Lake Martin Presbyterian Church April 19, 2026 Podcast

Join Rev. William Skinner for this week’s message from Mark 4:35-41, "Jesus, Lord of the Seas". Explore Scripture, hear thoughtful teaching, and be encouraged in your walk with Christ. For more information and resources, visit lakemartinpca.com.

Transcript

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Welcome to the Lake Martin Presbyterian Church Podcast. We're glad you're listening. Lake Martin Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, located near Lake Martin, Alabama. Each week we share the preaching ministry of our church and pray it encourages you in your walk with Christ. Here's this week's message.

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If you would turn with me in your Bibles to Mark's Gospel. Mark's Gospel, chapter 4, beginning in verse 35. If the past two weeks have taught me anything, it's that I like preaching to you people. And I don't like weeks away. And I also like our regular expositions through Mark. So I'm delighted to return to it with you all. We left often, Mark, if you remember, with Mark's account of the teaching and preaching ministry of Jesus. And the main thing we saw in chapter 4 for a few weeks as we examined the teaching and preaching ministry of Jesus was the nature and the power of the kingdom of God. It's a kingdom that grows through the ordinary ministry of the Word of God. And it's a kingdom with power. The kingdom is sown through the Word of God. That's how the kingdom is planted. It's through the seed of the Word, and it's grown by the power of God. Remember, we spent weeks saying the same thing over and over, that it is us who sow the seeds of the kingdom of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then it's God who does all the work. We sow the seed, and God gives the growth. And then at the end, Jesus used two parables in particular to remind us that his kingdom will succeed. His kingdom will be victorious, that we ought to have confidence, that we ought to be optimist in that kingdom. His kingdom will grow and you can be confident in it. So in this next section of Mark, the section that we're moving to, we're going to see some providential events in history, some real-life events in which Jesus' power, the power of the kingdom, is physically displayed. It's displayed for all to see. First, and this is the text we're going to look at this week, his power is displayed over nature. His power is displayed over nature. And then in the next passage, his power is displayed over the spiritual realm, over demons. And then finally, his power is displayed over sickness and even death itself. The passage before us this morning comes as Jesus was leaving from preaching to the crowd. So he has preached before all these crowds. Now he's departing from them. And he directs his disciples to ready the boat. And they're going to sail across the Sea of Galilee by night. And as they're doing so, a large storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, which threatened the safety of both Jesus and his disciples. And all the while Jesus slept. And when he awoke, he simply rebuked the seas. He rebuked the winds, told them to cease, and they obeyed. And the disciples are left stunned. The main thing for you to believe as you consider the story is that Jesus is the Lord. That Jesus is God Himself, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. And that he has all authority, he has all power, and he controls all things. Particularly this morning, he controls nature itself. And as we consider that, I want you to see three things in this text with me. First, in verses 35 through 37, we're going to see the waves rise. In verse 38, Jesus sleeps. In verse 39 through 41, the storm obeys. The waves rise, Jesus sleeps, the storm obeys. Before we consider the text, before we read it and preach it, let's pray and ask for God's blessing. Abba Father, Holy God, we thank you for your word. We have spent many weeks considering the power of this word. That it does not return void. That it is the power of God unto salvation. That it's able to make us wise unto salvation. That it's sharper than any two-edged sword, able to divide even between soul and spirit. And so we come expectant on great things to happen. But we confess also that we need your Holy Spirit to illuminate your word, to soften our hearts, to open our ears and our eyes, that we may see and hear and understand what you have for us this morning. So we ask that you would pour out your spirit upon us. And we ask that we would see Jesus. And that you would give us faith to embrace him today. It's in his name we pray. Amen. Mark chapter 4, beginning in verse 35. On that day, when evening had come, he Jesus said to them, Let us go across to the other side. And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in a boat, just as he was, and other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace. Be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with great fear, and said to one another, Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? This is God's word. Let's look first at verses 35 through 37. The waves rise. As soon as Jesus finished preaching, he tells his disciples to sail their boat to the other side. In verse 36, Mark includes a phrase saying, They took him just as he was with them to the other side, which presumably means that Jesus had been preaching out of this boat, that this boat was parked close to the shore, and he was already in the boat. And then just as he was in the boat, they lift the sails, pull the anchor, and they go along to the other side. And we're told that there's a fleet of smaller boats filled with Jesus' followers going with them. And then the problem arose. A great windstorm picks up, and the waves on the Sea of Galilee were crashing into their vessel. Sinking was an imminent danger. And truly, I think we can say, this is a rather ironic event, is it not, that Jesus has just been preaching about the power of his