IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM
TEXT: Mark 4:35-41 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (KJV)
Introduction:
This brief story is recorded in all 3 synoptic Gospels.
Matt. 3:18-22
Luke 8:22
This story reveals a great many interesting things:
1. The humanity of Jesus - he needed sleep
2. Storms occur even when Jesus is near (Storms do not reveal a lack of spirituality, they are not spiritual thermometers)
3. Jesus is the Lord of nature - “...all things made by Him...” Jn1:1-2
4. With simply two words spoken Jesus stops the storm!
HE DOES NOT DEBATE WITH THE WIND, NOR A ARGUE HIS POINT HE SIMPLY SPEAKS AND ITS DONE.
OUTLINE:
I. THE FEAR OF THE DISCIPLES
II. THE REBUKE OF JESUS
I. THE FEAR OF THE DISCIPLES
The disciples have been with Jesus for some time they have witnessed:
1. Demon possessed delivered
2. Peter’s mother-in-law healed
3. The sick in the city of Capernum came to Peter’s mother-in-law
4. A leper healed
5. A man sick of palsy carried by 4 friends
6. On the Sabbath Jesus healed a withered hand
Emotions were no doubt running wild - Joy-Laughter-Rejoicing-Uncontrollable Excitement.....But a new emotion was on the verge of attacking them...Called FEAR!!!!
Fear might be the greatest deterrent in keeping men from moving in the Will of God.
Over 700 times God speaks on the subject of fear.
Every mighty man of God had to deal with this enemy called fear.
1. Adam hid himself in the garden away from God
2. Abram lied to a king about his wife
3. Moses-God sent Aaron
4. Joshua God said 5 times “Fear Not be of Good Courage”
5. Elijah fled to the wilderness because a lady was sought to kill him.
Fear can have no place of residence in the life of the believer. We must see it as an enemy, never treat it like a friend.
FEAR WILL TRY AND:
KEEP YOU FROM WITNESSING
KEEP YOU FROM BEING USED IN THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
KEEP YOU FROM GIVING TO GOD
FEAR IS OUR ENEMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 70% to 90% per cent of all fears will never materialize
Review Story:
After ministering along the sea shore Jesus asked the disciples to get on board a small ship. Together they would cruise over the bay. No doubt the ship was a welcomed sight for Jesus. He must have been exhausted. No sooner had they left the small port than Jesus fell asleep. There was to be no concern about it for on that boat were 4 trained fisherman. The sea had been their life. They watched with much interest as the black clouds began to gather. These men had no doubt been in many storms, but nothing like this. Their ship began to be tossed like a feather in the wind. They felt their lives would be loss. FEAR HAD SUNK ITS DEEP FANGS INTO THEM. It ‘s venom was destroying, slowly killing all hope.
Vs. 38 Fear cause them to say things they may not of wanted to say. “MASTER CARE NOT THAT WE PERISH?” Oh how that must have hurt Jesus.
It was love that motivated His coming. Jn. 3:16
God commandeth His love towards us. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (KJV)
Greater love hath no man than this. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (KJV)
He would demonstrate the ultimate expression of love by dying on a cross.
How could the disciples be so reckless with their words? Because fear will cause us to say and do things that normally we wouldn’t say or do.
II. JESUS REACTION TO HIS DISCIPLES
Vs. 40 “Why are you so fearful? How is it that ye have so little faith.”
On the surface they may sound harsh. Yet, we must understand why Jesus is rebuking them.
In vs. 35 Jesus had told them. “Let us pass over on the other side.” The disciples should have known, nothing will stop them Jesus said we will pass over to the other shore.
Oh listen when God says he will do it, it will be done. When we are in the storm we must hear from Heaven. If you fail to fellowship with God daily so as to recognize His voice be assured you will never recognize it in the midst of the storm.
III. Jesus reaction to the storm.
He stands at the bow of the boat, his hair blows in the wind. His clothes are wet from the waves crashing against the front of the boat. Both hands are raised and he speaks two words “Sio-pao (silence, i.e. a hush, properly, involuntary stillness, or inability to speak, and the king James says, “Peace, be still”. It really means “SHUT UP”!
I like to know that Jesus will raise His arms up and speak to storms in my life. SHUT UP!
He speaks to sickness GET OUT
He speaks to devils...GET OUT
Leprosy, Blindness, Death with Lazarus...Walked out.
Peter learned a lesson from this.
In Acts 12:6 Peter resting in Jail, possible be killed , “And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison”. (KJV)
But Jn. 21:18 he remembered, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry [thee] whither thou wouldest not”. (KJV)
In the storm hear from heaven. He is our friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
God Doesn’t always choose to quiet the storms. Acts 27:22, “ And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of [any man’s] life among you, but of the ship”. (KJV)
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (KJV)
