Having God’s Peace for Your Success Mark 4:35-41NLT
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. 38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
According to authorities, wind is a common occurrence on that lake, it’s about 690 ft. below sea level and surrounded by hills. Cool air from the Mediterranean is drawn down through the narrow mountain passes and clashes with the hot, humid air lying over the lake. Great windstorm, in Greek means, whirlwind. In this case, it was a storm so severe that it took on the properties of a hurricane.
I understand that when a hurricane occurs over the sea nothing in the eye of that storm should be tied down. The only hope to escape destruction is to untie any vessel.
Objects: The sea, a windstorms, high waves hitting the boat, boat filling with water- if nothing changes, what eventually will happen?
What is the ‘one thing’ that changes the whole equation within these verses?
Jesus was on board;the new covenant of grace, also known as the covenant of peace was on board.
We live in a world filled with attention getters. For many, first thing in the morning, they grab a news paper, and then before they go to bed they watch the news at night. PC’s, Laptops, Microwaves, flap phones, I Pods, Black Berry’s, I Phones, video cameras on every corner, Instant messaging, E-paying and Internet shopping, just to name a few.
*Mark 4:38 Say’s, Jesus was laying on a pillow fast asleep.
Jesus wasn’t being negligent, No, maybe He was exhausted from ministry; maybe He was totally worn out from doing the Father’s will.
Just maybe, He wanted to watch His disciples reaction to earthly elements. (What’s in you will come out!)
*Psalm 127:1-2NLT Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries (watchmen) will do no good. 2 It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.
I call this the (Earthly elements) the bread of sorrows, (useless) work so hard early morning until late at night-anxiously working for food. (Sorrow)
*John 6:35NIV Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
The world’s system represents the bread of sorrows. The world’s bread only depletes and drains you emotionally, adding stress, anxiety and worry. (Bad stress is a killer.)
The bread of sorrows and the old covenant work hand n hand. Listen to Hebrews 10:11-12NIV Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
Law covenant says, do, do, do- bread of sorrows, but the grace covenant speaks, done, done, done-favor, favor, favor! Old covenant says, be careful to keep; New covenant says, I will, I will, I will!
Have you ever wondered why some news and TV programs are positive, but most are very negative? It’s because of the fall of man, the world system feeds on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
On the other hand, when you are born from above, and you walk in your covenant rights of grace and favor, you feed on the person of Jesus who became the tree of life. There, you find His peace, his wisdom, joy and favor!
Look with me at Proverbs 4:20-22Amp. My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.21Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. 22For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.
God tells us to guard what we hear, what we see, and what is in our heart!
Listen to John 1:14Amp And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.
It’s all about beholding Jesus, and as we behold Him, we are transformed more and more into His likeness, full of unmerited favor and truth! (Say, Transfer)
Ears- filled with gracious words of Jesus. Eyes- filled with the presence of Jesus. Finally, a heart mediating on what you have heard and seen! (Say, REST)
Ask yourself, is my heart troubled; I’m I too stressed to be blessed?
(Place a chair on stage, and sit in it.) I saw a wild looking picture once, it was a painting of all different colors, up above, the clouds were black- right in the middle of all these thunderous colors, and black clouds, was a man sitting in a chair with his hands folded. (Shalom.)
Jesus said, John 14:27Amp Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
Jesus spoke Aramaic-Hebrew, therefore When He said, “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you.” The word ‘peace’ is ‘shalom.’ So Jesus actually said, Shalom I leave with you, My shalom I give to you.
In the Brown Driver&Briggs Hebrew Lexicon “shalom” is described as completeness, safety, soundness, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment, peace used in human relationship, peace with God especially in covenant relationship.
When you are in covenant with Christ, all these are part of your inheritance.
Perhaps you believed that God was angry and displeased with you. That’s why I John 4:18 says, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Perfect love is Jesus, grace and favor.
When you begin to get a revelation of His love, perfect and complete shalom will make you succeed in life! (All of heavens resources are on your side.)
Prayer.
