In this sermon, Pastor Babij examines the account of Jesus calming the wind and waves on the stormy Sea of Galilee. While this event is instructive when it comes to how the believer perseveres through trials and suffering, Pastor Babij explains that this episode is ultimately about who Jesus is. Truly, who Jesus is and who we are in relation to Him are the truths that enable us to succeed in life’s testing storms.
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all right let’s take our Bibles this morning and turn to the gospel of Mark chapter 4. the gospel of Mark chapter 4.
and this morning we’ll be looking at verse 35 to verse 41.
verse 35 to verse 41 of the Gospel of Mark chapter 4.
and once you find that let me read that section of scripture verse number 35 chapter 4 it says on that day when evening came he said to them let’s go over the other side leaving the crowd they took him along with them in the boat just as he was and other Boats were with him and there arose a fierce Gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up Jesus said Jesus himself was wit 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 and he got up and rebuked the wind and said to the Sea hush be still and the wind died down and became perfectly calm and he said to them why are you afraid do you still have no faith they became very much afraid and said to one another who then is this that even the wind and the Sea obey him let’s pray Lord thank you this morning again for the word of God Lord impress upon our heart the needed lesson for us so Lord we can take it and use it in our life for Lord it is an important one for all disciples that’s why it’s placed at this juncture in the gospels where the disciples are still growing Still Getting to Know Who You Are and so Lord we’re all in the same place we’re we’re still getting to know you and I pray Lord you would help us know you better so we can live by faith and I pray in Christ’s name amen all right so I titled the message this morning Revelation on a dark and stormy night now I don’t I don’t know if you know those dark and stormy night you know stories usually on the dark and stormy night you tell the story to somebody you know uh we were parked by the park and um we heard that there was a man in the area who had a uh clawed hand and the next day we woke up and we we had the claw on the side of our door handle you know that kind of stuff uh now it is interesting that this storm and this boat ride that was taken by the disciples was done at night um or actually at least the storm was done that night Jesus and his and his disciples had been teaching in the open air and ministering to to crowds all day and Jesus made a proposal in the evening of the day when he was preaching on The Parables from the boat his proposal was to go across to the other side of the lake of Galilee that would be into the country of the garrisons and we see that in chapter 5 verse number one where it says they came to the other side of the sea into the country of the garrisians so that’s where they were heading and Jesus said let’s do that but remember we ended last time Jesus first went home and instructed his disciples privately and as Mark chapter 4 verse 34 informs us and he did not speak to them without a parable but he was explaining everything privately to his own disciples so how privileged is a person to be called his own disciples and that’s who’s in the boat with him now his own disciples so today our passage is about a providentially designed trial and let me say at the get-go this is not an event that teaches us about Jesus Jesus getting us through the storms of life it’s not about that that’s taught in other places in scripture but not here instead it is events specifically and providentially designed to increase the disciples faith in who Jesus is that is The Sovereign and all-powerful Lord up until this point they weren’t getting that see we will learn three things about our lord Jesus and let’s learn them well because it is important for us to know to live life now we’re going through the same things if we’re Disciples of Jesus Christ we’ve been repented and believed in Christ as our Lord and savior we will go through a storm that has been specifically designed by God for us here’s the first thing that we’ll notice in our passage that Jesus directs his disciples Into the Storm because he says in verse number 35 let’s go over the other side so most of his disciples remember our sailors so they took charge of the vessel once they get into the boat this is their home this is where they operate the most efficiently and as you notice in verse number 36 that’s what it kind of communicates it says leaving the crowd so a new crowd had formed they took him they took Jesus along with them in the boat and then notice what it says just as he was and other Boats were with him see Jesus had finished a hard and long day of work but Jesus was not a sailor and so they treated him as someone not being a sailor so disciples took him along with them in the boat just as he was that means that Jesus was taken aboard tired and weary as he was without going ashore to rest or make preparations now for your information in 1986 a first century vessel was found in the mud of Lake Galilee after that area had experienced a drought for some time the boat that they found was 27 feet long seven and a half feet wide and four and a half feet deep the the fishing boat was capable of holding 12 to 15 people