How to Trust God When Everything Goes Wrong

The sermon offers a compelling application of God's sovereignty, encouraging believers to view their struggles as opportunities for faith. However, the teaching is compromised by a synergistic view of sanctification, suggesting that individuals are primarily in charge of their own spiritual growth, and by an assertion of ecclesiological hubris that elevates the local church to a position of unique prophetic authority.

National geographic style, massive ancient stone anchor resting on a jagged cliff edge, raging storm clouds, piercing sunlight, hyper-realistic, 8k.
🎨 The Visual Metaphor: The immovable anchor represents God's sovereign control and the believer's call to trust Him when the storm of life threatens to overwhelm. This visual affirms that while the environment is chaotic, the believer's security is anchored in God's unchanging nature, not the circumstances.
🔵
Theological Status: ORTHODOX (Cold) Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Ephesus
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Faithful Parallels Smyrna • Philadelphia
Teaching that parallels the churches that endure suffering with true spiritual riches (Rev 2:9) and keep the Word of Christ without denial despite having "little strength" (Rev 3:8).
The Cold Orthodox Parallel Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
The Corrupted & Dead Parallels Thyatira • Sardis • Laodicea
Teaching that parallels churches with active heresy, synergism, therapeutic deism, or dead orthodoxy (Rev 2:20, Rev 3:1, Rev 3:17). These represent systemic, fundamental errors that corrupt the Gospel.
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
Date: 2026-05-24 | Church: Lakepointe Church | Speaker: Jonathan Pokluda

🧐 Overview

Theological Verdict & Summary

Sermon Summary: A powerful exploration of trusting God amidst life's storms, using the biblical narrative of Paul's shipwreck to illustrate how believers can remain calm and obedient when circumstances are out of their control.

Pastoral Analysis: The sermon offers a compelling application of God's sovereignty, encouraging believers to view their struggles as opportunities for faith. However, the teaching is compromised by a synergistic view of sanctification, suggesting that individuals are primarily in charge of their own spiritual growth, and by an assertion of ecclesiological hubris that elevates the local church to a position of unique prophetic authority.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Ephesus — The sermon exhibits a compromised theological state due to the presence of synergistic errors regarding spiritual growth and ecclesiological hubris, while maintaining a generally orthodox framework. The teaching relies heavily on expository exposition but is weakened by the assertion that the local church is the 'center' of God's work and the implication that believers are primarily responsible for their own sanctification.

Big Idea: When you can't control the storm, stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome, remember the storm is where your faith is seen, and do your part and trust God for the rest. 00:26:36 ▶️ 📄

📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus

  • Primary Text: Acts 27
  • Usage Classification: Expository
  • Text-to-Talk Ratio: High
  • Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - The sermon contains minor instances of coarse language or pejoratives, such as the use of 'dumb' to describe a person's lack of understanding, which may be perceived as uncharitable.

✝️ Christological Focus: Redemptive-Historical

"The sermon connects the believer's experience to the redemptive-historical narrative of Paul's shipwreck, highlighting God's sovereignty and provision in difficult circumstances."

Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 44 | Referenced: 6 | Alluded: 0

