You May Ask But Jesus Cares (Mark 4:35-41)
Gary McManus, 06/25/2023Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Mark 4:35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
Lessons for children:
When you have Jesus with you, you don’t need to be afraid. This report is a reminder to children that Jesus promised to always be with us and remembering that, we can call upon Jesus at any time.
Lessons for young adults and moving into adulthood: Even when you have Jesus in your life because you have confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. . .even with Jesus with you and you know that Jesus is with you. . .this doesn’t mean that you will not have storms IN YOUR LIFE.
Although the Bible (Mark) shares a report on an actual event from two thousand years ago, the lesson is not restricted to sailors and fisherman. We can readily appreciate that we have storms in our own lives that have nothing to do with wind and water. We have fears about things other than wjnd and water.
Believing adults can begin to apply this lesson to their own lives when they understand the boats that they are actually in are not really boats, although the situations they are in do completely surround them like water and the situation threatens to drown
them—destroy something vital about their own lives.
We can begin to apply this historical event because we can see ourselves in very similar situations that have nothing to do with the geography or time when this event took place. We apply it to ourselves because we are human (as were the disciples) and Jesus is Jesus—the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
Now, we could leave the lesson right there. . .
But I know that I can ask questions because Jesus SAID that I can ask questions (Matthew 7:7-8).
Why am I asking questions? Because there are some differences between myself and the disciples.
Mark reports that it was a GREAT STORM.
It may not be a life and death situation. . .but the men (disciples) BELIEVE that this is a life and death
situation. . .their question is, “if we perish?” Haven’t
we thought that situations were life and death when
they weren’t really? You can still go to Jesus.
Now, let’s look at Jesus. Jesus was taking a nap.
What a perfectly HUMAN thing to do. Jesus got tired. (See also John 4:6) Jesus was with them IN
THE BOAT—they are still afraid. Notice!
Have you never prayed: “Lord, what are you doing
to me here?”
They woke Jesus up and asked:
“don’t you care about us?” Ever asked God that?
You can. And Jesus, response? Jesus, right away, dealt with BOTH the wind and the sea.
Jesus dealt with the disciples fears first, then Jesus asked the questions. Notice the order of Jesus’ response.
Jesus’ response DID NOT DEPEND on the faith of
the disciples, did it? Jesus did not ask:
--do you believe that I can help you?
Jesus did not ask. . . .:
Many people of faith have been taught to blame
themselves first. Job never did blame himself.
Jesus did not hold a small group discussion about
fear and faith and what the Bible says about the
Messiah—NO!
Maybe we’re supposed to believe that Jesus very
presence with us, should make us question our
own fears? Or maybe our own questions betray the
so little faith that we have, when we disciples ask,
“Don’t you care, Jesus?”
The disciples question is not about God’s power,
the disciples question is about Jesus’ love.
Can any one be afraid WHILE we are in awe of Jesus? I am just asking questions. I have Jesus’ permission.
Amen.
Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
---|---|---|
« Dad Was So Glad He Saw Jesus | None | The Devil and the Declaration » |