Jesus and the Storm

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."  And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the 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?" - Mark 4:35‭-‬41 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Storms on the sea of Galilee were sudden, unpredictable, and violent. The mountains nearby caused cold air to rush down to the sea and brought rough storms. This storm was large and violent enough to cause fear and anxiety in these rugged, experienced fishermen.

Anxiety in the storm

These rough waters are gigantic and severe enough to make these men fear for their lives. It was unexpected enough that one moment Jesus was napping and the next the boat was in danger. They even asked Jesus if he cared about them.

So it is with us. When we find ourselves in difficult times, we often wonder if God knows what we are going through... And then often, we wonder if God even cares.

God and the storm

Jesus speaks and suddenly, it is completely calm. Just as quickly as it came, it left. Jesus did not need to repeat himself. God wants to restore everything back completely. This miracle, like all of Jesus' miracles, point to future restoration. Not only that, but they show the authority and power of God in Jesus.

The disciples go from fear to fear. They were first fearing the storm and now they are fearing the one who commands the wind and waters. Jesus loves us, the storm does not. The storm has power, Jesus is greater.

Application: We should tell our storms about how strong our Jesus is. Gaze at Jesus rather than the storm.

1. Admit that you have very little control over your life

2. Abandon our hope in other things

3. Place our faith & hope in Jesus

Jesus' parables on the kingdom of heaven

And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?  For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.  For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."  And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.  The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.  But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,  yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."  With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. - Mark 4:21‭-‬34 ESV

Rev. Ryan Egli

The gospels are historical narratives of the good news of Jesus. In today's passage, Jesus is just starting his ministry. He is teaching using parables. 

There are three parables. They are not interpreted for us. Jesus privately explained to his disciples, but not to us. Parables are explained in some places in the Bible. So that's fine. Jesus is a king of a kingdom, but not of this world. It is a strange thing to think about, this kingdom of heaven. It is an upside down kingdom. The poor are lifted up, but the rich struggle there. The humble are lifted up, the proud humbled.

Jesus is a king who reveals truth

Jesus talks about understanding parables. Why is more taken from those with little? This isn't in regards to the  poor, but rather how much we understand of the parables. Those who know more will be given more. His parables contain truth and reveals how this works truly works.

Heaven is like growing plants

When we think of heaven, we often consider large armies, opulent palaces, and glorious kings. But what does Jesus say about the kingdom of heaven? He talks about a farmer and maybe not even a very sophisticated one at that. It is very close and near.. Very intimate. The kingdom is self automating. We don't need to worry or be anxious about bringing about the kingdom of God. The farmer sleeps and the seeds are doing their thing. Christians cannot force people to have faith and believe. We can only sow seeds and pray. This parable is about how we should act during the quiet and seeming inaction of God. We may not see God moving or growth, but we should be assured that the kingdom is growing and there will be a harvest.

The kingdom of heaven is like a small mustard seed.

The kingdom grows slowly, but becomes a very large tree. So it is with the kingdom of heaven. It seems small, feeble, and weak. It started with a small people called the Israelites. It's first adherents were poor, uneducated, and marginalized. It calls people to reject the ways of the world. 

So what of a Christian now between Jesus Resurrection and His eventual return? We are not to hope in an earthly utopia. We cannot science our way beyond the reach of sin and brokenness in our lives. We are not to be overly optimistic that heaven is here in our lives now. There is still brokenness. But we are not to be completely pessimistic either, we are not called to huddle in our churches waiting for Jesus to come back. This is not what Jesus tells us. We are to create an outpost pointing to heaven. We are to preserve and restore relationships with God, neighbors, family, and friends. We are to restore peace and wholeness where we can as we can knowing it is not heaven, but just a taste of heaven. 

Easter Sunday: The Peace that Jesus gives

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."  Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:19‭-‬31 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

It is a present and future peace

This first Easter Sunday was behind locked doors. Why? Those who had crucified Jesus were looking for his accomplices. The Pharisees were hunting the disciples. Jesus appears along them, shows then His wounds, and then wishes them peace. This was a normal greeting, but in this context, it took on a new meaning. Shalom meant wholeness. Restoration of broken relationships, the broken world. Jesus' return meant that Shalom was coming back. He is bringing back that perfect world. Not only for the future, but knowing Jesus gives us present peace. After Jesus met the disciples, they went out. Did the world change? No, in many ways the world was even more dangerous for Jesus' followers. What changed them from cowering in a locked house to boldly going out? Death changed from an end to a new beginning. Jesus showed that things did not end at death. Not only that, but Jesus promises to be with them to the very end. We don't know what the future holds for us, to but our eternity is secure and Jesus will be with us for now and always.

It is a peace that is pursued

Thomas was not there when Jesus first appeared to the disciples. He wasn't there. He express his doubts, and Jesus comes again to find Thomas. Jesus invites Thomas to put touch the wounds. We demean Thomas with a nickname, Doubting Thomas. But Jesus does not scoff or mock. Jesus invites him to examine the evidence. Faith is not in opposition to reason, but we need more than just reason to have faith. We can come to faith by examining the evidence. The biblical accounts have historical reliability. We invite you to consider the evidence. 

Not only would we look over the evidence for faith, but consider that Jesus seeks us out. Thomas expresses doubts to the other disciples, but Jesus heard. Jesus came to Thomas and confronted those fears. So it is with us, Jesus is seeking us as we seek to examine the evidence.

It is a peace to be shared.

During times like this, do we not need the peace of Christ? The fear of death and loss has an answer. Jesus offers peace and a treasure that cannot be taken or lost. This peace is not for us alone, but we are to share it with the world during this difficult time.

The Hope that Jesus gives

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:3‭-‬9 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Peter is a first hand witness to Jesus' life and ministry. He is writing a letter to Christians who were being persecuted. They were losing property and some, even their lives. Peter was writing to them to hold onto the hope they had in Christ.

Human beings can live for 40 days without food, 3 days without water, 8 minutes without air... But only a second without hope.

Christians have been reborn to a living hope (v.3). It is not what a Christian has done. It is what God has done. Babies cannot take credit for a birth. They are recipients of the gift of life and so it is with us. We are given a hope that is not from our strivings or our control of the situation. 

God has prepared an inheritance for us that cannot be lost or diminished. It is a new city, so similar yet so different. It will be without sin, pain, suffering, & death. But most importantly, the presence of Jesus will be there. The greatest source of joy is Jesus. The satisfaction we get from completing work, an enjoyable hobby, or anything on this side of eternity point to the source of true and unending joy that is in God & Jesus.

So in times of trouble and trial, we can still rejoice. This doesn't discount grieving. We can still grieve over a loved one who has faith in Jesus & died. We will have sorrow, but still have a joy that we will see them again. There's still rejoicing even in the pain. So in our lives, God uses tough times to refine our faith. Our faith has much wrong thinking and assumptions. So God refines it like refining gold through the furnace removing the impurities. Trials expose what we truly believe and what we truly trust in. It reveals what we truly hope in.

This crisis has shaken all foundations. All rival foundations that we depend on. Government, family, friends, money, self sufficiency,.... They will all fail us in some way. There is only one foundation that can handle this crisis without failure. That is one based on Jesus.