📖 View 2 Passages Read Aloud
  • Acts 27:1-44 00:32:27 ▶️ 📄
    "Much time had been lost in sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the day of atonement. 59 AD would have put October 5th and Romans considered sailing after September 15th to be a death sentence of the storms. You just didn't do it. It was hurricane season. So Paul warned to the men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to the ship and cargo and to our own lives. But the centurion, instead of listening to Paul the prisoner, followed the advice of the pilots and the owner of the ship. Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete facing both the southwest and northwest. And so they're at Myra boarding a grain ship. So don't think like Sea of Galilee boat, Jesus with his disciples. It's a big boat. Here's a picture of it. Okay. This is 276 people on this boat, about 180 feet long, about 50 feet wide. It's a ship and they're getting on. It's a merchant ship. They're carrying product. And Paul, I want to remind you, Paul's, he's like an expert in shipwrecks. You know, [2 Corinthians 11](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+11&version=KJV) says he's been shipwrecked three times. What's interesting about that is that was written prior to [Acts 27](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+27&version=KJV). So this is his fourth shipwreck. He's like collecting shipwreck stories. And so when Paul the prisoner says, hey, we shouldn't go, they should listen to him. But the centurion Julius is like, you know what, Mr. Prisoner, I'm going to go ahead and listen to the boat captain and the boat owner, not you. And they sail on. And I think it would have been so easy for Paul to be like, well, they're not going to listen to me. But instead, he just calmly warns them he just stands calm and says hey if you do that this is what's going to happen because Paul knows who's in control that is very apparent of his life and so if we're going to learn from his example because there is no imperative command in the scripture like there's no thou shout this is what you need to do Christian in this chapter we're going to learn it's all descriptive not prescriptive and so as it describes history we're going to learn from Paul's example. And my first point is that we are to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome in the storms of life. I want you to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome because Paul cannot control the weather. He cannot control the sailors. He cannot control the soldiers. He cannot control the centurion and what the centurion believes is true, but he can have faith in the one who controls all of those things and he can calmly demonstrate that faith by giving them divine instruction so that he might curry favor with them so that at some point he might they might listen to them this is parenting like as you show a child in the way they should go so as they grow old did not depart from it it's just like hey really calm like you do this it's going to go poorly you do this it's going to go well you do this it's going to go poorly you do this is going to go well. This is leadership, companies, organizations. You do this, it's going to go poorly. You do this, it's going to go well. And people are learning whether they can trust you or not. And I think it's so easy for us to be like, oh man, they won't listen. They'll never listen. I mean, in pastoral ministry, all the time, someone's like, you know, so-and-so really hurt me. I'm like, oh, okay. Well, the scripture would tell us that you should go to them and you should tell them. And you know what people say to that? Oh, that will never work. Oh, oh, oh. So you determine your obedience based on your perceived outcome rather than trusting the one who controls the outcome. Because I've been spending some time in this book and it seems like what he does is sometimes he surprises us in the way he changes people's hearts. So maybe we're not as smart as we think we are. Like maybe we're not God and he's God and we're just supposed to be obedient regardless of the outcome. You do not determine obedience based on the outcome. Everything you've learned in school, logical, deductive reasoning says, okay, what do I think is going to happen? So what do I think I should do? God sometimes slays giants with boys and slingshots. Sometimes he sends people through a fiery furnace only to bring them through it. Sometimes God dies on a cross to be put in a grave for three days only to show back up it doesn't make sense it surpasses all logic so sometimes he brings a great good through a great bad and so you just remember who controls the outcome who's the one in charge you stay calm and you do everything you can to point people to him. Calm people lead scared people. Scared people don't need a scared leader. You can write this down. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. When I had just become a believer, okay, so don't judge me for this story. I'm a brand new Christian. Not even plugged into a church. And I was really good at being a pagan. and all my friends were really good at being a pagan and I don't have church friends yet so we do what pagans do and we went and partied you know we were at a bar in Dallas and one of my friends at the time had had too much to drink and so he does what guys do when they've had too much to drink because he walks through that bar trying to find the smallest guy and he does and he says what are you looking at you know and they're all chest to chest and I see them being a brand new Christian like not even sure how to hear the Holy Spirit yet and and I go over and I'm like no no no we're not going to do this right now. And so I'm separating them. Like, no, this isn't going to happen. We're not going to do that. I'm so sorry. He's had too much to drink. Let me take him home. Well, I'm going to take him. I'm so sorry. He's interrupted your evening, you know? And I separate them. And this guy goes, don't you touch me. Okay. Okay. Well, all my guys come over and they circle us up. And like my guys, I mean, these are pagans, you know, and they're all on the Josh Howerton workout program. Like they, these are big dudes, man. I mean, they're on the creatine and stuff. And so they're all circled up. Right. And, and, you know, and they, they get all chest to chest again, you know, and there they are. And I go back up and I separate, I'm like, Hey, this isn't going to happen guys. I'm not, listen, I'm going to take him home and I separate them again. And he says, I told you, don't touch me. And I said, Hey man, why you got to be like that? Why are you, why are you being rude right now? You know, I'm just trying to help you out. Like This isn't going to go well for you. And he does this thing. I'll never forget it. When you see real faith, you don't forget it. You take note. He looks at me. He pulls out his phone, pushes a button. Hey, you here? All right, I got something I want you to take care of. He's up. And he just looks at me. And I was like, who was that? Batman, you know? And I tell the boys, I'm like, we got to go. Let's go. Everybody in the car, let's go. We got to go. I don't want to know who he called. Let's go. and we get outside and i see who he called and these two guys are walking up just got out of some mma fight or something he's got a chain around his neck but not like a gold chain like a chain you pull a car with it's got a padlock right here and i'm just he's like these are guys i'm like no sir they left um and i'm just like get in the car right because you saw a man you saw a man who knew who controlled the outcome that's what's happening and so i don't know where you're if it's a kid, if it's your marriage, if it's your job, if it's your health, if it's your financial situation. But I want to ask you right now, who controls the outcome? Because I wouldn't avoid him right now. I would lean in, in the valley of the shadow of death. You are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Verse 13, when a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. General Southwind, let's go. It looks safe. Paul was wrong. Verse 14. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force called the Northeaster swept down from the island. The ship was caught up by the storm and could not head into the wind. So we gave way to it and were driven along. We had no control. The wind has taken us wherever it wants to go. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. So the men hoisted it aboard. They passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. They're tying the rope together. It's called frapping the ship. They're basically trying to tie their boat together so it doesn't get torn apart. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day, they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither the sun nor the stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. They're in a hurricane being tossed to and fro. And in a hurricane, you start understanding what your priorities are because this is a merchant ship that exists for profitability. And all of a sudden they say, we're going to die, throw it all overboard. And they throw the tackle overboard, which is how you steer the ship. They've given up all hope. They are at the mercy of what they think is nature right now. And I want you to feel this. I want you to really feel this. So let's just watch this for a moment. 14 days, two weeks of that. After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said, men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss, but now I urge you to keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost. This is an amazing leadership moment. Can I just remind you he's a prisoner? He's a prisoner. He just took control. He's a prisoner on this ship, but now I urge you to keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost. Only the ship will be destroyed. Last night, an angel of God to whom I belong and to whom I serve stood beside me. You want to use every moment you have point to god and said do not be afraid paul you must stand trial before caesar and god has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you so keep up your courage men for i have faith in god that it will happen just as he told me nevertheless we must run aground on some island he said you didn't listen to me now you didn't listen to me then but listen to me now. It's not a spiteful, I told you so. It's a hopeful, let's go. Let's look forward. Okay, I've got the reins now. I've got a plan. Something bigger is happening here. These men are tied to Paul and their salvation is at stake. The apostle Paul wants them to be saved from the storm, but he wants them to be saved for eternity. And God has told Paul that he's going to go to Rome, [Acts 21](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+21&version=KJV), [Acts 23](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+23&version=KJV). But God is so kind to remind us again and again, I know the plans I have for you. I'm going to finish what I started in you. I'm going to carry out to completion what I started in you. You can read it over and over and over. He's kind to remind you. Some of you need to be reminded this morning. When you can't control the storm, remember the storm is where your faith is seen. Number two, the storm is where your faith is seen. Okay. What storm are you in right now? parenting kids work finance loneliness health what storm are you in right now maybe it is your greatest opportunity to believe what you say you believe maybe it is your greatest opportunity to show the world that you believe what you say you believe okay because everybody's watching and your faith is most clearly displayed in the trials of life, in the storm. Like if you're sitting here, I mean, you're in church, you know, you're worshiping, you're singing the songs. You're like, no, I believe in God. Your greatest opportunity is to believe in God is when you need to believe in God. Like faith is really only seen and only displayed in the trials. Like so often what we pray for to God is really not to need faith. God, would you give me security and comfort and safety and help me not to need you but if dependence is the goal our weakness is the advantage if dependence is the goal then your weakness your struggle your storm your trial that's your advantage because that's where you get his grace is sufficient his power is made perfect in your weakness you guys know who john wesley is started the methodist movement he came over from england he was coming to America on a ship. He had graduated from seminary. He's the chaplain of the ship. He's a minister, a church planner. And he's coming over here and it's 1735 and a great storm hits the ship. And everybody is terrified. They're pretty certain they're going to die at sea. Where there's these German Moravian missionaries. And as all the Englishmen scream in horror they sang hymns with a smile on their face they just gently sang hymns and when the storm settled and they realized that they had survived it John Wesley went to them and said how were you able to stay so calm in the storm what was going on did you not realize like what were you guys drunk like what what was happening and the lead missionary looked at John Wesley and just said have you trusted in jesus christ as your lord and savior wesley was taken aback he said you know i'm the chaplain of the ship and he said and still i ask you have you trusted in christ as your lord and savior wesley i'm a minister of the gospel a leader of the church a missionary and still i ask you have you trusted in christ as your lord and savior and john wesley points to that moment as when he became a follower of Jesus Christ. That's his testimony. He was a pastor, a minister, a missionary, and the chaplain of a boat and not a believer. And he said, when that guy asked me that, it became a rock in my shoe and I surrendered my life to Christ. And that's his testimony, right? Everybody's looking for someone who's actually living by faith, okay? People are watching. They want to see someone who's actually living by faith. People come to faith by seeing the faith of others. Your storm is your opportunity, 27. On the 14th night, we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea when about midnight, the sailors sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was 120 feet deep. A short time later, they took soundings again and found it was 90 feet deep. Fearing that they would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight because they haven't seen daylight in an attempt to escape from the ship the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers unless these men stay with the ship you cannot be saved so the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. So the sailors are gonna try to sneak off in the lifeboat, but the soldiers go over and they cut the lifeboat down and let it go. And this is the beginning of the army-navy rival. Dates back to the first century. Just before dawn, Paul urged them all to eat. Listen. For the last 14 days, he said, you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. not one of you will lose a single hair from his head after he said this he took some bread what does this sound like he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all then he broke it and began to eat they were all encouraged and ate some food themselves all together there were 276 of us on board when they had eaten as much as they wanted they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea Paul's like hey we've been fighting a storm for 14 days and you guys have forgotten to do the basics you gotta eat so like we're gonna stop for a minute we're gonna they're like who can eat at a time like this and he's like you don't understand we can't afford not to like god's in charge of the outcome but we have something we have to do also like we have a responsibility and so when you can't control the storm number three do your part and trust god for the rest you need to know and understand what your part is do your part and trust God for the rest you you like you are in charge of your own spiritual growth you're like you're not like well my church isn't making me and I can't no no you are in charge of your own spiritual growth like we come here we sing songs we worship corporately there's some bible teaching it's a shot in the arm but this is not enough this is not enough to grow you like you go home you're gonna wake up tomorrow what are you gonna do tomorrow because that's gonna determine how you get through the storm it's daily bread daily bread right what it seems like what he does right in the middle of all of this is like take communion hey i want to remember that jesus christ died for my sins and that god raised him from the dead and that this is not my home and that i'm going to be somewhere forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever so regardless of the outcome right now i put my hope in jesus i'm putting my hope in jesus and so you've got to keep the basics in front of you prayer every day the word every day sharing your faith every day living on mission every day staying connected abiding every single day spiritual disciplines every single day so that when the storm comes because what happens the enemy loves to distract you with anxiety and depression despair he loves to distract you with the storm in front of you so that you cut corners. And what it does is it compounds your problem. It compounds the issue. You're like, I don't have time to go to church. I don't have time to go to small group. I don't have time to read the Bible. You can't afford not to. You cannot afford not to. The decisions you make in the storm will impact your life after the storm. So don't turn to coping. Don't turn to Netflix. Don't turn to scrolling. Don't turn to alcohol. Don't turn to THC, okay? Don't turn to your coping mechanisms, to food, right? In an unhealthy way, turn to God because he is doing something so much bigger than what you see. That's the reality, guys. I left my family. I drove up here. I'm standing before you. What I am certain of, 100% absolutely positive of, is that God is doing things in the midst of your storm that you do not realize. You are completely oblivious to them. You can trust him. It's what he does. He is working out together all things for the good of those who love him, who've been called according to his purpose. What the enemy has meant for evil, God uses for my good. These are scriptures. [Romans 8](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8&version=KJV), 28, [Genesis 50](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+50&version=KJV), 20. There's a reason they're on my heart. When my oldest was four years old, she's in college now, it's hard to believe. But when she was four and I would take her to the grocery store, we were just trying to survive as parents with two under four. And I would take her to the grocery store and I put her in that shopping cart with a steering wheel. You guys know the one? They have them in Dallas. They're like this this thing yeah so that makes trips to the grocery store different because i put her in there and wherever she would steer i would take us she turned left i'd take us left she turned right i'd take us right we'd hit the bananas and the fruit loops and whatever like she went there and it and now the grocery store is like the go-kart track you know i'm like and she's having a blast with dad like wherever she goes like that's where i take her left right right left and at some point guys at some point she turns left and I take us right and I'd watch a four-year-old grip that wheel so tight and turn with all her might left and effortlessly I would push us right she thought she was in control but the reality was I had an agenda I had a grocery list like I was there for a purpose it's for her good she needs to eat and so at some point she's like no I want to go this way. And I'm like, but you don't understand. We have to go this way. When you turn left and God takes you left, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude. But when you turn left and God takes you right, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude, you trust. God, I know you're doing something. I can't see it right now, but I believe in faith that you are doing something for my good in the midst of this tragedy in the midst of my grief in the midst of this storm do you trust the one that's in control and you can't afford not to do what you feel like you can't do and so to wrap this up daylight comes they see the island of malta they intentionally untie the rudders they untie the ship they turn the ship towards malta and they intentionally crash into it. The stern is ripped to pieces. That's the back of the ship. And then it says, the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way, everyone reached land safely. It's today called St. Paul's Bay, 276 people are safe. They're gonna kill the prisoners. The centurion is like, you can't kill the prisoners because that guy's a prisoner and that guy's the only reason we're still alive. It seems like he knows the one true God. It seems like he has conversations with the creator of the heavens and the earth. He's been giving us instructions while he's in chains. I think we need to listen to him. And everyone is safe. And I just wanna turn your attention, like point to the reality that it never got easy. That this is God's man. he is faithful the greatest missionary the world has ever seen and it never got easy in fact next week he gets bitten by a poisonous viper dude can't catch a break okay like cannot catch a break in summary when you can't control the storm stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome remember the storm is where our faith is seen and do your part and trust god for the rest i find myself in a season of life where i am flying often and i'm no longer no longer do i have a fear of flying completely healed from that people say how i'll tell you one day i was on a plane i sat next to a pilot as we were taking off he sensed that i was nervous you know my palms were sweaty knees weak arms were heavy vomit on my oh sorry sorry i was nervous you know i was like hyperventilating praying he's like you're afraid I said yeah he said why I said man I don't like flying he said why I said man just seems like the plane's gonna fall apart in the sky he said really I said yeah he said no this thing was made to fly you know it's just made to hold together and stay in the air and I said yeah but what about when you hit the turbulence because it's made for so much worse and I go but aren't you afraid when you're flying and you hit turbulence he goes afraid he goes no we're having fun I said you're having fun he said yeah man don't you understand like most of these pilots they were in the air force they were flying fighter jets dodging bullets you know flying at you know 9gs and stuff he's like this is this thing flies itself he was when we heard turbulence that's the only time we get to use our training and i was like really you're having fun up there huh so yeah you don't have to be afraid he goes i want you to consider the experience of the pilot do you know how many thousands of hours they've spent in an airplane how many thousands of times they've taken off and landed and taken off and landed and taken off and landed. This is routine for them. When you get off the plane, I want you to look at the stripes on their sleeves. I want you to notice the gray hair on their head. Understand their experience. Lake Point, can I just tell you something? In the midst of your storm, would you consider the experience of the pilot? I mean, is he trustworthy? He created everything you see. He spoke it into existence. He set his people free from slavery. He parted the sea and delivered their enemy to them. He's unlocked wombs. He's provided water from a rock. He gave them food from nowhere. He froze the sun, allowing victory, and he brought down walls of the enemy. He's defeated a giant with a boy and a slingshot. He shut the mouths of lions. He brought men through a fiery furnace. He's fed thousands with a few loaves. He's made the weak strong. He's healed the sick. He's made the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the mute speak, and he has set me free by dying on a cross for my sins. He took all my sins on him. He took all your sins on him and he died and the enemy thought that it was over and they placed him in the grave and three days later gave you the hope of eternal life and so if he's defeated death what are you afraid of for he did not give you a spirit of timidity but one of power love and self-discipline if god is for you then who can be against you his experience is perfect it's flawless it's powerful it's undefeated believe help our unbelief do just give thanks to those who have given their lives so that we can walk in freedom because it certainly reminds me of when you gave your life so that we could walk in ultimate freedom. Their act of fearlessness, their great display of courage, how much more should we, knowing the one true God who has defeated death, walk in that courage, walk in that fearlessness, and have hope? Would you help us do that, Lord? In Jesus' name."
  • Acts 27:44-44 00:48:44 ▶️ 📄
    "On the 14th night, we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea when about midnight, the sailors sensed they were approaching land. They took soundings and found that the water was 120 feet deep. A short time later, they took soundings again and found it was 90 feet deep. Fearing that they would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight because they haven't seen daylight in an attempt to escape from the ship the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers unless these men stay with the ship you cannot be saved so the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away. So the sailors are gonna try to sneak off in the lifeboat, but the soldiers go over and they cut the lifeboat down and let it go. And this is the beginning of the army-navy rival. Dates back to the first century. Just before dawn, Paul urged them all to eat. Listen. For the last 14 days, he said, you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food. You haven't eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. not one of you will lose a single hair from his head after he said this he took some bread what does this sound like he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all then he broke it and began to eat they were all encouraged and ate some food themselves all together there were 276 of us on board when they had eaten as much as they wanted they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea"

