Title: Stormy Lessons
Text: Mark 4: 35-41
Date: October 11, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Mark 4: 35: And the same day, when the even
was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36: And
when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the
ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37: And there arose a
great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38: And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they
awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39: And he
arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the
wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40: And he said unto them, Why are ye
so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41: And they feared exceedingly,
and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the
sea obey him?
Title: Stormy Lessons
Divisions: A word about 1) Watching; 2) Fellowship; 3) Peace; 4)
Mercy; 5) Blessing
I. WATCHING—AT THE MOST UNEXPECTED TIMES, BELIEVERS ARE
SUSCEPTIBLE TO GREAT STORMS OF TRIAL—Mark 4: 35: And the same day, when the even
was come,…
First, notice, they had just spent all day hearing the
Lord Jesus Christ preach the gospel and seen him work many miracles. Their hearts must have been as calm as the
sea when they started out.
Secondly, notice the storm came when they were walking
in obedience to the Master.
Mark 4: 35: And the same day, when the even
was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36: And when they had sent away the multitude,
they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other
little ships.
When the
Lord calls a sinner by his grace the sinner obeys—we cast all care upon the
Savior. The babe in Christ may think the
life of faith is all smooth sailing—then suddenly the storm comes. Or we come and hear the gospel. Once again
Christ settles our hearts. We leave assured that our Redeemer is working all
things well and shall continue to keep us as he has promised. The water is as smooth as glass. But soon after
Mark 4: 37: And there arose a great storm of
wind, and
the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
The
storm comes in various forms. It may be a storm of resistance, rejection from
loved ones in our own families or from great wind of worldliness or a great
storm from careless presumption. We start carelessly admiring the sunset and
take our eyes off Christ.
Application: But
no matter from where the storm arises, knowing
we are apt to be surprised by the storm of trial, what should believers always be
doing? Be watching!
1 Thessalonians 5: 6: Therefore
let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7: For they that
sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8:
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith
and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1 Peter 5: 8: Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour: 9: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that
the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
II. FELLOWSHIP— Mark 4: 38: And he was in the hinder part
of the ship,…
Believer, remember Christ has
called us into fellow-ship with him. Christ was already in the ship—he called
them into fellow-ship
Mark 4: 1: And he began again to teach by the sea
side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered
into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the
land….
Fellowship is by the Divine Call
We hear the gospel preached—all heard—but Christ teaches his elect particularly
one-on-one as he does in the hearts of each of his redeemed children of grace.
Mark 4: 11: And
he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of
God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not
understand;
Christ speaks his command
effectually unto his sheep
Mark 4: 35:…he saith unto them, Let us pass over
unto the other side.
His word works repentance,
which we might take the license to see typified in the disciples being
separated from the multititude.
Mark 4:36:...they
sent away the multitude
Through faith we enter into fellowship with Christ
Mark 4:
36:…they took him even as he was…in the
ship
Application: It is by sovereign, irresistible grace in his
regenerating and calling that we come to be in fellowship with Christ. So remember, though
the storm comes we are in fellowship with Christ.
Mark 4: 38: And he was in the hinder part of the
ship,…
So know what it means for the believer to be in
fellowship with Christ. It means we have the constant presence and protection
of the LORD God Almighty our blessed Redeemer.
Isaiah
41: 10: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am
thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 43: 1: But now thus saith the LORD that created
thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed
thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will
be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou
walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee.
Fellowship is our
Assurance by Christ’s Blood
The way this fellowship was
obtained is our assurance that no storm of trial shall separate us from our
God. Christ
bore the storm of God’s fury in our place. Having been made sin for us, he was
forsaken in justice when he cried, “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken
me?” In his divine call, he promises his child of grace:
Isaiah 51: 22: Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy
God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine
hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; THOU SHALT NO
MORE DRINK IT AGAIN
Our fellowship shall never be
broken because when he called us, he put his glory upon us, making us one with
God in him.
