Mark 4:35-41
Have you ever been on an airplane and hit some really bad turbulence? In that moment you are at the mercy of the weather. The pilot’s can only do so much, but sometimes the pressure will cause the plane to plummet a hundred feet in a matter of seconds. I mean storms are crazy, especially when they come out of nowhere. We’ve all been stuck in an unexpected storm.
One things for sure, it’s no fun getting hit by an unexpected storm. Sometimes, the storms are so intense that it can cause great fear to well up in our hearts.
Read Mark 4:35-41
Big Idea: When trials come into our life, we can trust in the authority of Jesus over the storm.
Our passage this morning might be one of the more misapplied texts in Scripture. Typically, this passage is all about the storms in our lives. And while that is an important point of application, when that becomes the focus I think we miss the main point of application which is a focus on the authority of Jesus. So we will talk about storms. We will talk about trials and challenges. But, I don’t want us to miss that at the center of this passage we see a person who is not surprised by the storms. We see a person who has authority over the storms. And we see a person who uses storms to increase our faith in Him.
Let’s start with this:
1.. Jesus Often Leads Us Into the Storm (35-37)
Notice again what Jesus says: “Let us go across to the other side.” It’s been a long day of ministry, Jesus is exhausted, and He just wants to get away and rest. They are going to sail across the sea of Galilee. Jesus, God in flesh, knows very well that a storm is about to come, but yet He still gets in the boat with His disciples, and tells them to push off the shore.
A few historical and geographical facts for us:
(Show Picture) In 1986 an ancient fishing boat was found on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Radiocarbon dating puts the boat at 40 BC (give or take 80 years), and 50 BC to 50 AD based on pottery and nails found in the boat. The boat is 27 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, and a height of about 4 feet.
The Sea of Galilee sits at 700 feet below sea level. The hills around it reach up to about 1400 feet above sea level. The air at the top of the hills is pretty cool, while the air around the Sea is semi-tropical with warm air and humidity. The large difference in height between surrounding land and the sea causes large temperature and pressure changes. The Sea of Galilee is small, and these winds may descend directly to the center of the lake with violent results. When the contrasting air masses meet, a storm can arise quickly and without warning.
And this is what happens. It’s immediate, and really intense. Jesus, exhausted from ministry, is in a deep sleep in the back of the boat on the captains bench, and meanwhile an incredible storm. Think about this, Jesus is sleeping where the waves are literally crashing over the 4 foot walls of the boat, and beginning to flood the inside. He is at complete peace in the middle of one of the worst storms these disciples had probably ever seen.
We have to start here. Sometimes we can see the storm in the distance, and we know it’s coming. Our pool opened yesterday, and the girls love it, we go almost every day. Some days you can see those dark clouds rolling in, and you don’t mess around with that. You pack it up and get home. Sometimes though, the storm just shows up out of nowhere. And just like the disciples, our faith is tested. Listen, Jesus is not surprised when trials show up in our lives. Oftentimes, Jesus knew they were coming and allowed us to walk into them. Sometimes He is even the One leading us into the storm. And our response when the storms roll in says a lot about what we believe about Jesus. Let’s talk about how the disciples responded.
2.. Lack of Faith Can Often Lead to Panic (38)
Remember, some of these men were experienced fishermen. They had grown up on this lake. They had seen some really intense storms, but seemingly nothing like this. “We are perishing” they say. “We are going to die! Jesus, how could you sleep at a time like this! The ship is going down!” Pandemonium on this 27 foot vessel.
If only they knew the fullness of the man who was sleeping on the back of the boat. They had seen the miracles. They had seen him cast out demons. They had seen his authority over the religious leaders. They had seen him heal diseases. They saw it with their own eyes but yet when they were in the midst of the storm they forgot everything they had experienced and were thrown into a panic.