Some Gave it to name the Jesus boat and the reason why they did that is because it most likely it was the closest type of boat to what we read about in scripture matter of fact you can go to Jerusalem and see that boat on display and it’s interesting that um that boat is uh it’s there and it was captured uh it was a unique uh archaeological find and they dated back to the first century now notice in our passage that there’s a flotilla that went along with him it says other Boats were with them now which means anyone in this new forming crowd who had a boat try to follow Jesus and the disciples now that lead boat had probably around 13 passengers 12 disciples and Jesus then something suddenly happened in verse number 37 a storm it says and there arose a fierce Gale wind and the waves and let me just stop right there one thing you and I can Bank on we can Bank on the truth that if you were called to Salvation and repented and believed in Jesus Christ that at some at the and at the same time you were called to be Sanctified that means you were called to be set apart to God you were called to grow in the knowledge of God along which salvation came sanctification that means practically God is definitely working in the circumstances of our everyday lives maybe one of the doctrines that have has been lost in the church today is the doctrine of God’s Providence in everyday lives sometimes we live from Sunday to Sunday but we don’t live on Monday that is as if God’s involved with our life in the details of our life and the circumstances of our life but I tell you what he is and he’s doing it in order to teach us what we cannot learn in the Sunday School lesson he’s doing it in order to teach us what we cannot learn uh in the Lord’s Day preaching message we will learn that God does his greatest work in trials and tribulations and difficulties and the stressed moments of daily living that’s where he does his work the most so in these circumstances that is when we’re going to really find out if and how we have been listening to the preaching and to the Sunday school and to what the word of God actually says see do you really know who Jesus is do you really know who you are do you really know what you really need do you know those things usually it is in the storm we receive more Revelation to answer the most vital questions so see Jesus directed his disciples into this it wasn’t a storm when they left it was a storm when they got in the middle of the lake of Galilee that’s when it became a storm matter of fact the storm came about when they could not it was so violent that they could not find their way to the shore they didn’t know what direction the shore was and these were skilled fishermen these were skilled sailors so that’s the first thing Jesus is going to direct us into that storm secondly we find this about Jesus that Jesus prepared a providential test of uncontrollable power that means in verse 37 and 38 that he takes to control away from his disciples they can do nothing about it except lean on their past understanding of what they ought to do and if you notice in verse number 37 it says and there arose a fierce Gale of wind and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up see the storm was unusual because it was in the evening it was an evening storm many fishermen did their fishing at night to actually avoid such evening storms or excuse me to avoid the day storms because the evening storm seems to be lighter and calmer however the Sea of Galilee is notorious for the danger it’s dangerous storms without warning they come up in fact our text wants us to get the sense that this was a mega storm actually one of the Greek words there megalay which we get the word Mega means great it was a great storm in fact the fierce Gale winds could also be translated hurricane power winds so this was no little storm now the climactic and geographical reasons surrounding the Sea of Galilee would include first the surface of the sea is 700 feet below sea level the lowest freshwater lake on the earth is the Sea of Galilee it’s the lowest freshwater lake on the earth second thing the lake sits at the bottom of the Jordan Valley surrounded by steep hills and mountains the valley and Gorges between the mountains can funnel the wind from the West off the Mediterranean Sea or from the East off the desert and these winds can stir up a violent storm in an instant without any warning because of the situation there now we know of course of course it wasn’t because of those things it was because of God’s Providence that it was happening now if anyone has ever been on a large body of water and is stored in a storm suddenly arose that took you by surprise immediately you feel very vulnerable and helpless you quickly assess that the only thing you could do is try to stay above water and do everything you can from sinking and try to make it to shore now I’ve never been in a little boat when a storm came up but I was on an aircraft carrier when they had done they were done flying planes and so the planes were put in the bottom deck and a storm came up carriers don’t usually fly uh sail into storms because they fly into good weather so they can fly planes but being that the planes were now put away the captain wanted to make a shortcut and go through and get home quicker and so we got caught in the storm and I was up on the tower looking out and the waves of that the ocean the Atlantic Ocean was coming over that the bow of