THE CASE OF THE GALILEAN SUPERSTORM

Intro: The Lord Jesus is depicted in this text at the end of a long and difficult day. Verse 22–30 describe Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees during the long hours of this day. He tried to be kidnapped by some of His friends and family, who thought he had lost his mind (v. 21); 31-35. Jesus spent the afternoon sitting in a small boat just off the coast of the Sea of Galilee. 4:1 He preached to the many people who had gathered to hear Him from that boat, which served as a pulpit. He called His disciples into the boat at the end of the day and told them to sail for the other side of the lake.

The disciples were rowing across that tiny lake at night. Jesus was worn out and fast asleep in the boat's back as they steered it. The day's activities had worn the Lord out. Moreover, this passage clearly depicts the Lord's humanity. I praise the Lord for comprehending our weaknesses. Psa. says that he can sympathize with us when we get tired. 103:14. Because they were fishermen, the Lord's disciples were accustomed to spending the night on the Sea of Galilee. Their boat was engulfed by a tremendous storm as they rowed for the other side. They were caught in a battle for their very lives. A "superstorm" was the storm that was threatening the disciples. Unusual strength and intensity characterized the storm. The disciples were terrified, and they were afraid for their lives. I was reminded of Super Storm Sandy, which hit the Northeast in October 2012, as I read this passage. Sandy was a massive Atlantic hurricane that became a "Superstorm" when it collided with two other storms. Superstorm Sandy was a one-of-a-kind, rare storm that caused incredible destruction. It was beyond belief powerful. At least 113 people were killed and billions of dollars in damage were caused by Sandy. Storm Sandy was terrible, tragic, and devastating. That kind of storm struck the disciples that evening. Although their storm was not as large as Superstorm Sandy, it was just as intense. They witnessed the Lord's power to rescue them from the storm that threatened to kill them that dark, terrifying night in that storm. I would like us to stand alongside the Lord and His men as they confront life's storm. They were in a hopeless situation from which they appeared to have no way out. They went through a lot that night that we can learn a lot from today. The disciples were caught in a massive storm that was overwhelming. They were afraid for their lives because it was so intense. They perceived it as a difficult case from which they could not escape. That night, they discovered that Hope For The Hard Cases exists. I want you to understand that as well. Everybody experiences storms from time to time. Everyone in this place is traveling. The redeemed are currently sailing toward Heaven. The lost are currently sailing toward Hell. Storms will form and pose a threat to our vessels as we sail. We frequently come to believe that the storms will destroy us, just like the disciples did. I want to stress to you that your storm did not come to harm you; rather, it came to help you grow. The Lord will use the storms of life to grow you for His glory, even if they sometimes grind you down. Your storm is not hopeless, no matter how severe or intense it is. Jesus is the name of the hope that exists. I'd like to talk to you about The Galilean Superstorm Case. I ask God to use the information in this passage to show us that there is hope. Today, let's look at these verses together. I. V. 37 THE REASONS FOR THIS STORM A. This Storm Was Unexpected Mark informs us that "there arose a great storm of wind." On the Sea of Galilee, storms similar to this one are very common. One of a kind bodies of water is the Sea of Galilee. Although it is only thirteen miles long and seven miles wide, it has a depth of 150 feet, is 680 feet below sea level, and is relatively small. The Sea of Galilee is susceptible to sudden storms because it is below sea level and surrounded by mountains. Downdrafts over the lake are created by winds that sweep across the land as they ascend and pass over the mountains. When these conditions are combined with a sudden thunderstorm over the mountains, the Galilee's water can quickly rise to violent twenty-foot waves. The sea can be rough at times and calm at other times. Nighttime storms like this one were uncommon. Therefore, the disciples did not set out in a storm and did not anticipate encountering one, but a storm nonetheless arrived! That's life, right? One minute things can be going smoothly, and the next, you're fighting for your life! You might be enjoying pleasant weather one moment, and the next, you might be in the midst of a terrible storm. You are in the storm of your life after one phone call, twenty-four hours, doctor visit, and tick of the clock. We shouldn't be shocked by this. Job 14:1 predicts that we will encounter storms; John 16:33. You are actually in one of three locations today. You are either in a storm, about to enter one, or just got out of one. Our lives are characterized by violent storms. It shouldn't come as a surprise to us, as I said, but it always does! B. This Storm Was Unrelenting Mark informs us that "the ship was now full" as the storm continued to batter that small boat. Additionally, Mark informs us that this storm was "great." The meaning of the words is "Exceeding, loud, large, mighty." It's about a storm with a lot of fury. The same storm is referred to as "a great tempest" by Matthew. 