MOTIVATE

Chaos in past month …    

EXAMINE     Discovering Calm When Life Isn’t (Matthew 8:18-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-35)

*Yet, another event in all the Synoptics.

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. ¹⁹ Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus attracted crowds from his insightful teaching and helpful miracles. But his aim wasn’t for crowds. In fact, he sought to minimize the attention of his miracles telling individuals to keep their healing personal (8:4). Further, he sought to get away from the crowds (8:18). And when crowds followed Jesus, he wasn’t afraid to call for deeper commitment; which always differentiates those who view Jesus as useful vs beautiful.

• Follow Jesus wherever – – – > No rivals; no one can serve 2 masters (Mt 6:24)
• Follow Jesus whenever – – – > No refusals; choose this day (Jos 24:15)
• Follow Jesus – – – > No regrets; those who lose life for Jesus will save for eternity (Mk 8:35)

3 reasons why was can discover calm when life isn’t…

Jesus has a plan.

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping [in stern on a προσκεφάλαιον; Mk 4:38]. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Jesus instructed the disciples to get away from the crowd and get into a boat (v.18). It appears that his humanity is showing. Their hard work of caring for people and meeting needs of the sick, diseased, paralyzed, and for grieving families was depleting. Jesus is likely physically fatigued and emotionally exhausted. Additionally, so are the disciples. Jesus is modeling that we must fill up if we are going to pour out into others. So, Jesus enters the boat and almost immediately falls asleep on a pillow while the disciples are rowing into the wind.

Why does this matter? We know what is about to occur (a storm), and yet Jesus was undeterred by what was to come. Jesus has a plan, even when there’s a potential struggle or pending storm. The disciples entered the storm not from disobedience by Jesus’ design.

• Nahum 1:3 “The Lord’s way is in the whirlwind and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
• Ps 77:19 “God’s way is through the sea, His path through great waters, and His footprints unseen.”

God orchestrates difficult situations and sometimes even dark circumstances so that we learn not to depend on our own wisdom but His strength (cf Pr 3:5-6; 2Cor 1:9). So, if God permits you to face an unwanted experience, then we can trust that God is going to help you persevere and prevail.

So, how do we discover God’s plan in the storm?

• Prayer. What wakes Jesus? Is it the storm? No! It’s the disciples’ prayer! Likewise, prayer is our lifeline, like oxygen to our bodies. Prayer is not just for getting through problems but our opportunity to get closer to the heart of God (see Ben Sasse[1], Tim Keller, other suffering saints). So, if Jesus has a plan, prayer should be our priority.
  *“be constant in prayer” (cf Ro 12:12; Col 4:2; 1 The 5:17)
  à Let’s pray right now for whatever you’re facing… / someone else is enduring…
  Ps 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be shaken.”

Jesus is panic-free.

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

In response to disciples’ panic, Jesus is composed. In fact, how do you imagine the tone?

• Anger yelling: “You frustrate me to no end. You’re faithless and fearful. Why can’t you get anything right? Quit your crying and just trust me.”
• Sadness tears: “I’m shocked and hurt. You don’t have faith? You’re afraid? You must not care about me or love God.”
• Fear panic: “You’re right! The wind is too fierce and waves too forceful. What are we going to do? We may not survive this; hold on to whatever you can.”
• Indifference: “What’s all the noise? Why did you wake me up? Give me my pillow back. If this storm takes us under, then it was meant to be. Besides, I can walk on water, and you guys can swim [I hope].”

Instead, Jesus is composed. He’s unhurried and unworried. He questions their faith, so to remind them of all they have previously seen him do. Then Jesus nonchalant rises and rebukes the wind, with the consequence of great calmness (γαλήνη = a word only used describing this instance, and implies deep satisfaction that causes smiling[2]).  

Sadly, many believers live with debilitating anxiety and ongoing chaos. They lack peace because they fight the Shepherd leading them through the valley to reach still waters.

Illus: This concept resembles flying a kite. Kites don’t fly in calm and cheery weather. Instead, kites fly their highest, fastest, and best when there is opposition. A kite rises against the wind, not with it. Likewise, leaders need to face challenges and roadblocks with this kite-flying mentality.

