Storms
You're Not Alone in the Struggle, 1 November 2026
01 11 26 Filed in: Sermons | He Promises
You’re Not Alone in the Struggle
He Promises
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 1, 2026
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Description: Maybe you’ve heard what Jesus has done for others. You want to believe He can do the same for you, but you're not sure it's even possible. Jesus made several promises in the Bible—but what do they mean today?
Big Idea: God promises to be with us…always.
When is the last time you felt lonely?
For some, it may be today, even surrounded by others. Being alone and feeling lonely are quite different. While I can’t guarantee you will never feel lonely, I can say with complete confidence you are never alone. God is with us…always.
My name is Kirk, and today we continue our series He Promises. In week one, we said God loves you even when it doesn’t feel like it. Last Sunday, we said God is present even when you don’t hear His voice. I want to encourage you today that you’re not alone in the struggle. And the struggle is real.
If you’ve been reading through the New Testament with us, you recently encountered a great story about Jesus and his disciples in a great storm on the Sea of Galilee. To set the stage, the Sea of Galilee is known for violent thunderstorms with gale-force winds that can appear with little warning, waves reaching as high as 20 feet. In Jewish culture, the sea was associated with danger, chaos, and natural forces. I imagine many people had drowned during ferocious storms that seemed to be created by monsters.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4:35)
This sounds fine, but on the other side were…Gentiles! Pagans. “Those people.” It’s like someone telling a bunch of Buckeyes to drive up to Ann Arbor to hang out with Wolverines!
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (Mark 4:36)
I’m sure it was difficult leaving the crowds. Jesus had done a lot of teaching and was probably exhausted. He had taught about faith, and now trust would be tested.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (Mark 4:37)
This was not a military-grade ship they were in! It was probably a wooden boat, obviously made by hand since they had no shipbuilding factories.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)
I love the detail…on a cushion. I can’t imagine how anyone could sleep through this storm, though Jesus was very tired from the crowds. Notice the accusation in the disciples. “Don’t you care?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus said these words to an unclean spirit at Capernaum in the first chapter of Mark. He has authority over spiritual and natural forces. Beyond a miracle, the disciples may have thought of the sea in Psalm 107:
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:28-30)
Jesus is doing what God did in this scripture. This is no party trick! This is God at work.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Fear or faith? There were experienced fishermen in the boat with Jesus, including Peter, Andrew, James, and John. For them to be terrified is significant.
The storm was over, yet they were still afraid. Instead of fearing the danger, they feared God. It wasn’t a spooky fear, but awe and reverence in the presence of the mysterious miracle worker. They’ve seen Jesus do miracles. They’ve heard the amazing teaching. They were still coming to grips with the fact that the long-awaited Messiah was in their midst.
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
The question reveals a lot about the disciples. Who is this? We know it is Jesus, the God-man, fully God and fully human, able to relate to our struggles, sorrow, and pain, yet possessing all power and authority. Do you know him? Do you follow him? Is he just Savior but also truly LORD?
What I want to tell you is Jesus will calm every storm in your life, but we know that’s not true. Scott Krippayne penned these song lyrics:
Sometimes He calms the storm And other times He calms His child
I love that! God promises to be with us…always. I’d rather be with Jesus in a storm than alone on the beach.
Our scripture reading is from Jesus’ final words on earth as recorded by Matthew. He gathered his followers together.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18)
This passage is known as the Great Commission. It’s one of the most important texts in the entire Bible.
First, Jesus declares his authority. It is complete. Jesus has all authority. He has it all, in heaven and on earth. That is crucial because the rest would be meaningless without it.
The mission, then, is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey. This is the foundation of our church mission to love, equip, and send. We are to be a discipleship factory.
Notice that’s different than merely distributing religious goods and services. It means we are to intentionally engage in life-on-life ministry, but we’re not alone. He is with us always, to the very end of the age. That’s the message of Christmas: Emmanuel, God is with us. Jesus was with us for 33 years and then sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. I take great comfort in knowing God is here. God is with us.
This does not mean we won’t struggle, but rather that God is with us in the struggle.