Key References: Matthew 16, Acts 21, Acts 23, Romans 8:28, Genesis 50:20, 2 Corinthians 11

💧 Liturgy & Sacraments

Baptism Observed: Yes

  • Type: believer

🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery

Word Count: 6,628 words

📌 View 17 Key Topics Addressed
  • Fear of Flying / Loss of Control 00:23:11 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his fear of flying and turbulence to illustrate the human experience of feeling out of control.
  • [Acts 27](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+27&version=KJV) / Paul's Journey 00:30:44 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor introduces the biblical text of Acts 27, detailing Paul's imprisonment and journey to Rome, highlighting the historical and spiritual significance of the voyage.
  • Divine Sovereignty and Human Obedience 00:34:35 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor argues that believers should not determine obedience based on perceived outcomes, but rather trust God's control, citing Paul's calmness despite the centurion's disobedience.
  • Leadership and Faith 00:35:11 ▶️ 📄
    > Paul's leadership is described as a model for others, showing that confidence in God produces calm in chaos, even when others do not listen.
  • Personal Testimony of Faith 00:37:54 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal story of intervening in a bar fight as a new Christian, demonstrating faith through calm action rather than fear.
  • The Storm as a Testing Ground 00:42:17 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor explains that the storm forces people to prioritize their souls over material possessions, as seen when the crew threw overboard the ship's steering tackle.
  • Faith in Trials 00:45:03 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor argues that faith is most clearly displayed and tested during life's storms and trials, rather than in times of comfort.
  • John Wesley's Conversion 00:46:41 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor uses the historical anecdote of John Wesley's conversion during a storm at sea to illustrate that even religious leaders can lack true faith until challenged.
  • Spiritual Disciplines 00:51:38 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor lists daily spiritual disciplines (prayer, word, sharing faith, mission, abiding) as the 'basics' necessary to survive spiritual storms.
  • Divine Sovereignty 00:53:18 ▶️ 📄
    > Using the analogy of a child steering a shopping cart, the pastor explains that God is in control even when we feel we are steering, and we should trust His agenda.
  • God's Sovereignty and Providence 00:53:18 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor argues that God is actively working for the good of believers even when they cannot see it, using Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20 as biblical support.
  • Personal Testimony and Trust 00:53:56 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal story about his daughter steering a shopping cart to illustrate trusting God's direction even when it contradicts one's own desires.
  • The Storm as a Test of Faith 00:56:51 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor concludes by summarizing that faith is seen in the storm, referencing Paul's survival and the centurion's decision to save the prisoners.
  • St. Paul's Shipwreck and Centurion's Faith 00:55:55 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor recounts the biblical account of Paul's shipwreck, highlighting the centurion's decision to save Paul based on his reputation as a prophet, illustrating that God's people are often protected by those who recognize His power.
  • The Pilot Analogy and Trust in God 00:57:50 ▶️ 📄
    > Using a personal anecdote about a nervous passenger and a confident pilot, the pastor argues that believers should trust God's experience and trustworthiness, just as the pilot trusts the plane's design, rather than fearing the 'turbulence' of life.
  • God's Sovereignty and Past Deeds 00:59:23 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor lists specific miracles (parting the sea, unlocking wombs, feeding thousands) to demonstrate God's flawless track record, urging the congregation to look at His experience to overcome their own fear.
  • The Resurrection and Hope 01:00:55 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor emphasizes that God defeated death and provided eternal hope, contrasting this with the enemy's temporary victory, to encourage courage and fearlessness in believers.
🖼️ View 9 Illustrations & Stories
  • Sermon Illustration 00:23:11 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor recounts a personal story of flying in the 8th grade where a tornado was on the runway, and a later flight in March where he experienced turbulence and anxiety, only to realize the storm was not as dangerous as feared.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:24:58 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor describes a specific incident on a plane where he pulled out his Bible, the plane hit rough air, and he observed a Pentecostal woman praying while others panicked, leading to his realization that God is in control.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:37:54 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote from his early days as a Christian where he intervened in a bar fight involving a drunk friend and aggressive patrons, ultimately de-escalating the situation by calling security (Batman) and remaining calm.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:33:13 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor uses the historical context of the ship's size (276 people, 180 feet long) and the specific nautical term 'frapping' (tying ropes under the ship) to illustrate the severity of the storm and the crew's desperation.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:43:38 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor recounts the biblical story of Paul's shipwreck, highlighting the sailors' panic, the soldiers cutting the lifeboat, and Paul's encouragement to eat before the ship was intentionally driven onto the island of Malta.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:46:41 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor tells the historical story of John Wesley, who was the chaplain of a ship during a storm in 1735. Wesley was terrified, while German Moravian missionaries sang hymns calmly. Wesley later realized he had not truly trusted Jesus until the missionaries challenged him, leading to his conversion.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:53:56 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his four-year-old daughter steering a shopping cart with a steering wheel. He describes how she would steer left, and he would push right, illustrating that while she thought she was in control, he had a grocery list and agenda. He uses this to explain that God is in control even when we feel we are steering.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:55:55 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor recounts the biblical story of St. Paul's shipwreck, where the centurion saved Paul despite orders to kill prisoners, demonstrating the centurion's faith in Paul's prophetic status.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:57:50 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about flying, where he sat next to a pilot who was nervous. The pilot explained that turbulence is routine for pilots who have thousands of hours of experience, including flying fighter jets, and that the plane is built to withstand much worse, encouraging the passenger to trust the pilot's expertise.
🚀 View 284 Calls to Action

🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard

Overall Verdict: Compromised / Weak

CategoryStatusReasoning
Gospel Framework ❌ FAIL The Gospel Framework is compromised due to the presence of synergistic soteriology and moralistic pressure. The sermon implies that spiritual growth is primarily the believer's responsibility rather than the Holy Spirit's work, and it uses coercive language to pressure obedience.
Soteriology ⚠️ WEAK The sermon contains a synergistic error regarding spiritual growth, implying that the believer is in charge of their own sanctification rather than relying on the monergistic work of the Holy Spirit.
Bibliology ✅ PASS The sermon correctly utilizes biblical texts, including Acts 27 and Psalm 23, to support its points. No direct scripture misquoting or heretical interpretation of the text was detected.
Hermeneutic ✅ PASS The hermeneutic is generally sound, focusing on the narrative of Paul's shipwreck to draw out applications of trust and obedience. The text is used effectively to illustrate the theological point.
Theology Proper ⚠️ WEAK The theology is weakened by the assertion that the local church is the 'center' of God's work in the country, which implies a unique, exclusive prophetic status for the local congregation that contradicts the biblical view of the universal Body of Christ.
Sacramentology ✅ PASS No sacramental errors were detected. The sermon does not make claims about the efficacy of sacraments or rituals that contradict orthodox teaching.
Confessional Depth ⚠️ MODERATE The sermon demonstrates a moderate level of confessional depth, engaging with biblical narratives and theological concepts, but is limited by the synergistic and hubristic errors.

