This is not an ordinary storm

Mark 4:35–41 CSB

35 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

There are some storms

That come thru at times

That has no affects

On the Sight, the Scenery, or the Setting

Of our lives

Because when you look around

The only thing that you can see

From some storms that has

Pass thru

Is a little water on the ground

Those particular storms

Did not not leave any evidences

That it was even a storm

Everything is still the same [ Explain ]

But on the other hand

There’s some storms

That will come thru

And mess up

The Sight, the Scenery, & the Setting

Of our lives

In other words

These storms

Had some GREAT AFFECTS

When it came thru town [ EXPLAIN ]

The disciples are in a storm

That has a great affect on

The Sight, the Scenery, & the Setting

Of their lives

Explain : Mark 4: 1-41

Mark 4

Mark introduced the word “parable” in Mark 3:23

and used it seven times

in this chapter (4:2, 10–11, 13, 33–34).

The word means “to throw alongside.”

Jesus used familiar images

to help explain

the spiritual truths

in His message about “the kingdom” (vv. 11, 26, 30).

He used this approach

so that He could

arouse the carelessness

and instruct the concerned

and yet conceal the truth

from His enemies

who would use it against Him (vv. 10–12).

This chapter presents four responsibilities of God’s people.

I. The Responsibility of Sowing (4:1–20, 30–34)

Jesus explained the parable

and emphasized that knowing it

was basic to understanding all parables (v. 13, and see Matt. 13:1–23).

Unless our hearts are prepared

to receive the seed of the Word

we cannot grow in grace or knowledge (2 Peter 3:18).

The sower originally was Jesus,

who came teaching the Word of God (the seed)

and seeking a harvest.

Today, anyone who shares God’s Word

with others is sowing the seed.

Like seed,

God’s Word is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12)

and, when cultivated,

can produce fruit.

However, there are forces

that fight against the seed bearing fruit:

the devil snatches the seed

from hard hearts (vv. 4, 15);

the flesh produces a temporary response

in shallow hearts (vv. 5–6, 16–17);

and the world smothers the growth in crowded hearts (vv. 7, 18–19).

The good ground

represents the prepared heart

that receives the seed

and produces a harvest

in varying degrees (“fruit … more fruit … much fruit,” John 15:1–8).

It is significant

that three-fourths of the hearts

did not produce fruit

(they were never truly born again),

and the hearts that were fruitful

did not all produce “a hundredfold.”

As we sow the seed in our preaching, teaching, and witnessing, we must not become discouraged (Gal. 6:9; Ps. 126:5–6), for God will use His Word as He sees fit, and it will not be wasted (Isa. 55:8–11). Neither should we become elated over a false growth (vv. 30–34). A mustard seed is tiny but, when grown, produces a large shrub, not a tree. There is the suggestion here that Satan (the birds in the tree, v. 15) will encourage a false growth that will give opportunity for the enemy to work. In Scripture, a large tree can symbolize a great worldly kingdom (Ezek. 17:22–24; 31:3–9; Dan. 4:20–22). God’s true people have always been a minority (Luke 12:32), but the professing church is very much like a great tree with many branches.

I. The Responsibility of Sowing (4:1–20, 30–34)

II. The Responsibility of Shining (4:21–25)

In Mark 4:23 The word “hear”

is used thirteen times

in this chapter

and refers to the receiving

of God’s truth into the inner person,

just the way soil receives the seed.

I. The Responsibility of Sowing (4:1–20, 30–34)

II. The Responsibility of Shining (4:21–25)

III. The Responsibility of Reaping (4:26–29)

This parable

can be summarized

in four words:

sowing (v. 26), sleeping (v. 27), growing (v. 28), reaping (v. 29).

All we can do

is sow the seed;

God alone can give the increase (1 Cor. 3:6–7).

We cannot make the seed grow;

in fact,

we do not fully understand

how the seed grows.

Our task

is to sow the seed

and be alert

when the harvest is ready (John 4:35–38).

While sleeping is sometimes

a picture of sin (Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Thes. 5:1–11),

here it simply reminds us

that hard-working people

need their rest (see Mark 6:31).

If workers

do not take care of themselves,

they cannot do the work God

has called them to do.

I. The Responsibility of Sowing (4:1–20, 30–34)

II. The Responsibility of Shining (4:21–25)

III. The Responsibility of Reaping (4:26–29)

IV. The Responsibility of Trusting (4:35–41)

Jesus completed the lesson

and then gave His disciples

an unexpected examination!

They had listened

to the Word of God,

and that Word

should have increased their faith (Rom. 10:17).

They failed the test!

It is not unusual for terrible storms to come suddenly on the Sea of Galilee, although this one may have been satanic in origin. The word “rebuked” in v. 39 is the same word Jesus used when dealing with the demons (1:25). Perhaps the enemy was trying to keep Jesus from arriving at Gadara, where He would deliver two demoniacs from Satan’s power. “With Christ in the vessel, you can smile at the storm”—if your faith is in Him and Him alone.

1st Jesus gives them a WORD before the Storm ( V 35 )

1st Physical Storm ( V 37 )

Note: Even though this storm was physical it was still the will of God ( V 40 )

Note: Just because the Seen the Scenery and the Setting of your life is not favorable does not mean it’s not God‘s will.

Note: Some storms can get physical and break some things up

[ break relationships - Break Physical Body - break Churches - Break Ministries - break careers ]

4:35 The disciples were obeying Jesus’ command

“ Let us cross over”

when the storm came

Obedience does not save us

from the storms of life

but when we obey

Jesus is with us

to see us through them

Sometimes He delivers us from difficulties.

Sometimes He gives us grace to pass through them.

1st Physical Storm ( V 37 )

2nd Spiritual Storm ( V 38 )

Note: Spiritual storms is the worst type of storm

Example: Category 4 hurricane you can loose everything physically but don’t loose your mind but in a spiritual storm you can loose your mind and it’s like you’ve lose everything

Example: Job 1:20-22 “20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”

Note: A spiritual storm affects you all kind of ways [ Affect your — Memory - Decisions - Attitude - Mobility - Judgement - Your get-up & go - Weight - Hair lose - etc .... ]

Note: The disciples thought that Jesus didn’t care and that’s how we feel when we are going thru .

Mark 4:38 (CSB)

38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

Note: The REAL PROBLEM is that Jesus is not doing NOTHING

Note: And this is why things can get so spiritually bad for us is because we know Jesus can do something about our storm and it seems like He is SLEEPING.

1st Physical Storm ( V 37 )

2nd Spiritual Storm ( V 38 )

3rd Emotional Storm ( V 39 )

Note: It was emotional for the disciples

MArk 4:39

Mark 4:40 (CSB)

40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Note: Emotions are real and God gave us emotions

Note: Stop FAKING and cry if you need to

Example : Psalm 137:4

Psalm 137:4 KJV 1900

4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a strange land?

1st Physical Storm ( V 37 )

2nd Spiritual Storm ( V 38 )

3rd Emotional Storm ( V 39 )

4th Faith Storm ( V 39 )

Wavering faith — James 1:6

Small faith — Matthew 17:20

Great faith — Matthew 8:10

Strong faith — Romans 4:20

No faith — Mark 4:35-41

In verses 1-34 Jesus was preparing them for the WILL of the Storm

Note: Jesus is calling out the disciples and telling them where they are spiritually [ NO FAITH ]

Verse 41 — Jesus wanted them to ride it OUT somethings you got to ride it out