Trusting in the Lord who Calms the Storm

Scripture:

Jonah 1

Mark 4:35-41; 5:1-9

It is an immense privilege to be here today to preach God's Word.

We often experience extremely difficult times, yet we do not understand why these things happen to us. Storms rage fiercely against us, and it is only by God's mercy that we escape unharmed. Today, I want to talk to you about the two kinds of storms that we as Christians experience most often.

We will look together at the story of Jonah in Jonah chapter 1, and the account of Jesus Christ in Mark 4:35-41.

After receiving a clear command from God, Jonah devised his own strategy: he decided to head in the exact opposite direction of the one God had chosen. He bought a ticket for a ship, wanting to go as far west away from Nineveh as possible; verse 3 plainly states that Jonah was running away from the presence of the Lord.

Throughout the Bible, the presence of God is often portrayed as being upon the holy mountain. Whenever we think of God's dwelling place, we think of Him residing on high.

Psalm 48:1-2

"Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. It is beautiful in its elevation, the joy of the whole earth. Like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King."

Running away from God's presence, Jonah embarked on a downward path toward death, and every single step he took went downward. At first, he went down to Joppa; then he went down into the inner recesses of the ship; and finally, he sank down to the ocean floor. Step by step, he cast himself into a pit, with death opening wide its arms waiting for him there.

When we decide to turn our backs on the plan God has laid out for our lives, what happened to Jonah can happen to every single one of us. Sometimes, we take a step downward without even realizing it. One thing leads to another, slowly dragging us away from God's presence; if we are not watchful, the enemy of our souls will rob us of our greatest privilege—the presence of God.

Let me share with you the story of a young man: he grew up in the church, coming to church every Sunday with his mother and brother. But by the time he was fifteen or sixteen, he began to lose interest in the church and gradually, like Jonah, set out on the road leading to the pit. At first, he enjoyed it all, possessing the freedom he had always longed for; but every few years, he drifted further away from God's presence.

Twenty years later, he had almost sunk to the bottom of the ocean, close to death, drowning in sin and despair. Full of mercy toward this young man, God sent some storms into his life, and finally he woke up, realizing that God was calling him back to His presence and back to the calling God had set for his life. That young man was me. Just as He did with Jonah, God gave me another chance; that storm, terrifying though it was, was worth it.

This morning, I want to ask you a question: In your life today, are there any "Assyrians"? If so, who are they? These "Assyrians" might be a group of people, or they might be some small things, pushing us in the direction opposite to God's presence.

Just as in Jonah's day, there are some people who are only one message away from repenting and changing their lives. Today, the command given to us could not be clearer.

Matthew 28:18-19

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'"

Through Jesus Christ, we possess authority, and we possess the Word given by God to be proclaimed to the whole world. Jonah was sent to a city full of sinners, yet equally loved by God, to preach a specific message; today, we have received the command to proclaim to all nations. There are many places in the world like Nineveh that need to hear the gospel and turn away from their own ways.

Sometimes, certain places seem completely beyond redemption, and the darkness appears too deep—so deep that even God's forgiveness cannot reach them; yet Nineveh is a wonderful example: once Jonah finally preached the message God had originally commanded him to deliver, a great revival swept through the entire city

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God Sending Storms in Mercy

The famous Christian writer C.S. Lewis wrote: "Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world." God sent a storm to awaken Jonah. Jonah could try to run away, but he could not fight against nature—or more accurately, he could not fight against the One who rules over nature, who is the Creator of all things.

The person on that boat who should have been praying was Jonah, yet he refused to pray. He was the only person on the boat who knew that God is the Creator of nature. As soon as the people on the boat found out who God was, they prayed, and that "problem" was thrown overboard. All they needed was belief in this revelation of who God was; their faith in the midst of danger caused their prayers to be answered.

Even though Jonah was completely rebellious, God still showed mercy to him. Just when it seemed to be the end of his life, he was given another chance in the next chapter. When God sent the storm, He certainly knew what He was doing.

This storm accomplished many things: the people on the boat came to know the Creator of all things, and Jonah was once again guided back to the plan God had originally set for him. Jonah still had to endure more suffering—he spent three days in the belly of a great fish, nearly experiencing death. His rebellion almost cost him his life, but in the end, he was given another chance, and God accomplished what He had commanded.

I do not know what you are experiencing today. Sometimes you cannot see any purpose in your own pain or in the storms that befall you, and it is indeed difficult to see while you are in the midst of them. Perhaps the suffering you are enduring right now is not your fault at all; like the people on the boat, that storm arose because of someone else's rebellion.

Although their suffering was not of their own making, the outcome of this event was good for everyone else on the ship: they came to know the Lord, and salvation was close at hand.

The one who calmed the waves

In Mark 4:35-41, we see Jesus heading into Gentile territory. We can gather this clue from certain details in chapter 5. One of these clues is that the Gerasenes kept herds of pigs, and pigs are unclean animals in the eyes of Jews, so Jews could never raise pigs without being judged by their own people.

There are many similarities between these two passages. I am not saying this is my own discovery; many scholars throughout church history have already pointed this out. A lecturer of mine at ETS once wrote an interesting article on this, and if you are interested, I can introduce it to you. According to his view, there are several points of similarity between the two:

a. A person falls asleep in a boat with others (Mark 4:36; Jonah 1:3)

b. A great storm arises, with waves threatening to swamp the boat (Mark 4:37; Jonah 1:4)

c. That person remains fast asleep during the storm (Mark 4:38; Jonah 1:5)

d. That person is awakened by the crowd in utter terror (Mark 4:38; Jonah 1:6)

e. A command is issued (Mark 4:39; Jonah 1:12)

f. The storm ceases immediately (Mark 4:39; Jonah 1:15)

g. The result is "great fear" (Mark 4:41; Jonah 1:16).

What differs from the narrative of Jonah is the origin of the storm. This storm was very likely an evil force attempting to prevent the completion of His work. Instead of refusing to go to Gentile territory the way Jonah did, Jesus calmed the chaos that was blocking Him and His disciples from reaching the Gentile region. He demonstrated His authority over nature, showing that no storm has the right to stop Him.

Unlike Jonah, Jesus willingly and gladly went to the other side. There were momentous things waiting for Him on the other side: a large crowd of demons to be driven out. Jesus' ministry was primarily within the borders of Israel, but His journey to Gentile territory hinted that His ministry would expand to include Gentiles. Jesus showed mercy to the Gentiles, whereas Jonah thought they were unworthy of that mercy.

Another interesting aspect of this passage is that in ancient societies such as the Babylonians, water was portrayed as the primeval element from which all life emerged, and many of their false gods were associated with water as well. Jesus calming the storm holds significant meaning in this passage as well: He revealed Himself as the Lord who rules over nature, and apart from the Triune God, there is no other God.

Even when there are those who attempt to prevent Him from reaching the Gentile people, nothing can truly hinder the fulfillment of God's plan.

In our lives, sometimes the more we want to draw near to God, the more difficult things become; the harder we try to commit ourselves, the more storms arise. When we finally resolve to dedicate our lives to God and plunge into His work, our circumstances actually become harder. The enemy does not want you to draw closer to God, and he will use tricks to stop you from reaching the other side.

The words Jesus spoke in verse 35 are the key to this passage; He said, "Let us cross over to the other side." Since He said they were going to the other side, they would certainly reach the other side. Yet these words did not keep the disciples from experiencing extreme terror when the storm struck. Jesus had to reassure them once again: He was right there in the boat. His presence was everything they needed.

The same is true of our journey walking with Jesus. Sometimes our faith is weak, and we even feel that He will not calm the storm. But we have a promise: He is leading us toward the promised land. He said He would take us to the other side, and He will accomplish it. The mercy He showed to the Gerasenes is the exact same mercy He shows to us today.

In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus calls us to follow in His footsteps. He has given us the command to make disciples of all nations. This path will not be easy, and storms will surely come, but we can trust: He will lead us safely to the other side. Nothing can separate us from the protection of our Savior.

To point the finger at Jonah and criticize him is all too easy. He ran away from God's presence and made a huge mistake. I do not know about you, but in my own life, I have been like Jonah many times. When things get tough, some of us tend to run away from God's presence. I have made that mistake many times. We are all sinners just like Jonah.

If not for the mercy of God sending storms into my life, I probably wouldn't be standing here today preaching this message to you.

God is a God who gives second chances, and in His eyes, no one is beyond hope—neither you, nor those "Assyrians" out there. He is willing to save all of us, no matter where they come from or what kind of sin they are committing today. Trying to run away from God's presence comes with a price we simply cannot bear.

Let us learn from Jonah's mistakes and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. He is the example we ought to follow; He has compassion on the brokenhearted and is willing to save the whole world.

If you are currently experiencing a storm, may you find strength in the Lord. I do not wish to trivialize your pain, and I may not even fully comprehend how difficult the trials are that some of you are facing, but there is only one certainty here: Jesus is in control of everything, and it is He who said we would reach the other side—where we will no longer experience any suffering.

In this world we may have tribulation and distress, but when everything is over, we will spend eternity with the God who created us. Today, may we be encouraged to bring this message of love to those around us who need it most.

Shall we pray together?