"Go to Sleep!"
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35 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
Now
Now
-WOW 2020 what can I say about this year!!!
-This year has been like riding in a Row Boat during a hurricane and feeling the waves pound against the boat.
-In 2020 some have dealt with crushing grief
-In 2020 some have dealt with depressive loneliness due to the pandemic
-In 2020 some have experience loss of job.
-in 2020 some have watch the riots going on around the country and have this feeling that we are slipping back into the 60s
-Some are just trying to raise children and home school them during the pandemic.
-It seems as if the waves just keep coming
-Some rejoiced yesterday when BIDEN was announced as the President. So thirsty for some good news folks were crying in relief. Not realizing that when Trump leaves office the people that supported him will still be around 70M people.
-The most disconcerting thing to Christian during this Hurricane of activities should be the Disunity in the Church. The Church is absolutely Divided along Racial lines and this is the thing that hurts me the worse!!!!
-I hear the testimony of Christians who tell me that some of their Christian friends have stop talking to them based on “Who they voted for”
-All these waves are filling up the BOAT!!! I am sure there are times when we want to cry out “Where are you Lord!!!”
DO YOU EVER JUST FEEL OVERWHELMED? LIKE IF ONE MORE THING HAPPENS YOU MIGHT JUST GO OVER THE EDGE?
Then
Then
-Jesus ministry is expanding.
-People are following him for different reason
a. Some are looking for a King
b. Some are looking for a Healer
c. Some are looking for a Savior
d. Some are looking for nothing
-He Has picked his Twelve Disciples and now the School is session.
Always
Always
-As the Student of a Master Teacher it is imperative that you watch them so closely over time people cannot tell the difference between you and teacher.
I. His Storm
I. His Storm
35 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.
(v.35) “On that day”
(EXE-v.35) Mark was intentional with his words right here. He wanted us to know this Miracle was on the same day as the events of Chapter 2,3 & 4. Since that’s the case it might be wise for us to take a look at:
-A day in the life of Jesus
-A day in the life of Jesus
-Mark 1:35
(v.35) Jesus starts his morning off early in prayer
(v.39) He then leaves to preach in the synagogues(s) plural
(v.40) Healing the sick
(v.45) Crowds began to swell and press on him. Even when he found private please for spiritual and physical refreshment they followed him
-Mark 2
(v.1-5) Healing & Teaching
(v.6) Dealing w/detractors & demons
(v.13) Calling his disciples-Building his leadership team
(v.18) Correcting the unintentional errors of John The Baptist disciples
(v.23) Being rebuked by the Pharisees for eating grain on the Sabbath.
-Mark 3
(v.1-5) Jesus preaching & healing led the Pharisees to put a hit out on him’
(v.7) Jesus tries to escape with the disciples for some private time but folks from: Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan around Tyre and Sidon.
(v.9) Jesus had the disciples get him a small boat so he could teach from the water so that he would not get crushed by the crowds. Crowds were thirsty to hear, and see what he was going to do next.
(v.13-19) Jesus commission the disciples
(v.20-28) Jesus family begins to turn against him because of all the attention he was drawing and the Religious leaders from Jerusalem(The Big Dawgs) came to questioned him
(v.31-33) Jesus family comes to take him home and censure him so he checks his family and then tells the crowd that only those that do the will of my Father are my true family
-Mark 4
(v.1-9) Again Jesus began to teach to large crowds. I would argue that this is his final 6pm message before it’s time to shut it down for the evening
-Jesus tells 3 parables to the crowd
a. The Sower
b. The Growing Seed
c. The Mustard Seed Parable.
-After telling the crowd the parable he would then privately give his disciples the interpretation.
-Totally Worn out Jesus Jesus then speaks:
35 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.”
(v.35) “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea”
(EXE-v.35) Jesus exhausted from ministry probably wanted to use the time in the boat to rest.
- his disciples grabbed a large fishing boat so they could cross the “Sea of Galilee, which is really a lake” They were traveling to the Eastern Shore, which Gentile territory.
36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.
(v.36) “So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat”
a. Took him-paralambano: this is a compound word that needs to defined. It is combination of two words: “To take” and “alongside” so the full word is “to take alongside”
-Lets take a look at its usage in another passage:
13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”
(v.13) “Get up! Take the child and his mother” in this case it is used to describe take someone and putting them under your care to provide and protect them.
36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.
(EXE-v.36) Jesus had gotten so weary that the disciples needed to physically help him and provide care for him in the Boat. In this text you see the “Humanity of Jesus” clearly.
(v.36b) “In the Boat”
(EXE-v.36b) There were two types of boats in the ancient world. The word used in this text describes a large fishing boat not the small row boat. Several of the disciples were experienced fishermen who were familiar with this type of vessel.
-Everything is looking good now its time to set sail
-Everything is looking good now its time to set sail
37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.
(v.37) “a great windstorm arose and they were breaking over the boat”
(EXE-v.37) The Sea of Galilee was known for violent storms. The disciples would have been used to the normal storms that would happen in this area as they were career fishermen. Notice the verbiage in this text. “A great windstorm arose” This carries the idea of a sudden explosive storm from no where. The Sea of Galilee is the lowest lake on the earth. It’s sits 700 feet below Sea level. It is surrounded by Mountains so when the warm air of the desert areas in ancient Palestine come off the mountains they are suck down into the valley and combined with the cold air off the Sea of Galilee causing explosive storms which cause the “Sea of Galilee to Rage”
(v.37) The Waves got so high they began to crash against the boat and fill up the boat. The experienced fishermen Peter, James & John had to be thinking “I ain’t never seen a storm like this”
-Please remember this point “His Storm”
Do you think the Sleeping Jesus was aware of the storm coming when he said let’s go to the other side?
