10-28-07 #Disciple Bible Study Titled: "A Sleeping Savior"

[Disciple]

“THE OTHER SIDE”
#2- “A Sleeping Savior”
Mark 4:37-40

Intro.

In the previous message in this series, I issued the challenge to ‘go to the other side’ with Jesus. I talked about stepping it up a notch in your life- in your personal walk with Jesus Christ. We can think about particular areas in your life that you need to step up to the next level- For some of us, we’ve been at the same level for many years- Some perhaps have never taken a step closer to the Savior than when you first accepted Christ and was baptized for forgiveness- You’ve remained at the same level without any growth or progress in your commitment to attending the church services- to your prayer life- to your Bible reading-
I told you also in the previous message that if we are going to go to the other side with Jesus, it will cost you something- it always does- Jesus talked about this cost-
MATT 16:24
One of the costs of going to the other side with Jesus is that we run the risk of encountering some storms along the way- Just as the disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee with Jesus encountered a severe storm, so we too, will encounter storms when we decided that we are going to go with Jesus to the other side.
I suppose that encountering storms in inevitable- but how you respond to the storms is extremely important in your life.

Ill- Janine Jaquet Biden submitted a story that was printed in Reader’s Digest, January 1996- ‘Just getting out of the driveway was a major feat during last year’s snow and ice storms. One co-worker was relating how he used his seven-year-old son’s baseball bat to smash the slick coat of ice on his driveway. He got cold and went inside for a cup of coffee before attempting to clear his car. Several minutes later, his son who had been outside with him came in. He said, “Dad, I got the ice off the car.” “How did you do that?”, his father asked. “Same way you did-with the baseball bat.”

As we look at this passage of Scripture tonight, we can see some significant thoughts.

I. A Crisis Came

We cannot and we must not expect everything to be smooth sailing in our journey through life to heaven.
I dare say to you today that you can expect to encounter some storms in your life- and some of those storms and difficulties are going to be extreme and severe. The NIV tells us three noteworthy things about this storm the disciples encounter on the Sea of Galilee. It was a furious squall. Waves broke over the boat. The boat was nearly swamped. This storm was so severe that these disciples were afraid they were going to drown-
v. 38
Remember that at least 4 of these 12 disciples- Peter, Andrew, John, and James- were experienced fishermen.- Probably from their youth they had fished the Sea of Galilee and had experienced its storms- but this one storm had them afraid they were going to die.
Why would you think that you should be exempted from storms and troubles in life?

John 16:33

Jesus warned us about the coming storms of life.

Ill- Mark Twain and a friend once walked outside in a rain storm- the friend said to Twain, “You think it will stop?”- and Mark Twain replied, “It always does.” W can learn a valuable lesson- the storms of life do not last forever.

2 Cor. 4:16-18

I will point out two words in these verses regarding our troubles. Light-momentary. These two words emphasize the temporary nature of the trials and troubles we experience in life. I would not attempt to belittle and try to say that the trials we go through are nothing, but the words ‘light’ and ‘momentary’ are contrasted in the Scriptures with ‘the eternal glory that far outweighs them’- the troubles are for this moment, but the glory is forever, eternal
I would remind you that when the crisis time comes in your life it is not going to last forever- storms always come to an end. The storms may come without warning- we may get a little way- we may think that our boat is going to sink, but do not be afraid when the storms hit.

II. The Savior Is Close

Mark tells us that when the storm came up, Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat. What a contrast we can see between these frightened disciples and the sleeping Savior. Why do you suppose Jesus is able to sleep in the storm while the disciples are afraid for their lives?
Do you see the audacity of these disciples in the questions they asked Jesus when they woke him up?
Mark 4:38

Why would the disciples ask such a question?- They are taking Jesus to task- they find his attitude quite unexplainable- we need to remember why Jesus and the disciples are in this boat on the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a severe storm. Do you remember? -Jesus said to them, ‘Let’s go to the other side’. They are following the leading of Jesus and now this storm has come up. They’re wondering, ‘Lord, we’re doing what your want us to do- why are you allowing us to suffer like this?’ Have you ever asked such a question?- “Lord, I’m doing your will in my life- I’m where I am because this is where you’ve led me- why are you letting these bad things happen?- don’t you care, Lord?”

