Title: “What to Remember When We’re All in the Same Boat” Scripture: Mt. 8:23-27/Mark 4
Type: Expository Where: GNBC 2-28-22
Intro: This past week the world got a little more scary as Russia invaded Ukraine. There is a lot of uncertainty. Fears abounding. Many are wondering if a strong Russia and an anemic American response will embolden China to attack Taiwan. Many rumblings going on below the surface in the Middle East as well. Futures markets began get very jittery (Crude oil March 2020 was $32.20. Friday went over $100!). Well, in today’s passage we see that the disciples find themselves in a situation where they come face to face with a terrifying situation: storm on the sea. In English there is an idiom we use: “We’re all in the same boat.” “To be in the same boat” means to be in the same difficult situation as someone else. Most of the difficult situations we find ourselves in are not unique to us. Need to realize others have been in that same boat. Yet, in today’s passage we find the terrified disciples were both figuratively and literally in the “same boat”! Christ’s response is key.
Prop: Exam. Mt. 8:23-27, we’ll realize 3 important truths about ourselves and Jesus when facing the storms of life.
BG: 1. Events examining take place winter of 2nd year of Christ’s ministry in Final Galilean campaign.
2. I had planned to look at the beginning of Mt. 8 this week. But with what happened in the world
3.
Prop: Let’s exam Mt. 8:23ff to realize 3 important insights about ourselves & Jesus when facing frightening situations in life.
I. 1st Rem: Jesus Called the Disciples into the Boat that Took them into the Storm. Vv.22-23.
A. Never forget that important principle: Jesus called the Disciples into the boat that took them into the storm.
1. The disciples Came into the Boat where Jesus was.
a. V.22 – Jesus tells 2 potential disciples come and follow Him. We don’t know if they ever did. We do know that according to v.23, Jesus, wanting to go to the other side of the lake (v.18), got into the boat first, and His disciples followed Him. (Key point – Disciples follow Christ.)
b. Christ calls us to follow Him through thick and thin, thru good and bad, thru want and plenty. We need to be reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:11-13) Whatever Christ calls you and me into, even if it gets scary, He will give the grace and strength to persevere.
2. Christ set the events into motion to teach His disciples.
a. The lake is about seven miles across at its widest (it is shaped like a harp, which is what it is called in Hebrew: Kinnereth). At its deepest it is about 160 feet deep, depending on the fluctuation over the years. And the surface of the lake is about 600 feet below sea level. In our story Jesus must have gotten into the boat in the region of Capernaum, on the north west shore, because He got out of the boat “on the other side” near Kursi (on the eastern shore about half way down the coast).
b. I believe Jesus set the scene into motion when He called the disciples into the boat that day so as to teach these men several important truths about themselves and about Himself. Whatever the crisis or storms of life, we waste them if we do not learn something new about ourselves and our God. Illust: Several years ago John Piper wrote the book Don’t Waste Your Cancer. In other words, look and see what God is doing, wants to do both in and thru you in the hard and scary times of life.
B. The Sovereignty of God is a Comforting Doctrine in Times of Fear and Distress.
1. Never forget in times of distress: God is Sovereign. He is in control. He has Supreme Power.
a. Illust: The Prince of Preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon said the following: The householder says, "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" and even so does the God of heaven and earth ask this question of you this morning. "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?" There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that Sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that Sovereignty overrules them, and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation—the kingship of God over all the works of his own hands—the throne of God, and his right to sit upon that throne. On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a foot-ball, as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine of the Sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except on his throne.” (May 4, 1856) Do, I know what God is doing in the midst of this pandemic crisis? NO! But I rest completely assured in knowing that HE DOES!
2. Never Forget in times of Distress that Jesus Called you into the Boat you’re presently sailing.
a. When the storms of life wreak havoc on all you know & love, what theological truths anchor your soul? What doctrines do you turn to when the world seems to give way under your feet? What truths about God bring you the most comfort when life is uncertain and nothing makes any sense? Though all of God’s word is essential for us to read, learn, and though all of God’s word teaches us all that we need to know to weather the storms of life, there is one theological truth that stands out in times of trial and suffering. The one doctrine that brings everything into perspective & provides comfort & rest for our weary souls: The sovereignty of God. (What have you learned about God and self in the past two years?)
b. Are you panicked by the unfolding events in Europe? Are you fearful of this pandemic? Are you unemployed? Are you sick? Is your marriage struggling? Are your children in rebellion to the things of God? Not one event in our lives takes God by surprise. (Illust: friend, Wally – brain tumor. Joyful attitude. Trusting Christ.) Romans 8:28 tells us that there is meaning and purpose in these things: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”
Applic: Friend, the boat you and I are riding in right now may be going through quite a storm, but never forget that Christ called you into that boat, and He is going through the storm with you.
