Consider His Presence, pt 1

Mark chapter 4 is where we're going to be this morning.

Mark 4 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 4.

Mark 4 · chapter mention

As we continue looking here in lesson 2 of Consider Christ,

Jesus was everything he did, the decisions he made,

were in the context of fulfilling what God the Father had sent the Son to accomplish.

And when we understand that dynamic,

and it was a timetable that he was put on,

and every step was a step of purpose,

and with every deed was a deed meant to glorify the Father.

And we're going to look here this morning at Jesus

because the passage we're going to look at is part of his Galilean ministry period.

It's full of miracles and preaching.

But after a busy day of ministry, the Lord tells his disciples,

let's pass over to the other side.

Let's go to the other side.

And this would take him to the country of the guardians,

where he would continue doing his Father's business.

So the disciples get on a ship to cross the Sea of Galilee,

and they cross the sea.

This is a sea they'd been across many times.

You know, I want you to understand, when we look at this story,

it wasn't a strange place to them,

but it was a place that they were going to experience a storm

that took them outside of their comfort zone,

that took them to thinking about things differently

than they normally would have.

And on that journey,

the disciples learned a great lesson through the storm.

And that was their need for the Lord to be with them.

And the Lord to be there,

until the storm raged on that trip.

The storm began to rage,

and, you know, they left with confidence,

but they soon were faced with fear.

And when we consider Christ's presence,

because sometimes, have you ever noticed

that we can probably relate a little differently,

but oftentimes we start the day confidently,

thinking we know how the day is going to go.

You know, we start the day saying,

hey, I'm going to accomplish this and that,

or we're going to navigate the waters of our life.

You know, we've been down this road many times,

and so we don't give it much thought.

You know, I really think when the disciples left that day,

they probably didn't give it much thought

when they departed the shore.

Why?

Because it's a trip,

and they'd been out and familiar with those waters

their whole life.

They thought it was just going to be another normal day.

Another day that was just like the rest,

and when we understand that unplanned storm came,

and then we realize that we couldn't.

When unplanned storms come,

we soon realize that we can't on our own,

that life can feel overwhelming,

and we can even forget our need for the Lord,

and even though He's always present,

because, you know, life's filled with storms.

You know, this year,

April and I's life went kittywampus, you might say.

Upside down, storms come, they change things,

but you know what?

It's no different than anybody else's life,

because we all face storms.

We all face things that happen in life,

and because the disciples here,

and their story that's recorded for us,

we're going to learn some truths

that are going to benefit us today,

and the first thing we're going to look at

is the reality of storms,

the reality of storms.

Let's look at our text here this morning

as we begin here.

Look down in Mark chapter 4.

Mark 4 · chapter mention

Look at verse 35,

And it says this,

And the same day when the even 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 ship,

and they were also with Him other little ships.

And there was also,

get my right place here,

And there arose a great storm of wind,

and the waves beat into the ship,

so that it was now full.

You know, the reality of storms.

You know, the fact that Jesus was present on the ship

didn't guarantee the journey was going to be smooth.

You know, have you ever noticed that sometimes our mindset,

well, the Lord's with me means all the road's going to be smooth.

You know, we can get that,

sometimes grab a hold of that in our mind,

but you know what?

It's really unbiblical thought.

Because Jesus never said,

If I'm with you, the road will be smooth.

Matter of fact, He retells us and reminds us just the opposite.

The Bible tells us that we're going to have storms,

and we're going to have trials.

There's going to be struggles in this life.

You know what?

The devil sometimes, when you think about it,

that's a great lie of the devil.

You know, if you have Jesus, life should be smooth.

You know what?

That makes people disheartened

with the truth of who God is.

Because when they believe the lie that,

Hey, life will be grand if I just have Jesus.

You have an eternity that's going to be grand.

But in this life,

you have a Savior that will walk with you

in the storms and the trials that you face.

He said we're going to have some problems.

You know, when we understand that

when somebody teaches that

when you do what Christ wants you to do,

everything's going to go smooth.

You know, there's a lot of people who actually promote that.

That's called a prosperity gospel.

You'll have wealth and health,

and life will be grand

if you're just doing everything right with the Lord.

