WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:08.380 After spending several weeks studying Jesus's parables, at least as the way that Mark presents them to us in chapter 4, 00:00:08.740 --> 00:00:11.400 we start a new section of Mark's gospel. 00:00:11.540 --> 00:00:15.939 So remember, as we think through what Mark is doing and why he is writing in the way that he is, 00:00:16.260 --> 00:00:21.660 he is taking more of a mosaic approach to the life of Christ, and he's given us these snapshots. 00:00:22.019 --> 00:00:27.460 He's moving quickly. Most of what he records is brief, it's concise, and it's important. 00:00:27.460 --> 00:00:34.880 In most of chapter 4, Mark is dealing specifically with Jesus's parabolic teaching, 00:00:34.980 --> 00:00:42.179 his teaching specifically as it relates to the kingdom of God, and he makes these illustrations, and they are important. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:50.980 But beginning at what we just read in chapter 4, verse 35, continuing through the end of chapter 5, 00:00:50.979 --> 00:01:02.099 these verses contain four of the most well-known and most beloved accounts of Jesus's miraculous power. 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.859 We just read one that probably all of us have heard a hundred times before. 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:11.120 In fact, sitting in here this morning, Ashlyn came early with me, and I sat here and I said, 00:01:11.179 --> 00:01:14.479 have you ever heard the story of Jesus calming the storm? 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:18.500 And she said, yeah, about a million times, Dad. About a million times. 00:01:19.340 --> 00:01:21.800 And so hopefully she doesn't get too bored this morning. 00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:25.840 But we know the story, right? We love this story. We love it. 00:01:26.380 --> 00:01:31.620 But it's not just this story. As soon as we finish this one, it leads directly to another one that we love so much as well. 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:36.480 So the whole reason Jesus is going across the lake is so he can get to the garrisons, 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:41.420 garrisons, and there's a couple of men who are possessed by a legion of demons. 00:01:42.320 --> 00:01:45.520 Jesus delivers them and casts them into the swine. We love that story. 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:48.579 And then if this doesn't end there, it just builds upon it. 00:01:48.620 --> 00:01:52.280 You get to the next one, and there's this man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:55.020 who comes to Jesus because his daughter is dying. 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:58.219 And he says, please, heal my daughter. 00:01:58.359 --> 00:01:59.500 And then his daughter dies. 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:02.180 And Jesus raises her from the dead. 00:02:02.180 --> 00:02:08.080 And then on his way to go and raise her from the dead, this lady, there's the press of the crowd. 00:02:08.200 --> 00:02:11.560 Lots of people are on top of Jesus as he's just trying to get through the town. 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:14.360 And all of a sudden he stops and he says, who touched me? 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:16.879 Remember, Peter says, what do you mean who touched you? 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:18.360 Everybody has touched you. 00:02:18.819 --> 00:02:21.620 But there was a woman with an issue of blood. 00:02:22.300 --> 00:02:25.980 She touched the hem of his garment, and she was made whole. 00:02:26.200 --> 00:02:27.040 We know these stories. 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:28.879 We love these stories. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.759 They're beloved, and they're important. 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:36.060 Well, this is the section that Mark is now covering. 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:42.620 And as he goes through here, he's already introduced to us the fact of Jesus's authority and power. 00:02:42.859 --> 00:02:44.379 He did that in the first couple of chapters. 00:02:44.379 --> 00:02:50.900 And then he kind of works his way into this selection of the 12 apostles and then the parables. 00:02:51.139 --> 00:02:55.639 And now he's going to expound further on Jesus's power. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:59.339 And we see in these four stories great power. 00:02:59.519 --> 00:03:02.519 Jesus has power over nature, as we just read. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:06.199 He has power over demons, over the spirit world. 00:03:06.739 --> 00:03:10.519 He has power over disease, as we see him heal the lady. 00:03:10.939 --> 00:03:18.539 And then he also has power over death, as we covered so thoroughly last weekend in our celebration of the resurrection. 00:03:18.539 --> 00:03:25.979 And once again, these are not randomly chosen events in the life of Christ. 00:03:27.079 --> 00:03:32.560 Mark didn't sit down with Peter and say, hey, just tell me all the stuff, and I'm going to pick my favorites and write them down. 00:03:32.659 --> 00:03:34.560 That's not what is happening here. 00:03:34.899 --> 00:03:35.259 No. 00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:46.819 Every detail in the gospel of Mark, indeed, every detail in the scriptures was specifically written to proclaim the identity and purpose of Jesus. 00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:56.280 And not only to proclaim that identity and purpose, but that he might persuade us to believe Christ and to follow Christ. 00:03:56.419 --> 00:03:58.259 That's why those stories are there. 00:03:58.899 --> 00:04:02.399 They're not there to provide some type of moral lesson. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:08.480 They're not there to provide or sustain some type of excitement in our lives. 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:11.840 It does those things, but that's not really why Mark included them. 00:04:12.340 --> 00:04:19.199 Mark included them in order that we might see that Jesus is indeed the Messiah and the Son of God. 00:04:19.620 --> 00:04:23.280 Therefore, repent and believe the gospel. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:32.919 And so as you read through these four accounts, you'll notice that Mark continually pulls our focus back to the person of Christ. 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:41.399 No matter how distracted we may get by the peripheral matters in these stories, well, what really was the issue of blood that the lady had? 00:04:41.459 --> 00:04:42.479 Well, it doesn't really matter. 00:04:43.179 --> 00:04:44.359 That's not the point of the story. 00:04:45.659 --> 00:04:49.019 Well, what really kind of storm was this that came on the Sea of God? 00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:50.240 It doesn't really matter. 00:04:50.819 --> 00:04:52.000 That's not the point of the story. 00:04:53.479 --> 00:04:59.399 Well, who exactly were these people that were mourning over Jairus' daughter? 00:04:59.979 --> 00:05:00.740 It doesn't matter. 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:02.039 It doesn't matter. 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:04.620 We can't get distracted by those things. 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:05.859 It's not the point. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:12.560 Mark is continually in these stories pulling our focus back to the person of Jesus. 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:20.480 Jesus is a helpful reminder to us because we tend to come to the scriptures with a very man-centered approach to our study. 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:28.420 And oftentimes, it prevents our ability to understand exactly what God intends to communicate through these passages. 00:05:28.819 --> 00:05:34.439 For example, how many times have we come to this specific story that we all know so well? 