kingdom, about the growth of his kingdom, about the confidence you should have in this kingdom. It's the mustard seed. It's the smallest of the seeds, and it grows to be the biggest of the plants. And now, as soon as he gets done preaching and they lift the anchor and start going, it seems as if the whole mission is in jeopardy. Right here, immediately. And it begs the question: why would God allow this windstorm to revolt against himself? Why would God let nature rebel against his son? Why would Jesus' mission be put at risk in a simple windstorm? Doesn't God control the winds? Well, ultimately, as we will see in the story, the whole windstorm itself, this whole event, only serves to display the power of Jesus as God Himself. But on a different level, a more basic level, this is a picture to us of fallen creation's rebellion against God. The God is ultimately in control over all things. God's in control over nature, God's in control over demons, God's in control over mankind, sickness, death, suffering, every single bit of it. Nothing can happen against his sovereign will. Not a drop of rain can fall. A demon can't tempt anyone. You can't do anything against the will of God. But as it is, everything is fallen in sin. Everything is fallen in sin. Mankind, demons, and nature itself rebel against God. And this is a picture for us of how God uses that rebellion. Rebellion even against himself for his own purposes. If you look at the text, if you look at these verses, we get the sense that nature itself is behaving rather demonically. Nature itself is acting rather demonic. It appears unruly. It's acting like some of the demons that Jesus had cast out. As Jesus enters into the synagogue and begins teaching, all of a sudden demon-possessed persons lose control. They start shouting and flailing and all these things. Well, as soon as Jesus sets sail into the sea, the sea loses control. And then later on in the story, this storm is ceased by simple words of Jesus. It almost just reminds us of how Jesus cast out the demons. It's as if Jesus performs an exorcism on the Sea of Galilee itself. So whether this storm is brought about by satanic forces or it's just fallen creation lashing out, God's word gives us the sense that this is opposition to Jesus and his mission. In the same manner as the demons that we've been seeing, the storm arises to bring Jesus' progress to a halt. At least that's what it appears happens. And it's worth mentioning as well, in addition to this, that water was a fearful thing to a Jewish person. Water was a fearful thing to an Israelite. Just think about the history of the Old Testament. Water was the instrument by which the pre-Diluvian world was destroyed. All the families of the earth except for Noah and his wife and his sons and his sons' wives, and two of each kind of animal were destroyed by water. And water was how God destroyed the army of Egypt. The most powerful army in the ancient world. God simply parted the Red Sea, brought his people safely through, and then his people sat on the bank and watched God use water to destroy one of the most powerful armies on the earth. And then one of God's own prophets was judged by water. If you remember the story of Jonah, how he, in a similar situation, was in a boat on the sea, and a storm arose. And he too was asleep and woke up and got tossed out of the boat and swallowed by a fish. And all this bears to press home to us that this storm isn't merely a metaphor for the storms in your own heart. There are plenty of things in the Bible that teach us about how to deal with trials and suffering and the storms of our own hearts. This storm is not that. This is not a normal windy evening on the Sea of Galilee, and this is not a metaphorical storm for the storms in your hearts. This storm in particular was a direct assault on the person and work of Jesus. This storm is when these waves are rising, these waves are rising against the Lord. There are waves rising against Jesus Christ. And God is using it all to tell you precisely who Jesus is. So we've seen the waves rise. Let's look now at what Jesus is doing in response. Look with me at verse 38. This is our second point, Jesus sleeps. In verse 38, as the waves are rising in rebellion against the Lord Jesus, where is he? He himself is sleeping. He's on a physical level, exhausted from a full day of preaching to the crowds. They didn't have microphones. He was probably having to use every ounce of his energy to project his voice. But he's also at peace. And he's certainly not bothered by the winds and the waves or a little bit of water getting into the boat. And if we think about this, the waves are raging and rising. And what's Jesus doing? He's sleeping. The waves rage, Jesus sleeps. That evokes, at least to my mind, the second Psalm, the language of the second Psalm, where the nations and the peoples and the rulers of the earth rage and plot together against the Lord and his anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds asunder. And what is God doing? All the while, while the nations and the peoples are raging, what is God doing? He's seated in the heavens, laughing. Laughing at the peoples and the rulers and the nations of the earth plotting against him, trying to thwart his purposes, and he is laughing. He is not concerned. As he sees his providence play out in perfect goodness, he is not concerned. And isn't that what you see here on the Sea of Galilee? Nature itself is breaking forth against the Lord Jesus Christ. It's rebelling against its creator. And what is Jesus doing? He's asleep on the cockswain's cushion. Not a care in the world besides his love for the Father and the Spirit, his love for the elect and the mission that he's come to fulfill. And he knows it'll all happen. He knows, as he just preached, that the mustard seed will grow to be the largest plant in the garden. He knows that this very water that's threatening his boat is the same water that he used before to judge rebellious mankind and to judge disobedient prophets. And he knows that this water will ultimately obey him and him alone. The water can only go as far as he permits and not an inch further. That's Jesus' reaction to the windstorm and the waves. He's getting rest. Jesus is getting rest because he's at rest. He knows that demons, nature, sinful man must all ultimately bend the knee to him. Their rebellion can only go as far as he permits and no further. But what about the disciples? What about his disciples who are in the boat with him? They react in a panic. And in their panic, they make a brash statement to Jesus in verse 38 to wake him. And they probably didn't put much thought into this statement. They probably didn't really think about what they were saying. They were scared. They were fearful for their lives. But consider the words they said. Look in verse 38. Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Now, their words were no doubt uttered thoughtlessly. It doesn't matter what you say when you think you're about to die, you're just trying anything to alert the people around you. These were words simply meant to wake their sleeping leader. But let's pause to think about what they actually said there. Sinclair Ferguson points out the absolute irony of this passage in the statement that the disciples make about Jesus. They go to wake him. Jesus, don't you even care that we're perishing? And who is who are they saying that to? They're saying that to Jesus. The eternal Son of God who had taken on flesh because he cared about them. Who had been born of a virgin because he cared about them. Who was made to depend on a teenage girl for his nourishment because he cared about them? To Jesus, who had already been subject to the ridicule of his own people, and who was heading to a cross where he would shed his own blood to save these very disciples. But did he care about them? Did Jesus care that they were perishing? Jesus cared so much for his elect people. He does care so much for his elect people who are perishing in their sins that he suffered the full wrath of God on the cross for their sin. Jesus cares more about the plight of these disciples and about your plight than anyone else in the entire world. The disciples were so overwhelmed by their fear, so distracted by the waves coming over the sides of the boat, that they were unable to realize who it was in the boat with them and how much he loved them. They did not yet understand that Jesus was God, that he himself was God, that he was the light of the world, that he was the word by whom all things were made. They didn't have the faith to know that not a thing in the world could happen to them unless Jesus permitted it before the very foundations of the world. And that if he did permit it, it would only serve his glory and their good. And so I must ask you, do you have faith in Jesus? That you will trust him no matter what threats arise? Whether nature itself or the demonic realm or death? Do you trust that whate my God ordains is right? His holy will abideth. I will be still whatever he does, and follow where he guideth. You can trust him because he is God. You can trust him because he is the one who holds all things in his hands. There's not a wind that arises on the sea outside of his control. There's not a demon who can tempt anyone outside of God's permission. There's no sickness or death that's not inside of God's control. You can trust him because he does care. You can trust him because he loves you so much that he himself, God, the second person of the Trinity, took on flesh for you. He loves you so much that he suffered at the hands of wicked men for you. He bore a crown of thorns for you. He had nails beat through his wrist and his ankles for you. He endured death on the cross for you and he absorbed the full wrath of God for you. Do you believe that he loves you? You can trust Jesus for two reasons. He holds all the cards, he's all powerful. Nothing can happen outside of his control, and he does care. He cares for you more than anyone else or anything else on this planet. When the waves rise, Jesus sleeps, knowing that nothing, nothing will happen outside of his control. We've seen the raging of the storms as the waves rise, and we've seen the peace of Christ as Jesus slept. Now let's look at the storm, which obeys the commands of our Lord. Look with me at verses 39 through 41. Jesus wakes up to his disciples, asking if he even cares. And immediately he rebukes the wind. And he rebukes the sea. And he commands them, peace, be still. As soon as he uttered those words, the winds completely cease, and the sea was completely calm. And here in these words, we see Jesus demonstrating visibly his absolute sovereignty over nature itself. That not even the wind can blow apart from his sovereign will. The very rotation of the earth, every molecule of water in the atmosphere, the barometric pressure, all of it must obey him completely and totally. One of the questions that we've been asking as we've gone through the Gospel of Mark to this point is who is this Jesus? Who is Jesus? And remember that Jesus wouldn't let anyone else answer that question for him. Not the crowds, not the demons, not the scribes, not even his own family get to answer that question. Jesus was adamant that he and he alone was the one who could reveal himself and reveal why he came to earth and what he came to do. And here, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of an almost sinking boat on the Sea of Galilee, he was pleased to reveal who he was. He is God. He is Yahweh Himself. He is the one who has complete and total control over nature. That's who Jesus is. He's God. And considering this revelation of himself, in light of what he's just shown himself to be, he turns to his fearful disciples and he asks them a question. Why are you so afraid? Why are you afraid? Do you have no faith? In other words, he's saying, didn't you hear all those parables I just taught and then painstakingly explained to you? Didn't you hear all