Christ Calms the Storm

We're going to begin our service singing in Psalm 93 from Sing Psalms, Psalm number 93, Sing Psalms.

It's on page 123.

The Lord is King, is throne in jewels, majestic in his height.

The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength and might.

The world is founded, firm and sure, removed it cannot be.

Your throne is strong and you are God from all eternity.

The seas, O Lord, have lifted up, they lifted up their voice.

The seas have lifted up their waves and made a mighty noise.

The Lord enthroned on high is strong.

More powerful is he than thunder of the ocean waves or breakers of the sea.

Your royal statutes, Lord, stand firm and changing is your word.

And holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.

Psalm 93, the whole Psalm, the Lord is King.

The Lord is King, is throne in jewels, majestic in his height.

The Lord is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and might.

The earth is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and might.

The earth is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and might.

The earth is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and might.

The earth is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and might.

The earth is tener to marche and gravity and arm with он in majesty and arm with strength and hands.

The earth is King, is throne in majesty and arm with strength and arm with strength and de Sedans in majesty and arm with strength and amaze.

The earth is Gravel has lifted up hisanza in majesty and arm with strength and arm with strength.

The earth is Jeans in majesty and arm with strength and arm with strength and arm WITH strength and arm with strength and arm with strength and arm with strength and arm's vigor.

Take out their voice.

The seas have lifted up their wings

and made a mighty noise.

The heart and throat are high,

is strong, more powerful is thee

than thunder on.

The oceans wait,

are ravers of the sea.

Pure for the statutes,

heart and firm,

and changing into word,

and holiness adores your hands,

for endless chains, O Lord.

Let us bow in prayer.

O Lord, we give thanks tonight that you are the God who are enthroned on high,

majestic, glorious, sovereign in your power.

We pray for the faith that will see this,

because without faith it is impossible to know it,

to believe it, to accept it.

But we give thanks, Lord, that where there is faith, that faith grows, that faith is enabled to strengthen,

and to delve into deeper things, and come to a greater persuasion and knowledge of your truth.

And we pray, O Lord, that we may praise you with all our heart, and that we may seek to exalt your name in praise,

exalt your name in our mind and in our hearts, in our lives.

We pray that even as we gather here together, that we may realize that we are in the presence of the King,

the one who is all-glorious, enthroned in glory and majesty,

who is worshipped eternally by the hosts of heaven,

and by the church here on earth.

We long for the day when we will all be together, encircled around that throne,

being led by the shepherd who is shepherding us even now,

but will shepherd us throughout an endless eternity.

And we pray, O Lord, that you will grant us grace as we wait upon you,

so that we will hear what God the Lord will speak,

that you will open our ears to hear, our hearts to understand,

our minds to lay hold upon the truth.

Keep away distracting thoughts,

because we know that we are more prone to wander in God's house than probably anywhere else.

Because so often when we come here, we don't come alone,

because the enemy of our soul will seek to distract us,

and take us away from the truth.

Take us away from this word, which makes us wise unto salvation,

because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And so, Lord, we pray for receptive hearts,

hearts that are willing to be changed and transformed by the power of your own spirit.

And we pray that we may seek to become more Christ-like,

and forgive us, Lord, for when we don't.

Forgive us, Lord, when our actions betray the very confession that we make,

and where our speech betrays that confession as well.

O Lord, help us then to resemble Jesus more and more,

as your spirit works in us, conforming us more to the image of Christ.

We pray then that you will help us all as we wait upon you tonight.

And we ask that you will bless us.

It's a wonderful privilege to be blessed by God,

an enriching experience.

And we pray that we will be able to say, because we have been with God,

that it's been good for us to be here.

We pray for all who gather as we do tonight, up and down our land,

and indeed throughout the nations of this world.

And we realize with the different time zones,

that there is almost an encircling praise of God taking place throughout the whole world.

And we give thanks for that, for your people are many,

although we are often led to believe they are few.

We're given that picture in the book of Revelation,

of that great multitude that no one can number.

And so we give thanks, Lord, that you are taking in and gathering your church throughout all nations.

We pray then that you will help us and bless us.

We pray your blessing on the youth fellowship tonight.

We give thanks for our young people.

We pray, Lord, that you'll watch over them in the age that they grow up in,

an age where there are so many issues and difficulties ahead of them,

and where there are pressures that we as older people don't realize or understand.

And ask, Lord, that you will be with them.

Grant them grace and guidance,

and that the teaching that they have when they're young may be embedded in their heart.

For your word tells us, train up a child in the way that he'll go.

And when he's old, he will not depart from it.

