447 You think about these disciples. 00:11:03.447 --> 00:11:06.690 They were doing exactly what jesus told them to do. 00:11:06.690 --> 00:11:09.905 They were obeying him to a? 00:11:09.905 --> 00:11:13.351 T and they're experiencing a storm. 00:11:13.351 --> 00:11:15.360 Some of you think that's messed up. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:24.692 More on that in a second, but I want to pause and say this for a moment. 00:11:25.614 --> 00:11:33.394 While Jesus sends us into storms, not every storm we experience is because Jesus has sent us into one. 00:11:33.394 --> 00:11:41.522 There are times in our life where we experience storms because of other people's actions or sinful behavior. 00:11:41.522 --> 00:11:54.092 So sometimes and if you're human, it's probably happened to you is that other people will live in a way that's outside of God's plan, outside of God's design. 00:11:54.092 --> 00:12:09.024 So they'll do some things and their actions will have collateral damage and their actions will affect other people and we will experience a storm in our life, not because of Jesus, but because of what somebody else has done. 00:12:09.024 --> 00:12:10.509 And some of you. 00:12:10.509 --> 00:12:16.450 Right now, you're living in this place, right now, this space, and I just want to say I'm sorry. 00:12:16.450 --> 00:12:19.777 It's difficult. 00:12:19.777 --> 00:12:28.214 Sometimes people go outside of God's plan and we experience storms because of other people. 00:12:28.214 --> 00:12:33.611 Sometimes, let's just be honest sometimes we experience storms in our life because of ourselves. 00:12:35.542 --> 00:12:39.743 You ever done something and kind of put yourself in a little bit of a hard situation and you're like why did I do that? 00:12:39.743 --> 00:12:42.970 For example, last year got a parking ticket. 00:12:42.970 --> 00:12:44.432 You may want to know. 00:12:44.432 --> 00:12:48.107 You know why I got a parking ticket Parked in the wrong spot? 00:12:48.107 --> 00:12:50.072 You know why I parked in the wrong spot? 00:12:50.072 --> 00:12:54.142 Because I didn't think they were going to check. 00:12:54.142 --> 00:12:55.863 I was like, I'll just be here for a little bit, it'll be fine. 00:12:55.863 --> 00:12:57.445 Oh, them boys checked. 00:12:57.445 --> 00:13:01.129 All right, them boys checked and they gave me a nice piece of paper on my windshield. 00:13:01.129 --> 00:13:04.032 But anyways, what happened? 00:13:04.792 --> 00:13:21.360 I experienced this little baby storm because of something that I did, and while not every storm is because of Jesus, there are storms that are because of Jesus. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:36.846 There are times he will send you into a storm, where we will experience seasons and situations where God even feels absent, where we're like what's happening? 00:13:36.846 --> 00:13:52.025 I thought things were supposed to go this way and maybe we're following the Lord way, and maybe we're following the Lord, we're obeying him, we're in his word daily. 00:13:52.025 --> 00:13:52.989 The Bible app on the top right-hand corner. 00:13:52.989 --> 00:13:55.160 It's got a big number because we've been doing it every day in a row. 00:13:55.160 --> 00:13:56.102 Some of y'all know what I'm saying. 00:13:56.102 --> 00:14:22.392 We're praying and we're like I'm still in this storm and what could happen in this moment is our expectations don't match our experience and they can collide and we can be disillusioned or disappointed or disoriented and we're like I didn't expect this to happen. 00:14:23.642 --> 00:14:35.100 And if I'm honest about me, sometimes these seasons can really be revealing of my heart. 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:47.711 They can show that my faith was more in outcomes and things happening how I wanted them to happen, when I wanted them to happen my agenda versus God's agenda. 