SURVIVING THE STORMS OF LIFE
MARK 4:35-41
1. Illus. of hurricane Fran
• In 1996, Fran came up the East Coast and ran straight into Raleigh NC.
• When it hit, winds were still over 80 miles an hour. Rain fell at a rate of over an inch an hour all through the night. I could hear the wind as it howled like a mad demon all night long.
• The next morning, our neighborhood looked as if a bomb had exploded. Houses literally destroyed by the wind and falling trees.
• The destructive force of a storm like that is incredible.
2. Sooner or later, you are going to discover that there are storms in life, just as there are storms in nature. While these storms come in many shapes and varieties, all of them are devastating.
Financial storms- “honey, we are broke.”
Medical storms- “your tests weren’t as good as we had hoped.”
Marital storms- “I’m not sure I can stay married to you any longer.”
Spiritual storms- “God, where are you?”
Job related storms- “we’re not pleased with your work.”
Emotional storms- “Sit down. I’ve got bad news about your dad, mom, child.”
3. In our text, Mark records how the disciples successfully endured the biggest storm of their lives.
4. It is possible for a Christian to survive the storms of life.
5. How do we survive the storms of life? Three principles we need to remember.
I. PRINCIPLE ONE: THE STORMS OF LIFE HAPPEN FOR A REASON
1. There is a cause, a reason, for every storm that comes into our life. If we can discover the reason, we can know how to respond.
2. Some storms are the natural consequences of our sinful choices:
We choose to abuse our bodies with drugs or alcohol, so we develop a diseased liver or heart.
We choose to live a sexually promiscuous lifestyle, so we get pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted disease.
Marry an unbeliever, so we experience the marital discord that comes from having different goals and gods.
If this is case, what can I do?
Illus. Of Joel (redeem the years the locust have eaten.)
3. Some storms are the result of God’s chastening:
Hebrews 12- God chastens His disobedient children.
If this is case, repent and get it straight
4. Some storms come because God wants to do a work in our lives that He cannot do in any other way:
See vs 35- they experienced storm because He deliberately sent them into it!
See vs 41- feared = reverential awe. They were beginning to understand that He was God! They didn’t see it in His teaching, or in way He cast out demons, or when He fed the multitudes with a few little loaves and fishes. They saw it once they had been through the storm!
If this is the case, our correct response is, “Father, I don’t know exactly what you are trying to do. But, I love you and trust you and ask for your perfect will to be done in my life.”
II. THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE NOT GREATER THAN JESUS
1. See vs 37-39.
2. Now the disciples were experienced fishermen. They were used to the storms that occurred on the Sea of Galilee. In spite of that, this storm was too big for them to handle.
3. When they turned to Jesus, do you know what they found? That the waves that were over their heads were under His feet! Jesus is master and lord of the storms of life!
4. Illus. of woman and traffic report
• “Car turned left, then right etc. and that’s when I lost control!”
• We look at the circumstances of our personal storms, and we think God has lost control. He has not!
5. Sometimes the Lord of the storm supernaturally delivers us from the storm. He just speaks the Word, and the circumstances of our storms just vanish. Sometimes the Lord of the storm chooses to deliver us through the storm. He doesn’t cause the storm to vanish, rather He gives us the day by day, hour by hour grace to keep putting one foot in front of the other until we have walked through the storm!
6. Paul shipwrecked in Acts- divinely delivers him from the storm. Upon the second occasion of his imprisonment in Rome, Paul is beheaded. He didn’t deliver him from the executioner’s sword, but the grace to walk through it. “I am now ready to be offered, for the time of my departure is at hand…”
7. Jesus may not choose to heal your sick loved one. He may instead choose to give you grace to walk through that time. Either way, Jesus is Lord of the Storm.
III. PRINCIPLE THREE: THE STORMS OF LIFE DO NOT LAST FOREVER
1. See vs 39- “the wind ceased, and there was a great calm…” No matter how violent the storm, sooner or later it comes to an end.
2. Illus. of woman giving testimony
• “I was at the end of my rope. I tied a knot and hung on, because I knew right then wouldn’t last forever!”
3. If you are in the middle of a storm today, don’t give up! No matter how deep the hurt, how dark the night, how lonely the path, IT DOES NOT LAST FOREVER.
CONCLUSION
1. Are you in the middle of a storm today?
• Happens for a purpose
• Jesus Lord of the storm
• Doesn’t last forever.
2.