that ship like it was tossed around like a little toy boat this is a massive gigantic ship and it was frightening uh to see that I could imagine what it would be in the smaller craft where you uh there’s not much you can do so these expert sailors who knew how to handle a seaworthy vessel had even at times handled a similar craft through other storms even they became afraid these seamen were matter of fact greatly afraid because a night storm is extra scary even for seasoned fishermen so the rough eight to ten foot waves beat on the boat and sloshed over its side and began to take on large amounts of water so sinking and drowning was staring them in the face the disciples are sure that death by Drowning will soon come and they resent the fact of what Jesus is doing and what is he doing well look at verse number 38. Jesus himself was in the stern asleep on the cushion now the gospel of Mark’s aim was to give a picture of Jesus as he was what Jesus said and what he did but there’s no gospel that gives us such a picture of Jesus humanness in fact some people uh have concluded that one way you know that the gospel of Mark is genuine and that it was done by a an eyewitness of course Peter being the eyewitness and Mark getting his information from Peter is that he includes details like Jesus head being on a cushion a pillow but it was important because here’s this storm is Raging and Jesus is asleep now the the Sleep the peaceful sleep of Jesus is really due to the perfect absence of fear in his heart and to the absolute trust that he has in his father’s care while in the storm now so the disciples are clearly upset of what Jesus and this test this providential test this that of uncontrollable power really brings to the surface what’s going on in the disciples heart what they really do believe and what they don’t believe the first thing that comes Rises up in their hearts that the disciples still need much strengthening and conviction about the identity of Jesus the disciples who were privileged insiders in regard to the mysteries of the kingdom of God by being taught privately as his own disciples however what is interesting in our passage is that it doesn’t seem to move past that Jesus was more than a teacher because it says in verse number 38 and they woke him and said to him teacher other gospels say master see we must painfully see ourselves and the disciples we have to see ourselves there because we’re just like them same things going on see their growth was slow second thing that comes to the surface is when the storm Rises the disciples doubted whether Jesus really cared about them look what it says in verse 38 the last part it says and they woke him and said to him teacher do you not care we are perishing now we do the same thing when in the midst of a difficult situation or trial we lose faith in God’s love and care for us don’t we that’s the first thing that seems to go out the window a third thing that comes up is that Jesus has spoken about going to the other side of the lake but they had failed to trust Jesus word it was a man named uh actually Timothy Keller brings up an interesting observation here he said that this picture goes to our hearts because everyone who’s ever tried to live a life of faith in this world has felt this at some time what have they felt everything’s going wrong in my life I am thinking and God seems to be asleep absent or unaware have you ever felt like that I have see but what do we do at that point it’s going to be based on what we know about Christ it’s going to be based on that because that’s the most important when we get to that place we begin to think this if you love us you wouldn’t let us go through this storm if you love us we wouldn’t be about to sink if you love us you would not allow us to endure this deadly peril that’s what they begin to sing think that’s what we begin to think but the problem is that they’re concluding everything they’ve learned in the wrong way in fact they’re actually being ignorant of what the scriptures teach because if they understood what the scriptures teach and what Jesus taught them they should have known better and we should know better that God does allow people that he loves to go through storms in fact he ordains them he provides them he directs us into them and he keeps us there until we learn because we haven’t learned and we don’t learn other ways you know there was a young man who was trying to establish a a farm as a peach grower he had worked hard and invested all his time in his peach orchard which blossomed wonderfully and then a frost came he didn’t go to church the next Sunday nor the next nor the next and his minister went to see him to find out the reason and he this young fellow explained I’m not coming anymore to church do you think I can worship a God who cares for me so little that he will let a frost kill all my peaches the old Minister looked at him for a few moments in silence then said kindly God loves you better than he loves your peaches he knows that while peaches do better without Frost it is impossible to grow the best men without Frost the object is to grow men not peaches see God is going to grow Us in the storm but what we try to do is get out of the storm but the problem is God’s providential storms you can’t get out of matter of fact you can’t even pray out of it you can get you can’t get other people to pray you out of it the Lord will keep you there because God does allow the people that he