Lord Over the Storm

Mark 4:35-5:20

Jesus hasn't just come on behalf of creator God. He has come as creator God. Here's the truth that underpins this story. It's the unspoken answer to the disciples’ question: Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him. Jesus is Lord, right? Not just that he's a Lord—Jesus is the Lord. The capital L-O-R-D Lord, as in the Lord in Psalm 107, as in the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land, the Lord God that Jonah introduced the pagan sailors to in the midst of that storm.

Jesus is Lord over the storm. Jesus is Lord in the storm. Jesus is Lord.

And that is so simple, isn't it? It's very simple. We nod our heads. Maybe we don't even note that down, because for believers that’s not a barn burner of a sermon point. It's so simple, so obvious, and yet so important.

Important for the first readers of Mark, because remember­ this gospel was very likely written in Rome during a storm of sorts, during intense persecution under Nero. These people were facing terrible danger. They needed reminding in the midst of all of that: This Jesus you are following—he is Lord. He is Lord. Lord over the storm. Lord in the storm. If all creation obeys Jesus's voice—to the believers then and to believers today—if all creation obeys Jesus’s voice, no situation is outside his control.

For the believers then, for the early church facing terrible threats, they needed this. We need this. I need this. Life gets chaotic, right? I can very quickly start to feel like everything depends on me. I can assume the worst. I can forget who is actually in charge in the real world. Mark wants us to settle this question deep in our hearts: Who then is this, who even the wind and the waves obey? Jesus is Lord over the storm.

And that means if creation obeys Jesus’s voice, your situation, whatever it is (and I don't know what you're looking at), it’s not beyond his reach. Take hope. Take hope.

He is Lord over what you can see and what you can't; over the things that make sense and the things that absolutely don't; the things around you and the things that are beyond you. And there’s a lot that's beyond us. Jesus is Lord over the storm. Take hope.

GOING DEEPER 
Parallel, Related and Referenced Passages 
Parallel Accounts: Matthew 8:23–34, Luke 8:22–39 
 
1) LORD OVER THE CHAOS OUTSIDE 

• Psalm 24:1–2 – The earth belongs to the Lord 
• Psalm 46:1–3 – God is refuge and strength, even in storms 
• Psalm 65:7 – God restrains the roaring of the seas 
• Psalm 89:9 – God rules over the surging sea 
• Psalm 107:23–31 – God’s power over the sea and storms 
• Job 38:8–11 – God sets the bounds of the seas 
• Isaiah 40:12–31 – God’s greatness over creation and chaos 
• Romans 8:38–39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God 
• John 16:33 – In the world you will have trouble, but Jesus gives peace 
• Proverbs 3:5–6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

 
2) LORD OVER THE CHAOS INSIDE 

• Colossians 2:15 – Jesus disarmed the powers and authorities 
• Ephesians 6:12 – Our struggle is against spiritual forces of evil 
• James 4:7 – Submit to God, resist the devil 
• Luke 4:36 – People amazed at Jesus’ authority over unclean spirits 
• Hebrews 2:14–15 – Jesus shared in our humanity to defeat death and the devil