And so we pray, Lord, to give thanks for the teachings that we've had.

And we pray that we might be ready to pass on what we have learned

and what we have known to those who are younger.

And so we pray your blessing upon our young people here in the congregation.

And we give thanks, Lord, for all the work that is done amongst them.

Remember, as we say, the fellowship tonight.

Remember the Sunday school and the creche and the twinnies.

Remember the youth club and remember all the explorers and all the different work that goes on with our young.

Lord, our God, we remember those who have gone away to university and colleges and places of learning

and to different maybe apprenticeships, different things away from home,

some for the first time adjusting to a new way of life.

Lord, we commit them to your care and keeping.

We give thanks for families.

Lord, we know that for some people, families, while bringing the greatest joy, for some they are nourishing great sorrow.

We pray for all those who know what it is like to have lost a member of their family.

And we realize that it is one of the most painful things in this world,

because we always expect that the younger will be the ones who will lay to rest the older.

But sometimes, sadly, it's the reverse.

And so we pray for all such tonight who grieve in a special way.

And we pray, Lord, that you will draw close to them and undertake for them and do them good.

We pray, Lord, to bless the congregation just now at a time of vacancy.

Pray, Lord, in light of the vacancy committee and the meeting on Tuesday,

that your wisdom and direction will be given and that throughout time it will become evident and clear in the way in which we're to go.

We pray your blessing upon Colin, who's intermoderated, and ask your blessing to be upon him and his leadership.

We give thanks for him.

We pray for Colin Murdo and we pray your blessing upon him with the extra responsibilities that he has.

And we give thanks for bringing him here, Lord.

We pray for Joanne and the family.

We pray for Joanie and Marissa and Danny.

We pray, Lord, that you'll bless them as a time of a needed break comes up and that you will bring back safe and sound afterwards, refreshed.

Lord our God, we pray to bless us nationally and internationally, particularly in light of the way that nationally we tend to be turning away from you more and more.

And where our leaders are set upon so often forgetting what you have to say and thinking only of what they have to say.

Oh, Lord, we pray to influence advisors to our politicians as well as the politicians themselves.

We pray, Lord, that heavenly wisdom will be given even when they don't ask for it.

But we pray, Lord, that we may see our duties.

We're told to pray for those in authority over us.

It is incumbent upon us.

And so we pray that we may be constantly doing so.

And help us, Lord, have a boldness in prayer and a faith in our prayer, a faith in prayer, that faith centered in you.

We pray then that you will bless us.

We pray as we saw there where Tesco are considering opening on the Lord's Day.

And we realize that that would have a huge impact upon our community.

And we are aware first and foremost upon your day and what it brings to us, the day of rest that you have given to us for our bodies, our minds, but particularly our souls.

It would have far-reaching consequences.

And we pray, Lord, that they may reconsider this decision that they're making or about to make.

We pray, oh, Lord, that you will guide your people throughout this land and all the different places of occupation that you've placed them in, that there will be an influence for good there.

We pray for your church worldwide.

We pray for the persecuted church, particularly in lands of oppression, lands of darkness, lands where there is no gospel freedom.

Oh, Lord, deliver the persecuted even tonight.

Turn the persecutors into your followers in the same way as you turned Saul of Tarshish to become a great missionary.

You are the unchanging God.

We pray that you will guide us as we wait upon you.

And we pray that you will forgive us all our sin.

We confess our sin before you again, acknowledging that in so many different ways we let you down and we let ourselves down.

And so we ask that you will forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Be with those who are going through difficult times in this particular time of their life, where their own world has been turned upside down.

Whether these troubles are physical or mental or whether they're social or family or financial or in whatever area, Lord, where there is a storm in their life.

We ask, Lord, that you will intervene and that you will calm the storm and that you will help them and that you will bless them.

Watch over us, then, Lord, as we wait upon you.

Cleanse us from our every sin.

In Jesus' name we ask it.

Amen.

I'm going to sing again from Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter, 1 to 7.

It's on page 271.

God is our refuge and our strength and streets of present aid.

Therefore, although the earth remove, we will not be afraid.

Though hills amidst the seas be cast, though waters roaring make.

And troubled be, yea, though the hills by swelling cease to shake.

A river is whose streams do glad the city of our God, the holy place wherein the Lord Most High hath his abode.

God in the midst of her doth dwell.

Nothing shall her remove.

The Lord to her unhelper will, and that right early prove.

To the end of verse 7, Psalm 46, 1 to 7.

God is our refuge and our strength.

It mandates a blessed shining peace, people ofabad.

Of the light earth follow yippee who doesn't belong peace.

