Christ stills the storm

Shall we turn to Mark chapter 4 for a reading? I'll take 15 or 20 minutes and leave time to trust for another brother. The end of the chapter, verse 35, Mark chapter 4, And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, be the disciples, Let us pass over unto the other side. 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.

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat upon the ship, so that it was now full. 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? 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. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? The Lord will bless what Mark has related in this little event. We've read of a great storm and a great calm, but I'm thinking especially of the question that the disciples raised at the close of verse 41.

What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? That little expression, the little word even in that statement suggests to my mind that these disciples had been observing the Lord now for a little time. I don't know just for sure what stage in the three and a half years of the Lord's public ministry this little journey was taken. But all of these events have thoughts that we can consider as to the marvel of our blessed Lord.

When we consider that he was from everlasting to everlasting, yet coming into his own world, he came that he might be, as John would relate in the Gospel, God manifest in the flesh. At the age of twelve years when he went, the Lord did with his parents and the others up to Jerusalem. And he remained behind when the others had taken a day's journey homeward to their various places.

Joseph and Mary turned back to find and to look for him. The third day, as you remember, they found the Lord in the midst of the doctors and the men of learning. He was not telling them what to do, but he could answer any question that they raised.

And Mary observed all these sayings. He answered Mary and Joseph as to why he had remained where he was. And he said in answering them, All through those years of his earthly journey, Calvary, of course, was before him.

And this day when the even was come, it's the closing hours of the day, he said to the disciples, Let us pass over unto the other side. They sent away the multitude. They took him even as he was in the ship.

And there were also with him other little ships. But he was in the vessel. And you notice as we think of his words, When I think of the Lord Jesus, what manner of man is this? He is the one who spoke with authority.

You read that in the Gospels. He's the one who spoke with power. You read that expression in the Gospels.

You read of the old economy. When he spake and the world was brought into existence. And we find as we think of him saying, Let us pass over unto the other side.

He was in the vessel. And you notice they took him as he was. We notice in verse 38, for a moment, He was in the hinder part of the ship asleep on a pillow.

When we think of our Savior, God manifest in the flesh, He not only was perfectly human, that He was humanly perfect. But when we ponder the thought that our blessed Savior in the hinder part of the vessel, He lay down and Mark simply states, All He had was a little pillow. No nice comfortable mattress that we enjoy each evening.

Asleep on the pillow. John 4 tells us, A day time, at noon was it, The disciples went in to the city to buy needed meat. He sat by the well, Jacob's well, Worried with a journey.

There He was asleep on the pillow. And while He was sleeping, This great storm arose. There must have been times on the Sea of Galilee That the wind would come up very quickly And move the waves.

And so the disciples being human like you and I, They naturally first of all thought of themselves. There was anxiety. No doubt there was a concern of frustration As the waves began to rise higher and higher.

And there began to be alarm. When you think of they were thinking first of all of themselves, You know, the thought suggested as to the ministry Is to turn our thoughts to the Lord Himself. But it's so human to think of oneself and the circumstances The only journey of many days that I had to take in a boat was in 53.

We left the harbor of San Diego for eventually to be at Pusan, Korea. Before the morning light shone on the upper decks, I knew that boat was rocking. In a few hours the most two-thirds of the boys I would say were seasick.

It took days for that ocean to settle down in our movement. But here's the disciples and they're thinking of what's happening. And it is wonderful that they realize finally the person they have to turn to.

He's the one that's in control. But they had lost sight of the fact that He had said, let us pass over unto the other side. They said to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? They're thinking of the plight, the circumstance.

We notice verse 39. He arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Just in a moment of time those waters were calm. Now relating to that spiritually, you know there was in our lives prior to our conversion a storm in the soul. How wonderful the moment came when you and I trusted Christ.

That great calm that came into our being. That on Him almighty vengeance fell. Enough to sink the world to hell.

But He bore it all for a sinful race that He might become our hiding place. Our Lord Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace, be still. But there was a storm that He faced at the cross.

A storm that God in heaven, as the psalmist wrote prophetically, the ways and the bellows of God's wrath was to fall upon Him. He never made any comment as to that storm. He bore that storm for you and I. The calm that the disciples enjoyed in measure and He rebuked them.

Why are you so fearful? How is it you have no faith? So easy we lose sight of the Master's words and all that He relates to us. And how wonderful it still remains. And you know verse 41 says, They feared exceedingly and said one to another, What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? You remember that? There were those that were sent out to arrest the Lord.

And they came back. Was it to the high priests they said? They had not returned with them. Why have you not brought them? They said, Never man spake like this man.

Pilate brought them forth to the people after listening to their railings and their accusations. They were all false. He knew and he said, I find no fault in him.

But he presented the Lord to the people. He says, Behold the man. I am fearful and wondering if Pilate ever came to realize that this blessed one, our Lord Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, that He is the one who would face the storm, but He would consume that storm at Calvary.

And as we are singing, bearing shame and scoffing rude, in our place condemned He stood. I trust today as we think of the great calm that you and I enjoy. You remember the day of resurrection and His appearance? He appeared there to the disciples and they were in the doors being shut.

Suddenly He was there. Remember John 21? John 20, sorry. His words were, Peace be unto you.

We sit today in the peace and calm of sins forgiven because there was one, the man Christ Jesus, the mediator between God and men who bore the storm of wrath for us that we might be sheltered for time and eternity. What manner of man is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him. They saw many a miracle and this caused them to stop and ponder.

The risen Lord, as we ponder today, we understand none greater than Him, God's beloved Son. May the Lord bless with what's to follow for His name's sake.