The LORD of the Storm brings us the One True Fear, that Drives Out All Cowardly & Faithless Fears
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Gospel of Mark announces Jesus Christ as the Son of God who came to tie up the strongman the devil - and take back the territory of this world in bondage to his evil and suffering and destruction and death. The parables have shown this is a secret of the kingdom and now Mark is going to show in the miracles of Jesus how we must be with Jesus in the storms of chaos, of demonic evil , and ultimately of death. That’s the challenge this morning to recognize not only the storms we are in, but to truly see Jesus Christ as He is as the Lord over that storm, and even more to respond to Him in such a way that we have His peace in the middle of it all. Mark very carefully records great, literally mega events that we too are to experience in our life - there is first the great storm, the mage wind and wave storm and the heart of the disciples revealed by it, then there is the Great Calm, the miraculous Mega-Peace and the heart of the Saviour revealed in it. And we should not rush by this as a nice Bible story. Like you so far the disciples in this first half have seen Jesus do many miracles, and like you maybe you believe Jesus did those miracles for the fevered, and lame, for other people But this is the first time that the disciples are in a real perosnal bind, and the first time that they must exercise faith for Jesus to intervene in their own storm. Has that happened for you - great hope if you can hardly believe Jesus would intervene for you. But most surprising of all, the third great event, after they had been so afraid, really the word is dread, after they had experienced Jesus as the Lord of their Storm, Mark records his real point and the real surprising response for his readers and us - look at it: Mark 4:41
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?”
In the end, after going through the experience of finding Jesus in their storm and calling out to him in utter desperation - what do they fear? Its not the storm any more is it? It’s not dread of their circumstances? And this is why the parables about the secret of the kingdom, the secret of the Person and Work of the Son of God - are so connected to these 3 or 4 miracle stories of Jesus. They experience even in their weak faith and doubt and anxiety, they experience Jesus with such an awe and fear and trembling - not to drive them away from jesus, but with trepidation to approach this Jesus as the God who can personally deliver them. And it is that mega-fear, the great fear of the Lord that is to drive away all other fears and anxiety and worries that we experience in our storms of life. That is why Jesus has come to take on the chaos of Satan, the demonic evil in our lives and world and ultimately death - and deliver us us as Almighty God. And as we have all faced a bit of a storm of life in this pandemic, and many personal ones in this past year. As we begin gathering together to follow this Jesus - I am asking: do you know Him as the Lord of Your Storms? Do you have this experience of the one true fear that drives out all other cowardly and faithless fears in your life?
Key Truth: The LORD of the Storm brings us the True Fear, that Drives Out All Cowardly & Faithless Fears
Key Truth: The LORD of the Storm brings us the True Fear, that Drives Out All Cowardly & Faithless Fears
A. The Mega- Storm and the Responses to Them
A. The Mega- Storm and the Responses to Them
i. The first fact we must acknowledge is not just that life is full of storms, just about everyone would acknowledge there is real evil and chaos in nature and in our human nature and in this world, and all are subject to it. The ancients including the Hebrews, called the Sea chaos - a picture of a spiritual enemy that works against us and against God - and all the goodness and order he brings. Devouring monster Rahab, Leviathan. And the ancient religions basically looked at the storm as an equal and opposite power to their gods, just the bad gods. And it was just up to you and me to appease those bad gods, - Kind of like the Modern Poem Invictus - I am the master of my fate captain of my soul - curse whatever fates there be…
And when storms come up people our natural reaction then is to blame and despair and even get fatalistic and lash out at God or stoically just say that’s the way ; it’s the hand I’ve been dealt, despair. Or you frantically fight it all whit our own power . But I want you to notice how this passage begins and ends: Mark 4:35, 5:1
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.