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:45.399 Jesus calming the storm, and what we walk away with is the fact that since Jesus calmed this storm, he will calm the storm in my life as well. 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:54.480 Well, that's not irrelevant, and it certainly is true that he has that power and that he may indeed calm the storm in your life. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.500 But it's not the central truth of this text. 00:05:57.019 --> 00:05:58.139 That's not the point. 00:05:58.139 --> 00:06:04.419 We know that in part because of the way the disciples reacted. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:12.719 If this was all about just delivering them from a storm, then the reaction, at least, and it's not that they didn't do this. 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:14.659 It's just what Mark records for us. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:20.360 You would think that they would have said, yeah, they were excited, and they were all hugging each other, and we can't believe we survived. 00:06:20.419 --> 00:06:21.519 Thank you so much. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:25.079 But none of that happens in the reaction of the disciples in the Gospels. 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:28.259 This wasn't about just being delivered from a storm. 00:06:28.719 --> 00:06:29.919 What was their reaction? 00:06:31.039 --> 00:06:33.300 They actually feared more. 00:06:34.259 --> 00:06:35.779 They were scared of the storm. 00:06:36.039 --> 00:06:38.300 They were even more scared after the storm. 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:39.079 Why? 00:06:39.879 --> 00:06:43.039 Because the point of the passage is not about being delivered from a storm. 00:06:43.659 --> 00:06:47.279 It's about seeing the true reality of who Jesus really is. 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:53.259 And in those moments, they began to see, and they trembled. 00:06:53.259 --> 00:07:05.240 So we always come to the Scripture first looking for the Lord, first looking for God, seeing who He is, seeing what He's like. 00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:12.719 And only then can we begin to understand the implications and applications that it has practically to our lives. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:21.180 So that being said, there are actually some wonderful practical implications and applications in these stories to our lives. 00:07:21.580 --> 00:07:22.580 Things that are helpful. 00:07:23.400 --> 00:07:29.720 Once we begin to see and know God through the Bible, we can truly begin to understand ourselves. 00:07:30.400 --> 00:07:31.960 Understand our own sin. 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:33.940 Understand our need for grace. 00:07:34.140 --> 00:07:37.740 Understand how Jesus can indeed help us. 00:07:37.740 --> 00:07:44.460 Listen, of these four stories, there's three particular implications or applications that continually emerge. 00:07:44.579 --> 00:07:47.540 There's a lot more than just three, but these three continue to emerge. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:48.660 The first one is this. 00:07:49.019 --> 00:07:52.340 We are absolutely hopeless without God. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.139 We are hopeless without Him. 00:07:57.240 --> 00:07:57.860 Think about it. 00:07:57.860 --> 00:08:02.000 Without Jesus, the disciples drowned. 00:08:03.400 --> 00:08:05.180 They're in a hopeless situation. 00:08:07.259 --> 00:08:20.000 Without Jesus, the maniac in the garrisons remains possessed by a legion of demons, cutting himself, scaring everybody in the town, breaking the chains, whatever. 00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:20.980 He just stays that way. 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:21.560 He's hopeless. 00:08:21.939 --> 00:08:24.060 Unless Jesus does something, he's hopeless. 00:08:24.060 --> 00:08:27.079 Then we get to Jairus' daughter. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.660 Without Jesus, she remains dead as a 12-year-old. 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:43.200 Without Jesus, the woman who had spent all of her money on all the doctors, on all the things, remains unhealthy and dying in her disease. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:48.120 Without God and His work, we are absolutely hopeless. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:50.159 We continue to see that in these stories. 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:56.519 Secondly, we see that personal faith in Jesus is necessary for everyone. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:58.899 It's absolutely necessary. 00:08:59.719 --> 00:09:03.100 What is it that Jesus says to the disciples after He calms the storm? 00:09:03.419 --> 00:09:05.100 How is it that you have no faith? 00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:08.740 In other words, faith is important to Jesus in that story. 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:14.100 What is it that He says to Jairus when Jairus is on his way to his house with Jesus? 00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:19.440 He just thinks that his daughter is sick at this point, but somebody meets them in the way and says, your daughter is dead. 00:09:19.540 --> 00:09:21.019 Don't bother the teacher anymore. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:22.740 And what does Jesus do? 00:09:22.920 --> 00:09:25.940 He looks at Jairus and He says, Jairus, just believe. 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:27.500 Have faith. 00:09:29.040 --> 00:09:31.480 What is it that He says to the woman with the issue of blood? 00:09:31.560 --> 00:09:33.100 She touches the hem of his garment. 00:09:33.259 --> 00:09:34.440 He turns around and says, who touched me? 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:36.580 The way kind of clears and here's this woman. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:39.040 And He says, your faith has made you whole. 00:09:39.340 --> 00:09:40.800 Faith is absolutely necessary. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:46.120 Not only are we hopeless, but our faith, our personal faith in Christ is absolutely necessary. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:53.359 And then the third thing that just continues to emerge is that a true understanding of Jesus produces fear. 00:09:55.259 --> 00:10:01.059 In every one of these situations, the disciples, after He calms the storm, they feared exceedingly. 00:10:01.299 --> 00:10:08.000 The woman with the issue of blood, after she was healed, when she realized what happened, it says that she trembled. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.980 She didn't rejoice. 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:10.820 She trembled. 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:14.440 We really see who God is. 00:10:15.179 --> 00:10:16.340 What does that do? 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.519 Well, we tremble. 00:10:20.779 --> 00:10:22.419 Because He's not like us. 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.340 Not only does it produce fear, it produces worship. 00:10:30.139 --> 00:10:32.100 It produces evangelism. 00:10:32.779 --> 00:10:33.600 Remember the maniac? 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:36.399 After he's in his right mind, he begs Jesus, let me go with you. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.179 And Jesus says, no, stay here. 00:10:38.439 --> 00:10:39.159 Go tell everybody. 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:40.360 Just go tell everybody. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.059 And he couldn't stop spreading the news. 00:10:43.860 --> 00:10:47.679 Seeing Jesus, seeing this gospel, it leads to evangelism. 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:51.000 Gives us a greater desire for Him. 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.340 There's a lot of other applications we could pull from these, but those three continue to emerge. 00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:59.299 So with that, let's jump into this particular story. 