Jesus is on Board

‘And the same day, when the evening was come, He saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as He was in the boat.’ Mark 4:35, 36

Cast Off

Jesus did not, with any urgency, make a sharp command to cross over to the other side. But, simply made a promise to His disciples. He didn’t say, ?Let us perish in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.’ But, He promised His disciples that they would cross over to the other side’ a heartfelt promise. And the disciples obeyed.

‘Jonah ended up in a storm because of his disobedience, but the disciples got into a storm because of their obedience to the Lord.’ (Wiersbe).

Boat Ministry

Now, the Lake of Galilee is 13 miles long at its longest, and 8 miles wide at its widest. At this particular part it was about 5 miles across.

Jesus was teaching the multitude from this boat, Peter’s boat. He often used a boat as His ‘pulpit.’ (Mark 2:9). It gave him a place to speak away from the press of the massive crowds, provided good acoustics, a probably beautiful backdrop, and gentle breeze. We can imagine some critics crying out. ‘You can’t do that! Teaching belongs in the synagogue,’ or some other objections. But, Jesus knew that teaching from a boat suited His purposes well enough, teaching them many things by parables.

As Is

Now, the teaching from the boat was over; He was weary after a long day of ministry. He was craving for a period of rest. And so He bade his disciples to cross the lake. They took Him even as He was. They did not wait to provide any accommodations for the passage. They had not waited till any cloaks were brought, or supplies. They had not sent a messenger ashore. Weary, and probably hungry, they had taken Him even as He was.

We must take Him as He was.
– Not as we wish Jesus was.
– Not as we wish Jesus should be.
– Not as we wish Jesus could suit us.
– Not as others may present Jesus.
– Not as you might see Him in the lives of others.

Stirred Up

‘And a great windstorm suddenly arose’ (a squall). The Sea of Galilee is well known for its sudden, violent storms, much like the Mediterranean Sea. The severity of this ferocious storm is shown by the reaction of the Lord’s fisherman-turned-disciples, some of them seasoned fishermen. Terrified, they cried out, ‘we are perishing!’

In fact, many of the disciples were very experienced fishermen and sailors, and they were naturally frightened and feared ?perishing in this storm.? One writer said, ?stirred up, likely, by the devil to drown Christ and His disciples.?(Trapp).

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z

‘But He was in the stern of the boat, asleep on a pillow:’ Jesus’ true humanity is shown by His sleep on the boat. He became weary, and sometimes caught a bit of sleep wherever He could.

Just think of all the worries that might have kept Jesus awake. He could worry about the religious and political leaders who plotted against Him. He could worry about His family who thought He was crazy. He could worry about the overwhelming crowds with their overwhelming needs. He could worry about the disciples He chose. He could worry about the future, because He knew what His destiny was.

Yet, with all of these things to worry about, Jesus wasn?t worried. He slept in a rocking boat in a pitching sea. The Lord’s sleep was not only the sleep of weariness: it was also the rest of faith, for there is a rest of faith as well as a watch of faith! (Heb 3-The better rest of God; Heb 4-The better rest for the believer). You see, Jesus was in the habit of entrusting Himself to His heavenly Father. Having made that commitment, He could sleep through the turbulent squall. This is an impressive lesson for us.

Wake Up Call

But, the unstirring sleep of Jesus was interrupted. He was roused from His serene sleep by His frightened followers. ‘They awoke Him.’ The howling wind did not wake Him, the arguing of the disciples didn’t wake Him, and water splashing over the boat didn’t wake Him. But, at the cry of His disciples, He instantly awoke. Jesus is like the mother who sleeps through all kinds of racket, but at the slightest noise from her little baby, she instantly awakes. After all, they were His children’ in distress.

No Help

The harried disciples, in their pitiable plight, turned to Jesus, and cried out, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing’? Their grievous protest was not for Jesus to do anything, such as helping to bail out the water from the sinking ship, but a protest against His apparent indifference. The disciples, in fact, were afraid, but at the same time there were several experienced fishermen among them. They knew they were in jeopardy (Luke 8:23), but probably felt they knew what to do. They worked hard at bailing out the water, at rowing in a certain rhythm, at piloting the boat in a certain direction. But, they were annoyed that Jesus didn’t help them!

