Sea of Galilee

Hey, podcast listeners! Thanks for streaming today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org slash podcast and click the donate button, or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory.

And I'm glad to study God's word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory. First of all, storms are natural. Expect them. Secondly, God is aware of our storm.

Call on Him. Third, storms are opportunities for growth. Welcome them. But above all, and the most encouraging truth about storms is this, God will deliver us through the storm.

Trust in Him. Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. You know, any experienced sailor knows that when the weather changes, things can get rough pretty quick.

And few situations on the water are more dangerous than being unprepared to face stormy seas. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress talks about the unforgettable boat ride that the disciples experienced on the Sea of Galilee. Now, here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.

Dr. Jeffress. Thanks, David. And welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Behind the scenes, we have been planning for this special series of programs for more than a year. I couldn't be more excited to share this study with you because we're featuring messages that were recorded on location in Israel.

In 2023, we hosted a Pathway to Victory tour to Israel and providentially, we were able to travel without incident and just prior to the shameful attack on Israel on October 7th. Our wonderful trip to Israel only heightened my gratitude for the power of the cross and the love that Jesus displayed on our behalf. You see, His work on the cross is the only thing that matters. Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is the centerpiece of our Christian faith.

Jesus' work on the cross empowers us to live an abundant life and to secure our eternity with Him. For these reasons and more, I was compelled to create a brand new book that will bless your family for many years to come. My book features more than 90 pages of striking images from the Holy Land.

It's called, as you might guess by now, The Power of the Cross. And I want this illustrated guidebook to help you reflect on the last week of Jesus' ministry on earth and to elevate your celebration of Easter. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, I'll make sure that you receive my book called The Power of the Cross. In fact, when you respond today, my book will arrive at your home with a helpful booklet called Three Days That Changed the World. This brochure illustrates the hour-by-hour account of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

David and I will give more details about these resources just after my message. But right now, let me invite you to picture yourself on a hillside. Recorded on location, this message was delivered while overlooking the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Well, welcome to the Sea of Galilee.

You know, over the next eight days, you're going to hear guides talk about different events. And they'll say, well, the Catholics say it happened here. The Orthodox say it happened over there. Most people don't know where it happened. But right now, we're in the one place we know where it happened. This is the Sea of Galilee.

It hasn't changed in 2,000 years. And this is where Jesus walked on the water. It's also where Jesus performed one of his greatest and earliest miracles.

And I'd like to talk about that today for just a moment. It's found in Luke, chapter 8. Luke writes, Now it came about on one of those days that he and his disciples got into a boat. And he said to them, Let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched out. That word is key. He said, We're going to the other side of the lake.

You'll see why in just a moment. But as they were sailing along, Jesus fell asleep. They were on the Sea of Galilee, where we are, 13 miles long, eight miles wide, about 700 feet deep. And the rocking of the boat caused Jesus to fall asleep. Usually the rocking of the boat causes me to throw up.

One of my very first dates with my wife, Amy, we were in the ninth grade, her family took me sailing. And I spent the whole time over the edge of the boat, getting rid of part of myself. That's how some people respond to it.

But not Jesus. He was used to it. And so he fell asleep. And the Bible says a fierce gale of wind descended upon the lake, and they begin to be swamped and to be in danger. You see these mountains around here, tall hills would say in Texas, but these are mountains, they're deep gorges in the mountains. And what would happen is the cold air would come down from the mountains, it would descend upon the lake, and the warm air of this lake, this basin would rise up. And when the two met, fierce storms would come out of the middle of nowhere. Matthew tells us that there was a violent shaking of the boat. And yet, while this fierce storm was going on that threatened the lives of the apostles, where was Jesus?

Be honest, they were a little disgusted by that. They shook him, they said, Lord, awaken, don't you know what is happening to us? Verse 39 of Mark 4 says, in being aroused, Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, hush, be still.

Literally in Aramaic, winds and waves be muzzled. That's what he said. Shut up.

Quit being so excited. Calm down is what he was saying. And then he turned to his disciples and said, you ruined a good nap for this. Well, he didn't say it exactly that way. He said to them in verse 25 of Luke 8, where is your faith? Don't you remember what I said?

