The King's Authority Over Nature

INTRO

Recap Mark Series/Last week (Chapter 4 parables)

Details & Structure - 4 = teaching , here -5 begins a series of “private” miracles

TODAY — More than “Jesus is with us in the Storms of life.”

Not Untrue - but this passage is a bout Jesus first — what we learn about Him matters for us

TENSION

How does Jesus affect the storms? — ‘We are either about to go through a storm, coming out of a storm, or in the middle of a storm.’

TRUTH

Mark 4:35–41 (ESV)

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 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?” 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. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 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?”

PRAY

3 Rebukes | The Disciples Rebuke Jesus, Jesus Rebukes the Storm, Jesus Rebukes the Disciples

The Disciples Rebuke Jesus (v. 35-38)

Mark 4:35–38 “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 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?””

Jesus had been teaching from a boat to the crowd on the shore.

Eye Witness Details in Mark’s account…

Time of Day | The boat he was in | Other boats with him | The boat was already filling | Jesus asleep in the stern, on the cushion.

Set the stage

SLIDE - Boats on sea of Galilee

Many of the Disciples were Fisherman — used to the weather on the sea of Galilee

400 ft. below sea level — severe storms were common — Word (windstorm) = hurricane, typhoon, GALE

Would have been experienced at dealing with storms in a boat.

This was enough to scare them — severe (“Already filling up”)

Jesus —> ASLEEP in the stern — Only time Jesus is “sleeping” in the gospels — Why is he sleeping?

Humanity of Jesus — Exhaustion - had been teaching all day (ministry is draining)

His faith — Complete trust in the Father, the storm does not disturb him.

Followers wake him up in a PANIC.

Similarities to Jonah… Matthew 12 - Jesus refers to himself as the True Jonah…

Jonah 1:4–6“But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.””

Mighty tempest | Ship threatened to breakup | Mariners were afraid | Jonah is asleep | Wake him to call to a god.

Jonah had been called to take a message of Repentance to the Gentiles — The Kingdom of God has come to the Gentiles.

Jonah goes against his will — Jesus steps willingly into human flesh.

Jonah asleep & woken up to call to a god — Jesus asleep & woken up - speaks because He is God.

Jonah in the belly of the fish for 3 days — Jesus will be in the ground for 3 days

Jonah relents to take the message of repentance — Jesus resurrected & ascends - so that he may send His Spirit to deliver the message of repentance.

They REBUKE him — “Do you not care that we are perishing”

They think they are going to die…

They think Jesus doesn’t care about them

They clearly don’t get it — This is sort of like taking your kids to dinner, paying for everything, and them saying you don’t care about them because you won’t get them desert… (silly analogy, but..,)

Think for a minute about how absurd it is to claim that Jesus doesn’t care about you…

The Previous Chapters in Mark (Baptism?, Healing the sick - even leprosy, drive out demons & unclean spirits, defended them against RLs, commissioned the 12 & called them his family, taught with authority)

God incarnate — will go to the cross to secure salvation…

Jesus Rebukes the Storm (v. 39)

Mark 4:39 “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.”

Authority of Jesus — This begins to take it up a notch.

Chapters 1-3 (sickness, demons, Religious Leaders, family)

Nature — Creation

“Rebuke” — Same word from 1:25 — Jesus rebukes an unclean spirit, “Be silent, and come out of him”

Jesus speaks — “Peace! Be Still!” — and the wind and the sea listen.

Echoes of Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

“There was a great calm.”

Not only does the wind cease, but so do the waves — instantly — Probably like an ‘eerie silence’ & calm.

More than meets the Eye Happening Here — God is the only one who controls the Wind & the Waves.

Psalm 65:6–7 “the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,”

Psalm 89:9 “You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.”

Psalm 104:7 “At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.”

Psalm 107:28–32 (ESV)

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

He made the storm be still,

and the waves of the sea were hushed.

Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,

and he brought them to their desired haven.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,

and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Jesus is unequivocally announcing that HE IS GOD.

But the disciples response is NOT gladness, extolling him and praising…

3. Jesus Rebukes the Disciples (v. 40-41)

Mark 4:40–41 “He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 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?””

NASB - “How is it that you still have no faith?” - Message “Why are you such cowards?”

They have seen Jesus’ authority & teaching

Those things SHOULD have produced faith in his followers…

But they still wonder if he cares…

The followers response = FEAR — “They were filled with great fear.”

The Greek actually says, “They feared FEAR” — Typical response to Angels in Scriptures - to a supernatural sign (Glory of God)

“They are filled with great fear” — Their first words are always, “Do not fear.”

The Followers ask a familiar question — “Who is this?”

Mark 1:27 “And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.””

Now — Creation itself…

Maybe the first time they realize — this is more than “the Messiah” — God the Son.

APPLICATION

What does this mean for us?

Jesus is both the model AND the object of our FAITH.

Model — Jesus is human — he becomes exhausted just like we do — His response - sleep in complete faith in the Father.

Everyone has not yet heard the message, even in Galilee — His followers don’t even get IT yet — But Jesus rests in the Sovereignty of God.

What does sleep communicate?

I’m not God.

I can’t do everything.

I have to replenish, refresh, etc.

Object — Jesus is God — He commands the wind and the waves — creation (all things were made through him and by him and for him)

We often ask God/Jesus — “Do you even care that I am perishing?” — The answer is an EMPHATIC —> YES!

In fact, it is the storms of life that PRODUCE Faith!

“He may let storms rage for a while but he absolutely does care! He cared so much that he was thrown into the raging sea of God’s wrath. That is proof we can trust him to not let us sink in all the other trials and troubles that might come our way. Faith is looking at the evidence, acting on the truth with an act of the will, but also delighting in the love of Christ for us on the cross.” - Tim Keller

The followers failure was NOT waking Jesus up to save them, It was wondering if he cared.

We SHOULD cry out to the Lord in our distress — Not to ask IF he cares, but BECAUSE He cares! — The Cross is the ultimate evidence!

Receive Jesus

Faith is the Major Theme of this passage…

We learn that suffering disrupts trust — Will their fear lead them to also put their trust in Him?

Will our suffering/fear lead us to put our trust in Him?

BE STILL & KNOW, THAT HE IS GOD.

When the “storm” comes, where do you run?

Your own strength — grit & bear it, muscle your way through, pull yourself up by your boot straps.

Social Media/Doomscrolling — Vent to an echo chamber to get likes and affirmation, or maybe because it’s a little world you’ve built & curated - run there so you don’t have to deal with the real world

Pornography — Seeking intimacy through a screen -

Drugs & Alcohol — To numb the reality of life and feel something different

Emotional Eating — Finding solace in calories

Finances (security) — The illusion of safety & security that it provides

ALL of These things are a form of escapism - crying out to a (false) god…

We have evidence of his Authority — His love & compassion — How will we respond?

Give us more Faith (increase) — tell ourselves the truth when we begin to question — Does God care about me? — YES! — He bled & died for you!

“You stand before God as if you were Christ, because Christ stood before God as if He were you.” — Charles Spurgeon

CONCLUSION

Rob & I will be at the FRONT — Prayer for FAITH - STORMS of LIFE - RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST - OBEDIENCE in BAPTISM (Resurrection Services)

Old Hymn

His love in times past forbids me to think

He’ll leave me at last in troubles to sink.

By prayer let me wrestle — then he will perform.

With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.

PRAY