Stormy Weather

Introduction

We are now finishing the chapter 4 of Mark and I have a question for you.

What is your custom after a busy day of work?

Right now, the day is still young, but what happens at the end of the day?

Do you sit in a comfy couch with a good book and read?

Do you spend time searching your device to catch up on the latest happening or sales in your area.

Do you watch your favourite show that has been PVR or stream that episode of the series you have been following.

What do you do?

As a follower of Christ, what is expected?

For a moment, I am going to take you back to the time of Christ walking here on this earth.

IT has been called Jesus’ Ministry.

three years, Jesus ministry is covered in the Gospels.

Scholars have stated that Jesus was around the age of 30 when he went into this stage of his life.

There to teach for 3 years before going to the cross and redeeming all those who believe.

3 years to teach His followers all that they needed to know so that they could lead the church.

Jesus taught in various ways and various methods.

He used every occasion to both show who He was and What He came to do.

This morning’s passage is one of those times.

One last note, before we go to the passage, Jesus did this for three years without a place to call home.

If he were to come to our day, maybe he would have a RV to travel around.

But for the first century people, and Jesus they traveled around by foot, staying at places and on boats.

This morning’s passage will give us a glimpse of who Jesus was and how we can rely on Him in times of trouble.

Especially in Stormy weather.

Let’s read the passage,

Mark 4:35–41 ESV

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 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?” 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. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 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?”

Let’s Pray

The End of the Day

This event in the life of Jesus with His disciples is at the end of the day.

When I asked you what do you do at the end of the day, this is what they did.

Imagine the scene. They had just gone through a major teaching session with Jesus, learning through parables, being instructed what those parables meant and now Jesus says,

Let’s row out of here.

It made sense.

They were already in the boat from the teaching session.

They were experienced fisherman who knew how to handle every situation on the water.

Let me stop for a moment and let that sink in.

pause

They are experienced fisherman, that was their occupation before Jesus came into their lives and called them to be fishers of men.

Jesus request was easy, it wasn’t hard.

Jesus asked them to head off into the known.

Life on the water.

Sometimes storms come into our lives when we are doing the very thing that we are good at and we are taken off guard because we thought we could handle the situation ourselves.

They left the crowds

It’s the end of the day and the crowds have been left behind. The busyness of life seems to be in the past as they begin to row out into the sea.

They were rowing to get across the water. Lifting the sails and making their way across the sea.

The Sea of Galilee

I’m not sure if they were at this point in the crossing, but this gives somewhat of an idea of what they were facing as they left the crowds

1st Century Fishing Boat

Here is a picture of what a 1st century fishing boat looked like and this is what they traversed the water in.

This picture doesn’t show a sail, but if you read the other gospels on this story you will notice a description of sailing, not just a row boat.

Multiple Boats

The next thing I want you to notice in this narrative is that often when we think of this story we think of Jesus in the boat with His disciples as the storm comes along.

Mark makes it clear in this narrative that there were more than one boat.

In other words, there were multiple people about to experience the storm of their lives.

Just a note ;

Storms can happen in people’s lives, and our lives and which can greatly affects those around them.

What we see and experience in that storm and our trust in God is being watched by someone.

story of helping Peter move leaving my home repair and seeing my neighbor surprised.

That storm in your life may be there to show to someone who is watching you on how you truly rely on God in Stormy weather.

Don’t be afraid to share God’s grace in your life to others around as they can see and experience God’s working in your life.

Don’t hide the storms in your life to those around you.

The Storm

Mark now moves to the storm in his narrative.

This summer on our vacation we had a small theme going on our holidays. That theme was a mariner’s life. On one occasion we had an opportunity to experience life on a boat. It wasn’t long, if fact it was only 3 hours. We joked about another 3 hr cruise as we set cruising on the Bay of Fundy on a very foggy day hoping to catch a glimpse of some whales.

I thought it would be good at this time to stop and give a plug for the upcoming fall sermon series.

I was inspired on my holidays and we will be walking through the life of Jonah.

On that day this summer when we set a cruising on the choppy water, I had the chance to ask a few of the mariners if this was bad weather.

No not really was the response. So I probed a little farther.

Have you ever been on the sea and were scared for your lives.

Yes was the response.

