Well, adversity causes some people to break. And it causes other people to break records. It’s as if they go right into the face of adversity on purpose. There’s one 16-year-old girl who did that recently. You know her name, Abby Sunderland, if you’ve been watching the news or reading the papers. A 16-year-old girl from Southern California, from Thousand Oaks, grew up with her family sailing, grew up in a Christian home, and she had a dream. She wanted to be the youngest person to circumnavigate the world in her forty-foot sailboat. Well, what happened to her dream? A storm happened to her dream. A violent winter storm in the Indian Ocean that happens this time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere and somewhere between Africa and Australia, she faced a storm like she had never faced before: 70-mile-an-hour winds, waves the size of three-story buildings, tossed that little boat around and she had to be rescued. Her father, in the midst of this, and I know a lot of people were saying how can a parent allow their child to have a boat ride like that, I wonder how parents can let their children drive at 16 but that’s a whole other story, they were saying through the whole thing, the whole episode, her father was saying, I know that God is in charge. I know that God is in charge.

I don’t know if you’ve ever been out on a lake or on the ocean when a storm hits but it can be very disorienting. My first experience as a child, my dad loved to fish and he said let’s go deep sea fishing. So we went out of Newport Beach on a little boat and what I was totally unexpecting was something called sea sickness. And I was so unprepared. I was such a landlubber and it was not a great experience. The second time I was out to sea was crossing the English Channel, going from England to France, and a storm came up. I was prepared. I had Dramamine. I took it before. And I was fine. But there were on board some very prim and proper and well-dressed English men and women and it was just hilarious to watch them with their heads over the deck feeding the fish as we went from one side to the other. It was great. The third experience that I had, some of you were with me, when we took a cruise to Alaska some years ago. Going through the Inland Passage a sudden and unexpected storm came and tossed that ship, that big cruise vessel, like it was a little toy boat. And I remember the sound of the metal stretching. You hear it go, unh… and then back again—all night. Well it happened to be the night when you’d dress up and you’d go to a special dinner and that night it was lobster dinner. But because of the storm, half of the people didn’t go to dinner. So those of us who did go to dinner had the lion’s share of the lobster.

We’re about to read of a storm in this chapter that experienced fishermen encountered. They’d been on that lake all their lives. They’d faced a lot of storms. But nothing like this. This was different than everything they had ever faced. The story for us picks up in verse 15: “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.”

We just read about a literal storm. There is a spiritual corollary and I want to talk about the storms of life. After all, this wasn’t just a storm for these guys; it was a trial for them, as well. So whether you call it a trial or a hardship or adversity or whatever, a storm, everyone in this room knows what that is. Everyone here knows what it’s like to have winds of adversity blow. Everybody here knows what it’s like to have waves of worry rise up. Everybody here knows what it’s like to experience the darkness of isolation and the fear that comes with that, just like these disciples experienced. We all have storms. James called them various trials, remember that? James chapter one. You know what he said about them? He said count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Yeah, right! Like who does that? Count it all joy.

And he said when you fall into various trials. You see, trials are different. Some are big; some are small; some are physical; some are emotional or spiritual. Some are brief; some are enduring and long, lasting weeks or months or even years. I believe we can navigate those storms and do a good job of it. I believe we can have peace in the midst of them. But in order for that to happen, there’s some things we all need to know. That’s why I’ve called this message “What Storm Goers Need to Know”.

Some I’m gonna give you four things that I believe emerge from the text, in this text and another text. In fact, why don’t we do that right now? Keep a marker here and turn to Mark chapter 6, or at least put a marker, that’s right, mark Mark chapter 6, because it is the same story told in Mark’s words and, even as John puts in some details that Mark leaves out, Mark puts some details that John leaves out. So John 6 and Mark chapter 6.