This storm didn’t happen because the disciples were going outside of God’s will. Some people think that if you just walk in God’s way no storms, and if you are being walloped by suffering, if you struggle with terrible temptation and feel never win, well it must be because of your sin, or your weakness. But look: crossing the Lake with a storm coming out of no where, was part of the Father’s plan, and Jesus knew it, had ministry to do among Gentiles on others side as we’ll see tonight. Mysterious how God uses and brings good out of evil that is permitted in this world, but not out of his control or ultimate plan. I wonder if you can look at the storms in your life, not good in themselves, but if they are permitted and even ordained by Sovereign God and you meet Jesus in them, you can know get out the other-side on the shore of this world still, or on the shore of the next world, but Jesus will see you through to the destination - and you will be changed, transformed - the storm is part of the plan for disciples - and for jesus himself and there is peace and victory in it, if we are really with him in it.
ii. But it is the responses to the storm that Mark paints most vividly. I want you to notice Jesus response first, that the response that will contrast the disciples and you and me. Jesus just finished not only a day but day after day of bringing the Kingdom of God in to darkness unbelief, sowing seed, even starting to reap - confronting unbelief and drawing forth living saving faith, healing. Crowds coming, opposition growing, disciples not getting it - patiently teaching - he is truly human like you and me and bone weary - maybe like you or me - wen aching body and soul - hitting wall of human capacity. That’s why the text says: Mark 4:36 just as he was - he had just been teaching from that boat, and they don’t go to anyone’s house, they don’t get any food, they go right away.
And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
But where does Jesus go? We read in the gospel of John, he lives to do the Father’s will, one with the Father, he faces bone weariness as storm - seeking fellowship and retreat with living God. Torrance. That’s the response not of blame, or frantic anxious action - but of prayerful communion. Look at this map - often went to uninhabited East side of Lake Galilee. Even going there like OT sleep not restless bed of worry - but entrusting to God gives sleep. And that sleep was not indifference to the disciples, but opportunity to see who He really is, in raging storm in peaceful rest with the disciples where at the stern of the ship. Coxswain pillow.
iii. And that brings us to the disciples response. The Sea of Galilee is the lowest fresh water lake, surrounded on three of four sides by steep mountains - Mount Hermon on North. But South - as part of the lowest place on earth Jordan Valley rift - dead hot still air almost eerie on the surface of the lake, - thick. But then out of no where screaming down those mountains cold air - mix - create vortex, Not thunder storm and rain. But unbelievable wind, like a hurricane. Isn’t that like so much of our suffering - pandemic seemingly out of no where, that diagnosis why here now now why me?
And remember many of these are experienced fishermen, those storms most often during day before winds calmed in evening fish at night. But when came at night, - tried all their seamen expertise and technique, sails up, down, oars, - and of all people knew what they are up against - and one step or second away from watery grave -
And here is their question to Jesus that reveals their heart and what dominates and drives it: Mark 4:38
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?”
Not the normal word for fear, phobia, but dread, worries despair. This faithless and cowardly fear - what Greek-American runner in Bravey - calls running away from storms -Bravey by Alexi Pappas “Life is not about reducing our pain to nothing, it is about embracing pain and challenge as an invitation to rise and grow.” so dominates and whether you fight it and try to make something good out of it yourself, and flee or just let it wash over you - all you’ve got is this stormy world of chaos and your resources - you are alone in the storm. And we will get to Jesus stilling the storm, by rebuking the the wind and the waves. But listen his second rebuke it is the turning point of the story: Mark 4:40
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Jesus isn’t harshly chastising them for not having saving-faith, just said they believe and are given secrets to the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus is saying, they don’t right no ,see things as they should. Temporary blip in faith when applied to their situation. Biblical Counselor Paul Tripp puts its into a neat equation this way:
situation + you + God = ???
fear or faith. Its shown by what you run to cope and deal with and find refuge and peace in your storm. And here is where there is such hope if we will experience the Living Jesus in the middle our storm.