You know, the first thing it tells me,

they didn't read the book.

Because you have faithful people

who serve the Lord faithfully.

Even to the point of giving their life

as a martyr for the truth of the gospel.

Can you say that they didn't walk with the Lord?

Look in the Old Testament.

Wednesday night, the message was on

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

You know, their faith in the Lord

was a reality of what?

Hey, you can throw us in the furnace

and we have to serve a God who can save us,

but if not, we're still going to serve Him.

You know, that's a reality

that we need to understand

because storms are going to come.

And we sometimes say,

well, why would God allow storms?

I want you to understand,

storms are a tool that God allows

because He uses them to chasten us

or to draw us back closer to Him.

Trials are what comes into our lives

because He's using them to conform us to His image,

to understand who we are and who He is.

You know, you think about for a moment,

here's these disciples,

they're getting in a ship

to go to the other side.

Were they in the Lord's will?

I mean, I don't think you get much more

when Jesus says,

get in the ship,

let's go to the other side.

But there was a storm that came up.

The reality of storms,

because secondly,

the first thing here,

they can be unpredictable.

If you ever know storms,

you never quite know what you're going to get.

You know,

I was thinking about that this week

as we were watching the weather forecast.

You know,

I'm trying to figure out

when's it going to rain,

how much rain we're going to get.

And I got the little forecast thing open.

And as I'm sitting there,

it goes from,

I open it up about at one point

and it says,

well, it's going to have an inch of rain

in an hour.

The next hour,

you're going to have an inch of rain.

While I'm looking at it,

it drops to half an inch.

And then drops down to a quarter inch.

And then I open up about 30 minutes later

and it's back up to three quarters of an inch.

You know,

it's like,

okay guys,

let's make your mind up here.

But you know what?

That's really

a good example of how storms come.

They're very unpredictable.

You know,

the best technology we have,

we still can't figure it out.

There's still so many variables.

You know,

the same is true of the storms of your life.

There's going to be things that are different.

They're going to be unpredictable.

You know,

the place that they're crossing here

in the scriptures,

the Sea of Galilee.

It's 732 feet below sea level

and is a site of ferocious winds

that come down and race into the valleys.

Even though the disciples knew that

and had weathered storms before,

because when they'd been on this

and they're fishermen,

some of them are fishermen

that had been out and across this,

do you think this was the first storm

they ever faced?

No,

I don't think this was the first storm.

They knew something about this storm

was different though.

Because that day,

they faced a storm

that caused them to fear

for their lives.

But why did they fear?

They feared

because they forgot

who was with them.

Jesus was there.

Jesus promised

they were going to pass

to the other side

and he was going to fulfill his promise

because storms

are unpredictable to us,

but they are never a surprise to God.

God always knows

what's going to happen.

You know,

it's like one of those

intellectual thoughts.

Have you ever considered

nothing was a surprise to God?

Nothing catches him off guard.

He knows the end.

from the beginning.

He knows exactly

what you're going to face.

And we're going to go through

storms and trials

and God knows

what he's doing

because he's going to

bring us through.

Because trials

are used

to make us conform

to the image

of Christ.

You know,

think about a great verse

in Scripture

to always remind ourselves.

Go to Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

for a moment.

Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

and verse 28.

You know,

it's a familiar verse,

but this is really

the context

that it applies

in our life.

Romans 8, 28

tells us this.

It says,

For we know

that all things

work together for good

to them that love God,

to them who are called

according to his purpose.

You know,

that's an often quoted verse,

but you know,

there's great comfort

because that verse

doesn't say

life is going to go smoothly.

It doesn't say

everything's going to go grand.

It just tells us

and reminds us

that all things

work together

for good to them

that love God.

You know what it tells us?

That storm

in your life

has a purpose.

There's a purpose

behind it.

We have to focus

on who Jesus

is.

That he's with you

in the midst

of the storm.

Because that passage

in Romans goes on,

it says,

For whom he did foreknow,

he also did predestinate

to,

can be conformed

to the image

of his Son,

that he might be

the firstborn

among many brethren.

He says,

All things work together

for good

for what purpose?