We're going to the other side. Don't you remember that? The disciples got their first test of faith. You know what they made on it? An F. And it wasn't for faith.

They flunked. And they said, who is this guy that even the winds and the waves obey him? There's only one person that could do that. It was Jehovah himself. I found this this week.

I had never seen it before. A thousand years before this event in the Psalms, the Old Testament, listen to what the Psalmist predicted. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still so that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet. So he guided them to their desired haven.

Isn't that amazing? A thousand years ahead of time, here was a prediction of the Messiah. He would still the storm. There's only one person who has the authority to do that. That's God himself. And that's part of Luke's message throughout the Gospel. Luke is saying, this guy is the Messiah.

He is the Son of God. Now this story is important Christologically because it's one of many evidences that Jesus was the Messiah. We'll talk more about that at Caesarea Philippi.

But there's another reason this story is significant and why it matters to you and me today. You know, there are a lot of predictions being made about what's going to happen in our country, in our world. There are political predictions, predictions about the economy, predictions about the geopolitical conflicts that are erupting everywhere around us. I don't know which of those predictions will come true or not, but I'm going to make a predictions about you that I'm a hundred percent certain is going to happen. In the next 12 months, you're going to face a problem that comes out of nowhere. It's going to be an unexpected storm you're going to find yourself in. It may be a doctor tells you that a report isn't what he expected it to be, and you have cancer. He may tell you, it may be an employer who tells you your services are no longer needed, we're having a downsizing. It may be a word from your mate that he or she no longer wants to be married to you.

It may be information you find out about a child or grandchild that they're involved in immoral or rebellious activities. Somewhere you're going to face a storm in the next 12 months that you weren't ready for. And in closing today, I want to remind you about four things about the storms that come into your life. First of all, storms are natural.

Expect them. This storm that Jesus and his disciples were in, it wasn't an odd event, it wasn't a 100-year event, it was part and parcel of sailing on the Sea of Galilee. If you're going to sail in this region with this topography, you ought to expect storms. The same is true for us.

We shouldn't be surprised when we run into a storm. Difficulties in this life. Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation. John 16 33, that word tribulation means pressure.

You're going to have pressure, but be of good courage, for I have overcome the world. If you're married, you're going to have friction in your marriage. If you have bodies, you're going to get sick. If you have children, you're going to experience disappointment.

If you have friendships, you're going to be disappointed. The fact is, we live in a sin-infected world, and we shouldn't be surprised that trials come into our life, and yet we are surprised. Christians know that, perhaps you know that intellectually, but then when you run into a problem, you're surprised. Peter said in 1 Peter 4 12-13, Beloved, don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. Don't be surprised that God sends trials into your life.

That's part of living in this world. Secondly, God is aware of our storm. Call on him. When you find yourself in a storm, call on God. He's not surprised that that storm has come into your life. You know why he's not surprised by your storm? Because he prepared your storm. He's the one who is in charge of what is happening.

I need to be careful here. I'm not saying that God is the author of evil, but what I am saying is that God can use evil in your life for his purpose. Listen to Isaiah 45 verses six to seven, that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides me. I am the Lord.

There is no other. I am the one forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity. I'm the Lord who does all of these things. We see these disasters that go around us and happen all the time in our world or in our particular world, and we say, where is God in all of this? God says, I take responsibility for it. I take responsibility.

I may not have caused it, but I could stop it if I wanted to. I have a purpose, and that's why we can call on God during our time of tribulation and storms. Alan Redpath, a great Old Testament commentator said, listen to this, there is nothing, no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that ever can touch me until first of all, it has come past God, past Christ, right through to me. And if it's come that far, it's come for a great and glorious purpose.

Do you believe that? There is no circumstance you're facing right now that God couldn't change in an instant if he wanted to. He has a purpose. That's why we can call on him when we go through our storms. Third, storms are opportunities for growth. Welcome them.

Welcome them. Why does God allow these storms in our life? Is he some sadistic being who enjoys torturing his children?