⚙️ The Core Gospel Framework ⚠️ Incomplete / Compromised

What is the Gospel Framework? This section audits whether the sermon proclaims the essential foundation of the Gospel: Christ's substitutionary sacrifice, humanity's spiritual need, and salvation by sovereign grace alone.

How this is evaluated:
  • Essential Gospel Pillars: The framework is verified intact when the sermon substantively preaches Christ's atonement, declares human inability (articulated through either Total Depravity or the Law's condemnation), and guards salvation by grace alone against works-righteousness.
  • Historic Confessional Depth: Deeper theological distinctives (such as the Active Obedience of Christ) enrich theological depth when expounded, but their absence in a focused topical or expository message is not an error and does not compromise the Gospel Framework.

🏛️ Essential Gospel Pillars

✅ The Cross & Atonement (Penal Substitution): Articulated

"He's set me free by dying on a cross for my sins. He took all my sins on him. He took all your sins on him and he died and the enemy thought that it was over and they placed him in the grave" 01:00:39 ▶️ 📄

❌ Human Inability & Need: Not observed (neither human inability nor divine judgment was contextually proclaimed).

❌ Sola Gratia (Salvation by Grace Alone): Compromised

Soteriological errors detected regarding salvation by grace alone.

📜 Historic Confessional Depth

⚪ Active Obedience of Christ: Not explicitly expounded in this sermon.

Assessed under Confessional Depth diagnostic (MODERATE). Its absence does not compromise the Gospel Framework.

⚠️ Theological Concerns

🟠 Major Synergistic View of Spiritual Growth

Root Cause: The speaker asserts that the believer is ultimately responsible for their own spiritual growth, implying that human effort or church attendance is the primary driver of sanctification, which contradicts the Reformed doctrine of monergistic sanctification where the Holy Spirit alone works in the believer.

"You are in charge of your own spiritual growth you're like you're not like well my church isn't making me and I can't no no you are in charge of your own spiritual growth" 00:51:02 ▶️ 📄

Description: The sermon asserts that the believer is in charge of their own spiritual growth, implying that human effort or church attendance is the primary driver of sanctification, which contradicts the Reformed doctrine of monergistic sanctification where the Holy Spirit alone works in the believer.

Biblical Correction: 1 Corinthians 12:11 "But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." and Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

🟠 Major Ecclesiological Hubris

Root Cause: The speaker claims his local church is the 'center' of God's work in the nation, implying a unique, exclusive prophetic status that elevates the local congregation above the universal Body of Christ and risks idolizing the local institution.

"You can call it a great awakening. You can call it an outpouring. of the spirit, you can call it the spirit stirring. You can call it, as I do, a revival. And what I want you to know is that Lake Point Church is at the center of whatever God is doing in our country." 00:29:44 ▶️ 📄

Description: The speaker claims his local church is the 'center' of God's work in the nation, implying a unique, exclusive prophetic status that elevates the local congregation above the universal Body of Christ and risks idolizing the local institution.

Biblical Correction: 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 "For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members, one of another, are joined together, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether of Jews or Gentiles, whether of bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

🟡 Minor Moralistic Pressure

Root Cause: The use of coercive language ("can't afford not to") to pressure believers into spiritual disciplines creates a works-based anxiety and shifts the focus from the Spirit's empowerment to human effort and fear of failure.

"You can't afford not to do what you feel like you can't do" 00:55:35 ▶️ 📄

Description: The use of coercive language ("can't afford not to") to pressure believers into spiritual disciplines creates a works-based anxiety and shifts the focus from the Spirit's empowerment to human effort and fear of failure.

Biblical Correction: 2 Corinthians 3:5 "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to anything, but our sufficiency is of God."

✅ Commendations

Application | Practical Trust in Storms

The sermon effectively applies the biblical narrative of Paul's shipwreck to the congregation's daily lives, encouraging them to view their struggles as opportunities for faith and to trust God's sovereignty.

Illustration | Personal Anecdotes

The use of personal anecdotes, such as the story of the child steering the shopping cart and the pilot's experience with turbulence, helps to make the theological points relatable and accessible to the congregation.

📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)

Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.

[00:00:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[00:00:02] Hey, Church Online, welcome! I'm Ryan Sharp, one of the campus pastors here at Lake Point, and I get the privilege of being with you here today.
[00:00:12] Hey, happy Memorial Day weekend. We want to take a moment to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country.
[00:00:23] Their sacrifice reminds us that freedom is never free.
[00:00:29] And this weekend, we remember and we have gratitude for those who paid the ultimate price.
[00:00:37] Hey, if you're brand new, maybe this is your very first time tuning in.
[00:00:41] I just wanna say, we're really glad you're here.
[00:00:44] You're not just watching a service, you're stepping into something God wants to change in your life today.
[00:00:50] And if you found us through Live Free, that amazing podcast that gets sent out every single week.
[00:00:56] Welcome.
[00:00:57] A lot of people discover Lake Point through that podcast and end up right here on the weekend, and I love that.
[00:01:04] If that's you, let us know in the chat where you're joining us from.
[00:01:08] Here's something I want you to know.
[00:01:09] Live Free is actually a deeper dive from what you're about to hear this weekend.
[00:01:14] So the message today is going to lay the foundation, and then Monday's episode is gonna take it even further It's a great rhythm.
[00:01:24] Week in service and then live free equals a stretch in your faith in the best way.
[00:01:30] For those of you who are here on a regular basis, welcome back.
[00:01:34] I see you.
[00:01:35] We don't take it for granted that you keep showing up week in and week out for church.
[00:01:40] Now, wherever you're watching from, your living room, your car, a hotel, at work, halfway around the world, go ahead and drop your city in the chat right now.
[00:01:50] We'd love to know where you're joining us from.
[00:01:53] And our online hosts would love to shout you out right now.
[00:01:56] But I want to take just a second and talk to those who are attending from the DFW area.
[00:02:03] Because if you're local, I want you to hear this.
[00:02:07] We love Church Online.
[00:02:10] But we also believe that God has something even more significant for you than Church Online.
[00:02:17] He designed you for a church that you can walk into, where people know your name, where you can serve, where you can grow in community, and that actually knows what you're walking through.
[00:02:29] We don't want you to do this alone.
[00:02:31] And I just don't say that.
[00:02:34] I actually have seen that.
[00:02:36] You see, my friend, his name is Sean.
[00:02:37] He came into Lake Point Church Firewheel a few months ago, and he was attending church online for a long time.
[00:02:45] Him and his family walk in, and I meet them.
[00:02:48] And so they've been all a part of Lake Point, but they plugged in like never before.
[00:02:54] And they came to the Next Step class where we learned that they attended church online.
[00:02:58] And they serve week in and week out.
[00:03:00] They're on the production team and other areas.
[00:03:02] And I'll tell you, what God has done in their family is significant.
[00:03:07] He has transformed them because they serve as a family each and every week.
[00:03:11] And that's what I want for you.
[00:03:13] Not because we're trying to get you off the screen, but because we believe that the best version of your faith journey happens when you're planted in a local community.
[00:03:23] So if you're in the DFW area, come see us.
[00:03:26] We've got eight campuses and one of them is close to you.
[00:03:30] Head to lakepoint.church slash locations and find your spot.
[00:03:35] All right, our hosts are live in the chat right now.
[00:03:39] Our prayer team is standing by.
[00:03:42] And if you've got something on your heart, you can always text PRAYER to 20411 and our team will pray for you this week.
[00:03:51] You don't have to carry it alone.
[00:03:53] Hey church, wherever you are in the world right now, let's get our hearts ready because it's time to worship Jesus.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:03:59] In the house of the Lord, whether in person or online, listen, the Bible says, who the Son of Man sets free is free indeed.
[00:04:59] And today we have a wonderful new song that celebrates our freedom in jesus christ you're gonna love it let's sing together

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:05:06] it is so good to be in the house of god today and church family i would love to just encourage you

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:09:05] for a little bit today and it says this in revelation that the believers they overcame through the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony and just a reminder we are singing of that freedom today the freedom that is found through jesus christ how he paid the debt that
[00:09:22] we owed that he made a way when there was no way and so today as we continue in worship we remind ourselves of that truth that because of the blood of jesus we are forgiven redeemed and set free
[00:09:36] and we remind ourselves of our testimony of where we once were.
[00:09:41] Come on, sing this out with me.