His description was very similar to the description in this passage

Mark 4:37 ESV

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

Just in case you have forgotten, these were experienced fisherman who knew how to handle the boat.

Experienced in times of rough waters.

So I ask you, what storms have come into your Life?

Did they come when you least expected it as you seemed to have control of everything.

Do the storms of our lives come upon us quickly and draw us to a state of panic upon the unexpected.

Storms of life.

Your perfect job has changed. It is no longer perfect in fact, it is outright stormy each day you go to work

That perfect marriage that you thought you had is now experiencing stormy weather as you struggle with the current conflict.

Your children have brought stormy weather into your life and the waters of concern are flowing over and filling up your life.

The stormy weather of unwelcomed health news from your doctor and you are battling the next steps.

Whatever the storm,

Folks,

Stormy weather is a reality of the world in which we live in.

I’m not talking about storms as in weather, but storms in life situations.

May I suggest that this morning’s passage is there as a helpful reminder of how we can handle the stormy weather of life.

Jesus Posture

To begin with I want to start by looking at Jesus posture during the storm.

Did you catch it?

Did you see where Jesus was while all others were working hard to handle the storm of their lifetime?

Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat.

Many years ago, the greatest craze was to own a water bed. My brother when he first got married, I was younger and it was always a habit that when I went to visit him, I would try it out.

It seemed fun to be sloshing around on the bed. I am not sure why it was so popular, because there was a lot to do to keep up the bed,

But one thing is for sure, Jesus would have no problem sleeping on a water bed.

Here were the disciples and the many boats battling the wind and the waves, doing their best to keep the boat from going under and lay sat Jesus sound asleep.

We could speculate why He was asleep.

It was a hard day of ministry and although He was God, He was still human.

One of my Sunday afternoon treats is to have a nap after a busy Sunday morning.

Ministry and the responsibility that goes along with that can and does play a part in making one tired.

It is no wonder why Jesus was fast asleep on the boat.

Scripture doesn’t say that He was fast asleep, but I believe that He was fast asleep. Why, he needed to be awoken while the winds, waves, and water were crashing down upon Him.

Only a person sound asleep could sleep through all of that and still needed to be wakened. Or only a person at complete peace.

but

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark Over Nature

God is at home with His nature, even when it goes wild. The contrast between the disciples’ panic and Jesus’ peace attests the deity of the Man asleep on a pillow at the stern of the boat. He who is the Word by which all things were made has no reason to fear a storm. He who foresees the making of a new heaven and a new earth sleeps in the knowledge that nature’s peevish outburst can be controlled by its Maker.

The People’s Posture.

While Jesus was asleep, what was the posture of the people in the boat?

Well, simple put, they were panicking.

Remember, these were trained mariners. They made their living on the boat and most likely spent more time on the water than on the land.

They were also struggling.

Struggling to keep the boat from going under.

In times of stormy weather, which posture do you identify with?

Are you calm or panicking?

Now before you think I am criticizing you for being in a panicking state, let me remind you of the two types of people in this story.

Man and God.

Storms of life are something that can cause panic. As people we have no control over the weather and have every right to panic.

Folks,

It is not about the posture as much as how we respond to the storms of life.

In the stormy weather, how do we call out to our saviour. In panic or in need?

Repeat

I we busy trying to fix or solve the storm ourselves or are we calling out to God for guidance, wisdom, and strength to make it through the storm.

The Result

You see this story or event found on the water, has a purpose for those involved as well as for us today.

The result of this story had two purposes for the disciples and for us today.

The first is what it reveled to the people about Jesus, and the second is what it means to have faith.

Jesus revelation

In this story, Jesus reveled something about Himself to the disciples that was quite astonishing.

He was God

It’s been said this way,

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark Over Nature

Nature is God’s creation. God created the heavens, earth, sun, moon, stars, seas, land, plants, animals, and man. Viewing His work, God pronounced it “good.” David sang, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Ps. 19:1, KJV).

Up until this point, He had told them,

but this time He showed them.

One person wrote,

The Gospel of Mark Authority over Wind and Water (4:35–41)

Control of the elements is even more extraordinary and inexplicable than the restoration of suffering human beings, and is in the OT a frequently noted attribute of God in distinction from human beings who find themselves helpless before the forces of nature

There was no doubt, He was God. Powerful to have control over the weather.

I always say that one great job to have is to be a weather forecaster.

