Title: Let's Cross Over
Contents
Mark 4:35-41
let's cross over
We are going through a very difficult time. Diplomatically, they are isolated among the neighboring powers, and the president, who has not been in office for less than 100 days, bowed his head three times when announcing a discourse to the people, and the skyrocketing oil prices put the company in an emergency. Diplomacy, politics, and the economy are all emergency. The United States has been through the Great Depression. At that time, President Roosevelt said, "Fellow people, if there is anything we really need to fear at this point, there is only one thing: the fact that we are afraid." The word ‘fear’ is something to be wary of more than an economic crisis or a political crisis. That's right. Fear is man's greatest enemy. Because when you are afraid, your judgment is clouded, you lose courage and you are unable to act.
Jesus, who had been preaching the kingdom of God all day, said to his disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side.” When Jesus got into the boat, he fell asleep on a pillow at the back of the boat. But suddenly, a storm arose, and the waves hit the boat, and water began to enter the boat. Then the disciples, overcome by fear, began to panic. So I wake up Jesus. After waking up, Jesus rebuked the wind and said, “Be still, be still.” Then the sea became as quiet as ever. When the sea calmed down, Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? How can you have no faith?”
When you are caught in fear, you become afraid of people, and you become afraid of work. There is nothing that is not to be feared. That's why I think that tomorrow doesn't come. Modern people are living in the grip of fear of the unknown. We must overcome the storms that frighten our lives. We must overcome the storm that threatens families, the storm that threatens our health, and the storm that threatens the workplace. And we must cross over to the other side where dreams and hopes await. How can I cross over to the other side where dreams and hopes await?
1. First, you must be prepared to overcome the storm and cross over to the other side.
Let's read verses 37-38 together. “There was a great storm, and waves crashed into the boat and filled the boat. Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the stern, and his disciples woke him up and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Amen.
What is surprising is that a great storm blew, waves hit the boat, and water filled the boat, but Jesus was sleeping. Have you ever traveled by boat? I've been to Jeju Island from Goal by ferry, and I've been to Fukuoka from Busan. It was a very large boat carrying hundreds of passengers and dozens of cars, but it was no joke as the boat swayed from side to side in the wind. There were people lying down with motion sickness here and there, and people vomiting. The boat Jesus rode in was a small boat. It is only a matter of time before the small ship met with a storm and sank. The waves hit the boat, and the boat shakes violently. Finally, the boat is filled with water and it looks like it will sink at any moment. Yet the Bible records that Jesus was sleeping.
Did Jesus Really Sleep? I don't know, but maybe Jesus didn't wake up around this time? I think Jesus must have been awake by this time. When the ship left the naaru, he must have fallen asleep because he was tired. But he must have woken up when his boat shook, rain began to pour on his face, and people clamored. Still, he was pretending to be asleep. He must have pretended to be asleep to see how the disciples dealt with this storm. Jesus was deliberately testing his disciples.
In the sea of life, there are constant storms. To the north of the Sea of Galilee is Mount Hermon, which is higher than Mount Paektu in our country. The summit of this mountain is covered with snow almost all year round. The cold waters of this molten snow from Mount Hermon flow down the gorge and into the Sea of Galilee. Just as the cold water collides with the waters of the subtropical Sea of Galilee and causes an unexpected storm, a storm suddenly arises in our lives. Just as there is no school without exams, there is no life without hardships. This test or tribulation is an opportunity to test true and false faith. True faith endures adversity. No, it rather shines in adversity. But false faith departs when adversity comes. I give up my faith because of selfishness that this is no longer useful or convenient for me.
Storms can sever relationships, hurt, and even keep you from falling asleep. Even among our members, there are members who have a heartache due to a storm. However, for the saints who are ready to fight the storm, the storm is just an obstacle to overcome, nothing more. Jesus said, “You will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Good faith does not mean that you are exempt from storms. Storms come, but you can make your way through them. That is why the Apostle James said, “Consider it joy when you face various trials” (James 1:2).
The storm hit by the disciples is a 'great storm'. The adjective ‘big’ is ‘mega’ in Greek, and ‘megaton’ in English. It is a megaton-class storm. But storms, no matter how big or small, threaten my life. To the saints who are prepared to fight the storm, no matter how big the storm is but a small test, but to the saints who are not prepared, no matter how small the storm, it becomes a megaton that can upset my life.
To get to the other side where dreams and hopes await, we must cross the stormy sea. Hear stories of successful people. Did I say that everything went smoothly like a sail in the wind? Hear the stories of revival churches and saints. Did I say that there was a revival without trials and hardships? Successful people are proud of their past, not ashamed of their past, but unsuccessful people are shy and can't talk about it. I hope that all of the Chuncheon Northern Church members can overcome this storm and become members who can proudly talk about the past in the future. I hope that you will prepare well, overcome adversity and hardship, and become saints who reach beyond.
2. Second, in order to overcome the storm and cross over to the other side, we must trust Jesus.
Read verse 40. “Then he said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Why do you have no faith?” Amen.
After waking up, Jesus turned to the stormy sea and said, “Sea, be still, be still.” Then the sea turned into a calm sea as clear as a grain of glass. And he spoke two words to his disciples. The first is, “Why are you so afraid?” The second is, “How can you have no faith?”
Do the disciples really have no faith? If you didn't have faith, how could you have given up everything and followed the Lord? If you did not believe in Jesus, how would you have followed Jesus? Because the disciples believed in Jesus, they could forsake everything and follow Him. But when a great storm broke out, his faith was shaken. This is the unbelief of the believer. I often see the saints who comforted and prayed with the word while watching the saints in difficulties, but when they are faced with the same difficulties, they cannot overcome the difficulties and are desperate. When a so-called believer finds himself in a special situation, he or she can think and act as if he had no faith, and that is the believer's unbelief.
The reason the disciples were rebuked by Jesus for not having faith was because the way they dealt with the storm was not the way of faith. In verse 38, the disciples woke Jesus up and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are about to die?” The desperate disciples called Jesus to be their teacher. Their relationship with Jesus is not a relationship between a Savior and a sinner, but a relationship between a teacher and a disciple. Dear brothers and sisters, who is the Lord to you? Is the Lord the one who gives you blessings, money, and health? When the disciples became desperate, they complained, “Why are we sleeping when we are about to die?” “Get up quickly and do something,” he demanded.
The famous American actress got on the plane. A handsome old gentleman was sitting next to him, and he kept coughing. The actress, feeling sorry for the old gentleman, gave her tea and juice to drink and said, "Sir, juice is the best for a cold." “Drink a lot of juice and water. And sir, I just have one medicine, so take this medicine.” Then he gave out his blanket and said, “Sleep well and sweat. You'll feel better after a good night's sleep." The old gentleman was so very grateful and said, “Thank you. Excuse me, but who are you?” he asked. “I’m Billy Bulk, a Hollywood actress.” “Who is your teacher?” Then the old gentleman said, “I am Dr. Mayo of the Mayo Clinic.” The Mayo Clinic is a clinician mecca and one of the four major hospitals in the United States. This old gentleman wrote a text in front of Confucius Mayorani, the very famous Doctor of Mayo Hospital, and shoveled in front of a fork crane.
When we are faced with a difficult problem and our prayers are not answered, there are times when we complain and complain, “God is not interested in me.”