JESUS CALMED THE STORM
Mark 4:35-41
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A doctor called a man into his office and said, "I've got some bad news and some worse news. The bad news is, you have a terminal disease and have only 10 days to live."
2. The man looked at him in astonishment and finally said, "What news could be worse than that?" The doctor replied, "We couldn't get a hold of you for nine days!"
3. There are times in our lives when we feel that things really aren't going very well.
4. It’s Hurricane Season. If a hurricane comes, thousands of people will flee from their homes and stay in hotels as far north as Tyler, Texas. Why? Fear. That’s why we’re looking at a passage of Scripture that speaks about a storm and has a lot of revelation about how to handle times like these.
B. TEXT
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" 39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
C. THESIS
1. Jesus and His disciples were on a literal sea, facing a literal storm. This storm also represents storms of trials and difficulties we experience.
2. All of us are, at times, storm-tossed. Some of you today may feel like you’re about to go under. Well, there’s a solution for you – the Prince of Peace is near!
I. “THERE AROSE A VERY GREAT STORM” Vs. 37
A. JESUS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS STORM
1. Let’s remember that the disciples were led into this storm by following their Master. They followed Him right into a storm.
2. Some believe that storms come for the Christian only when they rebel or disobey God, but that’s not true. God’s will isn’t always smooth sailing.
3. This kind of a storm is not out of the ordinary on the Sea of Galilee. I’ve actually been there…it’s really more of a big lake—13 miles long and 8 miles wide. It’s surrounded by mountains and hills. The cool air comes over the mountains and mixes with the warm sea air and violent storms can erupt without much warning.
4. And that’s just how the storms of life come, isn’t it?! One minute the sun is shining, and the next the lightning is flashing, thunder booming, and the winds and the waves go wild. The phone rings and in seconds your life is changed, you’re in the midst of a storm. You have a routine Dr. visit that was to be quick and simple, but the look on his face tells the story even before the words are out of his mouth…you’re in a terrible storm!
5. It can happen as you go thru an intersection in a flash, or when your boss calls you into the office, or when you open that hospital bill. Storms arise suddenly and violently, and without warning.
B. STORMS COME DUE TO A VARIETY OF CAUSES
1. Sometimes we blow up our own storms. These storms are of our own making, like in Jonah’s case. He decided not to do God’s will. It’s amazing as you read the story how many times it says that Jonah ‘went down.’
2. After he decided to go his own way it says he went down to Tarshish, down into the heart of the ship, down into the sea, down into the belly of the whale. And once you decide not to follow God’s best there’s only 1 way to go and that’s ‘down!’
3. This storm was brought on Jonah himself by his stubborn will, and he holds the distinction of being the first man in history to spend the night on a foam blubber mattress! But in the end you can’t keep a good man down and though he was spiraling down, down, down, he eventually came up!
4. Some storms God creates Himself. Such as in John 6, after He fed the 5,000, the people wanted to make Him a king. Oh how tempted the disciples must’ve been to give in to the pressure of popularity but Jesus said, no, get in the boat and go to Capernaum, and along the way they again ran directly into the middle of another storm. Why? I believe He did it to divert their attention from something that would have created a bigger problem in their lives. Sometimes God sends us a little storm to keep us from heading into a bigger one
5. Ill.—a little boy was playing w/ his sailboat at the edge of a lake…it got away from him and he couldn’t reach it. He didn’t want to lose it, and ingeniously he thought of a plan. He started picking up rocks and tossing them on the other side, past the boat. The waves brought the boat back to him, and his outstretched arms. And when we drift away from the Lord He sometimes does the same, and the storm drives us right back into the arms of Jesus!
6. Some storms are Satanic in origin. The devil himself is sometimes the source. Most Bible scholars believe this storm in Matt. 8 was devil driven, because in v. 26 it says Jesus ‘rebuked’ the storm. Jesus is oft said to have ‘rebuked’ demons. In Luke 8 the same storm is written about and Jesus said to it, “Be still.” In the Greek language it’s the word for muzzling a dog. It’s possible that this storm was another attempt of Satan to destroy Jesus, while He was sleeping no less! But Satan had no power to take the life of Jesus…only He Himself would be able to give His life, laying it down willingly for us!
