Jesus asked the question, Why are you so fearful? That is a question many need to answer today.
In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today's physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with cough or chest pain or hyperacidity. In 90% of the cases, the first symptom was fear. This is the opinion of a well-known American internist as expressed in a roundtable discussion on psychosomatic medicine. This is also the consensus of a growing body of specialists. Fear of losing a job, of old age, of being exposed—sooner or later this fear manifests itself as "a clinical symptom." Sometimes the fear is nothing more than a superficial anxiety; sometimes it is so deep-seated that the patient himself denies its existence and makes the round of doctor to doctor, taking injections, hormones, tranquilizers and tonics in an endless search for relief. [1]
In the well know story about Jesus calming the storm, we will focus on the question he asked His disciples.
Mark 4:35–41 (NKJV)
At the time it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Safety was paramount in the construction of the bridge. Many things we take for granted today in the construction business, was not all that common then. Safety lines and hard hats were mandated to the extent that workers who refused to use them were threaten with dismissal. The lead engineer insisted on installing a safety net. The cost of over $130,000 (in 1933) and seem exorbitant. Was it worth the cost and the time it took to do that? Well just ask the 19 men who fell into the net! Not only did it save the lives of those 19 men, the work was actually done sooner than planned because they did not live in fear of falling. Yet as Christians, we live in fear of the world when living out our faith. Why should we fear?
Romans 8:31 (NKJV) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
We read these words, we understand these words, yet they are not in our hearts. If God is for us, who can be against us? We live our Christian lives in secret. We are afraid what people will say if we speak out in the name of Jesus. The world is unafraid to speak out against Jesus and the things of God. Are we ashamed of Jesus? What did Jesus say about that?
Mark 8:38 (NKJV) For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
We are going to examine this story about Jesus calming the waves from the perspective of fear. Remember a few of the disciples were fishermen, experienced in the small boat they in which they were traveling, experienced on this lake, understood the perils of the quickly changing weather. Jesus said:
Mark 4:35 (NKJV) On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
When the storm came, it was not because of anyone mis-deed or sin. It was not because they were out of the will of God. In fact it was quite the opposite, they were in the will of God. It was Jesus that directed the move out into the lake. It is interesting to compare this storm on the lake with the storm that Jonah experienced. Jonah was out of the will of God. But at this point of in time, the disciples were in the will of God. Being in the will of God does not prevent the storms from coming. If it be will of God, the storms may be diverted or be calmed. Other times it is the will of God that storms come.
God can do whatever he wills, but he did not calm the storm for Paul (Acts 27), although Paul was a man of great faith. The disciples on this occasion had little faith, so the calming (or not) of a storm does not seem to depend on faith, but on God’s will. God strengthened Paul to endure the storm in quiet faith. Sometimes God saves us from trouble; sometimes he saves us in trouble; sometimes he saves us from death; and sometimes he uses our death to glorify his name.[2]
Consider those being martyred or suffering for their faith around the world today. The fact is, storms are often part of the plan. And in today's narrative, the storm did rise.
Mark 4:37 (NKJV) And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
This was no ordinary storm. The experience sailors were worried. Such big waves on a small lake. Sea of Galilee is only 7 miles at it widest (n/s) by 5 miles (e/w). And they were going from the west side to east side. But Jesus was asleep:
Mark 4:38a (NKJV) But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.
How can Jesus sleep in a little boat while bouncing on the waves in the midst of a great windstorm? Remember, Jesus was fully human, he had been putting some pretty long hours and he was exhasted. Also remember, we are talking about faith here. Jesus, as a man, yet divine, knows full well were His faith lies. Jesus asleep in the storm is a sign of a complete trust in God. The Psalms illustrate this:
Psalm 3:5–6 (NKJV) I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.
Psalm 4:8 (NKJV) I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Those who trust fully in God, sleeps well at night:
Proverbs 3:24–26 (NKJV) When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
The Disciples lack this trust. I do believe it was the will of God to show these disciple what complete trust in Jesus means. The disciples needed to learn 2 aspects of faith: 1. They needed to learn to trust like Jesus. and 2. They needed to learn to trust in Jesus.
Mark 4:38b (NKJV) And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
At this point, I believe they still regarded Jesus as a mere man, a miracle man, but just a man never-the-less. They have seen the miracle healings, yet Elijah did those things too. They have seen the water turn to wine, it was like a magic show. But a storm? Only God could control nature itself.
Psalm 89:8-9 O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. 9 You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.
Psalm 104:5-9 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever, 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. 7 At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. 8 They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them. 9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth.
Only God can command the wind and the waves and here is Jesus. These disciple still do not understand who Jesus is. They are fearful. They are with Jesus, yet they do not know Jesus.
Mark 4:39 (NKJV) 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.
We need to understand this picture given to us by Mark. These are the words of an eye-witness. There was a great windstorm, They feared greatly, then immediately, there was a great calm. Then Jesus asked the fateful questions:
Mark 4:40 (NKJV) But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
Jesus had been teaching them about faith and the storm was a pop-quiz and they failed miserably. Why? Because they did not know Jesus. They may have been with Him, but they did not know Him.
Mark 4:41 (NKJV) And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Remember the OT understanding is that only God can command the winds and the waves. Here, Jesus just did that. The implications of that one act boggled their minds. They are only beginning to see and understand just who Jesus is.
It is much the same way today. People attend church. They read the Bible, they know the Sunday School answer to the questions. They have been all around Jesus, but in their hearts they fail to see and understand who Jesus is, just as the disciples failed to see in this story.
We fear the world, we fear what the world can take from us, we fear what the world can demand from us, but we have no fear of God. Jesus said:
Luke 12:4–5 (NKJV) “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
We must have an eternal mindset. This world is not all there is. We will all answer before Jesus all that we have done and left undone. When we begin to live knowing not only in our minds, but in our hearts, that Jesus is in control, that there is nothing man or nature can do to us to separate us from His love and will, then we can truly live victorious lives.
Romans 8:37 (NKJV) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
How do we live this victorious life. How do we live fearlessly for Jesus? The secret is to be with Jesus day and night. To be with Him through thick and thin. To actively learn to rely on Him in the good times , not just turn to Him the bad times. We must see that all the different situations we find ourselves in, that we must conduct our selves in such a way to bring Him glory. God allows or even brings difficulties to grow us and to glorify Himself. We must be without fear because God has all things under control.
A verse that hit me square between my eyes is the story of the apostles in the early days of the church when Peter and John were charged before all the high officials in the temple. Peter being filled with the Holy Spirit was speaking boldly (without fear) to those who could do great harm to them:
Acts 4:13 (NKJV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Have you spent some quality time with Jesus lately. Or do you only know about Jesus versus knowing Him personally. Actively relying on Jesus for all things takes all fear of the world away and we can live victorious for Him.
Are you relying on Him and allowing Jesus shape you in what He wants you to be?
[1] https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/72858/security-by-sermoncentral?ref=TextIllustrationSerps
[2] R. Alan Cole, “Mark,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 959.
