With Jesus in the Storms of Life

Mark 4:35-41
Gerrit Buddingh’ | Sunday, March 15, 2020
Copyright © 2020, Gerrit Buddingh’

It had been a long and difficult day for Jesus. Some think the events of the day began in Mark 3, starting in verse 22, where we find that Jesus had a confrontation with the Pharisees. His friends and family were there also because they thought Jesus had gone crazy, saying, “He is out of his mind,” and they hoped to kidnap him. This gave Jesus occasion to teach regarding who is really family to him, namely, whoever does God’s will is his brother and sister and mother.

Whether the same day or shortly thereafter, the scene shifts to the nearby seashore where Jesus uses a large boat for his pulpit in order to keep a distance between himself and the multitude that gathered around to hear him. He preaches to them many things through parables, of which both Rev. Perry and Rev. Broderick recently preached.

That same day, when evening comes and his sermon is over, Jesus tells his disciples to set sail for the other side of the lake, and they do so immediately. The reason, in part, is that Jesus is just plain tuckered out and needs to rest. He had been pressed on all day by a very great multitude and he feels the need for solitude. He cannot step out on land from the boat from which he has been preaching because that will only plunge him into the thick of the crowd. So the only way to get away from the throng is to sail across the lake. But in doing so, he is followed by other boats that tag along.

Being utterly exhausted from preaching much of that day, Jesus quickly falls asleep in the stern of the boat. What is important about this fact is that it gives a clear portrait of Jesus’ humanity. He got tired just like we do, and there is a comfort for us in this truth. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Heb. 4:15).

Praise God, Jesus understands our weaknesses because he experienced them himself. Thus, he is able to sympathize with us when we get tired, for he knows how we are formed and he remembers that we are dust.

Now, at least several of Jesus’ disciples—Peter, James, John, and Andrew—were professional fishermen, well-acquainted with being out on the Sea of Galilee at night. They think they have seen it all, but the dramatic events of that night will astound them and deepen their understanding of who Jesus really is, and ours as well.

So I want to use this event on the Sea of Galilee as a description of every believer’s life. We read just now from Psalm 107, which speaks, in a sense, a parallel to our text. It talks about being on the sea in ships. It speaks of seeing the works of the Lord in the ocean, his wonderful deeds in the deep. It speaks of the tempest that he stirs up, and how, in the stormy waves, people’s courage melts away. And when they are at their wits’ end and they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, he brings them through their distress into safety, and they give great praise and thanks to him.

So let us join with the Lord and his disciples as they make their way across the Sea of Galilee. Their experience has much to teach us. We will consider four points with Jesus in the storms of life: first, the voyage of life; second, a voyage across the stormy sea; third, the nature of the storm; and, fourth, the purposes of the storm.

The Voyage of Life

First, everyone’s life is, in a sense, a voyage from here to there—“there” being heaven for the Christian and “there” being hell for those who foolishly reject Jesus as Savior and Lord. So only a Christian embarks on life’s voyage on the good ship Grace, with the Son of God as our boat’s captain, who bids us, “Let us together sail over to the other side.”

Life, and death especially, is often spoken of poetically as the crossing of the sea or of a river. Keep in mind, however, that this passing over the sea is not only something we shall do someday at the end of life, but it is also something we do every day. We are right now passing over the sea of time to the other side. We are right now walking through the valley of the shadow of death.

The sailing on the sea is a fit motif for our lives and all the varied circumstances we experience in this world. And how quick is our voyage! “What is your life?” James 4:14 says. “You are mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Job 7:6 says, “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and they come to an end without hope.” Job 9:25–26 says, “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy. They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.”

Perhaps the other shore of the lake seems very far away to some of you who are younger in years. But do not be so foolish. Soon you too will pass from this changing world of time into the world of eternity. And we should each ask, “How will it be for me in my young adulthood, in my middle age, in my senior years? How will it be for me in the floodrivers of the Jordan? Am I with Jesus? Will Jesus carry me over, or am I attempting to sail through life on my own?”