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:09:41] When everything changed, it's getting harder to recognize The person I was before I encountered Christ I don't walk like I used to, I don't talk like I used to I've been washed from the inside, I've been washed
[00:10:09] From what we've seen today.
[00:10:11] I live

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:10:12] His wife, Darren, if you trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life,

[00:17:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:17:46] then your precious wife gets to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:18:02] Y'all, this is my friend Anthony.
[00:18:04] Anthony, have you trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life?
[00:18:09] Then I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:18:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]
[00:18:13] Well, hey, Lake Point family and everybody else joining.
[00:18:20] What a powerful moment that was.
[00:18:22] Baptism is so much more than just a symbol.
[00:18:24] It is a public declaration that Jesus has completely transformed your life.
[00:18:27] and it is a bold step of faith that tells the world you belong to him and hey if you have not yet taken that next step we would be honored to walk alongside you as you do as we celebrate life
[00:18:38] change remember this powerful truth from matthew 16 jesus said he is building his church and nothing can stand against it having said that hey church is more than just content you consume it is a
[00:18:49] living active family of god and so here's what you need to know you were created not just to watch from the sidelines but to be a part of this mission and so man we're so thankful for church
[00:18:59] online and the incredible opportunity it gives us to reach people far beyond our physical campuses every single week by the grace of god we connect with individuals and families from our local communities to nations around the world and we love it and jesus also didn't call us to just
[00:19:13] observe he called us to be a part of his church and so we are passionate about leveraging church online. And God's greater vision for you is to actively live as part of his people through
[00:19:24] discipleship, service, and community. And that's why we want to help you move from viewing to belonging. And so if you're in the DFW area, we'd love to invite you to one of our Lake Point
[00:19:34] campuses. Visit lakepoint.church slash locations and find your nearest location and let us help you become part of this church family in person. If you are maybe outside of the DFW area, we still want to help you connect deeply our prayer is that you would find a strong local church as well
[00:19:51] where you can grow worship and live fully engaged in god's mission and to our international global audience as well thank you for joining we love that you're here and it's it's amazing to see god's church expanding across borders and we're so honored and encouraged to support you as well
[00:20:06] as part of this larger mission hey before we continue let us know where you're joining us from right now with city state or country you are in jump in the chat we would love to hear from you
[00:20:15] it is incredible to see God's reach extending literally more than what we could ever imagine and so here's what you need to know we want to care for you personally so don't just watch from
[00:20:25] a distant take one step forward today one more thing Lakewood family by the grace of God we're in a season of lots of grace where we're seeing lots of growth especially online and we get to
[00:20:35] hear life change after life change story of what God is doing through people's lives and the reason that we are able to do this online ministry, whether it's here for Church Online or for other digital ministries,
[00:20:47] is because of your generosity.
[00:20:49] And so one, thank you for being a part of it.
[00:20:53] Two, to give, you can text the word give to 20411 and let's continue to do this together.
[00:21:00] And now let's check out what else is happening in the life of our church.

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_16]
[00:21:07] Hey, Lake Point, mark your calendars because Gear Drop is just two weeks away.
[00:21:11] This is the perfect time to stock up on new Lake Point hats, shirts, sweatshirts, and more.
[00:21:17] Each piece is designed to help you share your faith in a fun and personal way, and it helps fund mission efforts around the world.
[00:21:25] These items will go fast, so make plans to come early to stock up for your family.
[00:21:30] Check out the full line now at lp.events.
[00:21:33] Parents, Summer Blast is on June 16th through 18th at each campus for current kinder through fourth graders.
[00:21:40] If you're looking for a fun experience where your kids can build friendships and learn more about Jesus, this is it.
[00:21:46] It's not too late to register.
[00:21:48] Just text BLAST to 20411.
[00:21:51] Make sure to tune in each week to Live Free Podcast where Lake Point pastors dive into the weekend message to help you live free in Christ.
[00:21:58] Each episode is packed with wisdom and biblical truth to disciple you through your week.
[00:22:04] Text PODCAST to 20411 to get every episode sent straight to your phone.
[00:22:09] Now, let's hear from Pastor Josh.