At this very moment, the room is filled with something you cannot see, feel, smell, taste, or hear, but they are very real. They’re called radio frequencies or waves. In order to access them, you need a receiver…a radio. The same can be said for WiFi or television signals. They are present, but we’re often unaware of their presence. We need to tune in. We need to pay attention.
Research shows that as we move, our eyes are usually focused ahead or down. There could be something right above you, and you may be unaware of it. I want to challenge you to look up! Paul said in the midst of life’s troubles,
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Not only is God with us, but the Church is with us in the struggle. Notice the capital “C.” We were created for community, for relationships. I need you. You need me. We are a family. No individual is a family.
I love our College First family. I’ve seen countless examples of people loving, serving, praying, laughing, crying, encouraging, grieving, and rejoicing with and for one another. I believe we can go through just about anything in life if we know we’re not alone. I often think of our nine years with a sick child and the dozens of people who journeyed with us. Heather read a book by Carol Kent that referred to those people as “stretcher-bearers.” They came alongside us and carried us when we could not carry ourselves. They brought meals, prayed, sent cards of encouragement, watched our other kids when we were at the Cleveland Clinic, and supported us financially.
That’s the Church in action. Real community. Nothing artificial about it! But you have to reach out. You have to make your needs known. Ask for help, fill out a Connection Card, join a small group, contact the office, send an e-mail to a staff member, come forward for prayer at the end of our gathering today. We can’t serve you if we don’t know you need help.
So What?
If you’ve said “yes” to Jesus, you are never alone. God promises to be with us…always. If you let Jesus in your boat, he will never leave you. The writer of the book of Hebrews said,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
This is a reference to three Old Testament passages (Genesis 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, and Joshua 1:5). Throughout the Scriptures, we’re reminded that God is with us. Always. These verses have been a comfort to those facing persecution and even martyrdom both then and now around the world. It’s a promise He makes again and again.
In the storm, the disciples didn’t feel God’s love, but it was present. It was hard for them to hear Jesus, but he was speaking. He was fully present even when they were not looking to him. Things changed when they turned to him and reached out.
The next time you feel lonely, remember, God is with us. Look up!
And the church is with us. Reach out! You’re a part of a family. You belong here. You are seen. You are loved. You are never alone.
He Promises
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
November 1, 2026
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Description: Maybe you’ve heard what Jesus has done for others. You want to believe He can do the same for you, but you're not sure it's even possible. Jesus made several promises in the Bible—but what do they mean today?
Big Idea: God promises to be with us…always.
When is the last time you felt lonely?
For some, it may be today, even surrounded by others. Being alone and feeling lonely are quite different. While I can’t guarantee you will never feel lonely, I can say with complete confidence you are never alone. God is with us…always.
My name is Kirk, and today we continue our series He Promises. In week one, we said God loves you even when it doesn’t feel like it. Last Sunday, we said God is present even when you don’t hear His voice. I want to encourage you today that you’re not alone in the struggle. And the struggle is real.
If you’ve been reading through the New Testament with us, you recently encountered a great story about Jesus and his disciples in a great storm on the Sea of Galilee. To set the stage, the Sea of Galilee is known for violent thunderstorms with gale-force winds that can appear with little warning, waves reaching as high as 20 feet. In Jewish culture, the sea was associated with danger, chaos, and natural forces. I imagine many people had drowned during ferocious storms that seemed to be created by monsters.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” (Mark 4:35)
This sounds fine, but on the other side were…Gentiles! Pagans. “Those people.” It’s like someone telling a bunch of Buckeyes to drive up to Ann Arbor to hang out with Wolverines!
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. (Mark 4:36)
I’m sure it was difficult leaving the crowds. Jesus had done a lot of teaching and was probably exhausted. He had taught about faith, and now trust would be tested.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (Mark 4:37)
This was not a military-grade ship they were in! It was probably a wooden boat, obviously made by hand since they had no shipbuilding factories.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)
I love the detail…on a cushion. I can’t imagine how anyone could sleep through this storm, though Jesus was very tired from the crowds. Notice the accusation in the disciples. “Don’t you care?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)
Jesus said these words to an unclean spirit at Capernaum in the first chapter of Mark. He has authority over spiritual and natural forces. Beyond a miracle, the disciples may have thought of the sea in Psalm 107:
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:28-30)
Jesus is doing what God did in this scripture. This is no party trick! This is God at work.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Fear or faith? There were experienced fishermen in the boat with Jesus, including Peter, Andrew, James, and John. For them to be terrified is significant.
