Trusting Christ through Life’s Storms
Mark 4:35-41
September 9, 2007
Sermon series: Following Christ
Introduction
Today’s message is third in our sermon series: Following Christ. In our previous sermon we have learn that following Christ is to Place Christ above all others; Sacrifice our personal goal; Lay our possession to Him. Following Christ likewise cost us something. It cost out personal “comfort zone”; it requires self-denial and sacrifice; it cost our personal priorities; and it cost our personal relationship.
So brethren following Christ is not that seems so smooth sailing or easy. Sometimes as we go through we have experienced storms and difficulties that just overwhelmed us. Sometimes we are busy in our work, in our school, and in our family and something go wrong...
Brethren there are different things in life that can throw us over the edge. Sometimes we’re exhausted and been weary that seems things are out of control. This pit of despair cause us to feel as if we are overwhelmed before we know what’s going on we feel we are out of control. We can’t do much better with our own strength.
So, life seems chaotic. Ever you felt like that? Sometimes we’re out of control? Because of such magnitude we tend to ask, “Why these things happen? Then we come to the point of asking the question: Does God really cares what I feel? Is He really concern about me? I’m drowning in this storm of life?
Brethren, this is the kind of situation we find in the life of the disciples here in our text. They experienced lives that hang in the balance. They have been STRETCH to the limit.
This brief event in the earthly life of our Savior and the disciples is recorded by the Holy Spirit three times. He intends for us to remember it and learn by it. The story is written for our learning and admonition, that we might be prepared for the storms of life.
Proposition: It is easy for us to look at the storms of life, the difficulties, the hardships; but we have to trust Christ has power even over nature and our circumstances.
Before we proceed to the message let’s have some observations.
OBSERVATION
A. At Evening – the day had been exhausting for Jesus. He was tired. Luke and Mark account of the event suggest that Jesus has spent a full day teaching and preaching the parables.
B. He went to shore (v.35) – Jesus said “Let us go to the other side.” As been pointed out, Jesus had been teaching all day to a crowd of people. The crowd was so big and pressing that they had forced Him off the shore. It strains the strongest nerves. The fatigue and exhaustion of His Body were seen in the fact that left immediately to the shore.
Hampton Keathley IV , Th.M. commented:
It says they took Him “Just as He was.” “Just as he was” probably means he was exhausted. After all, He fell asleep in the boat. He needed to rest after a long day of preaching. Here we see His humanity emphasized.
C. Other ships went also (v.36) – This is an interesting note. Matthew and Luke did not include this statement in their account. Mark adds that to reassure us that what happened during that journey was not an hallucination.
“these seem to be ordered in providence to be in company, that they might be witnesses of the after miracle.” (John Gill commentary)
D. A great storms (v.37) – The idea is that the wave repeatedly throwing themselves into the ship. In Matthew account uses the word “tempest” (KJV). The idea in Greek is something like a violent earthquake.
“Tempest” comes from the Greek word si’-o. Apparently a primary verb; to rock (vibrate, properly sideways or to and fro), that is, (generally) to agitate (in any direction; cause to tremble); figuratively to throw into a tremor (of fear or concern): - move, quake, shake.
C. The boat was filled with water (37b) – The idea is that the boat was filled to the full with sea water. Sea of Galilee is very shallow and very large. Just a little wind will make 6 foot waves. Imagine at night in a storm there would be 10 to 12 foot waves at least. The disciples knew that the capsized boat means death. Remember the storms happen at night.
D. Jesus slept (v. 38) – While the disciples lives were in jeopardy, Jesus Christ was in the back of the boat sleeping. It shows here the humanity of Jesus Christ. He was exhausted and He got to sleep.
E. He awoke and rebukes the wind (v.39) – Jesus Christ demonstrates that He is the ruler of the storm.
F. He rebukes the disciples (v.40-41) –
Most of these men have grown up around Galilee. They are familiar of the place. Some of them are season fishermen. No doubt they have been or brave the storm on Galilee before. But this time was so different. They were afraid. They were terrified. They tried to handle the situation but it seems this time they were out of control.
