Who is in Control?

N.T.#354 "Who is in Control?"

July 24, 2024 

Mark 4-Part 6

LET IT GLOW 

When Jesus and His disciples were in a ship on the Sea of Galilee, a storm arose. It was a whirlwind or cyclone, which is common there. It is surrounded by mountains and often the weather changes quickly and vicious. 

What was happening to those men?

• They were headed to the other side of the lake. (verse 35)
• Waves beat into the ship filling up with water. Other ships were with them.
• Jesus slept on a pillow in the back of the boat. 
• The disciples woke the Lord up asking Him, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"

Jesus had been teaching His students so it was test time. 

They traveled from the Bay of Parables southeast to a region near the southern shore known as Gerasa, of which Gadara was a principal city. (Swindoll)

What spiritual immaturity to ask their Lord if He cared. They lacked understanding of who Jesus is-Creator of the wind and seas and the One who loves them so much that He died for them. Didn't they know nothing was doing to happen to the Son of God? Yet, don't we tend to get in a frenzy when something disrupts us, scares us, delays us, gets us out of our comfort zone? 

As I write this, a global shutdown on airlines' computers has happened this morning. I am sure many people are upset that they are grounded and can't return home to family today. (I was upset last month when our planes were delayed several hours while going to visit our daughter.) I am praying our mission team will be able to fly tomorrow to Boston.

LET IT GROW

What did Jesus do to help?

• He arose and rebuked (to express strong disapproval of someone, reprove, charge) the wind and told the sea to be still. (verse 39)
• The wind ceased and there was a great calm.
• Then Jesus rebuked His disciples., asking, Why are ye so fearful? Now is it that ye have no faith? (verse 40)

Fearful means timid; faithless; faith means persuasion; conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher); assurance; belief.

So the disciples were lacking faith in Jesus. They had God in their boat. Shouldn't they have understood that when God is with you, nothing can harm you? Sinking is impossible! Now they knew Jesus as the Messiah sent by God to lead them. Those guys witnessed first-hand the power of Jesus. We should fear Him more than our circumstances. Then we will trust Him above all else.

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea oby Him? (verse 41)

This is one of my favorite passages. We must remember what storms Jesus brings us safely through, then we will trust Him more today.

How is your faith?

LET IT GO

Let God be God over our life.

Trust Him in all things. 

Give Him glory and praise whenever He rescues us.