SERMON: MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Genesis 1:26-30

 

Genesis 1:26-30

New International Version

 

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 

27 So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

 

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

 

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

 

            -- I want you to do something today that a lot of adults don’t do any more -- I want you to use your imagination -- now, imagine that you are driving around town in your car -- you’re late for an appointment so you’re trying to get there as fast as you can -- maybe you’re even driving a little too fast for the conditions -- and as you approach the next intersection, you see that the stoplight is changing from yellow to red and so you hit your brakes, and they don’t work

            -- there you are -- barreling towards the intersection at a high speed -- the light’s changing -- and you’ve got no brakes

            -- so, you’ve got to do something -- because you’re going to come to a stop pretty quick, one way or the other

 

-- you look to your right, and you see a brand new BMW parked on the right side of the intersection, just off the road -- still has the dealer’s invoice taped to the window -- and you know if you hit it, your insurance is going to make you pay dearly

            -- you glance to the left, and right there in the turn lane, there is a truck full of electronics that is sitting there with its hazards on -- it has got its ramp down, and the driver is apparently unloading the truck there -- in fact, he has left a dolly at the back of the truck with a brand new TV sitting right on it, right there in the road

            -- so, here you are, barreling down towards a stop light that you can’t stop at and if you swerve to the right, you hit a brand new BMW -- and if you swerve to the left, you destroy thousands of dollars of new electronic equipment and possibly hit the truck, really damaging your vehicle

-- what do you do? -- you take the risk, don’t you? -- you grit your teeth and run the light, hoping no other cars are coming through -- but I didn’t tell you the final piece in our imagination experiment

 

            -- about the time you commit to chancing your luck with running the red light, a lady who appears to be homeless walks right out into the cross walk in front of you

-- she’s not in good shape -- she’s shambling along -- she appears to be very unhealthy, probably because she’s been sleeping for years out on benches or under bridges -- her clothes are just filthy rags -- she’s pushing a shopping cart just filled with trash and junk -- and as she moves, she’s limping and dragging one foot behind the other -- immediately, you get the sense there’s something wrong with her -- physically and mentally

            -- at this point, you have no choice -- you’re going to hit something -- either you’re going to hit the BMW, the truck with the electronic equipment, or you’re going to hit the old street lady

-- it flashes through your mind that this old lady probably has no family or friends -- no one would even know or even care that she is gone -- if you hit her, you wouldn’t hurt your car nearly as much -- and everyone would understand that it was an unavoidable accident

-- so, what’s your choice? -- which would you choose to sacrifice and which would you choose to save and avoid hitting?

 

            -- now you’re probably all thinking this is a stupid exercise because none of us would ever even considering hitting the old lady with our car -- we’re going to crash into either the BMW or the truck -- no question about it -- but let me ask you this -- why? -- why not?

            -- this woman is not a productive citizen -- she’s obviously homeless -- probably has no one that cares for her -- she’s probably a drain on society -- so why would all of us in here do everything in our power to avoid hitting her?

 

            -- it’s certainly not because we found her attractive, because she’s not -- it’s certainly not because we think she’s productive and needed by society, because that’s not true -- so why would we avoid hitting her?

-- for the same reason people risk their lives to save a stranger who falls in a rushing river -- for the same reason we sit around our TV spellbound and watch as a community tries to rescue one little girl who has fallen into a well -- for the same reason we do whatever we can to save someone else’s life, even if we don’t like that person at all

            -- we do it because -- even if we don’t say it -- even if we don’t realize it consciously in our mind -- we know, in our heart of hearts, that every person is created in the image of God and is endowed by our Creator with value and worth¹

 

            -- I’ve been doing some reflecting recently on the image of God -- on what it means to us and how it should influence our actions and our thoughts and our beliefs -- so this morning, I thought we’d take just a few moments to think about this concept of Imago Dei -- being made in the image of God -- and what it means for us as Christians

 

II.  The Image of God

            -- this idea of mankind being made in the image of God is primarily found here in the Book of Genesis -- we see it in three passages:

-- Genesis 5:1-2 -- where it says that God created man in His likeness

-- Genesis 9:6, when God is speaking to Noah after the flood and warns him that whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, because God made man in the image of God

-- and, finally, we see the first mention of the image of God in the Bible here in the first chapter of Genesis in the creation account

            -- look back at Genesis 1:26 and let’s read this passage again [read Genesis 1:26-30]

 

            -- so what is the image of God? -- what does the Bible mean when it talks about the Imago Dei -- when it tells us that humans were made in God’s image?

