Sermon Notes
Does
God Really Care About Me?
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. Ted
Turner is the founder of such media empires
as CNN, TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies.
He
is the largest land-owner in the United
States, a former owner of the Atlanta Braves
and has a net worth of 2.2 billion dollars.
Several years ago the New York Times ran
an article describing how Turner, who once
thought about going into ministry, lost
his faith after his sister died of a
painful disease. Turner said, “I was taught that God
was love and God was powerful, and I
couldn’t understand how someone so innocent
should be made to suffer so.”
B. Of
all the questions we face perhaps the most difficult is, “Does God care when we
suffer?”
1. Does God care when people suffer from
illness, pain and death?
2. Does God care when people are targeted
by terrorists in San Bernadine, Brussels
or Paris?
3. Where was God last June 17th
when 21 year old Dylan Roof took out a gun during
Bible Study at the Emmanuel AME church
in Charleston and began shooting
leaving nine people dead?
4. Does God care when there is conflict in families
resulting in abuse, separation and
divorce?
5. Do you find yourself asking, “Why me,
why now?”
6. Does God care about me when I am
hurting, lonely or depressed?
B.
There is a story in the Bible about a storm. It’s not the one you usually think
of where
Jesus stilled the storm on the Sea of
Galilee. It’s not the occasion where Jesus
walked on the water. This story comes at
the end of the book of Acts.
1. Paul had been on trial in Jerusalem.
Since he was a Roman citizen he
appealed his case to Caesar and was sent
to Rome aboard a ship. Acs 27
describes his voyage. It was not smooth
sailing on calm seas. The ship sailed into
the teeth of a ferocious storm.
2. Luke described this storm with such
vivid detail you can almost hear the howling
of the wind, feel the rain as it stings
your skin, see the flashes of lightening and
hear the thunder and the creaking of the
ship as it strained against the tumultuous
waves.
3. Acts 27:14-20:
Before
very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from
the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not
head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As
we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to
make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then
they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were
afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea
anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a
violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the
cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s
tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor
stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up
all hope of being saved.
4. Why is this story in the Bible? Why did
Luke give us such a detailed account?
a. I believe the answer is because this
is how life is.
b. Sometimes life is sunshine, fair
skies calm seas and smooth sailing.
c. Life isn’t always like that. Sometimes
the skies darken, the winds pick up, the
seas become rough and we sail into
the heart of a storm.
d. Sometimes in the midst of the storm
we cry out, “Where is God? Does He really
care?” The events of this storm
teach us three important lessons.
I. GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS CALM THE STORM. HE DOES CALM US.
A. In Matthew 8 Jesus calmed a storm on the
Sea of Galilee.
1. The seasoned, rugged disciples were
terrified and afraid they would perish.
They cried out, “Don’t you care we
are about to perish?” Isn’t that the way we
feel at times when we are in a
storm?
2. Jesus said, “Peace. Be Still.” The
winds became calm and the sea tranquit.
3. There are times in life when God
calms the storm. He restores peace in our life.
B.
Sometimes God lets the storm rage but calms us in the midst of it.
1. During the fierce storm Paul
encouraged these fearful sailors in verses 22–24,
“I urge
you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost;
only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last
night an angel of the God to whom I
belong and whom I serve stood beside
me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid.”
2. The storm continued to rage but God
calmed the hearts of those men.
3. Last August I underwent quadruple coronary
artery bypass surgery. Though the
surgery had to be postponed for
several days due to the doctor’s schedule I did
not feel any anxiety. There was a
sense of calm and peace in my life. I knew who
was in control of the situation.
C. All of us encounter storms. Jesus said,
Jn. 16:33 – “In the world you will have
trouble, but take heart, I have overcome
the world.”
II. GOD STRENGTHENS US THROUGH STRUGGLE
A. Sometimes God uses storms to transform
our life.
1. The disciples in the boat with Jesus had
their view of Him changed. No doubt
they had seen Him as a teacher. Now,
they marveled when he stilled the storm.
“Who is this that even the winds and
waves obey Him?”
