Who Is Jesus: The One Who Gets Us to the Other Side (Part V)

Sermon Title: Who Is Jesus: The Revealing of Someone Great

Good News Statement: Jesus invites us to know who he is

Preached: Sunday, May 19, 2024 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSV): Mark 4:35-41 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Mark. In the fourth chapter of Mark’s Gospel, we read how Jesus calms a storm while his disciples panic and experience great fear. “A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Be silent! Be still!’” Who is Jesus? The is the one who is in our boat calming our storms. Let’s read Mark Chapter Four, verses Thirty-Five thru Forty-One. May the hearing and reading of this scripture add understanding and meaning to your life.

Jesus Stills a Storm

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 behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹ And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰ He said to them, “Why are you 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?”

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

Introduction:

Several weeks ago, at the start of this sermon series, I invited you to revisit the events that took place on that first Palm Sunday nearly 2,000 years ago. As we were preparing for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we found ourselves lining the streets of Jerusalem, laying down our cloaks, and waving our palm branches high in the air, and shouting “Hosannas” as Jesus road into town on a humble and gentle donkey. On that day, as we were crying out “Save us now, Save us now,” we found ourselves hearing a question that we don’t often ask ourselves: the people were asking “Who Is This?” Matthew 21:10 shares, “When he [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’”

When was the last time you thought about who Jesus is in your life? When was the last time you read the name Jesus or saw an interpretation of Jesus and said, “That is who and what Jesus is to me.” If someone approached you right now and asked, “Who is Jesus?”, would you be able to answer right away or would you have to take a few moments to compile your thoughts because you don’t know who Jesus is? Today, we close our sermon series on Who Is Jesus, knowing that we have merely scratched the surface. But, hopefully, by the end of this message you begin to really think about who Jesus is to you and why? Hopefully, the story of Jesus calming the storm will help you think about who Jesus is to you.

Body:

Every person here has what Pastor Jeff Stott calls “Storm theology.”[1] Storm theology is what you believe about God or Jesus when storms come into your life. When a crisis comes into your life is God a good God or a bad God for allowing it to happen? When you pray during the storm do you see God as caring or uncaring based on how He answers? Storm theology is what you believe about God or Jesus when things seem to be going horribly wrong. The way we react to God or Jesus during a storm reveals the truth about ourselves and how we view who Jesus is.

Now, you may be a little confused and asking yourself, “What do storms have to do with who Jesus is or even how the Apostle Paul has been defining and describing Jesus for us? My response is, “That’s a valid question.” When Jesus is woken up by his feared disciples in a boat during a fierce storm causing great winds and high waves, Jesus reveals who he is to all those in the boat and those standing on the shoreline. The kind of person that we witness during the storm, who the disciples wake up, is the same person that Paul defines, and is the same person that we are called to have faith in and to trust. Before we get on the boat and dive into our text for today, let us remind ourselves how Paul defined Jesus in his letter to the Colossians—a group of people who lost sight of who Jesus is.

 

Movement One: Who Is Jesus According to the Apostle Paul…

First, Paul states, “Jesus is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Through Jesus, we see God by seeing Jesus. Jesus makes the invisible visible. Jesus makes the unseen seen. Jesus allows humanity the opportunity to witness not only what it desires to see but what it needs to see. Jesus brings forth God’s inner beauty for all of us to witness. He is, as Hebrews 1:3 tells us, “The radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” Jesus has come to seek and save the lost, to reveal what we can’t see, and to remind us that he sees us when no one else can.

Second, Paul informs us, Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:16). In John 1:2-14, we read of the “firstborn” of all creation. John tells us that Jesus was with God in the beginning (1:2); that through him all things were made and without him nothing was made (1:3); and he was life and life is the light of all mankind (1:4). Furthermore, John informs us, Jesus is the true light that gives light to everyone (1:9); for those that receive Jesus, who believe in him, they will become children of God (1:12); and Jesus is the Word become flesh and his glory is seen which is full of grace and truth (1:14). To be the “firstborn” of all creation is to be the light and life of this world, to be the flesh of grace and truth, and to know that nothing exists without the presence of Jesus Christ because he is the way and the truth and the life everlasting. What all this means is that Jesus has authority and power and is to be exalted to the highest place in your life.

Third, Paul tells us that Jesus is in creation, is through creation, and is for creation (Colossians 1:16). What Paul means is the following: Jesus is within creation, he lives among us in the trees, the sky, the fields, the wind, the rain, and the blooming flowers. He abides in creation as creation abides in him (John 1:3). Additionally, Jesus is through creation which means that creation exists because of Jesus, who uses and works with creation. Jesus works through creation to make creation “good” once again. Lastly, Jesus is for creation. This suggests that creation has been designed for the purpose of glorifying Christ. He is the goal for creation. He is the purpose for creation. He is the reason, the meaning, the breath the life, death, and resurrection for creation. And the best part about this description of Jesus is that he is in, through, and for all of creation: not just a select few, but for all of creation: that includes you.