            -- well, that’s the question for the ages, because you can’t find anyone with a definitive answer -- you can go from commentary to commentary or from Bible study to Bible study, and you’re going to find different ideas of what the Bible means when it says we are created in the image of God

            -- I did a lot of reading on this and a lot of studying, so here’s what I took from all of it -- to be created in the image of God means that we were created with certain attributes reflective of God’s nature that the rest of creation does not possess -- in other words, out of everything that He made, God chose to bless mankind by making us like Him -- He placed in us, and us alone, a small part of His own nature and character and attributes

 

            -- so, when we think of being made in the image of God, we’re not really talking about our physical being -- the Bible doesn’t mean that we have two arms and two legs and look like we do because that’s the way God looks -- when the Bible is referring to the image of God, it is not referring to the physical -- to a 3-D representation of who God is -- no, the Bible is clear that God is Spirit and so He doesn’t have a physical body in the way that we do

            -- yes, I know Jesus was in a physical body -- fully God and fully Man -- but keep in mind that this creation account is preincarnational -- it is before the incarnation -- before the appearing of Christ in the flesh -- so, the image of God is not physical -- it is something else

 

            -- the image of God is internal -- it is within us -- to be made in the image of God refers to our minds and our souls and our spirits -- being made in the image of God means that we have been created with memory, intellect, will, moral understanding, and a spirit

            -- because we have been created in the image of God we can think and reason with a capacity not found in other creatures -- we can imagine and plan out our futures -- we don’t just live in the immediate or the near-immediate

-- your dog, no matter how smart you think they are, doesn’t have a life plan worked out and isn’t thinking, “well, next year I’m going to do this” -- no, only mankind has that capacity to think long term like that

            -- and, being made in the image of God, we have free will -- we can choose what we will and won’t do -- we can decide what behavior and action we will take in a given situation -- we don’t just react by natural instinct or through a hormonal response -- we have the freedom to choose -- something that makes us distinct from other creatures

 

            -- because we have been created in the image of God, we have moral understanding -- we are born knowing right from wrong -- you don’t have to teach kids this -- they know it intuitively -- just watch and listen to toddlers play -- if someone takes their toy, what do they say? -- “That’s not fair!”

-- where’d they learn that? -- who taught a toddler about that? -- no one -- we’re all born with this moral order in our hearts because we were created in the image of God -- that’s why we intuitively know what is right and what is wrong

 

            -- and, finally, because we have been created in the image of God, we have a spirit within us -- out of all of creation, only mankind was endowed by God with a spirit -- we are eternal beings -- we have the breath of God within us -- and when our physical bodies die, those of us who have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior will continue to live forever with Him

 

            -- so, to be made in the image of God is to have memory and intellect -- free will and moral understanding -- and a spirit

-- to be made in the image of God means that you are a special creation -- and this is true regardless of your personal relationship with Christ -- all humans are made in the image of God -- all of us

-- and because we are made in the image of God, all humans have intrinsic value and worth -- -- the unborn baby in the womb is just as valuable as the President or someone with Down’s Syndrome or an elderly homeless person crossing the street in front of your car because they are formed and exist in the image of God

            -- this realization that we are created in the image of God makes life sacred -- this is the underlying foundation of the sanctity of life movement -- the pro-life movement

-- this is why we stand up for the lives of unborn children -- this is why we should be fighting against injustice and inequality wherever it arises -- this is why we stand up for the widows and the elderly and the orphans and the mentally challenged -- it’s because we are all created in the image of God -- we all have value, even if society refuses to see it

 

III.  Living in the Image of God

            -- but, there’s more to this than just being endowed at creation with the image of God -- look back at verse 26 -- I want to show you something

 

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 

            -- so, without a doubt, we were created in God’s image -- which should raise the question in your mind:  why? -- for what reason did God create us in His image?

