Sunday, May 3, 2020
Mark 4:35-41 NIV
“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 (storm, tempest) 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?’ 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!’
Notes
Now, I want to pull some things out of this story that apply to what we’re all experiencing today—the Covid-19 storm!
I. Storms happen, even when Jesus is in the boat!
The Greek word for windstorm means a HURRICANE like storm.
Mark 4:37 LB
“… High waves began to break into the boat until it was nearly full of water and about to sink.”
Notes
II. Jesus purposely took them to faith school.
This storm at sea was Jesus’ classroom designed to teach them something new, which I’ll show you in a moment.
Isaiah 46:9-10 NASB
“Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;”
Notes
Matthew 26:34 NLT
“‘I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.’”
Luke 22:60-61 NASB
“But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, ‘Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.’”
Notes
So we might ask, Why did He allow it? Why would He allow His disciples to be shaken and rattled by this hurricane?
ANSWER: He wanted them to learn something about Him they would not learn any other way; that is that:
III. Jesus was God
Mark 4:38 NLT
“… ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”’
Notes
Mark 4:39 NASB
“He (Jesus) got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.”
Mark 4:41 NLT
“… ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’”
Notes