Mark 4:35-41, "Storms, Miracles and Faith"
A gushy reporter told Jack Nicklaus, "You are spectacular, your name is synonymous with the game of golf. You really know your way around the course. What's your secret?" Nicklaus replied, "The holes are numbered"- Ever feel lost? Like somebody moved the numbers? Uncharted waters? In the middle of a storm Let’s Pray- Jun 25, "Storms, Miracles, and Faith " Mark 4:35-41.
Today- this is a message of encouragement- we have a story from Jesus’ life here- a vivid- and action packed story- when we reduce action to words on a written page- we lose the visual- the audio and the original feel of the story- So here’s the recommendation- close your eyes or do whatever you need to do to imagine- this scene to picture it- hear the sounds feel the action
Let’s read- and put ourselves into the scene...
Mark 4:35-41 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown- [the word here is perish/die- not specifically drown]?"
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Reflections on Text:The two questions of the disciples:
1. V. 38 - Don’t you care if we die? #2. V. 41- Who is this?
• God does care about our lives- Safest place to be is in God’s hands
• Their response to Jesus was one of resentment- out of fear- he was a great teacher/rabbi he had worked miracles- why was he not awake and telling them what to do
• Fear is natural to us- but it is not the best state of mind to live in- neither is resentment of God- they could have had other responses driven- by other states of mind- if they were had a deep concern- maybe they would have should shouted- “Jesus, wake up- we don’t want you to drown” but this is not what they said- no they were worried for their own necks
• If we allow fear to dominate us- whether it is fear of nature, fear of the unknown, fear of enemy, fear of terrorism, fear of poverty, fear of unpopularity, fear of aging, fear of uselessness, fear of death- whatever fear it is- God does not want our life to be dominated by fear we are to be people of hope
• Rom 15:13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Rom 5:2-5And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
• God cares and God is with you
Question 2. V. 41- Who is this?
• The question of “Who is This?” Is still a real, relevant and central question for each of us today
• Who is Jesus to us? Is he just a guy on our journey- just another guy in the boat? He is a special teacher? Or is he something more- in charge of nature- Is he a savior who is offering a way of life beyond fear- a way of life that defeats death?
• My testimony- at the college desk- my big storm- lots of confusion- loneliness- not sure of my purpose- I cried “are you real God?” “Who are you God?” essentially- not unlike the disciples- “Don’t you care if we are drowning?” “God don’t you care about me?”
• My heart heard these words- “Corey I am real, and I am here and I will never leave you.”
• And fear started seeping out of my life- a gentle breeze of hope began blowing and I had a calm of hope in the midst of my storm And I knew I needed more and I grabbed my bible and began reading the New Testament- I read the gospel of Matthew over and over and I learned that the words God sent to my heart - were also in scripture- That God is real- that He came to us as Jesus and that he sent his presence to be with us always
• When we ask: Who is this? Who is this Jesus? The answer doesn't change who Jesus is- Jesus is who He is. The right answer will change who we are. Are you in a storm? Do you need a miracle? Friends God is real- God is with you in the storms and God will never leave you- If you are here today resenting God- I urge you to see+ believe that God loves you and is with you- God wants to save you from your drowning- and give you hope. Baptism is a reminder that God’s love surrounds us. If you haven’t been baptized- consider it, it is an act of faith. If you are here today and you are needing help in the storm- don’t let that urging be silenced- fill out the insert today- pray to God- talk with me or a Christian friend- pick up a Bible and read- if you need a bible to have at home come talk to me.
Today- this is a message of encouragement- we have a story from Jesus’ life here- a vivid- and action packed story- when we reduce action to words on a written page- we lose the visual- the audio and the original feel of the story- So here’s the recommendation- close your eyes or do whatever you need to do to imagine- this scene to picture it- hear the sounds feel the action
Let’s read- and put ourselves into the scene...
Mark 4:35-41 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown- [the word here is perish/die- not specifically drown]?"
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41 They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Reflections on Text:The two questions of the disciples:
1. V. 38 - Don’t you care if we die? #2. V. 41- Who is this?
• God does care about our lives- Safest place to be is in God’s hands
• Their response to Jesus was one of resentment- out of fear- he was a great teacher/rabbi he had worked miracles- why was he not awake and telling them what to do
• Fear is natural to us- but it is not the best state of mind to live in- neither is resentment of God- they could have had other responses driven- by other states of mind- if they were had a deep concern- maybe they would have should shouted- “Jesus, wake up- we don’t want you to drown” but this is not what they said- no they were worried for their own necks
• If we allow fear to dominate us- whether it is fear of nature, fear of the unknown, fear of enemy, fear of terrorism, fear of poverty, fear of unpopularity, fear of aging, fear of uselessness, fear of death- whatever fear it is- God does not want our life to be dominated by fear we are to be people of hope
• Rom 15:13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Rom 5:2-5And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
• God cares and God is with you
Question 2. V. 41- Who is this?
• The question of “Who is This?” Is still a real, relevant and central question for each of us today
• Who is Jesus to us? Is he just a guy on our journey- just another guy in the boat? He is a special teacher? Or is he something more- in charge of nature- Is he a savior who is offering a way of life beyond fear- a way of life that defeats death?
• My testimony- at the college desk- my big storm- lots of confusion- loneliness- not sure of my purpose- I cried “are you real God?” “Who are you God?” essentially- not unlike the disciples- “Don’t you care if we are drowning?” “God don’t you care about me?”
• My heart heard these words- “Corey I am real, and I am here and I will never leave you.”
• And fear started seeping out of my life- a gentle breeze of hope began blowing and I had a calm of hope in the midst of my storm And I knew I needed more and I grabbed my bible and began reading the New Testament- I read the gospel of Matthew over and over and I learned that the words God sent to my heart - were also in scripture- That God is real- that He came to us as Jesus and that he sent his presence to be with us always
• When we ask: Who is this? Who is this Jesus? The answer doesn't change who Jesus is- Jesus is who He is. The right answer will change who we are. Are you in a storm? Do you need a miracle? Friends God is real- God is with you in the storms and God will never leave you- If you are here today resenting God- I urge you to see+ believe that God loves you and is with you- God wants to save you from your drowning- and give you hope. Baptism is a reminder that God’s love surrounds us. If you haven’t been baptized- consider it, it is an act of faith. If you are here today and you are needing help in the storm- don’t let that urging be silenced- fill out the insert today- pray to God- talk with me or a Christian friend- pick up a Bible and read- if you need a bible to have at home come talk to me.
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 10:52 AM
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