Where's Your Faith? - Mark 4:35-41
Notes
Transcript
I enjoy playing with my children. Many times the will come to me and want me to swing them around toss them up in the air. But not too high, of course. They enjoy it to a point. The second I spin too fast, or toss too high, the look of bliss on their face turns to abject terror. One of my jobs as a parent is to help my children understand that they can trust me. I am not going to let them fall. I’m not going to drop them. But in the heat of the moment, its easy for them to become afraid of the height and they feel out of control. Whenever I get carried away and things go too far for their comfort, I always have to remind them: hey, you can trust me. I’m not going to drop you. I’m right here the whole time. Trust me.
Sometimes we can be like my children in the arms of God, can’t we? Sometimes life has us spinning and being tossed around and it’s easy to lose sight of our God and we become afraid. And then we get to the end and Jesus is right there saying, hey. You can trust me. I’m right here.
Often times we learn this through cycles. Just like the disciples in our passage today, we must be taught over and over and over again. But Jesus is there every time saying “trust me”
That is what we will see from our passage this morning. Let’s begin to look at Mark 4.
Before we examine our passage this morning, it’s important to set the context.
In the early portions of the book, Jesus was establishing his authority. Authority to teach, drive out demons, heal, and define the Sabbath. After that Jesus encountered different forms of opposition, after which he teaches several parables on the nature of the Kingdom.
We are entered into another stretch of Jesus doing several miracles that are bracketed by two boat scenes that reveal that though Jesus has been teaching his disciples many things, there are some things that they just don’t seem to get.
All that brings us up to Mark 4:35-41
Where we will see how discipleship is to be a life of faith.
Who is it that we are to trust?
Faith in the one who leads us, the one who cares, the one who is able, and one who is God
Let’s begin to read out test: Discipleship is to be a life of faith in the one who leads us:
Faith in the One Who Leads Us
Faith in the One Who Leads Us
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
So when Jesus had started preaching on the parables of the soils at the beginning of chapter 4, he was in a boat and was preaching to the crowd. At the end of the day, he sat down and said let’s go over to the other side. And off they go.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
In comes a storm of such great magnitude that it the threatening to sink the boats in which they were sailing. The Sea of Galilee is known to produce sudden and violent storms from time to time, and that is what happens here. Mark calls it a great windstorm with waves breaking over the boat.
Here’s what I find interesting: Jesus is the one who said, let’s sail across the sea. This wasn’t the disciples idea that Jesus allowed to take place. This was Jesus’ idea. This was Jesus’ plan. Did he know that a storm was going to come? Absolutely he did. He’s already demonstrated Himself to be God in human flesh, thus he knew what storms awaited them on the sea. But He chose to lead the disciples into the storm anyway. He didn’t warn them “hey, we’re about to get sailing across the sea, and I know things look okay now, but it’s going to get rough after a bit” he didn’t say that. He simply led on into the sea.
Why would Jesus do this? Why would He put the disciples in a potentially life-threatening situation without warning them? Why would He not say “you know what, let’s stay here tonight and sail over tomorrow after the storm blows over”? Why would he not at least warn them of the danger that lie ahead?
Could it be that Jesus wanted to test their faith? Could it be that Jesus led them into this storm intentionally in order for them to learn what true faith looks like? Could it be that Jesus wanted to show the disciples just how powerful He as so that he could strengthen their faith?
Sometimes we experience trials in our life that of our own making. We made poor choices and now we must live with the consequences of them. But then there are other times when we fall into trials that are completely beyond our control. When this happens, many times we speak of God allowing these things into our lives, and I don’t think there necessarily anything wrong with thinking about it that way, but it does seem that there are times when God leads us into some things as Jesus does here for our own benefit.
Earlier we read of from Psalm 44. The Psalmist is crying out to God in the midst of trial. In that Psalm the author says “hey, I haven’t broken your covenant. Our conscience is clear. and yet we are still enduring this.
Why would God lead us into trials?
James 1 comes to mind:
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
There is a purpose behind everything the Lord does. And He is purifying us in the process.
Well, the disciples here were encountering a “various trial” with this storm, a storm into which Jesus knowingly led them. This is a testing of their faith. How will they do? Let’s return to the text. The storm pops up and the disciples are terrified:
38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
The disciples are faced with a test of their faith and they respond two ways.
