The Calm

Intro.

*RECAP THE WEEK SO FAR*

For today, we are going to look at the remarkable power that Jesus has even over the crazy forces of nature, then we will see how that is relevant to our lives.

Have you ever been out on a lake early in the morning or at dusk on a pretty day? What does it look like?

Still

Reflective

Like glass

*OCEAN CRATE SHIPS IN STORMS*

I’m honestly a little terrified of the ocean, and I hate even watching videos of ships at sea.

Calming the Storms

There was a time when the disciples found themselves in this situation, much like when they met Jesus walking on the water, where they were in the middle of a huge storm at sea:

Mark 4:35–40 LSB

35 And on that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling up. 38 And Jesus Himself was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion; and they got Him up and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you so cowardly? Do you still have no faith?”

How would you have felt in this situation?

What would you have done?

What did the disciples do?

They went to Jesus!

Jesus went to the front of the boat, and called to the sea “Be Quiet!” — and the seas which had been rough, with high waves and winds, went so calm it resembled the glassiness of a calm lake

Now, is Jesus still able to do things like that today?

Of Course!

The Peace of Christ

In a broader term, peace is a kind of quiet and calmness. You’ll talk more about that in class today.

I want to show us a couple of passages that tell us about the peace Jesus brings to us.

Remember, God is our safe place especially when life gets difficult and messy — Jesus, Who is God, is our peace. What kind of peace does Jesus bring?

Peace in Life

John 16:33 “33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.””

Philippians 4:6–9 “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is dignified, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, consider these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

For those who are in Christ, we can trust that God is going to take care of us, and that Jesus really is in control. With God in control of things, all we need to concern ourselves with is doing what He says because we love and trust Him.

Peace with God

Romans 5:8–11 “8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

“Reconcile” means cause opposing sides to live in harmony together, or you could say it is to restore a friendly relationship between people who aren’t getting along.

In our sins, before we are in Christ, we are enemies of God, but God loves you so much that He came to earth and went to the Cross so that we, His enemies, would be in a restored relationship together.

Peace with People in Christ

Ephesians 2:13–16 “13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might create the two into one new man, making peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.”

In the ancient past, Jews and Non-Jews hated each other, but in Christ they are not separate! In Christ, they are brought to have unity and love for one another!

In Christ, people from all walks of life come together with a common love and faith in Jesus, united together as one body, no longer hating one another or working against each other.

Conclusion

Do you have peace in Jesus?

He won’t make all our problems go away; Like He said, in this life we will have trouble — but we can have peace during that trouble because Jesus is bigger and better than whatever problems we have. For the Christian, the person who lives in Christ, He alone is what grants us and undying, unfading peace in life, with God having our sins forgiven, and with other people who are our new family in Christ!