Today, we are going to examine a very familiar scripture. It is important that you do not close your mind off, because you have studied it beforehand. The Holy Spirit, has a brand new word for you today. Today’s, message will flow a little bit differently than our past messages, because we will not be dissecting every verse. However, we are going to read the text together so that we are on the right page.
Today’s text is as follows: Mark 4:35-41
(King James Version) “35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
So, we see here that this passage talks about being in a physical storm. As we enter into the year of 2023, our nation, our country, and our world is in the middle of a storm. It seems as though the weather keeps getting worse and worse. Sometimes, I feel like I’m rowing alone. Sometimes, I feel like we’re close to drowning.
Physically, we see higher and higher prices at the market and we even see higher and higher prices on animal feed. My husband and I were at Petland looking for dog food and one particular brand of dog food was $112 for just a 35 pound bag. Therefore, we see issues in our finances that we have never seen before.
In our world today, we see vast problems in our supply chains. Items normally in the grocery store are not obtainable.
Gas has been through the roof and everything has taken a price hike.
Sometimes, The less expensive brands in the grocery store or unavailable; therefore, you find yourself buying premium items or just doing without. The world is in a bad storm.
I see people coming for the first time to our food pantry. They are rattled. Their Social Security is simply not enough to meet their needs.
Alongside the homeless and the transients I have also witnessed an increase of hot lunches being served and consumed.
The need for basic attire has also increased! I’m asked every day, “do you have any blankets, hats, or gloves?” “Preacher, do you have about ten minutes, because I just need someplace warm to stand.” Folks, we are in a bad storm and the weather keeps getting worse.
In our scripture, the disciples were in the middle of the sea, in the middle of a storm. Brothers and sisters, this is precisely where we are today! However, the Holy Spirit has pointed out to me that this group of men were in the will of the father. Jesus put them in a boat and said to them “let’s go to the other side.” – and they obeyed!
However, the disciples steal ran into a storm. Just because we are saved and serving God, (the best way we know) does not mean we will not be caught up in a storm. Scripture tells us that it will rain on the just and the unjust. I would love to tell you that if you follow Jesus that you won’t have to face any bad or negative circumstances, but according to the word of God that is just not the case.
Well, we are getting ready to cross over from 2022 to 2023 and we are all in the middle of a storm. In our storm we not only have the external issues, but we also have the internal issues. For example, in the boat, the men were afraid, because the boat would not remain stable. It was rocky and it was rough. It’s wind created rough waves and the rain filled the boat!
Today, in our humanity, it is scary. We need to stay focused on God. We hear about people getting sick, we hear about people getting laid off, and we hear about tragedies. We see our government and the governments of the world not being able to find treatments or create cures. In fact, these sicknesses we hold have not even been identified. For example, my son had a sore throat, an ear infection, and a runny nose, and you could physically see the lymph-notes in his neck. The medical staff thought for sure it was strep throat, but it wasn’t. It was an unidentified virus. I have also received several other messages about others suffering from the same symptoms. No one, really has an answer or a solution to the medical storm that we are in.
So, therefore, we see a vast number of emotional storms. In our passage for today, the disciples had the right idea! They went to Jesus and woke him up. Jeremiah 33:3 tells us what we need to do when we are in the middle of a storm and that is to “call upon the Lord.” Even though, they were in the will of God, they we’re going through the storm. Today, you are going through it, I am going through it, and the world is also going through it. In essence we are in the same boat! We are in the same storm.
Notice, something significant, with me! According to verse 38 Jesus was asleep on a pillow or some version say A cushion. Think about this for a moment! Sitting in church, listening to the Pastor’s message, one sometimes to nod off. Is this intentional? No, probably not! When a person wants to go to sleep they generally grab something to make a pillow or a cushion to tuck under their head. In this case, Jesus meant to go to sleep. Jesus went to sleep not by chance, but he went to sleep on purpose.
Sometimes, we feel like we are trying to reach heaven, but we are on hold or the line is busy. Sometimes, some of you have even told me that you feel like God has gone on vacation. For example, in the world today, Covid hit and things seemed to get better, but then a variant came to us. and some of you commented, “where is God?” So, that sent me the message, that you thought, God had fallen asleep. In the boat the crew went directly to Jesus and aroused him from his slumber. They must’ve asked him don’t you care, don’t you see our pain, and don’t you see our fear? Jesus may have even been snoring and fast asleep, but he was and is still in control of our circumstances. Today, God is not asleep! God has a plan!