Here’s the first principal: in a storm, weather is unpredictable. These disciples had no clue what was about to happen. Now I want you to see something. Go back one verse with me for the sake of context in John chapter 6, look at verse 14: “Then those men,” that is all of the folks that were fed miraculously, “when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world. Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” For these disciples, this was completely unexpected. The boat ride. And here’s why. They were on a spiritual high. They had just seen the feeding of 15,000 people miraculously. There was such momentum building. I think I’m accurate when I say that Jesus’ approval ratings were at their highest—their peak. People were so jazzed and thrilled. They wanted to make Jesus their king. It says something in verse 15, did you notice it? It says Jesus departed again to the mountain. That is, He went back up the mountain. Well, you can’t go back up the mountain unless you go down the mountain. So here He was up on the mountain, fed everybody, and now He walks down the mountain before He goes back up. Why does He walk down the mountain? For two reasons: to get rid of the crowds or to get away from the crowd because they have a political agenda He doesn’t want to be a part of and number two, to walk His disciples down into the Sea of Galilee or to a boat there and shove them off so that He can be alone with His Father. So He puts them in a boat.

And look at verse 18: “Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.” See that word arose? I discovered it’s a Greek word that means to arouse somebody from their sleep. It’s a sudden awaking. Do you know what that’s like when you wake up in the morning? Have you ever seen somebody just sort of get aroused from a deep sleep and you say like crazy things and you do weird things. I have a friend, true story, he’s a pastor, his wife was aroused from sleep, she punched him right in the mouth and he fell right out of bed. That was a storm.

The waves woke up; the sea woke up. It was from out of nowhere. It was sudden and unexpected. And, in life, haven’t you noticed that the weather changes quite unexpectedly? Have you noticed that you make plans? You set an agenda. You’ve got it all planned out and then something happens. The circumstance just sort of blows a whole different direction. You hadn’t planned this.

You remember Paul the apostle, he planned to go to Rome, he even wrote that. He goes, I am planning to come and see you in Rome. What he didn’t plan on is getting arrested in Jerusalem. What he didn’t plan on is becoming a prisoner for two years. And though he went to Rome, he didn’t plan on getting there in a grain ship from Egypt as a prisoner on the way to Rome. His plans changed. Now as the boat left harbor, and it was a nice, sunny, beautiful day, something happened in the midst of that boat ride. A storm came. Acts 27 tells us but the weather changed abruptly and a wind of typhoon strength caught the ship and blew it out to sea.

I think of another example. A man named Job in the Old Testament. Man, life was great! Just great! Everything was happening as planned. He had his children around him, he had his health, he had prosperity, prayed for his children, he loved his God and then one day everything changed. All of his children died—in a single day. And one of the messengers came and said suddenly a powerful wind swept in from the desert and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed and all of your children are dead.

About a year ago, my wife went in for a routine checkup. It was routine. That is, until the doctor found a mass and said, um, I want you to clear your decks for the next several months. Things are gonna change. We need to get at that and we need to get at it now. Surgery was scheduled, it was successful, the doctor came out and said it was malignant, it’s gonna require chemotherapy. Looking back on that, you know, here we were, everything is just sailing along until you hear that news and then suddenly, abruptly, the wind changes. You go in a totally different direction. I describe it like having your tickets in hand and going down to a bus station or a train station, you’ve got your itinerary, it’s in your hand. You’ve got your tickets; they’re in your hand. You get down to the bus station or train station and somebody meets you there and says, um, I have different tickets for you. You’re not going where you think you’re going. You’re gonna get on that train, not that train. And so you get on the train with these new tickets, you have really no idea what this about, but you ride that train and you don’t get off of it for about a year. Some for longer. Some never get off that train.

I’m bringing all that to your attention or reminder simply to say that this is not unusual. In fact, this is typical. This is normal life. There’s an old Jewish proverb that goes like this, quite simple, man makes plans and God changes them. Jesus put it this way: the Father causes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Message is simple: whether you’re saved or not, whether you’re righteous or unrighteous, whether you’re good or wicked, you enjoy good times and bad times. Sun mixed with rain. And even if you’re a child of God, the weather can change suddenly and abruptly.

Even Paul the apostle spoke of hardships that he and his team encountered and he writes to the Corinthians: we suffered under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure so that we despaired even of life. Boy, I’m glad he wrote that because now, when I encounter people who say, shyly, Pastor, I’m so embarrassed. It’s been so difficult for me lately. I’ve despaired of life! I can say you’re not alone. You’re in Paul’s camp. Paul even despaired of life. Paul didn’t think he was going to make it. That’s normal life.

