Believing What Jesus Says
(S) Scripture
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Mark 4:35-41 (NIV)
(O) Observation
Jesus has told the disciples that they are going to the other side of the lake. When the storm came the disciples panicked and woke Jesus with cries that they were about to drown. Jesus calms the storm and reminds the disciples of what he had said before. Did they not believe him about going to the other side or in the middle of a storm just forget what he said. I choose to think they just forgot. This was a great lesson in faith for them even as they wondered just who Jesus really was.
(A) Application
The Lord has made promises about accomplishing His purposes in my life and ministry. There are times that storms come and I wonder if I am about to drown in the circumstances. This week I have had to deal with the aftermath of a guest speaker's attack on our president. This came in a class about Islam and in response to a question about the president. The answer crossed the line from information into a political attack, in my opinion. This caused many to be confused and offended and wondering just where our church stands on such issues. This is the second time in the last few months that a guest has violated our understanding of who we are as a church and how that is to be lived out. As Senior Pastor I am left to clean up the mess. I am not complaining because it is my responsibility. I just need to be reminded that Jesus calms the storms and my responsibility is to trust Him. After a long day yesterday of the tiring job of addressing issues that were not of my making directly, I needed to be reminded that Jesus is master of the storm. He was not alarmed by the storm, in fact, He was resting during the storm. Today I want that rest and confidence that comes through exercising my faith in the Master of the storm.
(P) Prayer
Lord, today I want to trust you and allow you to handle the storms I face. Give me courage not to panic but rather to trust you. When you rest let me rest, too. Grant me the strength to follow and not be afraid. Amen
1 comment:
Is it possible that the reason the disciples did not affirm Jesus' promise in their minds is because there was ongoing and nagging doubt regarding his identity. Trust flows out of knowledge......deep rooted experiential knowledge that can come only through ongoing communion and personal encounters. The final phrase seems to indicate that since it was still early in their relationship, the disciples were still wrestling to comprehend the meaning of the Kingdom and the identity of this one who had called them. Trust deepens as knowledge (intimate form of knowledge) is deepened.
Yes, it's me! 'That old Bud'. PS The issues you have had to face are unfair. Remind our speakers that they are in a BAPTIST setting....seperation of church & state. Right?
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