“Who Is This?”
Mark 4:35-41
MK 4:35 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!"
MAIN TEXT
41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
INTRODUCTION
• Quick Review from the first 2 sermons
• The disciples asked quite an interesting question here, “Who is this?” I have found that this is a question many of us need to have answered from time to time.
• I have found that as our view of Jesus becomes more accurate, so does our view of ourselves and other people.
• So, let me answer the same question that the disciples asked, “Who is this?”
I. A God Who is POWERFUL {vs 39}
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.
• This was a very severe storm! Keep in mind who was in the boat…experienced fishermen who had been through all kinds of storms at the sea.
• Jesus was able to speak to the elements and calm the storm
Skepticism of the Miraculous
Nine-year-old Danny came bursting out of Sunday school like a wild stallion. His eyes were darting in every direction as he tried to locate either mom or dad. Finally, after a quick search, he grabbed his Daddy by the leg and yelled, "Man, that story of Moses and all those people crossing the Red Sea was great!" His father looked down, smiled, and asked the boy to tell him about it.
"Well, the Israelites got out of Egypt, but Pharaoh and his army chased
after them. So the Jews ran as fast as they could until they got to the Red Sea. The Egyptian Army was gettin’ closer and closer. So Moses got on his walkie-talkie and told the Israeli Air Force to bomb the Egyptians. While that was happening, the Israeli Navy built a pontoon bridge so the people could cross over. They made it!
By now old dad was shocked. "Is THAT the way they taught you the story?" Well, no, not exactly," Danny admitted, "but if I told you the way they told it to us, you’d never believe it, Dad."
• Friend, don’t limit God! He is greater than anything you can think of!
On Christmas Day 1968, the three astronauts of Apollo 8 circled the dark side of the moon and headed for home. Suddenly, over the horizon of the moon rose the blue and white Earth garlanded by the glistening light of the sun against the black void of space. Those sophisticated men, trained in science and technology, did not utter Einstein’s name. They did not even go to the poets, the lyricists, or the dramatists. Only one thing could capture the awe-inspiring thrill of this magnificent observation. Billions heard the voice from outer space as the astronaut read it: "In the beginning God"--the only concept worthy enough to describe that unspeakable awe, unutterable in any other way. "In the beginning God created"--the invasive, the inescapable sense of the infinite and the eternal.
II. A God Who is PERSONAL {vs 35-36}
MK 4:35 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…
• This was a moment when Jesus wanted to get away from the crowd and be alone with His disciples
The University of Northern Iowa once offered a general art course that included a most unusual exercise. The teacher brought to class a shopping bag filled with lemons and gave a lemon to each class member. The assignment was for the student to keep his lemon with him day and night--smelling, handling, examining it. Next class period, without warning, students were told to put their lemons back in the bag. Then each was asked to find his lemon. Surprisingly, most did so without difficulty.
• May I tell you something? Jesus has a desire to be with you in a way that is beyond the moments you are gathered with other people in a church service.
III. A God Who is PATIENT {vs 37-39}
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.
• Wow…12 people who should have known better really blew it here, didn’t they?
• Yet, Jesus didn’t hold their mistakes against them, He didn’t punish them or decide to abandon them…He still intervened.
• You see, it’s possible that Jesus can take our failures and have a greater purpose behind them.
In 1981, a Minnesota radio station reported a story about a stolen car in California. Police were staging an intense search for the vehicle and the driver, even to the point of placing announcements on local radio stations to contact the thief. On the front seat of the stolen car sat a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait. Now the police and the owner of the VW Bug were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car. So often when we run from God, we feel it is to escape his punishment. But what we are actually doing is eluding his rescue....
• This morning, I am looking at a number of people who have blown it before…including me. Look at what the Bible has to say about us:
PS 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
JN 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
I JN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
IV. A God Who PROVIDES {vs 40}
40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
• Now, you may take this verse as being somewhat of a scolding from Jesus; but, I see it a little differently. I believe Jesus was trying to keep the disciples from making the same mistake again
• Friend, today, Jesus wants to give you the same kind of support. He wants to help you to avoid making the mistakes you have made in your past and enjoy the life He has designed for you.
• You see, Jesus work doesn’t end with forgiving you of your sins…He wants to PROVIDE you with support throughout your life!
FROM PASTOR TONY LISTON
One of our families has an incredibly loving and friendly 15-year old son who is autistic and a somewhat challenged in his physical coordination. Last weekend, he participated in the Eastern Iowa Special Olympics. His race was the 100 yard walk. If you’ve ever been to the Special Olympics, you know that - for the competitors - half the fun is doing an event with other people.
Due to a paper work error, Jimmy found himself on the track by himself with no other competitors. The judges asserted he had missed his chance, but that they could still get his qualification time done if he’d do the walk by himself. He was quite uncomfortable with the thought of making this walk alone with so many people and no one out there with him.
A few minutes later, people watched as this exceptional young man accepted the challenge and walked his race alone...almost alone. His father walked the track with him to keep him company and to build his confidence.
Sounds a lot to me like a family who understands God’s grace and how the Christian race is run...
RESPONSE
• Who is this? Jesus is a God Who is POWERFUL, Who is PERSONAL, Who is PATIENT and will PROVIDE for you.
• Do you need His POWER in spite of the storm you are facing?
• Do you want a PERSONAL relationship with Him.
• Do you need His PATIENT forgiveness today?
• Do you need Him to PROVIDE you with what you need to live for Him?
