Weathering the Storm

Weathering the Storm

Mark 4:35-41

It’s hard to believe how little we are compared to the ocean, especially when you are in a storm. The storms of life come our way to remind us how little we are compared to God, and how much we really need him. Which begs the question: How do we weather the storms of life?

We all face the storms of life.

It’s no coincidence that the Bible has many stories of God’s people in the midst of literal storms at sea. Jonah experienced a storm at sea; of course, his storm was brought about by his disobedience. This type of storm is called a storm of correction. But not all the storms at sea recorded in the Bible are storms of correction. The storm that we look at today is what is called a storm of perfection. These types of storms are experienced simply to make us more like Jesus.

All four gospels record at least one story of the disciples and Jesus experiencing a storm while at sea. I believe those stores are not only true, but are also gifts to God’s people because they teach us how to weather storms of life. Gifts because they reveal to us the purpose of the storms.

In the fourth chapter of the gospel of Mark we have the Jesus and the disciples traveling across the Sea of Galilee. As they travel a storm arises. We learn from this experience that following Jesus is dangerous. The path of obedience will experience the storms of life.

1. The path of obedience will experiencethe storms of life.

Following Jesus does not mean that you won’t experience storms. No, it guarantees you that you will experience the storms of life. This goes against American Christianity, but it is in line with Biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity does not promise prosperity, health, or even your best life now. Biblical Christianity assures its adherents that suffering is a part of following Jesus.

Notice verse thirty-five, “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” Jesus had spent all day preaching about the kingdom of God and its power to grow. Now, he is going to give his disciples a lesson about the power of the kingdom of God. Did Jesus know when he commanded them to go across that they would encounter a storm? Yes. Following Jesus down the path of obedience guarantees that you will experience the storms of life.

Everyone, believers and unbelievers alike, experience the storms of life. But Christians can be sure that they will face storms of life, especially when the walk the path of obedience in following Jesus.

The apostle Paul is a perfect example of this truth. When he was saved in Acts chapter nine, Jesus told Paul that walking the path of obedience would bring storms in his life. In fact, Paul experienced a storm at sea, and the ship that he was on was shipwrecked. For about a day and half, Paul floated around the ocean, all because he was following Jesus down the path of obedience. Paul said to believers in Acts chapter fourteen that we enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations, or many storm of life.

Preachers and teachers often paint a picture of Christianity that is not Biblical. We often say that if you will follow Jesus you will have the favor of God upon your life. And this is true. But we base our favor from God on what we do, and not on what Christ as done for us on the cross. This leads us to strive to achieve God’s favor through a life of obedience. This results with the faulty belief that when we win God’s favor because of our obedience then God will bless us with prosperity, health, and an over all good life we often call the American dream.

The Bible teaches that we have God’s favor because of Christ work. It also teaches us that because we have God’s favor we will face many hardships in life, especially when we are walking the path of obedience. When your life is hidden with Christ in God, you are a target for the enemy of God, the devil; He will do all he can to keep you from walking that path of obedience. Furthermore, Jesus will lead us down a path of obedience knowing that a storm is going to be encountered.

I will say this from my personal experience; the storms that come on the path of obedience are much harder than the storms that are a result of disobedience. Storms of obedience cause us to struggle with God, and this presents a danger in your relationship with Jesus.

2. Storms present a danger in your relationshipwith Jesus.

It did for the disciples. Verse thirty-six, “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?”

Let’s put this storm in perspective. Most of the men on that boat where experienced fishermen and boaters. Furthermore, they understood the nature of the Sea of Galilee, and how storms could appear with little or no warning. But this storm was very different. The disciples believe that they are going to die at sea, and to make matters worse; Jesus is doing nothing to help. He is at peace, and they are panicking.

The fear and frustration of the disciples is revealed in the question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” The storm became caused them to lose sight of the Lord. Jesus’ inactivity caused them to believe that he didn’t care.

Storms of obedience can cause us to question God. The Bible is full of people who struggled with God. Gideon said, “If the Lord is with us, then why have all these things happened?” Habakkuk cries out, “Lord, how long are you going to sit back and do nothing about disobedient Israel?” Even Jesus said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

God can handle our doubts and our questions. The danger is allowing these questions and doubts to hurt our relationship with the Lord. In every storm you experience you will encounter a demonic voice saying, “He doesn’t care for you. You can do a better job with your life than God.”

