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CONTRARY WINDS
Matthew 14: 22-33
There are at least four principles suggested by this adventurous narrative recorded by the apostle Matthew. The first principle -- doing what the Lord says is not always easy . . . these disciples were just following the Lord's orders and yet, the wind was contrary. The second thing suggested by our text is that we are not responsible for the wind. We are responsible for doing the Will of God, not for the wind. Thirdly, our text suggest that God uses contrary winds to prepare us for a higher calling for the cause of Christ. Finally, the fourth thing that is suggested here is that although the wind may be contrary, the Lord is standing by.
The Way of Duty Is Not Always Easy
The first thing we want to note is the way of duty is not always easy. To be responsible for someone requires commitment on our part. It requires sacrifice, if need be. The way of duty is not always easy. Being a church member may be easy, but being a Christian can be a hard task. Wearing a title is easy, but the responsibility behind the title requires commitment.
The way of duty is tedious because we have been called to deny ourselves, take up the cross day by day, and walk (Luke 9:23) in the footsteps of the Man from Galilee.
It is not always easy because we are called to relinquish authority over our own lives. In other words you are no longer your own master. When you become a believer, you become a part of a spiritual navy, in a spiritual warfare, with spiritual weapons. And on top of that you are not even the captain of the ship. You receive marching orders from Admiral Jesus.
The work of the kingdom is often hindered because we have enlisted in the Lord’s navy with the erroneous notion that we can obtain prominence and prestige. So if you are looking for glory, the navy of the Lord is not the navy for you. However, if you are looking to give God the glory then sign your name on the dotted line.
These disciples had received their sailing orders from Admiral Jesus. Jesus commanded them to get into the ship and go over to the other side of the sea, while he went into the mountain to pray. (The Lord Jesus spent much of his ministry in prayer and communication with his Father. The scripture uses the word ethos, Luke 22:39-41, to describe the Master’s habit of frequent prayer.)
The disciples did just as the Lord had commanded them, while he went into the mountain to pray, they got into the ship and set sail for the other side. They were sailing in obedience to the Lord. In describing the fealty of the obedience of these disciples . . .
The Poet eulogizes them in prose . . .
“In simple trust like theirs who heard.
Beside the Syrian sea. The gracious
calling of the Lord, Let us, like them,
without a word Rise up and follow Thee” John Greenleaf Whittier
They were sailing in obedience to the Master command, yet they were facing the winds of adversity. The bible says that the wind was contrary, doing what the Lord says is not always easy.
As you travel this Christian journey, you are going to find, and no doubt most of you have already found out; that there are some Contrary Winds that come about every time you set out to do what thus saith the Lord. Every time you open your orders from Admiral Jesus Contrary Winds begin to blow. The apostle Paul in his epistle to Roman Christians, though the imagery maybe different, succinctly summed it up when he declared, “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:21
However, It matters not how contrary the winds may become, how tedious the task. arduous the assignment may be, how onerous the orders may be . . . When Admiral Jesus gives sailing orders, he expects for us to carry out his orders despite Contrary Winds. His orders are commands, not suggestions. He demands our obedience, despite contrary winds. Seneca, the Roman Stoic and philosopher said that, We are born subjects, and to obey God is perfect liberty. He that does this shall be free, safe, and happy.”
The Lord does not lower his standards. He does not say, "Since the weather is a bit adverse today, you can take the day off. It looks like rain. You do not have to be a witness today. You do not have to be in season today after all it is out of season. Wait for a more convenient season to be about the Father’s business.”
We Are Not Responsible for the Wind
Now the second thing suggested by our text is that we are not responsible for the Contrary Wind. As we live and as we move in the will of God there will be some problems and difficulties that will come through no fault of our own. I know it sounds incredible, but there are actually some problems that we face that we did bring on ourselves.
Peter and company (the other eleven in his motley crew) was just rowing their ship across the sea, just as they had been commanded to do by Admiral Jesus. And through no fault of their own the wind started rising.
Now if you have not already experienced any Contrary Winds in you life, you just keep rowing. Just keep rowing your ship across the sea of life. One day soon Contrary Winds that you are not responsible for, will start rising in your life.
