No Big Deal 2/25/24
Mark 4:35-41 nkjv 35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
❓ When has God ever helped you through an unexpected problem or tragedy❓ ❓What problems have you faced that have helped you learn how to trust God more?❓
⭐ From these verses, we see that it’s not so much how we see things that is as important as how God sees them.
⭐ When it comes to living and walking by faith we have always heard,,,,,,
- 2 Corinthians 5:7 We walk by “faith” and not by sight!
👉 What have we been taught it means? (To some degree: a sermon for another day)
1. We are to create our own ideas and walk by how we want things to be! (Name it and claim it) There is a time and place when God tells us how to look at things differently than what they are. (1 Kings 19:18) 7000 that have not bowed their knees to baal.)
2. We can simply refuse reality and reimagine things to be different than what they are. That’s what the whole world seems to be doing today.
3. If we walk by faith, then nothing bad will ever unexpectedly happen. Living by faith does prevent a lot of hardships and trials, but by far not all.
4. That faith somehow clears the path of all trials and tribulations we might have to face in the world. Circumstances and worldly problems seldom ever change.
💥 As a result we end up with a shaky faith that causes us to:
A. Believe there can be no problems when we obey God.
- The skies have to stay clear before we believe. v35) 35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
B. Cave in when we need faith the most. v36-37) 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
- Problems can cause us not to trust God. (I didn’t sign up for this!!)
- It’s dangerous
- People get hurt
- Bad things can happen
C. We start dictating faith. v35) Get into the boat!
- We want to avoid hard times. Don’t go looking for problems, but don’t avoid them when following Jesus. ⭐ Avoid them so that we won’t get into the boat!
- Where Jesus wants us to go with Him.
💥 The faith we want is one that causes us to avoid all problems and hardships, but the faith we need is the one that is willing and ready to ride out any storm we have to face and still end up where God wants us to be.
💥 Result of the weak (little faith):1. Believe what isn’t true! v38) We are about to die!2. God doesn’t care! v38) Do you not care?3. Believe we are alone! v38) Went to Him. They were scared and ran to Him. 4. Felt helpless. Overwhelmed (JESUS WAS WITH THEM!) We can get overwhelmed in the same way, even when God is with us!
💥 What does this teach?
By riding out the storm: ( Getting into the boat)
➢I. We learn that storms are often not as big as they seem to be! v40a) 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? We get to see the real size of the storm!
- Regardless whether Jesus knew the storm was coming or not, He knew it was no big deal to God.
- If we could see how God looks at things, would we worry about anything?
God knew it was going to happen but it was no big deal. He was going to handle it.
➢II. We end up where God wants us to be! v 5:1) 5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.
- It’s by getting into the boat and going through the storms that we end up where God wants us to be!
- Sometimes we pray for God to keep us out of the boat!
- If our faith has to avoid, refuse and fear storms, we will never get into the boat and end up where God wants us in life.
- God will never be able to use our full potential.
➢III. We learn new things!! Our faith grows by what we have to go through! v41b),,,, even the wind and the sea obey Him! James 1:2-4. The trying of faith works patience!
- They were on one level of faith when they got into that boat,,,,, but were on an entirely different level when they got out!!!! By going through what they did, they became better disciples. They knew Jesus more clearly!
- 💥 REMEMBER It was not a big deal with Jesus. He knew it was OK!
➢IV. They learned about going through the storm with God! v41) 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
- We learn the power of God when we are in the middle of the storm.
- They didn’t know this until they got into the boat.
- They learned things about God that they didn’t know before!
- They learned about the storms that they had feared so much!
- They learned to fear God more than the storms v 41)!!!!
👉 ****) We don’t have to worry! Do not worry. GOD is never blind to our tears, never deaf to our prayers and never silent to our pain. He sees, He hears and He will deliver. (****👈