Storms can take anyone under, especially disciples! But what we see is that faith in Jesus is not storm-free but storm-proof. Life’s hardships happen to us all, but our faith sustains us to survive storms and navigate what happens after them. So, we can be grateful that every storm over our head is under Jesus’ feet.

So, you can panic when Jesus does; but as long as he’s not worried, we can rest.

• Ps 121:4 God neither slumbers or sleeps. Yet, Jesus sleeps bc of his humanity & teaches how to relate to our Creator.
• Ps 3:5 “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.”
• Ps 127:2 “for the Lord gives his beloved sleep”
• Isa 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed trusting in the Lord”

We grow to be panic-proof by listening to the words of Jesus. The same God who spoke the air and aquatic environments into existence is the same Jesus who isn’t afraid of the wind or waves (Ps 33:6-9). His word is life-giving, creating joy, and hope, and peace.

• The word of the Lord prevails mightily and endures forever (Ac 19:20; 1Pe 1:25
• SPBC Members, we have a few opportunities for genuine Bible study
  Sun 9:30am / Men’s Group / Women’s Studies / couple Small Groups …
         but only ~ 1/3 of members (and attenders) attend meaningful study of Scripture.
  This needs increased – – – > God looks with favor upon those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at His word (Isa 66:2)

Jesus gives peace.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

As the disciples reflected on Jesus’ power to still the storm, they were amazed (θαυμάζω = marveled in admiration). This verb is common on the Synoptics[3] –
– Mt 9:33 Crowds marveled after Jesus healed a mute man
– 15:31 Crowd marveled after Jesus healing a variety of ailments: crippled, blind, deaf
– 21:20 Disciples marveled that Jesus cursed a fig tree and it immediately withered
– 22:20 Crowd marveled at Jesus teaching with divine authority
– 27:14 Pilate marveled at Jesus’ innocence and integrity

When we truly consider the life of Jesus with…

• Eyewitness testimony from diverse groups and geography
• Reliability of Scripture (listen, it portrays Israelites as rebels & disciples as stubborn & floundering students… but God transforms them with grace and truth. No other religious text has the audacity to present this way…)[4]
• Jesus’ teachings and miracles…                                                 
• Then, we experience a profound astonishment & awe. We are to marvel at God’s work in creation / in the cross & resurrection / and in our circumstances
  Ps 4:4, 7 “ponder in your own hearts and on your beds, and be silent. Selah…
         You have put more joy in my heart than [others] have when their grain and wine abound.”
  Ps 64:9 “fear God and ponder what he has done”

Ps 77:12; 101:2; 143:5 “ponder the way that is blameless and the mighty works of God’s hands”

This is why we worship in song & testimony & preaching & exhortation – that we would never cease to marvel at God’s power to inform our circumstances to be panic-free; bc all things are possible with God and he gives peace generously (Jn14:27).

• Gospel-amnesia and peace-emptiness occurs when we compartmentalize our faith.
  Php 4:5-7 The LORD is at hand; a non-anxious presence is experienced when we glance at the storm but gaze at the Savior; when we pray about everything as our first priority not last resort. Then, the peace of God, which surpasses understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

APPLY/TAKEAWAY

After the storm, the disciples asked a question: “What kind of man…?”

• This passage is not about a storybook storm with a happy ending for disciples
  of Jesus. The passage points us understand Jesus is unlike any other man –
  he’s the Son of God. Only God is mighty to rule the raging sea and still the waves
  (cf Ps 89:8-9). SO… while Jesus calmed the external storm, another storm roared inside the hearts and minds of the disciples.
   If Jesus is the God over the wind and waves, then certainly He must be Lord over the whole of your life. Every choice and circumstance of your life should bow to honor Jesus as your Lord.

---

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUSRsXIqU2M; https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2372706973205443

[2] https://biblehub.com/greek/1055.htm related to a word that means “to laugh,” hence my reference to smiling.

[3] https://biblehub.com/greek/2296.htm

[4] For more, see my sermon: https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2021/05/15/why-believe-in-christianity-can-we-trust-the-bible-john-2030-31/