That made us, people of God, indeed woogue, the blood behind us and cannot жив that provinusið,

God has them as we many ast misleading as paths are not estarful as any of our solidMIN.

The heavy chamber shed

His grace of present day

Let one of all the earth remove

We will not be afraid

Though hills are mixed

The seas becast

Though waters owing gray

And travel deep

In all the hills

High spreading seas to shame

I've been the hills to streams to climb

The saving of the God

The holy place

With the Lord

Who's time hath it's a home

How in the midst of heart of death

Nothing shall I remove

The Lord to her

And ever will

And love my journey through

The heath

Even which should not just be

The kingdom's do it where

The Lord

God of heaven

There in his voice

The heath

He hath it

For fear

The Lord

Our host

Upon our side

That constantly remain

The God of Jacob's

Our refuge

Has safely to maintain

Let us turn now to read God's word

In the gospel of Mark chapter 4

Mark 4 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 4

Mark 4 · chapter mention

And we pick up a reading at verse 21

Mark 4

Mark 4:21

Verse 21

And he

That's Jesus

Said to them

Is a lamp brought in

To be put under a basket

Or under a bed

And not on a stand

For nothing is hidden

Except to be made manifest

Nor is anything secret

Except to come to light

If anyone has ears to hear

Let him hear

And he said to them

Pay attention

To what you hear

With the measure

You use it

It will be measured to you

And still more

Will be added to you

For to the one who has

More will be given

And from the one who has not

Even what he has

Will be taken away

And he said

The kingdom of God

Is as a man

Should scatter seed

In the ground

He sleeps

And rises night and day

And the seed sprouts

And grows

He knows not how

The earth produces

By itself

First the blade

Then the ear

Then the full grain

In the ear

But when the grain

Is ripe

At once he puts in

The sickle

Because the harvest

Has come

And he said

With what can we compare

The kingdom of God

Or what parable

Shall we use for it

It is like a grain

Of mustard seed

Which when

Sown on the ground

Is the smallest

Of all the seeds

On earth

Yet when it is sown

It grows up

And becomes larger

Than all the garden plants

And puts out

Large branches

So that the birds

Of the air

Can make nests

In its shade

With many such parables

He spoke the word

To them

As they were able

To hear it

He did not speak

To them

Without a parable

But privately

To his own disciples

He explained everything

On that day

When evening had come

He said to them

Let us go across

To the other side

And leaving the crowd

They took him with them

In the boat

Just as he was

And other boats

Were with him

And a great windstorm

Arose

And the waves

Were breaking

Into the boat

So that the boat

Was already filling

But he was in the stern

Asleep in the cushion

And they woke him

And said to him

Teacher

Do you not care

That we are perishing

And he awoke

And rebuked the wind

And said to the sea

Peace

Be still

And the wind ceased

And there was a great calm

And he said to them

Why are you so afraid?

Have you still

No faith?

And they were filled

With great fear

And said to one another

Who then is this

That even the wind

And sea

Obeying?

Amen

And may God bless to us

This reading of his holy word

I'm going to sing again

Sing psalm

Psalm number 77

From verse 13

To the end of the psalm

Psalm 77

From verse 13

And sing psalms

It's on page 100

O God

Most holy are your ways

What God compares with you

You are the God of miracles

Whose power the nations view

You have redeemed your people Lord

With your almighty arm

Jacob and Joseph's children

You delivered from all harm

The water saw you

O my God

They saw and writhed in pain

The very depths became convulsed

The clouds poured down the rain

The thunder rolled across the skies

As lightning bolts were hurled

Your thunder in the wind was heard

Your lightning lit the world

The whole earth trembled then and quaked

Your path was through the sea

Your way through mighty waters led

Your footprints none could see

Your people like a flock of sheep

You guided every day

By Moses and by Aaron's hand

You led them on the way

Verses 13 to the end

Psalm 77

O God most holy are your ways

Of the comfishing years

You are the God of miracles

Whose power the nations view

You have redeemed your people Lord

And their reign

The thunder rolled across the skies

As lightning bolts were hurled

Your thunder in the wind was heard

Your lightning lit the world

The thunder tremble men and wings

Your path was through the sea

Your way through mighty waters led

Your footprints and blue sea

Your thusly

Char erste came and mos M pour城

Amen.

Let's turn again to the chapter we read in Mark chapter 4 and from verse 35, a very well-known section of God's word.

Mark 4 · chapter mention

Verse 35, on that day when evening had come, he said to them, let us go across to the other side.

And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was.

And other boats were with them and a great windstorm arose and the waves were breaking into the boat.

