Why Are You So Afraid?
The Counselor • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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From March 2019
I tried looking up synonyms of confusion. But I came away with uncertainty and disorientation.
Heard about blind cyclops brothers? Neither have eye.
All new series called, the counselor...
Don’t know how many of you’ve been to counseling?
You go in with questions seeking answers… and they ask a ton of questions.
Asked questions.
The greatest way to get answers sometimes is on the other side or questions.
Asked me tons of questions and I realized I was making things bigger than they needed…
What are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to impress?
Good questions that make you find the answer.
If you read the Gospels, you will realize that lots of times when people ask Jesus questions, sometimes he asks questions back....
Jesus asked over 100-recorded questions in the gospels.
Today is first question…
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Week 1 In a storm—Why Are You So Afraid?
Week 2 Need a miracle—Do You Believe I Can Do This?
Week 3 Ongoing challenge— A habit you cant break.... a really deep underlying question... Do You Want to Be Well?
Week 4 With spiritual doubts—Biggest question and least talked about in the church today... Why Do You Doubt?
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Context: Jesus teaching all day from boat: pulpit about to become illustration.
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
I don't know how many of you have been in a boat that was about to sink before, but these people were all of a sudden deep prayer life people... if they weren't before you know they were now…
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?
Guys... I'm on the boat... haven't you seen all the things that i have done?
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?”
Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41
Research on the text...Sea of Galilee is 680 feet below sea level surrounded by mountains. Perfect place for a storm to just blow up out of nowhere.... Surrounded by hills Common for storms to come out of nowhere...
I am sure most of us can remember huge storms in our life that came out of nowhere....
Layoffs. Doctor’s report, Child,
Church people are some of the best at hiding the storms they are in.....
Don’t look like you’re in a storm: House (2 pay behind)
Marriage great—probs. Don’t have problem—cry yourself sleep.
Let me ask this question, how many of you would say that you or someone you know is in the middle of a storm right now?
2 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU’RE IN THE STORM
YOU’RE IN THE STORM WITH HIS PRESENCE.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. But look at this...jesus was in the boat..38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. Mark 4:37-38
Here's what happens though.... we think if we are with Jesus... there is no storm... smooth sailing... just not true... jesus said in this world, you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.... jesus never said the world would be trouble free...
actually the opposite is true...normally when you step out of darkness into light you will begin to face that darkness....you will be fighting against that power
Question God: If God were with me, wouldn’t be going thru all this?
Having Jesus in the boat doesn’t mean storm is not going to rock you.
It’s not going to sink you. because god is for you and god is with you and nothing can take you out of that....
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He is with you—in the storm he is IN the boat
Studies show—older people live longer if something is living in house.
Old deaf guy that doesn't even listen to you....Dog, bird, rabbit, hamster, fish, ferret, hedgehog—certain kinds cats.
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There will come a time when you are going through a storm and people will ask. How are you doing this? How is it that your world is falling apart and you're not scared? I’m not doing this by myself. There is something living in my house... life is in my house... the author is with me... because he is in my house I can....
His strength… His grace… His power… His presence…
Never let the presence of a storm cause u to doubt presence of God
If you Like to memorize scripture let me give you a few today to commit to memory.
God is my refuge & strength, my ever-present help in trouble. Ps 46:1
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Never leave me—never forsake me… Heb 13:5
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Though I walk through the valley…. Im not staying, but I am walking through.. and I fear no evil because he is with me…
He never promised the storm wouldn’t rock us, but it wouldn’t take us out…. I hope you find comfort that you are in the storm with his presence and….
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First your are in the storm with his presence and second YOU’RE IN THE STORM FOR HIS PURPOSES.
Think about this...
Jesus was one said—Let’s go to the other side: So who’s idea was it? Jesus.... why? because he knew on the East side man hurting himself because he was possessed by demons....
Trip was Jesus’ idea. Going into the storm was planned. HE knew that they would be going into the storm....
So through that logic we can say...
Didn’t experience the storm because they were out of God’s will Experienced a storm that was in God’s will.
You’re saying God caused my storm —maybe—maybe not. I don't want to get into that argument with you today.... what i can't
Can’t tell you if God caused it or allowed it—but he always uses it.
2 Consider it pure joy, or move to the state of worship in your soul...my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, WHY?3 because you know that the testing of your faithlisten some of you are being tested... why? Why does a good teacher test you? to see how strong you are, to see how much you know.... produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
We have lots of people that are young in their faith...
How does god mature us?
He matures us as we get to know his word and he matures our minds...
he matures us as we get to know our spiritual gifts and make a difference in someone else’s life....
He matures us as we go through different storm...
I want you to know that the difference for some of you in where you are and where God wants you to be is the storm that you have yet to walk through... maybe you are too scared to proceed, but its the storms that will get you to where God wants you...
How many of you know people that are rock solid in their faith? I can guarantee you that they have been through some storms, and they know that God is rock solid in his faith, that he stands beside the and watches over them that he produces good things....
The truth is that God is often teaching us Something they needed to learn—couldn’t learn it any other way!
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EXAMPLE
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Teacher—we’re going to drown!
39 He got up, rebuked the wind what does that look like? BAD WIND! and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don't you remember me opening blind eyes? Don’t your remember me opening deaf ears? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:39-41
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
The fear of the storm was replaced by the Holy fear of the lord…
If you are a follower of Jesus, let me ask you this Why are you so afraid?
He is for you...with you.... why are you so afraid?
In the storm: with his presence—for his purpose.
My hope is not in the boat—my soul is anchored in the Lord. and that changes everything... I used to be so afraid of....
Listen, 1,000,000 you'd run... So much more