love to go through his storms but at that point he’s going to teach us something very important he’s going to teach us something that we maybe knew theoretically but did not know practically he’s going to teach us something that while we’re in the middle of the storm we can actually put it into practice not at the end of it in the middle of it because it won’t be the first time a storm comes up in our Christian walk right it won’t be the last time that that happens it’s going to happen and God is going to disciple us and he’s going to teach us and he’s going to do it in this way because this is who he is a third thing about Jesus is this that in the middle of the storm well actually in this case at the end of the storm he gives a glimpse of the Wonder and the awe of his glory and that’s where he was taking this whole event because if you notice in verse number 39 it says what did Jesus do he says and he got up from sleeping on that pillow because he was woken up by the disciples and rebuked the wind and said to the Sea hush be still and the wind died down it became perfectly calm so the the the domain in which Jesus showed his power was absolute astounding within the mighty limits of sea and wind these were now subject to the word of Jesus command that Jesus positions himself over creation by his mere spoken word of power and authority and what does the Bible say immediately the wind and the Sea obey him see we need the storm because in the storm and after the storm we will learn more about who Jesus is see the sea has no ears yet it listens to the command of King Jesus and ordinarily the waters would remain rough for a time after the wind stops but not this time the wind has no knowledge and yet it stops blowing when King Jesus says hush be still that literally would mean put a muzzle on it and keep it on stop it see all the components of this Mega storm obey Jesus Christ like a compliant child so what does Jesus do he Reveals His omnipotent power over the vast forces of nature so here’s as if the disciples get a sense that all of nature obeys him all of nature obese and what kind of person is this see the conclusion would be this who but God can make the Raging wind and the heaving see obey a word by any consensus no one can control the wind and the sea no one except one God can see a miracle does not break the laws of nature or dismiss them or set them aside it acts above them and puts power into them it uses them with all the power of God and therefore shortens everything and makes the impossible possible only God can do that matter of fact we learn that from the word of God just a moment take your Bible and turn to Psalm 107 for a minute Psalm 107 and notice what it says in verse 28 through 30.
it says in Psalm 107 verse 28 Psalms right in the middle of your Bible so if you’re opening up to the mill you’ll usually find Psalms and then turn to 107 it says this in verse 28.
then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distresses he caused the storm to be still so that the waves of the sea were hushed then they were glad because they were quiet so he guided them to their desired Haven that’s only one of other passages of scripture Psalm 89 says you rule the swelling of the sea when its waves rise you still them in other words the Old Testament they used to sing about God’s power over nature God’s power over the elements like the water and the sea and so the disciples are learning something but before that before they asked something Jesus has a question for them and this is very interesting back to the gospel Mark chapter verse number 40 chapter 4 here’s the question now you would you you would think maybe Jesus would say to them listen you had every right to be afraid you’re just human you’re just weak but he didn’t do that you know what he does he rebukes them look what he says in verse number 40 he says well Jesus didn’t say to them you had every right to be afraid no he actually rebukes them for their lack of faith look at verse 40 and he said to them why are you afraid do you still have no faith the disciples showed Mighty little faith in this test see the storm brought out the measure of faith that they really had and it wasn’t much feared showed their lack of faith the disciples still do not understand the mystery of Jesus nature so God provides a very unique miracle an unusual and acceptual exceptional situation and Designs it to magnify the person of Jesus Christ and lay bare before them the issues of their own heart and what is that they really don’t have faith what have they been doing what have we been doing because if you remember from the beginning of the Gospel of Mark till now see these disciples acted as though the teaching of Jesus the miracles of Jesus up into this point the training that Jesus had given them privately had not produced faith in them the disciples already experienced the authority of Jesus teaching and over demons they saw him cast them out they experienced Jesus as the perfect servant who cares about the physical and spiritual needs of people without being sidetracked by his main mission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom so people can be born again and be saved they saw Jesus demonstration of the power of compassion over the uncleanness represented by leprosy they experienced the right and the might of Jesus the son of man in his authority and his right to forgive sins on Earth and to instantly heal the paralytic the disciples further