8:24. "a violent upheaval like an earthquake" is the meaning of the word "tempest." The disciple's boat was submerged by the rising sea. The ship was being "beaten" by the waves, verse 37. The disciples had no sense of security, safety, or stability. The severity of this storm has terrified these men. They are fishermen, so they are accustomed to storms. However, this storm was so violent that they were afraid for their lives. The ship is teetering on its keel; They are concerned that it will sink because it is flooded. It was late at night and there was a violent storm. They were unable to locate themselves. They were unable to determine how close they were to the shore. Verse 36 states that they were unable to see any of the other ships in their immediate vicinity. They were aware that they were in grave danger. "We perish," they said in verse 39. The literal translation is "we are being destroyed." They yelled, "Help us Lord!," which awoke the sleeping Savior. We are dying from this thing!” We are often terrified by our severe storms when they arrive. They make us anxious and afraid. The storms arrive suddenly and become increasingly severe until it appears that they will never end. • The storms of pain arrive. They wreak havoc on us with pain, loss, and turmoil. We will face problem after problem until we are submerged in an avalanche of suffering. There were many who could testify about the storms of pain. • The waves of grief toss your boat. When someone you care about passes away, it breaks you, fills you with grief, and shakes you. Even the lives of God's saints are affected by sorrow! Even those who are close to God are affected by it. Even though Jesus was in the boat with them, they were still reeling from a storm of sorrow. • Sin's storms break out. It rages both within and outside of us. Sin always comes into our hearts like a calm, pleasant breeze. Despite its best intentions, it quickly reveals its darker side. It will rip through your life like a tornado, causing irreparable harm and destruction that can only be remedied through the forgiveness and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, there are some in that storm! As a result, the storms arrive, bringing with them anxiety, fear, and pain. I just want you to know that Heaven can calm any storm anywhere on Earth! Jesus can solve any problem, no matter how big it is. Bring that storm to Him and observe how He responds to it! C. This Storm Was Unusual - From where did it originate? After all, the Sea of Galilee was prone to such storms, so it might have been natural. However, it did occur at night, which was extremely unusual. There is a good chance that this storm was caused by something supernatural. Let me demonstrate why I assert that. It's possible that God sent this specifically to instruct these men to put their faith in Jesus. Later, I'll talk more about that. This storm may have been sent by Satan to kill Jesus. After all, before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Satan had been trying to stop him. Let me explain why I believe this storm may have been caused by Satan. When Jesus said, "be still," in verse 39, to calm the storm; Mark 1:25 uses the same word to translate "hold thy peace." The meaning is "to be muzzled." It depicts a violent animal being muzzled. In Mark 1:25, when Jesus used that word, He was speaking to demons and telling them to be quiet. Satan made an attempt to kill Jesus in this storm. The Bible doesn't say where this storm came from, but there was something different about it. Our own personal storms also originate from a variety of sources. • The storms are sometimes caused by us. We have to pay the consequences of our foolish actions when they get us into trouble. That was discovered by Jonah. Naomi and her family did the same. Gal, we always get what we put in, 6:7. We occasionally create our own storms. • God occasionally sends storms. Why would He act as He did? He sometimes does it to teach us and make us more like Him. After David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, 2 Sam., this was the situation. 11-12. He sometimes does it to teach us to have a deeper trust in Him. This was the situation with Job and everything he had to go through, Job 2:3. God always sends the storm to bring us closer together. • The storms are sometimes caused by Satan. In order to defeat you, discourage you, and drive you away from the Lord, Satan will create a storm in your life. He will use every means at his disposal to destroy both your faith in God and you. According to 1 Peter, we have a real enemy who will do whatever it takes to defeat and destroy God's children. 5:8. By God's sovereign will, Satan is limited in his ability to torture us. The storms of life come from wherever they are, and we are compelled to deal with them. I. The Facts About This Storm II. V. 35, 38 THE REALM OF THIS STORM A. The Storm Was In Their Face - I'm repeating myself: This storm did exist! It was clearly visible on their faces. The wind could be felt by them. As they smashed the boat, they could feel the waves. When the waves broke over the boat and filled it with water, they were completely soaked to the skin. Due to their struggle with the oars, they were worn out and exhausted. This storm was not staged in any way. We can also feel our storms when they arrive. They upend the world. We sometimes feel them touching our flesh. We feel their impact on our heart. We feel it as they shake our minds. The storms actually exist. They cause us harm. They weaken us. They leave us wounded and broken. The storms of life are similar to the three that the disciples encountered that night on Galilee; They exhaust us by hitting us in the face. However, the disciples' greatest threat that night was not physical. The storm that smashed their boat was not the real storm. That night, the real storm they encountered was the storm that struck at the core of their relationship with Jesus. They faced the most dangerous storm that night: that