I mean is this not us? We are skipping hand in hand with Jesus when things are good. “Aw Jesus, I love you so much. Thanks for being so faithful in my life 🙂.” And then boom, a storm hits, we are frozen in place, and fear sets in. We go into a mental state of panic, our hearts are racing, our vision blurred, and when we look around, we can’t find Jesus! “Jesus! Do you even care! I am dying here Jesus! The waves are crashing overboard and there is no hope of surviving this. Where are you?! Don’t you care?!”
And that panic we feel in a moment of turmoil can very quickly cause us to lose trust and faith in the One who has proven Himself over and over again in our lives. But if we slow down for just a minute, we remember, “wait a minute, there is a purpose in this storm. Jesus has authority over this storm.”
3.. Jesus Has Authority Over the Storm (39)
Read vs. 39. Jesus wakes up, and before he deals with the disciples’ lack of faith, he rebukes the wind and the sea. Don’t fall asleep on this one. Don’t miss this.
Jesus, using the same exact word He used when He told the demon to stay silent in Mark 1:25, commands the wind and the water to “be still.” This word means to “be muzzled and to stay muzzled.” Jesus, figuratively speaking, put a muzzle on the most extreme storm these disciples had ever experienced, and in a moment, everything went calm.
Jesus commanded authority over creation. How is that possible? Because He is the One who created it.
Colossians 1:16-17 - “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
John 1:3 - “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”
Hebrews 1:2 - “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
Jesus, the One who was intimately involved in creation, proves His authority over that creation. Jesus, the One who was intimately involved in creating you, and me, has authority over our lives as well.
And the calming of the storm, the calm that is implied is that of an “unruffled surface on a body of water.” Like, not just waves ceasing, but not even a ripple lapping against the side of the boat. Absolute and utter calm.
And then, Jesus turns to the disciples and He’s like, “really? After everything I’ve shown you?! Why are you so afraid? Do you still not believe?”
4.. Storms Are Meant to Benefit Our Faith (40-41)
Notice that the disciples are filled with great fear in the presence of Jesus. And this isn’t the kind of fear like, I’m scared of snakes or clowns. This is the kind of fear that implies an intense respect for something or someone. They are looking at Jesus, after witnessing what He just did, and they are awestruck, leading them to a deep and proper fear, respect, for Him.
And then they were faced with a question. Who is this man? They are forced into a faith deepening process in which they are seeking to understand who Jesus is. And this is something they will continue to struggle with until they finally see Him resurrected.
And this is the same process we go through, isn’t it?
Application
The storm clouds roll in, whether you can see them coming in the distance, or they appear out of nowhere, you find yourself in the storm. It could be a medical diagnosis, it could be a problem in your marriage, it could be a legal issue, it could at your job, as a parent with your kids. And if we aren’t careful, we’ll take our eyes off of Jesus, and begin to panic. Like Peter, we begin to sink into the sea, and are left screaming, “help! Jesus, help me! Jesus don’t you care! How could you let this happen to me! I thought you were bigger than this! I thought you loved me, Jesus!”
And we find ourselves in the midst of a massive testing of our faith. Do I believe Jesus is who He said He is. Do I believe that Jesus has authority over this storm? Do I believe that Jesus has a purpose for this storm? Do I believe that Jesus will protect me in this storm?
So let me ask you, do you believe that Jesus has authority over whatever situation you might find yourself in? Do you believe that, even when life gets hard, Jesus is still good? Do you believe that Jesus still loves you? Let’s not focus too much on the storms, though. Remember I told you that was just ONE point of application, but not the MAIN point of application.
Jesus, God in flesh, who created the universe, who formed us in our mother’s wombs, who knew us before our parents even thought about us, has complete authority over His creation. He allows the storms into our lives, but has the power to calm the seas *snap* in a moment. Will He? I don’t know. Sometimes the storm seems to last forever. And when that happens, do I still believe that Jesus is in control?
1.. Jesus is not surprised by the storms.
2..Jesus has authority over the storms
3.. Jesus uses the storms to strengthen our faith.