Brothers and sisters, what we will learn from this passage of scriptures are essential for growth for us as Christians.
What does God the Holy Spirit mean for us to learn from this story that he has recorded for us in his Word? Let me share with you three things.
I. The disciples were on the shore because of God’ direction (v.35-36)
Notice that the events surrounding the ministry of Christ are not some sort of coincidence or chance but of divine direction. Jesus has been ministering from Galilee for quite sometimes now. He spend the whole day preaching the word of God and do some miracles. He was so exhausted and tired. He seeks to have a break. He wants to stay away with the crowds. So He asks the disciples to come with Him across the other side of Galilee.
We read in verse 35 that it was Jesus who had taken the initiative in asking about taking this trip. He says, “let’s pass on over to the other side. And without any preparation they left to the other side (verse 36). The apostle who are with Jesus are not by accident, not by coincidence. This is Jesus saying, “let’s go get in.”
What I want to share with you is that the apostle is acting in the obedience to the LORD. Now certainly the disciples at this point in their lives were not spiritual giants. But they were walking with Him. They were seeking His direction. They were at seems walking in obedience to Jesus.
II. Following Christ will not shield us from the storms of life. (v.37)
Here are our Lord’s chosen disciples, the first believers of this gospel age, men who had forsaken family, friends and livelihood to follow Christ. They were saved men. They were true believers. But suddenly, without warning, they are in the midst of a howling storm. The fear of death seizes their hearts. And it looks like death cannot be averted by any means. It seems their lives are falling apart. Fear engulf them.
What these faithful men experienced that evening all faithful men and women experience in this world. How often that’s the case in our lives isn’t it? Maybe you been busy working with the Lord; maybe you’ve been “genuinely walking before God, genuinely trying to serve Him, but life falling completely apart. Our lives seems to chaotic, seems to be out of control.
Some of us think that when you become a Christians and do the will of God, the life seems so easy, so seems smooth sailing. No, that’s further from the truth. Though you are a believer, though you follow Christ, you will have your appointed share of sickness and pain, sorrow and weeping, vexations and disappointments, partings and separations, bereavement and death.
Some of us view the storms of life, the difficulties, and the pain in various ways:
a. Storms of life, difficulties, and the pain are instruments of God to punish the unbelievers. Certainly that’s true. God uses difficulties, adversaries of lives to deal with the sins of the unsaved. But we have to be careful how we view people suffering in adversity.
b. Some view the storms of life for the unsaved and God uses it to bring them to repentance and accept Christ. Sometimes God uses drastic action to get sinners attention and bring to a place where they are willing to trust Christ alone for salvation.
c. Some view the storm of life are for unspiritual, meaning for unspiritual Christians. There are Christians who are not walking in the will of God. God chastise them not punishing them for their sins. But this is where God bringing back wayward Christians to Himself. Well that’s true. God sometimes uses the storms of life to bring us into our senses.
d. Storms are for spiritual people of God too. Storms are for people who are walking with God. God uses trial and storms of life to GROW us spiritually.
Brethren, in the midst of storms we don’t understand why these are happening. We often ask, “what is God trying to accomplish.”? We cannot always discern what God is dealing with. But God is at work through the storms of life, working in us for His glory and for our good.
Paul in Romans 5:3 says, “We glory in tribulation.”
But our natural question is , “why”?
What so great about tribulation?
In this passage, there’s a reason we have to glory, and that In Christ, tribulation, storms and difficulties are profitable for us. They are good for our spiritual growth. In Christ our DREAD becomes DELIGHT.
“The Christian life is intended to be one of continous growth. We want to grow, but we often resist the PROCESS. This is because we tend to focus on the events of adversity themselves, rather than looking with the eye of FAITH beyond the events to what God is doing in our lives.” ( Jerry Bridges -Trusting God Even when Life Hurts )
We can look forward to the things that are difficult because God uses them for our good and for His glory.
III Storms of life teaches us to be dependence (v.38)
In this verse picture to us the humanity of Christ and the respond of the disciples.
