When I was a young adult in Florida
we had a hurricane stirring things up in the Gulf of Mexico. The waters rose
and there was flooding. The winds were high and things were breaking. Schools
and businesses closed. I remember driving to the department store, where I
worked in those days, to tape the front windows. On the way there my car was lifted up some by
high winds. It was scary. There were times growing up in Florida that I saw
tornados and water spouts in the region as well as lightning striking very
close by. I also remember one day when my dad and a few of us boy scouts were
out in our 15 foot boat a few miles off shore and the engine failed and the
waves began to come overboard. I was scared.
Mark 4 records a moment in Bible
history when the closest disciples of Christ were scared for their lives in a
storm that created large waves that came into their boats. Here’s the passage:
Mark 4:35-41 (ESV) 35 On that
day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let
us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with
them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves
were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the
cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we
are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and
rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be
still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41And they were
filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even
the wind and the sea obey him?”
There are five principles from this
passage I think we should apply to our stormy lives.
First, Jesus is compassionate about the needs
of people.
The Sea of Galilee is a few miles wide
and 700ft below sea level and surrounded by mountains that rise 3000+ft above
sea level on multiple sides. Warmer conditions prevail around the lake’s
surface while the higher elevations can produce cold night air. The rising of
warmer air during the day allows the cooler air from the mountains to rush down
the ravines onto the lake with major whirlwind action that churns up the
waters.
This particular storm in Mark 4 was
a great windstorm that caused much water to come into the boats to the point
that even Christ-following experienced fishermen aboard were scared. The
frightened disciples awoke Jesus asking, “Don’t you care that we are
perishing?” How many times have we thought and said the same thing? “Don’t You
care, Lord, that this is happening to me? Don’t You love me enough, Lord, to do
something about this hardship I am experiencing?”
In this particular storm Jesus
showed His closest followers that He cares by calming the storm. Jesus is
compassionate about the needs of people (i.e. Mt. 9:35-38, 14:14; John 11).
Second, Jesus is greater than our storms!
The storm in your life doesn’t have
to be weather related. For example, I was admitted once to the hospital with
severe unknown internal pain. I’ve had spots and bumps tested for cancer. Our
family spun around in the van at high speed on black ice. Some of you have been
close to death, had close loved ones die, and have been or are going through
all sorts of suffering. Everyone experiences storms and trials in life.
In Mark 4,
Jesus rebuked this storm and the wind went away and the sea calmed
immediately. Wow, what a moment! Storms
normally subside gradually, but when Jesus gave the order this storm ceased
right away. Why? Because Jesus is God who is in control of all things including
the natural systems of this world in which He created, He sustains, and He is
sovereign over.
Jesus has more power than we can imagine. He is
greater, more powerful, stronger than the storms that rock us and our boats. He
is almighty and His works are awesome (i.e. Heb.
1:1-4, Col. 1:15-19). Jesus doesn’t always
immediately calm our storms.
Third, Jesus is with His disciples/followers.
Of course, in this historical event
Jesus was literally there with His closest disciples. They focused more on the
storm and its effects instead of the presence of Jesus Christ. They were not
feeling secure and safe and assured even though Jesus was there in one of the
boats, albeit, sleeping.
My father is a big tall man who was
an excellent athlete and tough. I remember when I was a kid and teenager how
secure I felt at night with my dad was home. I thought if anyone breaks in and
messes with us, they picked the wrong house because my dad is here and he will
protect us. And those nights when dad was somewhere else like work or
traveling, I was much more nervous overnight in the house. I always felt more
secure and protected in my dad’s presence. Shouldn’t we believe this even more
so toward God when we acknowledge His presence in our lives?
Today, we look back at this Mark 4
event and at the New Testament of God’s Word knowing that God is with His
people. In fact, all three divine persons of the Triune God are present with
born again Christ-followers (i.e. Heb. 13:5b, Mt. 28:20b, 2 Cor. 1:21-22). This is great news
and assuring news. We are not alone in crisis, in storms, in troubles, in
suffering, in difficulties. God is with His people! Amen!
Fourth, Jesus expects His followers to have trusting faith in Him
regardless of our circumstances.