00:14:47.711 --> 00:14:59.288 It can show that my faith and my commitment to Jesus was more, in as long as you do what I want you to do for me, than it was in God. 00:14:59.288 --> 00:15:03.884 You are great and you are powerful and you are mighty and I want to be committed to your purposes. 00:15:03.884 --> 00:15:10.565 It can reveal my heart, and this is what storms will do for every one of us. 00:15:10.565 --> 00:15:16.740 Storms have the potential to destroy your faith or deepen your faith. 00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:31.926 The potential to destroy your faith or deepen your faith Sometimes in our life. 00:15:32.807 --> 00:15:36.123 If you're a follower of Jesus and what I mean by that I don't mean that you're religious. 00:15:36.123 --> 00:15:40.264 I don't mean that you're in a church building on a Sunday morning, which is amazing by follower of Jesus. 00:15:40.264 --> 00:15:43.172 What I mean by that is that you have turned from your sin. 00:15:43.172 --> 00:15:45.611 You've realized that you are a sinner before a holy God. 00:15:45.611 --> 00:15:52.505 You have turned from that sin and you have put your faith and trust alone in the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:15:52.505 --> 00:15:53.663 You've made that decision. 00:15:53.663 --> 00:15:55.990 If you have made that decision, I hope you'll do that today. 00:15:55.990 --> 00:15:58.629 I made that decision late in my high school years. 00:15:58.629 --> 00:16:14.567 If you've made that decision and you're a Jesus follower, you will experience storms and your word you will experience storms and your storms will deepen your faith or your storms will destroy your faith. 00:16:14.587 --> 00:16:17.764 I've seen people go through the exact same thing and on the other side they have two completely different outcomes. 00:16:17.764 --> 00:16:21.236 One person goes through the same storm as this person. 00:16:21.236 --> 00:16:25.086 This person on the other side is bitter, angry and quits. 00:16:25.086 --> 00:16:29.874 This person is filled with grace, compassion, love and depth. 00:16:29.874 --> 00:16:45.966 Two people going through the exact same situation and what God wants to do is God wants the storm to deepen you in such a way where you develop character and faithfulness and godliness and you say how does this happen? 00:16:45.966 --> 00:16:47.842 This is how it happens In the storm. 00:16:47.842 --> 00:16:52.201 It causes you to hold on to God's promises in ways you've never had to hold on to them before. 00:16:52.201 --> 00:17:01.145 In the storm, it causes you to lean into God's character in ways that you've never had to before In the storm. 00:17:01.145 --> 00:17:20.422 What it does it causes you to understand that your identity is not in what you're experiencing or what you're going through, but your identity is firmly fixed in who God says that you are, and sometimes the most grace-filled, loving, kind people are people that have gone through the hardest storms of their life. 00:17:20.422 --> 00:17:39.577 And the people that go through the hardest storms and allow God to deepen him and do his great work on the other side will come out as people that God has transformed and God has worked in their life in a deep way that you're like I don't know about that person, but there is something about them that's very attractive and I just can't explain. 00:17:39.577 --> 00:17:46.413 Chances are they've gone through some deep stuff and they've walked through it with God and they've seen what God can do in them and through them. 00:17:46.413 --> 00:17:48.237 There's this pattern. 00:17:48.237 --> 00:17:49.118 Yeah, we clap for that. 00:17:49.118 --> 00:17:49.779 Let's clap for that y'all. 00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:53.348 It's true, and I'm looking at some people, I'm looking at some of y'all. 00:17:53.348 --> 00:17:53.951 That that's you. 00:17:53.951 --> 00:17:55.681 There's this pattern in scripture. 