00:10:59.379 --> 00:11:01.360 This one of Jesus calming the storm. 00:11:01.419 --> 00:11:03.460 I'm going to break it down into three sections for us. 00:11:03.460 --> 00:11:04.639 We'll see the storm. 00:11:05.060 --> 00:11:06.200 We'll see the test. 00:11:06.580 --> 00:11:08.560 And then we'll see the lesson. 00:11:09.060 --> 00:11:11.220 So let's first look at the storm. 00:11:11.540 --> 00:11:12.580 Verse 35. 00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:17.820 On that day, when evening had come, He said to them, 00:11:18.180 --> 00:11:21.740 Let us go across to the other side. 00:11:21.740 --> 00:11:34.039 So the unforgettable events that happened on this particular evening come at the end of a very, very busy day in the ministry and life of Jesus and His disciples. 00:11:34.560 --> 00:11:41.519 On that day, there is a reference to the day that Jesus was in the boat, pushed out from the shore in the Sea of Galilee just a little bit. 00:11:41.580 --> 00:11:43.340 You can read this in verse 1 of chapter 4. 00:11:43.340 --> 00:11:46.320 They pushed out into the Sea of Galilee a little bit. 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:49.240 There's a multitude of people on the seashore. 00:11:49.639 --> 00:11:51.259 And He begins to teach the people. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:54.040 So that's the day that Mark is referencing here. 00:11:54.120 --> 00:12:02.800 It's on this day that Jesus dismissed the crowd and encourages His disciples to take Him to the other side. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:09.660 Now, it's possible even that the events recorded at the end of chapter 3 were a part of this day as well. 00:12:09.659 --> 00:12:13.579 If that's true, consider the day that Jesus had. 00:12:14.419 --> 00:12:20.339 It began with people crowding the house in which He was staying, probably Peter's house in Capernaum. 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:25.439 And on that particular day, a group of delegates of the Pharisees from Jerusalem showed up. 00:12:25.620 --> 00:12:30.659 And they accused Him and confronted Him and told, began to spread to all the people standing there, 00:12:30.819 --> 00:12:33.299 that Jesus was actually possessed by Satan. 00:12:33.839 --> 00:12:35.299 So He's dealing with that to start His day. 00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:36.759 That's a great way to start your day. 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:39.259 And then from there, He moves on. 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:40.319 And who shows up? 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.379 Well, His mom and His brothers show up. 00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:46.039 But they weren't there to encourage Him. 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.419 They're there to stop Him. 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:49.379 They thought He'd lost His mind. 00:12:50.539 --> 00:12:53.580 So the very beginning of His day is He's confused. 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:56.679 Or He's not confused, but He's confronted by two different groups. 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.100 And so then the crowd grows so large, He can't stay in the house. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:01.600 And so He moves on away from the house. 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:03.340 And these crowds are clamoring around Him. 00:13:03.439 --> 00:13:04.439 There's people everywhere. 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:06.180 So He goes out to the sea and He pushes out. 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:10.500 And He teaches all afternoon in the hot sun in Galilee to all of these people. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:11.980 This is a long day. 00:13:13.140 --> 00:13:16.880 Now we can understand just a little bit better why He was asleep in the boat. 00:13:17.260 --> 00:13:18.380 This is just a long day. 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:19.520 He's exhausted. 00:13:20.020 --> 00:13:20.920 It's a busy day. 00:13:21.560 --> 00:13:23.140 And He dismisses the people. 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:25.580 And He says, let's go to the other side. 00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:29.580 Now, Jesus never does anything without purpose. 00:13:29.580 --> 00:13:34.100 Everything that He does has a specific purpose. 00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:40.080 And if you read ahead, you'll see that He had a divine appointment scheduled on the other side of the lake. 00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:42.340 Two men possessed by demons. 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:44.840 And He's going to go over and He's going to deal with that. 00:13:45.340 --> 00:13:51.320 But the storm that these men encountered on their way to the Gerasenes was not by chance. 00:13:51.320 --> 00:13:56.860 It's not that Jesus knew that the maniacs were there and He needed to do something about it. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:57.800 And they just headed that way. 00:13:57.879 --> 00:13:59.460 And then all of a sudden, this storm just comes up. 00:13:59.520 --> 00:14:02.080 No, that's not exactly what's happening here. 00:14:02.580 --> 00:14:04.740 He wasn't oblivious to the coming storm. 00:14:05.140 --> 00:14:09.780 He was intentionally leading His disciples into the storm. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:11.560 Did you see that? 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:16.139 He told them, let's go to the other side. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:21.559 Knowing fully what was going to take place on the way. 00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:24.859 So it is many times with the storms that we face. 00:14:26.199 --> 00:14:32.339 There is no aspect of your life in which Jesus is not in sovereign control. 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:43.440 And while it is true that some of the difficulties we face and the hardships that we come up against are a result of our sin and our foolishness, 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:49.540 the terrifying storm that these men faced was a result of their obedience. 00:14:50.920 --> 00:14:52.019 Did you notice that? 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:54.480 They're just doing what Jesus said to do. 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:56.240 They didn't do anything wrong. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:58.980 Jesus said, let's go to the other side. 00:14:58.980 --> 00:15:04.580 And in the midst of going to the other side, the greatest storm they've ever faced probably hits them. 00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:05.500 They think they're going to die. 00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:07.840 Not because they did something wrong. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:09.019 They weren't being punished. 00:15:09.980 --> 00:15:12.360 But because they were just being obedient. 00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:21.920 Jesus was leading them into a great, great, terrifying, deadly storm. 00:15:23.420 --> 00:15:24.740 Says Sinclair Ferguson, 00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:29.500 There are times when the Lord himself will lead us into difficulties. 00:15:30.539 --> 00:15:33.519 Contrary to the picture sometimes painted of the Christian life, 00:15:33.860 --> 00:15:39.980 Jesus did not solve all the disciples' problems and protect them from their trials and perplexities. 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:46.299 In actual fact, sometimes he led them quite deliberately into them. 00:15:46.820 --> 00:15:48.740 And this was such an occasion. 00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:51.039 The storm was sovereignly controlled. 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.460 Look at verse 36. 00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:57.700 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. 