In life, there are many things beyond our control.
• The terrorists’ attacks in London tell us we live in a very unpredictable, incontrollable world.
• If we can control everything, there is nothing for us to fear - We can’t, therefore we will be afraid.
We need to look to One who can… Jesus often says, do not be afraid, only believe.
How can we have peace or security in such a world? Look to the One who is in control!
We need to able to SEE this Person in our life.
We pray and seek God because He is in control – of ALL things and at ALL times!
The disciples were in a similar situation – until they saw Jesus.
We see this contrasting picture - a group of terrified disciples and a very calm Jesus.
– Disciples were losing control of the situation, while Jesus was confident and in control.
It was an uncontrollable situation
• It was “about the fourth watch of the night” (v.48) – 3 to 6am, the darkest time of the night.
• “the boat was in the middle of the lake” (v.47), not near the shore. According to John’s Gospel, it’s 5-6km away.
• “the wind was against them” (v.48); they were “straining at the oars” (v.48)
It’s like the feeling for a tiger trainer locked in a cage during a circus:
THE CIRCUS TIGERS IN THE DARK
Several years ago a televised circus act with Bengal tigers was broadcast live. Tiger trainer was locked in cage with tigers. Using chair and whip the trainer was in control. Then the lights went out... for about 20-30 seconds. Tigers could see trainer, but the trainer could not see them!
In an interview afterwards the trainer admitted to feeling the chilling fear of the situation. However, he knew the tigers didn’t know that he couldn’t see them.
"I just kept cracking my whip and talking to them until the lights came on. They never knew I could not see them as well as they could see me."
There is nothing you can really fall back on – you are completely at the mercy of the storm.
In life, this is very true – we may not feel that way until something happened.
We must learn to trust God!
The mindset change - (1) LOOK TO THE ONE WHO IS IN CONTROL
Jesus performed two miracles in ONE NIGHT – to help the disciples understand WHO He is.
• It takes a while – because Mark added one line at the end of this account:
“They were completely amazed (that Jesus can cease the storm), for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.” (v.52)
• Now they saw that the water, the wind and waves were not a problem for Jesus. He has authority over all elements. His control is absolute.
The world is not being ruled by a chance but by a God who is in control.
• Even a sparrow cannot fall without His notice. So, He cares about us.
• Nothing can happen that does not concern God.
Jesus says, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (v.50)
The Bible says He did this IMMEDIATELY after hearing them cried out in fear.
• We have to SEE Him in order to be calm.
• The disciples did not recognise Him initially. They thought what they saw was a ghost.
• Only when you know that it’s Jesus, you’ve certain sense of confidence.
• Peter offered to walked to Him (Matthew’s account)
To know that it was Jesus gave the disciples some confidence.
It’s not easy to SEE Him with the eyes of our heart – especially in a difficult situation.
Take it by faith! Remember even when you can’t see Him (in the darkness), He sees you clearly! Be assured, He is there!
• We may not feel it. We may not clearly see Him. But He is there. He sees you! That’s all that matters.
God assures the people of Israel: "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deut 31:8)
This is a phrase the Lord has to say it again and again to His people.
• In the OT when God appeared to Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Gideon, and Isaiah…
• In the NT Zechariah (Lk 1:13), Mary (Lk 1:30), Joseph, Paul…
The presence of the Lord drives out fear!
Notice what happened after Jesus climbed into the boat - "The wind died down." (v.51)
• Just like that, no more wind, no more waves, no more straining or fighting to keep the boat afloat.
• Just like that, no more fear, no more danger, nothing to be afraid of.
I am sure you see the point – when the mighty God is with us, there is nothing to fear.
Take it in faith – see Him present with your spiritual eyes.
One of the marks of spiritual maturity is the quiet confidence that God is in control... without the need to understand why He does what He does. ...Charles R. Swindoll (1934- )
See it this way – with the eyes of faith – the way the psalmists says:
Ps 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Ps 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
Ps 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
Ps 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM?
Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship that was caught in a raging ocean storm. Seeing the frantic look in her eyes, the man tried unsuccessfully to remove her fears. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be so calm?"
He stepped back a few feet and drew his sword. Pointing it at her heart, he said, "Are you afraid of this?"
Without hesitation she answered, "Of course not!"
"Why not?" he inquired. "Because it’s in your hand, and you love me too much to hurt me."
To this he replied, "I know the One who holds the winds and the waters in the hollow of His hand, and He will surely care for us!"
The officer was not disturbed because he had put his trust in the Lord.
If He needs to walk on the water to get to you, He will.
No matter how far you’ve drifted off from shore, no matter how bad your storm is, He wants to reach you and calm you down.
The Bible reveals such a God – not that we wanted Him, but He took the first step to come to us.
You need to hear His voice again in the storms of life. Once you heard His voice, you’ll be comforted. In FEARFUL times, we want to hear the voice of God.
The mindset change - (2) THE IMPOSSIBLE REALLY ISN’T
Mark 6:52 “They were completely amazed (that Jesus can cease the storm), for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.”
I find this remark very important.
In order words, after the miracle of feeding more than 5000, they should have learnt enough about Him and trust Him, but they did not. When they saw this 2nd miracle, they were amazed.
God wants us to believe Him for the impossible.
• Jesus did not perform miracles to glorify Himself but to aid faith.
• The clearest example was when He raised Lazarus – in His prayer in John 11:41-42
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
It’s easy for us to say that the disciples should have learnt. What about us?
Even though we say we believe in a God of miracles, we don’t really believe He will do anything about the daily situations in our lives.
• Jesus wants to free His disciples from the limitations of the impossible
• To move away from thinking only about what is humanly possible.
• To move them away from trust in self-efforts and means, to trust God’s ways and means.
When we confront common situations in life, do we really trust in the miraculous power of God?
• Or are our hearts as hardened as these disciples, even though we’ve seen the miracles of the loaves that God has done in someone else’ life?
• It’s easier watching someone else’s life – “He should have trusted God!”
– But when it happens to you, can you stand strong in the storm? Or will you be crippled by fear or buried in your sorrow?
God desire to see us putting our trust in Him and His power, even for things we felt humanly impossible.
Look at Jesus – He is hardly moved by human logic.
• Having seen a miracle, the disciples are stilling looking at human potential rather than divine enablement.
• They were still not open to the impossible.
When Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, only believe!”
– He wants us to have an awareness of what God can do.
– We are to EXPECT God to act in our lives, even if it takes a miracle! That’s faith!
The challenge for us: Look to God in faith, not to the situation in fear.
Hear this again – “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”
In Matthew’s account, we read that Peter called to Jesus to bid him walk on water.
• Jesus called him to come. In boldness and faith Peter stepped out of the boat and walk.
• And we see the beauty of faith – his faith was not in the ability of the water to hold him, his faith was in Jesus.
• It’s not about the situation, it’s all about Jesus.
o As Peter took his eyes off his situation and put them on Jesus, he walked.
o When he took his eyes off Jesus and back on the waves and wind, he began to sink.
You don’t have to get to Him, He will get to you.
He leaves the mountain, walks down to the lake, steps onto the water to get to us.
We are challenged to look to Him in the midst of our situations and expect Him to act.
We are challenged to trust in the supernatural power of a supernatural God.
CONCLUSION
o What are the situations in your life that seem impossible to you?
o Are there loved ones or people in your life that you’re praying for but felt like giving up because it seemed impossible that they can change or ever come to Christ?
o There may be a need in your life that has you pinned to the wall.
o You are helpless or do not know what to do.
Go back to where we began – we need to get back to God for a time of renewal and have a good chat. We need to spend time with Him in prayer, seeking His power and provision. And be made aware of the unlimited possibilities of His immense power and grace.
Matt 19:25-26
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