B. The Mega- Calm in the Eye of the Storm
B. The Mega- Calm in the Eye of the Storm
Those disciples who were not exercising faith in Jesus for all they had seen him do for others, they were exercising fear in their own storm. But doubt and weak faith is not necessarily no faith. And here is such very good gospel news. The Mega-Calm does not come because of our faith, though we will need it, it comes because of Jesus’ presence with us. You’ve got storms in your life, maybe life threatening as the disciples, maybe like Mark’s readers, when back to church tough - because of persecution breaking out, maybe because storm of evil within you - your temper, your temptations and lusts,. No stormy passions so strong that Jesus can’t tame, no disease no imminent death, no trouble in the church so great - that Christ can’t do a miracle in our lives and get us to the desired destination through the storm. And the big deal isn’t the strength of your faith, but the strength of the one in whom you put your faith. And how do they put their faith in Him even if only get a little bit of who Jesus is so far?
What happens before they get the peace in the eye of the storm? Have you ever done what the disciples did there? In your storm as it feels like Jesus is asleep at the wheel, do you yet sense that He is with you and do you dare do what they do? Mark 4:38a THEY WOKE HIM
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?”
We have forgotten all the ways God has taken care of us in the past, intervened in the lives of his people, we doubt his care, blame accuse, stand far off from God with our minds just on our problems. But they dare wake the Lord and call out to him. You know what that is: That is believing prayer, prayer of faith. And I am asking: Have you offered one of those, not to God in general. But to this Jesus who is fully human and knwos your storms inside out, and yet is God and able to to bring greatest peace and victory in the midst of the greatest storms? That’s the heart of this passage, do we come to Christ in the storm, do we believe on him - If so take such comfort. Jesus doesn’t blast his disciples for lack of faith, Jesus himself will be overwhelmed to the point of sorrow before the Cross in the garden for us. But Jesus sees our weakness, aware of our shortcomings and defects of faith - and he doesn’t cast us off. When you turn to Jesus in your storm look what He does:
Mark 4:39
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.
Sometimes this will be a miraculous deliverance from physical danger pain or suffering like these disciples, but we see in the Cross its not always that the deliverance is physical lifting in this world - We see Paul in similar circumstance on way from Jersuaelm to Rome - great storm and God doesn’t lift that storm and their is a shipwreck. Sometimes God saves us from the storms, often in this life, saves in and through them. But the major point that Mark is making in recording these three miracle stories together is that this Jesus who is in the boat with them is God-himself.
This is like Psalm 89:6-9 explains that only the LORD God of HOsts can calm storms:
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
We read Psalm 107:29
He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
We have sung through this pandemic Psalm 46 in this world waters are roaring and foaming the mountains shake and fall into the heart of the sea - butheir is Zion the city of God, God who dwell sin the midst of her - be still and know that I am God - The ancient religions back then and every other worldview or philosophy today -says you got to help yourself in the storm - the astounding claim of Christianity is that Jesus is God with you in the storm, if calling out in faith to Him, He is in the boat of your life Bravey by Alexi Pappas “Life is not about reducing our pain to nothing, it is about embracing pain and challenge as an invitation to rise and grow.” Message the boat is the church , you who are one with Jesus by faith, the wind and waves and the storm raging all around, but their is Jesus in your boat. The storm is a force threatening him and his disciples and Jesus stands up as God - and just like Jesus as God didn’t have to pray or get a ll spiritual, Like creation He just speak forgiveness of God into paralytic life, didn’t have to pray and get all spiritual to say be clean to lepers, or I am willing be healed, or remember in the first miracle, - he simply rebuked the unclean spirit be gone. So too hear, the Lord Jesus who though human, fully God - so causally - in the middle of the storm - as God who spoke seas and the land into existence, just commands the storm as one would command a dog. here I am, I have supreme authority and power even over the evil of this world - storm of life you be muzzled. Stop. Peace , from all the chaos I restore my great order, Satan your realm of chaos be banished!
