Finding Jesus in the Storms of Life

Twelve men, seasoned fishermen among them, found themselves straining at the oars, working harder than ever but making no progress. They were not in this predicament because of disobedience or poor choices—Jesus himself had sent them into the boat and into the storm. This is a crucial reminder: sometimes, following Jesus leads us directly into difficulty, not away from it. The disciples’ struggle on the water is a picture of our own lives when we feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unable to move forward despite our best efforts.

In the darkest hours, when hope seemed lost, Jesus came to them—walking on the very waves that threatened to undo them. This act was not just a display of power, but a profound revelation: Jesus is not merely a good teacher or miracle worker, but God himself, with authority over creation. The Old Testament imagery of God walking on the sea is fulfilled in Jesus, who uses the element we dread as the path for his approach. The very thing that causes us fear or anxiety may be the very thing Jesus uses to draw near to us.

Peter’s attempt to walk on water is often misunderstood as a call to bold faith, but the deeper lesson is about the extraordinary grace of Jesus. Peter’s doubt was not a lack of belief, but a wavering between what his senses told him and what Jesus invited him to do. When Peter began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” and Jesus immediately reached out to rescue him. The story is not about Peter’s heroism, but about Jesus’s faithfulness and presence in our moments of fear and doubt.

Doubt is not faithlessness; it is the tension between our circumstances and Christ’s invitation. Jesus is not angry with us for doubting—he meets us in that very place. The storms of life may not cease immediately, but what changes everything is the realization of who is with us in the storm. The invitation is to cry out to Jesus, to recognize that our setbacks may be the very setup for his approach, and to remember that the heart of our faith is not just discipline, but a living relationship with the one who is “I Am.”

Key Takeaways

• 1. Sometimes, obedience to Jesus leads us directly into storms, not away from them. The disciples were exactly where Jesus told them to be, yet they faced overwhelming difficulty. This challenges the assumption that hardship is always a sign of disobedience or failure; instead, it can be the context in which we most deeply encounter Christ’s presence and power. [09:04]
• 2. Jesus uses the very things we dread as the path for his approach. The waves that threatened the disciples became the road Jesus walked to reach them. In our own lives, the circumstances we most fear or wish to avoid may be the very means by which Jesus draws near, revealing his authority and love in unexpected ways. [19:11]
• 3. The story of Peter walking on water is not primarily about bold faith, but about the grace of Jesus in our doubt and weakness. Peter’s wavering was not a failure of belief, but a human struggle between what he saw and what Jesus called him to do. Jesus’s immediate response to Peter’s cry for help shows that our doubts do not disqualify us from his rescue. [28:05]
• 4. Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but the experience of being caught between two realities: what our senses tell us and what Jesus invites us to trust. The invitation is not to suppress doubt, but to bring it honestly to Jesus, knowing he is not angry or disappointed, but ready to meet us in that tension. [30:42]
• 5. The presence of Jesus transforms not only the storm, but everything that follows. The ultimate promise is not that storms will always cease immediately, but that we will discover who is with us in the midst of them. Our greatest need is not for fewer storms, but for a deeper awareness of Jesus’s identity and presence—he is “I Am,” God with us, and that changes everything. [35:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:30] - Jesus Sends Disciples into Difficulty
• [02:15] - Boundary Waters Story: Feeling Stuck
• [05:14] - The Disciples’ Struggle on the Water
• [07:13] - Prayer for Guidance and Presence
• [09:04] - Obedience and Unexpected Storms
• [11:37] - Different Kinds of Hardship
• [14:02] - Jesus Walks on the Water
• [15:18] - The Darkest Hour: Jesus Appears
• [17:52] - Jesus Reveals His Divine Authority
• [19:11] - Jesus Uses What We Dread
• [21:41] - Setbacks as Setups for God’s Approach
• [22:16] - “I Am” – Jesus’s Divine Self-Disclosure
• [23:33] - Peter Walks and Sinks: Grace in Doubt
• [28:05] - The Real Lesson: Jesus’s Faithfulness
• [30:42] - Doubt, Faith, and Crying Out
• [33:08] - Jesus Meets Us in Our Dread
• [35:51] - The Transforming Presence of Jesus
• [36:30] - Remembering Who Jesus Is

Bible Reading

Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV) —
> 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
> 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
> 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
> 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
> 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.
> 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
> 28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
> 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
> 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
> 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
> 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
> 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Observation Questions

1. According to Matthew 14, who sent the disciples into the boat and into the storm? What does the passage say about their obedience? ([09:04])
2. What was Jesus doing while the disciples were struggling on the water, and when did he come to them? ([08:27])
3. How did the disciples react when they first saw Jesus walking on the water, and what did Jesus say to them? ([14:38])
4. What happened when Peter tried to walk on the water, and how did Jesus respond to Peter’s cry for help? ([23:33])

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon points out that the disciples were in the storm not because of disobedience, but because Jesus sent them there. What does this suggest about the relationship between obedience and hardship in the Christian life? ([10:57])
2. The preacher says that Jesus used “the element we dread as the path for his approach.” What does this mean, and how does it change the way we view our own struggles or fears? ([19:11])
3. The story of Peter walking on water is often seen as a call to bold faith, but the sermon suggests it’s more about Jesus’s grace in our doubt and weakness. How does this perspective shift the focus of the story? ([28:05])
4. According to the sermon, what is the difference between doubt and faithlessness? How does Jesus respond to our doubts? ([30:42])

Application Questions

1. Can you think of a time when you felt like you were “rowing hard but getting nowhere” in life, even though you were trying to follow Jesus? How did you respond in that season? ([05:53])
2. The sermon challenges the idea that hardship is always a sign of disobedience or failure. Are there areas in your life where you have assumed difficulty meant you were doing something wrong? How might this story change your perspective? ([10:57])
3. What is something in your life right now that you dread or fear? How might Jesus be using that very thing as a way to draw near to you? ([19:11])
4. When you experience doubt or feel overwhelmed by your circumstances, are you more likely to hide it or to cry out to Jesus like Peter did? What would it look like for you to bring your doubts honestly to Jesus this week? ([31:23])
5. The sermon says, “Our greatest need is not for fewer storms, but for a deeper awareness of Jesus’s identity and presence.” What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of who Jesus is during difficult times? ([35:51])
6. The preacher mentioned that sometimes our spiritual disciplines become just habits, disconnected from a real relationship with Jesus. Are there any spiritual practices in your life that have become routine? How can you reconnect them to a living relationship with Christ? ([36:30])
7. If you were to take one step this week to “cry out to Jesus” in the middle of your storm, what would that look like for you? Is there a specific prayer, conversation, or action you feel prompted to take? ([35:09])