Why Are You So Fearful? Series

Jesus asked the question, Why are you so fearful? That is a question many need to answer today.

In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today's physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with cough or chest pain or hyperacidity. In 90% of the cases, the first symptom was fear. This is the opinion of a well-known American internist as expressed in a roundtable discussion on psychosomatic medicine. This is also the consensus of a growing body of specialists. Fear of losing a job, of old age, of being exposed—sooner or later this fear manifests itself as "a clinical symptom." Sometimes the fear is nothing more than a superficial anxiety; sometimes it is so deep-seated that the patient himself denies its existence and makes the round of doctor to doctor, taking injections, hormones, tranquilizers and tonics in an endless search for relief. [1]

In the well know story about Jesus calming the storm, we will focus on the question he asked His disciples.

Mark 4:35–41 (NKJV)

At the time it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Safety was paramount in the construction of the bridge. Many things we take for granted today in the construction business, was not all that common then. Safety lines and hard hats were mandated to the extent that workers who refused to use them were threaten with dismissal. The lead engineer insisted on installing a safety net. The cost of over $130,000 (in 1933) and seem exorbitant. Was it worth the cost and the time it took to do that? Well just ask the 19 men who fell into the net! Not only did it save the lives of those 19 men, the work was actually done sooner than planned because they did not live in fear of falling. Yet as Christians, we live in fear of the world when living out our faith. Why should we fear?

Romans 8:31 (NKJV) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

We read these words, we understand these words, yet they are not in our hearts. If God is for us, who can be against us? We live our Christian lives in secret. We are afraid what people will say if we speak out in the name of Jesus. The world is unafraid to speak out against Jesus and the things of God. Are we ashamed of Jesus? What did Jesus say about that?

Mark 8:38 (NKJV) For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

We are going to examine this story about Jesus calming the waves from the perspective of fear. Remember a few of the disciples were fishermen, experienced in the small boat they in which they were traveling, experienced on this lake, understood the perils of the quickly changing weather. Jesus said:

Mark 4:35 (NKJV) On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

When the storm came, it was not because of anyone mis-deed or sin. It was not because they were out of the will of God. In fact it was quite the opposite, they were in the will of God. It was Jesus that directed the move out into the lake. It is interesting to compare this storm on the lake with the storm that Jonah experienced. Jonah was out of the will of God. But at this point of in time, the disciples were in the will of God. Being in the will of God does not prevent the storms from coming. If it be will of God, the storms may be diverted or be calmed. Other times it is the will of God that storms come.

God can do whatever he wills, but he did not calm the storm for Paul (Acts 27), although Paul was a man of great faith. The disciples on this occasion had little faith, so the calming (or not) of a storm does not seem to depend on faith, but on God’s will. God strengthened Paul to endure the storm in quiet faith. Sometimes God saves us from trouble; sometimes he saves us in trouble; sometimes he saves us from death; and sometimes he uses our death to glorify his name.[2]

Consider those being martyred or suffering for their faith around the world today. The fact is, storms are often part of the plan. And in today's narrative, the storm did rise.

Mark 4:37 (NKJV) And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.