Life is a pilgrimage. It has some wonderful moments when we feel elated and on top of the world. But it also has other times when we are liable to become depressed and feel that the weight of the world is crushing us. We all go through the storms of life. It may even happen when we feel we are living in obedience to the will of God for us. In this gospel story we read of Jesus’ disciples responding in obedience to a request of Jesus and then finding themselves in the midst of a storm. What can we learn from their experience?
1]. FACING A STORM. Mark 4:35-38
Mark 4:35 ‘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?”’
The disciples were in the will of God for they had obeyed Jesus’ command to take Him in a boat to the other side of the sea. However, a great windstorm arose and water was beginning to fill the boat. The disciples in their fear woke Jesus who was asleep in the stern. They accused Him of not caring for being asleep when they were in danger of drowning.
It reminds us that many so-called followers of Jesus have doubted His love and care when they were faced with various storms in their own lives. It is so easy to divert our eyes from Jesus when difficulties arise, and we begin to focus on the difficulties rather than on Jesus Himself. St Peter did that when at the command of Jesus he began to walk on the water towards Him, ‘Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”’ Matthew 14:29-30.
Peter made the mistake of looking at the power of the wind instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus and walking by faith towards Him.
What would Jesus do for the disciples in a boat that was beginning to sink. They were about to find out.
2]. STILLING A STORM. 4:39
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.’
The word “rebuke” is from [epitimaō; ἐπιτιμάω] meaning to reprimand, to admonish strongly. It was a strong command to the wind to cease its power. “Be still” is from [siōpaō; σιωπάω] meaning to keep silence, to hold one’s peace.
In an amazing nature miracle, the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But in the calm came a challenge from the lips of Jesus.
3]. THE CHALLENGE TO HAVE TRUE FAITH. 4:40-41
Mark 4:40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
They were afraid. “Afraid” is [deilos; δειλός meaning timid, fearful, cowardly. But Jesus told them their fear was unnecessary and inappropriate. His words “Have you still no faith?” implied that if they had faith, they wouldn’t have become afraid. It’s interesting that Jesus used the words, “Have you still no faith?” implying that if they had some faith their fear would have been less. When we compare the story of Peter beginning to walk on water but then taking his focus off Jesus and beginning to sink until Jesus took his arm, we note the different use of faith. Jesus said to Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” We might have seen Peter’s effort in actually walking on the water as a great example of faith. But Jesus saw it as [oligopistos; ὀλιγόπιστος meaning “little faith.”]
It is a challenge to us when we are faced with the storms of life whether we are going to meet them with no faith, little faith or great faith like that shown by the Canaanite mother who came seeking healing for her daughter, of whom Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” Matthew 15:28.
4]. THE QUESTION EVERYONE HAS TO ANSWER. “Who is Jesus?” 4:41
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?”’ The display of Jesus’ power in stilling the storm by rebuking it affected them deeply. “Great fear” is [megas; μέγας] meaning “great” and [phobeomai; φοβέομαι] meaning to be afraid. They had moved from cowardly fear during the storm, to great fear once it calmed down. Perhaps their fear was natural for they had seen many storms in the past and knew the damage they could cause. However, this was a new experience. Never before had they seen a man like themselves command a storm to be at peace and see the storm immediately obey His command. This was beyond normal. This was supernatural. So they said to themselves, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The question they asked has been asked by millions of people since Jesus came to earth and performed the miracles He did. Just who is He and how did He perform this miracle? Later the apostle St Paul answered the question in these words. “[The gospel of God] … concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:3. He was a man just like themselves, being born in the lineage of king David. But He pre-existed as the eternal Son of God and humbled Himself to be born as a human baby and to grow as other humans grow. After He was crucified and buried, He rose from the dead. This was a declaration as to His identity as the Son of God.
My answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” is simple. He became my Saviour on New Year’s Eve 1958 when I invited Him into my life and asked Him to be the Lord and Master of my life. I am privileged like all other believers to also be His friend as He indicated in John 15:13-15, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Jesus. My Saviour. My Lord and Master. My friend.