Jesus wasn’t rebuking the disciples for not having saving faith, he was patiently teaching them to have present faith in Jesus as the one who brings deliverance and this supernatural peace and victory right now in the middle of their lives in the battle with the storms. He is patiently discipling us to have the faith that God’s power to save and deliever us is present and released through Jesus own presence in your lives. This passage with Jesus taking on evil in the next miracle as we’ll see tonight and death as we’ll see at our outdoor service, is looks back to Jesus beating Satan in the desert for us and look ahead to Jesus defeating Satan finally and ultimately on the Cross for us. As he does so in the chaos of the Storm, the bigger picture is Isaiah 51:9-10
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?
And picture it for those who dare wake Jesus and acknowledge His presence even if weakly and with doubt - there is that peace, calm and their muscles still taught with all their frantic effort, the fear still in their eyes, they see the deliverance of Jesus in their lives. Like the thief on the Cross - Lord Messiah Son of God - you are with me, Remember me. Like the children of Israel wtih back to watery grave and facing onslaught of certain death of Egyptian army baring down on them. Lord remember me, Lord Help! This is indeed the new exodus, the living Jesus the New Mediator delivering us! And that brings us to the grand finale of this miracle story and its an unexpected one:
C. The Mega- Fear that alone drives out faithless & cowardly fears
C. The Mega- Fear that alone drives out faithless & cowardly fears
Look at the punch line that Mark leaves us with: Mark 4:41
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?”
If this were written as a great we’re heroes, who faced adversity and faced it down, and made our own future. Just believe , believe in yourself book - then right at that moment the disciples would be giving each other high-fives. But they aren’t are they? What are they doing?
They are experiencing what I would call shaking-in-your-boots-worship. Not the same word that Jesus used of them before - living so preoccupied with nothing but afraid-ness of the situation dominating your response. No. Now, have seen that in Jesus Christ, God has really come into this world in to your life and mine. Jesus is not just a inspirational teacher, not just a cheerleader or friend, who comes up to you and you say, Hey Buddy why don’t you come along with me in life. NO, this is the God of the OT, the one who was wit his people in the midst of the Red Sea - and through the water he made a way amid all the suffering and oppression, through the death itself - and as the people made they were through that Red Sea with the Living God, they said: Exodus 14:31
Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
So the question is will our true honest awe-filled fear of the living Lord , lead us to put our trust in Him!? Live by the fear that drives out all fear. The fear of the Lord, not cowering negative, but awe-filled attraction to God whom you know isn’t safe, but it is good. Yes, there is the chaos of our world, nations raging, and evil advancing, bondage to suffering and death and decay. But the living Jesus says, My sheep will hear my voice! Do you today? Why are you so afraid, not just the waves and wind here, not just your storm but hte LORD of the Storm is here, and you can awaken him and call to him and he will deliver you in this life through the storm, and in the next from the storm in every way!
Some of us have faced real storms in our families, our relationships, some with sin, all of us with church and the government - werstle through. Some of you in storms of sickness. Some so discouraged in weakness, think life will never change! But the question is whether realizing God has been with us in Christ, will we wake him. Maybe weak in faith but strong in prayer. Desperately call out. We have been looking at the Gospel of Mark as a return-to in person church Gospel.
Interesting on holidays worshipped at Exeter CRC, an elder came up - before the service, loosing that kind of fear of the Lord need to regain it. Well, how? If we with our storms , travel together with Jesus, if honest enough to acknowledge - yes my marriage under strain, yes my parenting real struggle almost wrote this child out of my heart, selfishness desire for my own comfort, yes this disease so a hold on our hearts. Its then that we choose to simply call out in faith and worship that the fear of the Lord drives out all others fears. You know what happens when we dp that in community together here: Paul says: 1 Cor 14:24-25
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
Those who see us going through storms together with Jesus in the ship of our lives. they who don’t know the Lord in the Storm, come among us - and like in the early church they will say: surely here the Lord is really among you!