[00:22:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_14]
[00:22:11] Hey, Lake Point family.
[00:22:12] It's an incredible honor for me to be introducing the guy that's bringing the word to you today that I personally listen to during workouts because I want you to hear the best Bible teachers in America.
[00:22:24] This guy has incredible spiritual equity in the city of Dallas because he helped build something you might have heard of.
[00:22:31] It's called The Porch that I think is the largest gathering of Christian young adults in America.
[00:22:37] And then he also, right now, he is stirring revival, honestly, revival among some of the college campuses in our nation.
[00:22:46] Last time he was at Lake Point, the night before, he was up till 2 a.m. baptizing thousands of OU students that were coming to Christ.
[00:22:55] So you get to hear the word from this guy today.
[00:22:58] Would you please give a capital H, Heroes Welcome, to Bible Teacher, I call him the deacon of Dallas, the bishop over there at Baylor, Pastor Jonathan Picluda.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[00:23:11] Such an honor to be with you Lake Point and to dive into God's word. I'm going to start with just a confession for you. I grew up with a fear of flying and here's the reason why. In the eighth
[00:23:32] grade, I flew for the very first time on an airplane to Washington DC. And as we were in this airplane, there was a tornado on the runway. And you could listen to the pilot talk about,
[00:23:45] hey, we're going to have to divert to another airport. And then, hey, I don't know if we have enough fuel. All while the plane's just bouncing around and people have those bags out. And this
[00:23:54] is, you know, I'm just like, is this normal? Like, is this what flying is like? And so when we land, I'm like, I don't ever want to do that again. And of course, as I grew up, sometimes I had to,
[00:24:06] and I would travel, but every time I would get on an airplane, it seems like they would say, hey, we're going to be going through some turbulence today. Then I'm like, you know, some rough air. I'm like, that's the only kind of air I know is the rough kind. And so in March,
[00:24:19] my wife and I, it was in the springtime, we were going to fly to Miami. And of course, I have a little bit of anxiety getting on this airplane with her and we're up in the sky and the
[00:24:35] pilot comes over the intercom the pa and says hey guys um we're going to be flying through some storms today there's some storm cells so we're going to be experiencing some rough air and i'm
[00:24:46] like of course we are i'm on the plane and and so you know you're going to keep your seat belts on i'm going to have the flight attendant stay in their seats and i'm just like oh no here we go
[00:24:58] again so i pull out my bible uh because god protects you when you have your bible open i I guess. And I'm just like, because you get superstitious. You're like, what do I do to
[00:25:08] make this okay, right? So I pull out my Bible. As soon as I do, it's open on my lap. We hit the rough. I mean, the plane just fell out of the sky. Just boom. And I mean, my Bible bounces off the
[00:25:21] ceiling. It was that kind of moment. Like everybody's panicked. The guy in front of me was drinking coffee. He's now wearing coffee. Lady behind me is a grandmother, elderly lady with with her grandchildren she just grabs their hands and just starts praying she's clearly
[00:25:37] Pentecostal I mean praying fire down on this plane and I'm like yeah I'm here for it so I turn around and I just grab her hand she opens one eye is like who's this stranger I'm like keep praying lady
[00:25:48] and then I'm just like wait a minute like this isn't how I go out I'm a pastor like this isn't this isn't what you're not going to take my wife and I down like this Lord because I know you're
[00:26:01] in control. But then I look around the plane, and I realize it's a bunch of wild spring breakers.
[00:26:08] And I'm like, what if we're just collateral damage? Like, we just got on the wrong aircraft.
[00:26:16] And as I continue to work through my fear of flying, I realized it's actually just the fear of being out of control, specifically being out of control when there's turbulence, when there's a storm. And so that's what I want to talk with you about the few minutes that we
[00:26:36] have together, is what do you do in the storm when you're not in control? And here's the punchline for you. You're not in control. You don't control the storm. And storms of life are a certainty.
[00:26:51] You're either in one, you're coming out of one, or you're headed toward one. Every single person here falls into one of those three categories. So we're going to learn from the Apostle Paul what to do in the midst of the storm when we feel out of control. This is one of the greatest
[00:27:06] chapters of leadership in your entire Bible. It's Acts chapter 27. We've been going through Acts, learning from the life of the Apostle Paul. And today, we get to look at this amazing chapter in a series you've called In Game. Two weeks ago, Pastor Josh talked about the ABCs of sharing your
[00:27:26] faith. And then last week, Pastor Mike instructed us from the Word of God around this word almost.
[00:27:34] Hair to grip, almost trusted Christ. What does it look like to get so close and almost go all in with Jesus? But today I want to talk about what do you do when life feels turbulent and you feel
[00:27:47] out of control. Maybe this morning, today, it's your marriage. Maybe you got an argument on your way to church. It's a little bumpy. Don't point right now. No elbows. Maybe it's a kid you're watching make destructive life decisions and you feel like they're not listening and it just feels
[00:28:11] so painful. Maybe it's a difficult relationship within your family. You don't feel seen. You don't feel loved you don't feel heard you don't feel honored maybe it's work maybe a job just ended maybe a job ended months and months and months ago and you're so tired of interviews getting
[00:28:32] rejected or maybe you're in a job that hopefully somebody else wants because you hate it and it is a storm maybe it's health maybe you've been chasing diagnosis and prognosis and medicine and doctors and all of the things, trying just to feel okay.
[00:28:56] Maybe it's age.
[00:28:58] Maybe as I talk about marriage, you're like, yeah, I wish.
[00:29:02] You know, I wish there was a prospect.
[00:29:05] I wish there was someone I could even spend time with.
[00:29:08] I'm just in such a season of loneliness.
[00:29:10] What is the storm?
[00:29:12] Before we dive into the scripture, I want you thinking, what is the storm you're in, you're coming out of, you're headed into?
[00:29:19] What's the storm happening in your life?
[00:29:22] Because underneath all of the fears that we experience, it's ultimately what am I going to do when I am not in control, when I just feel like I can't control this.
[00:29:35] And so if you wanna turn with me to Acts 27, I wanna share this with you and just say, right now there's something very interesting happening in our country.
[00:29:44] You can call it a great awakening.
[00:29:46] You can call it an outpouring.
[00:29:48] of the spirit, you can call it the spirit stirring.
[00:29:51] You can call it, as I do, a revival.
[00:29:54] And what I want you to know is that Lake Point Church is at the center of whatever God is doing in our country.
[00:30:01] You guys get to attend church where much of the country wants to attend church, where they stay in tune with you, because what's happening here is not normal.
[00:30:10] 700-something baptisms the other day, that's not normal.
[00:30:14] You better believe God is doing a unique work in and through your church. And I don't want you to take it for granted. I love this church. I learned from this church and I love the leadership here. Pastor Josh is a dear friend and I am
[00:30:28] learning from you guys constantly. So I consider it a great honor and privilege to open God's word with you this morning. Okay. Paul is a prisoner. He has been tried by the Sanhedrin, was arrested
[00:30:44] in Jerusalem. He's appeared before Felix, before Festus, before Agrippa. He's innocent. Festus and Agrippa believes he's innocent, but Paul has appealed to Caesar in Rome because this is God's calling on his life that he would go to Rome, the epicenter of culture, and proclaim the gospel of
[00:31:03] Jesus Christ. He knew he was going to go to Rome. God told him he was going to go to Rome. He just didn't know he was going to Rome in chains. So he's getting on board a ship, a giant boat as a
[00:31:15] prisoner with 275 other people. There's sailors, there's soldiers, there's the centurion Julius.
[00:31:24] A centurion is a commander-in-chief over a hundred soldiers. Think century, centurion, he sees a hundred soldiers. And then there's Luke and Aristarchus. Now, how did Luke and Aristarchus get to go with Paul? They probably said, hey, we're his servants. And in the first century,
[00:31:43] your servants could go with the prisoner of a prisoner of honor, a prisoner of, you know, somebody esteemed as important. And so they're on the boat with them. And Luke says we. And so he's
[00:31:54] writing down what he sees in great detail. And in fact, secular historians, unbelieving archaeologists have read this chapter to study and have a better understanding of first century seamanship because the details are unbelievable. So I'm going to do a lot of
[00:32:14] reading today. So tune in with me, grab a pen, take notes. Let's rock and roll. Much time, verse nine, much time had been lost in sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was
[00:32:27] after the day of atonement. 59 AD would have put October 5th and Romans considered sailing after September 15th to be a death sentence of the storms. You just didn't do it. It was hurricane season. So Paul warned to the men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring
[00:32:45] great loss to the ship and cargo and to our own lives. But the centurion, instead of listening to Paul the prisoner, followed the advice of the pilots and the owner of the ship. Since the harbor
[00:32:57] was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete facing both the southwest and northwest. And so they're at Myra boarding a grain ship. So don't think like Sea of Galilee boat, Jesus with his
[00:33:13] disciples. It's a big boat. Here's a picture of it. Okay. This is 276 people on this boat, about 180 feet long, about 50 feet wide. It's a ship and they're getting on. It's a merchant ship.
[00:33:29] They're carrying product. And Paul, I want to remind you, Paul's, he's like an expert in shipwrecks.
[00:33:39] You know, 2 Corinthians 11 says he's been shipwrecked three times. What's interesting about that is that was written prior to Acts 27. So this is his fourth shipwreck. He's like collecting shipwreck stories. And so when Paul the prisoner says, hey, we shouldn't go, they should
[00:33:53] listen to him. But the centurion Julius is like, you know what, Mr. Prisoner, I'm going to go ahead and listen to the boat captain and the boat owner, not you. And they sail on. And I think it would
[00:34:06] have been so easy for Paul to be like, well, they're not going to listen to me. But instead, he just calmly warns them he just stands calm and says hey if you do that this is what's going to
[00:34:18] happen because Paul knows who's in control that is very apparent of his life and so if we're going to learn from his example because there is no imperative command in the scripture like there's no thou shout this is what you need to do Christian in this chapter we're going to learn it's all
[00:34:35] descriptive not prescriptive and so as it describes history we're going to learn from Paul's example. And my first point is that we are to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome in the storms of life. I want you to stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome
[00:34:52] because Paul cannot control the weather. He cannot control the sailors. He cannot control the soldiers. He cannot control the centurion and what the centurion believes is true, but he can have faith in the one who controls all of those things and he can calmly demonstrate that faith by giving
[00:35:11] them divine instruction so that he might curry favor with them so that at some point he might they might listen to them this is parenting like as you show a child in the way they should go so
[00:35:22] as they grow old did not depart from it it's just like hey really calm like you do this it's going to go poorly you do this it's going to go well you do this it's going to go poorly you do this
[00:35:31] is going to go well. This is leadership, companies, organizations. You do this, it's going to go poorly. You do this, it's going to go well. And people are learning whether they can trust you or not. And I think it's so easy for us to be like, oh man, they won't listen. They'll never
[00:35:50] listen. I mean, in pastoral ministry, all the time, someone's like, you know, so-and-so really hurt me. I'm like, oh, okay. Well, the scripture would tell us that you should go to them and you should tell them. And you know what people say to that? Oh, that will never work. Oh, oh, oh. So you
[00:36:07] determine your obedience based on your perceived outcome rather than trusting the one who controls the outcome. Because I've been spending some time in this book and it seems like what he does is sometimes he surprises us in the way he changes people's hearts. So maybe we're not as smart as
[00:36:24] we think we are. Like maybe we're not God and he's God and we're just supposed to be obedient regardless of the outcome. You do not determine obedience based on the outcome. Everything you've learned in school, logical, deductive reasoning says, okay, what do I think is going to happen?
[00:36:42] So what do I think I should do? God sometimes slays giants with boys and slingshots.
[00:36:49] Sometimes he sends people through a fiery furnace only to bring them through it. Sometimes God dies on a cross to be put in a grave for three days only to show back up it doesn't make sense
[00:37:03] it surpasses all logic so sometimes he brings a great good through a great bad and so you just remember who controls the outcome who's the one in charge you stay calm and you do everything
[00:37:21] you can to point people to him. Calm people lead scared people. Scared people don't need a scared leader. You can write this down. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. Confidence in God produces calm in the chaos. When I had just become a believer, okay, so don't judge me for this story.
[00:37:54] I'm a brand new Christian. Not even plugged into a church. And I was really good at being a pagan.
[00:38:00] and all my friends were really good at being a pagan and I don't have church friends yet so we do what pagans do and we went and partied you know we were at a bar in Dallas and one of my
[00:38:10] friends at the time had had too much to drink and so he does what guys do when they've had too much to drink because he walks through that bar trying to find the smallest guy and he does and he says
[00:38:19] what are you looking at you know and they're all chest to chest and I see them being a brand new Christian like not even sure how to hear the Holy Spirit yet and and I go over and I'm like no no no
[00:38:30] we're not going to do this right now. And so I'm separating them. Like, no, this isn't going to happen. We're not going to do that. I'm so sorry. He's had too much to drink. Let me take him home.
[00:38:37] Well, I'm going to take him. I'm so sorry. He's interrupted your evening, you know?
[00:38:40] And I separate them. And this guy goes, don't you touch me. Okay. Okay. Well, all my guys come over and they circle us up. And like my guys, I mean, these are pagans, you know, and they're all on the
[00:38:55] Josh Howerton workout program. Like they, these are big dudes, man. I mean, they're on the creatine and stuff. And so they're all circled up. Right. And, and, you know, and they, they get all chest
[00:39:07] to chest again, you know, and there they are. And I go back up and I separate, I'm like, Hey, this isn't going to happen guys. I'm not, listen, I'm going to take him home and I separate them
[00:39:17] again. And he says, I told you, don't touch me. And I said, Hey man, why you got to be like that?
[00:39:27] Why are you, why are you being rude right now? You know, I'm just trying to help you out. Like This isn't going to go well for you.
[00:39:32] And he does this thing.
[00:39:33] I'll never forget it.
[00:39:35] When you see real faith, you don't forget it.
[00:39:38] You take note.
[00:39:39] He looks at me.
[00:39:40] He pulls out his phone, pushes a button.

[00:39:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[00:39:43] Hey, you here?
[00:39:45] All right, I got something I want you to take care of.
[00:39:48] He's up.
[00:39:50] And he just looks at me.
[00:39:52] And I was like, who was that?

