Mark part 22…July 1st 2015
Chapter 4:33-41
In Mark 4 Jesus has a great multitude around Him in order to be effective He gets into a
boat and teaches from the boat.
This means the disciples have been with Him all day hearing the Word of God.
It is important to keep in mind that the disciples are in training to take over the Lord’s work here
on earth.
They were to take over what the Lord had started and to expand it to the whole world was a huge
undertaking.
To be successful the disciples would have to fight and deal with great opposition from the devil
and those who worked with the devil.
It is easy to deceive yourself and think you know how to do more or that you know more
than you really do.
It is easy to sit in a class and your mind be a million miles away.
Every sermon Jesus preached and every lesson Jesus taught included instruction and
training for the disciples.
Jesus not only taught them He also tested them on what they were taught.
Testing reveals what we have learned as well as what we need to improve on.
Verse 35… says on the same day which refers to the day that Jesus gave the parable of the soil.
The hearing of the Word of God is intended to produce faith.
It is not enough for a person to learn something or repeat a sermon we must be able to
practice what we have heard and learned.
So that means faith must always be tested God permits trials in our lives.
Jesus said to the disciples let us cross over to the other side.
Other side refers to the other side of the lake.
At this particular part of the sea it was about 5 miles across to the other side.
Verse 36 says they took Jesus along as He was and the other little boats were also with Him.
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They took Him as He was…
Not as they wished He was.
When you take Jesus you take Him as He is.
He is not going to change His Word, His ways, His principals, His standards…
When you take Him you take Him as He is.
Verse 37… And a great windstorm arose and the waves beat into the boat so that is was already
filling.
Jesus knew the storm was coming actually the storm was part of that days lesson plan.
Even though several of the disciples were experienced fishermen and had been on this water
many times…
They were afraid that the storm was going to put them under.
Jesus wanted them to understand that He could be trusted in the storms of life.
Don’t ever allow yourself to believe that if you are in a storm that you have disobeyed God in
some way.
The disciples did exactly what Jesus told them to do and went right into a storm.
It seems natural for the disciples to be afraid we see in verse 37 it was a great windstorm and the
waves are beating into the boat and the boat is filling with water.
But there are at least two good reasons why none of the men on the ship should have been
disturbed.
1.
They had Jesus’ Word they were going to make it.
Jesus said to them let us go to the other side.
Always remember when Jesus commands something He will enable us to carry them out.
Jesus did not promise an easy trip…but He did promise a guaranteed arrival.
2.
He was with them in the boat.
They had witnessed Jesus’ power over sickness, demons and the devil.
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They had seen His power demonstrated in His miracles so they should have had complete
confidence that He could handle the situation.
Like us many times we fail to understand that Jesus is the Master of every situation.
Verse 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow…
This shows Jesus’ true humanity as He is weary and worn from a long day of teaching.
Think of the worries Jesus could have had and things that were on His mind that would have kept
Him awake…
Crowds, enemies, death on a cross approaching…
Fierce storm water was filling the boat.
But with them all He slept and was at perfect peace.
The reason Jesus could sleep in the storm was due to the fact that Jesus knew the Father would
take care of Him.
If only we had that kind of faith that regardless of the storm the Father will take care of us.
Ps. 4:8 says…I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for Thou, Lord only makes me dwell
in safety.
The disciples didn’t have the same calm as Jesus did they awoke Him and said to Him, Teacher
do You not care that we are perishing?
This is not a request for Jesus to take a bucket and dip out water…
It was a protest against His apparent indifference.
Now notice the wind did not awake Jesus nor did the water coming in the boat.
But the cry of the disciples were like the cry of a baby when a mother is sound asleep.
The slightest noise from that baby wakes the mother…
And the mother can always determine her child’s voice from all the rest.
Jesus is that way He hears when one of His own calls out and He takes action.
When we get into trouble and cannot help ourselves and we put our entire dependence on Him…
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He will reveal His power.
Verse 39…Then He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, peace be still.
Notice Jesus didn’t just quiet the wind and the sea He rebuked the wind and the sea.
By Jesus rebuking the wind and sea it shows us that satan had a significant part of the storm.
As well as why the storm was so great we will see that next week.
So this storm was a spiritual battle more so than a weather crisis.
When Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea it was like He put a muzzle on it.
Jesus subdued the storm by His sovereign Word of authority.
But Jesus did not stop with just calming the storm…
The greatest danger was not the wind or the waves it was the unbelief in the hearts of the
disciples.
Verse 40…He said to them why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?
The storm did not disturb Jesus but the unbelief if the disciples disturbed Him greatly.
Make sure you understand that it wasn’t the initial fear of a small boat in a huge storm
that disturbed Jesus…
What the disciples chose to do with their fear is what disturbed Jesus.
The disciples should have put trust in His Word…
Jesus said let us go to other side not let’s do the best we can…
Jesus promised a safe arrival.
They should have known God would not allow the Messiah to drown in a boat accident.
Their unbelief was unreasonable.
Of all the people who Jesus knew and had taught the disciples should have been the very
ones to have trusted in Him.
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After all He had done for them why would He allow them to drown in a storm?
Verse 41…They feared exceedingly and said to one another…
Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him!
In the span of a few moments the disciples saw both the complete humanity of Jesus and
the fullness of His deity.
They saw Jesus for who He was…truly man and truly God.
All of this tonight shows the abiding care Jesus has for His people.
There are many Christians who feel or think their boat is going down…
There are many worried Christians today as we see the world spitting into the face of Jesus.
Someone called me today and said there was a gay parade on the news today that consisted of
thousands of people with a replica of Jesus and they were laughing and mocking Jesus.
This will make many think that we are outnumbered and defeated.
But any boat with Jesus on it is not going down!
The only thing that is going to go down is when Jesus puts His foot down and all the world will
know He is who He says He is.
Jesus Christ is the Master of every situation.
And He is in constant control of every situation.
One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord.
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