one. The most devastating storm was that one. Permit me to speak briefly about that storm. B. The Tempest Was In Their Confidence - "carest thou not" - They blamed the Ruler for not thinking often about the thing they were confronting. Why the skepticism? After all, they had already witnessed His goodness and compassion at work. They had witnessed Jesus triumph over every life challenge, Mark 1:22-2:12. They are afraid now because they are confronted with a storm. They should have been aware that sovereign omnipotence could not be stopped by a speck of wind on a small lake! Do you know the nature of their issue? They were focused on their circumstance rather than on their Savior. They were focused on the issue rather than the problem-solver. That's how we are, isn't it? Have you ever questioned God's concern for you during times when life's storms were raging? Even if you didn't say it out loud, I'm sure your flesh has cried out, "Lord, don't you care about what is happening to me?" at times. Or, "Why is this happening if the Lord truly loves me?" Everyone has been there! He cares! Heb, he cares more than you can possibly imagine. 4:15-16. Even though you might not be aware of it right now, He is working in your situation because He cares. C. They were afraid of the storm because Jesus is fast asleep in the boat's back while the storm is raging around them. They wake Him up by sprinting to Him. "to rouse from sleep" is the meaning of the word "awaken." "a calm sea that was just beginning to be agitated" was a common expression. They moved over to the place where Jesus was sleeping and began to shake Him awake. These men have given up all hope of surviving this storm and are terrified. Let's look at these men's doubts right now. They rushed to Him and yelled, "We perish." Keep in mind that Jesus was the one who initially sent them into the sea. These men had given up everything to follow Jesus, and now He has put them in an extremely perilous circumstance. They are concerned that Jesus will simply permit everyone to perish. Jesus did not save you only to leave you in difficult times. He is completely devoted to you and will never leave you, Hebrews. 13:5. Leave literally translates to "to let sink." The idea that He won't "abandon you, desert you, or leave you under any circumstances" is expressed by the word "forsake." When the wind is howling; when your boat is swaying and swaying back; when the wind is against you; when your ship is being battered by the waves; He won't let you drown! He will never abandon you, no matter the circumstance. The Lord Jesus Christ has the utmost devotion to you! The Lord abandoned the city of Jerusalem once. The Lord's response to what they said is as follows: However, Zion declared, "The LORD has left me, and my Lord has forgotten me." Can a woman forget that her child is sucking and that she should not feel compassion for her unborn child? Yes, they might forget, but I won't forget about you. You will notice that I have carved thee into the palms of my hands; Isa: "Thy walls are always in front of me." 49:14-16. If the Lord loved the people of Israel, whom He had delivered from slavery, How much more will He cherish and safeguard His Own Church, which He has redeemed through the blood of His Adorable Son? He has made a vow to you! 2 Corinthians says that He will be with you and will provide you with sufficient grace. 12:9. They didn't have to be afraid. Verse 35: "Let us pass over unto the other side" was His promise to them. These men already knew what was going to happen, according to Jesus. Before the journey began, he informed them that they were going to the other side of the lake. They could have laughed in the face of the storm if they had believed His words. Naturally, this is similar to us, isn't it? • Rom, the Lord has assured us that everything will be fine as well. 8:28. • Matt, He has assured us that He will care for us. 6:25-34; Luke 12:32. We would be able to face life's storms without fear if we only learned to take His word for it. Even as the wind blows and the waves crash against us, we would comprehend Who directs the storms and experience His peace. I. The Facts About This Storm II. The Third Realm of This Storm. V. 39-41: THE REASONS FOR THIS STORM We all encounter storms in our lives. The majority can be classified under the three headings below. • There are storms of correction: When we wander from God, He may bring a storm into our lives to bring us back. • There are perfect storms: God sometimes uses life's storms to help us become more like Jesus. • There are storms that teach: God sometimes uses life's storms to show us new ways to understand Him. He uses storms like this to get to know us better. All of God's storms are meant to help us develop, no matter what kind we face. All of them are intended to grow us and assist us in becoming more like Jesus, Rom. 8:28-29; 1 Pet. 1:7. This storm was one of teaching. The Lord was teaching the disciples more about Himself through the storm. They would soon see a side of him they had never seen before. During this storm, some important lessons about: A. They Gained an Understanding of His Character They gained an understanding of the person of Jesus that they had never previously had. They discovered that He is the sovereign and all-powerful creator. They found out that He is the Lord of all! Jesus had no issue with the storm that frightened these men. He addressed the sea and rebuked the wind. When He did, the sea became flat as a glass sheet and the winds stopped blowing. For Him, stopping this storm was as simple as treating the sick and driving away demons. The storm was easy for him to control. Matt, that same power is still available to the Lord today. 