Blog No.554 posted on Friday 07 June 2024.
holbeck 
554. “Stilling the Storms of Life.” Sermon Notes on Mark 4:35-41
Life is a pilgrimage. It has some wonderful moments when we feel elated and on top of the world. But it also has other times when we are liable to become depressed and feel that the weight of the world is crushing us. We all go through the storms of life. It may even happen when we feel we are living in obedience to the will of God for us. In this gospel story we read of Jesus’ disciples responding in obedience to a request of Jesus and then finding themselves in the midst of a storm. What can we learn from their experience?
1]. FACING A STORM. Mark 4:35-38
Mark 4:35 ‘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?”’
The disciples were in the will of God for they had obeyed Jesus’ command to take Him in a boat to the other side of the sea. However, a great windstorm arose and water was beginning to fill the boat. The disciples in their fear woke Jesus who was asleep in the stern. They accused Him of not caring for being asleep when they were in danger of drowning.
It reminds us that many so-called followers of Jesus have doubted His love and care when they were faced with various storms in their own lives. It is so easy to divert our eyes from Jesus when difficulties arise, and we begin to focus on the difficulties rather than on Jesus Himself. St Peter did that when at the command of Jesus he began to walk on the water towards Him, ‘Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”’ Matthew 14:29-30.
Peter made the mistake of looking at the power of the wind instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus and walking by faith towards Him.
What would Jesus do for the disciples in a boat that was beginning to sink. They were about to find out.
2]. STILLING A STORM. 4:39
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.’
The word “rebuke” is from [epitimaō; ἐπιτιμάω] meaning to reprimand, to admonish strongly. It was a strong command to the wind to cease its power. “Be still” is from [siōpaō; σιωπάω] meaning to keep silence, to hold one’s peace.
In an amazing nature miracle, the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But in the calm came a challenge from the lips of Jesus.
3]. THE CHALLENGE TO HAVE TRUE FAITH. 4:40-41
Mark 4:40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
They were afraid. “Afraid” is [deilos; δειλός meaning timid, fearful, cowardly. But Jesus told them their fear was unnecessary and inappropriate. His words “Have you still no faith?” implied that if they had faith, they wouldn’t have become afraid. It’s interesting that Jesus used the words, “Have you still no faith?” implying that if they had some faith their fear would have been less. When we compare the story of Peter beginning to walk on water but then taking his focus off Jesus and beginning to sink until Jesus took his arm, we note the different use of faith. Jesus said to Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” We might have seen Peter’s effort in actually walking on the water as a great example of faith. But Jesus saw it as [oligopistos; ὀλιγόπιστος meaning “little faith.”]
It is a challenge to us when we are faced with the storms of life whether we are going to meet them with no faith, little faith or great faith like that shown by the Canaanite mother who came seeking healing for her daughter, of whom Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” Matthew 15:28.
4]. THE QUESTION EVERYONE HAS TO ANSWER. “Who is Jesus?” 4:41
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?”’ The display of Jesus’ power in stilling the storm by rebuking it affected them deeply. “Great fear” is [megas; μέγας] meaning “great” and [phobeomai; φοβέομαι] meaning to be afraid. They had moved from cowardly fear during the storm, to great fear once it calmed down. Perhaps their fear was natural for they had seen many storms in the past and knew the damage they could cause. However, this was a new experience. Never before had they seen a man like themselves command a storm to be at peace and see the storm immediately obey His command. This was beyond normal. This was supernatural. So they said to themselves, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The question they asked has been asked by millions of people since Jesus came to earth and performed the miracles He did. Just who is He and how did He perform this miracle? Later the apostle St Paul answered the question in these words. “[The gospel of God] … concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:3. He was a man just like themselves, being born in the lineage of king David. But He pre-existed as the eternal Son of God and humbled Himself to be born as a human baby and to grow as other humans grow. After He was crucified and buried, He rose from the dead. This was a declaration as to His identity as the Son of God.
My answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?” is simple. He became my Saviour on New Year’s Eve 1958 when I invited Him into my life and asked Him to be the Lord and Master of my life. I am privileged like all other believers to also be His friend as He indicated in John 15:13-15, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” Jesus. My Saviour. My Lord and Master. My friend.
Blog No.554 posted on Friday 07 June 2024.
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About Jim Holbeck
Once an Industrial Chemist working for the Queensland Government but later an Anglican minister in Brisbane, Armidale and Sydney. Last position for eighteen years before retirement in 2006 was as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew's Cathedral Sydney.