Recall that there were other boats on the lake that night. None of them had Jesus in them. They are each a ship of fools, for Christ is not in their boats. And in the end, they are each destined for a Christless eternity. So I begin by asking, “Have you embarked on life’s voyage with Jesus in your boat? Is he your ship’s captain?” If not, then repent and entrust yourself to him as your Savior. Surrender your life and your destiny to his governance and rule this morning.

A Voyage across a Stormy Sea

We should each understand that this life is not only comparable to a voyage, but that it is a voyage across a stormy sea. So we should consider then the reality of the storm. Storms in the form of troubles come in every life to every person who is alive. “But I thought Christians are exempt,” you say. I ask, “Where did you get that idea from? Certainly not from the Bible.” The Bible says, “Man,” meaning all mankind, “is born to trouble as sparks fly upwards” (Job 5:7).

We each encounter storms in the sea of life. But the question is, who will bring us through them? The church sings, “Be still, my soul.” “Oh, really!” you exclaim. “You don’t know what I am going through. My life is a wreck. My finances are in a freefall literally from the market drop this week. My health—oh, I am in worse shape than the average person my age. It is just one thing after another—first this, then that. I get one body part replaced and then I need another. Many of my relationships go wrong. Loneliness, despair, depression are mine. Well, and then there is what is going on in the news. The coronavirus is everywhere. The stock market crashed with my retirement. My vacation trips are on hold. The NBA season is canceled. Where is God in all of this? Is he asleep at the helm? Doesn’t he care for his people? Doesn’t he watch over me? You are telling me to say, ‘Be still, my soul.’ Come on, be real. Life is tough, and then you die.”

But contrast this with Jesus in the boat. How different is his reaction. Just think for a moment of all the worries that might have kept him awake. He could worry about the religious and political leaders who plot against him. He could worry about his family who thinks he is crazy. He could worry about the crushing crowds with their overwhelming needs. He could worry about the disciples too, especially about you and me. He could worry about the future because he knew there is a cross in his future. With these things to worry about, Jesus isn’t worried. He is fast asleep in the rocking boat.

Now, our Lord’s sleep is not only about the sleep of weariness, it is also about the rest of faith—a faith and rest that should be ours as well. Consider, too, the power of the storm. Consider the suddenness of it. There arises a furious squall, a great gust of wind. Storms like this are very common on the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is an unusual body of water. It is relatively small—thirteen miles long and seven miles wide. But it is situated in the Rift Valley. It is surrounded by mountains which box in the winds that come down from Mount Hermon and channel them across the sea. Thus, the lake is susceptible to sudden, furious squalls of wind. And it is said the water can be quickly stirred into violent, even twenty-foot, waves. This means the sea can be calm one moment and stormy the next.

Now, the disciples and Jesus did not set out in the storm, and the disciples did not expect one either, just as is true with each of us in life. We expect smooth sailing. But storms come anyway.

We should know that in life things can be fine one moment and the next the bottom falls out. One minute you can be enjoying fair weather and the next you find yourself in the middle of a terrible storm. One phone call, one twenty-four-hour period of time, one doctor visit, one tick of the clock, and there you are, in the storm of your life.

This shouldn’t surprise us. The Bible says that storms will come our way. In fact, you are each in one of three places this morning. Either you are in a storm or just coming out of a storm or headed into a storm. Sudden storms are part of life. Christians are not exempt. Job 14:1 says, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Ecclesiastes 2:23 says, “All his days his work is painful and grievous; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.” Jesus himself declared in John 16:33, “In this world, you will have trouble.”

Notice, the storms of life can have various causes. Jonah ended up in the storm because of his disobedience. But the disciples got into this storm because of their obedience to the Lord. So acting under Jesus’ orders not only does not exempt you from trouble; instead, it may well sail you right into the eye of the storm. Loyalty and obedience to Jesus is often the surest way to trouble. Second Timothy 3:12 tells us that all those in Christ will suffer persecution.