I read something in Reader’s Digest that said expecting not to be treated badly just because you’re a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to attack you just because you’re a vegetarian. Don’t you love that? That angry bull doesn’t share your dietary convictions. And so weather is unpredictable and the disciples are about to find out, He’s not just the God of the free lunch on the hill, He’s the God of the storm. So that’s number one: weather is unpredictable.

Look at verse 16: “Now when the evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,” that is, they got into the boat, into the sea, and they set sail. Question: why did they get into the boat to begin with? Was it their idea? It wasn’t their idea. In fact, I’m sure they did not want to get in that boat. You know why they went in there? Jesus made them get in the boat. And this is the second lesson. In life, God’s the captain. You’re just the crew. So if you have this invictus kind of ideology that says I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul, good luck on that one. When you come to Christ, you give Him the pink slip to your life. The keys. He’s in charge.

Now go back to chapter 6 of Mark. I had you put a marker there. Let’s look at it. You’ll see this. Mark chapter 6 and go to verse 45 of Mark chapter 6. It says: “Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.” See that? He made them do it! The Old King James is even stronger: He constrained them. He compelled them. He urged them. You know that tells me? Tells me they didn’t want to go. Can you just hear it? Um, where are we going Jesus? Just follow Me. Yeah, where are we going? Going to the lake. Ok, well here we are. Now what? Get in the boat. Well you coming? Nope. You get in the boat. Uh, we don’t want to get in the boat! You just pulled off like the coolest trick ever! You fed 15,000 people. We’re sticking to You like glue. Get in the boat! Get. In. That. Boat. He constrained them. He compelled them. He urged them. And He sent them away. He made them go. Do you know why? Because He’s the captain! They’re just the crew. Now up to this point that wasn’t the case. Peter was the captain. Andrew was the captain. They had their fishing business. All those little boats? They were the captains of them. But now Jesus is part of their life and they do what Jesus says. He’s the captain.

With all due respect, if you happen to have this bumper sticker on your car I apologize in advance, please no emails, but if you have that bumper sticker that says “God Is My Co-Pilot,” you might want to take that off. Because you know what? God won’t be anybody’s co-pilot. You might be allowed to come along for the ride but He’s in charge. He’s the pilot. He got them in that boat and He is gonna send that boat out into the sea.

Now why am I making such a big deal of this? Why is this so important? Because it means that when the storm is raging around you, you now have the confidence and satisfaction of saying, God brought me into this storm. God brought me here! Why is this happening? God brought me here! I was reading psalms this week and one just jumped out as if it were prophetic of this very event. Psalm 107: He commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea. God does that!

So question: were the disciples in that boat, in that storm, because they were disobedient? Because they were bad little disciples and only bad little disciples have storms in their lives? Were they in that storm because they were out of the will of God? No. And I bring that up because there’s some people who will say, well if you’re a Christian you won’t go through these things. They were in that storm because they were in the center of the will of God. Put them in the boat and He sent them out into the storm. Why would He do that?

Well, let’s go to another incident. Go back in your minds to the Exodus when the children of Israel leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land. Now if you remember the story, God not only tells them where to go, but He gives them the exact route on how to get there. And if you look at a map, this always puzzled me; they weren’t given the direct route. The easiest route would be to go up the coastline directly north and turn inland. But God put them in the weirdest route and He brought them to the Red Sea and so, on one side, there were mountains and desert—it was impassable. On the other side, mountains and desert—uncrossable. Before them was a body of water—uncrossable, they thought. And if they ever wanted to get out of that cul-de-sac, they couldn’t because just when they thought, this is crazy, the Egyptian army boxed them in. so you know what God was doing? Deliberately putting them into a trap. You know why? Because God wants to show them that He has resources they knew nothing about, that God can get them out of situations that are impossible to get out of.