            -- I think the key is here in verse 26 -- not only were we created in God’s image, but we were created in His likeness -- the Bible uses two different Hebrew words here that are translated image and likeness -- and I think that’s important to note

 

            -- the image of God -- being created with memory and intellect and will and moral capacity and a spirit -- is our initial state of being – all people are created in the image of God – no matter where they are born or who they are or what they believe – if you are a human, you have been created in the image of God

-- and because of this, God has formed us with the capacity – the ability -- to fulfill our purpose and calling in Him, which is the next part

 

            -- likeness – verse 26 says that we were made in the image and likeness of God – to be made in the likeness of God means that we take the capacity – the ability within us to become like Him – and bring it to fruition – we bring it to life

-- in other words, God made us in His image so that we would become like Him -- or, as the New Testament puts it, so that we would become more and more like Jesus in our thoughts and actions and behaviors and beliefs -- having the very mind of Christ

            -- when verse 26 talks about us being made in the likeness of God, it is a call to take the image of God that is within us and do something with it -- to live it out and reflect God in all we are and all we do

            -- to be made in the likeness of God is an invitation and a call for us to live in a covenantal relationship with God – as we know now on this side of the cross, it is an invitation to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior and to allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify us and make us like Him

 

            -- think about it like this -- all people in the world are created in the image of God, right? -- but not all people know God or are living for Him, right? -- atheists are made in the image of God -- but certainly they do not know Him nor are they living for Him -- they are made in His image, but they are not living in His likeness because they have not responded to God’s invitation to live in relationship with Him – they have not allowed themselves to be made in His likeness

            -- to be made in the likeness of God is to know Him and to live for Him and to do what He has called us to do -- as John Piper put it, “To receive the image of God through Christ means to begin to share in his glory, knowledge, righteousness, and holiness. It means to become like him.” -- we are made in the image of God so we can become like Him and live in relationship with Him

            -- that’s why the third commandment -- the command to not take the name of the Lord in vain -- is only for covenantal people -- it is only for those people who are living in covenantal relationship with God -- because these are the people who are made and are living in the likeness of God and who are called to a higher order

            -- we talked about this in depth a few months ago when we looked at what it means to take the name of the Lord in vain -- this command was originally given to the Jews, as God’s chosen people, and it still applies to us today as the family of the new covenant through the blood of Christ

            -- because we know we are made in the image and likeness of God – because we are in a personal relationship with God and know that we have been called to live like Him and for Him in this world – to represent Him with our lives – we are the ones who are commanded to not take the name of the Lord in vain or in an unworthy manner by not living for Him – by not obeying Him and living in His likeness

            -- someone who is not living in a personal relationship with God – who has not received Jesus as their Lord and Savior – is not made in His likeness and cannot live for Him as we do – so, they cannot violate this commandment because it is only for the people of God who are made in His image and in His likeness

            -- unbelievers cannot take the name of God in vain because they do not know Him and do not represent Him on earth as His image bearers called to live in the likeness of God

            -- the point is that all humanity is created in the image of God, but all humanity is not living in the likeness of God

 

            -- Eric Mason points out that this concept of being made in the image and likeness of God translates into three distinct responses on our part: relational, reflection, and representation² -- let’s look at each of these as we begin to wind this message down and everyone says, “Finally! Amen!”

 

            -- first, relational

            -- as I just mentioned, everyone is created in the image of God -- but we were created in the image of God so we could experience God relationally just as the Trinity experiences the three members of the Godhead -- the Father -- the Son -- and the Holy Spirit -- relationally

-- in other words, we were made to know God in a real and personal way and to love Him and live in Him through our relationship with Him

            -- that’s one reason why Paul says in Romans 1 that men are without excuse when they turn away from God because what may be known about God is plain to them -- being made in the image of God, they are primed for a relationship with Him -- they are made for a relationship with God -- so when they turn away from that relationship, they are choosing to live selfish lives apart from God and they suffer the consequences for their actions