Fourth, Paul tells us that Jesus is creator and sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:17), and that all believers are under Christ’s authority and leadership (Colossians 1:18).  Jesus existed before all things which means there was never a time when Jesus did not exist in creation or in your life. Jesus holds all things together because he knows that when we fall apart we are going to need help being put back together. And Jesus is the head of the body, the church, so that we may be guided to do his works on earth as they are in heaven.

Lastly, Paul writes to the people of Colossae in Colossians 1:19, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell….” Colossians 1:19 emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus—God coming to us in human form, while remaining fully God. The words of this verse closely reflect the beginning of the Gospel of John, especially John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” And remember, Jesus not only dwells among people but dwells within the people (John 15:4). As Jesus dwells around us and within us, Paul tells us that he is reconciling us: “…and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things…by making peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). The word translated “reconcile” here literally means “to reconcile back” or to restore something to its original state. The fact that God will reconcile “all things” through Christ tells us that Christ’s work is broader than just saving individuals: it’s about returning to God what God initially called “good.”

Paul offers us divine descriptions of Jesus Christ so that we have a better understanding of who Jesus is and what Jesus does in our life. Paul wants us to live a life knowing who Jesus is, that Jesus is among us and within us, and that every day we are given the chance to become more like him. Paul wants this world to be “good” once again. It begins by recognizing who Jesus is in your life.

Before Paul wrote these descriptions, Jesus provided his disciples of who he is through his healings, parables, and teachings. One teaching that left the disciples wondering who Jesus is took place on a boat in the middle of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. This leads us to our text for today…

 

Movement Two: The Storm that Revealed who Jesus is…

After sharing some of the Lord’s parables with us, Mark now gives us a miracle that demonstrates Jesus’ divine power and puts who he is into what he does. From the story of Jesus calming the storm, we learn that Jesus is one who is present during tests, sudden challenges, doubt, lessons, teachings, and faith.

First, Storms are tests. It is during the storms of life you discover what you really believe. Storms have a way of revealing the truth about you. Verses 35-36 inform us, “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.”

This had been a busy day for Jesus. Jesus had been teaching the disciples with what he said and what he did, but now Jesus would give them a practical test to see how much they had really learned. After all, the hearing of God’s Word is intended to produce faith (Rom. 10:17) and faith must always be tested. It is not enough for us merely to learn a lesson or be able to repeat a teaching. We must also be able to apply that lesson by faith, and that is one reason why God allows for trials, difficulties, and storms to come into our lives. Storms are the tests and opportunities to demonstrate your trust in God, to live out who Jesus is in your life. Jesus is one who gives us tests but is also the one who is leading us to the “other side of the lake.”

Look closely at what Jesus said in verse 35, “Let us go across to the other side.” I know that literally, Jesus is talking about getting in the boat and going to the other side of the lake. But his statement reminds me about the “other side” of life. On this side of the lake Jesus had performed miracles, confronted the Pharisees, taught about the Kingdom of God, the crowds are growing and everything is looking good. On this side, the disciples’ faith and trust in Jesus has been easy and fun, but on the “other side” they are about to be tested. They don’t know it, but a storm is coming on the other side. On this side things are going well, but on the “other side” things are about to get tough. Jesus is present on this side with us, but he is also going to be on the other side with us because he will not abandon us. On this side, things are good, we are comfortable, we enjoy sitting in the same pew every Sunday. But on the other side, change is needed, challenges will confront us, and we will endure storms; but through all of that, Jesus will be with us because Jesus is one who travels with us and needs us to get to the other side so that new things can take place and our faith can continue to grow. We will be tested, but Jesus will be with us.

Second, Storms can happen suddenly. Verse 37 says, “A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.” Let’s get a clear picture of what’s happening here. The Sea of Galilee is somewhat a small body of water. It’s about 13 miles wide and 7 miles across and 150 feet deep. What makes it unusual and sometimes dangerous is that it is about 700 feet below sea level and its surrounded by mountains. What you have is warm air over the lake and cold air that comes over the tops of the mountains and down into the lake. When that cold air and warm air mix you get storms. These storms can develop in minutes. Some translations of the Bible describe this storm as “fierce storm” so much so that “waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.” When Matthew describes this event he says a “violent storm” (Matt. 8:24) arose. The word “violent” comes from the Greek word seismos which we get our word earthquake from. For Matthew, it was like the sea was shaking! It came upon the disciples suddenly: it shook their faith.