00:17:56.382 --> 00:17:58.344 Storms trust God. 00:17:58.344 --> 00:18:01.907 Watch God work Storms. 00:18:01.907 --> 00:18:04.030 Trust God, watch God work. 00:18:04.030 --> 00:18:08.316 This wasn't the only storm that Jesus had the disciples in. 00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:12.280 In Mark, chapter 4, there was another storm. 00:18:12.280 --> 00:18:15.765 This storm happened when Jesus was actually on the boat with the disciples. 00:18:15.765 --> 00:18:19.548 You may remember this Jesus was on the boat, storm was happening. 00:18:19.548 --> 00:18:23.333 He was taking a nap at the bottom of the boat. 00:18:23.333 --> 00:18:29.501 This is why I'm a firm believer in taking naps, because I want to be like Jesus. 00:18:29.501 --> 00:18:32.587 Jesus is taking. 00:18:32.587 --> 00:18:34.029 We all know that's the 11th commandment. 00:18:34.029 --> 00:18:35.993 By the way, they'll shout take a nap on Sunday afternoon. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:42.010 But it's a different sermon, not during this message, not during this message. 00:18:42.010 --> 00:18:44.281 Come on, people. 00:18:44.281 --> 00:18:46.727 Jesus is sleeping on the boat. 00:18:46.727 --> 00:18:48.130 They wake him up. 00:18:48.130 --> 00:19:01.297 He's like gets up, Peace be still Immediately. 00:19:01.297 --> 00:19:01.900 Storm ceases Immediately. 00:19:03.320 --> 00:19:05.886 That didn't happen in John 6. 00:19:05.886 --> 00:19:08.913 He didn't do that, not right away. 00:19:08.913 --> 00:19:13.589 He walked up to them as soon as they saw them. 00:19:13.589 --> 00:19:23.134 He doesn't say hey, it's I Storm, stop, storm stops, storm, stop. 00:19:23.134 --> 00:19:23.394 Guys. 00:19:23.394 --> 00:19:25.663 Now you don't have to be afraid anymore, tharso. 00:19:25.663 --> 00:19:28.871 He shows up. 00:19:28.871 --> 00:19:39.453 He says Tharso, be of good courage, be of good comfort. 00:19:39.453 --> 00:19:58.265 The storm had not stopped, because sometimes Jesus calms the storm, other times he matures us in the storm, other times he matures us in the storm. 00:19:58.265 --> 00:20:03.519 What if the storm that you want to stop is the storm that God wants to use to mature you? 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:12.642 Let's look a little closer at this story, matthew's account. 00:20:12.642 --> 00:20:14.965 Peter gets out of the boat. 00:20:14.965 --> 00:20:17.115 He takes a step of faith. 00:20:17.115 --> 00:20:26.700 You would think, as soon as Peter took a step of faith, jesus would have said Peter, you took a step of faith, you did it, storm stop. 00:20:26.700 --> 00:20:28.963 He didn't do that. 00:20:28.963 --> 00:20:35.451 You did it, storm stop. 00:20:35.451 --> 00:20:35.832 He didn't do that. 00:20:35.832 --> 00:20:36.653 Peter took, step after step after step. 00:20:36.653 --> 00:20:37.193 Storm is still happening. 00:20:37.193 --> 00:20:37.515 What's he doing? 00:20:37.515 --> 00:20:39.117 He's maturing Peter in the storm. 00:20:39.117 --> 00:20:43.349 He's maturing the disciples in the storm. 00:20:43.349 --> 00:20:48.336 He's showing them, he's going to show them that he is Lord of the storm. 00:20:50.318 --> 00:20:54.884 Tim Keller writes about this, about how Jesus matures us in the storms. 00:20:54.884 --> 00:21:05.323 Tim Keller says God is out to make you what you really want to be a person of joy and yet so empathetic and easily touched by grief. 00:21:05.323 --> 00:21:17.557 A person of courage and conviction but at the same time so approachable and tender and understanding and flexible. 00:21:17.557 --> 00:21:26.512 A person of fearlessness and yet humility, love and purity and fierce joy. 00:21:26.512 --> 00:21:31.564 Friend, let the storms deepen your faith. 