So the boat was already filling.

But he was in the stern asleep in the cushion.

And they woke and said to him, teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, peace be still.

And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

And he said to them, why are you so afraid?

Have you still no faith?

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?

As you can see, these were busy days for Jesus.

He was constantly teaching and preaching and he did so with great authority.

We're told elsewhere that his teaching was not like the scribes or the Pharisees, that he taught as one with authority.

And so there was this constant teaching.

And of course, also along with the teaching, there was a lot of healing.

So in the evening, he leaves the crowd beside and he says, we're going to go to the other side.

And he, along with the disciples, set off across the Sea of Galilee.

It doesn't tell us what the weather was like when they left.

But it tells us what happened as they were on their way across, that there came this great windstorm, a great windstorm arose.

So it would look like it was just a normal, calm evening when they left.

But then the weather changed dramatically on the way over.

And I'm sure we've all been at sea one time or another when it's been wild.

And we know what it's like with the howling of the wind, it's whistling, the waves are surging and the boat is rocking backwards and forwards and side to side.

And nobody likes being out in a storm, but I'm sure we would all prefer being on land during a storm.

At least it's firm ground underneath rather than being out on sea.

But anyway, here is, it's a ferocious night.

And it's so bad that the disciples are beginning to become fearful and frightened that the boat is going to end up sinking.

Because it tells us that the waves were coming into the boat and the boat was beginning to fill up.

And we've got to remember that the disciples, by and large, at least a good number of them, they weren't inexperienced in the waters.

They were seasoned sailors.

They were fishermen by trade.

And in fact, the likes of Peter and his brother Andrew and James and John, they were fishermen who had fished these waters day in, day out until they left their nets to follow Jesus.

So if anybody knew these waters, like the back of their hand, it was these disciples.

And yet they're terrified, they're petrified.

And they feel that their end is coming.

And in desperation, we find that they go to find Jesus.

And we find Jesus.

It's very interesting.

We find him in verse 38.

It tells us that he was in the stern asleep on the cushion.

On the cushion.

And just a couple of observations along the way.

And the first thing we notice here, where we find Jesus asleep here, is pointing to the humanity of Jesus.

Jesus is the Son of God.

God of very God.

Equal in power and glory to the Father.

And yet in order to become one for us and one with us, he had to take human nature.

Come into this world and be one with us.

And by taking human nature, he took our nature apart from sin.

And so we find that all the infirmity of our humanness was part of Jesus' life.

He experienced hunger and thirst and pain, physical pain, mental pain, emotional pain.

Everything that we experience apart from sin.

He experienced temptation.

Everything.

But as God, we know that God neither slumbers nor sleeps.

So it's here we see the humanity of Jesus.

And we know that Jesus had spent the days teaching and healing.

And you and I know that if we're very, very busy, and particularly if you're giving of yourself constantly,

that you become exhausted.

You become tired.

And so we find that Jesus is displaying the exhaustion of humanity by simply falling asleep.

And he's sleeping in the storm at the stern of the boat.

And we've got to remember that this Jesus that we see here is the same Jesus tonight.

He hasn't changed.

And he understands all our weaknesses because he has journeyed this world in our nature.

In fact, he still, he has risen in our nature and continues in our nature forever.

But he understands our weaknesses, our pains, our sorrows, our temptations.

And that means that we must go to Jesus.

Jesus, you and I know, if you go through some pain or sorrow in life, some difficulty,

you want to be, it's always easier to share your experience with somebody

who's gone through a similar experience to yours.

Because you know that they'll understand exactly what you're saying.

Because you can share your experience with someone who might be very sympathetic

and very understanding by nature,

but they cannot follow your experience because they've never been there.

But when you meet somebody who can identify totally,

it's helpful, isn't it?

Well, that's the thing about Jesus.

That's why it's so important to go to him.

Because he understands in a way and in a measure that nobody else can or nobody else is able to.

And so it's important that we make our way to Jesus.

And again, the other thing we see about Jesus asleep in the boat

is that he is completely trusting in his heavenly father.

Because in our nature, Jesus lived in absolute dependence upon the father,

filled with the spirit.

He wasn't exercising, as it were, his divine nature in this world.

Yes, he's divine, but he was also human.

And he was exercising, he was living as a human,

but his life was lived in absolute dependence and trust in his father.

That's why he was sleeping like a baby.

Jesus knew that he was going to die, but not in a boating tragedy.

He knew his time hadn't come.

He had a lot of work yet to do for the father.

And so he's resting completely trusting in his heavenly father.

