The Journey Through the Storm

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

In the year of 2011 I was a Junior attending The Ramsay High School located on the south side of Birmingham, AL and I was working at the Berney Points Piggly Wiggly located in the West End Community. On April 27th in the year of 2011, my day started off as any regular day for a high school Junior, but to many others, it was a day that they will never forget. On this day, multiple tornadoes ripped through the city of Birmingham and altered the lives of many people. This was a day that was filled with highs and lows at the same time.

On this day, someone living in the United States of America received a promotion on their job and someone experienced the roof of their job ripping off of the building and swirling in the sky. On this day, someone living in the United States of America was received the keys to their new home and someone left their home never to return to that same place again. On this day, someone drove off a lot in a brand new, never before driven automobile and someone had a tree to land on their car. On this day, someone experienced the birth of a new person into their family and someone said goodbye to someone they loved for the last time. Unfortunately, many people across the city of Birmingham, AL highs and lows in the same day all because of a storm.

If you know anything about a natural storm, you’d know that the arrival of storms can be calculated and predicted, but the impact that it can have is unknown. A storm can be detected on a radar days before it impacts a particular location, which will give people ample amount of time to properly prepare for the effects, but at the same time they cannot do anything to control the impact. People can look into the skies and see the signs of a storm coming because the clouds will cover the sun and the day will began to darken, but they still don’t know the level of impact that the storm will cause. Sometimes we can limit the effects that a storm can have on us if we know well in advance that a storm is just over the horizon, but it’s the storms that we are unaware of that causes the most damage. The effects of a natural storm can really hurt an individual but the storms of life can be detrimental even if they see it coming before it arrives.

Introduction

A couple can see a marriage falling apart before it actually comes to an end, but a divorce is still difficult to recover from. A student can notice the failing grades before they actually fail the class, but the humiliation and low self-esteem can alter the confidence of that student for the rest of their life. A parent can watch the health of their child decline for months, but actually burying that child is unexplainable. Although we can see disaster miles down the road before it ever arrives, no person can truly say that they are fully prepared to handle the storms of life especially when it seems as if the storm is occuring out of it’s expected season.

We all know that certain situations are bound to happen in life as we get older, but when those situations happen “prematurely” we say that they happened out of season. (Death, sickness, financial)

My brothers and my sisters, life is filled with swift transitions so we can be experiencing the joys of the day one hour and and the next hour our life can be turned upside-down. This is what happened to the disciples.

Background

Leading up to our text this morning, Jesus is teaching a great multitude by the sea of Galilee about the parable of the sower. After teaching them the parable Jesus decides that it’s time for them to leave the place where they are and go over to the other side. While they are traveling at sea, the Bible says that a great windstorm arose and the water started to get into the boat. In other words, Jesus and the disciples are in the midst of a storm. The Bible says that Jesus is asleep on the boat, the disciples became fearful about what was transpiring and they decided that the best thing to do was to wake Him up so that He can do something about it. Jesus wakes up, rebukes the wind and says to the sea, “Peace be still” and asks the disciples why they are so fearful and ask them why is it that they do not have faith. The disciples began to wonder who was the man that they are dealing with and that’s the end of our text this morning. In this text are three principles that I want to lift up into our hearing this morning that I believe that will help us on our journey through the storm.

The first principle that I wanted to deal with this morning is the decision from Christ.

A Decision from Christ

Mark 5:35 NKJV

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

Mark 4:35 NKJV

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

mk 5:

Now put on your imagination goggles with me so that you can get the full picture of what is happening in our story. The bible says that evening has now come, which means that it is getting darker outside and Jesus wants them to get in the boat so that they can travel to the other side. On the other side of the Sea of Galilee is the country of (GAD uh ruh )Gadara and there is where He is going to perform three miracles, but they must first get to the other side. Many theologians agree that the Sea of Galilee is about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide and the approximate time to travel across this portion of the sea is about 2 hours or less. However, before they can get to the other side they encountered a storm. That information alone proves the statement that was made earlier when I said that life is filled with swift transitions. The disciples did not do anything wrong for them to encounter this storm but their obedience led them slap dead in the middle of the will of God because Jesus said, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

This morning it is important for us to know that having a relationship with Jesus does not exclude you from experiencing storms in your life, but on the contrary having a relationship with Jesus can invite storms into your life. I wish that I could tell you that when you give your life to Jesus that everyday will be a stroll in the park and that difficult days and difficult moments will cease to happen but the reality of the matter is whether you are saved or unsaved, every person will experience some storms in their life. It is even more important to know that every storm you encounter in your life is not because you did something wrong but it is just apart of the journey of being a follower of Christ.

