Faith That the Storm Will Pass

Posted on June 23, 2024

See on YouTube

1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16

Psalm 9:9-20

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Mark 4:35-41

This week has been a very interesting week in regards to the weather. We have a heat wave that has been scorching through the Midwest towards the East. Behind it has been storm after storm. Wednesday this past week it was so hot and after dinner we decided to take our girls to the mall to run around. When we arrived, it was starting to rain and then rapidly the wind picked up and we were getting Forest Gump rain as we tried to get everyone out of the car and into the mall. That storm was so strong that it knocked out our power at home and it stayed out until about 2:45 in the morning. It was a storm for sure that left many people without power. As quickly as it came though it quickly left for when we left the mall the Storm had passed and we could walk back to the car peacefully. You know we may experience many kinds of storms in our lives but the important thing to remember is that the storm will pass.

Our opening scripture this morning starts out with the ending of one storm and then beginnings of another. David has just killed Goliath the Philistine and Abner, the General of Saul’s army, brings David to Saul upon his request and David is still holding the head of the Philistine. There was a storm of sorts in Israel. The Philistines were at the door and having the intention of taking over. Then this giant of a man threatened and tormented the army day and night. God sends David this time to calm the storm. This was a sign of what was to come. A child of David’s seed would be born and he would once again calm the storm for eternity. But Saul became jealous of David because of his success and he began to set his heart against David a came after David for his life. A new storm began though it did not last forever, for it eventually passed by and the greatest kingdom on earth in History began.

In our passage from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul lays out for them all of the hardships that he and the other apostles have faced. There were real storms coming and going upon their lives. Paul was beaten and imprisoned, he faced hard work and sleepless nights. He received both bad and good reports. He was beaten and yet not killed. He was sorrowful but always rejoicing. He lived poor and yet made many rich. He had nothing and yet possessed everything that was really important. Paul and others whom he has trained for ministry have laid it all out there for the Church in Corinth, never withholding affection for them. Even through the hardships and storms they shared their love with these people. However, to Paul’s frustration it seems that Corinth has not reciprocated. So, he asks them to open wide their hearts for them as he has done for them for this would be a fair exchange. Even so Paul will endure these storms for he knows that they will pass by.

Now we come to our gospel passage found in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus had been teaching a preaching all day. When evening came and the day was ended, Jesus told his disciples that they should sail to the other side of the sea. So, they took him out of the crowd an onto the boat and there were other boats around them as well. As they started off Jesus being exhausted, I’m sure from the day, was sleeping in the stern or the back of the boat. However, a huge and dangerous storm comes upon them and the waves are breaking over the boat and the boat is taking on water. This storm is so powerful and even though they were experienced fisherman and knew how to deal with storms, they were very afraid of this storm. However, Jesus is just still calm and sleeping on his pillow. This storm is not big enough to call his attention for he knows it will pass by as all storms do. However, the disciples are looking at him and saying to themselves, “how can he sleep through all of this.” In their fear they wake Jesus up. They tell him, “Can’t you see that we are all about to drown and don’t you care.” How can he just sleep like this and not be afraid like they all are. Jesus gets up and speaks to the wind and the waves, “Quiet! Be Still!” Immediately the wind and waves quiet down and it is now calm. The disciples did not expect this. Jesus says, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Jesus is teaching them a lesson here because there are going to be times that storms in life will come upon them and Jesus will not be there with them to command the storm to stop. However, they must have faith that the storms will pass by. The storms are only temporary. Yes, they are destructive and are very unpleasant to experience but they will pass.

This past decade I have experienced many storms upon my life and I got to tell you that I just really wanted these storms to be over. Going through them has not been fun but you know even so they have all passed by. And each time they do my faith is stretched and it increases. So, when Casting Crowns sings, “I will praise you in this storm,” this is exactly what we need to do. For the storms are only temporary and they will pass by. We must praise God for these storms for they will increase our faith.

In our last board meeting we went through some old material that was found in the library. It contained some old photo directories and a previous bulletin celebrating the 60-year anniversary of this church. Looking at the date on this bulletin we determined that this year is actually the 80^th anniversary of this church. That is a very long time. And you know this church has been through a lot of storms in these 80 years. This church has seen an abundance of growth and it has seen things just fall apart. And yet here it still stands. The Church of the Nazarene located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It has weathered the storms and I know that faith has increased. I know that there still may be many storms to come in the future however we must always remember that these storms will pass. And we must have faith continually that no matter how big they maybe they are only temporary. We must remember that no matter how big or how strong or how battered up we might feel, our anchor will hold and we are anchored in Jesus Christ and it is an anchor that will always hold until the storm passes by.