A RENEWED SENSE OF AWE
Mark 4:35-41
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday, March 1st, 2026)
King David said in Psalm 19:1-2, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge”. God’s creation is amazing, the sights and sounds of this world can be breathtaking. The skies above us, the nature around us, and the ground and waters below us reveal the all-powerful work of our Creator. However, we often fail to notice the beauty of God’s creation because we are focused on our tasks and responsibilities, or because we are distracted by the daily struggles of this life.
Every so often we get a glimpse of the majesty of God’s creation. We have the privilege of seeing a bright red sunrise or a beautiful golden sunset. When take a trip up into the mountains or travel down to the beach and we encounter various reminders of the reality that we belong to the Creator of the Universe. If even for a brief moment, it is beneficial for us to get away from the daily grind and stand in awe of God’s glory and His indescribable handiwork. Sometimes in those moments of serenity and solace we find a renewed sense of awe concerning God’s creation.
There are also moments in our walk with Jesus when we are reminded of just what an amazing privilege it is to belong to Him. We have a tendency to take our relationship with Christ for granted. We become so consumed with our daily lives that we forget about all of the amazing things that He has done, is doing, and has promised to do in our lives. In times such as these, it would help us to experience a renewed sense of awe concerning the power of Jesus Christ.
Our selected text covers a time when the Disciples experienced such a renewal. Though it was still relatively early in their walk with the Savior, they received a vivid reminder that they were not just walking with a good man, they were in the presence of God. I would like to examine this event that occurred on the Sea of Galilee and consider the thought “A Renewed Sense Of Awe”.
Jesus’ power over nature, demonic forces, and physical ailments has been on full display throughout the first four chapter of Mark’s Gospel account. Thus far, the Master has preached about the Kingdom, taught the crowds, cast out demons, cleansed lepers, helped Peter’s Mother-in-Law, and healed a vast multitude of sick people. He gave a paralyzed man the ability to walk, called the Disciples to follow Him, and spent ample time answering the critiques of the Pharisees.
On one occasion, after a long day of ministry and teaching various parables about the Kingdom of God, Jesus instructed His Disciples to get into a boat so that they could “cross over to the other side”. As these men journeyed across the Sea of Galilee a “great storm arose”. The boat transporting Jesus and the other boats that were with them were violently tossed on the water.
In the midst of this violent storm, when the Disciples felt that death was inevitable, Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the stern of the boat. Jesus knew His own power and ability, therefore there was no need for Him to fear the circumstances. This moment is also a fantastic reminder of the humanity of Jesus. After a long day of ministry, the Savior was physically exhausted.
The Disciples have already witnessed numerous evidences of the miracle working power of their Master. However, in a moment of great danger their fear overpowered their faith. We don’t know exactly how long they were in the storm before they cried out to Jesus, but Mark tells us that “the boat was filling with water” . At this point the Disciples were convinced that they were going to die.
Eventually, they went to Jesus and said, ““Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”. In response to their plea for help, Jesus “arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!”. With three simple words “the wind ceased and there was a great calm”.
Afterwards, Jesus rebuked the Disciples feelings of fear that were prompted by their lack of faith. He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”.These men had put their faith in Jesus to the point of forsaking all and following Him, yet in a moment of trouble they felt as if they had been abandoned by Him.
Though the storm was severe and the Disciples experienced a moment of fear and failure, this event produced the desired result. The Disciples saw indisputable evidence that they were in the presence of Almighty God! In response, they “feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”.
I would like for us to see how God uses metaphorical “storms” to produce a renewed sense of awe concerning our relationship with Jesus. First of all we will see that:
LIFE’S STORMS AFFECT ALL PEOPLE
Obviously our attention is drawn to the fact that Jesus and His Disciples experienced the affects of this great storm on the Sea of Galilee. However, Mark tells us that there were “other little boats also with Him”. The fact that these boats are said to be “with Jesus”, indicates that these were other followers of Christ, or at least people who had some interest in the Savior. This event occurred during the time of Jesus’ ministry where vast crowds surrounded Him everywhere He went.
Regardless of the identity of those in the other boats, they are a great reminder that all people endure times of trouble and heartache in this life. When your world is turned upside down and you deal with exceedingly difficult circumstances, it is important to remember that you are not the only one. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are dealing with storms. Furthermore, the lost people that you encounter on a daily basis are in the midst of their own troubles and tragedies. Believers and unbelievers alike enjoy good times and suffer through bad times.
We all experience pleasures and pain. Jesus said that the Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust”. The storms of life are universal; all people experience them. However, there are many instances where God uses metaphorical “storms” to perform a great work in the lives of those who belong to Him.
- Life’s storms affect all people; as we move further we will see that:
LIFE’S STORMS CAN BE SEVERE
v37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
The Disciples found themselves in the midst of a storm so great that the waves were tossing the boat on the Sea and the boat was filling up with water. Several of the Disciples had spent their lives on fishing boats and they knew how to handle rough waters, but this storm was so severe that things were beyond their control.