Because Jesus is omniscient, meaning He knows everything, Jesus knew that a storm was coming, yet He still wanted to cross the sea of Galilee at that particular time which doesn’t make sense to a lot of people. You would think that following God would lead storms away from your life, but that is not always the case.

If you don’t believe me just look at the life of Job. Job was man a who was blameless and upright, one who feared God and shunned evil, yet he lost his children and possessions and his body was stricken with sores and it was not because he did anything wrong, but God allowed him to go through that storm.

If you don’t want to look at the life of Job just look at the life of Daniel. Daniel was a man who followed God in a pagan land and him following God caused him to end up in the den with lions and it wasn’t because he did anything wrong, but God allowed him to go through a storm.

Story about Dr. Sanders.

I know that it doesn’t make sense that it seems like you keep having health issues after after health issues, but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know that it doesn’t make sense that you barely have two nickels to rub together each week after week but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know it doesn’t make sense that everyone is seems to be prospering in their wicked lifestyle yet you don’t have a sufficient car to get you from point A to point B but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know that it is looking rough right now but you have to believe that God has a planned for this storm while you are journeying through the storm.

Story about Dr. Sanders.

Not only can we learned from the decision that was made by Christ, but we also can learn from the doubt of the disciples.

In the year of 2011 I was a Junior attending The Ramsay High School located on the south side of Birmingham, AL and I was working at the Berney Points Piggly Wiggly located in the West End Community. On April 27th in the year of 2011, my day started off as any regular day for a high school Junior, but to many others, it was a day that will never be forgotten. On this day, multiple tornadoes ripped through the city of Birmingham and altered the lives of many people. This was a day that was filled with highs and lows at the same time.

The Doubt of the Disciples

It’s already bad enough that they had to travel in the middle of the storm, but the situation gets worse because now water is starting to fill the boat and to add insult to injury, Jesus is on the boat sleep. Now I cannot blame the disciples for panicking at this point because it seemed like this was a bad situation for them to be in and it prompted them to wake Jesus up and ask the question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

The truth of the reality is that sometimes when we are going through storms in our life we ask similar questions of doubt toward God.

“God, don’t you care that I lost my job and I have bills to pay and mouths to feed?”

“God, don’t you care that my house is about to get foreclosed on and I don’t have anywhere else to go?”

“God, don’t you care that I’ve been battling this sickness for years and it hasn’t gotten any better but it’s grown worse?”

“God, are you even listening to my prayers because I’ve prayed the same prayer everyday for five years and you have not moved yet?”

“God, am I not important to you?”

“Where is God?”

The truth of the matter is that when we are going through the storms of life, we began to doubt if God even cares about us because the situations seems to only get worse by the minute.

The psalmist David best pens the emotions we deal with when we are in the midst of our storms in the 22nd Psalm by writing:

Psalm 22:1–2 ESV

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

ps 22

The journey through the storm can be a difficult journey and what can make the journey even more difficult is when you forget the word that was already spoken. Jesus spoke the word and said that they were going to the other side in verse 35, but because of what was happening around them, they quickly forgot that Jesus said that they were going to make it to the other side. Our doubts stem from when what God said does not align with what we see. Doubt is so powerful that it can cause you to question what you already know to be the truth.

Whenever you start to experience doubt about the things that are happening in your life, start trusting in the word that was already spoken because His word will never return to Him void.

God, I know that it’s looking rough right now, but you said in your word:

Philippians 4:19 KJV 1900

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 KJV 1900

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

God, I know that the journey ahead is not looking too favorable but your word says:

Psalm 37:25 KJV 1900

I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.

Psalm 37:5 KJV 1900

Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

God, I cannot understand why I am experiencing what I’m experiencing but your word says:

Romans 8:28 KJV 1900

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

So, the next times you begin to start having doubt, doubt your doubts before you doubt God.