The storm was over, yet they were still afraid. Instead of fearing the danger, they feared God. It wasn’t a spooky fear, but awe and reverence in the presence of the mysterious miracle worker. They’ve seen Jesus do miracles. They’ve heard the amazing teaching. They were still coming to grips with the fact that the long-awaited Messiah was in their midst.
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41)
The question reveals a lot about the disciples. Who is this? We know it is Jesus, the God-man, fully God and fully human, able to relate to our struggles, sorrow, and pain, yet possessing all power and authority. Do you know him? Do you follow him? Is he just Savior but also truly LORD?
What I want to tell you is Jesus will calm every storm in your life, but we know that’s not true. Scott Krippayne penned these song lyrics:
Sometimes He calms the storm And other times He calms His child
I love that! God promises to be with us…always. I’d rather be with Jesus in a storm than alone on the beach.
Our scripture reading is from Jesus’ final words on earth as recorded by Matthew. He gathered his followers together.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18)
This passage is known as the Great Commission. It’s one of the most important texts in the entire Bible.
First, Jesus declares his authority. It is complete. Jesus has all authority. He has it all, in heaven and on earth. That is crucial because the rest would be meaningless without it.
The mission, then, is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey. This is the foundation of our church mission to love, equip, and send. We are to be a discipleship factory.
Notice that’s different than merely distributing religious goods and services. It means we are to intentionally engage in life-on-life ministry, but we’re not alone. He is with us always, to the very end of the age. That’s the message of Christmas: Emmanuel, God is with us. Jesus was with us for 33 years and then sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. I take great comfort in knowing God is here. God is with us.
This does not mean we won’t struggle, but rather that God is with us in the struggle.
At this very moment, the room is filled with something you cannot see, feel, smell, taste, or hear, but they are very real. They’re called radio frequencies or waves. In order to access them, you need a receiver…a radio. The same can be said for WiFi or television signals. They are present, but we’re often unaware of their presence. We need to tune in. We need to pay attention.
Research shows that as we move, our eyes are usually focused ahead or down. There could be something right above you, and you may be unaware of it. I want to challenge you to look up! Paul said in the midst of life’s troubles,
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Not only is God with us, but the Church is with us in the struggle. Notice the capital “C.” We were created for community, for relationships. I need you. You need me. We are a family. No individual is a family.
I love our College First family. I’ve seen countless examples of people loving, serving, praying, laughing, crying, encouraging, grieving, and rejoicing with and for one another. I believe we can go through just about anything in life if we know we’re not alone. I often think of our nine years with a sick child and the dozens of people who journeyed with us. Heather read a book by Carol Kent that referred to those people as “stretcher-bearers.” They came alongside us and carried us when we could not carry ourselves. They brought meals, prayed, sent cards of encouragement, watched our other kids when we were at the Cleveland Clinic, and supported us financially.
That’s the Church in action. Real community. Nothing artificial about it! But you have to reach out. You have to make your needs known. Ask for help, fill out a Connection Card, join a small group, contact the office, send an e-mail to a staff member, come forward for prayer at the end of our gathering today. We can’t serve you if we don’t know you need help.
So What?
If you’ve said “yes” to Jesus, you are never alone. God promises to be with us…always. If you let Jesus in your boat, he will never leave you. The writer of the book of Hebrews said,
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
This is a reference to three Old Testament passages (Genesis 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, and Joshua 1:5). Throughout the Scriptures, we’re reminded that God is with us. Always. These verses have been a comfort to those facing persecution and even martyrdom both then and now around the world. It’s a promise He makes again and again.
In the storm, the disciples didn’t feel God’s love, but it was present. It was hard for them to hear Jesus, but he was speaking. He was fully present even when they were not looking to him. Things changed when they turned to him and reached out.
The next time you feel lonely, remember, God is with us. Look up!
And the church is with us. Reach out! You’re a part of a family. You belong here. You are seen. You are loved. You are never alone.