That we might be

conformed

to his image.

That's sanctification

being worked out

in your life.

Because you know what?

The reality is

is when the times

are tough

is when you really

figure out

the what

and the how

and the need.

To understand

that God

is there.

Because you know what?

When everything

is going smooth,

you know what's easy

to get?

It's complacent.

All of us do it.

You know,

we're creatures

of habit.

We're creatures

of habit

who say

we don't like habit.

That we don't

like things

all the same

but we get upset

if it's not the same.

But you know

what happens

when things

are predictable

and things

are going

the way we think?

We get very

complacent.

Complacency

is an open

door for sin.

Now here a few

weeks ago

we talked about

David.

King David.

What got David

in trouble?

Complacency

because he was

back home

when he should

have been out

at the battle.

Why did the king

not go out

to battle?

Because they were

confident they were

going to overcome.

They were complacent.

complacency

gets us

in trouble

because

when we

understand

and when we

get complacent

you know

we start

depending on

ourselves.

I can do

this.

I can accomplish

this.

I can get

through this.

But when

storms come

it reminds

us that we

have a savior

that promises

to never leave

us

or forsake

us.

not only

can storms

be unpredictable

but they

can also

be unmerciful.

You know

in the midst

of storms

you know

storms are

not a

respecter

of persons.

You know

in Nebraska

we have

tornadoes.

Have you

ever noticed

that tornadoes

are non-discriminatory?

If you are

in its path

it doesn't

matter

how famous

you are.

It doesn't

matter how

much money

you have.

It doesn't

matter

how poor

you are

or how

destitute

you are.

You know

what?

A tornado

will destroy

everything

in its

path.

It does

not respect

anybody

in that

time.

They can

become

unmerciful

at any

times.

And we

find here

that storms

can sometimes

fill you

up and

consume

those things.

You know

look back

in our

text here

look in

chapter 4

look at

verse 37

it says

and there

arose a

great storm

of wind

and the

waves beat

into the

ship so

that it

was what

now

full.

Now

full.

You know

what made

them nervous

about this

storm?

Experienced

sailors who

had crossed

this sea of

Galilee many

times

because they

understood

one reality

if the

water gets

in the

ship

what

happens?

If you

can't

bail

faster than

the water

coming in

what happens

to the

ship?

It's

going down.

They

understood

the reality

of what

was going

to happen.

You know

they understood

what was

going on

around them.

The storm

was unmerciful

and the water

and the boat

kept getting

higher and

they were

overwhelmed.

You know

what?

Often times

the storms

in our

life aren't

water filling

the ship

literally

but often

we find

ourselves in

situations

through storms

that feel

overwhelming.

Life can

overwhelm

because you

just don't

know what

to do or

how to

deal with

it.

You know

but people

respond to

trials in

life differently.

You know

today we

live in a

society and

throughout

history you'll

find this

is still

pretty

consistent.

A lot

of things

we face

today we

think are

just modern

problems.

You know

what?

The problem

is when

people get

into situations

in life

when life

seems overwhelming

they turn

to what I

often refer

to as

self-medication.

They turn

to alcohol

or drugs.

I can

suppress the

problem.

I don't

want to

deal with

the problem

so therefore

I suppress

my feeling

about the

problem.

that's

really what

alcohol and

drugs is

about.

It's not

about solving

the problem

but it

allows them

to disconnect

from the

problem in

their mind.

They don't

realize the

destruction

attached to

it.

There's

immorality.

You know

often times

people find

escape from

it by

immoral

acts and

immoral

choices.

Why?

Because it

distracts the

mind.

You know

what?

I think

there's a lot

of people

that are

dealing with

pain in

life right

here.

Because I

can doom

scroll and

my mind

is consumed

and distracted

from the

reality around

me.

There's a lot

of people

who use a

phone as

medication.

You can

read some

studies on it

the dopamine

that hits in

the brain.

No matter

what you're

doing on

that,

just the

stimulation in

your brain

hits dopamine

and gives

you that same

sensation of

people on

drugs and

alcohol.

You might

say, I

never do

drugs and

alcohol, but

you know

what?

Sometimes we

can use

other things

to distract.

