It's About Time For The Storm

Pastor Allan Kircher

Shell Point Baptist Church

July 14, 2013

Mark 4:35-41

It’s about time for a storm!

Intro: Background

• This text finds Jesus/end/long/difficult day.

• Jesus had a confrontation with the Pharisees 3:22

• Appointed 12 Apostles

• Parable/Sower from the boat.

He used boat/pulpit from which He preached/multitudes that gathered to hear Him 4:1.

• Day ended, called His disciples into/boat/commanded them to set sail for the other side/lake.

• Nighttime found the disciples rowing across that little lake.

• While they guided the boat

• An exhausted Jesus lay fast asleep in the rear of the boat.

• The Lord was weary from the business of the day.

By the way, this passage clearly presents/humanity of the Lord.

• I praise the Lord that He understands our weakness.

• He is able to sympathize with us when we grow weary

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The Lord’s disciples were accustomed to being on the Sea of Galilee at night, they fishermen after all.

• While they rowed for/other side

• Tremendous storm engulfed their boat.

• They found themselves/fight/their very lives.

• Storm of unusual power and intensity.

• It terrified/disciples/caused them/fear for their lives.

On that dark/terrifying night, they experienced the Lord’s power to deliver them from the /storm/threatened to kill them.

I would like us to join/Lord/His men/they face/storm/their lives.

• They found themselves/hopeless situation

• There seemed to be no escape

• It was so intense they feared for their lives.

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We all find ourselves in storms from time to time.

• Everyone here is on a journey.

• Redeemed/sailing toward a place called Heaven.

• Lost/sailing toward a place called Hell.

As we sail, storms will arise and threaten our boats.

• Often, just like/disciples

• We come to believe/storms will destroy us.

• Not sent to destroy you, but to develop you.

• They may grind you at times/Lord use them to grow you.

I pray that God will use the truths from this passage to teach us that there is hope. Let’s explore these verses together today.

I. V. 37 THE REALITIES OF THIS STORM

This Storm Was Unexpected

• Mark tells us “a furious squall came up.”

• Storms like this/very common/Sea of Galilee.

• The Sea of Galilee is a most unusual body of water.

Below sea level and is surrounded by mountains, it is susceptible to sudden storms.

• Winds sweeping across the land come up and over the mountains, creating downdrafts over the lake.

• Storms like this one did not usually occur at night.

• disciples did not set out in a storm

• they did not expect to encounter a storm

• But a storm came anyway!

• That’s life isn’t it?

It can be calm sailing one minute, and the next, you are fighting for your life!

• One minute/enjoying fair weather

• The next, you find yourself/middle/terrible/horrible storm.

One phone call, one twenty-four hour period of time, one doctor visit, one tick of the clock, and you are in the storm of your life.

• The Bible says that/storms will come our way John 16:33.

In fact, you are in one of three places today.

• In a storm--just coming out storm--headed into storm.

• Sudden storms are a part of our lives.

This Storm Was Unrelenting

The storm continued its assault on that little boat until Mark tells us “the boat nearly swamped”.

• Mark tells us that this was a “furious” squall.

• Words means, “Exceeding, loud, large, mighty.”

• Refers/storm of extraordinary fierceness.

• Disciples felt no stability, no safety, and no security.

• A violent storm/middle/night.

• They could not determine their proximity to the shore.

• They were in terrible danger, and they knew it.

• They awoke the sleeping Savior and they cried

• “Help us Lord! This storm is killing us!”

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When our storms come, very often they are severe and they terrify us.

• They fill us with fear and worry.

• They blow in w/o warning and they increase in their intensity until it seems that they will never end.

The storms of sin arise.

• It rages within us and around us.

• When sin enters our hearts

• It always comes in as a pleasant, calm breeze.

• It promises us the best, but/soon displays/darker side.

It will rip through your life like a tornado leaving a trail of damage and destruction that can only be repaired by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and His forgiveness.

• Some are in that storm today!

• There is no storm on earth that Heaven cannot calm!

• No problem so great that Jesus cannot fix.

• Bring that storm to Him and watch Him deal with it!

This Storm Was Unusual - Where did this storm come from? It may have been natural, after all, the Sea of Galilee was susceptible to storms of this nature.