*** The volume will come in clear at the 3:50 point of this recording.
Putting Away Fear
Mark 4:35-41, “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 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?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Jesus had been teaching the crowds and evening had come. He had shared with them the parable of the sower which indicated the differing conditions of the heart when the gospel is heard. Then He taught them the importance of living a life that pointed others to God and to Himself. He continued His teaching by sharing with them the importance of being attached to Him and growing and maturing in their relationship with Him. He finished by teaching them again, about the importance of spiritual growth by sharing with them the principle of how a mustard seed grows and telling them they needed to grow in their relationship with God in the same manner by growing deep and strong.
Jesus then told the disciples to get into a boat because they were going to leave the crowds behind and travel to the other side. Then a great storm came upon them as they were crossing to the other side and the disciples were filled with fear. As they woke Jesus up, they asked Him if He cared that they were going to drown? Jesus then arose and rebuked the wind and the storm calmed. The disciples were amazed and talked with one another wondering who He was that even the winds obeyed Him.
The big take away that I want us to get from this passage is the principle that Jesus can calm the storms of life and He subdues fear in the process.