And it's interesting here because it's very obvious that the disciples weren't trusting in Jesus.

Jesus is trusting in his father, but they're not trusting in him.

Because what did Jesus say at the very beginning of the thing?

He said,

That's the word of Jesus.

We're going over to the other side.

Now, if they had faith in Jesus,

and they were trusting in Jesus in the storm,

they would have said,

We're going to come through this,

because the Lord has given his word that we're going to the other side.

And you and I know that it's often when we're given a promise from the Lord

that we're tested in that very thing.

Well, they were being tested,

and they fell badly.

No wonder Jesus said to them at the end,

Why are you so afraid?

Have you still no faith?

Because they were not trusting in Jesus.

And so they come to Jesus,

and they say to him,

Teacher, do you not care that we're perishing?

We're doomed.

It's more or less,

Next wave could be our last.

You know, it's very interesting again,

just by way of observation here.

Here are the disciples,

and they're terrified, they're afraid.

And Jesus is asleep,

but Jesus is going to care for them and provide for them,

and still the storm.

There was a day when almost,

it's not that the roles were reversed,

but when Jesus was facing his washed time on this world,

you go to the garden of Gethsemane,

and he took three disciples,

three that were here,

Peter, James, and John with him,

and he told them,

my soul is now troubled.

And on the floor of Gethsemane Garden,

he sweated,

as it were,

drops of blood.

He was in such agony of soul.

But before he left the three disciples

to go on to his own,

what did he say to them?

You stay here.

Watch and pray.

Jesus sent them,

left them there to pray.

When he came back,

how did he find them?

They were all sound asleep.

And there's almost an irony in what we see here.

That these very disciples who are

wakening up Jesus from his sleep

are the very disciples

who were sound asleep

when he needed them most

to be with them and praying.

But before we come to

see Christ's reaction to the storm,

I think it's important to say that

although Jesus has taken the disciples on board

and they're crossing over to the other side,

a storm,

we mustn't assume

because Christ is on board

that there will be no storm.

And that's true in our journey

through this life.

There are some people who think

that the moment you become a Christian,

that's it.

Life is,

life's easy now.

Life's a bed of roses.

That's the end of troubles,

trials.

And in fact,

it's one of the things

that Jesus tells us

assuredly

that

us Christians

that we will have troubles,

we will have trials.

In this world,

he says,

you will have tribulation,

but be of good cheer.

I have overcome the world.

The troubles that afflict the just

in number

many be,

but yet at length

out of them all,

the Lord

does set him free.

Out of them all.

And so we see that

Jesus here

on board

doesn't mean

that there will

be no storm.

You see,

we can't avoid

troubles

and storms

in life

because we live,

as we know,

in a world

that is filled

with difficult troubles

and difficult traumas.

And maybe tonight

for you,

maybe some of you

are going through

your own

personal storms.

Maybe,

you know,

sometimes

we're very bad

at looking at

other people's lives

and saying to ourselves,

oh, you know,

they've got a

trouble-free life.

We don't know.

The very person

that you think

might have a

trouble-free life

might be a person

who has many,

many issues

and troubles

and traumas

and personal sorrows

that you and I

don't know about.

So we've got to be

very careful

in making our

assessments and

judgments

about other people.

But tonight,

if you are here

and you're going

through your troubles

and you're going

through storms

in your own life,

remember that

Jesus

is

the one

who cares.

because

here

it appears

as if

Jesus

isn't bothering.

It appears

at this moment

as if,

well,

Jesus is asleep.

That's the criticism

that the disciples

have of him.

You're asleep.

You're sleeping.

Here we are

facing death.

Next moment

could be the last.

What are you doing

about it?

You're sleeping.

And there's

almost a kind of a,

there's a criticism

in their attack

on Jesus

when they said,

Master,

do you not care?

You know,

that's probably

one of the most

harsh statements

that could ever be

said about Jesus.

Do you not care?

Why was Jesus

in the boat?

Why did Jesus

come into this world?

Because he cared.

If Jesus didn't care,

he wouldn't have come

to this world.

There would be no gospel.

We wouldn't be meeting

here tonight.

There wouldn't be

any hope for us.

We'd have been

left to our shelves.

But it's because

God the Father cared.

It's because

God the Son cared.

That's why Jesus

came into this world.

So you can see

how wrong

the disciples were

to say to Jesus,

Do you not,

do you care?

Of course he cared.

And I can say

the same thing

to you tonight

because maybe

you're saying the same.

Does Jesus care?

Has Jesus forgotten

to be gracious?

You know,

sometimes we say that.

As the Lord,

that's what it tells us

in the Psalm.