John 17:22: And the glory which thou gavest me I
have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23: I in them, and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know
that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
So nothing “shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son Jesus Christ. Trials will come so be WATCHFUL. And remember in the
trial, we are in FELLOWSHIP with Christ.
He said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”
III. PEACE—NOTICE THE CONTRAST BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS
DISCIPLES DURING THE STORM
Mark 4: 38: And he
was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and
say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
The Humanity of
Christ
He was asleep. (This is the only place we read of the
Lord Jesus asleep.) Christ became a real
man—he is God, but he is Man—he was tired from his labor, he was asleep. Note this, as the servant of God, Christ
rested peacefully in God the Father’s hand.
Believer, rest in Christ’s hand.
Cast all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
Follow Christ
Brethren, most of our trials are from doing the opposite
of the Lord? While Christ was asleep,
the disciples were awake. He was calm,
they were terrified. We are asleep when
we ought to be awake—and terrified when we ought to be at peace. In the Garden of Gethsemene, the Lord asked
his disciples to watch and pray with him.
Mark 14:37 And he
cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou?
couldest not thou watch one hour?
Now
here, he was asleep, they were awake.
Application: Brethren, we
cannot expect peace by looking to our way and our understanding because sin is
yet within us. We sleep when we ought to
wake and wake when we ought to sleep. We
must look outside of ourselves, outside of this present evil world to Christ
who is our Peace. Christ our peace never changes—
Hebrews 13: 8: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to
day, and for ever.
The change is in us. We change with the
weather. As soon as the storm raged, the
disciples did too. So when we
seek peace anywhere but Christ—in the things of this world, the circumstances
surrounding us, in our faith, our walk or our works—then our peace will be as changing
as the weather. But our peace in Christ remains unchanged. Christ our Peace is in control of everything
that may appear to us as all unrest.
Philippians 4: 4: Rejoice IN THE LORD ALWAY: and again I
say, Rejoice. 5: Let your moderation be known unto all men. THE LORD IS AT
HAND. [the next verse tells us what he means by ‘let your moderation be known
unto all men’] 6: Be careful for nothing;[not overly anxious] but in every
thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known unto God. 7: And THE PEACE OF GOD, which passeth all understanding, SHALL
KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.
IV. MERCY AND FAITHFULNESS
Mark 4: 38:…they awake him, and say unto him, Master,
carest thou not that we perish?
Our Faith is Weak at Best
They did supplicate the Lord,
they sought Christ. But notice that our prayer is not always the language of
faith. What
a combination of words! They called him,
“Master.” Yet, followed it up with these words—“carest thou not that we perish?”
Application:
At times the Master permits us to suffer or permits those we love to suffer. And we
pray. Yet, often the suffering continues. We may not say it to anyone but in our heart,
we often think, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
Believer,
is it possible that Christ our God can cease caring for his child? No, it is not possible! Christ in his
humanity slept—but Christ our God never slumbers.
Psalm 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he
that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4: Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall
neither slumber nor sleep.
Illustration: Fathers and mothers—what if your child, after you have
fed, clothed and housed him for so many years, should begin to be anxious as to
whether you would provide his next meal? I can bear a child not believing me,
who does not know me, whose father I am not, but not my own child. So when we pray—pray believing! We give to our children when they ask us. Christ
said,
Luke 11:13: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good
gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Christ
is Merciful and Faithful Always
Yet,
Christ is tender—he knows our frame—that we are but dust. How merciful and
faithful God is toward our unbelief! Here
is mercy and faithfulness, even in the midst of our unbelief this is what
Christ does for us.
Mark 4: 39: And he arose, and rebuked the
wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there
was a great calm.