            -- the capacity to know God -- the image of God within -- is always there -- and the Spirit calls us to express our true selves through a relationship with Him

 

            -- second, reflection

            -- we are called to reflect the nature and being of God to the world around us -- as Jesus said, we are to be salt and light in this world -- we are to shine the goodness of God on those around us so that they might be led to Him through us

            -- this doesn’t just mean that our sole calling is to evangelize and tell others about Jesus -- no, our calling is to live out the grace and the goodness of God in our lives -- to live in obedience to Him -- to show His compassion and mercy and grace to this world, from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high

            -- we do this by putting off our old selves -- we leave our wicked ways behind us -- and we press on towards the goal in Christ -- living for Him and through Him and reflecting His presence in our minds, our thoughts, our attitudes, and our behaviors

 

            -- and, finally, representation

            -- by this, I mean that we represent God in this world as His stewards over His creation -- we see that quite clearly here in verse 26 -- this verse says that we are to rule over creation -- but the concept of rule here is more along the lines of stewardship -- of taking care of creation rather than dominating creation -- when it talks of subduing creation, it speaks of molding its will to God’s -- of training creation to follow God just as a gardener trains plants to grow in a certain way

            -- as stewards of God we rule creation and subject it to God’s will rather than our own will -- we tend His creation for Him -- we don’t rule it for our own purposes -- and that includes our own lives and the lives of others

            -- to represent God is to serve as His hands and feet -- working beside Him to care for His creation -- to be His ambassador in this world -- to take care of the world and all the things within it -- to minister His care and grace to everything that we have and everything that we see

            -- being created in the image and likeness of God is an invitation from God to participate with Him in all of life -- relationally -- reflecting His light to the world -- and representing Him to others so that they may choose to live in a covenantal relationship with Him, too

            -- this is what we mean by the Imago Dei -- the image of God – it is the high calling that we were given when God created us and formed us in our mother’s wombs – created in His image so that we would also choose to be made into His likeness and live with Him in relationship forever

 

IV.  Closing

            -- let me close with this

            -- back in the summer of 2005, the London Zoo wanted to make a point about evolution and who mankind really was -- so they created a new exhibit and put a sign up in front of it saying, "Warning: Humans in Their Natural Environment."

            -- The exhibit featured eight Homo sapiens in an enclosure adjacent to the enclosures of various primates -- The human "captives" were chosen from an online contest, and spent their time sunning on a rock ledge, playing board games, and waving to spectators -- the zoo put up a sign telling visitors about the species' diet, habitat, worldwide distribution, and threats.

            -- The goal of the exhibit, according to Zoo spokesperson Polly Wills, was to downplay the uniqueness of human beings as a species. -- "Seeing people in a different environment, among other animals," said Wills, "teaches members of the public that the human is just another primate"

 

            -- Tom Mahoney, one of the participants in the exhibit, agreed. "A lot of people think that humans are above other animals," he said. "When they see humans as animals, here, it kind of reminds them that we're not that special."³

 

            -- this is why knowing and understanding what is meant by the Imago Dei is so important -- not realizing that humans are fearfully and wonderfully made by God -- not accepting that man was created in the image of God and His likeness has given way to horrific atrocities in human history -- from genocide and abortion to the horrors of the Holocaust and social and cultural inequalities and injustices

            -- it is vitally important that we know and understand who we are -- that we are created in the image of God -- it gives us a new way of looking at life and at creation -- it gives meaning and purpose to who we are and to what we are supposed to do -- and it should inform all our decisions and all our actions and all our thoughts

            -- by knowing we are created by God in His image and called to become like Him in our very being, we are faced with an awesome responsibility -- we are not products of evolution or random chance -- but God’s stewards -- His special creation -- created by Him to know Him and to serve Him and to reflect His grace and mercy to this world

            -- we are at our very best when we are like Him -- so go and be like Christ -- go and reflect His image -- allow yourself to be formed in His likeness -- and be His image bearer, so you can change this world and yourself by simply being who you were created to be

            -- let us pray

-----------------

 

1 Illustration modified from original in sermon by David Elvery, “In the Image of God” [http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/in-the-image-of-god-david-elvery-sermon-on-men-and-women-73747.asp]

