In The Storm

Welcome and Intro

The Gospel of Mark The Peace of the Presence (Mark 4:35–41)

THE Lake of Galilee was notorious for its storms. They came literally out of the blue with shattering and terrifying suddenness. A writer describes them like this: ‘It is not unusual to see terrible squalls hurl themselves, even when the sky is perfectly clear, upon these waters which are ordinarily so calm. The numerous ravines which to the north-east and east debouch [open out] upon the upper part of the lake operate as so many dangerous defiles in which the winds from the heights of Hauran, the plateaux of Trachonitis, and the summit of Mount Hermon are caught and compressed in such a way that, rushing with tremendous force through a narrow space and then being suddenly released, they agitate the little Lake of Gennesaret in the most frightful fashion.’ The voyager across the lake was always liable to encounter just such sudden storms as this.

Much like the Sea of Galilee, life can bring storms on us suddenly that can take a simple voyage and turn it into a fight for our life

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?”

God Cares about the Storm

Jesus woke up from a nap to save them

Jesus spoke to the storms the same way he speaks to the demon

God Calms the Storm

Even in the fiercest of life’ storm he can settle everything down around you

Jesus had faith in God’s ability to calm the storm

We have to step outside of fear’s box and step into faith in God

God Controls the Storm

The disciples were amazed that the waves and seas listened

God is in control

Why is this important

IT is in the storms of our life that God reveals who he truly is.

Why is this important

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from

anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you,

you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during

the most trying periods of my life

there have only been one

set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

- Mary Stevenson

Where Do We Go From Here

God is calling us to a life of faith not fear

We have to know that in the middle of our storm God is there

The Gospel of Mark The Peace of the Presence (Mark 4:35–41)

We do this story far less than justice if we merely take it in a literalistic sense. If it describes no more than a physical miracle in which an actual storm was stilled, it is very wonderful and it is something at which we must marvel, but it is something which happened once and cannot happen again. In that case it is quite external to us. But if we read it in a symbolic sense, it is far more valuable. When the disciples realized the presence of Jesus with them, the storm became a calm. Once they knew he was there, fearless peace entered their hearts. To voyage with Jesus was to voyage in peace even in a storm. Now that is universally true. It is not something which happened once; it is something which still happens and which can happen for us. In the presence of Jesus, we can have peace even in the wildest storms of life.