This morning our church completed Mark 4 by studying the Mark’s account of Jesus stilling the storm. I began the sermon with a plead to resist the temptation of “checking out” mentally and spiritually due to familiarity. When we have heard a biblical story over and over, such as this one, we tend to think we know all there is to know and apply from it. We should never think this way when we approach the living, powerful, perfect Word of God!

1. The Point of the Story. (I learned this from my hero, Dr. SInclair Ferguson.) The point is not about the storm. It is often said that the point of this story is that we should know we are going to encounter storms in this life, and that Jesus is able to still the storm or to still us in the storm. Those things are true, but probably not the point of this story. The reaction of the disciples is what indicates this for us. The disciples didn’t breathe a sigh of relief when Jesus stilled the storm. The disciples didn’t conclude that they shouldn’t worry about storms as long as they are with Jesus. How did the disciples react? They were filled with great fear! The point of this story is that Jesus is indeed Almighty God - for even the wind and sea obey him!
2. A Lesson on Faith. It is often said that the disciples’ fault was not placing faith in Jesus’ words, “Let’s go to the other side.” That may be stretching it a bit. The fault of the disciples’ faith was that the storm had distracted their attention from the fact that they were with God! Whether they lost their lives or not, God was in the boat with them. His will would be done. The wind and the sea do not determine their deaths. God does. The lesson on faith is that our faith must be grounded in the person of Christ, not our circumstances or even the fellowship of believers.
3. A Lesson on Fear. The story opens with the disciples afraid and closes with the disciples afraid. One is misguided fear. The other is perfectly normal, healthy fear. One says, “God is nowhere around! We are going to perish!” The other says, “God is right here in this boat with us!” There is a fear that displays our lack of faith, and there is a fear that accompanies our faith! It is a joy to be in the presence of God. It is also terrifying! Godly fear accompanies the presence of God!