2 Eric Mason, “Manhood Restored”

3 "Humans Are Ones on Display at London Zoo," yahoonews (8-26-05); Sam O'Neal, St. Charles, Illinois

 

SERMON: THE PERFECT STORM

 

Naylor Community Christian Church

 

I.  Introduction

            -- turn in Bibles to Mark 4:35-41

 

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

 

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

 

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

 

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

 

            -- in October of 1991, a storm stronger than any in recorded history hit the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts -- it became known as “the perfect storm” because it resulted from three separate storms coming together to form the most powerful and mighty storm ever known to man

            -- Sebastian Junger wrote about this storm and pointed out, “A mature hurricane is by far the most powerful event on Earth -- The combined nuclear arsenals of the United States and the former Soviet Union don’t contain enough energy to keep a hurricane going for one day.” -- but in this case, when these three storms combined to create a super-hurricane, it resulted in an almost apocalyptic situation in the Atlantic Ocean -- creating a storm far greater than any hurricane on record

-- Boats unfortunate enough to be in the open during this Perfect Storm encountered 100-ft waves -- the equivalent of a 10-story building -- Winds blasted over the ocean at more than 100 mph -- and as the storm made it’s way up the coast, it battered New England with 30 to 40 ft waves, destroying 200 homes, and causing property damage greater than $500 million -- nine people lost their lives in the midst of this storm, including the six-man crew of the swordfishing boat, the Andrea Gail, that Junger featured in his story

 -- the men and women who make their living along the shores and in the oceans are used to encountering storms and squalls -- it is part of their way of life -- but everyone who experienced that Perfect Storm in 1991 all said the same thing -- “it was a storm like no other that we have ever seen -- this storm made us afraid”

 

            -- this morning, we are going to be looking at the familiar story of Jesus calming the storm -- it is the first of four stories from the Book of Mark that demonstrate Jesus’ power and authority and that helped His disciples begin to fully understand who Jesus truly was

            -- the first story, the calming of the storm here in Mark 4, demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over nature

            -- the second story, Jesus casting the demons from the man at Gerasenes, demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over the spiritual world

            -- the third story, Jesus healing the woman with the issue of blood, demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over sickness

            -- and the final story, Jesus raising the little girl from the dead, demonstrates Jesus’ power and authority over death

 

            -- each of these stories revealed the extent of Jesus’ power and authority and bolstered the faith of His fledgling disciples -- molding them and making them into the men who would carry His message to this world and build His church to prepare the world to receive Him as their Lord and Savior

 

            -- so, let’s turn now to this passage and see how this story of a Great Storm, a Great Calm, and a Great Fear can grow our faith in Jesus, too

 

II.  A Great Storm, A Great Calm, A Great Fear (Mark 4:35-41)

 

            -- normally, I use the NIV as my preaching Bible, but today I want to share with you this passage from the ESV, because I feel that its translation is somewhat closer to the original Greek than the NIV, especially in how it describes the storm, the calm, and the fear

 

            -- so, look back with me now at Mark 4:35-36

 

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.

 

            -- before we move on in this story, we need to stop right here and consider these verses -- as I said, this passage is one of revelation -- a revealing to the disciples of who Jesus really was

            -- now they had been with Him for some time -- they had heard His preaching -- they had sat under His teaching -- they had seen the miracles -- but the leap between accepting Jesus as more than just a great teacher -- a worker of miracles -- a man of God -- was still too great for them to make -- they just weren’t there yet

            -- and in these verses, we see part of that reason, for the humanity of Christ is given to us -- He had been through a long and trying day -- it began with a blasphemous accusation from the Pharisees, who accused Him of casting out demons through the power of Satan

-- it continued with a visit from His mother and brothers who came to take Him home, presumably, because He was touched in His head -- as we would say down here, they looked at what He was doing and the claims He was making and they thought, “He ain’t right,” -- so they sought to take Him home to rest and to heal

-- we read of Him teaching and healing in a crowded house -- and then His leaving the crowded house for the seaside, where He again teaches and preaches to a great multitude -- so great that He had to get into a boat to speak from in order to keep the crowd from pressing in on Him

