Jesus is in the boat

Rev Gideon Lee

Mark 4:35 - 5:15

Jesus Calms the Storm

4:35-41pp – Mt 8:18, 23-27; Lk 8:22-25

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man

5:1-17pp – Mt 8:28-34; Lk 8:26-37 5:18-20pp - Lk 8:38, 39

​1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man–and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

One day a wife woke up and said to her husband. I just had a dream that you bought me a diamond ring. What do you think it meant? The husband said I don't know. Valentines day is coming so you'll know. The next day she dreamt again and she told the husband I dreamt you gave me a gold chain, what does it mean? The husband said you'll know on Valentine's day. Then she dreamt again the next day that the husband bought her a bracelet. What do you think it meant? Again, the husband said on Valentine's Day she'll find out. On Valentine's day, the husband gave her a gift wrapped package. She was so excited and when she opened it, it was a book, "How to interpret your dreams".(laughs)  There will probably be a storm in the home that night.

There was a demon possessed man who needed deliverance. Jesus got on the boat to cross to the other side because this man needed Jesus. And there was a storm.

Sometimes when we have a storm in our life, we think it's the enemy. But sometimes we cannot put everything to spiritual warfare. We have to account for some of the decisions we make.

The place where they went was called Gerasenes. It is actually a place of 10 cities. And a place of gentiles. Why? There were many pigs and Jews don't eat pigs. Let's see how Jesus ministered to this man. Let's go verse by verse.

Mark 4:37

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

It means the storm caught them off guard or unexpectedly. When they started it was a good day. But the storm came unexpectedly. These are fishermen who are used to storms. But it was not an ordinary storm. It was a furious squall. KJV called it a great storm. That word basically come from the Greek word megas from where the word mega came from. It was a mega storm.

The waves spilled over the boat. Maybe some of you are going through a mega storm. It may have caught you unexpectedly and your boat is almost sinking.

I have good news for you.

As this was happening Jesus was sleeping at the stern. They asked Jesus, don't you care? You seem to be asleep in my situation. I pray but I don't feel you. There was a sense of discouragement with the disciples. And I don't blame them.

The thing you have to ask yourself is whether Jesus is in your boat. There were other little boats that were there but they didn't have Jesus in their boat.

You don't have to tell Jesus what to do. He is in control. He rebuked the storm "be still". And the Bible say there was a great calm. When you have a mega problem Jesus brings a mega peace. Jesus can say to your situation be still and bring that mega calm.

We have authority over our situation and what is happening in our lives.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

I want us to be practical when we are in a storm. Jesus is in your boat and he is able to provide that mega peace. In those situations you need to be praying both with understanding and in the spirit.

Do you know when you pray in the spirit you are talking direct to God? It is God's language. When we pray with understanding sometimes we reason our way out of a miracle. When you pray in tongues and in the spirit it bypass our mind and reasoning.

After we pray with understanding as much as we can, we then pray in tongues and faith increase for you to trust God for what is happening in our situation.

Mark 4:40-41

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Here Jesus is beginning to reveal who he is. That he is the son of God. That he is God. Back in those days if you can command the elements, that power only belongs to God. Only God can speak to the wind and the storm. He was showing himself God.

This morning is Jesus in your boat? I hope he is not just a teacher to you. Just a good man. He is God.

He comes to this town and he ministered to him and set him free. He had authority over the demon possessed man. He had authority over the spirits. Who has authority over the demons? God. Now the second thing he did by setting this man free they knew Jesus is not an ordinary man. He reveals himself as God. We need to know he is the one true God. There is no other like him.

Jesus  then commissioned this man for ministry. Everybody knew about him and what God did for him. That God has set him free. Jesus went through a storm to do this for this man that this man will rise up and be the first missionary in this place.

So if you go through a storm know that there is a purpose for you in going through this storm. That God will show himself in your situation. And he will bring about something good.

When I read this passage I'm so excited. That Jesus did something for this man and something good came about it.

Last night we did the Bible reading marathon. And the passage was about Job. We know Job went through a big storm but he came out victorious. We had a WhatsApp group and there was chatter in the group the night before that some had flu and sore throat and they don't know if they can make it. But what was great was we prayed for one another and we came through to deliver the word of God. Jesus was there. As we read the word of God it will not return to him void. We spoke at the dome outside St. Georges church. And the 3 hours passed by so fast and they enjoyed themselves throughout those 3 hours. It felt more like 1 hour. And we waited for one another until the end. We declared the word of God over the city.

I don't know what storms are in your life but he is able to calm the storm. He is God. And if you are going through the storm God has a plan and a purpose for you. He will get you ready for ministry.

I want to close with this.

You remember Paul? How he was so mightily used of God. Yet he has this thorn in his flesh that is bothering him. It was some sort of spiritual warfare that is disturbing him. And he asked God to deliver him three times but God always say to him "my grace is sufficient for you". So that in our weakness, God can come through and show himself strong.

How many of you know about Noah's Ark? Learn from Noah.

First don't miss the boat. Whether it is pre-trip, mid-trip or post-trip, just make sure you don't miss the boat. Plan ahead because nobody saw the rain coming. And stay fit. There's no retirement just refirement. Don't listen to critics. We all have our critics but just get the job done. Then built your future on high ground. And always travel in pairs for safety's sake. The cheetah and the snail where in the same boat. The Ark was built by amateurs but the Titanic was by professionals. When God is in the boat there is the promise of a rainbow. It's a promise of hope.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Whatever your situation is, there is hope. We are not driven to despair. The word of God says God is with you. You are not abandoned. And you are not destroyed.