Often in the midst of our despair we wonder,
“God, why is this happening, and what do you want me to do?”
We're going to look at the disciples in a similar situation and ask…
a. Why these things sometimes happen.
Why 1. …do I have no support?
Why 2. …am I continually tempted to rebel?
Why 3. …is my attitude towards this so rotten?
b. What our response should be.
Should I, 1. Give up? Let the storm consume you?
Should I, 2. Go back to what I was doing before? Retreat?
Should I, 3. Change course? Move enough out of the way?
Let's look into recorded history at the story told in Mark 4:35-41
Mark 4:35-41 (English Standard Version)
Jesus Calms a Storm
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?" 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. 40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?" The Situation
The disciples obey Jesus and find themselves in a life-threatening storm which fills them with despair (4:35-38)
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?"
• Other Boats, a lot of people…
• Big Water, It's shape and location made it a likely place for storms.
• Picture being out in the Gulf of Mexico dancing with Katrina in a 20 foot sail boat… You look to starboard and see your friends losing their minds as their sail mast snaps off and falls into the water. You take a break from bailing the water out of the bow.
• These were people very familiar with the water, the weather. They knew red sky at night sailor's delight, red sky in morning, sailor's warning. THIS WAS A SURPRISE
Why these things sometimes happen
The reason things like this happen MAY BE that Satan is attempting to prevent God's purposes.
A. The storm is Satan's attempt to prevent the growth of the Kingdom.
1. Jesus had been teaching on the Kingdom of God
2. He was heading to the other side of the sea to Bring the Kingdom of God to Decapolis …through healing a Demon Possessed man.
3. God wants to grow His Kingdom and the Bible tells us He uses us, His Church, to do it.
a. Isaiah 61 : Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to
• bring good news to the poor ; he has sent me to
• bind up the brokenhearted , to
• proclaim liberty to the captives , and the
• opening of the prison to those who are bound ; Isa 61:2 to
• proclaim the year of the LORD's favor , and the day of vengeance of our God; to
• comfort all who mourn ; Isa 61:3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a
• beautiful headdress instead of ashes , the
• oil of gladness instead of mourning , the
• garment of praise instead of a faint spirit ; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
• This is both for us and others
b. This Kingdom sometimes is…
• feeding the hungry
• clothing the naked,
• caring for the widow and the orphan…. in modern language…single mom and the neglected child
• sitting at the loser table at school
• fulfilling the covenant of marriage
• honesty
• Honoring your parents in their later years by taking them into your home…
• Loving the unlovely
B. Our difficulties may be Satan's attempt to prevent what God wants to do through us…
• Moving into a specific line of work (changing your major)
• Choosing to love a neighbor when you don't want to.
• Choosing to love your spouse, when you don't want to.
• Breaking off unhealthy relationships
• Receiving a higher paying job to bless and be blessed
• Take a pay cut in another job so you don't lose your mind
• Many times…we don't know what God is going to accomplish but only that this is the direction
What our response should be…
We should resist Satan's efforts and trust God's power to accomplish His purposes.
A. Jesus rebukes the demonic activity behind the storm, and reprimands the disciples for not believing that God would take them safely across. (4:39-41)
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. 40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
• Arty has talked about Jesus' use of the word Rebuke in 5 Step Healing Model.
• Take by the throat and choke the life out of it.
• The sea was seen back then as a place of evil mystery, leviathan, Death,
• We know that this was an attempt of Satan because when they HE USES THE SAME WORD IN MARK 1:25 “BE QUIET” = EPITOMOIO.
B. We should resist Satan's efforts, AND trust God's power to accomplish His purposes.
• Don't cave…
• Pray
• Ask The Lord for his Kingdom to enter into your situation
• Pray against the works of the enemy
• Don't Fear = Remember what the Lord has done.
• In you,
• In others
• In His Word
• Have Faith
• God can calm your storms and it is by His power that it is done.
Recap:
The disciples obey Jesus and find themselves in a life-threatening storm which fills them with despair (4:35-38)
The reason things like this happen MAY BE that Satan is attempting to prevent God's purposes.
We should resist Satan's efforts and trust God's power to accomplish His purposes.
Reflect and Ministry
• What storm in my life is going on that might be thwarting the growth of God's Kingdom.
• How can I resist Satan's efforts and trust God's power to accomplish His purposes?
Psa 89:9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.
Psa 93:4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!
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