Jesus: Ruler of the World! Mark 4:35-41

Text: “And He, (Jesus) arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still! and the wind ceased, and there was great calm.”

Mark 4:39.

Good morning, peace-filled Christian!  You possess perfect peace within because you are a possession of the Prince of Peace - Jesus, the Risen Christ, Supreme Ruler of the world.

Give thanks and praise today, beloved believer, our peace is Eternally secured through the Cross of Christ. Hallelujah!

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth (trusts, and continues to trust) in Thee.”  (Isaiah 26:3)

The wind is a wayward and awesome elemental force; so powerful and contrary that mankind, with all his scientific and technological advances, cannot harness such a whimsical force or deter its destructive whims.  But what is utterly impossible with mankind, is at all times possible with Christ Jesus.  Praise God!  What a Redeemer Lord!  What a Sovereign Saviour indeed!  (Mark 10:27) (Luke 1:37) (Jeremiah 32:17)

Of Will and Wind 

Hark! Hear the wild and whispering wind;

Wailing on her fluted way.

Sobbing through field, town, and grove,

Like soul, demented, from the grave.

Whistling, whispering, screaming shrill,

Rising raucous, rising still.

What awesome quill has penned your moan?

From what huge heart is your dirge torn?

What Godly bellows blasts your force -

Devoid of mercy, frosty fierce?

Who hold your reins; plots your course?

Who wills your whims or knows your source?

Here - then gone to other places,

Free from fetters, ties, or traces.

Blowing, blowing, banging shutters;

Stealing tiles, and bending gutters!

Dancing, dancing, wildly prancing;

Squealing through the knot-holed fencing!

Roaring, roaring, madly soaring;

Bearing whirlwinds - wanton siren!

Unchaste, untamed, unleashed, unnamed -

What umbral regions hast thou reigned?

Maelstrome`d maenad, bacchant blaster,

Who can chide thy blatant bluster?

“Peace, be still!”, a Voice replied!

At once, the tossing tempest died. 

Dr C.K. McClinton

(1984)

J.C. Ryle Comments:

“These verses describe a storm on the sea of Galilee, when our Lord and His disciples were crossing it, and a miracle performed by our Lord in calming the storm in a moment. Few miracles recorded in the Gospel were so likely to strike the minds of the disciples as this. Four of them at least were fishermen. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, had probably known the sea of Galilee, and its storms, from their youth. Few events in our Lord’s journeyings to and fro upon earth, contain more rich instruction than the one related in this passage.

“Let us learn, in the first place, that Christ’s service does not exempt His servants from storms. Here were the twelve disciples in the path of duty. They were obediently following Jesus wherever He went. They were daily attending on His ministry, and hearkening to His word. They were daily testifying to the world, that, whatever Scribes and Pharisees might think, they be­lieved on Jesus, loved Jesus, and were not ashamed to give up all for His sake. Yet here we see these men in trouble, tossed up and down by a tempest, and in danger of being drowned.

“Let us mark well this lesson. If we are true Chris­tians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other men. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace by the way and glory at the end, —all this our Saviour has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no afflictions. He loves us too well to promise that. By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn. By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world, makes us long for heaven. In the resurrection morning we shall all say, “it is good for me that I was afflicted.” We shall thank God for every storm.  (J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels 1816-1900) 

Life’s storms can threaten to blow away our every hope and dream.  Yet, each time such circumstances occur, and they will occur, we have God’s sure promise of lasting stability and an overcomer’s outlook on life.

Fear not therefore, sincere, yet sorely tried Christian, the Lord is ALWAYS merely a prayer away from helping us and blessing us with His perfect peace.  Keep right on looking to Him.  (John 14:1)

Thought:  Mid the storms of life - we have the perfect peace of the risen Christ.