So I repeat: Sailing with Christ is no guarantee of smooth sailing in life. The course of faithfulness will often take you. right through the center of the storm.

Consider, too, the severity of the disciples’ situation. The waves broke over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. The seasoned fishermen among the disciples were used to normal squalls. At first, they probably would have lowered the sail and pulled the oars so that they could keep the boat’s bow heading into the wind. But things got worse and then crazy. This squall was far worse than normal. Their boat was violently heaving and rolling. Worse, it was filling with water faster than they can bail. And they are truly afraid the boat is going to sink. They are in terrible trouble and they understandably fear for their lives.

And so it is true for us too. When the storms of life come, they can often be severe, causing us great angst and fear. The storms of suffering can blow into our lives and devastate us with pain and heartbreak and turmoil. One problem will arise after another. They seem to bury us in a blizzard of affliction. Many of you can testify even today of these storms.

Others face storms of sorrow. Someone you love is taken away by death and it leaves you grief-stricken and shaken by your loss. Such sorrow touches each of our lives. Others are engulfed in a storm of sin. When sin enters our hearts, it will always come in a pleasant, calm breeze that promises the best but soon displays its darker side. It will rip through your life like a tornado, leaving a trail of damage and destruction that can only be repaired by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and his forgiveness. And there are some here this morning in the storm of sin.

So the storms come, and they bring us fear and anxiety and pain. I want you to know, however, there is no storm on earth that Jesus cannot calm. There is no problem so great that Jesus cannot fix. Bring your trial to him, as the disciples did that night, and watch him deal with it.

The Nature of the Storm

The greatest storm that night was not on the Sea of Galilee but in the hearts of the disciples. This storm at sea whipped up a storm of doubt and unbelief and terror within them that threatened to drown them all. While the storm is raging around them, Jesus, however, is fast asleep in the back of the boat. The disciples struggled to the stern to wake him up. Note, the wind did not awaken Jesus. The arguing of the disciples did not awaken him. The water splashing over the boat did not awaken him. It was the frantic cry of his disciples that instantly woke him up. Jesus, you see, is like a mother who sleeps through all kinds of racket. But at the slightest noise of her baby, she instantly awakes.

The disciples were right in going to Jesus. He is the only one who can help them. But there is a touch of petulant rebuke in their voices, of a sailor’s impatience at this landlubbar lying sound asleep while they are greatly alarmed at their dire situation. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Their cry is tinged with doubt. In this we see that they doubt Jesus’ goodness. They accuse Jesus of not caring about what they are facing. And how like us at times!

Why this doubt? After all, they had already seen Jesus’ compassion and good will in action. They had seen Jesus cast out demons and heal diseases and rebuke depravity. Now they are faced with a storm, and they are afraid. They should have known that a mighty downdraft of wind on a little pond cannot thwart God’s sovereign omnipotence. Do you know what their problem is? They are looking at the situation in light of their own incapacity and frailty, and not at the Savior. They have their thoughts focused on the situation and not by faith on Jesus, the Lord of all.

But before we get too down on these men, perhaps we should consider our own hearts and condition. Have there been times when the storms raged in your life such that you questioned God’s concern for you? You might not have said it out loud, but I am sure there have been times when in your flesh you thought, “Lord, don’t you care about what is happening to me?”

I want you to know today that Jesus does care. The author of the book of Romans declares in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He also says, “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? . . . For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:31–32; 38–39). And in Hebrews 4:15–16 we read, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are—yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in the time of need.”

Jesus is the good shepherd. He very much watches over and cares for his sheep. Further, he is doing something about the situation, even though you may not see it. Don’t question his concern. He cares for you.

The disciples also doubted Jesus’ wisdom. “We drown! We perish!” Remember, it was Jesus who sent them out on the sea in the first place. These men had left everything to follow Jesus, and now he has led them into an impossibly dangerous situation. (GJB) They are afraid that Jesus is going to let them all die. It is unbelief, like the Israelites trapped at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army closing in on them.