Not at all. He's a God who is full of love and loving kindness. Remember in that upper room before Jesus went to Gethsemane with his disciples, he made this prediction about Peter. He said, Peter, you're getting ready to go to a storm. He said, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.

Literally, he wants to put you through the grinder and he's going to do that in the next 12 hours. But remember Peter, I've prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And once you have turned again, you will strengthen your brothers. Listen, storms come into your life. Satan has one goal. He wants to use a storm to destroy you. But God uses that same storm to strengthen you.

You know, that's the difference between a test and a temptation. God doesn't tempt anybody. Only Satan tempts us to destroy us. But God can use the same storm, the same difficulty to strengthen us. And whether this storm you're going through right now is a temptation that destroys your faith or a test that strengthens your faith depends upon you and your response to it. God uses storms to strengthen us.

That's why we should welcome them. Scott Peck has written, it's in this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning. It's only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. In fact, it's for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually welcome problems and welcome the pain of problems. Isn't that what James said in James 1 when he said, count it all joy brethren when you are ambushed, that's what the word means, by various trials. Have you ever noticed problems don't come one at a time, they ambush us.

They come up together. James said, count it all joy knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But above all, and the most encouraging truth about storms is this, God will deliver us through the storm.

Trust in Him. He's aware of our storm. He will deliver us through the storm. Now I've got some good news and some bad news.

Here's the bad news. God rarely takes us out of the storm. God rarely prevents us from entering the storm. If storms are good things that strengthen us, it's rare that God prevents us from going through storms or immediately delivers us out of the storm. But what He does promise to do is to walk with us through the storm until we make it to the other side.

Isn't that what Isaiah the prophet promised? He said, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched nor will the flame burn you. God is with us through the chemotherapy. He's with us through the months of unemployment. He walks with us through the loss of a loved one. He walks with us through the breakup of a relationship.

That's what God promises. I will walk with you through the storm. But He said, I will deliver you safely to the other side.

One famous pastor said, we are far more secure in the storm with Jesus in our boat than we will ever be on the shore without Him. I was talking to a friend not long ago. His company was going through a major reorganization. He was in a tunnel, a dark tunnel of uncertainty. He said, Robert, if God would just tell me that although I'm going to have to fight five monsters while I'm going through this tunnel, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

If He would just tell me that, I could make it. Well folks, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is a shore beyond the storm and God promises to take us to the other side. Listen to these words from Hebrews 6 19 and 20. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul. A hope both sheer and steadfast and one which enters within the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us having become a high priest forever. Jesus said, I am your anchor.

I am your forerunner. Let me explain what He was talking about. In the Mediterranean region, there are many different harbors but a lot of these harbors are laced with dangerous rocks and the most dangerous part of a ship's journey was when it was entering the harbor ready to tie up to the shore. There are many rocks in that harbor that if the boat went the wrong direction could destroy the boat and sink the boat.

How did they overcome that problem? When a boat got close to the harbor, a person called the forerunner on the boat would get into a smaller boat and he would take a line from the boat and he would attach it to the big rock in the harbor called the anchor rock. It wasn't a piece of lead that you dropped into the ocean to keep the boat still.

The anchor rock is what you tied to in order to navigate safely through the harbor avoiding the rocks and so this forerunner would attach that rope to the anchor rock and then the rock could be pulled easily through the harbor missing the rocks and finally safely making it to shore. And what the writer of Hebrews is saying is Jesus is two things. He's the forerunner. He goes on before us to the other side. He prepares the way for us but at the same time Jesus is not only the forerunner, he is the anchor himself. And when we trust in him, when we attach ourselves to Jesus, we can depend upon him to safely navigate our lives through the dangers and the difficulties of this world keeping our faith intact until he delivers us safely to the other side. Are you going through a storm? Maybe you're in the midst of one right now or you since one is on the horizon. There's nothing wrong with praying for God to deliver you out of the storm. In a rare occasion he may do that.

There's nothing wrong with saying, God I've taken about all I feel like I can take. Please call the winds, the waves to subside. Jesus prayed that in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We'll see this week. He prayed, Father if it be your will let this experience escape me. I don't want to do this.