How do we get through the storms of
life? When they come our way, do we respond, “God, I trust You through this
experience”? or do we tend to say, “I’m doomed, and there’s nothing anybody can
do”?
Going
back to Mark 4, after Jesus calmed the storm He gently rebuked the storm-tossed
disciples. The Lord addressed their heart issue of the moment, “Why are you so
afraid?” His second question must have pierced them to the core, “Have you still
no faith?” Ouch! There is a direct correlation here between fear (the afraid
kind) and faith (the God-pleasing kind). More fear contrasts with less faith.
More faith contrasts with less fear.
Adversity and hardship can reveal our level of faith in God.
Storm experiences become our teachable moments. They test
and measure our faith.
Did Jesus know the storm was
coming? Of course He did. He had been teaching kingdom principles earlier
and now He gave them a practical test to see how much they really learned. Faith
must be tested. Enduring a faith test is one reason God permits storms and trails
to come our way. The storm was part of the day’s curriculum for these
disciples. God brought this storm upon their lives not because of a consequence
for their sins but because God desired for them to grow in their faith. God
tests Christians today in similar ways.
3 reasons these disciples shouldn’t
have been afraid:
1) Jesus told them they were going to
the other side; vs35; This is like a promise when it comes from Jesus Christ.
2) The Son of God Himself was with them.
They had already seen several miracles from Jesus even if they had not yet
understood that Jesus was Master over all situations and circumstances.
3) They could see that Jesus was
perfectly calm even in the midst of the storm. Of course, Jesus was not afraid.
He who is the living eternal Word, by which all things were made, has no reason
to fear a storm or anything for that matter.
Jesus pointed out their lack of
faith. They had shown faith in Jesus before, but they still have much to learn
about Jesus and their own faith journey in Christ just as we all do. Warren Wiersbe wrote about the faith problem of the disciples: “The greatest
danger was not the winds or the waves but the unbelief in the hearts of the
followers of Christ. Our greatest problems are within us not around us. This is
why Jesus gently rebuked their weak faith. It was their unbelief that caused
them to fear and that led to asking; don’t you care? They already knew He had
miraculous power to heal people, drive out demons, and authority to forgive
sins. Now they discovered that He even had authority over the wind and the sea.
This meant they had no reason to ever again be afraid, for their Lord was in
constant control of every situation. (The
Bible Exposition Commentary; Volume 1; pg125)”
Learning to trust Christ, instead
of trembling at our circumstances, grows as our vision and acceptance of Jesus’
compassion, power, and presence grows.
Lastly, we are to be in awe of the awesome
One, Jesus Christ.
In vs41,
notice their response to Jesus calming the storm the way He did. They were filled
with great fear. This is a different Greek word for fear than used to
describe their fear of the storm conditions. This word in this context means
reverent, respectful, or awe.
What they
saw Jesus do in that moment shook them up like nothing else they had witnessed
before. They glimpsed His sovereignty over a powerful natural disastrous
event. When everything seemed out of control to the
disciples, Jesus was absolutely and supremely in control. The disciples in the
boat asked the right question, “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey him?”
They must have pondered; who can stop a mighty storm like this, except God
Himself. They were in awe of Jesus
Christ as they should have been. When was the last time that you and I marveled
at the awesomeness of Christ?
Jesus can be trusted in the storms
of life because He is compassionate about our needs, more powerful than any of
our storms, and He promises to be with His people. He is awesome! And when we learn to trust Jesus in the storms of life our faith
increases and fear fades away. Amen. Fear is quieted by faith when we gain a bigger
truthful vision of Jesus, trust Him fully, and acknowledge that He is truly
awesome!
Are you in the boat with Jesus? And do you see Jesus standing in the middle of your fears?
Jesus is
calling you to come to Him and follow Him, to truly and fully commit your life
to Him. Trust Him, place your faith in Him as your personal Savior and the Lord
of your life.
If you
know Christ in this way then ask God to increase your faith in Him, to
strengthen you now and for when you face and need to endure storms. If
you don’t know Christ as your Savior and Lord then check out my blog entry
about God’s plan for true life/eternal life:
http://mikesmorals.blogspot.com/2013/09/great-news-gods-plan-for-true-life.htmlWhat do you think about this Mark 4 passage and these principles I’ve presented here?
Mike