7. Sometimes Satan kicks up a storm in our life to try to get us off track. On one occasion the Apostle Paul said, “I would have come to you, but Satan hindered me.”
8. Another reason I believe the devil was behind this storm is because it was extraordinary in nature. Understand that most of these disciples were raised on this sea and had fished it for years…they no doubt had been thru countless storms, but in this case they all thought they were going to die, it was so severe. They were frantic.
9. Remember- Everyone has storms! God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt. 5:45). Just because you’re a believer doesn’t mean you won’t have storms.
C. GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE STORM
1. For Christ’s glory – to show His power.
2. For the disciples – the building up of their faith (Jn. 11:4, 15). Jesus was teaching His disciples. He didn’t use chalk boards and books, He used real-life experiences to challenge their faith and to reveal Himself to them in new and greater ways. He wants to do the same with us.
D. ILLUSTRATION
1. I heard a story about attempts to ship fresh north Atlantic cod from Boston to San Francisco during the 19th century. At that time the only way to ship the fish to the West Coast was to sail around the South American continent -- a trip that took months. They tried packing them in ice, but it didn't work. By the time they reached California, the fish weren't fit for consumption.
2. Next, the cod were placed in holding tanks full of water, shipped to California alive, and prepared there. The results were less than satisfactory. The fish didn't get much exercise during the trip and as result they were pasty and relatively tasteless.
3. Finally, someone hit upon an interesting idea. "Why don't we put some catfish in with the cod?" Why? Because catfish are cods’ natural enemy. Sure enough, when a few catfish were placed in those tanks with them, the cod were always alert and swimming around. This time, when the fish reached San Francisco, they were in perfect shape.
II. CHRIST WAS ASLEEP DURING THE STORM Vs. 38
A. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE FIND JESUS ASLEEP & IT’S IN A STORM!
Several other times we find the disciples sleeping when Jesus has important business, but this time He’s asleep and they’re biting their nails to the quick!
B. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE GOD IS ASLEEP
1. Have you ever been in a storm of life and it seemed like God was sleeping? “Where are you, Lord? Don’t you know what’s going on? Don’t you care?”
2. When I go thru a storm I feel like I have it all figured out. I know what the Lord ought to do, how He ought to do it, and when…now!
3. 2 hard lessons:
a. God doesn’t need my advice.
b. God doesn’t work on my timetable. He’ll do it in His way and His time. He doesn’t need a wake up call, and He never oversleeps. He’s always on the throne and in full control.
c. Remember Lazarus? They sent word to Jesus that His friend Lazarus was sick. But the Bible says specifically that Jesus stayed where He was for 2 more days. Then when He finally arrived there Lazarus was dead, and I want you to know that Martha was waiting for Him. She said, if you had been here our brother would not have died. Translation: “Well, look who has finally decided to show up! Hope it isn’t too much of an inconvenience! It might interest you to know that He’s dead now!” The rest of the story: “Lazarus, come forth!”
3. It may seem sometimes like He’s asleep or is late, but we need to remember His ways are higher than our ways, and though God is sometimes early, He’s never late!
4. Joke— a man asked the Lord, “Is it true that for you 10,000 years is just like a minute?” Yes. “And is it true that a million dollars to us on earth is like a penny in heaven?” Yes. “Lord, could I have a penny?” Sure, in a minute!
C. YOU MAY BE FACING STORMS IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW
1. loneliness 4. A rocky relationship
2. Loss of loved one 5. A hurting child
3. Financial battle 6. Confusion/ fear
III. THE DISCIPLES REACTION TO THE STORM Vs. 38
A. THEY CRIED OUT TO JESUS.
1. What’s your first impulse in a storm? Run to a friend? Run to nearest exit? Take a chill-pill? The storm will still be there when you come back down! And it may get worse for your false reliances.
2. The disciples went to Jesus first, and so should we. Character is revealed in the storm. The storms of life will either draw you closer to the Lord or further away, but no one will emerge on the other side of the storm the same as they went in! Either you will become bitter or better!
