The One Who Calms The Storm
Recently when my family was a way on vacation the Lord began to speak to me about the sinking of the titanic
When you look at the history of the titanic what you come to see is that its sinking was due mostly to human error
Whether it was the construction of the ship itself, the lack of life boats that were provide, the new steering system that cause them to turn into the iceberg instead of avoiding it, and the failure to slow down when traveling through icey waters instead of speeding up through icey waters can all be attributed to factors that impacted the sinking of the titanic
But I believe the greatest error was pride and arrogance
The titanic was proclaimed to be an unsinkable ship and because of the arrogance and pride of those making decisions, they were not prepared when disaster struck
As the Lord spoke to me about the sinking of the titanic, He turned my mind to the United States of America and the storms that stand on the horizon
The greatest difference between the follower of Jesus and the one who doesn’t know Him in the days ahead is that He is the one who calms the storm
Mark 4:35-41
New International Version
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 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 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!”
1. Storms will come
a. John 16:33 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
b. Jesus has told us we would have trouble
c. The word trouble can mean pressure , afflicted, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble[1]
d. James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
e. Storms and trials will come
f. When the disciples went out on the water with Jesus they had no idea a storm would come of this magnitude
g. Based on their reaction, this was a very intense strom
i. These were veteran fishermen
h. The Sea of Galilee is an unusual body of water. It is relatively small (thirteen miles long, seven miles wide); but it is 150 feet deep, and the shoreline is 680 feet below sea level. Because the Sea of Galilee is below sea level and is surrounded by mountains, it is susceptible to sudden storms[2]
i. Often in our lives the storms and trials we face can come suddenly
2. Storms have an eternal purpose
a. James 1:2-4 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
b. Why does James tell us to consider it pure joy when speaking of encountering storms and trials
c. The word testing means a testing; trustworthiness: trial, trying[3]
d. Because of what it produces: perseverance, which leads to maturity
e. The end goal of every storm and trial is greater maturity and growth in Christ
f. Romans 8:28 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.
g. When God’s word says all things it even means the trials and storms we will face
h. Romans 8:31-39 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
i. Regardless of the storm or trial, nothing can separate us from His love
j. We are more than conquerors because of His grace and love for us
k. Because of His power working in our lives
3. Jesus is the one who calms the storm
a. Mark 4:38-41 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!”
b. The disciples didn’t fully understand who was in the boat with them
c. Many times we fully don’t understand how great and awesome Jesus is
d. Him sleeping in the boat revealed His humanity
e. But Him speaking to the storm revealed His deity
f. Every storm has a beginning and end
g. There are trials that we go through and storms in which our response to Jesus is the same as that of the disciples: Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
h. But with a single word Jesus calms the entire storm
i. The purpose of this storm gave the disciples a greater understanding of who Jesus is
j. The storms and trials we face have the purpose of giving us a greater revelation and understanding of who Jesus is
Many times we struggle because we focus our eyes on the storm instead of the one who can calm the storm
His desire is that we would grow deeply in Him and the honest truth is when we are comfortable, there is little to no growth that happens
But as things intensify in our nation we must remember that the one who calms the storm with a single word is our Lord and Savior
The days ahead are days of great opportunity for the body of Christ
But we must intimately know the one who calms the storm
[1] James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 36.
[2] Bruce B. Barton, Mark, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1994), 120–121.
[3] James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 24.
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