00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:59.259 Remember, he was teaching in the boat. 00:15:59.800 --> 00:16:02.139 And so they just set out from where he was in the boat. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.460 And other boats were with him. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:11.080 Now, the boat that Jesus is in is probably a small fishing vessel belonging to one of his disciples. 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:15.820 Maybe Peter, Andrew, James, or John had a couple of their boats near Capernaum. 00:16:15.860 --> 00:16:16.780 That's where he was. 00:16:17.040 --> 00:16:18.920 And they bring their own boats over. 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:22.419 However, this was probably a small fishing boat. 00:16:23.199 --> 00:16:29.000 1986, a group of archaeologists, there was a drought in the Galilean area. 00:16:29.319 --> 00:16:31.579 And the waters in the Sea of Galilee had receded. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.779 The Lake of Galilee, it's not called that now. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:40.519 But it had receded enough that these archaeologists found a boat, a fishing boat. 00:16:40.599 --> 00:16:42.000 They call it the Jesus boat now. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.399 And it was dated back to the first century, to the time of Jesus. 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:54.220 It's about 27 feet long, seven and a half feet wide, and probably four to five feet tall. 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:55.379 It had a flat bottom. 00:16:55.799 --> 00:17:00.720 And so they believed this was used for fishing because they would have stayed in the shallow waters to do most of their fishing. 00:17:01.179 --> 00:17:08.539 It fit maybe 12 to 15 people at most, which tells us why Jesus had other boats with him. 00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:11.339 He probably didn't have all the disciples in this boat. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.399 There's probably just a handful of them. 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.720 And then there was a handful in some of the other boats. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.420 And there were more than just the 12 apostles as well that followed Jesus. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:20.539 There's more people. 00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:25.599 There's a little bit of a flotilla taking place going across the Lake of Galilee here. 00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:27.879 These small fishing boats. 00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:33.079 Now, Luke tells us that there was no rowing necessary. 00:17:33.879 --> 00:17:35.579 The conditions were favorable. 00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:43.359 They had set out from Capernaum on a beautiful sunset cruise across the lake. 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.699 No one had to work for it. 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:52.259 They set their sail, Luke says, and they begun to head across the way, not expecting anything to go wrong. 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:53.359 And that's the point. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:57.779 That the storm that they faced here was completely unexpected. 00:17:58.359 --> 00:17:59.299 It was sudden. 00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:05.339 And I'll leave it to you to research how these storms suddenly come up in the Galilean area. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.279 There's a lot of information out there about that. 00:18:07.399 --> 00:18:08.359 That's not really the point. 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:10.099 The point is, this was a sudden storm. 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:11.619 They didn't anticipate this. 00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:14.359 They weren't expecting it at all. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.759 No one but Jesus had any clue of what was actually going to happen. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.419 And isn't that often how it goes for us? 00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:27.900 There are times in our lives where we can make a decision knowing that there are risks involved. 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:36.500 And if I go this way, I do think this is the best way, but there is probably going to be some consequences that I deal with that aren't going to be quite so pleasant. 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:41.259 And we prepare ourselves for those things, and we anticipate those things the best that we can. 00:18:41.340 --> 00:18:47.440 But the worst of the storms in our lives typically are sudden and completely unexpected. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.700 We're cruising across our sunset cell in life. 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:52.759 Things are good. 00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:54.920 We're relaxed. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:01.940 And then all of a sudden, unexpected, suddenly out of nowhere comes a storm. 00:19:02.840 --> 00:19:08.320 You're caught in it wondering, can I actually survive this? 00:19:09.600 --> 00:19:11.779 But it wasn't just the disciples in the boat. 00:19:12.620 --> 00:19:13.779 And that's significant. 00:19:14.320 --> 00:19:15.299 Look at verse 37. 00:19:15.299 --> 00:19:23.259 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling up. 00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:33.899 So not only was this storm sovereignly controlled, not only was it unexpectedly sudden, but it was unforgettably severe. 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:42.220 In fact, the combination of Greek words that Mark uses here is the same that we would get gale force winds, 00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:45.640 or we would refer to as hurricane-like weather. 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:47.319 This storm was severe. 00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:49.160 It was hard. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:54.319 Mark is writing from Peter's eyewitness account. 00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:58.120 He said that the waves are breaking into the boat now. 00:19:58.620 --> 00:20:00.200 The wind is swirling. 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:04.279 Perhaps pieces of the boat are beginning to fall apart. 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:12.420 The storm was so severe that no matter how fast they bailed the water, the water still continued to fill up the boat. 00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:20.060 And then these men, some of them, who have spent their entire lives on this lake, now think that they're going to die. 00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:22.960 That tells us a lot about this storm. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:25.580 These men grew up on this lake. 00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:26.900 They knew the tendencies. 00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:28.920 They grew up on a boat. 00:20:29.740 --> 00:20:31.600 They knew how to weather storms. 00:20:31.820 --> 00:20:33.400 But this one, it didn't matter. 00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:36.759 It didn't matter how many storms they had weathered in the past. 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:40.740 This was the one that they didn't think that they would escape. 00:20:41.540 --> 00:20:43.500 And Jesus led them into it. 00:20:44.840 --> 00:20:46.259 They didn't expect it. 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:49.840 And they thought, surely, we're going to die. 00:20:50.540 --> 00:20:51.580 So we see the storm. 00:20:51.900 --> 00:20:53.700 Next, we see the test. 00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:55.360 Look at verse 38. 