Finding Faith Amidst Life's Storms
Summary
In today's meditation, we explore the profound question, "Where is your faith?" as illustrated in Luke 8, where Jesus calms the storm while in a boat with His disciples. This passage challenges us to examine our response to life's storms and to understand the nature of faith. Jesus' question to His disciples, "Where is your faith?" suggests that faith is not an automatic response but a deliberate action. It is not something we inherently possess or lack; rather, it is something we must actively engage and exercise, especially in times of fear and uncertainty.
Faith, as Jesus demonstrates, is not a general belief but a specific trust in Him. The disciples, despite witnessing Jesus' miracles and His love, panicked in the storm because they focused on the storm rather than on Jesus. This teaches us that faith involves recalling and trusting in what we know about Jesus—His power, His love, and His promises. When we face our own storms, we must remember who Jesus is and what He has done for us, particularly His sacrificial love demonstrated on the cross.
Moreover, faith is deeply rooted in understanding and trusting God's character. It requires reaching a tipping point where we decide to trust in God's wisdom, love, and goodness, regardless of our circumstances. This decision forms the foundation for a resilient faith that can withstand life's challenges. As we grow in confidence in God's character, we are better equipped to "get out" our faith and face any storm with courage and peace.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith as Deliberate Action: Faith is not an automatic response but a deliberate action. It requires us to actively engage and exercise our trust in God, especially during life's storms. This means consciously choosing to focus on Jesus rather than the circumstances around us. [01:41]
2. Specific Trust in Jesus: Faith is not a vague belief but a specific trust in Jesus. The disciples' panic in the storm highlights the importance of remembering who Jesus is and what He has done. By focusing on His power and love, we can find peace amidst chaos. [03:01]
3. Understanding God's Character: Reaching a tipping point in our faith involves deciding to trust in God's character—His wisdom, love, and goodness. This decision forms the foundation for a resilient faith that can withstand life's challenges. [05:57]
4. The Cross as the Ultimate Assurance: Jesus' sacrificial love on the cross assures us of His care and commitment to us. By remembering His willingness to endure the greatest storm for our sake, we can trust that He cares for us in every situation. [05:09]
5. Confidence in God's Faithfulness: Confidence in God's character and faithfulness allows us to face life's storms with courage. As we grow in our understanding of His love and goodness, we are better equipped to exercise our faith and trust in His plans. [06:38]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Introduction to the Series
[00:28] - The Storm and the Disciples
[01:07] - Acting in Faith
[01:41] - Faith as Deliberate Action
[02:32] - The Nature of Faith
[03:01] - Trusting in Jesus
[03:42] - The Power of Belief
[04:24] - Remembering Jesus' Love
[05:09] - Assurance from the Cross
[05:42] - The Tipping Point of Faith
[06:38] - Confidence in God's Character
[07:30] - Hymn Reflection
[08:04] - Encouragement and Closing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Where is Your Faith?"
Bible Reading:
- Luke 8:24-25
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Observation Questions:
1. In Luke 8:24-25, what was the disciples' reaction to the storm, and how did Jesus respond to their fear? [00:28]
2. According to the sermon, what does Jesus' question, "Where is your faith?" imply about the nature of faith? [01:41]
3. How did the disciples' focus on the storm rather than on Jesus affect their response to the situation? [03:01]
4. What specific actions or characteristics of Jesus had the disciples witnessed prior to this event, as mentioned in the sermon? [03:18]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon suggest that faith is a deliberate action rather than an automatic response? What does this mean for how we approach challenges in our lives? [01:41]
2. The sermon emphasizes a "specific trust in Jesus" rather than a general belief. How does this distinction impact the way we understand and practice our faith? [03:01]
3. What does it mean to reach a "tipping point" in our faith, as discussed in the sermon, and how does this affect our trust in God's character? [05:57]
4. How does the sermon use the cross as the ultimate assurance of Jesus' love and care for us? How should this assurance influence our response to life's storms? [05:09]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent "storm" in your life. How did you respond, and where was your focus during that time? How might focusing on Jesus change your response in future situations? [03:01]
2. The sermon suggests that faith requires deliberate action. What are some practical steps you can take to actively engage and exercise your faith in daily life? [01:41]
3. Consider the concept of a "specific trust in Jesus." How can you deepen your understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done for you to strengthen this trust? [03:01]
4. The sermon talks about reaching a tipping point in trusting God's character. Have you reached this point in your faith journey? If not, what steps can you take to grow in confidence in God's wisdom, love, and goodness? [05:57]
5. How does remembering Jesus' sacrificial love on the cross provide assurance and peace in your current circumstances? What practical ways can you remind yourself of this truth daily? [05:09]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to trust God's faithfulness. What is one action you can take this week to surrender that area to Him and trust in His plans? [06:38]
7. The sermon encourages us to "get out" our faith. What does this look like in your life, and how can you encourage others in your community to do the same? [02:32]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as a Deliberate Choice
Faith is not an automatic response but a deliberate action. It requires us to actively engage and exercise our trust in God, especially during life's storms. This means consciously choosing to focus on Jesus rather than the circumstances around us. In Luke 8, when Jesus calms the storm, He asks His disciples, "Where is your faith?" This question implies that faith is something we must actively choose to exercise. It is not a passive state but a conscious decision to trust in Jesus' power and presence, even when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm us. By focusing on Jesus and His promises, we can find peace amidst chaos. [01:41]
Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."
Reflection: Think of a current challenge you are facing. How can you deliberately choose to focus on Jesus and His promises rather than the circumstances around you today?