II. 2nd Rem.: Frightening Experiences in Life Should Cause us to Call on Christ. Vv.24-25
A. The Disciples’ Faith is Shaken by a Severe Storm.
1. As the Lord and His disciples Cross the Lake a Severe Storm Strikes their Boat.
a. Without warning, a storm came upon the lake. The winds blew fiercely, whipping the water into mountainous waves. The Greek word that is used for the storm is a term often associated w/earthquakes, “seismos”. Speaks to the severity. Now storms on that Lake are quiet common and can come up quickly, even today as was then. Yet, this was no common storm and it’s ferocity struck fear in the heart of the disciples.
b. Illust: Years ago I was on the boat of a friend of my father’s, fishing on Lake St. Clair, which is between Detroit, MI, and Windsor, Ont. Very shallow lake, averages only 11 ft., wind suddenly whipped up and and water got choppy, and then bigger waves, and I went below deck to get out of the storm…and then I turned green! I might have felt like I was going to die, but not from the storm. That was not the case with the disciples.
2. The Disciples Fear they will die as the violent storm overtakes their boat.
a. The boat and its passengers were in serious danger. Don’t forget at least 4 (Peter, Andrew, James, John) and possibly as many as 6 (At least Thomas & Batholomew) of the disciples were professional fishermen. This was their area of expertise. The seasoned sailors on board understood the threat even better than the rest and all were frightened. No doubt they did everything possible to secure the ship and to attempt to weather the storm. Illust: We sometimes jokingly say that: “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” The disciples who were fishermen knew just how dangerous the situation was. One of the hardest things in life to do is trust Christ in your area of “expertise”! Illust: I’ll never forget a man I knew back in SC. Elton LeGrand was an electrician. Testified one Sunday evening of a particularly challenging problem faced on the job earlier that week. Becoming really worked up over it. The HS spoke to his heart and he prayed that the Lord would show him. Within a few moments the Lord calmed his spirit and gave him a solution to the problem. It impressed me that this man with 30 yrs. of experience in a highly technical field was willing to rely upon the Lord. That’s a lesson we all need to be reminded of today.
b. Well, going back to the passage we see in v.24, The boat was being swamped by the waves, which swept over the bow. Jesus, at the rear of the boat, was least affected. The violent up and down motion of the boat was much more pronounced at the bow of the boat and least at the stern. So, too, with the water which swept over the bow. The disciples were scared to death; Jesus slept. Interesting perspectives in the face of a crisis. (Yet, this is case in life. People react differently. Yet Jesus is the same..yesterday, today, and forever!)
B. Listen, Storms will come into Each of Our Lives.
1.Living in this fallen world will provide us plenty of opportunity for storms in our lives. Illust: Rich Mullins was my favorite CCMA until his death 20+ yrs. ago. Wrote a song: “There’s bound to Come Some Trouble”: The lyrics went something like this: There's bound to come some trouble to your life. But that ain't nothing to be afraid of. There's bound to come some trouble in your life. But that ain't no reason to fear. I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life
But reach out to Jesus, hold on tight. He's been there before and He knows what it's like
You'll find He's there. (He’s there! Pandemic! War! Divorce! Job loss! Disease!)
2. Honestly Face Your Fears with the Word of God.
a. There are, depending on the translation, 365 admonitions in the Bible telling us: “Do not fear!” One for every day of the year! We certainly need that encouragement daily. There are some great verses: “Perfect love cast out all fear.” I Jn 4:18; Is. 41:10 “Fear not for I am with thee.” Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Did you hear that? “Wherever you go” – Whether in a boat in Galilee or in a pandemic in Iowa.
b. Equally, the Bible tells us that as believers in Christ: “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (II Tim.1:7). One of my favorite characters from American history was General Robert E. Lee’s “right hand”, Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Jackson was a devout believer. Jackson said the following: “My religious belief teaches me that I’m just as safe on the battlefield as I am in my bed. The Lord has already appointed the day of my death so I need not worry about that. I live my life and prepare myself so I will always be ready to meet my Lord, when death does overtake me.” Did he live out those convictions? At the first battle of Bull Run, while shells and bullets were flying around, Jackson stayed on his horse and remained calm and collected like nothing was going on. Brigadier General Bernard Bee saw this and told his own troops “There stands Jackson like a Stonewall. Let’s die with him.” On another occasion: During the heat of the battle a messenger came and handed Jackson a letter to sign. He dismounted and when he did a canon ball blew up a tree that was nearby. Wood chips rained down on Jackson. Without missing a step, he calmly brushed the wood chips from the paper and continued reading. He then mounted his horse like nothing happened.
