Storm Watch–Week 3
Here is the teaching outline for the last lesson in our series, STORM WATCH. It has been a great series of which I myself have drank deeply from.
STORM WATCH (3): The Aftermath
Bottom Line: God can use the storms of life in ways we would never expect.
TEACHING OUTLINE
INTRO/TENSION:
Even as a Christian, we still face hardships.
We discover in Scripture a God who doesn’t protect us from pain, but a God who can use pain to shape us and others around us.
TRUTH:
“I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on–shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well” (Acts 27:10 NLT).
When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a ‘northeaster’) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.
We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.
The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island” (Acts 27:13-26 NLT).
“You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard” (Acts 27:31 NLT).
“You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks . . . Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat–all 276 of us who were on board (Acts 27:33-37 NLT).
Trusting God means that the storm isn’t the end of your story.
APPLICATION:
God is in the middle of your storm.
“I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:1-2 NLT).
You can choose to focus on the good or the bad.
CONCLUSION:
Where we are powerless, God is powerful.
God wants to use your storm to display His greatness in your life.