When the waves began to break upon the ship, we read that the Lord Jesus was "in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow." And he was physically exhausted. This is written to show us his manhood.
Now, let’s look at the attitude of the disciples. Luke’s account give us more insights than Matthew and Luke. When the storm began to toss their little boat, in fear and unbelief, they awoke the Lord Jesus and spoke sharply to him, saying,
“Teacher do you not care if we perish?”
You could see their discontentment; they think Jesus Christ doesn’t seem to care. They cry in distrust.
They should have believed more. They should have trusted him more. But fear has no logic. You cannot reason with fear. These poor men heard the wind, saw the waves, felt the waters beating upon them, and they quickly forgot all that they had seen and heard.
How often it is that we struggle of the very same things as we faced the storms, the difficulties in life. When they are tough one, the first is that we DOUBT the goodness of God.
That’s exactly what the disciple did when they faced the storm and said, “Don’t you care?” Are you concerned about us? Our lives are threatened.
Verse 40 “Why are you fearfull? Have you no faith?”
The word “fearful” means “cowardly” or “timid” (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek dictionary)
You see Jesus is rebuking them here. To Jesus this kind of fear even in the middle of the storm in this magnitude is completely unwarranted.
Why it is unwarranted? Because they acted not in accordance of what they know about Jesus.
They have been with Jesus. They spent the days with Jesus. They should have known Jesus who He was. But instead of TRUSTING Christ, they PANIC.
At this point, Jesus revealed to them their lack of faith, distrust in Him. They wish to see the weakness of their faith.
It is very easy to say I trust the Lord when things are good. The real test is when things are BAD. That’s the real test of our TRUST to Him.
We have to realize that storms in life don’t bring a lack of faith. Instead it revealed what is inside of us. It reveals what is lacking in us: FAITH.
So, God is using the storms of life to see what is lacking in us, for us to grow. Christ wants the perfection of our faith (James 1:4)
III In the storm they saw divine dominion
In verse 39, Jesus Christ rebukes the wind.
The winds blew. The waves arose. The ship tossed to and fro. The disciples were horrified. But then, the Lord Jesus Christ "arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was great calm." Here is the Lord God, displaying his total sovereignty!
He shows us that He is the Ruler of the Storm. He alone we can TRUST.
He is not unaware of what is going on in our lives. He does concern what’s going on.
Isn’t it true that it is in the storm of life when trials, difficulties test us to the limits? Isn’t it true that we need to see the power of God working in our lives when we were in the WEAKEST we experienced God’s power in plain view?
Paul understands this.
Read 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Paul realized that weaknesses were an opportunity for God to display His power. If we faced the same trials, difficulties we need to remember that this an opportunities to see God works in all His power, in all His majesty.
Verse 41 shows that they didn’t have a good understanding who Jesus was.
So, the storms open their lack of FAITH and to their ignorance of Jesus Christ.
So, here in these passages, the storms of life do have a purpose. They are going somewhere. We have to TRUST God. He knows what is best for us, for our good. He is trustworthy. We must lay hold to the promise of God according to the scriptures. He promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5)
In Psalm 56:4 David said, “In God I trust; I will not be afraid.”
Remember, God is using the storms of life to show our lack of faith and to keep us from depending upon ourselves but to TRUST God.
Brethren I encouraged you to put our TRUST and FAITH to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
In closing let me share these thoughts with you:
a. that when storms of life arose, always remember God is sovereign. Jesus is on His throne. He is in complete control of our lives.
b. that God is good. He is concern about our lives. He cares. He loves you.
c. He has a plan. This storms of life does not happen without any purpose: for His glory and for our good.
d. the storms of life are essential for our growth as believers.
e. Whatever circumstances we may have, we must believe, on the basis of His promise.
f. Put your TRUST and FAITH to the one who promise, “I never leave you nor forsake you.”
The storms He sends our way are to build our faith. The storms He sends our way will not last forever. That is not to say they may not last the rest of our natural lives, but one day, all the storms will be over.