3. What they did—they went to Jesus. What they said—Lord, save us: we perish. It’s one of the shortest prayers in the Bible. And when we’re in trouble, we cut down on the long, fancy prayers and ramblings and get right down to business. Peter prayer when he sank in the water was, “Lord, save me!” He didn’t have time for “Oh God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob....”
B. THEY RESPONDED IN FEAR INSTEAD OF FAITH v. 26a
1. Fear is looking at God thru your circumstances. Faith is looking at your circumstances thru God!
2. Here’s 3 reasons they shouldn’t have mingled fear with their faith:
• They had a promise from Jesus that they were going to make it to the other side. God’s commandments are God’s enablements. He won’t ask us to do something we can’t accomplish. He didn’t promise a storm free, easy life, but He did guarantee our success! Faith is just trusting in the promises of God.
• The Lord Himself was in the boat with them! That very day they had seen Him cleanse the leper and heal countless others and cast out demons…He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
• They could see that the Lord Himself was at perfect peace. When you have a situation and you see someone you respect is calm as they view it, it has a calming effect on you. The opposite is true if they react in panic.
3. Ill. Our kids get scared in a thunderstorm, and run to our bed and ask if we’re scared. “Oh no,” we say…[even if we are!] and that calms them. Whatever we’re going thru, our God is not shocked…He’s not wringing His hands in despair wondering what’s next. He’s in full control.
IV. THE QUIETING OF THE STORM vs. 39
A. JESUS REBUKED THE WINDS AND WAVES
1. v. 37 said a storm arose, and now it says in v. 39 that Jesus arose! He calmed that storm. He doesn’t always do this…sometimes He calms you, His child! Always, He keeps us safe ‘til the storm passes by!'
2. The problem that day was not the storm, the sinking ship, or the sleeping Savior…it was the unbelief in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus asked them, “Why are ye fearful?”
3. Jesus commanded, “siopa pephimoso” – 1st “Peace, be still” or “Shut up and stay shut up”, and 2nd “Put the muzzle on and keep it on!”
B. HE QUESTIONED HIS DISCIPLES LACK OF FAITH
1. Jesus’ question, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" seems to point out that He believed the disciples could have handled the situation without Him; they could have exactly what He did – still the storm. This is a challenge to us.
2. A verse written hundreds of years before could have encouraged the disciples; “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed” Ps. 107:29.
3. That verse can help us today when we have a storm.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. There was a mother in an African nation who came to Christ and grew in her commitment and devotion to the Lord. As so often happens, however, this alienated her from her husband, and over the years he grew to despise and hate her new devotion to Christ.
2. “His anger and bitterness reached their climax when he decided to kill his wife, their two children and himself, unable to live in such self-inflicted misery. But he needed a motive. He decided he would accuse her of stealing his precious keys-the keys were to the bank, the house, and the car.
3. Early one afternoon he left his bank and headed for the Tavern. His route took him across a footbridge extended over the headwaters of the Nile River. He paused above the river and dropped the keys. He spent all afternoon drinking and carousing.
4. “Later that afternoon, his wife went to the fish market to buy the evening meal. She purchased a large Nile perch. As she was gutting the fish, to her astonishment, in its belly were her husband’s keys. How had they gotten there? What were the circumstances? She did not know; but she cleaned them up and hung them on the hook.
5. Sufficiently drunk, the young banker came home that night and pounded open the front door shouting, “Woman, where are my keys?” Already in bed, she got up, picked them off the hook in the bedroom, and handed them to her husband.
6. When he saw the keys, by his own testimony, he immediately became sober and was instantly converted. He fell on his knee’s sobbing, asked for forgiveness, and confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.” [Billy Graham prayer letter]
B. ALTAR CALL
1. How many of you are facing a storm? It may be a storm of loneliness, of rocky relationships, of grief, worry for a child, finances, confusion or fear. God cares about your problems!
2. Maybe you’ve prayed but gotten no answer – like God’s asleep; let me assure you, He’s not!
3. Did you know that you’re not alone, but that Jesus is with you in your problem?
4. Let’s pray and believe God is going make your storm go away and get you safely to your desired destination. PRAYER.
