What shakes you doesn't shake God. Jonathan Evans says we serve an unshakable kingdom where Christ has authority over every storm. This is why he can die and then turn around and get up because he is the God-man, the one who can sympathize with your weaknesses and who can do something about it. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, founding pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Urban Alternative.
Sometimes, following Jesus doesn't lead us away from the storm, but rather straight into it. Today, Pastor Jonathan Evans shows how Christ's Word carries power, even during those times when our lives feel out of control. Let's join him as he reminds us that everything in creation operates under the sun. The disciples are about to enter a storm and they're going to need. Jesus Matter of fact.
When you go out and you face life storms, don't forget his name. You called his name in church. But don't forget his name and culture. This was a day where Jesus was on the seashores of the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, and he was teaching the crowd. He was saying things like, a sower went out to sow.
And when the sower went out to sow, he sowed some seed, and some seed fell among the roadside. And got eaten up by birds. Other seed fell amongst rocky soil, sprang up for a second, but then quickly went away. Other seed fell among the thorns, and then other seed found its way into good soil and reaped a hundredfold. He was saying things like a lamp that is bought should not be hidden, but that which is hidden is only hidden for a second, only to be revealed again.
He was saying other things like a mustard seed is smaller than the rest, but when that thing takes root and is planted, it grows up much bigger than everything else, so much so that the birds of the air perch on its branches and are covered by its shade. He was teaching them by way of parables. And then when evening came, he gave another sermon. In verse 35, In 36, he gave A clear sermon, verse 35. It's in red in your Bibles what Jesus said.
And here's the sermon. Let us go over. To the other side.
Now if Jesus were in the house today, we'd be hype. If Jesus were standing on the stage and he looked at the crowd and said, let us go over. to the other side. There's hope in that statement. We would be in here talking about other side of the side of the side.
Amen, hallelujah. Take me over. We will be doing all types of stuff. Because when Jesus tells you we are about to go to the other side, people get excited and they're ready to go. That was the sermon that he gave after giving sermons all day and giving clarity to the disciples.
He said, Now let's move on what we just talked about. Let's now go to the other side. This is going to be an important sermon. Because little did the disciples know that going to the other side would get met with a hurricane. Caliber storm.
In other words, these disciples Didn't just need the word to get excited to follow. These disciples needed the word to gird themselves up for the incoming storm. Many people come to church and get the word and are excited about it. Not realizing that you need the word to keep close, to tattoo on your heart, because you need it in preparation for life storms. You can get excited about a word and not be prepared for the storm that the word was given to you for.
The disciples didn't realize that they were being given a word that they needed to hold on to to cover them in life storms. What am I saying? When you come to church, get ready. Get ready for life storms. And it details that they were excited because it says that the disciples took Jesus along with them.
As he was, they got ahead of the word. They were so excited. Because they were ready to follow. And left with a word totally unprepared. And immediately in verse 37, it says, and arose a fierce gale of wind.
And then it says descended means from up there. That's called a sudden storm. A rose gives the connotation in the Greek to happen upon, suddenly, to come about. I don't know if anybody's ever experienced any storms that just happened suddenly. It seems like it just descends on you from nowhere.
Everything was good, and you were sailing at the proper speed. The waters were glass, everything was sunny. You just got through telling somebody at church, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good with a smile on your face and your minute. And as soon as you walked out the door, Suddenly, something happened to you, or upon you, or in your family. It's when you get that sudden call that you weren't expecting about someone in your family who was hurt, injured, or worse.
It's when your job all of a sudden is downsizing when you thought you were just about to get a promotion. It's when you suddenly get the call, or you find out that there was infidelity in your home and it knocks you off your feet when you thought your marriage was going in the right direction. These things happen and they happen suddenly. And what's bad about these sudden storms that we go through. What makes matters even worse on this boat?
is it tells you when they hit a hurricane. Jesus asleep Have you ever been in a storm? Where you need Jesus. But he's gone quiet on you. Yeah.
Have you? I'm just saying, if is it just me who said, man, God, where are you? I'm praying and you're quiet. I'm in church and I still feel disconnected. I call my accountability, but I'm not getting any divine reassurance.
I'm reading the Bible, but I'm still not experiencing any hope. Like, this is what your word says: you're with us on the boat, but you're not with us on the boat. Where are you? He's asleep. And that makes the storm even worse.
It says the boat was already filling up. The boat was getting tossed around. They think that they're going to die. The situation is heavy. You can imagine that they themselves are taking a moment to try to save themselves, to get the water off of the boat, and nothing is working.
And Jesus is quiet. God is not talking. He is Sleeping? Right, amen. Let me let me make it a little bit more worse.
Okay. He's sleeping on a cushion. You know what that means? That means he went to sleep on Purpose. Good night.
You went to sleep on purpose? You don't think he knew that storm was coming when he said, let us go over to the other side? And he went to sleep on purpose. God's not talking to me. During the storm of my life.