[00:39:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[00:39:56] Batman, you know?
[00:39:57] And I tell the boys, I'm like, we got to go.
[00:40:01] Let's go.
[00:40:01] Everybody in the car, let's go.
[00:40:02] We got to go.
[00:40:02] I don't want to know who he called.
[00:40:03] Let's go.
[00:40:04] and we get outside and i see who he called and these two guys are walking up just got out of some mma fight or something he's got a chain around his neck but not like a gold chain like
[00:40:12] a chain you pull a car with it's got a padlock right here and i'm just he's like these are guys i'm like no sir they left um and i'm just like get in the car right because you saw a man you saw a
[00:40:24] man who knew who controlled the outcome that's what's happening and so i don't know where you're if it's a kid, if it's your marriage, if it's your job, if it's your health, if it's your financial
[00:40:35] situation. But I want to ask you right now, who controls the outcome? Because I wouldn't avoid him right now. I would lean in, in the valley of the shadow of death. You are with me, your rod
[00:40:51] and your staff, they comfort me. Verse 13, when a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity. So they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. General Southwind, let's go. It looks safe. Paul was wrong. Verse 14. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force
[00:41:11] called the Northeaster swept down from the island. The ship was caught up by the storm and could not head into the wind. So we gave way to it and were driven along. We had no control. The wind has
[00:41:21] taken us wherever it wants to go. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. So the men hoisted it aboard. They passed ropes under
[00:41:32] the ship itself to hold it together. They're tying the rope together. It's called frapping the ship.
[00:41:37] They're basically trying to tie their boat together so it doesn't get torn apart.
[00:41:43] Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the
[00:41:54] next day, they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither the sun nor the stars appeared for many days and the
[00:42:04] storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved. They're in a hurricane being tossed to and fro. And in a hurricane, you start understanding what your priorities are because this is a merchant ship that exists for profitability. And all of a sudden they say,
[00:42:17] we're going to die, throw it all overboard. And they throw the tackle overboard, which is how you steer the ship. They've given up all hope. They are at the mercy of what they think is nature
[00:42:28] right now. And I want you to feel this. I want you to really feel this. So let's just watch this for a moment. 14 days, two weeks of that. After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up
[00:43:10] before them and said, men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss, but now I urge you to keep up your courage because
[00:43:20] not one of you will be lost. This is an amazing leadership moment. Can I just remind you he's a prisoner? He's a prisoner. He just took control. He's a prisoner on this ship, but now I urge you
[00:43:34] to keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost. Only the ship will be destroyed.
[00:43:38] Last night, an angel of God to whom I belong and to whom I serve stood beside me. You want to use every moment you have point to god and said do not be afraid paul you must stand trial before
[00:43:50] caesar and god has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you so keep up your courage men for i have faith in god that it will happen just as he told me nevertheless we must run aground
[00:44:02] on some island he said you didn't listen to me now you didn't listen to me then but listen to me now. It's not a spiteful, I told you so. It's a hopeful, let's go. Let's look forward. Okay, I've
[00:44:15] got the reins now. I've got a plan. Something bigger is happening here. These men are tied to Paul and their salvation is at stake. The apostle Paul wants them to be saved from the storm, but he
[00:44:27] wants them to be saved for eternity. And God has told Paul that he's going to go to Rome, Acts 21, Acts 23. But God is so kind to remind us again and again, I know the plans I have for you.
[00:44:40] I'm going to finish what I started in you. I'm going to carry out to completion what I started in you. You can read it over and over and over. He's kind to remind you. Some of you need to be
[00:44:51] reminded this morning. When you can't control the storm, remember the storm is where your faith is seen. Number two, the storm is where your faith is seen. Okay. What storm are you in right now?
[00:45:03] parenting kids work finance loneliness health what storm are you in right now maybe it is your greatest opportunity to believe what you say you believe maybe it is your greatest opportunity to show the world that you believe what you say you believe okay because everybody's
[00:45:28] watching and your faith is most clearly displayed in the trials of life, in the storm. Like if you're sitting here, I mean, you're in church, you know, you're worshiping, you're singing the songs. You're like, no, I believe in God. Your greatest opportunity is to believe in God is when you need to believe
[00:45:46] in God. Like faith is really only seen and only displayed in the trials. Like so often what we pray for to God is really not to need faith. God, would you give me security and comfort and safety
[00:45:59] and help me not to need you but if dependence is the goal our weakness is the advantage if dependence is the goal then your weakness your struggle your storm your trial that's your advantage because that's where you get his grace is sufficient his power is made perfect in your
[00:46:18] weakness you guys know who john wesley is started the methodist movement he came over from england he was coming to America on a ship. He had graduated from seminary. He's the chaplain of the ship. He's a minister, a church planner. And he's coming over here and it's 1735 and a
[00:46:41] great storm hits the ship. And everybody is terrified. They're pretty certain they're going to die at sea. Where there's these German Moravian missionaries. And as all the Englishmen scream in horror they sang hymns with a smile on their face they just gently sang hymns and when the storm
[00:47:03] settled and they realized that they had survived it John Wesley went to them and said how were you able to stay so calm in the storm what was going on did you not realize like what were you guys
[00:47:17] drunk like what what was happening and the lead missionary looked at John Wesley and just said have you trusted in jesus christ as your lord and savior wesley was taken aback he said you know i'm
[00:47:30] the chaplain of the ship and he said and still i ask you have you trusted in christ as your lord and savior wesley i'm a minister of the gospel a leader of the church a missionary and still i ask
[00:47:49] you have you trusted in christ as your lord and savior and john wesley points to that moment

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[00:47:56] as when he became a follower of Jesus Christ,

[00:48:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[00:48:00] a Christian indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
[00:48:04] That's his testimony.
[00:48:06] He was a pastor, a minister, a missionary, and the chaplain of a boat and not a believer.
[00:48:13] And he said, when that guy asked me that, it became a rock in my shoe and I surrendered my life to Christ.
[00:48:17] And that's his testimony, right?
[00:48:20] Everybody's looking for someone who's actually living by faith, okay?
[00:48:24] People are watching.
[00:48:25] They want to see someone who's actually living by faith.
[00:48:28] People come to faith by seeing the faith of others.
[00:48:32] Your storm is your opportunity, 27.
[00:48:35] On the 14th night, we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea when about midnight, the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
[00:48:44] They took soundings and found that the water was 120 feet deep.
[00:48:47] A short time later, they took soundings again and found it was 90 feet deep.
[00:48:51] Fearing that they would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight because they haven't seen daylight in an attempt to escape from the ship the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea
[00:49:06] pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers unless these men stay with the ship you cannot be saved so the soldiers cut the ropes
[00:49:19] that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
[00:49:22] So the sailors are gonna try to sneak off in the lifeboat, but the soldiers go over and they cut the lifeboat down and let it go.
[00:49:29] And this is the beginning of the army-navy rival.
[00:49:34] Dates back to the first century.
[00:49:36] Just before dawn, Paul urged them all to eat.
[00:49:39] Listen.
[00:49:40] For the last 14 days, he said, you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food.
[00:49:45] You haven't eaten anything.
[00:49:47] Now I urge you to take some food.
[00:49:49] You need it to survive.
[00:49:49] not one of you will lose a single hair from his head after he said this he took some bread what does this sound like he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all
[00:50:00] then he broke it and began to eat they were all encouraged and ate some food themselves all together there were 276 of us on board when they had eaten as much as they wanted they lightened
[00:50:13] the ship by throwing the grain into the sea Paul's like hey we've been fighting a storm for 14 days and you guys have forgotten to do the basics you gotta eat so like we're gonna stop for a minute
[00:50:27] we're gonna they're like who can eat at a time like this and he's like you don't understand we can't afford not to like god's in charge of the outcome but we have something we have to do also
[00:50:36] like we have a responsibility and so when you can't control the storm number three do your part and trust god for the rest you need to know and understand what your part is do your part and
[00:50:48] trust God for the rest you you like you are in charge of your own spiritual growth you're like you're not like well my church isn't making me and I can't no no you are in charge of your own
[00:51:02] spiritual growth like we come here we sing songs we worship corporately there's some bible teaching it's a shot in the arm but this is not enough this is not enough to grow you like you go home
[00:51:14] you're gonna wake up tomorrow what are you gonna do tomorrow because that's gonna determine how you get through the storm it's daily bread daily bread right what it seems like what he does right in the middle of all of this is like take communion hey i want to remember that jesus christ died for
[00:51:29] my sins and that god raised him from the dead and that this is not my home and that i'm going to be somewhere forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever so regardless of the outcome right

[00:51:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[00:51:38] now i put my hope in jesus i'm putting my hope in jesus and so you've got to keep the basics in front of you prayer every day the word every day sharing your faith every day living on mission

[00:51:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[00:51:58] every day staying connected abiding every single day spiritual disciplines every single day so that when the storm comes because what happens the enemy loves to distract you with anxiety and depression despair he loves to distract you with the storm in front of you so that you cut
[00:52:14] corners. And what it does is it compounds your problem. It compounds the issue. You're like, I don't have time to go to church. I don't have time to go to small group. I don't have time to
[00:52:24] read the Bible. You can't afford not to. You cannot afford not to. The decisions you make in the storm will impact your life after the storm. So don't turn to coping. Don't turn to Netflix. Don't turn to scrolling. Don't turn to alcohol. Don't turn to THC, okay? Don't turn to
[00:52:48] your coping mechanisms, to food, right? In an unhealthy way, turn to God because he is doing

[00:52:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[00:52:59] something so much bigger than what you see. That's the reality, guys. I left my family. I drove up here. I'm standing before you. What I am certain of, 100% absolutely positive of, is that God is

