March 9th 2025: Jonathan Scott
Jesus Calms a Storm: Mark 4: 35-41
Last time I was here we looked at Mark Chapter 1 where we found out what it means to be a true follower of Jesus. We found out 3 things we should do as a follower of Jesus:
- We are called to be with Jesus. We should follow Him, listen to His teachings, and watch His miracles to learn from them and also and pray with Him.
- We are called to imitate Jesus. When we see Jesus’ walking in step with His Father, it means we are meant to be a people in constant relationship with our Father in heaven. When we witness His compassion and mercy, it means our inner attitudes are to give way to His. We are to weep for the world as He wept. We too should pursue a consistency between our beliefs and our lifestyle.
- We are called to do what Jesus did. We are called to this life; we are called to reach out to those in need and those who are lost. For a few people, their full-time work will be gospel work, but for most of us, we are to live the disciple life in our families, friendships and communities. We are meant to go out and help hurting children, serve the sick, minister to the forgotten, and proclaim the good news of Jesus to all. We are made to be fishers of men today.
Having looked at what it means to follow Jesus, today we will go on to look at how to trust in Jesus in all circumstances.
News had been spreading. Everyone was talking about Jesus. People said that He could do things they had never seen before. Amazing things! Astonishing things! Jesus was able to make sick people well and blind people see. Why was Jesus able to do these things?
Jesus is able to do things which are impossible for us, because despite being 100% human, He is also 100% God. Jesus has the power and authority over all things. We see right at the start of creation – He was there with God and the Holy Spirit – Genesis 1: 1-2 ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.’
As the news travelled about Jesus and His miracles, many people would want to meet Jesus and follow Him wherever He went. After a busy day, Jesus and His disciples got into a boat to cross the sea of Galilee. Many of Jesus’s disciples were fishermen, so traveling in a small boat across the lake was something they were well used to. Jesus was tired after teaching and meeting lots of people. Don’t we often feel the same way after a long day? He went to the back of the boat and lay down to sleep. But if Jesus is God, why did He need to rest? In Psalm 121 it tells us that ‘God does not slumber nor sleep’. Even though He was fully God, He was also fully human like us and had feelings too. That’s why we read of Him sleeping and eating. He is not faking it with one eye open. He actually needed to sleep. There are also accounts when Jesus felt happy, sad, tired and experienced pain. He was fully human.
The Sea of Galilee is a real place that many people still visit today. It is 696 feet (212 meters) below sea level. The frequent cold air blowing down from the mountains resulted in sudden storms being whipped up from time to time. Mark 4:37, “A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat.”
Now these were experienced fishermen and were used to such storms. However, this storm was so large, it should not be underestimated. This was translated as a great whirlwind or a large hurricane. The winds blew, the rain splashed, the thunder roared and the waves crashed against the boat. As fishermen, Jesus’ disciples would have been in storms before, but this one was different – this one was huge; this was a really bad storm. The wind was so strong and whipped the sea up so much it nearly swamped the boat and the disciples were terrified. The storm was so terrible that the disciples thought they were going to die.
Do things which happen to you sometimes make you worried or overwhelmed? Many times we face problems which are out of our control.
- Bereavement – Family or Friend
- Loss of Job
- Break up of Relationships
- Illness
Do you sometimes feel like there is a storm around you?
When problems come our way, who do we turn to? Maybe a close friend or family member? Remember you have a friend who sticks closer to you than a brother. If you belong to Jesus, know that He is in control of all things. This means that you can trust Him to do what is best for you, even when things are difficult. He knows about your problems and how difficult they can be. He wants you to remember that He is always in control and you can trust Him.
The disciples were very afraid! They were in a small boat in the middle of a big storm and they thought they were going to die. But what was Jesus doing? He was fast asleep. He wasn’t afraid at all. He was in control of all things and wanted His disciples to trust Him. And trust is such an important word. Trust means to be 100% sure that whatever Jesus says He will and can do it. Because He is the One in control of all things and holding all things together.
