Mark 4: 35-41
OVERVIEW
Book is authored by Mark, also known as John Mark. As the 2nd of the gospel, it is also the shortest and most brief; it gives just factual details of the encounters of Jesus Christ. Mark focuses more on the miracles that were performed.
In the passage of scriptures we find Christ after His parable teachings out on the boat. He had just taught them parables of a sower, as v. 14 states, “ The sower soweth the word”. Those who sow on good ground, and bears the word, bring forth fruit.
It reminds me over the theory, if a tree falls in the forest does anybody hear it? Well if you go out into an empty world, and you stand and proclaim God’s word, can anybody hear it? Its not just about the word that you sow, but the ground you stand on to proclaim. From the mountaintop, the valley, the pulpit, the jail cell, the nursing home, at home, at work, where is it that you sow? V. 23 says “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” So Jesus taught unto them to proclaim the word far and near, whether it be 1 or 1000.
So we find Him here after teaching them for the day, in the evening, departing from the shore on their ship. They were going to go from one side of the waters to the other side….the OTHER SIDE. Now I don’t know much, but I know a little bit about waters. Waters are always different in different places. I grew up in Cleveland, right on Lake Erie. However our side of the lake was different in other areas, than where it was in Detroit or Buffalo, and also Canada. I found it unusual as a child that my Dad and his fishing buddies, would load up and drive an hour to PA, just to go fishing in the same lake. I went out to the Jersey Shore a few weeks ago, and it would be safe to say the waters & oceans at the Jersey Shore are different from those on the French Riveria. Beaches in Iceland are a contrast to those of Bermuda.
One destination has a distinct uniquenesss than the other, yet they share the same waters. It doesn’t just instantaneously change, there’s some transitions between that goes on.
Just as in our lives, we are on one side but to reaching to get to the OTHER SIDE, it’s not going to be just a quick direct trip. There’s going to be some turbulence sometimes. Storms will come about in reaching our God given destination. The winds and currents sometimes blow us off track. The enemy will work to steer you off course. Haters will try and send you the wrong direction. I want to let you know God’s got a blessing on the other side, if you just hold your peace, let the Lord fight your battles. VICTORY…shall be mine!
So as now they are in their ships, and preparing to head over to the other side. So as they made their journey across to the other side V. 37 says “a great storm of wind beat into the ship”. So much as the water came and filled this ship up. Wind storms blew the water so high it came over in the boat.
Understand something, we don’t get them here, but windstorms are considered to be very dangerous. Wind storms are the 2nd highest cause of global catastrophes, only behind hurricanes. There was a Wind Storm just this year, hit in Portugal, Spain, and France, with winds at 142 mph.
Now realize this ship wasn’t the Royal Carribean, or one of the fishing boats from Deadliest Catch, where the water runs through grooves and back out into the water. V. 36 says “little ships”. So imagine the gale force of the winds.
So as the water came into the boat, they began to worry. So they thought, on one hand we have on this boat, the Son of God..if we have Him, we should be OK and nothing SHOULD happen to us…as God will take care of His own, Amen? But as the storm continued, doubt and fear began to creep up. Its as if “yes”, we know God is God and He can do anything. But when moments come when our backs are up against the wall, we panic because God is not moving quickly enough for us. It’s like…
• “I’ve had enough of this, I need to get out of this mess of a situation”.
• I’m tired of this job, they get on my nerves every day. And they won’t give me a raise.
• I’m sick of this car, every time you look around, something else is breaking down on it.
• I’m sick of being single. Everybody else has somebody, I’m tired of being lonely, and by myself. Plus I got “needs”.
It’s as if the “Popeye” mentality kicks in; I STANDS ALL I CAN STANDS, AND I CAN’T STANDS NO MORE! We are fed up with what we are going through and dealing with, so we need to find a way out of the situation that we are in. The weight of the world is on your shoulders, and the world is going to end if this doesn’t stop. But understand and rest assured, much as the storm may be, it can be endured.
Now mind you, in what was going on, (in the scriptures) it never rained. It never said the ship was wrecked. So in the midst of the storm, God will never put more on us than we can bear. While it seems like in going through we’re not going to make, understand the battle is like a WWE wrestling match. The outcome has been fixed and if you continue through the blood, sweat, and tears, you will be victorious at the end.
So while they were enduring a wind storm that brought water overboard, there was never a “mayday” moment. So while Jesus was sleep, the shipmates were freaking out, in panic mode. They ran down to wake Jesus as he was still sleep in the midst of the storm. They all were worried, asking was He going to let them die in this windstorm. Basically, “uhhh, hellooooooo, Jesus, we got a big storm up here that’s about to kill us, care to do something here about this?”