observed Jesus as a friend of sinners when Jesus wanted a man whom nobody wanted he called a man to be his disciple with a dubious and a sinful character the tax collector you remember him who was despised by the people and despised by the respected religious leaders it was there they got the SK they got the picture of the Scandal of Grace that Jesus can take a sinner and turn them into a mature image Bearer who reflects his glory but you know what I think this seems to be the problem that we all face as Christians no matter how long you’ve been a Christian the problem is well the problem is not that we don’t know what to do the problem is not is that we don’t know how to live we do know what to do we do know how to live see the primary problem is we don’t live up to what we already know the gap is not in our knowledge but in our obedience how do we address the gap between what we know and what we do well our passage helps us to see more of who Jesus is it helps us to see God and love him Anew it refreshes a deep reverential fear of our Lord Jesus Christ see the gospel begins to Begins the slow transformative work of changing gusts from the inside out which ignites a change in our behavior that comes through a heightened sense in what we love the most who we love the most because what we love is what we do what we love to do is what we do if you want to if you do something a lot you love to do it and so here are the disciples they are lacking Faith No Faith and Jesus rebukes them so in a sense we need to be rebuked too for our lack of faith but look at the two effects of the miracle there’s two effects in verse 41.
the first effect on the disciples is again the Greek uses the word Mega they had Mega fear it says they became very much afraid verse number 41. matter of fact it’s like saying listen you’re more afraid now than you were in the storm why is that the greatest fear came after the threatening storm had been removed this came from their new depth and understanding concerning the power and the authority of Jesus they saw Jesus in a way they never saw him before they saw the glory of God in Christ Jesus in that they never this uh experienced up until this particular point and that’s what they needed that’s what they needed to increase their faith and so that’s when it brings us to ask the vital question the essential question what is the essential question for all of us what is the essential question for any person who’s ever lived actually the essential question is who is God and in this case the essential question is who is he matter of fact it it means that who then is this one look at it says in verse 41.
it says they became very much afraid and said to one another who then is this that even the wind and the Sea obey him see the conclusion is this is God only God can do this see if his disciples really had known that Jesus cared about them and loved them and understood that he’s powerful and loving they would have not been scared they would not have been afraid they would have had Faith now you say well if you look in the gospels this becomes a very pivotal point in the ministries of the Apostles because the ministry of the Apostles is not going to be any Cakewalk they are going to be ridiculed they are going to be beaten they are going to be mocked they’re going to be thrown out of cities they are going to be stoned that in the sense is a storm that they’re in because of the Gospel they must have faith in God when the the effects of what’s going on seems impossible for them to be rescued they must be trusting God that God knows about this in my life they he knows about this storm he knows about this trial and he will give me everything I need to have the faith to what to trust him to bring me through it in the sense of I grow in my understanding and my knowledge of Jesus Christ see the gospel of Mark is so needed in our times this first century account of the person of Jesus Christ is just as a radical today as it was among the first Jew the Jews of the first of first century Palestine radical because the testimony of the Gospel Mark pushes against the preconceived expectations of the Messiah in their day in other words there is always a danger in misrepresenting the truth about Jesus and the essence of real genuine biblical Faith this situation this ordained storm by God showed who really Jesus really is so they would not at all be confused about following him and serving him confusion still abounds in our day as to who Jesus is today there remains a profound need to take a fresh look at the person of Jesus and the purpose of his life on Earth and believe me that the gospel of Mark is a reliable witness of the astounding person and the transforming mission of Jesus Christ in the in the context of the in-breaking Eternal rule of God where Jesus shows his disciples what happens when the king of the kingdom comes to Earth and not in its fullness demons are cast out people are healed and in the person of Jesus Christ the Sea and the waves are commanded by a word from a human being called Jesus Christ who now they’re walking away saying this is more than a man this is God and that’s exactly what it was designed to do so the two essential questions as we go through the gospel Mark will be apparent to all of God’s true disciples who do you perceive yourself to be and who do you perceive God to be now if at this moment you are in the midst of the storm don’t forget it’s not a mistake God is too