When you came into church today, did you pick where you were going to sit and then assess the safety of the pew? (Just like me asking a Health and safety Question!) Did you check that it was safe to sit on? I doubt it. You probably came in, chatted to a few folk on the way to your chosen seat and sat down, trusting completely that the seat was safe and would not collapse.
You can trust Jesus completely. He is bigger and stronger than we are and even when things don’t seem to go the way we had hoped. He is working all things together for good and to the glory of God. So, whenever things happen and you don’t understand why, you need to trust that He is still 100% completely in control.
During this account in Mark we read that the disciples finally woke Jesus up in a Panic, “But He was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.” (Mark 4:38) And they awoke Him and said to Him. “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4: 38) Would you have reacted any differently to what the disciples did here?
Jesus stood up, felt the wind blowing and looked at the crashing waves. Then He said, “Peace, Be Still.” (Mark 4: 39) Immediately everything was still and calm. Wow! Isn’t that amazing. Jesus was able to speak directly to the wind and the rain and they listened, responded and obeyed. If you or I went outside on a stormy night and told the wind and rain to stop, nothing would happen, but when the Creator of all things spoke, there was an immediate response. He has the power over the wind and the rain because He is the Son of God. He is the only one who could calm the storm and rescue the disciples.
In Colossians 1:15 – 17 we read, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
Not only did He make all that we see in the world. He also made you and He knows you inside out. If you have put your trust in Jesus, you can trust Him for everything that happened in your life because He is in control of all things. God doesn’t promise that life will be easy. You will face many problems and difficulties just like the disciples. However, it is important to remember who walks alongside you. Jesus cares about every detail of your life. He has promised that He will never leave you. (Hebrews 13:5) “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He will always be there to help you. Trust Him to take care of you. Talk to Him about your fears, problems and struggles.
I just want to take us back a little step, and look at the phrase that the disciples say to Jesus, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38), this question sounds really negative at first, as if the disciples were telling Jesus off. But in reality, if we look at the original translation it is slightly different to that. It translates as, ‘You do care that we are perishing, don’t you?’ The disciples trust Jesus, but here in this situation the suffering they are encountering introduces doubt into this Trust. They believe Jesus cares, but this storm looks deadly, Jesus appears unfazed by the storm surrounding them. The disciples are confused by this. They do not understand His reaction. To them it appears that Jesus does not care or show concern for their wellbeing, but in fact, it is the complete opposite. He is ready and able to calm the storm immediately in order to protect them, and demonstrate His power.
Suffering can disrupt our trust too. We think God cares, but when suffering comes, it stretches our ability to see His care, even if it is right in front of us. It can seem as if God is sleeping and doing nothing. In the boat, it did not merely seem like Jesus was sleeping, He Was! Sometimes when we don’t notice Jesus, He doesn’t look like He is doing anything. Because actually He is carrying us through the most difficult situations in our lives.
The Poem Footprints depicts the journey of a person with the Lord. It says these words:
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
There was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
There was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
This is encouraging that no matter what we go through the Lord carries us through all our troubles. Imagine the disciple’s faces when they saw this miracle. The waves that had been crashing against the boast were now perfectly still. ‘A great Calm’
The Fishermen of the time (Disciples) would have known the psalms. In Psalm 89:s9 it says, ‘You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them.’
Also in Psalm 107: 25 – 30:
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
This Psalm describes men who go to sea and they witness a great storm which is God’s doing. The sailors are at their ‘wits end’ they are in the same boat, so to speak, as the disciples and they are terrified. But they know there is only one who can help. The Lord. They cry out in Verse 28 to the Lord ‘in their troubles’. God is the one who can calm storms. In Mark 4:41, the question, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” shows that the disciples had forgotten who was in the boat with them. The One who had created the storm is the exact one who is there with them and can and will calm it again.