I know what's ahead of me. Father let this experience be taken away from me yet not my will but your will be done. If you're going through a storm ask God to remove it but if he says no then say, God guide me safely through the storm. Well let the storm be something that drives me to you not drives me away from you. Help me to remain strong and trust you with the outcome.

Will you do that right now? Give your storm to God. Say, God I believe you've allowed this in my life for a reason. Help it to strengthen me. Help it to draw me closer to you and I'm trusting you to end the storm in your time and in your way. Father we thank you. You're a God who's not surprised by anything because you have planned everything. That you have a great purpose.

You're working out in our lives. Help us to be faithful. Keep us close to you and to deliver us to the other side in your time. We pray this in Jesus name. We pray this in Jesus name.

I don't know if you could hear the birds chirping or the cool breezes sweeping across the lake but those beautiful sounds provided a wonderful complement to our view which was the Sea of Galilee. In a moment David will explain how you can request audio CDs and video DVDs of all eight messages I delivered on location in Israel. But first I want to make sure you have access to a brand new book that was inspired by our visit to Israel. My book is called The Power of the Cross.

This is a one-of-a-kind book. In The Power of the Cross I provided a visual guide for the last seven days of Jesus life. My book includes my favorite pictures from Israel paired with a brief narrative from me on why these pictures are so significant.

It's like taking a walk together and talking about the Holy Week with Jerusalem as our backdrop. You can request your copy of this coffee table book today when you give a generous gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory. In addition and when you respond today I'm going to send you a resource that I've called Three Days That Changed the World. This exclusive pamphlet from Pathway to Victory illustrates the hour-by-hour account of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Be sure to respond today well in advance of Easter Sunday and thank you for giving generously to Pathway to Victory. I couldn't do this work without friends like you who come alongside me. Together we are piercing the darkness with the light of God's Word.

David. Thanks Dr. Jeffress. Today when you invest in the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift we'll say thanks by sending you The Power of the Cross. That's a 96-page coffee table style book and it's filled with stunning pictures, beautiful illustrations, and Bible-based teaching from Dr. Robert Jeffress. Plus as an added bonus we'll also include the brand new brochure Three Days That Changed the World. It's an hour-by-hour account of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This helpful reference tool lists the dates the times and supporting scripture references for the key moments in the first Easter. Request this resource along with The Power of the Cross book when you call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. Now when you give 75 dollars or more you'll also receive an eight message teaching series titled Live from Israel never before offered by Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress preached these messages on location in Israel in the very places where biblical history unfolded and they come on both DVD video and MP3 format audio disc so you can watch them with a small group Bible study or listen to them in your car. Again call 866-999-2965 or visit our website that's at ptv.org. If you'd prefer to send a letter by mail write to P.O. Box 223-609 Dallas, Texas 75222. That's P.O.

Box 223-609 Dallas, Texas 75222. Another way you can support Pathway to Victory is by becoming a Pathway partner. Now Pathway partners share our passion for bold biblical and practical Bible teaching and they've agreed to give a contribution every month. By giving a monthly gift our Pathway partners are proclaiming the gospel in faraway places they may never physically visit.

You can become a Pathway partner right now by going to ptv.org or by calling 866-999-2965. Thank you for standing with us to proclaim the life transforming world-changing power of the cross with a world in need this Easter season and beyond. I'm David J. Mullins. Every year right around Easter magazine covers near the checkout line claim to have the inside scoop as to who Jesus really was. But Christ's identity it's not a mystery.

In fact Jesus himself revealed it. Discover what Jesus told his disciples at Caesarea Philippi when you join us Wednesday for Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas. Imagine waking up to the sight of Alaska's majestic coastline or spotting wildlife from the deck of a luxurious cruise ship. Experience these unforgettable moments on the Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska with Dr. Robert Jeffress June 15th through the 22nd 2024.

Leave the stress behind as you take in God's magnificent creation. Relax with us in Alaska and I guarantee you'll come home spiritually and physically refreshed. To book your spot on the 2024 Pathway to Victory Cruise to Alaska go to ptv.org. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in his word. To become a Pathway Partner go to ptv.org podcast and click on the donate button or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.