Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 23 - 24

• Notice, His disciples follow Him. A multitude was there but a multitude also chose to stay where there was sure footing. While His disciples were willing to face the open water…danger and difficulty…offenses and exhaustion…and notice there was no decision process. Why? Because it’s not about trying to follow Jesus. You won’t if to you its about trying. It’s about turning to Jesus and giving your whole heart and whole life to Him. And then, man discipleship just happens. Not perfection as we’ll see in just a minute the imperfection of the disciples but man the simplicity of just getting in the boat.
• I remember when I got saved. I can’t remember trying to follow Jesus. Because that wasn’t what it was about. I was thankful. I was alive. Freedom from sin and the confusion and cloud of this life lifted off of my heart and all I could do was get more, get more, learn more, get more, learn more…there was no trying…there was just following and desiring to be more like Jesus. Tests came, offense came, difficulty came but man, what I’m goin do? Deny Jesus? No way! Not a chance.
• I don’t know why I thought of this but….Captain America threw himself on that grenade. Remember that scene? As the others fled to save themselves…he shouted, “Get back!” And then when there was no explosion, “Is this a test?” Who he was on the inside, made its way out and let me ask you today, are you trying or are you simply, naturally, readily getting into the boat. If you’re in the trying camp then…give…your…life…to…Jesus. Humble yourself and make Him your own. Establish closeness. Establish a relationship. Allow the Holy Spirit in and then watch for the changes…
• And yet today if you are in the storm, hear the promise of God. Isaiah 54:11-12, “O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones.” God is working towards something that will bring Him glory and you will rejoice. Don’t lose heart…

Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 25 - 27

• What the disciples say to Jesus here in verse 25 is remarkable…because it is the catalyst in all of our lives for the work of God to begin. Quite literally, in the Greek, they say, “Lord, deliver us…make us whole.” The word is “sozo” in the Greek. And man let me tell you, the initial cry of a repentant heart is for healing. Why is that so important? Because you cannot turn to God until you turn away from sin. I mean it’s that simple.

• I didn’t say that you have to achieve perfection or levitate or achieve nirvana…simply this…that you are tired of your sin and what it’s delivered in your life. Then you will realize and admit that you are not well, you are not whole and on the flats of your knee caps you will approach Jesus Christ…and the catalyst cry of your courageous and malcontented heart will simply be…, “Lord save me from my sin…because in it I am perishing.”

• This word for perishing is equally impactful because it means most simply, “I am lost and on the very brink of ruin.” Eternal uselessness is another way to put it and that is what sin delivers. Until this is the cry that you call out at the cross of Christ, then you may have belief in God but you have not the born again presence of the Holy Spirit living within your very OS, your heart…and you’re still in your sin with not the power to overcome it. Your eternal home remains hell. There are many out there like this…

• The religious, the heathen, the poser, the demon (as we will see in a moment). Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:5, “They hold to a form of godliness but deny its power…” This storm of a life, storm of a culture, storm of the day still overpowers them…and ultimately the storm of the coming judgment will overcome them as well…but no storm is able to stand in opposition to the Word of God.

• Psalm 89:8-9 says, “O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like you, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise; You still them!” And yet His disciples, after calling Him “Lord,” now say, “Who can this be…?”   How discouraging this must have been for Jesus! “Who can this be?” Isn’t it amazing how God can so prove Himself to us and the next minute we’re acting like we don’t know Him? You know who’s better than us in that moment? The demons…watch this…

Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 28 – 29

• The demons…they know Him. (They don’t ask, “Who can this be?”) How? Because remember where they came from. They’ve been with Him before…and notice this; their eschatological doctrine is on point!   They know that judgment and torment is coming their way…in time. Isn’t that staggering? They are well familiar with Jesus…they have a good grip on doctrine…and yet they stand in His presence as an enemy.

Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 30 – 32

• Poor piggies. Miss Piggy, Porky Pig, Wilbur, Babe…before you feel sorry for them remember this, those pigs were unlawful! It wasn’t that Jesus was into deviled ham! HA! Pigs were unclean and to shepherd pigs…unlawful! Bacon was a drug then! (Well it kinda still is now!) HA! And what’s happening here is that the demons are actually being slick and it kinda actually works…we’ll see that in a minute…this drug dealing was how this area was increasing their wealth…
• But this is the wildness of this scene! The demons know Him. They know doctrine! They begged Him…which really…is prayer! They obey Him. Luke says that they worship Him. And yet are they saved? No. Why? No touch man. No turning to Jesus…no giving up everything for Him…Remember…Jesus touches the sick and heals them…but the demons…He speaks. The parallel to that that I see is that His Word never translates to a touch…is that the way it is for you?

Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 33 – 34

• They should have been stoned for being pig herders but instead the city joins with them and here is where the demonic slickness I believe is revealed…they beg Jesus to leave. Who was the last person begging Jesus? The demons…why beg Him to leave? Because He was messing up their worldly profit. See that? Why not rejoice for the folks set free? They’re whole perspective is broken…why? They reject the cost to follow Jesus…not necessarily money but the pig herd…
• If Jesus ain’t costing you the pig herd in your life then you’re not His disciple! You can’t give your life to Jesus without giving up your allegiance to the flesh, man! Are you well acquainted with Jesus? Good! Are you knowledgeable in the doctrine of God? Good! Do you pray? Good! Do you set your heart to obey God? Good! Do you worship Him? Good! BUT, are you saved, man? Have you given your life to Him? Are you born again!? (video) What if the expectation is that He really is your everything, everyday…Have you counted the cost and handed over the pig herd? Has Jesus touched you man…have you gotten close to Him?

• Today is the day to get into the boat…Luke Chapter 8 verse 35 we find this man again…the one that has been set free from Jesus and where is He? Trying? No. Sitting at the feet of Jesus…under Him…simply near to Him and this man was clothed…secure…and in his right mind. And we find his heart cry in verse 38…the man begged Him that he might simply be with Him…man, that’s the jump on the grenade point…when what’s inside is coming out…my how we’ve gotten too complicated when it still and always was just about being with Jesus…