No Longer a Slave to Fear

Introduction

Most of us have experienced being afraid of nightmares or thunder and lighting during a storm. We wake up, scream and jump out of our beds facing the terror of the valley of our bedrooms, down the valley of the hall, to the valley of our parents room. We then leap as hard as we can into their beds, because we needed someone with us. Our parents hugging us does not stop the rain, or the lightning , but it changes how we face it. We end up falling asleep in our parents arms. The fear that we have alone , we no longer have, because Mama and Daddy holds us. They help us face our fears in the midst of our struggles. This exactly what the heavenly Father does for us when we face our own fears and insecurities.

For the last 4 years I have watched this youth group go to Camp Anderson fearless. You guys spend 5 days and nights around your friends and people you don’t know and you become fearless. You don't care who is around you when your singing at the top of your lungs, some of you have been bold in leading bible studies, others have taken people you did not even know and showered them with love for 5 days . Your completely engaged in what Brother Kevin is preaching and for the first time all year you feel completely fearless and free . Many of you have made the comment “I wish I could just stay at Camp Anderson.” Why?

Here’s the answer! For the first time all year long, you let your guard down and allowed the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. You have realized that camp gives you the opportunity for 5 days to leave all of your struggles behind so your fearless and free. You are actually being the people that God created you to be. You don't have your friends pressuring you in to doing things you KNOW you should not do. In other words, you stop becoming a slave to Fear. You guys get jacked up on this emotional high because you are actually praising and worshiping God, and to go a step further your having fun in Jesus’ name. So what happens when you get back home.

Fear comes into play. Your scared because you don't have this emotional feeling anymore, so you end up running to things that gives you that emotional high. But let me be real clear about something tonight. Christianity is not a feeling, it’s a relationship!!!!! Camps are good for all of us to get refocused on our relationship with Christ but you guys have got to understand how to be the same person no matter what event your attending or who’s around you. You have got to stop allowing Fear to dictate how you act and react.

Tonight we will be in a very familiar passage, so open your bibles to .

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?”

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?”

The Message of Mark 7. The Calming of the Storm (4:35–41)

Mark now introduces two new developments in his story. The first is a straightforward ‘nature miracle’. The second is a sharpening of the relationship between Jesus and the disciples on the issue of faith.

In other words it’s hard to have faith if your fearful!!!

This is the first of a series of historical accounts that bear witness to Jesus’ power as a miracle worker. He has authority over nature, over demons, over sickness, and over death.

Outline

I. God is working in the Circumstances of our Lives (35-37)

At thsi time Jesus

Jesus had a full day of teaching. (trying to get away from the crowds) It was now evening and He and the twelve need to get some rest.

How many time have you just had a normal day and then BOOM!! all of a sudden life smacks you in the face and you don't know what to do?

The disciples were in that situation here. But they failed to realize who they had been with all day and who was asleep in the boat.

How many of you forget who is on your side when things get rough?

II. Jesus is Human Aside from sin (38)

This verse shows the human side of Jesus (sleeping on the cushion). The Bible repeatedly teaches our Lord’s full and true humanity. () He got angry, () He cried, () He died. Now in this passage He is sleeping. He was exhausted from the day and He kept sleeping right through the storm.

Yes Jesus was fully Human but there is something more significant to know in this passage. He had complete trust in the providential care of His Father. In other words He was not a slave to fear!!! Notice that some of the disciples were veteran fisherman but yet they were terrified. These men were in a place where they felt comfortable, (on a boat) but yet the slave of fear had a strong hold on them. They panicked and forgot about the One they should trust in.

III. We Panic When We Lose Faith in the One We Should Trust (38)

Here we see the normal human reaction to something we cannot control. We do not see the spiritual response one would expect from those who have been with Jesus. The apostles, in a panic, wake Jesus up.

We can also notice even though the disciples were scared and showed little faith, they knew who to go to. (38) “Teacher.” Their attitude changed, they asked Jesus a silly question while in panic mode, this showed their lack of faith in Christ. Look what they asked. “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?” They basically questioned His love and concern for them. Frustrated by what appears to be indifference to their plight and facing a desperate situation they had no hope in handling themselves, they lashed out in a rude outburst rather than exhibiting faith in the One who has proven Himself trustworthy.

How do you act and react when something does not go your way? I will say this about the apostles, at least than ran to Jesus. Who or what do you run to in the time of fear and trouble?

It pains me greatly to see myself in the disciples. Jesus has proven Himself faithful to me over and over, yet when caught by surprise and squeezed in a vice or trouble and fear, I fume rather than show faith. Do you do the same?

Who or what do you run to when your a slave to fear? Even if you feel a million miles away from God do you still have faith enough to run to Him or do you run to someone else or other things? We all need to remember who has the authority over all things. Verse (39) tells us

IV. Jesus Has Authority over Nature Because He is God (39)

He is the creator of all things, even the weather. Look what Jesus did in verse (39). Jesus’ gracious humility was on display as He does not chastise the disciples for their less-than-charitable summons. In a simple, non-magical statement He rebukes the wind and says to the sea, “ Silence! Be still.” As Christians we have to learn who is in control when fear and troubles take over our lives. Our trials

V. Trails and Difficulties Come for the Benefit of our Faith (40)

Jesus now turns from addressing the storm to addressing the disciples. “Why are you fearful?’ Do you still have no faith?” By now they should have a greater comprehension and increased faith in His person. This was a golden teaching moment, but they came up short. In the eye of the storm, rather than trusting Him, the disciples accuse Jesus of forsaking them. Until they see the resurrected Christ and fully understand what He did for them on the cross, they are going to struggle. will say the same for you. Until you see the resurrected Christ and fully understand what He did for you on the cross you will always be a slave to fear.

VI. The Identity of Jesus Is an Issue We all Must Settle (41)

Jesus did not calm the storm to take away their fear. Jesus calmed the storm to focus their fear on what was truly worth fearing. We should be fearing God!!

Conclusion

Practice Game (Camp Anderson)