Psalm has said that.

Has God forgotten

to be gracious?

It's as if God

has forgotten

all about me.

Of course he hasn't.

Can't.

And sometimes

we've got to remember

that the Lord

has a reason

for his silence.

He has a reason

at times

for his delays.

We can't understand them.

But he has a purpose

in all these things.

But we also see

that having

the Lord on board

will bring

a wonderful deliverance.

And just as he proved

for the disciples,

he will for you as well.

Now it doesn't tell us

that Jesus said anything

immediately

to the disciples,

although maybe

some of the other

Gospels writers

have a different slant

on it.

But he spoke words.

He rebuked

the wind.

So he addressed

the wind and the sea.

He rebuked the wind

and said to the sea,

Peace,

be still.

I would love to have been there

at that moment.

You and I know

what it's like

on a boat.

And as you say,

the wind is howling.

You go out

on the deck

and there's a whistle

and there's a roar.

Jesus rebukes that.

And there's just

nothing but a silence.

And you know

what it's like

the surge of the sea.

The sea is angry

and it's

heaving

and surging.

And Jesus said,

Peace,

be still.

And it turns

into like a mill pond.

The disciples,

if you were

to look at them,

they would have been

standing there

open-mouthed.

Absolutely.

We use the expression

gobsmacked.

They would have been

just stunned.

So would you.

So would I.

Because you and I

know that

a storm

doesn't go to

zero knots

in a second.

And even when

the wind stops,

you and I know

that the sea

doesn't go flat

calm immediately.

You go,

if there's been

a north wind

out there

and you go

on the ferry

the next day,

even although

there's no wind,

there's still

a roll

in the sea.

You see,

the sea takes

a long time

to calm down.

It's impossible

for the sea

to immediately,

the wind drops

just to go flat

calm.

But that's exactly

what happened

at that moment.

And Jesus

is showing here

his own lordship,

his power.

He is the one

we're going to sing

Psalm 107

at the end.

He is the one

who turns

the storm

into a calm.

And we've got

to remember

that this surging

sea in its

first place

was made

by the Lord.

He is the one

who is Lord

over all.

The wind

and the sea

are his to command.

We sang in

Psalm 77

and it tells us

there,

when the water

saw you,

O God,

they were afraid.

It says,

the psalmist

is personalizing

the very sea.

And the sea

is,

although we see

the sea,

and long ago

the people

used to be

suspicious

of the sea,

it was looked

upon us

where the evil

would come from.

But God

is the one

who created all.

He's God

over all things.

And in that

Psalm it tells us,

your way

was through

the sea,

your path

through the

great waters,

yet your

footprints

were unseen.

Isn't that

beautiful?

What a

description

that is

of Jesus

on another

occasion

on this

very sea,

walking to

the disciples

in the storm

again.

There's no

sign of his

footprints,

but he

walked across

that sea

as if it

was a

pavement.

You see,

he's Lord

over all.

And we've

always got to

remember that.

And we've

always got to

have an

insight into

who the

Lord is.

Because,

you know,

this is a

funny thing.

See it

at verse

36.

It tells

us,

And leaving

the crowd,

they took

him with

them in

the boat,

just as

he was.

Just as

he was.

At that

particular

moment,

although the

disciples

believed him

in Jesus

as the

Messiah,

they had

no idea

who he

really was.

He was

just one

of them,

but still

they believed

in him.

So they

took him

just as

he was.

At this

moment,

when this

person who

was just

as he

was,

their whole

vision of

who he

is has

changed.

He now

becomes this

awesome,

majestic

being.

And they're

hushed into

a new type

of fear in

his presence.

And you

know,

that's what we

need to see

as well.

We need to

see this

Jesus in

all his

awe,

in all his

power.

because far

too often

the way

we see

him is

just as

he is,

just like

another one

of us.

And we

don't

reverence him,

we don't

have the

awe,

we don't

have the

fear in

front of

him.

He's

just one

of us.

No,

he's not.

Yes,

he is.

But thankfully

he's also

God.

And at that

moment their

eyes were

opened to

behold his

glory,

his majesty

and our

power in

a way that

they had

never ever

envisaged

or seen

before.

And so

we find

that Jesus

is the

one who

brings peace

and he

brings calm

into the

troubled

situation.

And you

know the

Lord continues

to do

that.

And that's

what if

you're here

tonight and

you've never

come to

faith in the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

there's a

restlessness.

It may not

be as bad

as a storm,

but there's a

restlessness in

your heart.

That is the

nature of

life.

There is a

restlessness

in every

single heart

until they

find rest

in the

Lord.