But God has not changed. He cannot. This means that Jesus did not save you only to abandon you when the going gets a little tough. He is absolutely committed to his people and he will never forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 declares this: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

When the storm of life is raging, when your boat is heaving and reeling, when the hurricane force winds are blowing, when the typhoon waves are crashing against your boat, Jesus will not let you sink. He will hold you up and never desert you under any circumstance. The Lord Jesus is absolutely committed to your welfare.

The city of Jerusalem once felt forsaken by the Lord. Here is what they said and what the Lord said in reply. In Isaiah 49:14–16 we read, “Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’” The Lord’s response is, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Behold! Look! See! I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”

If the God who loved the nation of Israel, whom he redeemed out of Egypt, save them and come to their rescue, how much more will he love and protect those in the church whom he has redeemed by the blood of Christ, his dear Son.

God is committed to you. He is present with you. He will give you grace sufficient for your need. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But [God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

The disciples also doubted Jesus’ word. He had told them before they embarked, “Let us go over to the other side.” In this, Jesus had already told these men what was going to happen. He told them before the journey started that they were headed to the other side of the lake. If they had believed his words, they would have shouted in the face of the storm, “Storm, you cannot destroy us. Jesus said we are going to the other side. And you cannot thwart his will.”

But take note: We act the same way his disciples did. The Lord has already promised us that everything is going to be all right. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:17–18 says, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Jesus promised in the Sermon on the Mount that he would take care of us. He talked about not being worried about life—what you are going to eat and drink, or what you are going to wear. In Matthew 6 he says, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? Do not worry, then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek after these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:30–33).

So I ask: Where is your focus? Is it on God? In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” If we could just learn to take God at his word, then we could face the storms of life without paralyzing fear. If we will just truly understand who controls the storm, we will enjoy peace even while the winds blow and the waves crash.

Does Jesus care? Does he care for you? Let me assure you that, if you are a true Christian, God has been caring for you before the foundation of the world. God was caring for you when he elected you, and he sent Jesus to die in your place to save you from sin and Satan and eternal death. If that is not caring, what is? The issue is to have faith in God who said, “Let us go over to the other side.” The issue is to have faith in God who said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained

too deeply for mirth or song,

as burdens press and the cares distress,

and the way grows weary and long?

Oh, yes, he cares, I know he cares;

his heart is touched with my grief;

when the days are weary, the long night dreary,

I know my Savior cares.

The Purpose of the Storm

There is, indeed, a purpose to the storm. And it is good to ask why has this storm come? It is not for us to cast aspersions at the disciples for their lack of faith, seeing that we also often catch ourselves thinking that Jesus has gone to sleep when the storms come on the church or on ourselves, and that he is somehow ignorant or indifferent to our plight. But, praise God, we are in the boat with Jesus. Though the disciples were wrong in their fright and not altogether right in the tone of voice in their appeal to Jesus, they were supremely right in that they did appeal to him for help. Fear which drives us to Jesus is not all wrong. The cry of prayer to him, even though it is a cry of unnecessary terror, stirs Jesus to action for our help.

Certainly God sent this storm for the very purpose of teaching Jesus’ disciples, and us, to trust in Jesus in the midst of severe trials. For nothing is outside of God’s providence whereby he foreordains whatsoever comes to pass.

Still, in one sense, the storms are sometimes of our own making. We do things that get us into trouble and we have to pay the price. If you do not believe me, just read the book of Jonah. We always reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7), and sometimes we are the cause of the storm and need to repent. Sometimes God sends a storm to discipline us. Why would he do that? He does it to woo and draw us back to himself and into his service. That was the case with David after he had sinned with Bathsheba. We see it in 2 Samuel 11–12.

Sometimes God does it to test our faith and to teach us to trust in him more deeply, as well as to bring glory to himself by our faithfulness to him in the test. This was the case of Job and all that he was forced to endure. In Job 2:3 the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And still he maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

So sometimes Satan is allowed to send the storm, although Satan cannot act outside of God’s will. Satan’s purpose in this storm, however, is to try to kill Jesus, the Messiah, and his disciples before their movement can take root and prosper, before Jesus can atone for the sins of his people.

