Opening Humor: Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents’ house the week before Christmas. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers. The younger one began praying at the top of his lungs:
"I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE..."
"I PRAY FOR A NEW NINTENDO..."
His older brother leaned over, nudged him and said, "Why are you shouting? God isn’t deaf." to which the little brother replied, "No, but Grandma is!"
Sermon Study # 280 – STORM, SINKING SHIP & SAVIOR
*PLAY DVD - event [13-18]
1. JESUS INSIDE THE BOAT - IN THE STORM:
Mark 4:35-40 (Matt. 8:23-27)
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 (people wanting to be near Jesus). [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 (resting peacefully) on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?" (Identified Him as Teacher instead of Lord?)
[39] He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still! (Be still-same words used to cast out a demon,1:25)" 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?"
note:
*PLAY DVD - event [37-72]
2. JESUS OUTSIDE THE BOAT - IN THE STORM:
Mark 6:45-51
Immediately Jesus made (compelled) his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. [46] After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
[47] When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake (about 3 ½ miles from shore, John 6:19), and he was alone on land. [48] He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night (about 3 am) he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them (pass beside them), [49] but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, [50] because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." [51] Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
Matthew 14:33 - Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
note:
Two kinds of storms:
1. The storm in which Jesus is in your boat (situation), resting peacefully, and waiting for you to activate your faith.
Are we trusting the Savior or trusting the storm?
What was the purpose of the first storm?
That they may trust in Jesus and speak to their situation.
2. The storm in which Jesus is not inside your boat, though beside you, He is waiting for you to call Him back into your boat (situation).
Does our pride, stubbornness, priorities, choices, lifestyles - dismiss Jesus from our boat (situation)?
What was the purpose of the second storm?
That they may cry out for Jesus to come back into their boat.