Many of us have endured various troubles and trials throughout our lives. Some of you seem to have endured the hardships of ten men! Those experiences have made you strong, in some cases much stronger than others. Unfortunately you may have the mindset that there is nothing that you cannot handle and as a result when storms come you attempt to “fix things” on your own. When your boat begins to be tossed, you grab the wheel. When you do this you fail to turn to Jesus.
Every one of us will face certain storms that are beyond our control at some point in this life. For the Christian, it is important for you to remember that you belong to the Master of the Sea. Like the Disciples, He is right there in the boat with you and if you will call on His name, He can speak peace in the midst of your storm.
Unfortunately, like the Disciples we have a tendency to wait far too long to cry out to the Master. As a result of this delay we may experience a wide range of emptions. This leads us to the next truth that I would like to consider. Notice that:
LIFE’S STORMS PRODUCE VARIOUS EMOTIONS
v38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
- This storm produced a variety of emotions in the lives of the Disciples. It is clear that one of those emotions was:
CONFUSION
Jesus had informed these men of many grand and glorious plans that He had for their lives. Surely they thought, “how can we be used of God, how can we impact the Kingdom, how will we ever be successful at fishing for men if we die on this boat?” This storm was so severe that they were certain that they would die. Therefore it was exceedingly perplexing to them as to why God would allow them to go through this and why Jesus was still asleep in the stern of the boat.
As Christians we have surrendered to Jesus. We know that He has a perfect plan for our lives and it is His desire to use us for the advancement of His Kingdom. Because of this, when we go through unexpected and severe storms we are often confused as to why.
We ponder why we must experience such pain and difficulty. We want to know the purpose of our troubles. There are times when we wonder why it seems that God is not present. Or even worse, if He is with us, why will He not calm our storm!
In times such as this, our confusion has a way of morphing into distrust. This leads us to another emotion that I think the Disciples experienced in the midst of the storm and that is:
DOUBT
I cannot help but wonder if these men thought to themselves, “did we make a mistake?” “Did we forsake our homes, our families, and our livelihood for nothing”. Perhaps they even wondered for a brief moment, “is this man really who He says He is?”.
We have all had those moments where troubles come and God seems a million miles away and we ask similar questions: “Is it worth it?”. “Is what the Bible says really true?”. “Is God real?”. “Is He there and does He care about the troubles that I am enduring?”.
Sometimes storms cause us to experience confusion that leads to doubt. Our doubts often lead to another emotion that I would like to consider and that is:
FRUSTRATION
You can hear the frustration in the voices of the Disciples as they cried out, “teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”. In those times when it appears that God is silent, inactive, and seemingly unconcerned about our troubles we experience a certain level of frustration.
There is another emotion that the Disciples may have experienced there on the Sea of Galilee and that is:
ANGER
We might as well be honest enough to admit that sometimes the storm is so violent and lasts for so long that our frustrations turn into anger. The Disciples have been tossed around on this boat for some time. The wind is still blowing, the waves continue to crash, and now the boat is filling up with water. Though they are in the midst of a great storm, they initially had a sense of security and a place of refuge in that little boat. But now, even that is being threatened. If the waters continued to fill the boat, it will sink and they will die!
Clearly the faith of the Disciples was failing, but there was still an element of faith within these men. Oddly enough, I think that measure of faith may have contributed to their frustration and anger. These men had seen many amazing miracles performed at the hands of Jesus. They knew of His awesome power over natural and supernatural forces. They had seen Him heal and deliver people who had not given up anywhere near as much as they had. Yet here they are, (men who had forsaken all and followed Jesus) and it seems as if death is inevitable and Jesus doesn’t appear to care!
You my currently find yourself in a similar situation. You have endured a long violent storm and you are confused, doubtful, frustrated, and angry. Perhaps you look at other people who (in your mind) have not given up anywhere near as much as you to follow Jesus, and their life seems to be the parabolical “bed of roses”. Even worse, you may see those who do not even profess to know Christ and others who are diametrically opposed to the Savior and it seems that their lives are perfect while yours is falling apart. This is a flawed view but it is a natural one and it tends to take us from frustration to anger.
Confusion, doubt, frustration and anger are all emotions that we will experience in the midst of life’s storms. Though these emotions are indicators of a “faith failure”, they can be beneficial. This is because after we throw our little temper tantrum and vent all of our frustrations we tend to reach a place of desperation.
This is another emotion that was experienced by the Lord’s Disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Let’s take a moment and consider:
DESPERATION
After trying to handle things on their own (and failing miserably), and after enduring this rollercoaster of emotions, the Disciples finally came to the end of themselves. They were desperate and they went to where Jesus was, woke Him up, and cried out in desperation for the Master to do what only He could do.