That’s the way life is. One moment you are doing fine and the next the bottom falls out. One phone call and you find yourself in the middle of storm. One doctor’s visit and you are in a storm. One conversation and you are in a storm. God does not try to trick us with this. He is not trying to hide something. God is upfront and honest about the storms of life. Jesus said in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” Storms of life are a reality of life. And storms happen suddenly and those storms will test and reveal your faith and spiritual maturity.

Storms happen suddenly in our life—there is no warning, no sirens, and no weather alerts. In those sudden storms we panic, we over think things, and we feel as if we are drowning—as if the waves of life are swamping our boat. But in those sudden storms we learn who Jesus is: we learn that Jesus is the one keeping our boat afloat and rowing us to the other side.

Third, Storms can cause you to doubt God. Verse 38 says, “But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’”  There is a fierce and violent storm occurring. The sea is being shaken. The hurricane like winds are blowing the boat all directions, the waves are crashing over into the boat, the boat is filling up with water, the disciples (who are experienced fishermen and know the sea) are yelling do this and do that. They are in a panic. They are thinking they are about to die… and where is Jesus? He is “asleep on the cushion in the stern of the boat.”

I think this is an incredible picture of the Incarnation of God, where we see both aspects of Jesus. We see the humanity of Jesus. The humanity of Jesus is seen in the exhaustion of Jesus. Beginning that morning Jesus has dealt with the Pharisees, taught numerous parables, dealt with the crowds, dealt with the disciples, dealt with the heat of sun all day and when he had a chance to sleep he took it. He was sleeping so hard this storm didn’t even wake him up. He was totally exhausted! This is a picture of the humanity of Jesus.

Then the disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Or in another translation the text reads, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” First of all, their concern about drowning was completely normal and reasonable. These were professional fishermen. They knew how to handle a boat during a storm, but this storm was fierce and violent and they believed they were going to die because of it. They doubted.

We have all doubted things or people before in our life. We doubt that this new idea or suggestion will work. We doubt that someone else’s idea is actually better than our own idea. We doubt that the pain in our back or hip or knee or shoulder will disappear. We doubt that we will be able to do something on our own. We doubt the advice given to us by others. We doubt that a new way of living, of change, of thinking outside the box will be beneficial to our life and faith. We doubt a lot in our life because we don’t give people a chance, we don’t listen fully to God, and we don’t take risks. It’s okay to experience doubt. But it’s also okay to give your doubt to Jesus.

Often times, during a storm, when we feel as if we are perishing, we let doubt be the wind beneath our sails when we should be giving everything to God. When we give everything to God, we learn more about who Jesus is. It’s one thing to learn something about Jesus or yourself sitting in a church service, it’s another thing to learn something about Jesus and yourself when you lose a loved one, or when you are let go at work, or when you can’t afford your bills anymore, or when your health begins to leave you, or when your marriage falls apart. Some lessons can only be learned in the middle of the storm, when we experience doubt. Jesus is not going to let you perish when doubt assails. Instead, he is going to be right beside you helping you get to the other side.

Fourth, Storms teach you about Jesus. Verse 39 says, “And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Be silent! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.” The way Jesus “rebuked the wind” may be an indication of who was behind the storm. There are cases in the Bible where the Devil used weather to bring destruction upon people. For example, in Job 1:16, the Devil used a lightning storm to kill Job’s sheep and servants. Then in Job 1:19 the Devil used a “powerful wind” to destroy the house that all of Job’s children were in that resulted in all of their deaths. It’s possible, that this unexpected storm that came about right after they were in the middle of the sea was an attack by the Devil himself attempting to have Jesus’ own turn against Jesus.

Whether it was of the Devil or not the result was the same, “Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.” Jesus commanded, “Be silent! Be Still!” and immediately the storm obeyed. Jesus had just demonstrated his authority over nature itself just like Paul said in Colossians 1:15, Jesus is the “firstborn over all creation.” The disciples are beginning to learn more about who this Jesus really is. They had never seen this display of power before.

Listen carefully, when you are in the middle of a storm, it is there that Jesus can demonstrate who he is very clearly if he so chooses. There are a lot of lessons we learn about Jesus in the middle of the storm, but the most important lesson is that he is the one who can calm those storms and get you to the other side.