-- everyone seemed to want His attention -- to want to hear Him speak -- to receive healing of sickness in their lives -- it took His energy -- it consumed His Spirit -- and, by the time evening approached, Jesus was tired -- He was completely and totally worn out -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually

-- so, He tells His disciples to come with Him -- to get in the boat and to go across to the other side -- to go away from the crowds and the demands so that He might get some rest

-- that is what Mark means here when he writes that they took Jesus “just as He was” -- they saw His humanity -- they saw His weariness and His need for rest -- and they took Him, just as He was, without demanding anything else from Him at that time

-- so, they got in the boat, and began to cross the sea to the other side

 

-- verse 37-38

 

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

 

-- and, as they cross the sea that night, a storm comes upon them -- a storm that is more than a normal storm -- a storm that Mark described here as a Great Storm

-- keep in mind who is in this boat with Jesus -- this is not a group of casual boaters -- this crew includes a group of professional fishermen -- men who had been on the sea in storms before -- men who had been caught out in the open and braved the elements night after night to make their living

-- storms were not uncommon on the Sea of Galilee -- the lake is 690 feet below sea level, so there are tremendous downdrafts that create gusty conditions and can brew up thunderstorms in the matter of minutes -- the valleys to the west of the sea funneled the winds down onto the lake, creating squalls and storms that were more severe than those experienced on the Mediterranean

-- these men were used to such storms -- they had been through them before -- but this storm was different -- this storm was greater than anything they had ever experienced in their lives

-- the waves were breaking over the boat and it was rapidly filling with water -- they were in serious danger of getting swamped and sinking there in the middle of the sea

-- so, in their fear, they turned to Jesus to see if there was anything He could do to help -- and they found Him asleep in the back of the boat -- they woke Him up and cried out, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing!”

 

            -- how many times have we asked that same question to Jesus in our own lives? -- Lord Jesus, don’t you care?

            -- don’t you care that my child is sick?

--  don’t you care that my marriage is falling apart?

--  don’t you care that my friends have deserted me?

--  don’t you care that I have no money?

--  don’t you care that I feel so alone?

--  don’t you care that I want to give up?

--  don’t you care that my spouse has died?

--  don’t you care that I lost my job?

 

-- as Ray Pritchard points out, we have all asked that question in a million ways, a million times -- we never question the Lord’s compassion when things are going well -- but when the great storm hits -- when this life becomes too much to bear -- it is then we cry out, “Lord, don’t you care?”

-- but, as the disciples are going to find out, God cares just as much for us when the storm is raging and the boat is sinking as He does when the seas are calm and the sun in shining

 

            -- you see, Jesus got in that boat knowing that the storm was coming -- He wasn’t worried -- He was in perfect peace -- so peaceful, in fact, that He could sleep in the middle of the perfect storm because He knew what was coming and He knew the truth of the situation

            -- it’s just like the story of the little girl on the plane that was going through turbulence -- they were flying along and the pilot came on the intercom and told them to take their seats and buckle their seatbelts, because things were about to get bumpy

            -- the plane began to bounce and roll -- to drop unexpectedly -- to lurch from side to side -- everyone gripped their armrests and the seats in front of them to hold on for dear life -- everyone, that is, except for the little girl -- she sat peacefully through the worst of the turbulence, calming reading her book

            -- after the plane landed, someone asked her how she had been able to be so calm -- she responded, “My daddy is the pilot and he’s taking me home.  I knew we would be safe with him.”¹

 

            -- the disciples weren’t in that place yet -- they didn’t know Jesus in that way yet -- they still call Him, “Teacher,” and not Lord -- they still see only His humanity and think He is a man just like them, only touched by God -- they don’t realize that He is God -- and that if they truly trusted in Him -- if they put their faith in Him -- even in the midst of the storm -- they would have nothing to worry about

 

            -- Jesus led the disciples into that boat that evening, knowing that a storm was coming -- knowing that they would have to go through that storm in order to reach the other side -- the important thing to remember is that Jesus was going to be with them in the storm

