06/03/2022
We are often called to do certain things of faith, and quite often we believe that we understand why we are doing them only to find that the Lord has an entirely different plan, and purpose. It is for this reason I like the story of Jesus calming the sea. In this story the disciples think they are simply crossing the sea to continue Christ’s ministry, but soon find that this voyage is much more than that. Haven’t we all found that what we felt was a trip towards salvation and eternity when we first accepted Jesus as our Lord, has become much much more than that?
“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.””
Mark 4:35 ESV
And so, after a full day of preaching, and teaching, Jesus, said his goodbyes to those on shore, and was taken into the boat “just as He was”… exhausted. There He told them to set sail for the other side of the sea. This was what His disciple thought would be an uneventful night voyage to the country of Gerasenes where He would teach and perform miracles again the next day. How many times have we followed Jesus into a boat and set sail in such complete innocence; thinking we knew the destination, and believing our journey would be routine and uneventful… only to find that it was anything but?
“And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.”
Mark 4:36 ESV
This story concentrates on the boat in which Jesus was sailing, but it is important to acknowledge that there were other boats sailing with His, and that they were all following Him to the other side. So when the wind picked up there were others, besides the boat He was in, that were in peril of sinking. Which boat do we envision ourselves to be in? Are we one of the close companions of Jesus who share His boat, or someone still following Him from a distance? We should keep this in mind as the story takes a turn.
“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.”
Mark 4:37 ESV
So now we are sailing along in this convoy of boats, and certainly our conversation would be on the miracles that Jesus had performed, and the lessons He taught us earlier that day. We would be tired, but also excited about what would occur when we made land, and He taught us again. We are confident that we will reach our destination, and are filled with anticipation… then something unexpected happens, and our simple night sail becomes terrifying… a great windstorm arises and our faith turns to fear!
“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?””
Mark 4:38 ESV
To our credit, we, like His disciples, turn to Jesus who is peacefully sleeping in the stern of the boat, but do we ask Him for help, or do we accuse Him of not caring about us… like His disciples did in the book of Mark? Do we think that He has brought us out here simply to see us die? Are we reenacting what happened in the desert during the exodus from Egypt?
“They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?”
Exodus 14:11 ESV
How many times do we find ourselves challenging God in the midst of our hardships? How many times do we praise Him all day long in the gentle breezes, only to accuse Him of abandoning us when the winds begin to blow in the night? Where is our faith, and why has it evaporated? Do we think, like the disciples in the boat, that Jesus, and God, have suddenly turned their faces away? No, they are the same, their promises are still intact, but what are we learning about our own faith?
“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.”
Mark 4:39 ESV
So Jesus awakens from His sleep, and as casually as He might say “bring me a drink of water”, He says “Peace! Be still!”, and the wind goes calm. In three small words, He turns a night of certain doom into a tranquil night of sailing. Then He says something to these men, whose adrenaline is pumping and whose faith had turned to fear, that we should all pay attention to, and use as a measure of our own faith… listen…
“He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?””
Mark 4:40 ESV
Interestingly Jesus didn’t say “Oh ye of little faith” like Matthew recalls, no, in Mark He asks them a much different question “Have you still no faith?”. There is a big difference between having great faith, little faith, and no faith. Here in Mark we hear the words “no faith.” In Mark the disciples accuse Jesus of not caring, but in Matthew the disciples simply ask Him to save them.” Read these words from Matthew…
“And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Matthew 8:25-26 ESV
How do we approach Jesus when our smooth sailing turns into a tempest? Do we humble ourselves and ask Him to save us, or do we accuse Him of being asleep at the rudder, and abandoning us? How we approach Jesus, and God, in our times of trouble says a great deal about our faith at that moment. Which of these two questions do we believe we will be ask by Him when we go to the stern of the boat to awaken Him, and will we actually know who Jesus is?
“And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?””
Mark 4:41 ESV
“And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””
Matthew 8:27 ESV
In Mark the men were afraid after witnessing the power of Jesus, but in Matthew they marveled, but in both accounts they asked themselves who He was. Do we know who He is in the moments of our greatest need? We think we know Him when we are first called to do some act of faith, but when our expectations of the mission turn out to be much different than we anticipated, or an extreme hardship confronts us in life, do we still know Him? In what way will we approach Him? Do we need help with our belief, and faith?
“And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!””
Mark 9:23-24 ESV
So, what about the other boats in the storm? They were important enough to mention when the journey began, but are not mentioned again. Are we in one of these boats? Are we following alongside Jesus, and facing the same fierce storms in the night? Do we fall victim to our fears, or do we lean firmly on our faith? When Jesus calms the water from His boat, and we are not there to see Him do it, are we perplexed, and mystified, or do we go to our knees and give thanks to God?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ and the lessons He teaches us in his life, and by His parables. Thank you for the fierce winds that can blow in the night, and for our faith that is meant to see us through them. Give us a seed of faith when we have none, and increase our faith when we have little. Teach us the power you showed us in Christ, so that we too can say “Peace! Be still,” and have it be done. We pray that in the moments of our greatest tribulation that we will be strong enough in our faith to trust in your goodness, and to have confidence in your plan and will for us. Hear our praise rising up above the roar of the wind, and our voices loud, even as the thunder rolls. Hear us call out for your salvation and strength in the face of sadness and tragedy, and in those moments pour your great calm over our spirits, and give us peace beyond any we have known. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is with us always, and who is aroused by our prayers. Praised be your name for calming the tempests in our lives, and for giving us the faith to speak to them ourselves; as Jesus did upon the sea. Merciful are you who goes before us, and is our strong tower against every impending disaster, and harm. Your grace is poured over us, and transforms us. Your Word gives us strength enough to believe, and your promises are the foundation stones of our trust that is born up by our faith in Jesus… our great and perfect cornerstone. Wash us in his blood Father, and see Him alone when we stand before you. Let our face be hidden in His, and our tiny seed of faith be tended, strengthened, and overshadowed, by the Holy strength of His. Call us worthy, children, and the objects of your pleasure, as you judge us. Announce us to Heaven, and accept us at your table forevermore. Feed us with your Word, and fill our cups with living water; these having become the flesh, and blood, of Jesus through the New Covenant.
Rich Forbes