00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:13.299 Now, we've established that Jesus led these men into the storm. 00:21:13.379 --> 00:21:15.379 But here we begin to see why. 00:21:16.159 --> 00:21:17.819 Why he led them into the storm. 00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:24.299 He was about to demonstrate his power on a scale that they probably never imagined. 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:30.440 But he was also testing their faith in a way that God often does in the scripture. 00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:33.119 He wasn't trapping them. 00:21:33.180 --> 00:21:34.819 That sounds bad, doesn't it? 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:37.480 Sometimes we think about God testing our faith. 00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:42.700 And we think, oh, he's trying to trap us so that he can give us a hard time and expose all of our flaws. 00:21:42.919 --> 00:21:44.339 That's not what Jesus is doing. 00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:46.899 He wasn't testing them in order to rebuke them. 00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:51.680 He was testing them in order to build them, in order to increase their faith. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:55.740 Jesus doesn't lead you into a storm to crush you. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.799 He leads you into a storm to sanctify you. 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:00.820 To make you more like him. 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.420 And God does this all through the scriptures. 00:22:03.560 --> 00:22:04.360 Just think about this. 00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:05.240 James chapter 1. 00:22:05.580 --> 00:22:06.060 James says, 00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:28.619 And then in 1 Peter. 00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:30.239 We read it a few weeks ago. 00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:36.639 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 00:22:36.639 --> 00:22:43.279 so that the tested genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, 00:22:43.419 --> 00:22:52.500 though it be tested by fire, that it may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:54.919 This is just a part of the Christian life. 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.460 God tests our faith. 00:22:58.600 --> 00:23:00.300 God leads us into storms. 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:03.400 You can't blame Satan for all your troubles. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.340 And it's not meant to crush you. 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:09.100 It's actually meant to sanctify you. 00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:14.279 Now, lest we begin to think that Jesus was less than human, 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:20.220 Mark points out for us here, verse 38, that Jesus was actually asleep. 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:23.319 And he wasn't pretending to be asleep. 00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:29.019 And this wasn't some type of divine sleep over which no one had power to wake him up. 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:30.140 That's not what's happening here. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.160 He's just exhausted. 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:33.819 He's exhausted from a long day. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:35.600 You've been that way, right? 00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:37.319 You just had such a long day. 00:23:37.360 --> 00:23:40.539 Or maybe it's just a combination of long days in a particular week. 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:45.480 And you get home and you wake up the next morning after sleeping for about 10 hours and your shoes are still on. 00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:46.759 You ever been in one of those places? 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.960 You're just tired. 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:50.340 Jesus, he's tired. 00:23:51.259 --> 00:23:52.460 He's exhausted. 00:23:53.799 --> 00:24:02.840 And perhaps there's no greater juxtaposition in the Bible of Jesus's humanity and his deity all at once coming together here. 00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:05.240 How is it that he could sleep? 00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:07.340 Because he was man. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.740 Prone to the same weaknesses that you and I are prone to. 00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:16.960 The same exhaustion that you and I are prone to. 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.880 I like how Kent Hughes wrote about this. 00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.819 It's just a great sentence. 00:24:22.019 --> 00:24:36.079 In this grand display, the opposites of weakness and omnipotence do not clash, but they coalesce in a beautiful harmony that's too magnificent for human imagination. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.819 How is it that Jesus could sleep? 00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:41.699 Well, he's just a man and he's exhausted. 00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:45.960 And then the disciples pick up on the fact that he's asleep. 00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:48.279 And it doesn't make them feel better. 00:24:49.179 --> 00:24:51.980 In fact, they're fearing for their lives and they begin to panic. 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:54.160 Now, this is important. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:57.920 All three of the synoptic gospels say that they said something different. 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:00.380 Luke says this. 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:05.500 Luke says that they tried to wake Jesus up and they said, Master, Master, we're perishing. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.420 We're dying. 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:08.400 You just leave it at that. 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:15.660 Matthew says that they try to wake Jesus up and they say, Lord, save us. 00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.200 We're dying. 00:25:17.340 --> 00:25:18.019 We're perishing. 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:22.000 But only Mark records this part. 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:29.819 Where they say, Master, do you not care that we're dying? 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:33.000 Now, that's not a contradiction. 00:25:33.259 --> 00:25:37.119 In fact, those three accounts are perfectly complementary in this case. 00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.799 Amazingly complementary. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:48.140 Now, imagine you're on a boat with about 12 other guys and you're packed into this little tiny fishing vessel that's only about 7 feet wide and 27 feet long. 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.400 This is a little boat. 00:25:49.400 --> 00:25:51.920 And you're out in the middle of a lake. 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:53.600 You're nowhere near land. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:58.440 And all of a sudden, a massive storm comes up and you think you're going to die. 00:25:58.519 --> 00:25:59.740 The boat's about to sink. 00:26:00.560 --> 00:26:01.820 You don't know what to do. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:06.259 The only person that can even help you is asleep and he won't wake up. 00:26:06.600 --> 00:26:10.640 And you can sense the intensity building in these men. 00:26:10.800 --> 00:26:13.259 There's no spokesperson for the disciples at this point. 00:26:13.380 --> 00:26:15.420 They're probably all trying to wake Jesus up. 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:17.360 They're all trying to get him to do something. 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:20.759 And it starts kind of small and it starts just, Master, we're dying. 00:26:21.219 --> 00:26:21.740 We're dying. 00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:25.399 And then he doesn't wake up and the storm doesn't get any better. 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:29.039 And so they run back and it's, Lord, save us. 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:29.979 Save us. 00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:30.740 Do something. 00:26:32.219 --> 00:26:33.519 And he still doesn't wake up. 00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:34.779 And the storm still rages. 00:26:34.919 --> 00:26:36.199 And maybe it even gets stronger. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.419 And the boat's still filling. 00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:40.160 And life is about to come to an end for these men. 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:44.120 And what is it that they run back to Jesus and say, do you not even care? 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:49.500 Don't you care about what we're going through right now? 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:56.120 It's exactly how we respond to difficulties. 00:26:56.119 --> 00:27:02.439 These issues come into our lives unexpectedly. 00:27:03.479 --> 00:27:06.219 That makes it worse because we think everything's going to be good. 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:09.199 We think everything's going to be the way that it's supposed to be. 00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:12.259 And then just all of a sudden we're hit with a storm. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:17.079 And maybe at first we've got enough gospel understanding. 00:27:17.179 --> 00:27:18.099 We've got enough Christianity. 00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:20.359 And we know that we're supposed to be okay with it. 00:27:20.399 --> 00:27:22.319 We're supposed to just pray about it. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:25.220 And so we go to the Lord and say, Lord, I'm just really struggling right now. 00:27:25.919 --> 00:27:26.819 I just want you to know. 00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.879 And then he doesn't do anything. 00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:31.659 It doesn't seem like it at least. 00:27:31.919 --> 00:27:32.659 He doesn't do anything. 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:34.259 And maybe your situation gets worse. 00:27:34.299 --> 00:27:35.619 And you go back to the Lord in prayer again. 00:27:35.639 --> 00:27:37.359 Except this time you're just begging him to do something. 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:39.359 Lord, please, will you please do this? 00:27:39.659 --> 00:27:40.539 Will you please help me? 00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:42.460 Will you please deliver me? 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:45.379 And then it seems like he's not doing anything. 00:27:45.379 --> 00:27:46.359 And it's just getting worse. 00:27:46.419 --> 00:27:47.279 And it's getting worse. 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:50.379 And then maybe you're tempted as I've been. 00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:54.040 To go to prayer, you go to the right person. 00:27:54.320 --> 00:27:55.720 But this time your spirit's different. 00:27:55.820 --> 00:27:57.420 And this time it's, do you not care about me? 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:01.800 Are you not there? 00:28:03.600 --> 00:28:05.120 Am I wasting my time? 00:28:08.320 --> 00:28:12.560 Sinclair Ferguson said it was the cruelest question that they could have asked. 00:28:13.560 --> 00:28:14.820 The cruelest question. 00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:15.480 Why? 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:19.799 Because the very reason he was in the boat. 00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:22.880 Indeed, the very reason he was in the world. 00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:25.319 And the reason he was going to die on the cross. 00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.599 Was for them. 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:28.000 Precisely. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:30.019 Because he cared. 00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:30.980 For them. 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:34.420 And that's one thing we can never doubt. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.779 Can never doubt his love. 00:28:38.099 --> 00:28:39.279 Can never doubt his care. 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:42.839 Sometimes amidst the storm. 00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:45.240 What's necessary for us to do. 00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:48.279 Is just preach the gospel to ourselves anew. 00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.200 Again. 00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.220 And again. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:51.319 And again. 00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:54.019 Because even if everything else in your life falls apart. 00:28:55.379 --> 00:28:56.740 The gospel remains. 00:28:58.119 --> 00:28:59.200 And he's good. 00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.619 And he cares. 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:05.180 I don't know what kind of storm you may be facing. 00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:06.700 Maybe you're not facing any storms right now. 00:29:06.700 --> 00:29:07.420 Maybe it's just. 00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:09.160 Maybe we're about to go through one. 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:09.620 I don't know. 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:11.940 I get nervous reading through 1 Peter. 00:29:12.080 --> 00:29:13.920 And then also through these stories here. 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:17.500 But maybe you're facing something right now. 00:29:17.580 --> 00:29:18.519 One thing I do know. 00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:22.100 Is that he hasn't lost control of your life. 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:24.340 And he won't. 00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:24.840 In fact. 00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:27.600 He's probably leading you into this storm. 00:29:29.680 --> 00:29:30.620 He cares. 00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:35.279 And he's working out his good and sovereign purpose in your life. 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:38.600 And we think back to Romans 8. 00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:40.740 And I know people quote this wrongly many times. 00:29:40.860 --> 00:29:42.640 But what is it that Paul said? 00:29:43.860 --> 00:29:48.299 All things work together for the good of them who love Christ. 00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:50.059 Who are called according to his purpose. 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:54.400 He didn't say that everything is good for those who love Christ. 00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:57.120 It just says that everything works out for good. 00:29:57.860 --> 00:29:58.880 The good. 00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.420 The sanctification. 00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:01.779 The righteousness. 00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.240 The maturity. 00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:04.900 Of those who know Christ. 00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.700 And love him. 00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:07.960 Look at verse 39. 00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:12.460 Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind. 00:30:12.580 --> 00:30:13.480 And said to the sea. 00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:15.640 Peace be still. 00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:18.680 And the wind ceased. 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:21.120 And there was a great calm. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.940 It's amazing. 00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:27.200 It's a fantastic display of power. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.140 Jesus harnesses a storm. 00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:32.299 With his words. 00:30:32.299 --> 00:30:35.180 With his words. 00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:37.340 As far as we know. 00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:39.500 He doesn't say anything to the disciples at this point. 00:30:39.900 --> 00:30:41.380 Because he knew what was going on. 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:43.539 He knew it all the time. 00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:45.259 And he gets up and he just says three things. 00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.279 Peace be still. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.360 And then all of a sudden. 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:49.759 The wind completely stops. 00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:54.340 The waves become like glass on the surface of the lake. 00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:59.099 This wasn't the gradual progressive dying down of a storm. 00:30:59.099 --> 00:31:01.139 It's not like they had hit the peak of the storm. 00:31:01.139 --> 00:31:02.480 And now the storm was passing. 00:31:02.639 --> 00:31:04.519 And they could try to settle down. 00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:04.699 No. 00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:05.699 This was immediate. 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:07.159 If it wasn't immediate. 00:31:07.459 --> 00:31:09.240 There'd be reason for us to doubt it. 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:11.599 But that's how Jesus works. 00:31:11.679 --> 00:31:11.980 In fact. 00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:14.399 Every miracle you read of in the New Testament. 00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.419 In the gospels. 00:31:15.699 --> 00:31:16.319 They're immediate. 00:31:16.959 --> 00:31:18.359 Jesus says peace be still. 00:31:18.439 --> 00:31:19.019 And suddenly. 00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:20.559 As sudden as the storm came up. 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:22.159 It was completely done. 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:23.840 The wind had stopped. 00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:27.120 The sea became as glass. 00:31:28.759 --> 00:31:31.500 And this is where I read all of those passages at the beginning. 00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:35.860 This was the forces of nature. 00:31:36.820 --> 00:31:38.820 Bowing immediately to. 00:31:39.560 --> 00:31:40.900 And submitting to. 00:31:41.680 --> 00:31:42.460 Their God. 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:44.340 Their creator. 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:48.660 The fullness of Jesus' humanity. 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:51.840 Is seen as he exhaustedly slept in the boat. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:54.900 But the fullness of his deity is seen. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:31:57.860 And that he controlled the wind and the waves. 00:31:57.860 --> 00:31:59.259 With the power of his word. 00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:03.140 There's only one being that could do that. 00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:05.259 And that's God. 00:32:06.860 --> 00:32:08.320 So why is this so important? 00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:09.720 Why do we care about this? 00:32:10.080 --> 00:32:12.759 Because only a man could die for our sins. 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:14.960 Only a man could die. 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:17.620 Why do we care that Jesus was asleep? 00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:19.440 It seems almost irrelevant to the story. 00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:20.120 But it's not. 00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:21.600 It shows us humanity. 00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:24.860 And it had to take a man to die for our sins. 00:32:25.340 --> 00:32:30.320 But only God could provide a perfectly sinless sacrifice. 00:32:30.320 --> 00:32:36.500 That could truly atone and satisfy his own wrath on our behalf. 00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:38.700 But you see. 00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:42.900 This story isn't about God calming your storm. 00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:46.220 Though he may do that. 00:32:47.360 --> 00:32:49.539 The story is about proclaiming. 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:51.580 That Jesus of Nazareth. 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:54.279 Is the Messiah and the Son of God. 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:57.980 Therefore repent and believe the gospel. 00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:02.039 Let's look at the lesson and we'll be done. 00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:03.380 Verse 40. 00:33:03.380 --> 00:33:05.420 He said to them. 00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:08.380 Why are you so afraid? 00:33:10.560 --> 00:33:11.980 Have you still no faith? 00:33:12.840 --> 00:33:15.920 And this is a really unfair question it seems like, isn't it? 00:33:17.560 --> 00:33:19.360 What do you mean why are you so afraid? 00:33:21.040 --> 00:33:23.060 We're just caught in the worst storm of our lives. 00:33:23.120 --> 00:33:24.100 We didn't think we were going to survive. 00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:29.020 What do you mean how do we have no faith? 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:31.980 Jesus didn't mean that they had zero faith at all. 00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:33.819 Think about what these men had done. 00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:35.120 They left their jobs. 00:33:35.339 --> 00:33:36.460 They left their families. 00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:38.900 They left everything behind to follow Jesus. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:41.259 There was a measure of faith in their life. 00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:42.460 That's not what Jesus is saying. 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:44.180 He's not saying that they had zero faith. 00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:50.599 He's not even condemning them necessarily for feeling fear in the storm or being afraid of the storm. 00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:55.920 He's rebuking them for not trusting him through the storm. 00:33:57.640 --> 00:33:59.480 It's not just a matter of being nervous. 00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:04.740 The Bible never condemns fear in and of the experience of fear. 00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:13.619 What it condemns is elevating our fear above our faith that Christ is God and that he will care for us no matter what. 00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:26.539 In addition to showing his divine power, he was teaching his disciples that they could trust him in the most treacherous and helpless situations. 00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:31.800 But this faith was to be founded on who he was. 00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:36.340 Not merely on what he could do, but on who he was. 00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:40.659 Because it is who Jesus is that makes all the other stuff important. 00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:44.360 It was necessary to you. 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:51.699 Each of these men would eventually face enemies that would take their lives for the sake of the gospel. 00:34:51.699 --> 00:34:59.839 If they didn't trust Jesus when he was in the boat, how were they going to trust him when he wasn't in the boat? 00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:05.419 They didn't trust him to care for them in this life. 00:35:06.139 --> 00:35:09.679 How could they trust him to care for them with eternal life? 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:13.819 Look at verse 41. 00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:31.960 They were afraid during the storm. 00:35:33.100 --> 00:35:35.340 But they were really afraid after the storm. 00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:39.180 This wasn't a magic show. 00:35:39.179 --> 00:35:49.019 This wasn't a time when an audience applauds a magician's success at an elaborate illusion. 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:51.339 That's not what this is. 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:53.399 This was very real. 00:35:56.099 --> 00:35:59.579 This wasn't one of those situations where you get to the end of it and you just, 00:36:01.019 --> 00:36:02.699 wow, you're really awesome. 00:36:03.480 --> 00:36:04.379 That's not what they did. 00:36:04.819 --> 00:36:05.759 Can you imagine this? 00:36:05.919 --> 00:36:06.759 I don't think I can. 00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:13.240 I've tried all week to try to comprehend what would it be like to actually be in a place where you come to the realization 00:36:13.240 --> 00:36:16.900 that right in front of you is the incarnate God. 00:36:17.560 --> 00:36:20.960 I don't know that I can understand what that would feel like. 00:36:21.100 --> 00:36:24.440 But when we see it in the scripture, it's always fear. 00:36:26.140 --> 00:36:27.140 They trembled. 00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:32.680 They witnessed Jesus do something that only God can do. 00:36:32.679 --> 00:36:36.980 And his presence then made them fear. 00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:41.599 And this is really what a genuine confrontation with God does, I believe. 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:43.519 It produces awe and worship. 00:36:44.359 --> 00:36:46.119 But they still didn't quite get it. 00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:52.460 They were asking the same question everyone else in Mark's gospel was asking at this point. 00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:54.259 Who is Jesus? 00:36:54.260 --> 00:36:59.020 There's a significance to what they ask here. 00:36:59.660 --> 00:37:02.100 They weren't grasping his deity quite yet. 00:37:02.240 --> 00:37:05.220 They're getting closer because it can't be denied. 00:37:06.220 --> 00:37:11.320 But up to this point, I really think that the disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, 00:37:11.540 --> 00:37:14.640 but they didn't see him as anything more than a man. 00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:17.819 In fact, that's their question. 00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:19.679 What kind of man is this? 00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:22.199 That's what the crowds in chapter 1 asked. 00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:26.000 When they heard Jesus preach with power, when they saw him perform these miracles, 00:37:26.119 --> 00:37:30.980 they said they rejoiced that God had given such power to man. 00:37:32.319 --> 00:37:37.500 The fault in their faith at this point was that they were ignorant of the fact that Jesus was more than man. 00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:38.900 He was a man. 00:37:39.379 --> 00:37:40.759 But he was also God. 00:37:40.839 --> 00:37:42.279 He was the incarnate God. 00:37:42.280 --> 00:37:47.060 The disciples are getting closer, but they're still not grasping that, 00:37:47.120 --> 00:37:50.140 and they wouldn't grasp it, not until after the resurrection. 00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:54.880 And we have the benefit of looking back after that, so we can't be too hard on them. 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:56.720 But they're asking what everybody else is asking. 00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:57.540 Who is Jesus? 00:37:57.760 --> 00:38:00.600 And Mark spends this entire gospel answering that question. 00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:01.640 Who is Jesus? 00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:06.340 He's the Messiah and the Son of God. 00:38:08.040 --> 00:38:09.260 Repent and believe the gospel. 00:38:12.280 --> 00:38:13.400 Let me end this way. 00:38:15.700 --> 00:38:24.840 Early Christians viewed this particular event in the ministry of Jesus as symbolic of the church. 00:38:25.640 --> 00:38:35.360 In fact, early Christian art often displays in symbolic form the church as a boat that is caught in the midst of a storm. 00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:37.900 It is weathering the storm. 00:38:38.039 --> 00:38:42.059 Jesus is in control, and Jesus will help it to survive. 00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:48.120 Can you imagine the encouragement that this would have brought to Mark's early Roman readers, 00:38:48.700 --> 00:38:54.420 which, like Peter's audience, are facing a severe persecution under the Emperor Nero. 00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:56.000 People are being killed. 00:38:56.140 --> 00:39:02.160 Peter has been martyred now for preaching the gospel, and other people are following suit with that. 00:39:02.159 --> 00:39:07.480 And they got to be wondering at some point, is this going to last? 00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:12.379 Everybody we know that's Christians, their lives are being threatened. 00:39:13.279 --> 00:39:14.779 Can the church survive? 00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:18.399 Can the gospel survive? 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:21.380 And it's not very different for us today. 00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:28.460 There are times where we ask ourselves, can the church actually survive? 00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:30.840 Which is a weak question in our context. 00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:34.820 There are much more severe contexts around the world to ask that question. 00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:38.300 But the answer is yes. 00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:41.139 How do you know? 00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:43.920 Because Jesus said it would. 00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:48.500 Not even the gates of hell will prevail against it, Jesus said. 00:39:49.260 --> 00:39:56.539 And when the early church understood this story, they viewed it symbolically as the church going through the storm of this world. 00:39:57.139 --> 00:39:57.960 Will it survive? 00:39:58.740 --> 00:39:59.599 Yes, it will. 00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:03.500 Will at times the storm be severe? 00:40:03.920 --> 00:40:04.740 Of course. 00:40:06.940 --> 00:40:10.760 But how could the ship go down when the master's on board? 00:40:11.820 --> 00:40:12.579 He can. 00:40:12.579 --> 00:40:18.239 At the end of the day, this story is about proclaiming who Jesus is. 00:40:19.299 --> 00:40:22.059 And for some of us, that should lead to repentance and faith. 00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:28.139 For believers, it should remind us that we can trust him. 00:40:29.599 --> 00:40:30.579 He's in control. 00:40:32.360 --> 00:40:33.960 And we can pursue him. 00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:36.500 Knowing that he cares. 00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:40.599 And knowing that the church will indeed survive.