Fifth, Storms teach you about yourself. Verse 40 says, “He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’” A fierce storm comes out of nowhere during the night. Jesus was sleeping from exhaustion. The waves start crashing up against the boat. The sea starts pouring in the boat. The disciples have lost control. They begin to fear. They can’t believe Jesus is still asleep through this so they go to him shouting at him to wake him up and when he awakens they say, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Jesus immediately rebukes the wind and waves. They obey, the sea becomes like glass and then Jesus turns and says, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”

The disciples’ concern about drowning was normal and reasonable. The Lord’s rebuke and question about their fear versus their faith is not about their concern of drowning, which was legitimate. The Lord’s rebuke is not about their reaction to the storm, but their reaction to Jesus in the storm. They asked, “Teacher, don’t you care…?” They called Jesus “teacher” not Lord. So their understanding of Him was not where it needed to be and instead of asking, “Lord, can you help us?”, they questioned his love and concern for them. This is the temptation when we become afraid. Because of the storm in our life we see Jesus as less than he is and we doubt his love and care for us. That’s exactly what the Devil wants you to do. Their fear blinded them to who Jesus really was. You will learn something about yourself in the middle of a storm. You will learn where you faith really is. You will learn how much you truly trust in Jesus. You will learn how much you believe or don’t believe in him. You will learn who Jesus is to you. In the middle of a storm, you either see Jesus as the one who will get you to the other side or as the one who brought the storm upon you. From personal experience, I try to see Jesus as the one who will get me to other side, who sees my faith for what it can be, and who cares enough and loves enough to help through the storms in my life.

Lastly, Storms will stretch your faith. Verse 41 says, “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?” Up to this point, the disciples knew Jesus was special and unique and that God was working through him. However, this event started a significant paradigm shift in their thinking about who Jesus really is. Prophets of the past had perform various miracles like healing the sick, cleansing lepers, and even dividing the Red Sea but this seem completely different. This is the type of power reserved for God alone (Ps. 89:8-9; 104:5-9; 106:8-9; 107:23-32). “Who is this man?” Who is this Jesus?

From the story of Jesus calming the storm, we not only see a Jesus who is over all creation and who is the head of his people, but we see a Jesus who is human and divine, who is caring, who is concerned, who is forthcoming, and who goes above and beyond to make sure we do not perish nor continually live in doubt. We see a Jesus who sees us during a time of storm. We experience a Jesus who strives to help us get to the other side. Who witness a Jesus who is in the boat with us.

 

Movement Three: Jesus Is…

In taking into consideration how Paul describes Jesus in his letter to the people of Colossae and who Jesus is and what Jesus does during the storms in our life, I leave you with one final thought about who Jesus is that is highlighted by both Paul and Jesus, himself.

Over the course of several weeks, I have been asking you “Who is Jesus?” And to help you begin to think about who Jesus is, I have been saying, “Jesus is…” The word is is a present tense verb used with a third person singular subject, which typically includes every noun and pronoun that isn’t I or you. By stating that Jesus is something or is someone, indicates that Jesus is present with you today. So many times in our life, we describe Jesus as someone or something who was or will be. We forget that Jesus is present today: that Jesus lives within our heart today, that Jesus dwells among us today, that Jesus wants to calm our storms today, that Jesus wants to reconcile our faith today, that Jesus wants to breathe his holy spirit in us today, that Jesus wants us to see what he needs us to see today, that Jesus wants to love us today, that Jesus wants to be in our boat today—experiencing life right by our side, and that Jesus wants to get us to the other side today.

Jesus is who he is today because who he is today is who we need right now, right here, right at this very moment. Jesus is healing. Jesus is comforting. Jesus is caring. Jesus is the head of the church making sure we share his gospel of love and acceptance to all people. Jesus is aware of our differences and disagreements but he knows that we all belong to him. Jesus, just like the word of God according to Hebrews, is alive and active today. Who is Jesus to you? Who is Jesus to you right now, right here, right at this very moment? Who is Jesus to the church?

 

Conclusion:

Paul gives us a firm foundation to stand upon when it comes to describing who Jesus is; and Jesus in the boat, which he uses many times throughout his ministry and can be translated to mean “launch”, reminds us that he is someone who is never going to leave you but will be with you during every storm making you sure you get to the other side. Jesus is the image of God. Jesus is the firstborn over all creation. Jesus is the head of the church. Jesus is the one who holds all things together. Jesus is our reconciler and sustainer. Jesus is a healer, a comforter, and a source of peace, but he is also challenger, a motivator, and a source of inspiration. He is the light of this world, a beacon of hope and faith. And he is the love we need to make it to the other side.

Thanks to Paul and Jesus we have a description, but now it’s up to you to really think about who Jesus is in your life and how who he is can help you become the disciple he seeks and the church he needs. So, who is Jesus? Who is Jesus today?

Let it be so…

 

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, thank you for those who have paved the way before us when it comes to knowing who you are in our life. Thank you for getting us through the storms that we have encountered and for always being in the boat with us as we get to the other side. O Jesus, continue to help us find you as we seek to know you more in our life. All honor and glory is yours now and forever. Amen.

 

Benediction:

Who is Jesus to you? How will describe Jesus to someone in your life? What has Jesus done to make sure that you got to the other side? May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go forth seeking Jesus in your life. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

 

[1] https://truthappliedjs.com/mark-435-41-jesus-calms-the-storm/