Instead of

looking for

the solution

and the one

who has the

solution, we

look to

self-medicate,

self-distract.

you know,

sometimes in

the midst

of storms,

believers

will do

strange

things.

You know,

it's like,

well, that

church I'm

not getting

fed at.

They think

switching churches

is going to

solve a

problem or

switch schools

or move to

a new

neighborhood.

And they do

it in seeking

peace, but you

know what?

None of those

things are the

source of

peace.

They may be a

source of

distraction, but

they're not a

source of

peace.

When we

understand that

dynamic, that

even though there's

many ways to

handle problems

and storms, the

only way that

will bring

comfort is

trust in the

Lord.

You know,

consider the

reality that

as you go

through trials,

don't seek only

to change your

circumstances,

instead allow the

Lord to change

your heart.

You know, a lot

of people try to

change the

circumstances,

not realizing

that God is

working in

your heart to

change something

that needs to

be changed in

you, to walk

through those

things.

Look over to

James for a

moment.

James chapter

James 1 · chapter mention

1.

James chapter

James 1 · chapter mention

1, look down

at verse 2.

Notice what

James tells us.

You know, I

like James.

James is a

practical guy.

I like James.

He doesn't do a

lot of fluff.

You know,

sometimes all the

extra details are

good.

He gets right to

the point.

Notice this.

He says,

my brethren,

count it all

joy when you

fall into

diverse temptations.

You know what

he says?

When storms

happen in your

life, when

things unpredictable

happen, when

things that

overwhelm you

happen, he

makes it very

clear.

He says, when

you fall into

diverse temptations

to do what?

Knowing this.

Think about the

practical dynamic

that James is just

telling you there.

knowing this.

You know what?

We operate on

what we think we

know.

If you know the

right things, it

impacts the

decisions that you

make.

Notice what it

says.

He says,

knowing this,

that the trying

of your faith

worketh

patience.

But let

patience have

her perfect

work.

There's a key

word right there

that he uses

knowing something.

He says, let.

Have you ever

just thought about

for a moment

what that entails?

Let.

Does that entail

you doing

everything to

overcome it?

It means

surrendering to

the things of

God and allow

God to direct

you through.

Let patience

have her

perfect work.

You know,

we're an

impatient society.

We want

everything right

now.

You know,

we have a

generation coming

up that they

have things at

their fingertips

and ability to

research and to

do, and we

have some

wonderful.

Technology is a

great tool.

So I don't

want you to

take it wrong.

You know,

I like

technology.

There's some

things made my

life a lot

simpler with

technology.

But you know,

one thing it

does, it makes

us impatient.

I want this

now.

I want it

quick.

I want to

get it.

It needs to

be done

instantaneously.

You know,

we live in a

society, if

somebody sends

a message and

they haven't

responded in

30 seconds,

your first

thought is,

why are they

ignoring me?

You know,

I'm old enough

to remember

when somebody

had to call

you on a

funny little

device.

I still laugh

because you

still got people

today that'll

do this.

Even though

they've only

ever used a

cell phone.

They picked

up a mannerism

from their

parents.

You know,

you know what,

when you called

somebody, if

nobody was

home, you

know what

happened?

I remember

before they

had answering

machines.

If nobody

was home, you

got nobody.

You didn't even

have a funny

little machine to

talk to that

may or may not

take your message

depending on how

full the tape was

or cut you off

mid-sentence

or eat the tape.

You're saying

answering machines

with tape.

Yeah, that's

how old I am.

But you think

about, you go

from a generation

that has an

expectation of,

okay, certain

things are going

to take time.

You call, you

leave a message,

you know what,

you just expect,

hey, they'll get

back to me when

they can.

But we live in a

generation that our

expectation is

instantaneous.

not all bad,

but the problem

is we treat God

the same way.

We say, God,

don't you know

I'm in a storm?

You need to solve

this right now.

But you know

what, we learn

the most when we

have to let go

of ourselves

and let patience

have her perfect

work.

You know what

that's saying?

I don't control

the situation.

it's really a

control factor.

Am I in control

or am I going

to allow the

Lord to be in

control?

To walk through

those things

because when

trials come,

allow God to

work through you

the way he

intends to.

You know,

patience also

means not

quitting.

Today, we have

a concept of

if it gets,

if it's not

comfortable,

move on to

something else.

Do we agree

that's kind of

a cultural

dynamic today?

If things get

difficult or

uncomfortable,

I'm going to

avoid it.

Instead of

understanding

what God

wants to do,

we quit.

We allow

ourselves to

go through

the trial so

that God can

finish that

work.

You need to

allow God

to work.

no matter

how much

your trial

fills you

up,

you need

to keep

trusting

the Lord.

You know,

think about

a verse

that we

often teach

the kids

downstairs

that's just

as important

as adult.

Think about

Proverbs 3,

5,

and 6.

Who can

quote that

off the top

of your head

this morning?

Nancy?

Amen?

That's a

verse that's

easy to say,

but what's

letting that

happen?

Let patience

have her

perfect

work.

Don't

quit.

Don't

give up

just because

things get

difficult.

God

will never

fail you.

Even in the

midst of storms

we become so

filled with fear

that we lose

our sense

of the Lord's

presence.

That's exactly

what the

disciples did.

They'd already

seen,

think about

this for a moment,

they'd seen

Jesus cast

out demons,

perform miracles,

yet the

little ship

with the

storm raging

they forgot

who was on

board with

them.

When we

worry about

what's coming

we forget

who is on

the journey

with you.

You know,

this passage

is our theme

for VBS.

I want you

to understand

that I think

it's important

we even cover

it because

as we

try to

teach the

kids,

as adults

we need to

make sure

we understand

what's being

taught.

How does

it apply

to us?

Because you know

the one thing

I've learned

over the years

if you don't

know how it

applies to you

it's hard to

tell somebody

else how it

applies to

them.

You know

remember

God cares

about you

because

whenever

storms happen

you know

what the

devil's

going to

do?

he's going

to try

to distract

your perspective.

He's going

to try

to distort

what's going

on.

He wants

you to

lose sight

of the

God

that's

with you.

He wants

to distract

from what

God would

have for

you.

He'll

whisper

things

well

a good

God

wouldn't

allow

this

to

happen

to

you.

You know

that's

another

side

discussion

that's

happening

a lot

and says

well how

could

a good

God

allow

this

to

happen?

You know

what their

assumption

is?

Life

should

have

no

problems

so

that

I

might

consume

everything

to

myself.

It's

a

perspective

problem.

The devil

will tell

you God

isn't with

you or

God

doesn't

care or

everyone's

against

you.

But the

first thing

to remember

the devil

is a

liar.

He's

the father

of it.

You know

some people

are better

liars

than

others.

There

isn't

a

personal

lie

the

best

liar

and

there's

some

good

liars

we have

plenty

of

politicians

they

don't

hold

any

measure

against

the

master

the

devil.

If

you

think

how

deceitful

a

person

can

be

imagine

the

one

that's

the

author

of

it.

The

devil

will

tell

you

lies

but

God

does

care

for

you

in

the

midst

of

storms.

Go

to

1 Peter

1 Peter 4 · chapter mention

chapter

4

and

we'll

finish

up

here

this

morning.

We'll

have

to

do

part

two

next

week

to

finish

up

the

lesson

but

look

over

here

at

1 Peter

1 Peter 4 · chapter mention

chapter

4

look at

verse

12

here's

Peter

think about

Peter

was one

in the

storm

he says

beloved

think it

not

strange

concerning

the

fiery

trial

which

is

to

try

you

as

though

some

strange

thing

happened

unto

you

but

rejoice

in

so

much

as

you

are

partakers

of

Christ's

suffering

that

when

his

glory

shall

be

revealed

you

may

be

glad

also

with

exceeding

!

Joy!

Keep

in mind

that

storms

are

going

to

come

and

when

trials

come

God's

grace

is

sufficient

to

carry

you

through

if

you'll

let

him

so

when

storms

come

we'll

cover

a little

bit

more

next

week

as

we're

going

to

look

and

see

the

disciples

response

finally

in

the

midst

of

the

storm

let's

pray