And Satan will do everything in his power to destroy you and your faith in God. We have a real enemy who is seeking to defeat and destroy God’s children, and he will do whatever it takes to try to accomplish that. We are warned in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and be of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around you like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” But rest in this: Satan is limited in his ability to torment and test us by the sovereign will of God. And he will fail, if you are truly in Christ. And God works even this for the good of his people who love him.

In all that occurred that stormy night, the disciples discovered the truth about Jesus’ almighty power. It was such an unforgettable, convincing demonstration of Christ’s divine omnipotence. Jesus calmly gets up and rebukes the wind and commands the waves: “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately the wind dies down and the sea is completely calm. Before this, the disciples had witnessed Jesus just as easily heal the sick and cast out demons. But this is far more dramatic. By the word of his mouth, our Savior stops the storm. He is able to control the forces of nature. So it is good to remember that the Lord we serve still has that same power today. Matthew 28:18 tells us, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ. Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

Your storm is no problem for him. He can silence it with a word, if he so desires. He may, however, desire to allow the storm to rage on for a little while. But when he does this, he gives strength to endure it. Just think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3) or Daniel in the lions’ den (Dan. 6).

In all that occurred on that day on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples discovered that Jesus is good to his word. Just as he said, they passed over to the other side of the lake. And Jesus is still good to his word. Everything he has promised he will do. Hebrews 6:17–18 says, “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” God is true to his word. He will not take away from the promise he has made in the Book.

In all that occurred that day, the disciples also made discoveries about Jesus’ presence. Yes, life can be on a stormy sea, but, praise God, it is a voyage in the company and constant presence and protection and care of the Son of God, our Savior. The Lord Jesus does not say, “Go over to the other side and I will meet you there,” although that would be wonderful by itself. No, he says, “Let us go over to the other side.” And though there arose a great storm and the waves broke over the boat such that it was nearly swamped, yet we read that the Lord Jesus was in the stern of the boat. He was asleep but he was there. And so it is with us. Our Lord may appear to be asleep. He may even be silent. It may appear at times, to our anxious sinful hearts, that he does not care if we perish. Yet he is always with us, and that for our good.

How I pray that God will teach you and me to trust in Jesus. Does not our Savior say, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”? And in Isaiah 41:10 he says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 43:2–3 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

So remember, Christ is with you in your boat. And being in the boat with Jesus makes all the difference. You are able to call on him because he is with you. You are able to see him answer your prayers in power because he is with you. You are able to experience his peace because he is with you. So I ask you: Is Jesus in your boat? If he isn’t, you cannot weather well the storms that arise in your life nor will you pass over to heaven.

Interestingly, when we come to Mark 6:48–51, we again find the same men on the lake in another storm. Again, they are afraid. Again, they are filled with doubt. But this time, Jesus is not with them. But he is watching over them and keeping them, and he comes to them and stills the storm. And they are taught another valuable lesson, that even when we cannot see Jesus, he is still watching over us and working on our behalf. So Jesus sometimes sends storms to teach us to trust in him. His purpose is not to hurt us but to grow us in our faith.

In all that occurred that day, the disciples also made discoveries about the peace of Jesus. While they were fretting and fearing, what is our Lord doing? He is sleeping. He knows that he is in the center of the Father’s will. He knows that he will die on the cross and not in a shipwreck. So he can sleep during the storm because he trusts his Father to take care of him. Now if such a situation did not rattle the Lord, we should not allow it to rattle us either. May we learn to rest in peace in the midst of our trials.

In all that occurred, the disciples made discoveries about Jesus’ person and power. When he calmed the sea, they were amazed. “Who is this?” they asked. “Even the wind and the waves obey him.” They learned that Jesus is the Lord of providence, who is control of every gust of wind, every rolling wave, every storm. He can do what King Canute I of England could not. He can command the tide to come thus far and no further, and the tide will obey him. It is said that when King Canute failed to hold back the tide, he removed his crown and hung it on a crucifix, never to wear it again in the honor of the Lord Jesus, who is the Lord of the storm, the Lord of miracles.