00:21:31.564 --> 00:21:37.036 Let the storms deepen your faith. 00:21:37.036 --> 00:21:40.463 Let the storms deepen your faith. 00:21:40.463 --> 00:21:43.391 They do not have to destroy your faith. 00:21:43.391 --> 00:21:45.432 Let the storms deepen your faith. 00:21:46.354 --> 00:21:56.592 And Jesus is Lord of the storm and sometimes the biggest blessing of your life can be a deep storm. 00:21:56.592 --> 00:22:08.255 And sometimes, when I say blessing, what I mean is sometimes great depth and great maturity and this sense of God's presence and God's awareness and our identity rooted deeper than it's ever before. 00:22:08.255 --> 00:22:17.137 That can happen, but we have to go through some deep, hard waters and some deep storms, and the storms might not even be what Jesus' initial plan, it might be something else. 00:22:17.137 --> 00:22:25.913 But he's Lord of the storm and if you will take root and you will deepen yourself in the storm, on the other side, god can do something in you that you cannot imagine. 00:22:25.913 --> 00:22:30.521 But in the midst, when you're giving up, in the midst, where you're like I don't know how I can go forward, I don't know about this. 00:22:30.521 --> 00:22:35.914 Let me tell you how you can be deep, because number three, the presence of Jesus. 00:22:35.914 --> 00:22:40.663 The presence of Jesus will allow this to happen. 00:22:40.663 --> 00:22:54.025 Because the presence of Jesus allows us to tharso, to be of good courage, to be of good cheer, matthew 14,. 00:22:54.025 --> 00:22:56.810 Immediately he spoke to them have courage. 00:22:56.810 --> 00:22:57.471 What's he saying? 00:22:57.471 --> 00:23:01.199 Tharso, be of good cheer. 00:23:01.199 --> 00:23:02.621 It is I. 00:23:02.621 --> 00:23:07.732 He doesn't say Tharso, don't worry guys, I just checked the weather report on my iPhone. 00:23:07.732 --> 00:23:09.895 Winds are ceasing in about two minutes. 00:23:09.895 --> 00:23:10.436 Y'all are good. 00:23:10.436 --> 00:23:16.022 No, that's not why they can have courage. 00:23:16.022 --> 00:23:21.575 They can have courage because it is I. 00:23:21.575 --> 00:23:26.744 He was with them, and when Jesus told them, it is I here. 00:23:26.744 --> 00:23:33.679 It's hard for our English language to fully grasp what he's actually saying here. 00:23:33.679 --> 00:23:43.980 Sometimes, if you speak another language, you know sometimes it's hard to accurately translate the meaning of words from one language to the other. 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:54.778 So maybe you speak Spanish or some other language and you're trying to communicate a word in English and you're like what this kind of means is. 00:23:54.778 --> 00:24:01.335 It's like this, and this is like a kind of a silly illustration, but I think you'll get it. 00:24:02.517 --> 00:24:05.663 My extended family is from the East Coast. 00:24:05.663 --> 00:24:06.853 They live in South Carolina. 00:24:06.853 --> 00:24:08.617 Anybody ever been to South Carolina? 00:24:08.617 --> 00:24:13.355 Okay, my family lives in the deep sticks. 00:24:13.355 --> 00:24:15.900 They live out in the country. 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:18.411 They go towards the city to go hunting. 00:24:18.411 --> 00:24:20.316 They live out there. 00:24:20.316 --> 00:24:23.222 They speak a language that I would call Southern. 00:24:23.222 --> 00:24:26.073 I don't know if you're familiar with that. 00:24:26.073 --> 00:24:28.179 Right, they speak like they speak Southern. 00:24:28.179 --> 00:24:29.762 So I would go out there. 00:24:29.762 --> 00:24:35.777 I go out there and my grandma would say something and I would like look at my mom. 00:24:35.777 --> 00:24:37.375 I'd be like what does that mean? 00:24:37.375 --> 00:24:43.583 My grandma would say it's over yonder, over yonder. 