First they are clearly afraid. They see the waves, they know the condition of their boat, they can tell that are they are not far away from sinking and there is nothing they can do. Perhaps they felt like the sailors in the book of Jonah. They lightened the ship by throwing anything unnecessary for survival overboard, they tried with all their might to row back to the safety of the shore, but all of it was of no use. Nothing they did could save themselves. They realize they cannot get out on their own, and thus they are afraid.
Second, they are accusatory. They accuse Jesus of apathy, of not caring about the state in which they find themselves. “Do you not care that we are about to die??” Don’t you see what’s going on?? How can you sleep at a time like this when we are about to drown?! Don’t you care about us?”
I find it interesting that implicit in the question is the presumption that Jesus could have done something about it. They think Jesus can and should do something, and yet they are terrified of the situation.
I suspect that this feeling is not foreign to many of us. How many times have you been afraid in the situations of life?
I know each of you have experienced your own hardships in your own lives as I’ve had those conversations with you.
It’s times like these that have led many to ask God the question that the disciples asked Jesus here.
Do you not care? Don’t you see what I’m dealing with? Do you know my trial? God, where are you? Why aren’t you doing anything about this?
The truth is that God does care. Jesus does care! The life of discipleship is a life that choose to trust the care of God, even when I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death.
Faith in the One Who Cares
Faith in the One Who Cares
Jerry Bridges once wrote about three things about God that we must never forget:
God is perfect in his love, so he wants what is best for us
God is infinite in wisdom, to he knows what’s best for us
God is limitless in power, so he is able to bring about what is best for us.
God does care and He has His purposes in our hardships.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
God cares! and he call his disciples to live lives of faith in the Him, the caring Lord.
Faith in the One Who Cares
Faith in the One Who Cares
The disciples’ response was not one of faith, but fear and accusation. But because Jesus does indeed care, he acts.
39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Not only is does Jesus care, but He is able to do something about the situation.
Faith in the One Who Is Able
Faith in the One Who Is Able
Jesus had the power all along to quite the storm. He could have made it stop in His sleep if He wanted to. But in order to demonstrate His power once again and seek to deepen the faith of the disciples, he leads them into the storm and then quells the storm with his mighty power.
He then turns to the disciples and speaks to them. vs 40.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Why are you so afraid? Why am I so afraid? Jesus, didn’t you see the waves? We’re soaking wet. there’s so much water in the boat we’re barely afloat. Of course we were afraid.
How is it that you have no faith? The way this is constructed in the Greek makes in clear that the expectation from Jesus is that they would have faith by now. I like how the ESV translates it: have you still no faith? You don’t have faith yet? Clearly, there is something in the experience of the disciples that Jesus seems to think ought to produced a certain level of faith, but it had yet to sink in for them.
Have you still no faith? With all you’ve seen, with all you’ve been a part of, with what you witnessed with your very own eyes. I’ve healed people from their diseases and disabilities, I’ve cast out demons, I teach with authority, I even dare to forgive sins, making it clear that I am divine, not only have you witnessed this, but I have empowered you and sent you out and you have personally experienced God’s power working through you yourselves, and yet, and YET. You still have no faith? How is that possible?
Jesus expected the disciples to be able to look past the scenario unto the savior.
The truth is they should have had faith. They have witnessed the power of God on display, they have watched God in human flesh at work, they have Immanuel, God with Us, right there. Perhaps they should have called to mind Is 41:10
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Jesus was right there with them. So when they saw the storm, they should have had faith. But listen: they should have had faith, even if that mean drowning, they should have had faith. Because here’s the hard part:
Jesus quieted the storm in this scenario, but He nowhere promises to quiet all of life’s storms in this life. Someday these trials will be a thing of the past, but that isn’t promised in the here and now. Jesus’ expectation of the disciples is that they would have had faith in their Messiah who was the one who had led them out onto the sea, even if that mean drowning. Jesus led them there, He must have had a reason, so even if that means I perish, I will trust Him.
That’s the kind of faith that we are called to have as well. Even if you do not experience the end of the storm in this life, can you look past whatever scenario you find yourself in and look to the savior? Do you trust that your God is able to preserve you even if the storm never ends?
The disciples had witnessed God power on display through Jesus Christ, so it can be easy to be critical of them. Come on guys, you’ve seen so many great things! How could you not believe?
But aren’t we the same way? Don’t we too lose sight of our savior in the midst of our storms? You might say, well sure, but we haven’t watched Jesus cast out demons, or heal a paralytic man, or anything like that.
While that may be true, you have something they didn’t have.
