Fear destroys faith
Mark 4:35
Matt. 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 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?”
39 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. 40 But 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!”
Our text verse for today is verse 40
“Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
Talk on topic “Fear destroys faith!”
Rookie Policeman
I like the following Definition of fear
FEAR – is either a feeling of respect, awe towards God or an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger.
We will see out of today’s Scripture reading how:
1. God’s calling on your life
2. Attack against our faith
3. Way out from fear.
1. God’s calling on your life:
V35 Jesus said ““Let us cross over to the other side.”
a) God is continually calling us to cross our own boundaries.
Same as he did Red Sea and Jordan
b) Boundaries are those things that keeps us away from God’s life of
abundance for us.
John 10:10 … Jesus came so that we may have life and life in
abundance.
c) First calling on your life was away from sin
2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Listen to Paul’s warning Acts 17:30
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all
men everywhere to repent
d) Secondly he calls you to grow up! (spiritually).
Eph 4:13-15 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ
e) Call to trust in Him in all circumstances:
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am
God, and there is none else.
Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou,
LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee
He want you to trust Him with:
Your family, children, huge decisions everything..
f) Interesting to note that you can only cross at the Cross.
His calling always comes through faith.
2. Attack against our faith
V37 – 38 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 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?”
a) See great windstorm arose.
The Sea of Galilee is more than 690 ft. below sea level. To the N, Mt. Hermon rises 9,200 ft., and from May to Oct. strong winds often sweep through the narrow surrounding gorges into this valley, causing extremely sudden and violent storms.
waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling
They didn’t had to flashy boats (I know how it felt, just ask Br Piet and Br
Andries what happened last time we went fishing)
Everything was against them… wind, waves. The fact that it was at night
made it worse.
b) Attack on every child of God same. Our adversary walks like a Lion
1 Pet 5:8
c) Few things that they could not control
Sea, waves, night similar to you not able to control a lot of thing in your life.
Finances -- ? – I’m alright what can happen? Think of Sept 11
Children -- ? – told not to control them but to rain them.
Work -- ? – See what happens when re- struction happens in your comp.
d) Strom causes fear.
Fear destroys faith – Jesus words “Why are you so fearful? How is it that
you have no faith?”
Another thing about fear makes you inactive.
Makes you to panic!
Man who didn’t plant!
3. Way out from fear.
Praise the Lord there is good News!
His name is Jesus!
V38 – 39 And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we
are perishing?” 39 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
He was asleep – like in many people lives. Problem not with Jesus but rather
With people.
Jesus doesn’t play a active role in their lives,
a) And they awoke Him up!
Listen ! You need the risen Jesus in your life… How, by fellowship, prayer, Bible reading, believing, trusting in Him…
You need to take Him to work, school, friends, everywhere..
These disciples did one right thing,, they had Jesus in their boat..
BUT.. it’s not to say that if you’re a Christian that there will be no more storms.
John 17:3 This is eternal life that they KNOW…
b) Leave the work to Him, just believe “The just shall live by faith”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea
Who did it? Him. I can just see how these men scooped the water out of the boat
Until they got tired.
He’s got the power to take care of all things in your life..
All you need to do is to abide in the vine.. Have fellowship with Him.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Jesus can and will calm your storms
ps 65:7 You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.
Ps 89:9 9 You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.