28:18; Gen. 18:14; Eph. 3:20. He has no problem with your storm! If He so chooses, He can put it to silence with a word. However, he might want to let that storm rage. When He does this, He is well-equipped to shield you from the storm. Ill. Abednego, Meshach, and Shadrach – Dan 3; Dan and Ill. Daniel in the lion's den 6. They were astonished when Jesus subsided the sea and asked, "What kind of man is this?" They discovered that He is in charge of every gust of wind; every storm and violent wave. It's a pleasure to know him! He is able to contain the waves; bind the storm and lasso the winds. B. They learned something about his credibility: As Jesus promised, they passed over, Mark 5:1. They found out that He was just as good as what He said! He is still! Rom. He will carry out everything He has promised. 4:21; Heb. 6:18. He is going to keep every promise He makes in this book! Because He is God, we can rely on Him to fulfill His promises to His people! C. They Learned Something About His Comfort: What is the Lord Jesus doing while they are terrified and waiting to die? He is lying down! Why? He is aware that He is at the center of the will of His Father. He is aware that He will not perish in a shipwreck but rather on a cross. Because He has faith that His Father will take care of Him, he can sleep through the storm. Because he has faith in His Father, he is at peace. We shouldn't allow a circumstance to bother us if it doesn't bother the Lord! He is able to bring peace to His people because He is the Prince of Peace. John 14:27 states that this is His promise and what He will do. Phil. 4:13. D. They gained an understanding of his cause: The Lord sent His men through this storm for a reason. One of the reasons was to teach them something they couldn't have learned otherwise. After witnessing all of His great deeds in chapters 1 and 2, it would have been nice if they had simply believed Him. They could have applied what the Lord had done for others to their own lives, which would have been fantastic. If they had been able to say, "You know, if Jesus can heal a leper, cure Peter's mother-in-law, cast out devils, heal that guy with the palsy, and forgive his sins, then I am sure that He can also take care of this storm," they might have succeeded. However, they appeared incapable of processing that information and putting it into practice for their own lives. In order to teach them to trust Him, He sent them into the storm. What do we think? The Bible is with us. It details everything He has accomplished and can accomplish. We are supported by the testimony of those around us. We have witnessed what He has accomplished for them. Even in our own lives, we have witnessed Him move. If we could only trust Him, wouldn't that be wonderful? Because we do not, He uses the storms to demonstrate to us that we can rely on Him and put our trust in Him to care for us. When they got to Gadara, they saw Jesus confront the man who had been possessed by a demon. After the storm, I wonder if they doubted Him. I wonder if they said, "I believe He can take care of this," when they saw Jairus come to help his daughter and even when she died. I believe their faith was raised by the storm! It's possible that was the goal all along. The Lord absolutely made use of it in that manner if that wasn't the intention. The same applies to us! He sometimes sends the storms to teach us to trust Him and educate us. His intention is not to harm us but rather to develop us. In the midst of life's storms, you can always rely on the Lord to act justly. The storms that enter our lives are brought about by God for a reason. Our responsibility is not to try to understand why we are there. It is our duty to put our faith in Him to act in the right way in every circumstance. That is a significant undertaking, but that is what He seeks. He wants complete faith and obedience. Conc: You have a leg up when the Lord is in your vessel. Verse 36 of the Bible says, "There were also with him other little ships." That night, there were numerous boats on that sea, but only one carried the Lord of Glory. The best place to be was that boat. It's important to keep in mind that each of us will encounter storms as we travel the lifeboat. We are all together on the water, in our boat, and traveling. We must ensure that Jesus travels in our vessel with us. The presence of Jesus in your vessel is everything. Jesus was with the disciples, so they could call upon Him. Because He was with them, they could see Him exert power. Because He was there with them, they were able to experience His peace. Do you have His vessel? How do you deal with life's ups and downs if He isn't? Today would be an excellent day to invite Him aboard if He is not already. If He is in your vessel, give thanks to Him for being loyal to you. If there are storm clouds now; if the strong winds are now blowing around you; if your boat is being battered by suffering waves; scream for Jesus! Invoke Jesus! Jesus needs your help! As the hymn's author stated: I must share all of my difficulties with Jesus; These burdens cannot be borne by me alone; He kindly promises to assist me in my distress; He always adores and takes care of His own. I must disclose all of my problems to Jesus; He is a friend who cares and is kind; He will provide if I only ask, and He will share my sorrows with me. I need a great Savior who can ease my burdens, as I have been tempted and tested; I must disclose this to Jesus; He will share all of my worries and sorrows. How tempting the world of evil is to me! How tempted is my heart to sin? I must inform Jesus He will make it possible for Over the World to win. Chorus: Jesus must know! Jesus must know! I can't handle everything on my own; Jesus must know! Jesus must know! Only Jesus can assist me._