00:24:43.583 --> 00:24:47.056 I'm like Mom is yonder, like far away. 00:24:47.056 --> 00:24:50.561 She's like yeah, I was like, but didn't. 00:24:50.561 --> 00:24:56.652 When she said it's over yonder, wasn't she talking about the mailbox? 00:24:56.652 --> 00:24:57.253 Like just right down the road? 00:24:57.253 --> 00:24:57.976 She was like yeah, that's yonder too. 00:24:57.976 --> 00:24:59.640 I was like so is it far away or is it close? 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:01.022 She's like it's both. 00:25:01.022 --> 00:25:04.049 Like, it's like okay. 00:25:04.611 --> 00:25:08.857 Another thing that flubbed me off is we go to a restaurant and they would say I want a Coke. 00:25:08.857 --> 00:25:11.461 And then the waiter or waitress would say what kind of Coke do you want? 00:25:11.461 --> 00:25:13.144 What do you mean? 00:25:13.144 --> 00:25:13.585 What kind of Coke? 00:25:13.585 --> 00:25:15.277 Like I want a Coke. 00:25:15.277 --> 00:25:18.317 And they would say oh, do you want like Sprite, dr Pepper, mountain Dew? 00:25:18.317 --> 00:25:19.820 I'd be like hold on. 00:25:19.820 --> 00:25:22.913 If I wanted that, I would say I want a Sprite, dr. 00:25:25.476 --> 00:25:33.346 There was like this gap in understanding and translating the language because of whatever. 00:25:33.346 --> 00:25:39.280 Right, I want us to understand what Jesus is actually saying here. 00:25:39.280 --> 00:25:43.881 What he's actually saying here is he's literally telling them have courage. 00:25:43.881 --> 00:25:49.097 I am the reason why the text is not translated. 00:25:49.097 --> 00:25:52.654 That is because in our english language, grammatically this does not make sense. 00:25:52.654 --> 00:26:03.563 So if you just read, have courage, I am, you'd be like I am, what I am, is the most sacred name for god. 00:26:03.742 --> 00:26:04.744 In the old testament. 00:26:04.744 --> 00:26:07.789 It's also translated jehovah. 00:26:07.789 --> 00:26:13.423 It's the phrase that god used to Moses in Exodus, chapter 3, to describe himself. 00:26:13.423 --> 00:26:17.720 He says Moses said who are you? 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:20.999 God said I am. 00:26:20.999 --> 00:26:30.137 In other words, I am what you need, I am what's needed in this moment. 00:26:30.137 --> 00:26:33.943 And when he says I am, this is what it's saying about God. 00:26:33.943 --> 00:26:41.080 He's self-existent, he's eternal, he's unchanging, he is the source of life. 00:26:41.080 --> 00:26:47.077 And in the Old Testament God would describe himself as Jehovah I am. 00:26:47.077 --> 00:27:00.751 And then something that those people needed in the moment I am Jehovah Jireh, I am your provider. 00:27:00.751 --> 00:27:06.272 I am Jehovah Shalom, I am the God of peace. 00:27:06.272 --> 00:27:10.173 I am used, I am, to describe who he is. 00:27:11.013 --> 00:27:18.579 So when Jesus comes here and he says and he says, um Tharso, I am. 00:27:18.579 --> 00:27:28.346 This is what he's saying he's saying I am self-existent, I am eternal, I am unchanging, I am the source of life, I am what you need in this moment. 00:27:28.346 --> 00:27:35.355 And because I am the, I am, I am in control, and I am Lord of the storm, and that's why you can have Tharso. 00:27:35.355 --> 00:27:49.565 So like I'm not just a good teacher, I'm not just a dude, that's just kind of hanging out with you, guys, because I got nothing better to do. 00:27:49.565 --> 00:27:54.188 No, no, no, I am the source of life and I am existent and I am eternal. 00:27:54.188 --> 00:27:55.348 This is who I am. 00:27:55.348 --> 00:27:59.771 And, by the way, guys, you know why you can have courage, because me, I'm with you right now. 00:27:59.771 --> 00:28:06.815 The storm might never go away, but that's okay. 00:28:06.815 --> 00:28:07.316 My presence is here. 00:28:07.316 --> 00:28:08.898 Things might get worse, but that's okay, my presence is still here. 00:28:08.898 --> 00:28:21.547 And, friend, the way you can have Tharso is by realizing his presence is here, and the way that you handle your storm on the other side of it can produce worship in your heart. 