How many times have a couple trying to have children cried out, “Jesus, don’t you care?” Or a unemployed person say, “Jesus, don’t you care?” Or a widow or widower wanting to have one tearless day plead, “Jesus, don’t you care?” Storms present a danger in our relationship with the Lord. We need to be aware of this danger. We also need to realize the purpose of the storms is to expose the enemy of unbelief.

3. Storms expose the enemy of unbelief

Verse forty; “He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Fear consumed the disciples, which was the result of unbelief. Jesus said, “Have you still no faith?” They were afraid because they believed that Jesus wouldn’t get them to the other side. Trusting Jesus and believing Jesus was the problem, and Jesus used the storm to expose it.

I find it interesting that the one area where the disciples were experts was the area that Jesus used to expose their unbelief. God allowed their strength to become their weakness so that they would learn to trust him.

I hear people say all the time that God will never give you more than you can handle. That is not true. He will always give you more than you can handle. That’s what he did with the disciples. The reason God gives us more than we can handle is so that we won’t trust ourselves to handle it, but God. God allows storms to teach us to trust him and allow him to handle it. What we should say is God will never give you more than He can handle. He will always give us more than we can handle to expose the enemy of unbelief and to compel us to cry out to Jesus.

4. Storms compel you to cry out to Jesus.

The experts turned to Jesus. They cried out to Jesus. Jesus had never handled a boat in a storm, most likely. He wasn’t an expert boater. They cried out to Jesus because he was their only hope. The storm brought the disciples to the end of their pride, and humbles them before Jesus. And Jesus responds in verse thirty-nine, “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.” The storm didn’t wake Jesus, but the cry of the disciples did.

When God’s people cry out to the Lord he listens. He will answer them in the day of trouble. Storms will drive us to Jesus, and will always teach us something new about Jesus.

5. Storms will always teach you something newabout Jesus.

The education that the disciples received concerning Jesus was priceless. Notice how they respond in verse forty-one, “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?” The fear of verse forty-one is different from the fear of verse forty. In verse forty Mark uses the Greek word, “Deilos,” which pertains to being a coward. In verse forty-one he uses the Greek word “phobos,” which speaks of more than be terrorized by the witness of God’s power, but of an awe-inspiring reverence for Jesus. They asked, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey?” The storm taught the disciples that they could always trust the promises of God.

a. Trust his promises.

Verse thirty-five Jesus says, “Let us go across to the other side.” Jesus didn’t say, “Let us see if we can making to the other side.” No he emphatically said we are going to the other side. Jesus promised to get them on the other side. He didn’t promise it would be easy.

I came across this picture the other day that describes well the Christian adventure. We think that life is going to be easy, but reality is life is hard. Jesus promises to get us to the other side, even though we face storms in life.

They also learned to trust God’s presence.

b. Trust his presence.

Storms have a way of making us think that God has abandoned us, especially when our cries for help seem to go unheard. We must trust his presence is always with us. The storm also taught the disciples to trust God’s power.

c. Trust his power.

All Jesus had to do was speak to the storm and it was calmed. Jesus can do the same for us. If he doesn’t calm the raging storm around us, he surely can calm the raging storm within us.

There is no storm that will wreck God’s plan and purpose for you. Trust his promise to get you to the other side. Trust his presence to be with you always. And trust his power to strengthen you, sustain you, and deliver you.

You weather the storms of life knowing that the path of obedience will experience the storms of life. Don’t allow those storms to affect your relationship with the Lord. Instead, allow them to expose the enemy of unbelief, drive you to Jesus, and teach you more about Jesus, his promises, his presence, and his power.

It’s dangerous following Jesus, but it’s much safer being in a storm with Jesus than being safe on the shore without Jesus. You can only weather the storms of life if Jesus is the captain of your life. If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, and storm of judgment awaits you. Repent of your sins and turn to Jesus. Let him become the captain of your life.

For those who are in the storm right now with Jesus, don’t allow the storm to cause you to question God’s care for you. Let it expose the enemy of unbelief. Let it compel you to cry out to Jesus. Let the storm teach more about the promises, the presence, and the power of Jesus that is yours in Christ Jesus.