And so it is with this storm. I’m sharing this because I believe that knowing that will revolutionize your pain. If you realize, I’m just the crew, God is the captain, He brought me to this place, my captain sent me into this storm, that’s huge. I mean, what makes me think that if I’m a Christian or if I’m a pastor, that my life should be somehow smooth waters, smooth sailing? And yet I know some Christians who have that notion. If I’m a Christian and I’m obedient, only good things will happen. Really? Boy, you’d be like a worthless person if that were true. You’d be such a shallow person if that were true.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon spoke to his congregation these words. I believe, he said, the hardest-hearted, most unlovely Christians in all the world are those who have never had much trouble. And those who are the most sympathizing, loving, Christ-like, are those who have had the most affliction. The worst thing that can happen to any of us is to have our path made too smooth. Isn’t that interesting? So now you know what I might be praying for if you come up and you’re like really a cantankerous person. Lord, send him a storm. Make him a lovely person.

Here’s what I want you to note. You can make your plans and you should. You can set your agenda and you should. But just understand that if you, you write the script, that God always has editing rights. You set the course for the boat; God can always come in and alter the course. And He does. Weather is unpredictable, God’s the captain, you’re just the crew.

Number three, if you get sent into the storm, resources will be provided. Take you to verse 18: “Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles”. The Sea of Galilee is only about seven to eight miles wide and twelve to thirteen miles in diameter, so they were like right in the middle, right? Right in the middle of the lake. “They saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

Now if you put all the stories together, and we will in just a moment, there’s three things I want you to discover about Jesus. Number one, He knows. Number two, He prays. And number three, He comes.

He knew exactly what was happening. Do you believe that? Do you think Jesus was up on the mountain, He’s doing His thing, praying, and He did not know what was happening to the disciples? Is God ever out of the office? Does God ever go, Huh! I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry! He knew exactly. Go back to Mark chapter 6 and watch this. Mark chapter 6 verse 47: “Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.” He saw them? Straining at the oars? Boy, don’t you think He’d have to have pretty good eyesight to see a boat four miles away and now you’re still a little bit more inland on top of a hill? I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee. I can’t see a mile away, a boat, with the haze. And not only to see that there’s a boat, but to have such detail as to be able to see that the people aboard that boat are having a difficult time straining at the oars? That’s pretty good eyesight. In fact, I would say it’s impossible to see that way unless you can see some other way. That’s sort of the whole point, isn’t it? He is God omniscient. He knew exactly what was going on on that boat. He could see it! He knew it—in advance.

We mentioned Job. Remember Job? In chapter 23, he said something that’s profound. And I know you’ve experienced it. He’s in the heart of his deepest struggle, deepest trial, and he writes this: I go forward and I can’t find God. I go backward, I cannot perceive Him. I look on the right hand, the left hand, He’s not there. Ever had that experience? You’re in a trial, you’re looking for God, you’re wanting His peace, you’re wanting His presence—nothing. So you know what Job finally says? He goes, I’ve looked everywhere for God. I can’t find Him. But then he says, but He knows the way that I take and when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Did you get that truth? I can’t find God! I can’t see God! But God sees me and I’m ok with that. He knows everything. That’s a good thing to think about. What does God know? God knows? Everything. God knows everything. Jesus said that God knows the number of the hairs of your head. Now for some, that math is getting easier every year but God knows that. God knows that. David said, in effect, God knows when we cry. He said that God puts our tears and stores them in a bottle like a little memorial. He knows every time we’re sorrowful and every tear that is shed. God knows that. Jeremiah, or I should say God through Jeremiah, said I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of goodness and of peace, to give you a future and a hope. God knows everything. And that’s the first resource we have is knowing that, even if I can’t see or feel God, though He’s not apparent, He is certainly aware. He knows.

Second, He prays. You say excuse me? That’s right. Jesus prays. And if that’s all new information for you, then you’re about to be wowed because you’re gonna see it. Now go back to Mark chapter 6 verse 46 where it says, “And when He sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.” Question: what is He praying for? Well, in all honesty, we don’t know. We’re not told what He’s praying for. But can I say I bet you at least part of His prayer is for the disciples. I mean, if He can see that far and He knows what’s going on in the boat and the struggle that His friends are having and knowing what He does in John 17, remember when He prays for His disciples, Father I pray for those that You have given Me, for they were Yours and You gave them to Me, I pray for them. I’m sure He was praying for His disciples. In fact, He might have been praying for them right down the line. Lord, I pray for Peter. He’s about to say something really stupid. And then I pray for Andrew because he’s gonna follow suit. And I pray for Thomas because he’s just like so bummed out, he’s shaking his head, the whole boy. He’s probably been praying for every single one all the way down the line.