I'm not hearing him. I'm not getting anything from him. Where are you? Why would you not be Speaking when I need you to speak. Why would you not be here when I need you to be here?
And you're going to go to sleep on me in purpose? On purpose? Um Ladies and gentlemen, when God goes to sleep on you on purpose and you're not hearing from Him and you're in the middle of the storm, it's because He is testing you. Your teacher doesn't talk either when you're taking a test. You cannot raise your hand and say, hey, I need some help.
Uh uh Take the test. The reason why the teacher doesn't talk While you're taking a test is because they are testing you on information you have already been given. Let's go back. Let us go over. to the other side.
I've been preaching all day about the kingdom. I've taken the time to explain it to you clearly. You've watched my miracles. And now I want to watch your faith. Because without faith It's impossible to please the Lord.
And I have to prepare you for storms because I'm going to tell you something else in the future that's going to bring about more storms. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations. And as soon as they listened, Peter was thrown in jail. James got killed by the sword. It was a storm.
doing what God told them to do. And they would have to believe later that what God said, He will finish what He started.
So he's preparing them now for their future later. And if you don't want storms, what you're telling God is: don't give me a future because I want to remain unprepared. I've already given you the lesson. I told you. Let us go over.
to the other side. Other side, other side, other side. Instead of the The disciples Panicked. Instead The Believers. Panicked.
Instead, The church folk Looked like the culture. Instead, There was no difference between the believer. And the unbeliever. They were Around Jesus. But evidently didn't have the faith in the Jesus they were around.
Jonathan Evans will challenge us on what real faith looks like when he continues in just a moment. First though, today's broadcast of the alternative. continues a compelling teaching series from Pastor Jonathan Evans called All Eyes on Jesus. Through these messages, Jonathan shows us what it means to live under Christ's authority. especially when life feels uncertain or overwhelming.
This A-part audio collection is available as a digital download. as well as on either a C D album or USB flash drive. making it easy to revisit these lessons and apply them to your daily walk. We're offering the complete series as our gift when you make a contribution to support this ministry. and right now, as an added bonus, we'll also send you Jonathan's book, Your Time is Now.
which challenges believers to stop waiting for the right moment, and start trusting God with bold, obedient faith. Together, these resources will help you navigate storms, strengthen your trust in Christ. and live with greater spiritual confidence. To take advantage of this special offer, visit tonyevans.org or call 1-800-800-32-22. Make your request to-day.
This opportunity will only be available for a limited time. Again, that's tonyevans.org. or call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 Day or Night. We'll return to our message from Jonathan Evans right after this. Ever feel intimidated by the thought of reading the Bible like you're not ready?
The Unbound podcast with Dr. Tony Evans shares insights and hope for struggles like these. Listen to guest speaker Amanda Bible Williams. We have put barriers up between ourselves and God's Word. We think it was hard the first time, this must not be for me.
We think we're supposed to be a certain type of person, but we keep going because it matters to us. Listen now to the Unbound podcast. You'll find the Unbound podcast with Tony Evans on his YouTube channel. or on your favorite podcast platform. Right now, let's get back to today's message.
You know what the disciples should have done? No, they should. If Jesus said, let us go over to the other side. And a hurricane came. And he went to sleep on a cushion.
They should have found a cushion and go went to sleep right with him. They would have got to the other side. It would have still been the same storm. They would have still been soaked. Maybe a little scared.
But they would have experienced the salvation of the Lord. Anyway. Because God's going to do what he says anyway. Yeah. Notice the difference.
Between the disciples and Jesus on the exact same boat. This was a wild storm. The boat was nearly sinking. The wind was thunderous. The water was slashing in and sloshing over.
Whatever adjectives you want to give it, it was that bad. The boat is tossed. No control. The Cs in the Bible are representative of evil.
So evil was winning. And the whole time it's that bad, Jesus sleeps. I don't know how you sleep through that. They feel like they're going to die it so bad. And Jesus Sleeps.
Yeah. The disciples were in fear in the storm. Jesus was unshaken in the storm. What shakes you Doesn't shake God. Hebrews 12 lets you know we serve an unshakable kingdom.
That he will sleep through the very thing that you're afraid of. You know why? Because he has authority over it. The disciples ran in. Wake up!
Do you not care that we perish? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not Perish. but have everlasting life. Do you not care that we die or perish? We're in this storm.
Watch what Jesus did. I'd never seen this before. It's three words in verse 39. Three words right at the beginning. Once they said, wake up, do you not care that we perish?
It says he. Dot Up. Wake up. Do you not care? We need salvation.
He. Got Fuck. Wake up! Do you not care that I'm about to die? He?
Got Wake up, Jesus. I need to be saved. Got Don't you realize that when he was sleeping, it was chaos? When he was sleeping, they had no hope. When he was sleeping, they thought they were gonna die.