The Deity of Christ

On this day, someone living in Birmingham, AL received a promotion on their job and someone experienced the roof of their job ripping off of the building and swirling in the sky. On this day, someone living in Birmingham, AL received the keys to their new home and someone left their home never to return to that same place again. On this day, someone drove off of a car lot in a brand new, never driven automobile and someone had a tree to land on their car that was still fairly new. On this day, someone experienced the birth of a new person into their family and someone said goodbye to someone they loved for the last time. Unfortunately, many people across the city of Birmingham, AL experienced highs and lows on April 27th of 2011 all because of a storm.

If you know anything about a natural storm, you’d know that the arrival of a storm can be calculated and predicted, but the impact that it can have is unknown. A storm can be detected on some radar days before it impacts a particular location, which will give people ample amount of time to properly prepare for its arrival, but at the same time they cannot do anything to control the impact. People can look into the skies and see the signs of a storm coming because the clouds will cover the sun and the day will began to darken, but they still don’t know the level of impact that the storm will cause. Sometimes we can limit the effects that a storm can have on us if we know well in advance that a storm is just over the horizon, but it’s the storms that we are unaware of that causes the most pain. The effects of a natural storm can really hurt an individual, but the storms of life can be detrimental even if it seen coming before it arrives.

A couple can see a marriage falling apart before it actually comes to an end, but a divorce is still difficult to recover from. A student can notice the failing grades before they actually fail the class, but the humiliation and low self-esteem can alter the confidence of that student for the rest of their life. A parent can watch the health of their child decline for months, but burying that child is an unexplainable process. Although we can see disaster miles down the road before it ever arrives, no person can truly say that they are fully prepared to handle the storms of life especially when it seems as if the storm is occurring out of its expected season.

We all know that certain situations are bound to happen in life as we get older, but when those situations happen “prematurely” we say that they happened out of season.

We all know that death is a part of life and that everyone will have will have to experience it, but no one expects a person to die before they reach adulthood. We all know that sickness is a part of life, but no one expects to hear that their precious little child is suffering from a disease that looks to be incurable. We all know that financial troubles are a part of life, but no one expects to lose everything they have before the age of 30. What I am trying to tell you this morning my brothers and my sisters is that dealing with the storms of life can be difficult to face when they occur when we least expect them.

Ladies and gentlemen, life is filled with swift transitions so just as easy as we can be experiencing the joys of life in one half of our day, we can experience the lows of life in the second half of our day and our life can be turned upside-down. This in essence is what the lives of our disciples looked like this morning.

Background

Leading up to our text this morning, Jesus is teaching a great multitude by the Sea of Galilee about the parable of the sower and the parable of the mustard seed. After teaching them the parables Jesus decides that it is now time for them to leave the place where they are and go over to the other side. So Jesus and the disciples get into the boat and while they are traveling at sea, the Bible says that a great windstorm arose, and the water started to beat into the boat. In other words, Jesus and the disciples are in the middle of a storm. The Bible says that Jesus is asleep on a pillow, the disciples became fearful about what was transpiring, and they decided that the best thing to do was to wake Jesus up because they believed that they were about to die. Jesus wakes up, rebukes the wind and says to the sea, “Peace be still” and asks the disciples why they are so fearful and why is it that they do not have faith. The disciples began even more afraid and began to wonder what kind of man that they are dealing with that even the wind and the sea obeyed Him. That’s the end of our text this morning. In this text are three perspectives that I want to lift up into our hearing that I believe will help us on our journey through the storm.

The first perspective that I wanted to deal with this morning is the decision from Christ.

A Decision from Christ

Mark 4:35 NKJV

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

NKJV

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

Now put on your imagination goggles with me so that you can get the full picture of what is happening in our story. The bible says that evening has now come, which means that it is getting darker outside and Jesus wants them to get in the boat so that they can travel to the other side. On the other side of the Sea of Galilee is the country of (GAD uh ruh) Gadara and there is where Jesus is going to perform three miracles, but they must first get to the other side. Many theologians agree that the Sea of Galilee is about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide and the approximate time to travel across this portion of the sea is about 2 hours or less. However, before they can get to the other side they encountered a storm. That information alone proves the statement that was made earlier when I said that life is filled with swift transitions. The disciples did not do anything wrong for them to encounter this storm, but their obedience led them slap dead in the middle of the will of God because Jesus said, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

In fact, Jesus Himself said that in this world you will have trouble. Job said that, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”

I wish that I could tell you that when you give your life to Jesus that every day will be a stroll in the park and that difficult days and difficult moments will cease to happen, but the reality of the matter is whether you are saved or unsaved, every person will experience some storms in their life. However, it is even more important for the believer to know that every storm you encounter in your life is not because you did something wrong, but sometimes it is just a part of the journey of being a follower of Christ. The other difficult truth about storms that we must face is that sometimes God will lead us into a storm.