Now I have a question. How would you feel if you knew that Jesus was in the next room praying for you? Would that like bolster you? Would that like give you courage and confidence to like, I can handle this? If you knew that? You know how it is when somebody comes up to you that you know and love on earth and goes I’ve been praying for you and you go, oh, that’s awesome. But what if you knew Jesus was praying for you? Well that’s the news flash. He is. You see it says in Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews, chapter 7 verse 25, writes this: Therefore He [Jesus] is able to save completely those who come to God through Him because He always lives to intercede for them. Intercede means to pray on behalf of. That’s what Jesus lives for! He’s at the Father’s right hand and He lives to pray for you. I mean, every trial you have, every situation, Jesus is talking to the Father about you. And can I add if anybody knows how to pray, it’s Him. After all, as God He became a Man. He knows what suffering is all about. So when He talks to the Father about your pain, it’s because He knows it firsthand.

He knows, He prays, here’s the third resource: He comes. He comes to them in the storm. Verse 19: “So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Now I have a question. See if you remember this back from Mark, if you have your hand there you’ll know the answer. When did Jesus come to them? What part of the night? What watch of the night? Fourth watch. Now why did Mark tell us that? I’ll tell you why he told us that. He wants you to know how long those disciples had been out there. You see, they left at probably sunset, it was evening and the sun was setting, got dark. And the night is divided into four watches. Watch number one is from 6pm to 9pm. Watch number two, 9pm to midnight. Watch number three, midnight to 3am. And fourth watch of the night, from 3 in the morning to 6 in the morning. That’s when Jesus came to them. Fourth watch of the night. You know what that means? It means they’d been out on the Sea of Galilee rowing, struggling, suffering from between 8 to 12 hours. When they were near exhaustion, at the very end of their wits and could go no further, fourth watch of the night, Jesus showed up. Now I’m sure if they could’ve voted, they would’ve said, could You please come the first watch of the night? But He didn’t come the first, nor the second, nor the third. But He came between 3 in the morning and 6 in the morning. They were exhausted. They were weary. He came in their extreme case but He came nonetheless.

Listen, if God has you in a storm, He has His eye on that boat and He has His hand on those waves. And He’s not gonna allow anything to happen to you that you can’t handle. Question: why did Jesus walk on the water? Was He showing off? Did He come to impress them? Did He walk up to the boat like hey this is pretty cool, can you do this? I don’t think He did that. I don’t think it was for that reason. It wasn’t just to wow them. This is what I believe. Jesus came to them on the very thing they feared the most. The storm. They feared the storm. They were afraid of the storm. They’d been on this lake but there was no storm like this. They thought they were going to die. They were afraid. Those waves were big and that boat was about to toss over and… it’s interesting that Jesus came to them on the very thing they feared the most. It was that thing that became the footpath of Christ to them.

Now I know we all hate storms. We all dread the idea of a possible surgery, of a possible death of a loved one, of the loss of any kind, but I also know, from experience and from talking to thousands of people, that in the darkest moment, on the very thing they fear the most, often they find Jesus in the deepest presence. Never experienced God like I have then! And He came. Corrie ten boom was part of a family that sheltered Jews in World War II. They were arrested. She was put in a concentration camp for that. She said, if God ever sends you on stony paths, He’ll provide good shoes. I would rewrite that for our purpose and say if He ever sends you in a storm, He provides great boats. He’ll provide you the resources that you need. He knows, He prays, and He comes.

Well let’s finish this up. Look at verse 21 of John chapter 6. Here’s the fourth point. The sky will clear. The storm won’t last forever. “Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.” That storm didn’t last a week or a month or a year. Some storms do. This one had a beginning and it had an end. And if there’s one thing I’ve noticed about storms, it’s that God knows when to end them and have the sun come out so that you can go… It doesn’t mean you’ll never have another one, but He knows how to time them. They’re seasonal.

