WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:07.200 The scripture text this morning is found in Mark chapter 4, verses 35 to 41. 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:24.879 As we continue our sermon series looking at the life and the ministry of Jesus, really through the eyes of Peter, who was the eyewitness, who supplied Mark with much of this information. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.960 Let's hear the word of God. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:34.719 On that day when evening had come, Jesus said to them, Let us go across the other side. 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.359 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:49.439 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. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:58.000 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? 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:03.920 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace be still. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.840 And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:11.120 He said to them, Why are you so afraid? 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:13.200 Have you still no faith? 00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:23.359 And they were filled with great fear and said one to another, Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:30.079 This is the reading of God's powerful, majestic word. 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.159 Let's pray. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:40.640 Father, thank you for this story, this true story. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:46.799 Oh, how we need to hear what you taught your disciples then through this story. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:50.000 Oh, how you need to teach us today. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:02:07.280 Holy Spirit, open our eyes, our ears, and our heart to see, to hear, and to be humbled in our hearts to actually receive and build our lives upon this solid ground. 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:09.680 We pray in Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:26.479 Many scholars believe that Mark's gospel is the earliest gospel that we have, that Matthew and Luke leaned on this as a foundation. 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:36.080 I don't know if you know what was going on at the time that Mark wrote this, but in Rome there was a lot of persecution going on. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:42.400 We've studied that, we've heard about that, the reign of Nero, the emperor. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:46.960 Many Christians were being persecuted for their faith, suffering. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:54.639 And knowing that maybe helps understand some of the themes of the Gospel of Mark. 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:09.919 Giving courage and giving strength to those who were going through storms, hard times, those who were losing their lives, not just in Rome, but in other parts of the Roman Empire at that particular time. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:18.879 Mark's gospel follows up with four stories after we saw chapter four, most of chapter four, the parables. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:24.879 Remember last week, last couple weeks we were talking about the parables, Jesus used about 60 or so parables. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:40.240 And now he follows that up, still talking about his authority, but he tells us what his authority looks like when it controls nature, demons, disease, and death. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:44.879 That's what we're going to see in the next four weeks, as Mark lays that out. 00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:52.479 My approach to the sermon this week is just basically found in the language, the Greek. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:05.599 We all know what mega means, right? 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:13.759 You go, kids, teens, you know, you go through the drive-thru, you know, if you want the mega, that's the big one. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.079 That's the big cup. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:18.480 That's the big order of fries. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:19.759 Mega. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:27.040 Literally it means very large, extremely large, great. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:33.120 Three megas in this text in the Greek. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:40.240 A mega storm, a mega calm, and a mega fear. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:42.480 Let's take a closer look. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:46.480 First of all, a mega storm, a great storm. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:56.240 Mark tells us that when evening came after a long day, Jesus said to his disciples, let's go to the other side of the lake, Sea of Galilee. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:04.399 Sea of Galilee, seven to eight miles wide, 13 miles long, not a huge lake, but not a small lake either. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:11.920 We know from geography that Mount Hermon was to the north, not too far away, almost 10,000 feet, a big mountain. 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:16.319 The Sea of Galilee was about 700 feet below sea level. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:17.279 Okay? 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:24.959 You can just see the effects of the winds in the storm with this channeling of the winds through that. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:31.120 And yet these experienced fishermen were in the boat. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:37.120 By this time in their lives, they had sailed the Sea of Galilee many times. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:40.240 For some of these disciples, this was their business. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:43.040 They were fishermen by occupation. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:50.240 But this particular night they experienced a storm like they had never experienced before. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:06:02.480 This particular night they found themselves baling out water, taking down the sails, just trying to keep the boat afloat. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:12.079 The text tells us that a great windstorm arose and the waves were breaking into the boat and waves were filling up the boat. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.000 I don't know how many of you like the water. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.360 I remember I capsized a few times on a lake. 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:24.639 Was no big deal in a sunfish. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:28.879 It was easy to upright, no biggie. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:30.879 No, this is different. 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:32.720 This was different. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:35.680 They didn't know what to do. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:41.519 These experienced fishermen, they knew storms, but this was a different kind of storm. 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:45.519 Matthew, in his account of this, calls it a seaquake. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.480 Kind of like an earthquake. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.160 Some of you perhaps have been around and experienced earthquakes. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:54.000 It's got to be frightening. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:56.399 The earth's starting to give way. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.199 Bruce read about that earlier. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.279 Though the earth give way. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:04.480 What was going on? 