The disciples were bailing out water from within their boat. I have to admit, this is probably our first reaction to a storm. We usually try to handle the situation ourselves. We usually try different maneuvers in order to stay a float. But, Jesus said to them, “40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith” For the disciples, they must’ve thought it was obvious why they were afraid. They were afraid, because the ship was Sinking. Suffering a tragic death like drowning or burning is one of my greatest fears. When I die, I simply just want to fall asleep. I want to go peacefully. These professional fisherman were afraid of their demise.
These men, we’re in the will of God trying to cross over. This year, are you in the will of God? Crossing over into the new year, of 2023, is definitely looking up if you are a servant of God. Absent from the father we are dead and under the control of Satan. God wakes us up from that darkness and gives us new life. Through Jesus Christ, his son, God gives us A New life and it’s far better than the old one.
It’s awesome to know that we have peace with God.
It’s awesome to know that we are fighting the good fight.
It is awesome to be a child of God.
For me and my house we simply could not function without the Holy Ghost. Please, do not go into the new year without Jesus Christ.
According to verse 41, Jesus spoke to nature and nature obeyed. Jesus Christ said for peace to be still And nature restored its balance.
When we are in the will of God we are in the safest place to be; even though, we are in a raging storm. If the disciples would’ve remembered, that Jesus said let’s go to the other side, and had a little faith the story may have had a different ending. Perhaps, in our own journeys if we had a little faith some of our trials could be avoided.
The crew forgot how big his word is. I’m not undermining the circumstances of our current storms. I’m not saying that we should not wear masks and keep our hands clean, but we need to remember that God is in control!
We need to remember God is faithful.
We need to remember that God is just.
We need to remember that God knows the number of hairs on our head.
We need to remember that God loves us!
I am saying that if we are living in the will of God, the year 2023, we will see big encouraging things come down from heaven. No matter what storm we are in; opportunity to see God is present! Pay attention, we will see God overruled our circumstances.
Do you know, in the storm Jesus is on the boat. Jesus is probably getting wet too. God has a unique way of meeting us in our storms.
God is still in charge!
God is in control of Covid.
God is in charge of our economy.
Therefore, since God is in charge we need to give him our undivided attention. See, Covid is not just about a virus, Covid is God wanting our undivided attention.
The passage concludes with this phrase: “they were very much afraid!” In fact, verse 41 says the following: “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Now, the men were afraid of this, but they were super afraid of who Jesus was and what Jesus was able to do. Today, we are afraid of the wrong things. We need to be afraid of dying and going to hell. Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12).
Sometimes, we get wrapped up in the storm (in the circumstances) that we become Afraid of the wrong thing. We forget who God is and we forget his words. We focus on the storm and forget to look up!
In 2023, I’m going to ask you to fear God with me and understand our circumstances are controlled by God himself.
Know that God controls nature; therefore God controls viruses and he can speak the word and our circumstances will change.
God can remove them storm, lesson the blow, or even change its course!
Lets get in the will of God; which means let’s hear God’s word and obey.
When God gives us a directive lets be faithful to him.
Then, let’s cross over to the other side. We are going to move from 2022 to 2023, but let’s get our cushion or our pillow as Christ got his pillow and recognize that God is our covering.
God is our protector.
Let us trust God and focus upon him.
This year let’s trust God in all of our storms. Whether your storm financial, whether you are storm the medical, whether your storm be relational, or whether your storm be economical; let’s not falter on our faithfulness to God.
Let’s rest in God‘s word; while, we are in his will.
Lets not be so timid that fear keeps us or hold us back from obeying the will of God.
We need to know, that as we cross over this storm, that God is in control and that God has a plan.
We need to focus upon him and let him reign in our lives.
God is up to something.
He’s up to something big.
He’s up to something that we cannot fathom.
We are living in the end times and it’s best to believe the word of God. The enemy also has a worldwide, but we know the one who will put the enemy in his place.
So, this New Year’s I want you to get closer to God.
I want you to be about God‘s business.
I want you to be faithful to God‘s house.
I want you and I to be faithful in prayer.
As we pass over this calendar year just know that God sees you, he hears you, and he loves you!
Prayer: Father, thank you for this message! Please help us to focus upon you during the storms of life. God cover your people and protect them. Lord, give us the opportunity to be obedient to your words. Uphold us and keep us from drowning. Thank you Lord, for being so calm and so attentive to our needs. Help us carry over into the new year focused upon your word. Let us be in your will! Give us confirmation in the direction you want us to go. In the name of Jesus Christ, your son, amen!