If you don’t want to look at the life of Job, just look at the life of Daniel. Daniel was a man who followed God in a pagan land and as a consequence of him following God caused him to end up in the den with lions and it wasn’t because he did anything wrong, but God allowed him to go through a storm.

Story about Dr. Sanders.

I know that it doesn’t make sense that it seems like you keep having health issues after health issues, but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know that it doesn’t make sense that you barely have two nickels to rub together on a week to week basis, but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know it doesn’t make sense that everyone seems to be prospering in their wicked lifestyle, yet you don’t have a sufficient car to get you from point A to point B, but God is trying to get you to the other side. I know that it is looking rough right now, but you have to believe that God has a plan in store for whatever you are going through.

Not only can we learned from the decision that was made by Christ, but we also can learn from the doubt of the disciples.

The Doubt of the Disciples

Where did this doubt come from? (Read v.37-38)

Mark 4:37–38 NKJV

And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

It’s already bad enough that they had to travel in the middle of the storm, but the situation gets worse because now water is starting to fill the boat and to add insult to injury, Jesus is on the boat asleep. Now I cannot blame the disciples for panicking at this point because it seemed like this was a bad situation for them to be in and it prompted them to wake Jesus up and ask the question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Doesn’t that sound like a familiar question? The truth of the reality is that sometimes when we are going through storms in our life we ask similar questions of doubt toward God.

§ “God, don’t you care that I lost my job and I have bills to pay and mouths to feed?”

§ “God, don’t you care that my house is about to get foreclosed on and I don’t have anywhere else to go?”

§ “God, don’t you care that I’ve been battling this sickness for years and it hasn’t gotten any better but it’s grown worse?”

§ “God, are you even listening to my prayers because I’ve prayed the same prayer every day for five years and you have not moved yet?”

§ “God, am I not important to you?”

§ “Where is God?”

The truth of the matter is that when we are going through the storms of life, we began to doubt if God even cares about us because the situations seems to only get worse by the minute.

The psalmist David best pens the emotions we deal with when we are in the middle of our storms in the 22nd Psalm by writing:

Psalm 22:1–2 NKJV

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent.

ESV

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

The presence of Jesus was right there with the disciples, but the storm that they were facing had them afraid. Now you have to understand that these were experienced fishermen in the boat and this was not there first time facing a storm while at sea, but this had to be a major storm for them to act the way they were acting. The storm that they were experiencing made the disciples believe that they had come to the end of their life. Does this kind of storm sound familiar to anybody? What made the disciples think that they had come to the end of their life? The answer is doubt.

One of the reasons why people have doubt is because they are fearful of the unknown. The disciples did not know what was going to happen next, so they automatically assumed the worse. We too are at times just like the disciples. Whenever a person is uncertain about what is going to happen next in their life, it can cause them to become fearful and being afraid can really paralyze you. Anytime you cannot sense the presence of God in your situation you can become afraid.

Me and my father at US Pipe.

Me being afraid of Raven after leaving bible study.

The problem with doubt is that it can leave you having anxiety attacks and can lead you into a deep state of depression. It is a part of human nature to have some doubt whenever you are faced with obstacles in your life because doubt insinuates that you are not in control of what is going on around you. Whenever you feel like you are not in control of the situation, that is a prime opportunity for you to place your problems in the hands of the person who can control any and every situation with ease. You can release a world of pressure off your shoulders when you decide to replace your doubts with faith in the person who cares for you.

Doubt is so powerful that it can cause you to question what you already know to be the truth. Our doubts stem from when what God said does not align with what we see. The journey through the storm can be a difficult journey and what can make the journey even more difficult is when you forget the word that was already spoken. Jesus spoke the word and said that they were going to the other side in verse 35, but because of what was happening around them, they quickly forgot that Jesus said that they were going to make it to the other side.