[00:53:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[00:53:18] doing things in the midst of your storm that you do not realize. You are completely oblivious to them. You can trust him. It's what he does. He is working out together all things for the good of
[00:53:33] those who love him, who've been called according to his purpose. What the enemy has meant for evil, God uses for my good. These are scriptures. Romans 8, 28, Genesis 50, 20. There's a reason they're on my heart. When my oldest was four years old, she's in college now, it's hard to believe.
[00:53:56] But when she was four and I would take her to the grocery store, we were just trying to survive as parents with two under four. And I would take her to the grocery store and I put her in that
[00:54:07] shopping cart with a steering wheel. You guys know the one? They have them in Dallas. They're like this this thing yeah so that makes trips to the grocery store different because i put her in there
[00:54:18] and wherever she would steer i would take us she turned left i'd take us left she turned right i'd take us right we'd hit the bananas and the fruit loops and whatever like she went there and it and
[00:54:27] now the grocery store is like the go-kart track you know i'm like and she's having a blast with dad like wherever she goes like that's where i take her left right right left and at some point
[00:54:37] guys at some point she turns left and I take us right and I'd watch a four-year-old grip that wheel so tight and turn with all her might left and effortlessly I would push us right she thought
[00:54:50] she was in control but the reality was I had an agenda I had a grocery list like I was there for a purpose it's for her good she needs to eat and so at some point she's like no I want to go this
[00:55:04] way. And I'm like, but you don't understand. We have to go this way. When you turn left and God takes you left, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude. But when you turn left
[00:55:14] and God takes you right, you celebrate, you rejoice, you sing, you give gratitude, you trust.
[00:55:23] God, I know you're doing something. I can't see it right now, but I believe in faith that you are doing something for my good in the midst of this tragedy in the midst of my grief in the midst of
[00:55:35] this storm do you trust the one that's in control and you can't afford not to do what you feel like you can't do and so to wrap this up daylight comes they see the island of malta they intentionally
[00:55:55] untie the rudders they untie the ship they turn the ship towards malta and they intentionally crash into it. The stern is ripped to pieces. That's the back of the ship. And then it says, the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and
[00:56:10] escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan.
[00:56:16] He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way, everyone reached land safely. It's today
[00:56:28] called St. Paul's Bay, 276 people are safe.
[00:56:32] They're gonna kill the prisoners.
[00:56:33] The centurion is like, you can't kill the prisoners because that guy's a prisoner and that guy's the only reason we're still alive.
[00:56:38] It seems like he knows the one true God.
[00:56:40] It seems like he has conversations with the creator of the heavens and the earth.
[00:56:43] He's been giving us instructions while he's in chains.
[00:56:46] I think we need to listen to him.
[00:56:49] And everyone is safe.
[00:56:51] And I just wanna turn your attention, like point to the reality that it never got easy.
[00:56:57] That this is God's man.
[00:56:58] he is faithful the greatest missionary the world has ever seen and it never got easy in fact next week he gets bitten by a poisonous viper dude can't catch a break okay like cannot catch
[00:57:11] a break in summary when you can't control the storm stay calm by remembering who controls the outcome remember the storm is where our faith is seen and do your part and trust god for the rest
[00:57:30] i find myself in a season of life where i am flying often and i'm no longer no longer do i have a fear of flying completely healed from that people say how i'll tell you one day i was on a
[00:57:50] plane i sat next to a pilot as we were taking off he sensed that i was nervous you know my palms were sweaty knees weak arms were heavy vomit on my oh sorry sorry i was nervous you know i was
[00:58:06] like hyperventilating praying he's like you're afraid I said yeah he said why I said man I don't like flying he said why I said man just seems like the plane's gonna fall apart in the sky
[00:58:16] he said really I said yeah he said no this thing was made to fly you know it's just made to hold together and stay in the air and I said yeah but what about when you hit the turbulence because
[00:58:29] it's made for so much worse and I go but aren't you afraid when you're flying and you hit turbulence he goes afraid he goes no we're having fun I said you're having fun he said yeah man don't you
[00:58:39] understand like most of these pilots they were in the air force they were flying fighter jets dodging bullets you know flying at you know 9gs and stuff he's like this is this thing flies itself
[00:58:48] he was when we heard turbulence that's the only time we get to use our training and i was like really you're having fun up there huh so yeah you don't have to be afraid he goes
[00:58:58] i want you to consider the experience of the pilot do you know how many thousands of hours they've spent in an airplane how many thousands of times they've taken off and landed and taken off and landed and taken off and landed. This is routine for them. When you get off the plane,
[00:59:15] I want you to look at the stripes on their sleeves. I want you to notice the gray hair on their head. Understand their experience. Lake Point, can I just tell you something? In the midst
[00:59:23] of your storm, would you consider the experience of the pilot? I mean, is he trustworthy? He created everything you see. He spoke it into existence. He set his people free from slavery. He parted the
[00:59:45] sea and delivered their enemy to them. He's unlocked wombs. He's provided water from a rock.
[00:59:55] He gave them food from nowhere. He froze the sun, allowing victory, and he brought down walls of the enemy. He's defeated a giant with a boy and a slingshot. He shut the mouths of lions. He
[01:00:15] brought men through a fiery furnace. He's fed thousands with a few loaves. He's made the weak strong. He's healed the sick. He's made the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the mute speak,
[01:00:39] and he has set me free by dying on a cross for my sins. He took all my sins on him. He took all your sins on him and he died and the enemy thought that it was over and they placed him in the grave
[01:00:55] and three days later gave you the hope of eternal life and so if he's defeated death what are you afraid of for he did not give you a spirit of timidity but one of power love and self-discipline
[01:01:16] if god is for you then who can be against you his experience is perfect it's flawless

[01:01:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[01:01:27] it's powerful it's undefeated believe help our unbelief do just give thanks to those

[01:01:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_18]
[01:01:52] who have given their lives so that we can walk in freedom because it certainly reminds me of when you gave your life

[01:02:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_17]
[01:02:01] so that we could walk in ultimate freedom.
[01:02:09] Their act of fearlessness, their great display of courage, how much more should we, knowing the one true God who has defeated death, walk in that courage, walk in that fearlessness, and have hope?
[01:02:32] Would you help us do that, Lord?
[01:02:34] In Jesus' name.

[01:02:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]
[01:02:36] Amen, amen.
[01:02:39] Thank you, Pastor Jonathan.
[01:02:42] Well, hey, Lakewood family, if after today's message, man, there's something weighing on you or maybe you need somebody to talk to or somebody to process with or maybe even to pray with. We'd love to do that.
[01:02:51] Would you join us after the service?
[01:02:53] Underneath the crosses, we would love to continue the conversation with you.
[01:02:57] Well, hey, every single week, we love to celebrate ways in which God is moving through your generosity.
[01:03:01] And man, this weekend, we are excited because we're celebrating the fourth graduating class of Lake Point School of Ministry here.
[01:03:09] These are 24 young adults that are moving on and graduating to either a second year of residency or full-time employment in a ministry capacity, check out the screens to hear more of this story.

[01:03:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[01:03:29] It is an absolutely amazing experience to be able to just learn more about God, learn about His love, learn what He's done for us, and then right away use it in practice.

[01:03:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[01:03:40] Getting to see these kids really fall in love with Jesus and His Word has been the sweetest gift.

[01:03:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[01:03:45] The opportunity to get to play a part in so many people's discipleship journey, Whether they go through Next Step class, start serving, or they just got baptized, they feel like their life has changed.

[01:03:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_13]
[01:03:56] The biggest area I've seen God move through the School of Ministry is by bringing out those gifts, talents, and abilities that He's really deposited in me so that I can just be a greater leader that God is calling me to be.

[01:04:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[01:04:08] I had a rooter group that I got the opportunity to lead, and it was a group of young guys that normally does not love to share, normally does not pray, normally does not get into God's Word.
[01:04:16] And they went all in.
[01:04:18] Four of those guys are now serving in student ministry.

[01:04:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[01:04:20] I have had the privilege of serving in our kids' special needs.
[01:04:24] We have been able to serve one of the most under-reached people groups in America.
[01:04:29] School of Ministry is where I got equipped for ministry for the rest of my life.
[01:04:34] And I wouldn't have been able to do that without the generosity of this church.

[01:04:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_11]
[01:04:38] Thank you to the people of Lake Point that makes the School of Ministry possible.

[01:04:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[01:04:41] The Lord's using me because of your generosity.
[01:04:43] And I am so eternally thankful.
[01:04:45] and you're the reason I get to be here because you helped with this and you gave.
[01:04:49] So thank you.

[01:04:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_12]
[01:04:51] That's right, Aikman family, can we celebrate our students right now?
[01:04:54] Hey, as it was mentioned in the video, that the reason that today by the grace of God, we can be a church that is intentional in equipping the next generation of leaders and pastors.
[01:05:03] The reason we get to do that ministry is because of your giving and generosity.
[01:05:05] So we wanna say thank you for your giving.
[01:05:08] And right now, as we move towards a time of receiving our gifts and offerings, to do that, you can do it in multiple ways.
[01:05:13] You can place your offering in the buckets as they pass.
[01:05:16] or you can text the word GIVE to the number 20411.
[01:05:21] Here right now, I want to invite you.
[01:05:22] Would you stand with me as we get ready to worship, as we give, and as we sing?

[01:05:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]
[01:05:27] Hey, Church Online, thanks for being here today.

[01:07:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_15]
[01:07:21] I hope that powerful message from Pastor Jonathan Picluda met you exactly where you needed it.
[01:07:28] Before we close out, I want to come back to something that I said at the top.
[01:07:32] If you're in the DFW area, we would love to meet you in person.
[01:07:36] We have eight campuses, and every single one of them have a seat with your name on it.
[01:07:41] Maybe not actually, but figuratively, absolutely.
[01:07:44] Come check us out.
[01:07:46] Hey, I've got to mention this.
[01:07:47] We just launched a brand new campus in Royce City.
[01:07:52] If you're out near the Buc-ee's location there, you know the one I'm talking about.
[01:07:57] That's basically our landmark now.
[01:07:59] The Buc-ee's Campus is what we call it.
[01:08:02] Come check it out.
[01:08:02] It's an incredible community, and it's growing fast.
[01:08:06] And if you're anywhere near Garland, Sachse, Murphy, Richardson, man, come to the Firewheel location.
[01:08:14] That's my location.
[01:08:15] And man, I'm excited just to meet you.
[01:08:18] I will be there in the lobby at the very front door there.
[01:08:21] I'd love to shake your hand and hear your story.
[01:08:23] Come say hi.
[01:08:24] Hey, one more thing.
[01:08:26] If you haven't already, make sure that you subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on that notifications by clicking that bell so you don't miss any episode of Live Free.
[01:08:38] Remember, Monday's episode goes even deeper to what you just heard today.
[01:08:43] You don't wanna miss it.
[01:08:45] Hey, can I pray for you as you go about your week this week?
[01:08:49] Jesus, thank you.
[01:08:50] Thank you for every single person.
[01:08:51] Thank you for this person right here on the other side of this screen who is serving you.
[01:08:57] I pray, Lord, that you would guide their steps.
[01:09:00] Jesus, I ask that they would get even closer to becoming who they're created to be in Christ.
[01:09:07] I pray that they'd be the man of God, the woman of God that they're called to be.
[01:09:11] Jesus, I ask that everything that was said today would solidify in their heart.
[01:09:16] Jesus, walk with them, keep them, bring them peace that your word says surpasses even our understanding.
[01:09:23] We thank you, Lord.
[01:09:24] We praise you.
[01:09:25] All glory and honor to you and you alone.
[01:09:27] In Jesus' mighty name.
[01:09:29] Amen, amen, amen.
[01:09:31] Hey, have a great week, Church Online.
[01:09:33] We'll see you next time.
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