See understand, Jesus was the human form of God. At this time, after having the all day workshops, giving vacation bible school lessons, He was just tired. So in the midst of slumber and sleep is when the storm arose. Understand when you’re going through what you’re going through, and it seems like God is not there, He won’t answer your beckoning call, and He seems to be nowhere to be around. And you don’t know where to go or be.
God is not a God of immediate response on to your own personal agenda. You make a mess, and since we are His own we fell like, “Ok Lord, get me out of this”. God being omnipresent is still there. While he may not be working it out in that moment, God is still there. He may not be moving as you want in your life, you wonder where is God? Is He gone? I just want to let you know on this day, God is not dead, he’s just might be sleeping.
Now I can imagine Jesus, and since we’re His children, He was a bit aggravated that he was awaken from His good sleep he was getting. After teaching all day parables, that in order to sow good fruit, you must have good ground. What was the teaching for if the works is not to be put into use? But God, being God and God alone, didn’t say anything to the shipmates. He got up out of bed, walked right past them, came out from below where He was sleeping, spoke to the winds and seas, and said 3 words, “Peace be Still”.
Now understand peace. Dictionary.com defines peace as freedom from commotion, any strife or dissension.
When God seems to be sleep in your life, and everything in and around you is in a whirlwind, I want to let you know, He can arise speak peace. No matter what your circumstances or situations
• When Mom & Dad don’t seem to understand, God can speak peace in your family
• When bills are due, and debt is mounting, God can speak peace in your finances
• When love brings about heartache, God can speak peace into your relationship
• When recession brings cutbacks and layoffs are occurring, God can speak peace into your job.
Peace in the midst of chaos; Peace in the midst of confusion; Peace in heartache; Peace in despair.
When God decides to arise & speak, expect the supernatural to happen. Why? Just because, he’s God.So now as God spoke to the winds and waves, and they laid down and shut up. Now He turned His attention to the shipmates. He looked upon them and spoke, “what you skurred of?”
So understand, at times in our lives when we’re dealing with tornados touching down in our home (not on our home, but in our home), leaving a path of destruction. We endure with Category 4 Hurricanes in our families, where everything that comes in contact is destroyed. We interact with a 5 alarm blaze fire on our jobs, well all hell is breaking loose. Just when things couldn’t get any worse in our lives, a Nor’easter blizzard of drama comes into our life, leaving us knee deep in mess.
So in the midst of everything being nothing, happenings going nowhere, and it seems that Jesus has left us AWOL. Our backs is up against the wall, and the wall behind us is seems to be giving way. At that moment giving in seems to be our only choice. Bankruptcy no longer looks like an option. Foreclosure is not just a choice in the matter. Divorce IS the solution. A pay cut has to work. Suicide doesn’t seem so bad after all.
Everything that could go wrong has done so, and everything that was to go right went wrong as well. The good went bad, and the bad went worse. But I want to let you know, just when you think your boat is about to capsize, when it seems time to go overboard, God arises in and gives you PEACE in your life, PEACE in your home, PEACE in your finances, PEACE in your mind, PEACE in your spirit.
People may have seen you going crazy, your hair falling out, bags under your eyes, pain suffering through out. But God, who was just resting, taking a cat nap, getting a bit of shut eye, decides to arise in your life, and then begins to speak into your life.
• Blessings of approvals, blessing of matrimony, blessing of promotions, blessings of togetherness.
• Blessing over here, blessing over there, blessing in the back, blessing in the front, blessing on the side, blessing on the top, blessings on the bottom, blessing going out, blessing coming in. Blessings on top of blessings on top of blessings.
So many blessings that, “here you take some”. Yes, I know you don’t like me, I know you can’t stand me, but here, I got more blessings, exceeding and abundant than I know what to do with. I know you stabbed me in the back and lied on me to get ahead, but God double portioned me. So while you made 1 step, God took me 2.
People might wonder, what’s wrong with you? Don’t you know I can’t stand you? What’s up with all this? YOU BETTA ASK SOMEBODY! ! God came to give me peace and favor in my life.
I’m not worried anymore, because I have peace that passes all understanding. God have me a new lease on life, with a great financing. An APR rate that no dealer can touch. I don’t even have to have a background check. It’s not about what I once was, it’s not about what I once did, who I did it with. My title is free and clear. I don’t have to put anything down, because one day Jesus put it all down for me.
When Jesus went up to Calvary’s cross, hung bled and died. Then after died, was put in a temporary tomb. I’m so glad today it was only…temporary. That he thought enough that my sins could be washed away. That my life could be everlasting. He thought there’s no reason just to stay in this tomb anymore. 3 days is long enough. Nap time is over. It’s time to arise! For healing, for salvation, for deliverance. And for PEACE!
Like the songwriter says…
I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very (very very) deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more, but the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, and from the waters, he lifted me, now safe am I.