Whenever you start to experience doubt about the things that are happening in your life, start trusting in the word that was already spoken because His word will never return to Him void.

God, I know that things are looking rough right now, but you said in your word:

KJV 1900

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God, I know that the journey ahead is not looking too favorable, but your word says:

KJV 1900

I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread.

God, I cannot understand why I am experiencing what I’m experiencing but your word says:

KJV 1900

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

So, the next time you begin to start having doubt, doubt your doubts before you doubt God.

First, looked at the perspective of a decision from Christ. Secondly, we looked at the perspective of the doubt from the disciples. Lastly, I want to look at the deity of Christ.

The Deity of Christ

Where is the deity of Christ? (Read verses 39-41)

Mark 4:39–41 NKJV

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

mark

Jesus displayed his deity when He rebuked the wind and calmed the sea. Immediately, the storm came to an end when Jesus spoke a word to what was happening around them. It’s not the fact that He spoke to the storm that showcased His deity, but the fact the storm obeyed Him when He spoke. Jesus showed that He was in full control over the nature that He created from the beginning of time.

So, if Jesus can handle a natural storm, what makes you believe that He cannot handle whatever you are going through? If Jesus could conquer death, Hell and the grave, don’t you think that Jesus can handle your mortgage payments? If Jesus is truly Lord and Master over all, why don’t you believe that Jesus can turn your marriage around? Since Jesus is God, don’t you believe that there is nothing more powerful than Him? The question that I want to pose to you this morning is “Is there anything too hard for God?”

I once heard a preacher poll the congregation and asked them to give the answer to this statement. It is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it you’ll die. What is the answer? Many of the parishioners had been dealing with a lot so their mind started to wonder as they tried to think of the answer to this question. After many of the members pondered the question, they were left scratching their head because they were trying to figure out the answer to the riddle, but a young girl stood up and said, “Preacher, the answer is nothing!” Nothing is too hard for God!

So, if there is nothing too hard for God and many people began to have doubt whenever they are going through difficult situations, where does the root of our issue really come from? I would like to submit to you this morning that the root of our issues does not come from the storms happening in our life, but the root of our issues comes from a lack of faith.

The disciples have spent enough times with Jesus to see that He is truly the Son of God, but unfortunately, they still have not grasp the reality of Him being who He really is.

In Mark chapter number one, the disciples were able to see with their own eyes Jesus cast an unclean spirit out of a man in Capernaum. Again, in chapter number one the disciples were able to see Him go into the house of Peter and heal Peter’s mother-in-law by grabbing her hand. Again, in Mark chapter number one, the disciples were able to see Jesus cleanse a man who had leprosy. In Mark chapter number two they saw the roof of a house be torn off just so that they bring a man who a paralytic to Jesus and they experienced it because these people had faith that He can heal Him. In Mark chapter number three they saw Jesus heal a man who had a withered hand.

Now my question for us this morning is, “What are we tripping for?” This question is not meant to trivialize nor minimize the storms of life we face, but to really get us to ask ourselves, “How strong is my faith in Jesus?” One of the great tragedies of the believer is to express that we spend a lot of time with Jesus, yet our faith still has not grown to another level.

To express that we spend time with Jesus, yet we continue to become flustered by the mundane things in life will cause Jesus to ask us the question, “How is it that you have no faith?” To express that we spend time in His word day after day, yet some of the same issues cause us to burst into tears can cause Jesus to ask us the question, “How is it that you have no faith?” To express that we spend time in prayer with God day after day, yet still question if God is going to meet our basic needs can cause Jesus to ask the question, “How is it that you have no faith?” Because if the issues that we are really battling is not the storm itself, but our faith, then the solution to our problem is to have our faith increased. How does our faith increase? By hearing the preached Word of God. That is why it is so important for us not to sit at home on Sundays and be distracted from the preached Word of God because this is how your faith will be increased.

Having faith in God will allow you to rest your head on a pillow at night and actually go to sleep because you’ll have the peace of God with you in whatever storm you are going through. Having faith in God will allow you to not worry about what is going to happen on tomorrow because you’ll know that tomorrow is in the hands of God. Having faith in God will allow you to dry the tears from your eyes because you have expressed your trust into the hands of the person who has the entire world in His hands.

I cannot tell you when your situation is going to improve, but as long as you continue to have faith, you will continue to place yourself in line for a miracle.

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