00:28:21.547 --> 00:28:22.167 Let me explain. 00:28:23.434 --> 00:28:30.436 In Matthew, chapter 14, the same text, it says at the end of the story those in the boat. 00:28:30.436 --> 00:28:35.548 They worshiped him and said truly, you are the son of God. 00:28:35.548 --> 00:28:36.088 What's worship? 00:28:36.088 --> 00:28:42.909 Worship is ascribing value to something, of recognizing something's supreme worth and greatness. 00:28:42.909 --> 00:28:45.661 That's what worship is. 00:28:45.661 --> 00:28:53.646 The disciples went through this storm with Jesus. 00:28:53.646 --> 00:28:59.404 He steps on the boat Peace. 00:28:59.404 --> 00:29:01.148 What's their response? 00:29:01.148 --> 00:29:09.195 Worship, why? 00:29:09.195 --> 00:29:10.538 Because they had seen that Jesus is Lord of the storm. 00:29:10.538 --> 00:29:12.342 They had seen that he was in control. 00:29:12.342 --> 00:29:14.626 They had seen, they had seen what he could do. 00:29:22.454 --> 00:29:23.557 And some of you are in a storm right now. 00:29:23.557 --> 00:29:26.983 And, friend, if you allow it to deepen you on the other side of this, your life can be filled with worship. 00:29:26.983 --> 00:29:33.661 Some of you right now, we sing some of these great songs and you just kind of look at them and I get it. 00:29:33.661 --> 00:29:35.605 If you look at the lyrics, you look at people singing. 00:29:35.605 --> 00:29:36.428 You kind of look around. 00:29:36.428 --> 00:29:39.821 Let God take you through a storm and worship will erupt out of your heart. 00:29:39.821 --> 00:29:42.253 Let God take you through a storm and worship will erupt out of your heart. 00:29:42.253 --> 00:29:44.563 Christ is a firm foundation. 00:29:44.563 --> 00:29:45.675 He will never let me down. 00:29:45.675 --> 00:29:46.396 You're not seeing it. 00:29:46.396 --> 00:29:55.750 You've already lived it In the storm. 00:29:55.750 --> 00:30:00.039 You can say brought me through. 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:06.623 And if you're in a storm right now, I just have a word for you Tharso. 00:30:06.623 --> 00:30:12.675 Tharso, be of good courage, Friend. 00:30:12.675 --> 00:30:16.300 On the other side of the storm, it can produce worship in your heart because you'll be able to look back. 00:30:16.300 --> 00:30:16.858 You'll be like man. 00:30:17.344 --> 00:30:20.643 I remember in that storm that I found out that God really was enough. 00:30:20.643 --> 00:30:29.904 I remember in that storm, walking in that storm, how self-dependent I was and God loved me too much to let me live in my self-dependence. 00:30:29.904 --> 00:30:32.376 You look back. 00:30:32.376 --> 00:30:34.223 You'll say man, I remember when I was in that storm. 00:30:34.223 --> 00:30:36.903 It took that storm to bring me to faith in Christ. 00:30:36.903 --> 00:30:44.980 It took that storm to show me that my identity was not in what I did or what I look like, but in who God says that I am. 00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:47.423 So this is the response to that storm. 00:30:47.423 --> 00:31:00.719 Worship Friend Tharso, you're in a hard time right now Tharso Family issues, tharso Health issues, tharso Trauma. 00:31:00.719 --> 00:31:02.020 You're working through Tharso, health issues, tharso Trauma. 00:31:02.020 --> 00:31:03.521 You're working through Tharso. 00:31:03.521 --> 00:31:05.023 Why? 00:31:05.023 --> 00:31:09.890 Because of the presence of Jesus and the presence of Jesus. 00:31:09.890 --> 00:31:17.726 Awareness of that will bring peace and Tharso in your life. 00:31:17.726 --> 00:31:18.790 Let's bow our heads and close our eyes. 00:31:18.790 --> 00:31:19.615 Let's just think about this.