But as soon as he got up. All of a sudden, there was hope, salvation, and life. He got up and said, Be still. The sea that represented chaos was now underneath the authority of the sun. Life was given to the disciples.
Everything changed when he. Got Uh, don't you know on Friday when he died it was chaos? People didn't have any hope. They didn't know how they were going to live. They didn't know that they could get to tomorrow.
They only thought they were going to perish. But he. God Up and early on Sunday morning, all of a sudden there was light. All of a sudden, the evil was subdued. All of a sudden, the seas were perfectly calm.
All of a sudden, everything changed because he got. Oof! I need somebody to make some noise that Jesus got up because he is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who comes to take away the sins of the world. I didn't recognize in the story at first. That he went to sleep and it was chaos.
But then once he got up, he said, shh. Be still. That he supplemented perfection where there was evil. And all of a sudden, the lake was like glass, and the winds calmed down, and the waves. See.
For one reason and one reason alone, because he Got up. And everything became perfectly calm, the scripture said, perfectly calm. perfectly calm because he got up and said, shh. And we panic in a storm. And we serve a God who can just go, shh, be still.
And then he followed it up with something we need to remember. Oh. He said to the disciples. Yeah. Be quiet, Storm.
Perfectly calm. Looks at his disciples. Why were you afraid? Yeah. Why did you act like that?
Do you not believe in who I am? You look just like the people I left on the shore. Why were you afraid? If I was Peter, I'd have been like, because I was about to die. He says Do you have no faith?
This lets me know. That after Jesus was called upon and got up, And calm the storms. that he was letting the disciples know. You failed the test. You must do better.
If you can't handle this storm, how are you going to handle the book of Acts? You must be prepared, more prepared than that. Because I'm calling you to follow me. And if I, your master, suffer. And what do you think the Christian life looks like?
You say, well, how did they fail the test? They got a storm. Call on Jesus. Jesus made it better. This test was not about whether Jesus can make it better or not.
This test was about whether you can be better or not regardless of if he makes it better. Can you walk through the storm? Do you believe? That all authority is under the sun. This is one of the clearest pictures in Scripture of the humanity and deity of God in bodily form.
He went to sleep because he was tired. Remember? He had been preaching all day. I only preach twice and at lunch, I'd be like. He was tired.
So he went to sleep. And yes, he was testing them, but he went to sleep because he was tired. and then got up from his sleep and told the storm to be quiet. Jesus is 100% man. and 100% God.
He has two natures in one person without mixture forever. That is who he is. He's 100% man, not 50. He's 100% God. He has two natures that have been placed in one container called the person of Jesus Christ without mixture forever.
This is why he can be hungry and then go feed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves. This is why he can be thirsty and then turn around and walk on water. This is why he can die and then turn around and get up. Because he is the God-man, the one who can sympathize with your weaknesses and who can do something about it. He's the one who's over the storm, even when he sleeps into the storm.
He is Jesus the Christ.
So when they ask the question: what manner of man is this? That even the wind and the seas obey him. We know who it is: it's Jesus the Christ. The son of the living God, who is 100% man, 100% God, two natures, one person forever, and he is worthy of your life. He is worthy of your trust.
He is worthy of your faith. He is worthy of your praise. Because that is who he is.
So just remember when you hit the storm that everything comes under the sun. Pastor Jonathan Evans, pointing us to the confidence that comes from knowing Christ reigns over every circumstance we face. Stay with us. I want to invite you to join me for the trip of a lifetime. Tony Evans invites you to journey with him through Israel this October.
We're going to gather together with many of our friends to Survey the sights of the Holy Land. You'll visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, tour the Old City, including the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, and the Garden of Gethsemane. You'll overlook Nazareth, stand on the Mount of Olives, and walk the road where Jesus made his triumphal entry. Along the way, Tony will share messages that'll give you new insight into familiar Bible stories. Not only will we have a great time in his word together, we'll have a great time being together with so many who love the Lord and who love his word.
There's a lot more in the itinerary. Visit tonyevans.org today to get the details and register before space runs out. Don't miss this chance to add a whole new dimension to your faith. Visit tonyevans.org today. Looking forward to meeting you for a glorious time on our journey to Israel.
Now, before we wrap up, I want to remind you about the special resource package I mentioned earlier. The complete All Eyes on Jesus teaching series from Pastor Jonathan Evans, along with his book, Your Time is Now. These eight messages will help you deepen your faith, strengthen your trust in Christ. and learn what it means to live fully under his authority. And Jonathan's book encourages you to move beyond hesitation and step boldly into the purpose God has for you.
Both resources are yours with our thanks when you make a donation to help support the alternative. Just visit Tony Evans dot org for details or call one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222. or online at tonyevans.org. Have you ever felt like God was asking you to give up the very thing you waited on Him to provide?
Well, tomorrow, Pastor Evans will reveal how faith is proven when obedience costs us most, and why trusting God's provision, even when we don't fully understand it, changes everything. I hope you'll join us.
