Sermon Central
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Peace Be Still! He Really Cares!
Contributed by Victor Ramlall on Sep 3, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: We can have peace in the midst of the storms because He said we are going over and not under and because He is there watching over His word to perform it.
Mar 4:35-41 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. (36) And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. (37) And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. (38) And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? (39) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (40) And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (41) And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Looking at this Scripture portion we observe several "great things" about it:
A great multitude of people v.1
A great company of ships v. 36
A great storm of wind v. 37
A great inundation of the ship v. 37
A great sleep by the Master v. 38
A great accusation by the disciples v. 38
A great rebuke of the wind v. 39
A great calm v. 39
A great lack of faith v. 40
A great fear v. 41
A great Man v. 41
This leads me to exclaim
What a multitude of people hungry for the Word! What a company of ships following the Master! What a storm that filled the ship! What a sleep of the Master in the wet and filled boat! What an accusation by the disciples! What a rebuke of nature! What a resulting calm! What a great lack of faith! What a fear and finally... What a MAN!!!!!
And we should now all ask ourselves the question;
WHAT VITAL LESSON(S) CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS INCIDENT?
Let's look at a few:
Lesson No 1
WHEN GOD GIVES YOU A COMMAND HE MEANS PRECISELY THAT:
YOU CAN HAVE AND EXPRESS COMPLETE CONFIDENCE AND FAITH IN GOD'S COMMANDS
If He said Let us go over then I can assure you that is exactly what He means! You are going OVER NOT under!!!
Jesus was making use of someone's docked ship as a pulpit to speak to the multitude gathered, HUNGRY to hear His doctrine. He was thus able to avoid the crowd pressing in and to communicate unhindered.
Mar 4:1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
After concluding His address, His express command was "Let us go over to the other side." It is vital to note that our Lord Who is Yahweh Incarnate has issued a command which includes those present with Him.
Let US go OVER the other side!
He was not planning on going alone thus the command says US!
He was not planning for them to go UNDER thus the command to let US go OVER!
Having made His intentions and plans clear and giving His WORD concerning it our Lord went to sleep.
It is interesting to note that the Word says in Psa 121:3-4 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
I believe Psalm 121
harmonizes perfectly with this incident! Here in the psalm we see Yahweh does not sleep yet Jesus is reported to be sleeping in the boat. Being manifested in the flesh He can enjoy the ability to sleep but because He is also Yahweh He maintains constant watch and thus is aware of what is happening all the time anywhere, any time! He was therefore aware of the approaching storm...He is aware of the intensity but it is OK because He is right them WITH them. Storm or no storm Yahweh is right there ... for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Heb 13:5-6
You may ask the question,
"Where is God when I am in all my distresses?"
"Where is God when bad things are happening to me?"
Let me assure you that He is right there with you and you may think that He is sleeping and you may be accusing Him of being uncaring, but He is fully aware of all that is happening to you and He will keep you in the midst of whatever is happening to you, What is happening in your home, in your family, at your workplace in whatever situation that He commands REMEMBER He is there! He may not take you out of it but HE WILL KEEP you in the midst of it. TRUST HIM! Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