The Lord

has made

us for

himself.

And as

one of the

old divines

said,

and the

heart will

be restless

till it

finds rest

in you.

And the

greatest

discovery that

we can ever

make is that

we need

the Lord.

And if

you've never

seen that,

ask the

Lord tonight,

show me

Lord,

show me

myself and

show me

yourself.

Show me

my need

of you.

Show me

the importance

because,

you see,

unless the

Lord does

that,

we don't

see it.

And so

the Lord

will calm

the storm

in your

life.

Peace,

be still.

And you

know,

that's what

the Lord

continues to

do because

he brings

peace to

our conscience.

When you

become a

Christian,

that's one

of the

first things

that happens.

You get

peace in

your conscience.

When you

become a

Christian,

you come

by faith

and by

way of

repentance.

forgiveness,

asking for

the Lord's

pardon and

forgiveness

and cleansing.

And you

know,

when you

receive that,

it's one

of the

most

liberating

things that

can ever

happen in

your life,

to have

the experience

of a

trouble-free

conscience.

Our

consciences

can be so

troubling,

but you

know,

when our

sins are

pardoned,

and we

have a

sense of

divine

cleansing

and

forgiveness,

then our

conscience

doesn't

trouble us

like the

way it

used to.

And the

Lord also

brings peace

to our

heart.

That's what

he says,

my peace

I give

you,

not as the

world gives,

give I unto

you.

You and I

know that

the world,

that there's

an element

you can

have,

when everything

is going

well in

life,

and circumstances

and everything

is coming

together,

you can be

happy and

contented,

and there is

an element

of peace,

that's the

world's

peace.

But it

doesn't

last.

Change the

circumstances,

pull the

plug on

what's

happening,

and the

peace goes

with it.

But Jesus

says my

peace is

different,

it's not

as the

world gives,

my peace

is deep

rooted in

your heart.

Your heart

is made

for my

love,

and when

my love

floods your

heart,

then my

peace comes

in as

well.

It's a

settled

peace that

governs,

yes,

there might

be still a

storm in

your life,

the storm

might not

go,

but there's

a peace

attached to

it,

a peace

that undergirds

your life,

that the

world is

incapable of

giving you.

You remember

what it was

like when you

became a

Christian.

You remember

that peace?

A peace

you never

had before.

You might

have had

good times,

happy times,

contented

times,

but you

never had

real deep

rooted peace

until you

came to

peace in

Christ.

That was

different.

My peace

I give you.

Now of

course we

know all

too well

in this

world that

we,

because of

the nature

of this

world and

because of

all the

trials and

temptations and

difficulties that

we face,

we still

often are

anxious.

You say to

yourself,

surely the

Christian shouldn't

be anxious.

Well,

if we weren't

anxious,

the Lord

wouldn't be

over and

over and

over again

in the

word saying,

don't be

anxious,

don't be

fearful.

If we were

to go through

tonight and

to count all

the number

of times

that the

Lord says,

fear not,

be courageous,

be strong,

don't be

anxious.

But the

Lord tells

us that

basically what

happens when

we become

anxious is

that we've

stopped casting

all our

cares upon

the Lord.

And there's

a beautiful

verse, I

think it's

in Isaiah

that says

something like

that the

one whose

mind great

peace,

well it

says great

peace of

those who

love your

love.

But it

tells us

that the

one whose

mind is

fixed on

you, that

that person

will have

continued

peace,

perfect

peace.

You will

keep in

perfect

peace the

man or

woman whose

mind is

fixed on

you.

Fixed is

a word,

fixed,

fixed on

the Lord.

Because when

we take our

eyes off the

Lord and

we begin to

look at the

troubles,

then of

course we

begin to

rock and

roll again,

we begin to

shake.

It's like

Peter walking

on the

water, as

long as he

was looking

to Jesus,

he walked.

The moment

he took

his eyes

off Jesus

and began

to look at

the storm,

down he

went.

So will

you, so

will I.

But not

only does the

Lord bring

peace to

our conscience

and peace

to our

heart, he

also brings

peace to

our mind

as well.

people.

And you

and I

know that

in this

world there

is so

much stress,

so many

things going

on in

people's

lives.

And

underneath,

and people

don't recognize

this or realize

it, the

bottom line

of it all

is sin.

It's sin

at work.

Because sin

is always

affecting your

thought life.

And people

are saying

they've got all

kinds of

questions.

who is

God?

Is there a

God?

What's it all

about?

Where we're

going?

What's the

point in

life?

All the

time there's

these kind

of aimless

thoughts and

that brings

nothing but

depression and

anxiety and

fear.