Many Jews were taught the scriptures from an early age, and were encouraged to memorize it. A scripture that would have been committed to memory was Deuteronomy 31:6, which says, ‘‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
If the disciples knew this, why are they questioning? I could ask the very same question to ourselves. Are we any different? We know the scriptures and yet do we follow them. They are only human at the end of the day. But must we strive for this? Yes of course we should aim to live our lives in a way which is pleasing to God and following Jesus’ example. We can only do this with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Be encouraged! The Lord, our God, who created the universe is interested in you. Not just that, He loves, cares and wants to guide you through every circumstance. God is so amazing that He inspired David to write many Psalms, which not only foreshadowed New Testament events (including the storm in Mark’s gospel), but are also relevant and encouraging for us today. What an amazing God we have.
God’s Word is full of encouragement and wisdom for us to hold onto. It is a guiding light to our souls and the more we read the Bible, the more it speaks into our lives. When we are afraid or worried we can turn to passages such as Philippians 4:6-7, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ He says we don’t have to worry about anything, as He’s got it! He will ’guard your hearts and your minds’ (Philippians 4:7). He will protect and keep us against evil with the peace that only God can give.
He was like us in every way – except one. Jesus is perfect and has never sinned. Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” So when we come against the storms in our lives, we can be assured that Jesus is able to sympathise and have compassion towards us. He can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask. We can do everything through Him.
After He calmed the storm, Jesus questioned the disciples. “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” This is a challenging question for them to hear. They had just witnessed a wonderful life saving miracle, yet were still afraid. Maybe you have seen God work in a miraculous way, but still struggle to come to Him for help. Lean into Him, trust Him more each day and give Jesus full control of every situation. It isn’t easy, but prepare to witness amazing things!
The greatest gift and miracle from God is salvation through His Son. If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Saviour, please be encouraged that His word is true. It is written that ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Romans 10:13. Maybe you are going through a tough season, and unsure which way to turn, Jesus said, ’ I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me’ (John 14:6) If you would like to know more after the service please ask me or one of the Deacons here and we would love to help you.
We all experience times of difficulties and suffering, it is what we do at those times that is most important. Jesus tells us to, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11 :28) Will you turn to Jesus and put your full trust in Him that He will get you through? Or will you try and solve the problem yourself, eventually realising its no good, the situation is beyond your control.
As we read the words of the final Hymn this morning:
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
The Chorus says:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
Those who have trusted in Jesus as their Saviour, have the assurance in Christ alone. In Him, we can place our trust and we can never fail if we are on the Rock that is Christ Jesus.
What is our response to this? Hallelujah!
We read Psalm 135:1-7 at the start of this service as a wonderful reminder to lift high the name of the Lord and I would like us all to read it together from the screen if we can.
Your Name, O Lord, Endures Forever
135 Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord,
give praise, O servants of the Lord,
2 who stand in the house of the Lord,
in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.
5 For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
What an amazing God we serve. The everlasting Father, who delights in our praise to Him.
This is a response to what we have looked at this morning in Mark 4. As we can trust wholly in our wonderful Saviour, as it says in the Psalm, Our Lord is Great, our Lord is above all gods. Therefore we should respond in praise, as the Psalm states: Praise the Lord! That should be our Worship to Him. We really have a lot to praise Him for. And as Verse 13 of Psalm 135 says:
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever,
your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages.
For those who have trusted in Jesus, we need to remind ourselves that He is our brother and friend. Talk to Him and cut out the embarrassment of calling for help. Take all your heartache and troubles to the Lord our God. He will be there to comfort, listen, guide and help you. Nothing is too big or small to bring before Him. Put our trust in Him and He will be with us forevermore. For now and in this generation, He will support and guide you in the days ahead and when we follow His will.
Allow Him to go before you as you face the challenges of the coming week. Do everything in His strength and not your own and He will provide for all your needs in abundance.
Let’s finish by singing the hymn we mentioned earlier. My hope is Built on nothing less.
It was lovely to welcome some of our regular summer visitors back as well as see some new faces. We had a truly blessed time with 
Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch 