http://bible.com/events/46344332
What has the year 2020 been to you?
-“uncertain”
-“a year of renewal and grief”
-“a glorious burden”
-“disorienting….a blur….revealing”
-“a year of incredible growth, of stretching change….like I’m at the gym training for a marathon, and now God is saying its one of those Ultra-marathons.”
-“a year of new experiences and challenges that have both unified and divided our society”
-“a challenge”
-“unprecedented”
If the events of 2020 has caused you to feel any combination of confusion, worry, fear, frustration, anger, grief, or lament, then you are not alone. The purpose of this series is to help us put into God-framed perspective the difficult year this has been. By understanding such elements as struggle, worry, healing and hope, we will connect our experience with the viewpoint and will of God.
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples,“Let us go over to the other side.”36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.There were also other boats with him.37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39He got up, rebukedthe wind and said to the waves,“Quiet! Be still!”Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40He said to his disciples,“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:35-41
-One of the greatest moments of crisis in the life of believers is when they buy into the lie that following Jesus means they are immune to hard things.
–Even though some of these disciples on the boat were experienced fishermen, the storm was so great that they were afraid.
-The question they ask Jesus is a question many of us can relate to in these days:“Don’t you care?”
-Ultimately the disciples had more faith in the power of the storm to destroy them than the power of Jesus to save them
Questions from the Storm:
• Why did they have to endure the storm in the first place?
• Why was Jesus sleeping?
• Why didn’t they trust Him after all they had seen?
• Why were they “terrified”afterHe calmed the storm?
The most important question of all comes at the very end of the story:
“Who is this?”
Is it possible that the disciples who were following Jesus
The modern day language is really “apprenticing under Jesus”
They went where he went
They listened to him teach
They saw the miracles he performed
But they still didn’t truly understand who Jesus was
“Who is this?”
Many of do not have faith in God, but rather we have faith that God will come through for us.
In the storm, and in the moment of uncertainty, so much of the false things we lean on are stripped away. And there is nothing left but God.
We want Christ to hurry and calm the storm. He wants us to find him in the midst of it first.
Beth Moore
What do we do in the storm? Look to Him
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2My help comes from theLord,
the Maker of heavenand earth.
3He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4indeed, he who watchesover Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5TheLordwatches overyou—
theLordis your shade at your right hand;
6the sunwill not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7TheLordwill keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8theLordwill watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Other Scripture for Study/Reflection:
Psalm 40
1I waited patientlyfor theLord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mudand mire;
he set my feeton a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3He put a new songin my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear,for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthenyou and helpyou;
I will uphold youwith my righteous right hand.