Christ
arose when he became our Surety before the world was made--and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the
wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Christ
arose when the fullness of time was come when he came to this earth and by his
death—he rebuked the winds of Satan,
sin, death and hell--and said unto the sea that divided us from our God—Peace,
be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Christ arose
and has the reins of the universe at his command so that like as he arose in
our hearts in regeneration, Christ is able to arise in every trial--and rebuke the wind, and say unto the sea,
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Application: Our Redeemer is so merciful and faithful to us! Let’s try to remind each other of this often.
The LORD’s predestination of all things means God’s timing is always right. He
works all the storms together for his glory and our complete salvation. So instead of saying, “Master, carest thou
not that we perish,” let us pray without doubting, knowing “It is the Lord, let
him do what seemeth him good.”
So we
see the trials come at unexpected times be WATCHFUL, remember we are in
FELLOWSHIP with Christ, Christ is our PEACE, Christ is MERCIFUL pray in faith, now
a word about…
V. BLESSING—THE BLESSING HE GIVES THROUGH THE
STROMY TRIAL IS ALWAYS ABUNDANTLY BETTER THAN THE LIGHT AFFLICTION.
Blessing of Being Reminded What We Are
Mark 4:
40: And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no
faith?
The
disciples were shown what was in them. Were
it not for the trial, we would become so proud.
We would not see that there is nothing in us to put our trust in. They had faith. We have faith. But it is so feeble. With Christ so near, “Why are ye so fearful,
how is that ye have no faith.”
Ye—who
were entrusted to Christ of the Father, the world was made for you—to show you
the glory of God—all things are yours—whether life or death.
Ye—for whom
he came, for whom he lived, for whom he suffered and endured the cross—
Ye—to
whom he has graciously given all things that pertain to life and godliness ye
are justified, sanctified, the righteousness of God in him
Ye—who
have heard his solemn, unbreakable promises to keep you.
HOW IS IT YE HAVE NO FAITH? Aren’t the trials needful to turn us from
ourselves. The storms of life remind us
that it is Christ keeping us and not we ourselves. The strongest believer is yet a baby. We have no faith in comparison to his or to
what our faith ought to be in a God. We
need the trial to remind us of that.
Blessing of Seeing God’s Glory
Mark 4:
41: And they feared exceedingly, and
said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea
obey him?
Secondly,
the trials are needful to shows us the glory of God our Savior. What a thing to remember: our Savior, who
knows the feeling of our infirmity as a Man, is also Almighty God. He has power over all—even the winds and the waves obey him.
See, his claims to
sovereign power are not vain claims.
With man it is not so.
Illustration: The man who boasted of his power and bravery, “I cut off
the tail of this lion.” A little boy asked, “Why didn’t you cut off his head?” The man said, “Someone had already done that.”
Christ our great Peacemaker is LORD HEAVEN
AND EARTH, LORD OVER NATURE, LORD OVER ALL.
·
At Cana he made water wine
·
Fed five thousand with a few loaves and fish
·
At the sea of Tiberia he made a draught of
fish swim into the disciples net
·
He made a piece of money appear in a fish’s
mouth
·
Even the wind and the sea obey him
What manner of man IS this? THIS IS THE ONE WHO CHOSE A WEAKLING LIKE ME
AND YOU, WHO SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US, WHO CALLED US AND PROMISES—FOR HIS OWN
GLORIES SAKE—THAT HE WILL NEVER LET US PERISH!
Let’s go home remembering this: none of us like trials—no chastening for the moment is
pleasant—but because he turns us back to the Lord our Righteousness, to the
Lord our Holiness and by his hand he keeps us there—oh, what peaceable fruit he
produces thereby—the fruit of praise and thankfulness.
Psalm 119: 71: It is good for me that I have been
afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Psalm
46: 1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2:
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the
mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3: Though the waters thereof
roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.
Selah. 4: There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of
God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5: God is in the midst
of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6:
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth
melted. 7: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
The storm may rage for a time, but in HIS TIME, when
he has turned us back to him, the trials will end. And one day very soon they
will end for good.
1 Peter 5: 10: But the God of
all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle
you.
AMEN!