those sermons I just preached? Don't you trust in the power of the kingdom of God? Don't you know that not a hair can fall from your head unless it's my will? Haven't you seen me cast out demons? Haven't you seen me heal the sick? Don't you know by now that I care for you? Don't you get the smallest glimpse of how much I love you? Jesus, in response to this revelation of himself, asked, Is this enough? Is this enough to show you who I am and how much I do actually love you? Was coming down from heaven and taking on flesh not enough for you to know that I'm on your team? That you're precious to me. Is commanding nature not enough to show you who I am? Jesus' disciples still hadn't grasped who he was and what he came to do. They didn't yet realize his power. They didn't yet realize that he loved them, how much he loved them. Amid the storm, amid the rebellion of nature, they lost sight of who Jesus was. And so I ask you, as trials arise, as you encounter rebellion, where shall you flee? When the winds blow and temptation comes, when sickness and death are knocking on your doorstep? Will you panic? Will you panic in fear, questioning, do you even care, God? Or will you rest in Jesus Christ by faith? Knowing that he's the one with all the power, knowing that he controls all things, and that he cares for you more than you will ever know. That's the faith that you need. Faith who knows who Jesus is, and faith that trusts him, trust that he's for you, he's on your side. What can nature or demons or death do to me? Who can separate me from the love of God? Nothing. Nothing in all creation. The disciples, in response to Jesus' self-revelation and in response to his question, are now more fearful than they were in the storm. It's as if Jesus calmed the thing that they were most fearful of, and now they want to jump out of the boat because Jesus can control nature itself. And finally, the disciples have the right reaction. When you realize God Himself is in the boat with you, jumping out might be the right thing to do. They're fearful. God Almighty, the one who controls all creation, is in the boat. And I'm a sinner. God Himself was the one who's asleep on the cockswain's cushion. Who is Jesus? He's the one true and living God. By him all things were created. And without him, nothing that does exist could exist. All things hold together in him. He is the omnipotent God of all creation. That's who Jesus is, and the disciples are beginning to see that. And in light of that, fear is an appropriate response. But it's not the only response. You must also know, the disciples must also know that Jesus loves them. That he cares deeply about them, that he is for them. That he loved them so much that he was willing to be slain at the hands of wicked men for them. And you must know that truth too. Yes, he's God. Yes, he's powerful, but he loves you so much that he gave his life for you. So fear him, yes. He is God, and he is to be feared, but trust him completely, for no one loves you as he does. Let me tie these three things together. We have seen the waves rise as nature itself in demonic fashion rages against the Lord Jesus Christ. And we've seen Jesus in light of the raging waves asleep on the cushion, at total peace, that nothing can happen apart from his sovereign will. And then we've seen the storm, like a well-trained dog retreating to the heels of its master. The main thing I hope you clearly saw in this text is who Jesus is. That Jesus is the Lord, that he is sovereign, that he is the Son of God with power, that he controls all things in complete sovereignty. Nature itself must obey this Jesus. But I hope that's not the only thing that you've seen today. I hope that's not the only thing that you've caught hold of. I hope you're also convinced that Jesus is for you, that Jesus loves you, and that he cares for you more than you will ever know. If those two things are true, if those two things are true this morning, that Jesus is God and possesses all power, and that he is for you, that he loves you more than you will ever know, what do you have to fear? What do you have to fear in the midst of the storm? The only appropriate response, if those two things are true, is to bend your knee to King Jesus, to worship him, to place your trust in him, to go to Jesus on that cushion in the boat and get as close to him as possible, knowing that nothing can happen apart from his control. Go find refuge at Jesus' side. He's the solid rock. All other ground is sinking sand. In just a moment, we're going to approach this table together. We're going to approach Christ's table. And at this table, Christ offers himself not physically, but spiritually and truly in these elements of bread and wine. And as you approach this table, I want you to feed upon Christ by faith. I want you to be preaching to your own soul as you eat and as you drink. I want you to be preaching what we just considered. That this is God. This Jesus, this one who we are eating and drinking to our spiritual nourishment and growth and grace. This is God. And he's all powerful. And I also want you to preach to your own soul that this all-powerful God loves me so much that he's given himself for me here in these tangible tokens of bread and wine. Know that your Savior is for you, that he loves you and gave himself for you. As you eat and you drink, remember that Christ is God and He loves you. He is your only hope. There is no other. Let's pray. Abba Father, Holy God, we praise your name. And we thank you that our God, our covenant mediator, our savior, is the one who has the power to calm the winds and the waves of the sea. That nature itself and demons and death and sickness all must obey his voice. And we thank you too that this Savior loves us. So much so that He gave Himself for us. Would you give us the grace to believe that this morning? Would you give us the grace and faith to take hold of this Jesus by faith? It's in his name we pray. Amen.

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