2. They could never have grasped the
impact of that moment had there not been a
storm. God cared enough for them to
allow them to go through the storm. That is
how He taught them the power of
Jesus.
B. When we come to Acts 27 God used the
storm as a means of transporting Paul to
Rome. When you step back and see the
entire set of circumstances leading up to
the storm you can see how God used all of
them to accomplish His purpose.
1. If I were writing a ship’s manual I
would go to Acts 27 and use the actions of this
captain as a chapter entitled, “Four
Ways To Sink A Ship.”
2. Make Hasty Decisions.
a. In verse 9 – the circumstances for the
journey had not been favorable. The
whole trip on board the ship had
been spent battling strong winds. They came
to a place called Fair Haven.
Paul and other prisoners had been transferred to
another ship. The captain wanted
to sail even though the conditions were not
favorable. It would have been
better to wait but the captain made a hasty
decision.
b. Have you ever made a hasty
decision that resulted in an unfavorable
outcome? Perhaps a storm?
3. Listening to the wrong people.
a. In verses 10-11 – “So Paul warned
them, 10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is
going to be disastrous and bring great
loss to ship and cargo, and to our own
lives also.” 11 But
the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed
the advice of the pilot and of
the owner of the ship.”
b. Paul was an apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Instead of
listening to him the
centurion listened to the wrong
people.
c. Sometimes we sail into storms
because we listen to the wrong people. A good
example of this comes from the Old Testament
story of Ahab, a wicked king of
Israel. Jehosophat, the king of
Judah came to Ahab and proposed that they go
into battle together against the
Assyrians. Ahab thought it was a good idea.
Jehosophat said, “First, let’s
inquire of the Lord.” Ahab said, “I have 400
prophets who always speak well
for me.” Jehosophat knew better. “Is there
one true prophet of the Lord?”
Ahab replied, “One, Micaiah, but he always
speaks evil of me.” Micaiah
said, “if you go up in battle it will not go well for
you.” Did Ahab listen? No. He
was killed in the battle.
d. Sometimes when we find ourselves
in circumstances where we cry out, “Does
God care?” the answer is yes –
but we have chosen to go our own way rather
than listen to Him.
4. Going along with the crowd.
a. In vs. 12 – “Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the
majority decided
that we should sail on, hoping
to reach Phoenix and winter there.” The majority
thought it was a good idea.
b. They were wrong. If you spend
your life going along with the majority your life
will end up in a shipwreck.
5. Living only for the present.
a. Vs. 13 – “ When a
gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity;
so they weighed anchor and sailed
along the shore of Crete.”
b. They ignored the season of the
year. They ignored Paul’s warning. Everything
looked right so they sailed. In
the next verse they run into a hurricane.
c. They ended up throwing out their
cargo and the ship’s tackle. They had to bind
the ship together with ropes to
keep it from coming apart. They lost hope of
getting out alive.
C. This brings us back to where we started.
1. Had they made wrong decisions? Yes.
2. Did they act unwisely? Yes.
3. Did God stop caring for them? No. He
used those circumstances to accomplish
His purpose. God had a plan for Paul. That plan involved
him going to Rome,
the seat of the Roman Empire. It was
there that Paul would do some of his most
prolific work. Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians and Philemon were all written
during Paul’s time in Rome. It was in Rome
that he would meet many people
who would assist in speeding the
word of God
4. God used the storm to accomplish all
of this.
III. GOD CARES ENOUGH TO PROVIDE A WAY
A. I do not know all of the storms you are
going through right now but I know that
some of you are sailing in the midst of
troubled waters.
B. I know that some of you are asking,
“Where is God?” “Does God care?” “Is God
aware of what I am experiencing?” The
answer is an emphatic, “yes.” His message
to you is the same one the angel gave to
Paul in the storm. “Do not be afraid.” Stay
in the ship. Don’t try to take matters
into your own hands. Trust the one who can
still the storm.
CONCLUSION:
A. “When
you walk through a storm hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the
dark. At the end of the storm is a golden
sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the
rain, though your dreams be tossed
and blown. Walk on. Walk on. With hope in
your heart, and you’ll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone.”
B. Do
you need someone to walk with you today? God cares – and so do we.
