Stilling The Storm Series

Stilling The Storm

Text: Mark 4: 35-41

Introduction: As we open the pages of our Bible to Mark 4 we find that Jesus continued teaching by means of parables. We have considered the parable of the sower, and the parable of the candle. Later he taight about the seed and also of the mustard seed, but I want to push on now toward the end of this chapter and consider and consider the dramatic miracle of the stilling of the storm. Here we have a striking picture of the Christian life. The Christian life is never plain sailing. It is rarely a smooth ride, it is a roller coaster journey of faith. A journey from earth to Heaven. A journey of ups and downs. Sometimes it becomes very stormy and our faith fails, and our Lord seems to be sleeping. We are tempted to ask - does He care? Sometimes life can be very fearful, and we feel like the storm will swallow us up, we are overwhelmed, we feel besieged, consumed, crushed and beaten. Storms are never easy, they can be very very frightening.

I wonder are you going through a storm tonight. I wonder if the waves of life’s sea are hammering your vessel and you feel as though you are sure to go under. That is exactly how the disciples felt in the story of tonight’s miracle, and that is where we begin our study.

I. The Storm Is a Crisis For The Saints.

A. Now we must remember that many of the disciples were fishermen, in that regard we might say they were a little foolish to set out to sea without thought of the weather.

1. But fishermen in Bible times did not have the skill of meteorology to help them gauge the conditions.

2. The depended heavily upon the prevailing conditions as they left port.

3. It looked like a clear night, the sea was not unduly rough, and there was no indication that the short crossing over Galilee would be anything but safe.

4. But then this storm came apparently out of nowhere.

B. The word translated “storm” indicates something peculiar about this storm.

1. The Gk. term indicates no ordinary wind, not even to a strong wind or gale force wind, it actually refers to a whirlwind, a wind with violent and furious gusts accompanied by floods or rain, and throwing everything topsy turvy.

2. There was no way these disciples with their limited resources could have foretold the coming of this storm.

3. That’s life.

4. Life can be just fine, everything seems sunny and clear, and we are progressing nicely, when suddenly a raging storm descends upon us.

a. That storm can be channeled in a moment by a phone call bearing bad news.

b. That storm might threaten everything you hold dear, your home, your family your marriage.

c. That storm may come as a bolt out of the blue, without warning, without mercy, without respect to you or your goals and dreams, with favour of person.

d. The storm is a crisis of life. Any crisis - call it what you will - redundancy, cancer, stress, depression, bereavement, divorce - its a crisis, and when you are in it, there seems no way out of it.

C. There is certainly no immunity from storms because we are Christians.

1. Indeed, if we belong to the Lord trouble and testing are inevitable

2. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” (Philippians 1:29).

3. This world is a world of trouble and hardship and hurting and suffering and you are not going to escape it.

a. “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7).

b. “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1).

4. These sinking disciples were in trouble. They were bailing water out as fast as they could, but their boat was fast filling up.

5. They were staring death in the face, and all the while the Lord was sleeping.

6. It seemed to them that He was in some way indifferent, uncaring, and unresponsive to their need.

a. They cried out, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).

b. “Jesus, don’t you care? Don’t you love us? Aren’t you moved by our situation?”

c. I wonder is that how you feel in your crisis? Is that how you think in your storm? I wonder do you feel as though God is indifferent to your plight, or ignorant of your need, or uncaring of your crisis.

7. The storm is a crisis for saints.

II. The Storm Is Of Concern To Sinners.

A. Mark makes an interesting little observation in vs 36.