            -- when storms come into our lives, it can do one of two things -- it can cause us to think we’re not in a right place with Jesus, and sometimes that is the case -- some storms come as a consequence of the sin in our lives

-- but this story lets us know that sometimes Jesus sends us into the storm, not as a punishment, but to disciple us -- to grow our faith and trust in Him -- He has not left us, but is there with us, in the midst of the wind and the waves

            -- secondly, it can us to doubt Jesus -- it can cause us to lose faith in His concerns about us -- this is what led the disciples to cry out, “Teacher, don’t you care?” -- but part of becoming mature in Christ is learning to trust Him in the middle of the storm -- to know that even if it seems like He is not there -- to know that even if it seems like He is asleep and not paying attention -- that we are safe in His arms and He will see us through to the other side

-- Storms often expose how we are not trusting in the Lord²

 

-- in great fear and with little faith, the disciples woke Jesus up, asking him a question that to us may seem impertinent, but it is one we have all asked in moments of desperation: “Don’t you care if we drown?”

            -- faith cannot live with fear -- either you trust or you don't -- either your expectation of the future is doom and gloom and despair or your expectation is based on the promise and power of God

            -- the disciples looked at that storm and said, "We're going to drown" -- Jesus looked at it and said, "Oh ye of little faith -- fear not -- I am with you -- you can go through this storm if you believe that"

-- it all comes down to faith

 

            -- verse 39

 

39 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.

 

            -- the great storm is followed by the great calm

            -- when Jesus speaks, the winds and the waves subside -- the storms dissipate -- and the sun shines again

            -- two miracles are recorded here as Jesus speaks into the fury of the storm -- “Peace! Be still!” -- out of the four gospel writers, only Mark recorded the very words of the command

            -- “Peace,” Jesus proclaimed as He rebuked the wind -- literally, be silent -- cease blowing -- and the wind died

            -- “Be still,” Jesus proclaimed to the sea -- literally, be muzzled -- stop moving -- and the sea stopped -- those waves that were threatening to swamp the boat only moments before were gone in an instant

            -- it was not uncommon for winds to suddenly stop -- we’ve all experienced that before in storms as they’ve come through -- but the waves continue for some time as the energy in them has to be dispersed -- but not in this case -- not when the Creator speaks -- and where the storm had been, there was only peace and stillness and calm -- as Mark describes it, a “great” calm

 

            -- in that moment just after a storm has passed, we experience a time of great peace that seems all the greater because of what we just went through

-- I’ve never been in the eye of a hurricane, but I’ve heard it described -- people tell you how unusual it is -- how peaceful it is -- when the eye passes over

-- moments before, the fury of the hurricane surrounds them -- the winds buffet -- the rain pounds -- the clouds surround -- but then as, the storm moves on, the eye passes -- and immediately, the wind and the rain just quit -- and the sun shines -- and you can look up and see blue sky for just a moment -- until the storm comes again

-- that’s how this great calm appeared to the disciples in the boat that evening -- it was sudden and it was sure -- the fury and the power and the might of the storm were completely erased and replaced with the peace of God

-- Just as you can’t experience a rainbow without the rain, you can’t experience the miracles of peace and calm until you have been through the storm.

 

            -- verse 40-41

40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 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?”

 

            -- we had a Great Storm -- then the Great Calm -- and now, a Great Fear

            -- curious, isn’t it? -- Mark tells us that the men in the boat had been afraid of the storm -- they were in fear for their lives -- they thought they were going to drown -- these tough, professional fishermen who had braved other storms in the past on this very same sea were now scared of the storm they were facing -- but that fear paled in comparison to the Great Fear they feel now in the calm after the storm

 

            -- after Jesus woke up and rebuked the storm with only three words and the sky cleared, Mark tells us the men were filled with great fear -- “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

            -- who is this that we are following? -- if He can do this, what else can He do?

 

            -- C.S. Lewis captured the heart of this great fear in his novel, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” as the beavers tell the children about Aslan and who he is:

 

“You’ll understand when you see him.”

“But shall we see him?” asked Susan.

“Why, Daughter of Eve, that’s what I brought you here for. I’m to lead you [to] where you shall meet him,” said Mr. Beaver.