Jesus performed many miracles during his life on earth. He saved his disciples on the lake. He saves us on the lake of our lives. By the power of his word, he raised Lazarus from the dead. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus himself was raised from the dead. And it is by this same Holy Spirit that he raises the spiritually dead and gives us new life in him. So I ask: Have you put your trust in him to save you?

The Voyage Should Be Free of Fear

Lastly, I want you to see that the voyage should be free of fear. Jesus asked his disciples, “Why are you so fearful? Do you still have no faith?” Fear is a weed that grows wild in the soil of unbelief. These disciples were so much like us. They should have been perfectly calm. They were on the Master’s business. They were in the Master’s presence. They had repeatedly seen and experienced Jesus’ power. You would expect them to trust in Christ. But they did not.

Instead of looking to the Lord God omnipotent, they looked at the power of the storm, the size of the waves, and the force of the wind. They looked at their own weakness and frailty and inability. They looked at the flimsiness of their boat. And we usually are no better. We each should take the Lord’s gentle rebuke personally. Our greatest difficulties, our greatest temptations, our greatest failures are always the result of unbelief. Yet, unbelief on the part of anyone who has experienced the saving power and grace of God in Christ is the most absurd and unreasonable thing in the world. Why are you so fearful? Why is it that we have such little faith? Our Savior is the Sovereign God of providence, omnipotent, all-wise, all-good. More, our Lord Christ is in the boat with us. He has promised to never leave us. More, the Holy Spirit indwells us. He is tasked with completing the work of salvation that he has begun in us. More still, the Son of God is in the midst of his church. Deuteronomy 23:14 says, “For the Lord your God moves about [the King James says, “walks about”] in the midst of your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies before you.” Psalm 46:5 says, “God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved. God will help her at the break of day.”

So I ask: Are you trusting in the Lord? The true church of God is safe. Even in the face of the coronavirus epidemic, Christ is with us. He will still the storm. We will pass over the sea with him. We will reach the other side with him. Not one passenger of the good ship Grace will be lost at sea. We can be sure of this because Christ is in the boat. And his word is settled forever in heaven. It cannot be broken. All the shifting winds of pseudo-science and the waves of unbelieving higher criticism cannot sink the vessel. We have no reason to fear the carping of ungodly, reprobate people. The word of God abides forever.

Now, not only is Jesus in the boat, but he is also at the helm. We do not trust providence or worship providence, for we are not deists. But the Lord God Almighty, whom we do trust and worship, is the God of providence. And we know that our God is in control. The Lord Jesus, who is with us, has the whole world in his hands. All power in heaven and on earth has been given to him. He holds the reins of universal dominion. This omnipotent Savior bids us to cast all your care upon him with these assuring words: “Cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). He says to us, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, I want to address those here who are still outside of Christ. Verse 36 in our text says there were also other boats with them out on the sea that night, but only one contained the Lord of glory, and that was the boat to be in.

Non-Christian, you may feel that God has brought you into stormy seas and begun to cause you to reel and act like a drunken sailor. But even if that is not the case at this moment, it will be in the near future, for the storm of God’s wrath will soon beat against your little boat. Cry out to the Lord Christ, the Master and Commander. Appeal to his great compassion: “Don’t you care if I perish? Have mercy on me, a sinner!” Turn to Jesus in repentance from your sins, and in faith trust in his free offer of salvation. Submit to his rule over you and be saved. He promises then to speak by his Spirit and word. His word of grace will greatly calm you, and at the end of life, he will bring you safe to the other shore, to heaven itself.

So whomever you may be, do you need to hear Jesus this morning say, “Peace, be still,” in your storm? If you do, bring your troubles to him and watch him work. Psalm 91:1–2 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” And in the face of death, hold fast to Christ’s words: “Let us go over to the other side.” He is able, and he alone, to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with exceeding great joy.