Now there was one guy on that boat ride named Peter, right? He was on the boat, wasn’t he? Am I right? Peter was riding in that boat. Well Peter wrote, years later, a letter in which he said, we rejoice though now for a season you are in heaviness because of many trials. You see, it’s not perpetual—it’s seasonal. There’s a season for them. There’s a time that they begin and a time that they end. Did you notice verse 21? It’s another miracle really. It says immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. Isn’t that interesting? They put Jesus on the boat and it’s like, whoa, we’re here! You know what that tells me? The hardship, the trial, they didn’t waste any time in that. They didn’t waste any time. Now I hear people say well if only I didn’t have this in my life, I could do that. I don’t think you waste any time if God has you in a time of trial and adversity. I think He’s quite able to get you to the right destination at the right time and you will not be wasting any time.

Now that leads me to end this sermon with sort of a caution. Watch your attitude during a storm because, as I mentioned, a storm is very disorienting. And it tends toward, not only asking why, but it tends toward complaining, why Lord, why me, why now, why this? And that questioning can lead to despising which can lead to bitterness. Watch your attitude during a storm. When the writer of Hebrews talks about trials he says: my son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Don’t become so impatient and so embittered and so angered and so indifferent that we say things like God this is getting old, this is enough, right? Well it sorts of brings up the question, why a storm anyway? I mean, why does God put me in the boat, send me out to the storm, change the weather, change it, why does He do all that? Answer: it’s pretty easy. Because He’s still working on you. I don’t know if you know this or not but you’re not perfect. You’ve got a lot of growth to do… amen? So because of that He’s gonna always be working on you. In fact, I would say this. When He’s done working on you, you know what’s gonna happen to you? You’ll flat line. You’ll go right to heaven. I know you’re thinking God keep working on me, Lord just keep working on me. Oh and He will. And He will do it without your counsel. He’s a committee of One. And He knows everything that’s going on and He knows everything you’re going through and He knows exactly what’s best for you. And so you go for the ride. You go for the ride. And you worship and you rejoice because what makes you different from an unbeliever is they go on the ride and they have no point of reference. It’s just a bad thing that happens to everybody. But it’s timed and planned and prescribed for you.

I want to tell you a story. I was with my wife this week at her doctor’s and he saw that I was a motorcycle enthusiast, so he goes, I want to tell you a motorcycle story. I go, oh here it goes. He said there’s a couple, they’re from Colorado, they’re motorcycle enthusiasts, husband and wife, they love each other, devout Christians. She’s a photographer. They love to travel around. She takes pictures. They’re on a ride and there’s this big truck in front of them. If you’re a motorcycle rider you know you want to get away from that truck. So the driver’s looking for a time to pass the truck. Eventually he says now’s the time. He accelerates, not knowing that on this little highway, in that lane was a stalled, parked vehicle. And as he passed the truck full force, his motorcycle, hit that car. They flew up in the air, hit the ground, ambulance came, took them to the hospital. Now they survived. They’re fine today. But while they were doing a CAT scan on the female passenger, they discovered on the CAT scan a stage one ovarian tumor. Stage one. They never would’ve discovered that tumor had she not had a CAT scan. She never would’ve had a CAT scan unless they were in that accident. And you have to understand, that couple was thanking God they had a motorcycle accident to spot that at that time to treat it successfully.

Now the disciples do something very smart. Verse 21: “Then they willingly received [Jesus] into the boat”. Yeah, that’s a smart thing to do. Whenever there’s a storm, get Jesus in the boat! Right? Because the boat ain’t sinking if He’s on board, right? It’s Jesus. So good to see You, come on board! Right? Is it worth sailing through life without Christ? Some of you are sailing around, you’ve got your plans, everything’s good, weather’s good, sails are good. You’re fit. You haven’t been in the storm yet. Not the one that’s coming. You don’t want to go without Jesus in the boat. If you haven’t invited Him into your life, now would be a great time to do that.