This. (BIBLE)
You have a more complete picture of who Jesus Christ is through the pages of Scripture than they did at that time. The person of Jesus Christ, His nature, His attributes, His works, are all revealed throughout the pages of Scripture in such a way that it leaves us without any excuse to be fearful and accusatory. In many ways, we can know Jesus more fully than the disciples could at that moment in history.
Furthermore, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve seen God work. First of all, he saved you. You have new life because of what He did on the cross and what He did inside of you to saved you. You have a new heart because of Him! So there’s that, but then haven’t you seen Him do other things as well? Have you seen Him provide in unique ways? Have you learned valuable lessons in previous trials? Have you spent time in God’s word and tasted and saw that the Lord is good? Have you spent time with other believers who can share their own testimonies of how they have seen God at work in their lives? And do you still doubt? do you still lack faith?
With all we’ve seen and experienced we should know better, and the disciples should know better. But so often we don’t, and so we must be reminded: we can trust him.
And I don’t know about you, but I’m so thankful that Christ was so patient with his disciples, even here in this boat. This show He is patient with us as well.
Well, as we come to this final verse in the chapter, this verse highlights the nature of who Jesus is, which is really the whole point of this sesction.
We have Faith in the one who leads us, who cares, and who is able because of who He is....He is God, and that’s really the most important point.
Faith in the One Who is God
Faith in the One Who is God
Let’s look at how the disciples responded.
41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
They went from fear of the sea to being afraid of the power of Jesus Christ. And who can blame them? To speak a word and not only does the storm stop, but the sea became perfectly calm, that’s real power. They are in awe: “who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” I like how the King James renders this: what manner of man is this? What kind of person are we dealing with here? Who then is this?
I wonder if Psalm 107 would have come to mind in this moment. Listen to Ps 107:23-32:
23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
These are the works of God, and now Jesus seems to do just as this psalm says. Who then is this?
Who then, indeed? This is the Messiah. This is the creator and sustainer of the universe. This is one who has made the world, who hung the planets and stars in their place, who makes the seasons turn, who made the sea, the land, and everything in them. This is the one who lives a perfect life and who will one day die, but he won’t stay dead, but rather rise again. This is the one who defeats death, the grave, and even hell itself. This is one whom the Father has highly exalted and has given a name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
That’s what manner of men they were dealing with. That’s who this was. And if that’s who this is, then this is someone worth trusting. Even in the storms. Even if the storms never fade. Even if we die in the storm. Because of Who Jesus Christ is, He is worthy of our trust.
In many ways, this passage feels like the peak of a crescendo from chapters 1-4. The reality is that Jesus is just getting warmed up. As Mark progresses the magnitude of the miracles keep astounding those who witness them. Jesus challenges all who see him, all who hear of him: have you still no faith?
Do you have faith in Christ? Are you trusting in Him for your salvation? Perhaps you are unaware, but we are all born dead in our sins. We are born adrift at sea with no way to save ourselves. You were born this way. We try to save ourselves through good works, or religous practices but God will not be bribed. We have sinned against Him, we have violated His laws, and thus as a righteous judge, God must serve justice. You stand guilty before God and deserve to die for your crimes. But God, who is also rich in mercy loves you and sent Jesus to pay your fine for you. Jesus voluntarily died for sinners and rose again from the dead, so that all who trust in him are given new life. They are saved from the righteous wrath of God, and adopted into His family. But you have to trust Him. Trust that Jesus is who He says He is, God in human flesh, and trust that He can do what He says He can do, and that is save you from your sin if you cling to Him as you would a life jacket at sea. Trust Him today.
Perhaps you’ve trusted in Christ for salvation, but you struggle with the various storms you encounter in life. It can be uncomfortable to face this reality, but God intentionally leads us into the storms of this life and these storms serve to test our faith. Will you melt in fear, accuse God of not caring, and run away? Or will you look past the storm to the savior, who has only led you through this in order to purify you. Jesus has proven Himself trustworthy time and time again. Even if the storm takes your life, will you trust Him?
The disciples stood in awe of Jesus. They saw so much, and yet failed to fully understand. What will you do?
Be a people who trust. See the nature and character of God, and choose faith over fear, trust over accusation. No matter how fast life seems to spin, no matter how high you feel like you are being tossed, just how I am always right there for my children to catch them, Jesus is there. And if we listen to His Word, you can hear Him saying “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You can trust me”
Let’s pray