-The Teacher is Teaching Yall. He has taken the lesson from the classroom outside into the world.
Transition Statement-The disciples waited as long as they could before they finally said we need to wake Jesus
II. His Silence
II. His Silence
38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”
(v.38) “He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion”
(EXE-v.37) The stern was in the back of the boat. If the boat was large enough they would have some places for tired sailor to get some rest. When you see cushion/pillow don’t think 1000 thread Egyptian cotton. Think hard durable padding. The disciples probably help carry Jesus to the spot so he could rest.
Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Four
What a picture of the humanity of God the Son. The noise of the storm, the violent pitching of the boat, and the sting of the cold water as it came beating into the boat, did not awake Him. The Teacher was so exhausted, that the need of His body for rest overcame the demands of outside impressions on His senses. From this, one can form some estimate of the tremendous drain on our Lord’s physical and nerve force by His ministry.
(v.38) 38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”
(EXE-v.38) “Teacher” Very interesting the disciples called Jesus “Teacher” in this moment. They believe they are about to die and instead of yelling “Jesus” which means “one who saves” they yell “TEACHER” Let’s hold our thoughts and “Why this is important?”
(EXE-v.38) Notice the question “Don’t you care that were going to die?” The disciples came to two conclusion in this statement:
1st conclusion: The Teacher is unloving and unsympathetic to their needs
2nd conclusion: They predicted the future and decided their death was imminent. Didn’t Jesus in (v.35) already tell them to cross over to the other side. Which means in the midst of them following his commandments they met this storm. Right now at this exact moment it was within the perfect will of God for them to be in this storm. When that’s the case you have nothing to fear.
-Within both of these statement is a fear and a lack of trust. There flesh has convinced them our Lord doesn’t care. And you know the reason “Because he is silent!”
-Some other Prophets know how this feels:
-Some other Prophets know how this feels:
2 How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save?
1 Then Job answered: 2 Today also my complaint is bitter. His hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3 If only I knew how to find him, so that I could go to his throne.
8 If I go east, he is not there, and if I go west, I cannot perceive him. 9 When he is at work to the north, I cannot see him; when he turns south, I cannot find him. 10 Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.
1 Lord, I call to you; my rock, do not be deaf to me. If you remain silent to me, I will be like those going down to the Pit. 2 Listen to the sound of my pleading when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary.
38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”
-Silence during chaos is a method God often uses to grow our faith. In this case the disciples are pleading with “The Teacher” please Get UP!!
Transition Statement-The teacher gets up and then says “Class is in session”
Transition Statement-The teacher gets up and then says “Class is in session”
III. His Session
III. His Session
39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
(v.39) “He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence! Be still!”
(EXE-v.39) Jesus woke up from his slumber yawn, then stretched a little bit. What’s going on? “Jesus don’t you see the problem?” Hold up fellas and calm down:
Jesus rebuke both the sources of the problem and the problem. Yall he talked to a natural disaster and told it to shut up and sit down!!!! The Psalmist said it best in Psalm 89:8-9
8 Lord God of Armies, who is strong like you, Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule the raging sea; when its waves surge, you still them.
-This miracle is the first of four in row:
a. Power over nature world(walking on water)
b. Power over Supernatural world(Demon possessed man at the Gaderenes)
c. Power over the Body(Women with a 12 year cycle)
d. Power over Death(Little girl brought back to life)
-Clearly Teaching is in session. He is trying to authenticate or prove something to his closest followers.
(v.40) 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
(EXE-v.40) “Why are you afraid?” Do you still have no faith?”
Saints this is interesting I have always read that first question as “Why were you afraid?” but it doesn’t say that this whole statement is in the present tense. “Why are you still afraid? Jesus is thinking I stopped the problem why are you still shaking with fear. Even after the sea was stilled the disciples were still in “fear”
Then Jesus asks a second question:
“Do you still have no faith?”
-Jesus in this question is mildly rebuking the faith of the disciples. Jesus in these two questions is giving us the root cause of unbelief. In the first question Jesus ask “Why are you afraid?” in the second question Jesus asks “Do you still have not faith?”
-When we let fear of circumstances run amok in our lives it will cause us to focus on circumstances rather than the God of our circumstances.
What do you think the disciples could have learned by staring at Jesus while he slept?
Conclusion
-You will remember earlier when the Disciples yelled “Teacher” well in Jewish culture a disciple of a particular teacher would follow & mimic the steps of his teacher. Essentially the student would become an exact representation of his teacher. It was so stark that you could identify a teacher by watching the student. You see that in this text in Acts 4:13
13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.
(v.13) The enemies of Christ were able to pick out Christ’s disciples by their lack of formal training in the Torah, and Rhetoric, but were bold in their speech. Essentially folks were able to recognize the teacher based on the student.
-Now that you know the disciples should be doing the same thing as the teacher during a storm.
What should the disciples have done while the storm was crashing the sides of the boat and filling it up?
-They should have been laying next to the Teacher sleeping and resting preparing for what lies ahead.
Pastor how can you rest when the storms of life are filling up the boat of your life?
-Keep your eyes on the teacher!!!! If he ain’t worried then you shouldn’t you be.
This last statement is striking by disiples:
41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
(v.41) “They were terrified”
a. Scared out of their boots
(v.41) Then they starting having a soft conversation among themselves
Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
-Listen to that Question Saints. We need to sit in the truth for a second!!! He has power over all natural processes of the cosmos!!
-He controls every Falling Star, Meteor Storm, Eclipse, Typhoon, Hurricane, Tornado, Flood, and Pandemic!!!
-If these things happen it is because he allowed it.
-If he allowed it; it is because “Class is in session!”
-More important than your personal comforts to God is your personal growth!!!
-Yall with all this turmoil the lesson God want you to learn is “GO TO SLEEP!”
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16 And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.