Full Sermon Jesus Gives Us Calm in the Midst of Troubles based on Mark 4:35-41

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I. Stormy weather lately. Rain and stormy weather in our area has been a regular thing lately. Farmer’s fields have been filled with water. West Okoboji Lake has had damage recently to boat docks and the shoreline. Water has been filling basements. The church basement in May City had a few feet of water yesterday. People are getting tired of seeing rain from the sky in such huge amounts.

II. The great windstorm in Mark 4. In our Gospel lesson from Mark 4 the disciples of Jesus are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a great windstorm started pushing water into their boat. This storm was at night to make things even worse. Jesus did not even notice the storm because He was asleep after a busy day. Jesus was sleeping so soundly that His disciples had to wake Him up. They were afraid they would drown, and they begged Jesus to help them.

III. Similar to Jonah in a boat. When I think of the disciples of Jesus being afraid of drowning, I also think about the Old Testament account of Jonah. At first, Jonah refused to go to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah was in a boat with some other men and a big storm was threatening to sink that boat. Jonah, like Jesus, was sleeping on the boat. The men woke Jonah up and asked him to pray to his God. Jonah had told them he was fleeing from the presence of God. They asked him what to do to still the storm. Jonah told them to throw him into the sea and the storm would quiet down. They reluctantly threw Jonah overboard. The storm stopped.

IV. Problems can seem like a windstorm. You might not be in a boat on a stormy sea, but sometimes your problems might seem like a great windstorm is threatening to sink your boat. You might be struggling with problems that seem so huge that you cannot think of any way to solve those problems. Those troubles could be health troubles or family troubles or troubles with your neighbors. You might wonder if your health will ever get any better. You might question whether your family troubles will ever improve. You might think your troubles with your neighbors are past the point of no return. You might be like the disciples of Jesus and forget about the power of Jesus for your life.

V. Does Jesus care? The terrified disciples woke Jesus and asked Him if He even cared about their problems. Sometimes you might wonder if Jesus cares about your troubles, too. You might wonder if Jesus cares about your health troubles or your family troubles or your troubles with your neighbor. You might wonder if anyone cares about the troubles that are threatening to overwhelm you with fear.

VI. Jesus knew exactly what to do. Jesus knew exactly what to do for His frightened followers in the boat. Jesus told the great windstorm to be still. The Greek word means to “be muzzled”. If you can think of the windstorm being like a barking dog, then the words of Jesus were similar to telling that windstorm to be muzzled and stop barking. The wind ceased and in place of the great windstorm there was now a great calm. Jesus asked the disciples why they were acting like cowards and were filled with fear instead of being filled with faith. The disciples were in awe of Jesus and wondered who this Jesus was who could control the wind and the waves.

VII. Calming words in Matthew 28:20 and Romans 8:31 and Psalm 124:1a, 4-5, and 8). Simply with the words of His mouth, Jesus calms the storms of your souls, too. We don’t know what the future may hold, but we do know that Jesus says he will always be with us. He says: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He is with you forever. He will never abandon you nor forsake you. He will guard you and protect you and watch over you. Therefore, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). God is on your side, and he will give you peace. In the midst of turmoil, he will grant you peace: “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side . . . then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters. . . . Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:1a, 4–5, 8).

VIII. Jesus calmed the biggest storm of death for us. No matter how hard we try we cannot control the storms of life, Jesus can, and He did. Most important, He calmed the biggest, most vicious storm—the storm of death. He calmed that storm as before, with His words, with a simple phrase that he spoke: “It is finished.” And in speaking those words, there was powerful peace. In speaking those words, there was powerful peace between God and man. In speaking those words, there was powerful peace for us even in the midst of death. For in that moment, he had calmed the storm of death.

IX. Powerful peace in Word and Sacrament. He continues to bring powerful peace to you even today. In His words of Baptism, He says, “Peace! You are mine.” In His words for repenting sinners, He says, “Peace! You are forgiven.” In His words that are preached, He says, “Peace! I will be with you always.” In His Words of Institution, He says, “Peace! You are forgiven and fed and strengthened.” Jesus speaks to you a word of peace.

X. Conclusion. In the inevitable, uncontrollable storms and troubles of life, Jesus gives you powerful peace. Jesus gives you a great calm. Jonah did not think he would survive being thrown into the stormy sea. God surprised Jonah and sent a big fish to swallow him up. Jonah stayed in the belly of the big fish for three days and three nights. Then the big fish spit Jonah out onto dry land. Jesus is greater than Jonah. Jesus calmed the storm with His words of command. Jesus is greater than Jonah in that Jesus suffered and died for all the sins and troubles of people like you and me. Jesus is greater than Jonah because Jesus arose on the third day after being in the belly of the grave to conquer sin, death, and the devil for you and for me. Jesus is greater than Jonah because Jesus will return one day to judge all people and the judgment for believers in Jesus will be: “Innocent” thanks to the saving work of Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.