Illustration: (Ship in a storm)
The thunder roared like a waking dragon. As the water churned and the ship rocked wildly like a kite on a string. I watched helplessly as the splinter sized crack in the mast grew until I was sure it would snap. The crew on deck wallowed and struggled to move in the thigh deep water to try and keep the ship afloat and the sails from flapping. I scream in horror as the young man, no older than sixteen got swept away into the horrendous sea. The waves surged into the ship harder and faster than before. The ship was getting pulled out to sea in a rip like a dog on a leash. Just when it seemed we would all get out alive, the mast snapped in half pinning three men to the ground. The men on board were very pessimistic about their chance of survival. Some of the least loyal crew members jumped off the ship and landed with a tiny splash in the water. When they started swimming they were immediately sucked under by an abnormal power. The boat was tossed and turned like a rag doll for many days and nights. When the storm finally eased there were only twelve survivors.
I stood up and clapped...Just like everyone else in the theater. (1)
Our Scripture Text today has a story about a storm in the sea of Galilee in Biblical times. We can render some really good thoughts and discussions here.
Mark 4:35-41
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
We need to know who Jesus really is. Even these that were traveling with him and believed Scripture didn’t know Jesus as the Son of the Most High God. They knew him only as a man, a Rabbi, a Prophet, an Evangelist, a country preacher, a good man, the son of Joseph and Mary after all they even knew his brothers and sisters. But they had seen or was going to see him Baptized, they had seen him heal, they had heard him bring the Scriptures alive to them and even 5000 men and the women and children that were there at one time. They were there when his mother and brothers came to get him and bring him home so he could rest but he kept going.
This Jesus isn’t just a man. He was conceived in the belly of a 13 or some say 17 year old virgin girl by the Holy Spirit. They didn't know our Jesus. Because they didn't believe His story. They couldn't see him as truly man and truly God walking among them.
Do we know our Jesus? I mean do we really know who this Savior of ours is?
The old saying: Any port in a storm – pertaining to storms coming from the sea– don't really know about ships. The first thing a ship does is put to sea during a storm. They ride it out in the storm because it's the safest spot on earth for a ship. We can't control storms so we head out to sea and join the storm. The crew has faith in their Captain and the crew. They batten down the hatches and everything else and head out to sea. They have faith in the crew and their Captain and the builders of their ship.
Whatever we do, don’t tie up to the docks with ropes, if you are off the coast don't drop anchor during a massive storm it probably won't hold.
LET GO AND LET GOD. God is our Captain and the crew is Jesus and the holy spirit. We need to be like ships that go to sea when a storm is coming. Have faith in your ship. The storm won't last forever. You will come back to port. Life will continue on for us.
DO YOU KNOW THE REAL JESUS THE CHRIST?
Untie from the dock and LET GOD BE FREE!
Note (1): https://www.write4fun.net/view-entry/53652