Let me ask you a simple question? ‘When the storms came, did Jesus get out of the boat and leave the disciples to fend for themselves?’ No, Jesus is right there in the boat with the disciples- he has not left them- he has not forsaken them. Can you remember a precious promise the Lord has made to you?

Heb. 13:5

2 Pet. 2:9

Learn this important principle and remember it- The presence of a storm does not indicate the absence of a Savior!

When the storms come into your life, remember the Savior is close by and he will rescue you- he will never leave you to fend for yourself

III. Power To Overcome

We can see the great power of Jesus demonstrated-

Mark 4:39

In this verse we can see why Jesus was able to sleep in the storm- There was never a time when he was not in complete control. He was able to be calm even in the time of chaos and fear, because he was in control

What amazing power we see here- Jesus speaks to the wind and it obeys him. Jesus speaks to the waves and they submit to his command. B.W. Johnson and Don DeWelt in their commentary on Mark says it this way- Those words were the words of him who first created all things. The elements knew the voice of their Master, and like obedient servants, were quiet at once. – College Press, Mark, pg. 136 (Bible Study Textbook)

Ill. There is an old story of a farm who was constantly advertising for hired hand- he owned land along the Atlantic coast-Most men were reluctant to work that land because of the terrible storms that raged there- the farmer was having no luck in hiring a man to help him- finally a short man, well past middle age came to the arm- the farmer said, “Are you a good farm hand?”- the man answered, “I can sleep when the wind blows”- the farmer didn’t understand what he meant but he was desperate for help, so he hired the man- and as time went on the hired man did a good job- then one night a terrible storm blew in from the ocean- the farmer jumped out of bed, grabbed his lantern and ran to waken his hired man- “Get up! A storm is coming. Tie things down before they blow away!”- man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you I can sleep when the wind blows”- the farmer was enraged and wanted to fire the man, be he hurried outside to tie things down- to his surprise he found the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins- the cows were in the barn, the chickens in the coop- everything was tied down- nothing could blow away- then he understood what his help had mean- “I can sleep when the wind blow” –can you?- are you secure in your place in the Lord Jesus Christ that you can sleep when the wind blows in your life?- is Jesus your Savior and are you safe in him? – do you know that his power will deliver you and rescue you in your time of need?

The Lord does not panic- he does not get worried when the battles and storms rage against us. He has power to deliver and he is in control of all things in your life.

There is something significant that you need to see- perhaps you’ve read this passage many times but this has escaped your attention. Note the last word of v. 39-...The wind died down and it was completely calm. Not only did the wind cease, but there was a calm on the lake too- Not only does the Lord overcome your storms, but he gives you peace and calm completely

Phil. 4:7

Conc.

You may recall from your elementary school geography lessons that the southernmost point of Africa is indeed a point- it has experienced great storms through time – because of that no one knew what was beyond the point because no ship attempting to round that point had ever returned to tell what was beyond- it was known as the ‘Cape of Storms’ for a good reason, but then an explorer from Portugal named Vasco De Gama, in the 16th century successfully sailed around the point and found a great calm sea and the eventually the s****s of India- the name of that cape was changed from the “Cape of Storms” to the ‘Cape of Good Hope’-

With Jesus Christ in your life, you too, can come through the ‘cape of storms’ into the ‘cape of good hope’. Jesus has destroyed the one who wants to destroy you- Jesus has promised you the victory- do you know this promise today because Jesus is your Lord and Savior?

Will you make your decision now to follow Jesus and let him bring you through the storms?