“Is--is he a man?” asked Lucy.

“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion--the Lion, the great Lion.”

“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he--quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver. “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

 

            -- in the moment of the calming of the storm, the disciples realized that Jesus was not safe and they were overwhelmed by a Great Fear -- but they also learned that He was good -- and over the course of their lives, they would come to know who Jesus truly was -- that He was not just a man touched by God -- but that He was God -- He was the Messiah -- He was the King

 

            -- Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

            -- in the start of this story, we read that the disciples were afraid, but their fear was in the wrong thing -- they feared their situation -- and their fear let the storm have power over them

            -- but as they experienced the Great Calm, they came to know the true fear -- the Great Fear -- the fear of the Lord -- and they learned to put their faith and trust in the One who could calm the storm and to not let the storm control them or make them afraid again

            -- the fear of the Lord is the reverence and awe we experience when confronted with the very presence and power of God -- the fear of the Lord is the attitude we should take when we enter into the presence of our God and our Creator

            -- the reason why the fear of the Lord is described as the beginning of wisdom is because it opens the eyes of our hearts -- it enables us to see just how majestic and powerful and mighty our Lord is -- it puts us in a right place in our lives -- and it exalts God to the throne of our heart

            -- when we have this great fear in our lives, nothing else can alarm us -- nothing else can touch us -- for we know that the all-powerful and all-loving God is with us and can calm the storm with just a word

 

            -- the greatest danger the disciples faced that evening wasn’t the great storm -- it was their lack of faith and trust in Jesus -- and Jesus taught them that night that the cure for this type of fear is faith and trust in the Savior

            -- worldly fear is looking at the storm and letting it control our thoughts and our emotions -- Godly fear is looking to the Savior in faith and trusting in His power above all else

 

            -- as Jesus stood in the sunshine before them and the boat rested on the calm surface of the sea, the disciples suddenly became conscious of Who they were with -- their hearts were filled with fear because they knew that Jesus was more than a man -- that He was the Messiah -- the Son of God -- God Himself

            -- and they cried out in their hearts as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6 when he was carried before the throne of God, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!  Because I am a man of unclean lips. And I live among a people of unclean lips.  for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”

 

III.  Closing

            -- in his painting, “Storm of the Sea of Galilee,” Rembrandt captured the terror that filled the hearts of the disciple as the storm and the waves threatened to overcome their little ship -- his painting dramatically shows the crashing waves, the boat high in the air and the men in the boat in various states of distress -- however, he also places a dramatic yellow light that opens hopefully in the distance, drenching the edge of the clouds and the ships mainsail -- a glimmer of hope in the midst of the storm

            -- while critics agree that this is one of Rembrandt’s most powerful masterpieces, many miss the hidden message within -- if you count the men on the ship, you’ll find not 12 disciples with Jesus, but 13 -- and the extra man, holding tight to the rigging with one hand and his hat with the other, bears the face of Rembrandt himself

            -- Rembrandt’s inclusion of himself in this scene tells us that this passage from Mark is more than just a story, but a reminder and a promise -- a reminder that all of us will go through storms in our lives -- all of us will be faced with storms that appear too great for us to handle -- storms that will fill our hearts with fear and doubt and dismay

            -- as some have said, at any point in your life, you are headed into a storm -- in the midst of a storm -- or coming out of a storm -- storms are part of life here on earth

            -- but we have a promise in the midst of the storm -- the glimmer of hope from the light that shines from Jesus Himself -- the certainty that He is with us in the midst of the storm -- and that He will calm the storm when the time is right

            -- so, we need not fear the storm any longer -- but let the storm develop our faith and our reverent fear of the Lord and let us fix our eyes on Him and not on what we are going through

 

            -- so, wherever you are today -- whether you’re in a storm at this very moment or headed into one or just coming through it -- turn your eyes to Jesus and put your faith and trust in Him

            -- for He is more than just a man -- He is our God and our Savior -- our King and our Creator -- and we can trust Him even when life seems more than we can bear

            -- let us pray

 

1 By C. P. Hia (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. — Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)

2 Steven Cole