Hopelessness.

These kind of

questions, that's

all it brings.

And this world

is forever

changing.

Thoughts are

changing.

Opinions are

changing.

Fashions are

changing.

You can never

keep up with

what's in and

what's out.

It's always

on the move.

But you know

when you become

a Christian,

new standards

take over.

These are not

the issues that

concern you.

It's God's

word became

the rule and

the standard.

Not the

fashions and

the ways and

the tendencies

of this world.

And so the

Christian has a

freer mind.

Our mind isn't

governed by all

these 101 things

that are going

on, being

bombarded,

particularly in

the day that

we're living

in with all

the power of

social media and

all these

things.

Here we have

the calmness of

mind when our

mind is fixed

on Christ.

And so Jesus

says to the

wind, peace be

still.

And he says the

same to you and

to me as well.

And that's the

beauty of when we

follow the Lord,

Jesus Christ.

You and I know

that when we

follow the

Lord, we're

heading to a

world of

eternal peace.

Never know it

in this world

in its fullness.

We have the

first fruits of

it by accepting

Christ.

The fullness of

it belongs in

the world to

come.

When the Lord

made the world

at the beginning,

it was a world

of peace and

tranquility and

calm.

But we know

the impact when

sin entered in

the fall.

And you go to

Eden when it

is broken.

Not when it's

beautiful, but

when it's broken.

And all you see

there is expulsion

and separation

and restlessness

and death.

That's a world

you and I live

in.

Turn on any

news bulletin,

that's all we

see.

Brokenness,

restlessness,

separation,

death.

It's horrific

off on the

news and all

you're seeing

barbaric

situations,

killings,

stabbings,

injustice,

hatred,

violence.

Jesus came

into this

world because

he cares.

Do you

care?

The disciples

said, of

course I

care, says

the Lord.

That's why

I'm here

tonight offering

myself to

you.

And

remember

that the

trials that

the disciples

went through

brought them

to see a

greater glimpse

of the glory

of the Lord.

And so it

will be for

you.

You think,

has the Lord

forgotten me in

the trials?

Do you know

something?

You look back

and you'll say,

you know,

that trial

actually was

for my benefit.

I got a

glimpse of the

glory of God

I hadn't seen

before.

I was guilty

of looking on

Jesus as he

was,

rather than

who he is.

Now I'm

seeing him

for who he

is.

Well tonight

the captain

of our salvation

is on the

deck of the

ship and

he's inviting

us in to

come on board

with him.

He doesn't

guarantee us a

passage where

there won't be

storms,

but he guarantees

us a safe

passage to the

end.

And you know

what matters?

The end.

It's not how it

is halfway

through or even

three quarters of

the way

through.

It's how it

ends.

That's what

matters.

And when we

have the Lord

with us and

we're on board

with the Lord,

it's going to

end well.

You make sure

it's going to

end well with

you by having

Jesus.

Let us pray.

Lord our God,

we pray to

bless us tonight

and we give

thanks for the

lessons that you

teach us out of

your word.

Make us receptive

to them.

May we have an

understanding heart.

May we lay hold

upon your truth.

May it go down

deep into our

heart and impact

us for good.

Pray to take

every single one

of us home safely.

Bless our homes

and our families.

Lord we give

thanks that we

experience so

much good from

you.

And we know

that every good

and perfect gift

is from above.

Help us Lord

always to be

returning thanks

to you.

Grant us your

grace then we

pray.

Bless the

fellowship that

we'll meet

shortly in the

hall.

Forgiving us our

sin in Jesus

name we ask

it.

Amen.

We're going to

conclude singing

in Psalm 107

from the

Scottish

Psalter

verses 26

to 30.

Psalm 107

Psalms 107:26–30

verses 26

to 30.

Psalm

the

Scottish

Psalter

page 384.

Psalm 107

They mount to

heaven then to

the depths they

do go down

again.

Their soul

doth faint and

melt away with

trouble and with

pain.

They reel and

stagger like one

drunk at their

woods end they

be.

Then they to

God in trouble

cry who them

from streets

doth free.

The storm was

changed into a

calm at his

command and

will so the

waves which

raged before

now quiet are

and still.

Then are they

glad because

at rest and

quiet now they

be.

So to the

haven he then

brings which

they desired to

see.

26 to 30

of Psalm 107

They mount

to heaven.

Amen.

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which may he start to see.

I'll go to the door on my right.

Now may the grace, mercy and peace of God the Father,

Son and Holy Spirit rest and abide upon each one of you now and forevermore.

Amen.

Amen.