Faith in Jesus when life becomes difficult

Jesus Saves

Today’s message is about looking to Jesus in difficulty. In the midst of storms in our lives, we must look to Jesus. Jesus worked to train His disciples in trusting Him amidst discomfort. In , Jesus has decided to take His disciples across a large lake to a region unfamiliar to them. He’s taking them off of Jewish land, outside their comfort zone. Have any of us been outside our comfort zone lately? Let’s read the scripture.

Mark 4:35–41 NASB95

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself 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 got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Mark 4:35–41 NASB95

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself 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 got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Mark 4:35-41

Step out in Faith

When Jesus challenged His disciples…I’m not sure they knew what was in store for them. What if they did…? Would they have gone anyway? A good question. We’ve got to step out in faith…even if we DO know the storm is coming. Do we trust God that even through storms, we’ll get to the other side? Is our Goal to get to the other side…or to be obedient to God?

So if we step out in faith, what does God do?

God sees the big picture

There are two things we see. First of all, he (Jesus) speaks to the storm. It says here, "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm" (). Jesus deals with the real battle here. The language used here in the Greek is quite deliberate. It's the same language we see in , when Jesus is dealing with a demon—when he is dealing with the Enemy. He knows he's dealing with more than weather here. There is a spiritual battle at play, and the disciples weren't fully aware of the power that Jesus had to deal with: their greatest fear, their biggest storm, all that their cultural heritage said the lake and the river and the waters could mean. Jesus knows it's guarded territory, but his power is greater. The second thing we see…is Jesus discipling. He’s teaching. Because we know that the storm was a supernatural tantrum of the enemy…there’s very good reason for to be afraid. Or is there…? Jesus teaches in this case with a question. He asks…why were you afraid? How do you have no faith? He’s trusting His disciples to operate within His power as He is showing and training them. What Jesus is pointing out here again…is that they still don’t quite get who He is.

Communion

The Lord’s Supper: This is what we believe

We believe in observing the Lord’s supper, or communion, just as Jesus instructed. This means that born-again believers take the broken bread and the fruit of the vine as a remembrance and celebration of the new life that is theirs because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection. It is also looking forward to His return as triumphant King. At Skyline, and in all Foursquare Gospel Churches, any believer may partake of the communion. You do not have to be a member of this church. You do not have to partake. Let me read from 1st Corinthians, as the apostle Paul gives instructions about the Lord’s Supper to the church of Corinth.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NASB95

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

1 Corinthians 11:23-

In Remembrance on Jesus

​ NASB95

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

In Remembrance on Jesus

Jesus liked to eat. I can identify with that. In , he told Zacchaeus, “come down from that tree, I’m coming over to eat with you”. John remembers in chapter 21 of His epistle, when Jesus called out to the disciples out on the sea of Galilee...”come in, and dine with me”. Even Jesus’ enemies called him a glutton! You can find that in . Luke remembers them saying, “He eats with sinners!” ( verse 34).

1 Corinthians 11:27–30 NASB95

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

Let us partake of the elements and remember Jesus in the process.

NASB95

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.

efore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.