Perhaps you have been enduring the worst storm of your life. Your circumstances have caused you to be confused, doubtful, frustrated and angry. You have tried everything within your power to change your circumstances. Now, instead of things getting better, your situation has become far worse. If so, you must do what these men did, you must come to the end of yourself, reach a place of desperation, and cry out to Jesus.
This storm did not take Jesus by surprise. He had a purpose and a plan to use this occasion to reveal His power and strengthen the faith of His chosen men. Though it may seem cruel that He allowed them to face the things that they faced, He caused them to reach a place of desperation and desperation leads to dependance.
That is what He wants for you today! Jesus wants you to realize just how powerless you are and how powerful He is. It is His desire for you to stop striving on your own and to come to a place of complete dependance upon Him.
As difficult and distressing as life’s storms may be, none are without a purpose. Jesus had a purpose in putting the disciples in this boat and He has a purpose for your current circumstances as well. Look with me to verses 39-41 as we see that:
LIFE’S STORMS HAVE A PURPOSE
Every step of the Disciples three-year journey with Jesus had a purpose. Likewise, everything that we experience in the Christian life is purposeful. This event on the Sea of Galilee shows us that:
STORMS CAUSE US TO TURN TO JESUS
This storm was so severe that the Disciples realized that their circumstances were beyond their control. As a result, they turned to Jesus.
We should never treat our blessed Savior as if He is the last resort. But, if we are honest this is a far too common reality for many Christians. There will be times in the midst of the storm when we finally come to our senses and realize that we are powerless but we belong to the all-powerful Savior. Furthermore, the wonderful news is that when we turn back to Him, He is always there! He is present and He is powerful!
- This leads us to another purpose of life’s storms. Notice:
STORMS REVEAL THE POWER OF JESUS
v39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
The Disciples were desperate for Jesus’ help, but there is no way that they could have expected Him to respond in the manner that He did. When they cried out to Him, “He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (v39)
I cannot tell you when, and I cannot tell you how Jesus will move concerning the troubles that you are currently enduring. But the power that is seen in this passage (and all throughout the Gospels) is proof that He is present in your storm. Moreover, He has the power to speak “peace be still” and calm the most severe of storms!
Is it possible that you have “lost your awe” concerning Jesus Christ? If so, the purpose of your storm may be for Him to reveal His power and to produce a renewed sense of awe that will strengthen your faith!
- Storms Cause Us To Turn To Jesus, Storms Reveal The Power Of Jesus, and:
STORMS STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH IN JESUS
v40 …He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Peter, Andrew, James, & John had already experienced the power of Jesus to the point that they were completely astonished. They made the decision to forsake everything they knew and follow Jesus after another powerful moment on a boat. In Luke 5 Jesus instructed Peter to launch out into the deep in order to draw in a large haul of fish. Though His words didn’t make sense at the time, Peter obeyed and those four fishermen brought in so many fish that their nets were breaking and their ships were sinking. Now Jesus has performed and even greater miracle in their presence and these men experienced a renewed sense of awe concerning their Master.
Some of us have been walking with Jesus for many years. We have enjoyed His presence and we have experienced His power. However, there are times, (even among those who faithfully walk with the Savior) that we “lose our awe”. We begin to do things in our own power and in the process we fail to rely on Jesus. Storms come and we attempt to right the ship or remove the water that is filling our boat without calling on and trusting in the Savior.
Inevitably in times such as this we will find ourselves in a situation where we finally realize that our only hope is to cry out to Jesus. In His infinite wisdom, our Lord has a way of displaying His matchless power and renewing our sense of awe in Him. He also uses our time in the midst of powerful storms to increase our faith in Him.
Storms have a purpose; usually multiple purposes. Jesus can use times of trouble, pain, and heartache to cause you to turn to Him. He can use periods of tragedy and uncertainty in your life to reveal His awesome power. And He can use the severest of storms to increase your faith in Him.
I know that many of you are going through some exceedingly severe storms as we speak. For some of you, this current season is the most difficult period that you have ever endured. It is natural to want Jesus to immediately speak “peace, be still” and calm your storm. But the reality is, God’s divine timeline and our own preferred timeline are rarely the same. Let me encourage you, to hold on to the promise that He is present in your storm, and trust Him to keep you safe until that storm is over.
“”In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by””
“”Til the storm passes over, 'til the thunder sounds no more
'Til the clouds roll forever from the sky
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand
Keep me safe 'til the storm passes by”’
There will be times in this life when it seems that there is no hope. If you belong to Jesus, rest in the fact that He will indeed keep you safe until the storm passes by.
Life’s storms affect all people, they can be severe, and they produce various emotions. You may experience confusion, doubt, frustration, anger, and desperation. When you are in the midst of a great storm, don’t forget that storms cause us to turn to Jesus, they reveal the power of Jesus, and they strengthen our faith in Jesus. After seeing how Jesus works miracles in the midst of the storm, it just may produce “A Renewed Sense Of Awe”.
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