C. Applic: Friend, if you are living in fear, if the storm in your life is bigger than God, if in your mind the opinions of people are bigger than God, if this pandemic is bigger than God, repent of your fear and take courage in Christ.
III. 3rd Rem: Jesus’ Calm in the Midst of our Storms Should Not be Misinterpreted as a Lack of Concern. Vv.25-27
A. In Their fear the Disciples make a Serious Aspersion about the Character of Christ.
1. Notice the comments the Disciples make in the midst of their fear. V.25 Jesus is still calmly sleeping. The frightened disciples make Jesus and cry out: “Save us Lord, we are perishing.” In Mark 4 we see even more insight into the event: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
2. The day had been exhausting for Jesus, and He must have fallen asleep as soon as they got away from the shore. Apparently He had been sleeping all the way, and neither the screaming of the storm nor the screaming of His men awoke Him. So they turned to Him and accused Him of the very same thing we do when life’s storms hit us: You don’t care if we drown! Of course, if they drown He does too! Common sense alone would tell them that He cares. And common sense would tell us the same thing. The idea that Jesus who died for us would not care about our pain or our anxiety or our fear makes no sense at all. Yet this is the feeling many of us have, and we may feel this way simply because there is a storm. We tell ourselves we’re not supposed to have storms in life. We believed in Jesus in order to avoid storms in life. He’s supposed to keep life under control and to protect us from storms, struggles, and problems in life. Were supposed to be immune from it all, protected by Him from hurt and pain and the harsh realities of life. And this is why we respond with such anger and resentment when the storms hit. We see Jesus asleep in the back of the boat and we are angry that He doesn’t seem to care. Friend, does Jesus care? Yes! However, His ultimate goal for our lives is holiness and not necessarily happiness.
B. Christ Challenges His Disciples to Face their Fears with a Critical Response.
1. Christ rebukes the Disciples.
a. V.26 “Why are you timid, you men of little faith.” Essentially, Christ is calling their response to the storm “cowardly”. It is a stinging rebuke. No real man wants to be called a coward. Illust: When I was about 10-11 yrs. town was hit by a massive blizzard. We were out of school for two weeks. But by day 3 all the neighborhood kids were playing. I was one of the younger boys in the neighborhood. We all lived in very small 1 story homes and the drifts were half way up to the roof. The older boys were jumping off the garage roofs into the drifts. Next came my turn. I always considered my response smart, but older boys didn’t agree. Started calling me a chicken. So, I decided it was better to fly like a chicken than be called one. My brother had to pull me out of the drift! Don’t be cowardly in the face of crisis.
b. Now let’s think about the passage. Storms are scary. Drowning and death possible. Weren’t the disciples justified to be afraid? We would say yes. Sure. Jesus, however, says, NO!
2. Christ directs their attention to their real problem.
a. “you men of little faith” – Christ is critical towards the faith these men demonstrated.
b. Illust: There is a scientific law, or truth, that says two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Try it on the bus! Say, I had a cup of oil. I’d mark the “space” that the oil is taking up by drawing a line on the cup. But what if I wanted a cup juice to occupy the same space in the cup? I’d pour it in and see if the juice and the oil could be in the same space under the line. What happened? The juice pushed out the oil! Just as we see in science that two things cannot fill the same space, FEAR and FAITH cannot occupy the same space. In your heart and mind, there is either fear or faith. Our natural state is fear, because some situations are scary; we don’t know the future; we know that bad things happen; some things are way too big for us to handle. But, when we receive God’s gift of FAITH, it pushes out the fear
C. The Disciples learn an important lesson about the object of their faith…Jesus
1. The disciples had been with the Lord a long time now. They had seen Him heal and teach and provide. Yet now their lives are on the line. In Mark 4:38 we read that when the disciples wake the Lord they say: “Teacher, do you not care…” One commentator states: “After all this time the disciples still didn’t know who Jesus really was. “Teacher”. What is a “teacher” supposed to do in a fishing boat that is being sunk? NOTHING! What they needed was GOD! And guess what? God showed up!
2. V.26 – Double miracle. The same voice that had spoken creation now command the creation to cease and desist and it obeyed IMMEDIATELY! Storm stops and seas is silent.
D. Notice the response of the Disciples: v.27 (Read) Jesus was way bigger than they had previously believed Him to be and the only way they knew that was to go through a storm with Him. What’s the storm you are going thru right now? Let me ask you, how big is your Jesus? Teacher? Or in the words of Thomas: “My Lord and my God.” It makes all the difference in the storm. So, I want to ask you. What’s causing you fear? Friend, Jesus is bigger than your fear!