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:08.079 In the midst of this storm, Jesus was asleep. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:11.759 Jesus, wake up. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.720 Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:19.120 Oh, by the way, you're in the bow too. 00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:21.439 If we're going down, you're going down. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:30.800 I've noticed as I prepare this sermon. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:39.360 Like the disciples, we sometimes are willing to let Jesus sleep in our lives when we think we can handle things on our own, don't we? 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:42.480 I don't need to wake them up. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:45.680 Jesus, you do what you need to do. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:47.040 I've got this. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.079 How many times do we do that? 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:52.720 Too many times to count. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:59.279 But sometimes in life, you know you're in a megastorm. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.439 And you know, you know you need him. 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.120 And he's got to be awake and he's got to be close. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:10.399 Jesus, we need you to do what only you can do. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:17.199 Those storms in life come, storms we know we cannot handle. 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:23.600 You know, you can be in the very center of God's will for your life and still find yourself in the very center of a megastorm. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:24.959 Do you know that? 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:29.600 God permits megastorms to come in our lives. 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:32.320 Not when we're disobedient. 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:40.559 Sometimes he just knows. 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:45.679 He knows what our faith needs to grow. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.679 He knows. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:53.759 And sometimes he sends storms that we can't cope with. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:00.960 Seaquakes, though the earth gives way, when we feel like we are losing control. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:04.159 You know control is an illusion, right? 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.440 We just think we're in control of so much. 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:11.840 Things can change in a heartbeat. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.480 For any of us. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:17.679 We're not really in control of our lives. 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:20.639 Sometimes we just think we are. 00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:23.919 They knew they were not in control. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:29.039 And yet, here we see the opposite of faith is fear. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:31.679 Hear me when I tell you this. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.000 Unbelief is more than intellectual. 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:39.039 There's often a story behind our unbelief. 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:45.679 Fear takes hold when your story intersects with God's story. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:52.639 The story of your life, the things that are going on that you can't control, and now you understand and you're aware that you can't control. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:56.000 God, where are you? 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:58.960 Jesus, are you asleep? 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:06.799 No, there's unbelief is, I don't believe, unbelief is ever purely intellectual. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:10.399 Our stories have a way of showing up even in our unbelief. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.039 What does Jesus tell us in the gospel? 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:16.879 Matthew chapter 10. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:21.120 Even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:24.399 How many hairs are in this sanctuary right now? 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:26.639 Too many to count. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:33.360 All the hairs on the heads of all the people I created. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:36.080 I know the number. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:37.519 Wow. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:44.320 I know that's not the most impressive thing about Jesus, but it's pretty impressive to me. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:52.159 He says in that same context, he says, are not two sparrows sold for a farthing. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.159 They're not much value. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:56.960 You remember what he said? 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:03.120 Not one little sparrow falls to the ground without my notice. 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:04.960 Wow. 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:10.559 He has that kind of intimate knowledge of each of us. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:13.840 He's not missing a thing. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:17.039 He's not missing a detail in your life. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.399 And he says, fear not because I'm with you. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.559 Fear not. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.320 Are you not of more value than the sparrow? 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:28.000 Yes. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.600 Yes, Jesus knows what you're going through now. 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:35.039 Yes, Jesus cares more than you know. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.559 And yes, Jesus is in the boat with us. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:39.840 Praise God. 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:41.759 He is in the boat. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:48.799 Charles Wesley, the minister, wrote one of his most famous song hymns. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:50.799 Jesus, lover of my soul. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:52.960 You know that hymn? 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.480 That's a great hymn. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:04.879 Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest is still high. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:11.200 Hide me, O my Savior, hide till the storms of life are past. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:14.399 Safe into the haven, guide. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:17.600 O receive my soul at last. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.960 Do you know why he wrote that hymn? 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:24.480 He was in a storm in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:30.960 He and his brother were coming back from the southern colonies, headed back to England. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:33.039 They thought they were going to die. 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:46.399 And yet he had just recently, as far as I can understand, he had just recently either been saved or was he had a growth season, gospel growth season in his life. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.759 He was in a different place spiritually. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:52.639 So he could write that hymn. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:57.200 Everybody else on the ship was freaking out, according to his report. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:13.039 How is it possible that when you're on a large ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and you're pretty sure that that ship is going to sink and you're going to die, how can you not lose all grip? 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:17.679 Well, if you know Jesus is the lover of your soul. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:28.480 If you know that Jesus is the lover of your soul, you don't need to lose your grip because you know he's not going to lose his grip on you. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:30.559 Do you know that this morning? 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.759 Are you experiencing that in the midst of your storms? 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:40.480 It's true, it's as true today as it was when Wesley wrote, it's as true today as it's ever been. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.919 A mega storm. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:46.879 There's a lot of storms brewing around here. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:47.440 We know, right? 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:50.080 We've talked about that in worship recent weeks. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:52.000 There's a lot of storms. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:13:54.879 A lot of countries. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.960 It's not just our country. 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:58.639 A lot of countries. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:02.399 Our friends, many of our members here back in their homeland. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:11.600 Health, career, financial, family. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:14.159 There's a lot of storms. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:21.120 Let's look at the great calm, the mega calm. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:29.039 And Jesus awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, peace, be still. 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:32.639 That's all you had to do. 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:34.799 And what did it say? 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.480 And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:42.879 Immediately the winds died, the water became like glass. 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:55.440 William Hendrickson commentator says, in this instance, winds and waves synchronized in the sublime symphony of a solemn silence. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:58.080 Very poetic, a little dense. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:59.679 Let me read it again. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:05.440 In this instance, winds and waves synchronize because that's the right word. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:13.840 They synchronize in the sublime symphony of a solemn silence. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:20.960 Jesus simply speaks to the storm as if it had to answer to his authority. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:22.399 Wow. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.519 He didn't go through all these gyrations. 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:34.480 He didn't go through some ritual to get God, his father's attention. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.960 Why did he not have to do that? 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:38.879 He's God. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:45.360 You know, there's still a lot of people today that really aren't sure that Jesus is divine. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:48.240 Just look at the word. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:50.080 Look at the gospels. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:51.840 Come on. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.320 He's God. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.039 He looks at this storm. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.000 He simply says, be still. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.559 Be still. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:04.320 Peace. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:09.120 And all of a sudden, the winds die down immediately. 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:14.559 But the waves die down immediately. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.039 Now you know that never happens, right? 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:29.440 You know, on a lake or any body of water, when there's wind that whips up the waves, the waves always continue for a while before they become calm. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:30.720 Always. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:32.159 Not this time. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:34.879 All he had to do was say the word. 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:38.320 All he had to do was say, peace. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.159 Be still. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:43.440 And there was this deep calm. 00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.879 This is because he is the Son of God. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.440 This was proof of his divine nature. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:53.279 He simply spoke. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:56.960 He simply spoke, and the world came into being. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:59.519 What do we see in Mark's gospel? 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:04.640 He simply speaks, and people are healed of leprosy. 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:08.640 All kinds of diseases and problems. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:17.279 You know, probably the most famous early piece of art coming out of the early church, it wasn't the cross. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:26.000 It was a picture of a boat with the disciples and Jesus in it on the Sea of Galilee. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:31.119 This story really carried the early church. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:34.880 Probably more than any other depiction of art. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.599 This just really resonated. 00:17:38.400 --> 00:17:42.720 No doubt because a lot of the early Christians were going through a lot of hard times. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.440 They needed to be reminded that they were never alone in the boat. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.799 How about you? 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.039 You forget? 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:53.519 Sometimes I forget. 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.359 Not alone. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:59.440 Jesus is in the boat with us. 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.759 Jesus says to the disciples, why are you so afraid? 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.400 I'm in the boat with you. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:13.920 It would be different if he was hollering from heaven. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.440 Hey guys, I see you. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.319 I see you. 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:22.799 It's gonna be okay. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.480 I think it's different, isn't it? 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:32.640 That he came down from heaven so he could be in the boat with you. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.839 No, he's not hollering instructions or giving directions from afar. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:40.960 He could not be closer to us. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:43.440 Whatever storms we're in. 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.920 This is the gospel. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:53.119 Storms in life have a way of either pushing us away from Jesus or drawing us closer to Jesus. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:55.200 What's happening in your life? 00:18:56.480 --> 00:19:00.720 Is the storm in your life pushing you further away from Jesus? 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.960 Are you losing your grip? 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:10.400 Are you saying, you know, I'm just a ball of anxiety and worry? 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:14.000 It keeps me up all night, it keeps me uh distracted during the day. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.799 It's just I can't I can't do anything about it. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.720 Why? 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:20.799 Why? 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:23.519 Do you think you're alone in the boat? 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.319 You're not. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:39.440 Let the storms of your life draw you closer to Jesus, not push you away. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:41.279 You come into his word. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:52.160 You stay, you stay grounded in the word of God, not the sinking sand, but upon the word of God, that firm ground under your feet. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.000 Jesus is with you. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.440 Jesus is for you. 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:59.359 Jesus knows how to calm the greatest storms. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.000 But then we come to the last mega. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:07.519 This is an interesting mega. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:12.640 This is, well, he tells us, they were filled. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:18.640 The disciples, after he calmed the storm, the disciples were filled with great fear. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.640 And they said to one another, Who then is this? 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.799 Well, you've been with him for quite a while by now. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:35.519 You're his disciples, you've been traveling together, you've been eating, sleeping, worshiping. 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:37.440 You're his disciples. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:40.240 Why in the world are you asking that question now? 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.319 Who then is this? 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.000 You know, in the storm they were afraid. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:48.160 After the storm, they were terrified. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.160 Why? 00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:11.920 Well, it's like Peter earlier, probably months earlier, out fishing again one day in his boat, and Jesus comes up in the morning, early morning, and he looks out and he says, Have you caught anything, Peter? 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:12.559 No? 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:15.039 The fish aren't fighting tonight. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:19.920 He says, Well, why don't you cast your net on the other side of the boat? 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:25.440 And it, you know, the language seems to suggest that, you know, Peter was humoring him. 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:29.039 Okay, Jesus, you do what you do. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.519 We'll do what we do. 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:32.799 We're fishermen. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.319 No, no, really. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:36.640 Put the net on the other side of the boat. 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.359 The nets start breaking. 00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:44.000 They're so full of fish. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.400 This is who he is. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.480 Do you remember what Peter said? 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:51.039 Do you remember the first thing that Peter said? 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.720 Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.680 Isn't that an interesting thing that he would say? 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:03.920 Why didn't he say this is going to be good for business? 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:10.000 Jesus, I don't know how much time you have, but I think we could do this together. 00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:11.680 Somebody get a contract. 00:22:14.799 --> 00:22:23.759 Why does he say, Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man? 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:30.000 Because the deity of Jesus was breaking out in a whole new way. 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:37.279 He's seeing Jesus as he really is in a new way, and therefore he sees himself in a new way. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:39.680 Do you know? 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:47.920 That the more clearly you see the real Jesus, the less holy you're going to feel. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.279 Do you know that? 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:53.279 You're not actually becoming less holy. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:57.440 You're going to just sense, you're going to see the gap. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:01.759 The more you walk with Christ, the wider the gap is going to become. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:07.440 When you see him as he truly is, you're going to bow in reverence and awe to him. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:12.240 If you've never done that, I don't think you can be a Christian. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:17.200 You don't become a Christian just because you think he's good. 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:21.920 You don't become a Christian just because you think, well, okay, I understand he saved me. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:22.240 Great. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:22.799 He saved me. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:23.440 I'm a Christian. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:25.200 No, no, it doesn't work that way. 00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:46.480 Have you ever bowed before him in the presence of his deity, in the presence of his holiness, and you just see the gulf between him and you, and yet you believe by faith that he came to save us, sinners. 00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:50.319 And you say, I hardly know him. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:54.400 I know enough about him to believe him. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:58.240 I know enough about him to ask him to save me. 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:06.160 He didn't have to depart from Jesus. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:09.519 And you don't have to depart from Jesus. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:25.920 If you're here this morning and you're thinking about what this looks like in your life, if you're getting an increasing awareness of your sin, which would be a good thing if that's what he's about. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:36.160 If you have an increasing awareness of your sin and you wonder, could he save someone like me, the answer is yes. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:38.960 The answer is yes. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:48.240 There's no sinner, there's no sin that is too great to keep him away if you believe him. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.799 If you receive him. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:57.599 And it'll be different once he's in the boat with you. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:04.400 Do you sometimes feel like you're just beginning to see the real Jesus? 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:19.039 I can tell you, every decade of my life, with every coming decade of my life, Jesus is getting bigger in my eyes. 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:21.759 That's a beautiful thing. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:25.599 Reminds me of the story I told a couple of weeks ago in a sermon. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.119 Remember Chronicles of Narnia? 00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:31.200 Lucy, when she sees Aslan, she hasn't seen Aslan in a while. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:33.519 Aslan, you're getting bigger. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:36.480 He said, No, I'm not. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.400 I'm Aslan. 00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:42.400 You know, a symbol of Jesus. 00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:44.079 I don't change. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:47.200 You're getting bigger, my dear. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.720 You're growing. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:50.799 You're growing in your faith. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:56.480 And the more you grow in your faith, the more it seems that he's getting bigger. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:00.880 May he be getting bigger in your eyes and my eyes. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:06.480 Another story, remember, this is one of the more famous ones from Lucy and Aslan. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:17.119 Remember when she starts learning more about Aslan and big, kind of scary lion figure. 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:28.000 Sharon just went Friday night to the Firewall Museum and saw the lion, the witch in the wardrobe. 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:36.240 And you know, you've got these big costumes, and you know, they can't be a little can be a little scary to a little kid, or maybe a bigger kid. 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:44.559 And Lucy has a question to ask when she sees Aslan, the lion figure. 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:46.319 Remember the question to Mr. 00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.200 Beaver? 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:49.039 Is he safe? 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.240 Remember Mr. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:51.680 Beaver's answer? 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:55.039 No, he's not safe, dearie. 00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.480 But he's good. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:58.799 And he's the king, I tell you. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.599 That's good theology. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:05.440 No, we can't control him. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:09.759 He's not always predictable or comfortable to be around. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:11.759 Can we all attest to that? 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:14.960 He's not always comfortable to be around. 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:18.079 He's not our genie. 00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:22.079 He's not our slave. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.880 He's the master. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.559 We're not. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.640 Sometimes it could be very uncomfortable to be around the real Jesus. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:40.720 But whatever is necessary to be with the real Jesus is the best thing that could happen to you. 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.000 Or me. 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:45.839 No, he's not safe, but he's good. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:48.480 He's the king, I tell you. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:54.799 Yet the Bible gives us a great a better comparison than that. 00:27:55.359 --> 00:28:03.359 Jesus said in Matthew chapter 12, talking about another comparison. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:09.440 Another person that was on a rough sea with sailors, Old Testament. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:11.759 Who are we talking about? 00:28:12.160 --> 00:28:13.119 Jonah. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:27.599 Matthew chapter 12, Jesus says, just like Jonah, just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.240 Something greater than Jonah is here. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:31.680 That's what Jesus said. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.359 Wow. 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:38.640 Both Jonah and Jesus get caught in a great storm. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.559 Do you remember what happened with Jonah? 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:42.640 Jonah was running away from God. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:45.279 God was getting his attention through the storm. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:53.680 Jonah's conscience finally catches up with him, and he says to the other sailors on the ship, he says, Look, the only thing that's going to calm down the storm is you've got to throw me overboard. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:55.200 I'm running away from God. 00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:58.240 And at first they're reluctant to do that. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:04.960 But then they realize even after they throw so much cargo overboard, no, we think he's right. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:06.480 He's got to go. 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:09.599 They throw him overboard, and what happens? 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:14.160 The word in the Hebrew says, God provided a great fish. 00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:17.200 Jesus is referring back to that. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:20.079 For three days and three nights he was in the belly of this great fish. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:24.720 God spared his life, changed his life. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:32.240 Jesus in the boat with the fishermen, the disciples in the Sea of Galilee. 00:29:32.960 --> 00:29:36.559 This time, nobody was thrown overboard. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:40.480 This time he just looks at the storm and he says, peace. 00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.160 Be still. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:45.440 You know he's still saying that. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:48.960 He's still saying that to very anxious Christians. 00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:52.000 He's still saying that. 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:53.519 Peace. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.119 Be still. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:29:57.200 I see the storm. 00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:59.440 I'm in the boat. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:03.599 I have authority over anything in this world that could harm you. 00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:05.279 I have authority over. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:14.880 And yet it'll be a couple years later that he would be in the mega storm of all mega storms. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:19.920 He would be going to Calvary to be crucified on the cross. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.640 He would face his darkest moment. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:24.799 He would face his biggest storm. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:26.880