You can be wrong every day and still keep your job.

Jesus not only knew what would happen, he had control over the weather. It was such a strong revelation that it left the disciples in wonder.

Mark 4:41 ESV

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?”

Faith

Faith,

Have you ever wondered how much faith you have?

Can faith be measured?

Is it a quantity or a quality?

What then was Jesus referring to when he described their lack of faith.

The Gospel of Mark (Authority over Wind and Water (4:35–41))

What they lack here is not so much understanding as FAITH, …but is a practical confidence in supernatural power, the correlative to miracles.46 So lack of faith makes disciples δειλοί, unable to respond to a crisis with the confidence in God (or, more pertinently, in Jesus) which is the mark of the true disciple.

Faith, I believe is having the confidence in what you know about God.

Faith grows as you experience more and more of God in your life.

The opposite has been stated this way.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark (Over Nature)

Fear wipes out faith. If the disciples had not been paralyzed by the fear of death, they might have remembered Who it was that slept in the stern of the boat. Instead, they shook Him awake with anger and accusation, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perish-ing?” (v. 38). I wish that I could have compared their look of paralyzed panic with the eyes of Jesus as He blinks Himself awake, looks around to survey the situation, and with a calmness of spirit that puts the worst fears of men and the wildest winds of the seas to rest, He speaks, “Peace, be still!” (v. 39). The wind stops blowing and the sea settles into resolute calm. God has put His creation at rest.

Stormy Weather

What is stormy weather.

On Friday I opened my email, and one of my daily person I follow sent me an interesting email that falls under the category of stormy weather.

His blog was titled

Some non Obvious Reasons you feel busier than ever- Cary Nieuwhof

I won’t go into great detail, but I will give you the titles. If you want to read more look it up or I can send you the link if you email me.

The Crisis (storm) Destroyed your methods.

These last two years if you haven’t guessed are the crisis many of us have gone through.

Your mind doesn’t really turn off anymore

Your home and pocket are also your office

Inbound messages are at an All-Time High

Too much task switching

You’ve forgotten that Busyness is a choice

Sometimes the storms in our lives is what we head out into. Sometimes its our own doing.

There are two things about stormy weather that I believe we need to understand from this text.

The first is God’s perspective on it and our perspective.

God’s Perspective

God’s perspective is one of control.

He is in control of all things.

This is why he was able to be a sleep in the stern of the boat while life seemed to be in crisis.

Christ was in the boat at peace.

He is able to do this because HE IS IN CONTROL.

He not only knows, but controls.

Our Perspective

What is our perspective?

We have two perspectives. One is our view of God and the view of ourselves.

Our perspective should first be about God.

When those storms of life come, how we understand God working is critical.

Some people believe that He is silent, or asleep.

Don’t equate apparent inactivity on God’s part is a lack of caring or control.

Those times you are struggling with the storm, it may be that God is waiting for you to completely trust HIM.

Many are wanting Him to “Awake”’ and act to remove the storm from our lives, but it may be that very storm that will strengthen our faith in the God of our lives.

A strong faith that knows that if needed, God will act and see, and calm the storm.

The second perspective is that of ourselves.

How much do we put our trust in ourselves?

Remember, the storm that these experienced sailors found themselves in that day was our of their control.

In all things, whether we are capable or not, should be placed in the hand of God.

It has been stated this way

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 34A: Mark 1–8:26 Comment

Their fear of the storm overwhelmed their commitment to Jesus and their confidence that he did care for them (4:38), a reflection of their lack of faith that God could be at work in Jesus to protect them even during the threat of a raging storm. Jesus’ questions imply their fear was unfounded, since their faith should have assured them of their safety, though not necessarily of a miracle (cf. Dibelius, 71). Such assurance was reflected in Jesus’ own serenity during the storm.

Stormy weather should bring excitement to our lives because we know when the storm is over, our faith will be stronger if we give that storm to God.

After the storm, and yes there is an after, we can sit back and see what God has done.

We can be like the disciples in the boat and marvel of the God we serve.

In Summary

As the worship teams come forward, let me remind you that stormy weather is a part of the lives we live as believers.

Maybe you are in a storm today or there is one around the corner, but you know now.

God is in control, Go to him for the strength you need to battle the storms of your life.

Response to Worship

Benediction