wise to make mistakes it is not unkind God is too good to be unkind to his disciples and it is not uncaring because God is too compassionate to be uncaring to those who are his own now it was Daniel Atkin Akin who said this there must be a contrast between those disciples in US because they’re at a disadvantage we’re not at a disadvantage we have the whole Bible we have no excuse we know Jesus is all-powerful and all-knowing we know he has taken care of us and all our sin by nailing it to the cross and giving us his righteousness we know he rose from the dead and defeated Satan and death we know that we know he can be trusted no matter what because of who he is he is a God who cannot lie he is a God who says every who does everything he says he’s going to do to its completeness so trials and difficulties are Divine appointments to strengthen our faith so why are we still afraid do we still have no faith and remember this God did not abandon you in the Ultimate Storm he will not forsake us in the less lesser storms the only storm that could have ultimately drowned us is God’s Own wrath and judgment upon us because of our sin that storm was calmed forever by the object of our faith Jesus Christ our Lord and savior so see Jesus directs us into the storm by Jesus power he protects us and cares for us in the storm and by Jesus person in character put on display before us From The Storm in a more revealing way than we knew before we grow in our faith in trust in Jesus Christ that the more we learned about Jesus Christ the more we practice what we learn the greater our faith in trusting God than in every circumstance of life every circumstance of life his disciples should display Trust in Jesus Christ because if it’s happening in your life if you’re going through a trial or a tribulation God has directed you there and he’s teaching you something there and he because he’s he sanctifying you you will learn what you have to learn and come out and you will increase your faith in Christ Jesus that’s what will happen because that’s how God works and that’s why this is placed right there in this story uh in this gospel because it it’s disciples needed that their faith to increase so that your knowledge of God will increase your faith proper knowledge of God will increase your faith you know what we all need it nobody can everybody’s in the boat this morning there’s nobody outside the boat we’re all in the boat all right and we’ve all gone through storms if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time you’ve gone through many more probably more than one storm in your life all right and if you’re still here and you’re still praising the Lord and you’re still witnessing and you’re still thanking God for so great of Salvation And if you if the goal of the earth is growing dim and you’re looking forward to being his presence then God’s done his work if you’re grumbling and complaining and moaning and all those things you have not learned you have not learned what God wants to teach you because those are not fruit of the spirit those are fruit of the flesh right you know the fruit of the spirit is right love joy peace long-suffering gentleness kindness goodness right all those things that’s what God’s going to make you to be and then when you go out in that world you’ll be a light of the Gospel you will be a testimony to those who are around you you have people come up and you say how could you go through that and have that attitude how could you go through that and not have a problem with God and you’ll have a you have a reason to give an answer of the hope that lies within you right with fear and reverence that’s what you’ll do so I guess this morning I need this passage of scripture uh this week and I wrestled with it and struggled with it and it wrestled with me and struggled with me and it got me on on the mat and uh and I thank the lord it’s there because I believe this is the key is trust in Christ and all God’s people said what amen let’s pray Lord thank you this morning Lord again Lord your word is so penetrating as we look at the details of the text and we see the the details of the narrative Lord we we see how you put yourself on display and Lord in this case you put yourself on display to show the disciples a part of who you are that they did not see before and Lord they lacked faith when the storm came but Lord After the Storm was over they did ask the right question and they did get the answer they began to see you more than just a teacher more than just a master but they began to see you now as the God man as someone who has come into this world to do with a great task to accomplish and Lord even though that didn’t become real clear to them until after the resurrection Lord it is clear to us because we have the whole message so Lord we are in a very real way without excuse but I just pray Lord that you would build our faith and that we would see the powerful hand of God work in our life because we are your disciples and we would see you use us in the situations and circumstances of of life to be a testimony and to be a light and to be a person who gives the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know you yet and I pray that we’d also be someone who can strengthen new disciples to learn how to walk by faith and learn how to trust in Christ in all situations situations so I thank you Lord this morning I pray that you would use this in the way you see fit and I pray in Christ’s name