Nautical Experts

We are often the same way. We feel we know the situation. We’re experts on this one, and all we want Jesus to do is help us bail out our boat. We want Jesus’ help, but we want His help to work out our plan. When all is going well in our lives we’re happy, but when a trial arrives we ask, ‘why me’? Like the disciples, we forget that Jesus is with us, by our side. But, again, we often say, ‘not now Lord, I will call you when I need you.’ And, so, we push Jesus aside. ‘But keep the blessings coming down, Lord.’ Many merely use Jesus; profitably exploiting Him.

Death Grip

‘I am afraid, too, that we rely too much upon ourselves. Was it not Dr. Gordon who, when he lay a-dying , said that the secret of strength in faith in Christ was having no faith in ourselves? I am inclined to think that the secret of weak faith in God is our having a good deal of self-reliance; but when you cannot trust to yourselves, then you hang upon Christ, and cling to him as your only hope; then you give the grip of a sinking man, and there is no hold like that.’ (Spurgeon).

Listening Wind

‘Then He arose and rebuked the wind.? (Mark 8:39). Jesus didn?t merely quiet the wind and the sea; He rebuked the wind and the sea. This, together with the disciples? fear and what Jesus will encounter at His destination, give the sense that Satan had a significant hand in this storm. Indeed, ‘Satan works in the atmosphere to cause storms.’ (2SM 52). But, ‘storms obey God’s will.'(COL 81).

Furthermore, the Lord said, ‘Peace, be still, and the wind ceased!’ (v-39). Some have stormy tempers; but He who calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee will say to the troubled heart, ‘Peace, be still.’ There is no nature so rebellious that Christ cannot subdue it, no temper so stormy that He cannot quell it, if the heart is surrendered to His keeping.? (RH June 9, 1910). ‘However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, ‘Lord, save us,’ will find deliverance.’ (RH Oct. 5, 1908). The same testimony is used when Jesus rebuked and silenced demons. This was a spiritual battle as much as a weather crisis. ‘Jesus addressed the raging storm as a ‘force’ threatening Him and his disciples. The force of the sea was muzzled as Jesus subdued it with His sovereign word of authority.’ (Lane)

Convoy

As well, Mark tells us ‘other little boats were also with Him. When Jesus calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee, He did not only rescue Himself and the disciples, but all the others in the little boats.

Fearful Faith

Jesus not only rebukes the wind but now rebukes the disciples, saying, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith’? Jesus did not mention the storm as He was not disturbed by it, but the unbelief of His disciples disturbed Him. It was not their fear of the storm that made Jesus say they had no faith. A small boat in a big storm is a scary place, and the initial fear itself isn?t wrong. What the disciples chose to do with it made all the difference. ‘Distressing fear brings on a lack of faith and trust.'(2T 140)

Seafaring Word

Jesus could say they had no faith because they did not believe His word.

They each heard Jesus say, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.'(Mk 4:22). Jesus did not say, ‘Let’s do the best we can and maybe we?ll all drown.’ He promised a safe arrival, and the disciples could have chosen to trust in that promise, but they didn’t.

In this sense they had no faith. ‘Satan uses fear to rule man’s conscience.’ (GC 591)

He Cares

Jesus could say they had no faith because they accused Jesus of a lack of care towards them. When they woke Him, they said, ‘Do you not care that we are perishing’? (Mk 4:38) When we think Jesus doesn’t care about us, it shows we have no faith, because we don’t believe the truth about Jesus. It takes great faith to trust the sleeping Jesus, to know that He cares and works for us even when it does not seem like it. But this is the kind of trust God wants to build in us, ‘casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:7).

Life Support

Jesus could say they had no faith because they forgot the big picture. The disciples should have known that God would not allow the Messiah to perish in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. Could the story of Jesus possibly end with Him drowning in a boat accident on the Sea of Galilee?