Day 2: Trusting Jesus Specifically
Faith is not a vague belief but a specific trust in Jesus. The disciples' panic in the storm highlights the importance of remembering who Jesus is and what He has done. Despite witnessing His miracles and love, they focused on the storm rather than on Jesus. This teaches us that faith involves recalling and trusting in what we know about Jesus—His power, His love, and His promises. By focusing on His power and love, we can find peace amidst chaos. When we face our own storms, we must remember who Jesus is and what He has done for us, particularly His sacrificial love demonstrated on the cross. [03:01]
Psalm 9:10 (ESV): "And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you."
Reflection: Recall a time when Jesus demonstrated His power and love in your life. How can remembering this help you trust Him more specifically in your current situation?
Day 3: Understanding God's Character
Reaching a tipping point in our faith involves deciding to trust in God's character—His wisdom, love, and goodness. This decision forms the foundation for a resilient faith that can withstand life's challenges. Faith is deeply rooted in understanding and trusting God's character. It requires reaching a tipping point where we decide to trust in God's wisdom, love, and goodness, regardless of our circumstances. As we grow in confidence in God's character, we are better equipped to "get out" our faith and face any storm with courage and peace. [05:57]
Nahum 1:7 (ESV): "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him."
Reflection: What aspect of God's character do you find hardest to trust? How can you begin to deepen your understanding and trust in this area today?
Day 4: Assurance from the Cross
Jesus' sacrificial love on the cross assures us of His care and commitment to us. By remembering His willingness to endure the greatest storm for our sake, we can trust that He cares for us in every situation. The cross is the ultimate assurance of Jesus' love and commitment. When we face life's storms, we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus has already faced the greatest storm on our behalf. His sacrificial love demonstrated on the cross is a powerful reminder of His care and commitment to us. By focusing on the cross, we can trust that Jesus is with us in every situation, providing peace and assurance. [05:09]
1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Reflection: How does the reality of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross impact your trust in His care for you today? What specific situation can you bring to Him in light of this assurance?
Day 5: Confidence in God's Faithfulness
Confidence in God's character and faithfulness allows us to face life's storms with courage. As we grow in our understanding of His love and goodness, we are better equipped to exercise our faith and trust in His plans. This confidence is built on the foundation of understanding and trusting God's character. By focusing on His faithfulness, we can face any storm with courage and peace. As we grow in our understanding of God's love and goodness, we are better equipped to exercise our faith and trust in His plans, knowing that He is always faithful. [06:38]
Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to grow in confidence in God's faithfulness? What step can you take today to deepen your trust in His plans?
Quotes
what's most interesting about this text here in stormy times how do you act in faith how can you have the the fearless ability to look at the storm and not be so scared it's interesting that when they say master master we're going to drown jesus says where is your faith and it's very clear that faith is the opposite of that panic so how do we we get that faith so we are able to not panic in the face of storms [00:01:07]
first of all when Jesus says where is your faith that shows that faith is probably not what most of us think it is it's a deliberate action notice Jesus does not say when he says where is your faith he does not say you don't have any faith or why don't you have any faith notice that's very interesting because they were showing a lack of faith at the moment but he doesn't say oh you lack faith [00:01:41]
we mostly think that faith is sort of automatic it's like it is like a heater that if it's cold enough outside the heater just comes on and most of us think that if we have faith and panic yeah I mean and storms come up it'll just come on and if it doesn't just come on then I guess we just don't have faith [00:02:32]
it's faith not in general but about Jesus because you see they come to him and they say who is this at the end who is this and that's really what they should have been saying all along see when Jesus says where is your faith I think he was trying to say you're looking at the storm instead of looking at me and you know who I am [00:02:48]
you've seen me feed the hungry the five thousand the four thousand you've seen me raise the dead you've seen me pledge my love to you you've seen me do all these things but you've just forgotten all them and you panicked what you should have done is you should have said in a way that we know this about Jesus that about Jesus if he's all this there's he's not gonna get we're not gonna drown here [00:03:05]
so Jesus is saying what you're really doing when you panic he's not so much showing a lack of faith you're refusing to exercise the faith that you've got you're refusing to get out what you know about Jesus Christ I mean let me ask you a question do you believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God incarnate born in the manger do you believe he was he died on a tree to atone for our sins [00:03:32]
do you believe he was he died on a tree to atone for our sins that he rose physically from the dead that he's passed through the heavens and now he's sorted seated at the right hand of the Father and he's directing all things that happen in history and someday he will come back to judge the living and the dead and put everything right do you believe that then you can face anything [00:03:47]
there is no storm here on earth that can can stand before those facts so where is your faith get it out but there's one more thing I believe we're not supposed to just see faith as a deliberate action and just get out what we know about about Jesus but we especially have to remember his love for us because not in Luke six Luke eight but over in in Mark chapter four [00:04:13]
we're told that the disciples also said master don't you care that we're going to drown don't you don't love us and of course they didn't know yet but what we know and that is that on the cross Jesus Christ experienced this the greatest storm possible the storm of God's wrath the storm of divine justice coming down and he because he loved us he just obediently bowed his head into that storm and took it for us [00:04:36]
if I see him loving me that much has to bow his head into that storm than any other storm that comes along I will never say Oh Lord do you not care I know he cares so get out your faith it ought to be here remind yourself of not only who Jesus is but what he did for you [00:05:09]
every professing Christian everyone who says they are a Christian has to come to a tipping point where what they know about God they decided that they can actually trust his character is he loving is he wise is he good and if you go on the other side of that tipping point yes you've made the decision he is he is wise I've seen him be good [00:05:57]
once you have confidence I guess that's the way to say it confidence in God's character then you are able to pull your faith out but you without that confidence in God's character and that's based on seeing how he's treated you [00:06:38]
Chatbot
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