There are two things that normally happen when we are confronted with Contrary Winds. First we cry out, "Why me Lord." You told me to be faithful and win souls for the kingdom, and yet these winds are steady rising. You told me to serve as an usher and yet these winds are steady rising, to sing in the choir and yet these winds are steady rising, to teach your Word and yet these winds are steady rising. I am down here Lord, doing what you commanded me to do and yet these winds are steady rising. That is the first thing that happens when Contrary Winds that we are not responsible for starts in our lives. We cry out Why me Lord?"
We throw self pity parties and we invoke that old ‘nobody knows the trouble I see’ complex. According 1 Corinthian 10:13, everybody knows the trouble you see.
The second thing that happens is that fellow pals and patrons, comrades and colleague start analyzing your life. That is what happened to Brother Job. When he was in the midst of his affliction, his friends accused him of hidden sin. Yet the Bible says that he was perfect and upright one who feared God and shunned evil.
When Contrary Winds that we are not responsible for come into our lives, friends and associates sometimes accuse us of having done some wrong to deserve Contrary Winds. It is a narrow and bigoted kind of theology that relates everything that happens to you to some fault or shortcoming in your life. Though it is true that we sometimes cause our own problems, sometimes we are responsible for our own storms. When we get into trouble for the wrong reason, we can expect judgement. We can expect Contrary Winds when we knowingly function outside of the will and plan of God for our lives. There are some things that we do, that we know we can expect Contrary Winds. We can expect the judgement of God.
However, when you get into trouble for the right reasons instead of judgement, you can expect redemption. Peter and the boys were just rowing their ship, just as the Lord had commanded them and through no fault of their own the Contrary Winds started rising.
God Uses Contrary Winds to Prepare Us for Higher Service
The third thing suggested by our text is that God can use Contrary Winds to prepare us for a higher service in the cause of Christ. God does not allow Contrary Winds to come upon us just to scare us out of our wits. He does not allow Contrary Winds to come for no reason at all. He is not sitting up in heaven saying "It is a slow day, I feel like a little excitement. There is old Lewis, look at him just rowing his ship across the seas of life. I think I will have some fun and send a Contrary Wind or two his way that ought to shake him up a bit, get his knees to knocking."
God uses Contrary Winds to build our Christian character. He uses trying circumstances to make our faith stronger. There is nothing that happens in the life of the child of God that is without divine purposes.
Many believers want to have Christian character. They want to be stalwart saints. However, they want to have it without Contrary Winds. However, you cannot have character apart from Contrary Winds because character comes as a result of us experiencing and learning from Contrary Winds.
One cannot come forth as pure gold until you have been through the fire. You do not really know that the Lord is a deliverer unless he has delivered you. We do not really know that he is a Rock, a Fortress, a Shield and Buckler until you need for a place of refuge.
We do not really know that he is bread in a starving land unless you have been hungry. We do not know that He is Battle Axe in time of war if we have never been fight for our very lives.
There are some things about the Lord that only Contrary Winds can teach us. So instead of falling apart when the winds start blowing let God teach you how to weather the storm. When you allow the Lord to teach you how to weather the storm you will have the testimony that John talks about in the book of the Revelation.
THESE ARE THEY . . .
• Which have come through great tribulation.
• Which have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.
• Which are undefiled.
• Which follow the lamb whithersoever he goes.
When you allow the Lord to teach you how to weather the storm, you will discover that in spite of Contrary Winds, you can do extraordinary work for the Lord’s navy. Instead of the earthy and mundane you will be able to do the celestial and the incredible.
Peter did the incredible, when you read the text you will discover first of all, the obvious, Peter sank, that is because seeing the faults and failings in others is so easy for us. Yet, before he sank, the bible said, "Peter walked on the water, to go to Jesus.” Yes, he did sink, but before he sank, he actually accomplished the extraordinary. He did the miraculous.
The Lord Is Standing by
Fourth, and finally the text suggests that although the wind is contrary, although trouble is at every hand the Lord is standing by. You see the Lord never promised that the winds would not be contrary. However, he did promise Hebrews 13:5, he did promise that he would never leave us nor forsake us.
He never promised that as we rowed our ships through the seas of life that we wouldn't be confronted with adversity, that toil and trouble would not board our vessels, However, he did promise. Matthew 28:20. He did promise that he will be with us always.
He never promised that the storms would not rage and that the wind would not be contrary, but he promised never to leave us alone.
I have seen the lighting flash
I have heard the thunder roar
I have felt sin breakers dashing trying to conquer my soul
But I heard the voice of the savior, he bid me still fight on.
For he promised never to leave me never to leave me