‘Was it reasonable for these men to think that He, who could foresee the future, would take them on board a ship when He foreknew that a storm would wreck them? Would so kind a Leader have taken them to sea to drown them? Was it reasonable to think that He who was so favoured of God would be left to perish? Would He have gone to sleep if they had really been in danger? Was it reasonable to believe that the King of Israel was about to be drowned, even He whom they knew to be the light of the world’

Our unbelief, my brethren, seldom deserves to be reasoned with. Our fears are often intensely silly, and when we get over them, and we look back upon them, we are full of shame that we should have been so foolish. Our Lord kindly censured their unbelief because it was unreasonable.?(Spurgeon)

You see, we could put the emphasis on: ‘How is it that you have no faith’? Of all people, Jesus? own disciples should have had faith. Would Jesus put the same question to us? After all I have done in you and for you, ‘how is it that you have no faith’?

Who Is He?

Not only faith, but the disciples ‘feared exceedingly.’ (Mk 4:41) Certainly, the total calm should have filled them with peace, but instead, they were just as afraid when He calmed the storm as when they were in the midst of it! ‘Calamities will cause men’s hearts to fail for fear.’ (4T53). Moreover, ?Paul had no fear in the storm at sea.? (AA 423). ‘The Moravians were calm in the storm at sea.’ (GC 254-5).

Even so, the disciples, ‘said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him’? (Mk. 4:41)

The disciples asked a good question: ‘Who can this be’? Well, it can only be the Lord, Jehovah, who only has this power and authority. ‘O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds You. You rule the raging of the sea; when waves rise, You still them.'(Psalm 89:8-9). The same piercing question is posed today, ‘Who can this be’? Are we denying Jesus and His message, and His promise, by saying, ‘is this the invincible truth? Is this the right church’? Or ‘am I undeniably saved’?

Sacred Lessons

In the span of just a few moments, the disciples saw both the complete humanity of Jesus and the fullness of His deity. They saw Jesus for who He is: truly man and truly God. These ‘lessons, Christ’s disciples learned from the experience of the storm.? (4T530) The humanity of Jesus ‘was perfected by a life of constant resistance to evil, will be retained by Him forever, was like ours, dependent on the Father for power, wisdom and strength, and will be carried by Him into eternity.’ (AA 531; 5BC 1104; DA 368; 1SM 258; 7BC 925).

Scattered Thunderstorms

Other storms are ‘arising that will test everyone’s spiritual foundation. Every man’s faith will be tried by the gathering storms of God’s wrath, relentless in fury, ready to burst on earth, winds will increase more and more, desolations will be spread everywhere. These are all signs of Christ’s soon coming. The entire world, in its perversity, will be visited by these storms. Unquestionably, stormy times are rapidly coming upon God’s people.

It will be much the same as the disciples in their boat who, ‘on the same day when the night was come, launched off into the dark, foreboding Sea of Galilee.’ The night will come, when darkness will prevail and Jesus will test God’s people. When the Sunday law arrives, and persecutions begin, God’s people will have to abandon everything and ‘flee to the mountains, from the wrath to come, and in one city to another.’ (Matt. 3:7; 10:23, 24:16)

The night will come when the plagues fall on the world, but not on those who are bindingly sealed. Do not hasten, however, in these stormy times by the wrong course of action.'(5T 129, 396; 6T 396; PK 278;Ev 87,199; ChS 136).

Drop It

When worries and trials begin to gnaw at our mind, let’s surrender them to the Lord and not take them back again, ?casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.?(1Peter 5:7). There comes a moment each day when we must simply drop what weighs us down, bail it out and hand it over to God. For Jesus, peacefully, and, devotedly remains with us. That’s the secret of soul-serenity when we?re on life’s stormy tossed sea!

Ship Ahoy!

All this shows the abiding care Jesus has for His people. ‘There are many Christians today who seem to think the boat is going down! I am tired of the wailing of some of my friends and brethren who take that view. ‘Some people are always fearing’ (MYP35). The boat cannot go down! Jesus Is On Board!
AMEN.

John Theodorou, U.S.A