Mark 4:35-41
Now I Get It!
Peter had a unique privilege. He walked with Jesus for 3 1/2 years.
That means that Peter saw almost everything that Jesus did, and that
he heard almost everything that Jesus said. Since John makes it
clear that Jesus did MANY more things that are recorded in the Bible,
Peter would have seen and heard things that you and I do know about.
Even more, Jesus got to ask God questions! What a privilege!
Even so, Peter was a human being. As a human being, he did not
understand everything there was to understand about Jesus right
away—in fact, I think it is safe to say he is still learning even
today. But Peter did not realize who Jesus was and what Jesus had
come to do immediately. Like us, he picked up on different things at
different times and some of the things he learned once, he later
forgot and had to learn again. That’s just people.
For a few moments today, let’s looks through the Scripture and watch
Peter learn.
Many of Peter’s lessons occurred around water.
1. Peter was a fisherman and he probably loved the water.
2. God has no problems with taking what we love (as long as it is
not evil) and building spiritual lessons around it.
I. \\#Mark 4:35-41\\ The reality of missing peace occurred to Peter.
A. Most of Jesus’ ministry occurred not in Jerusalem but in
Galilee, the northern region of Israel.
1. The Sea of Galilee is actually a large fresh water lake.
2. It is where Peter worked and because there were cities all
around it, Jesus spent a lot time there as well.
3. This sea is surrounded by high mountains and because of
that, it is subject to strong and sudden storms.
B. As Jesus and the disciples are sailing across the sea to go to
other side, a very strong and dangerous storm occurs.
1. Notice the description.
Mark 4:37 And there arose a GREAT storm of wind,
and the waves BEAT into the ship, so that it was
now FULL.
2. Notice the reality.
Mark 4:38 …Master, carest thou not that we
perish?
a. All of these men knew something about this sea and
some were experienced fishermen,
b. Things were pretty dire.
3. Notice Jesus’ rebuke.
Mark 4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye
so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
a. Why were you fearful? worried? concerned?
b. Jesus was asking them why they did not have peace in
the midst of their storm.
C. Let’s take a poll. You are on a driving down the interstate,
traffic is stopped up ahead, your brakes are out. It is that
acceptable time to be frightened and worried?
1. Most would say "YES."
2. Why? Because of the current conditions, the
circumstances.
3. That is where these 12 men were and Jesus told them it was
wrong for them to be fearful.
D. Peter was about to realize something was missing in his life.
1. Peace. That was Peter’s awakening. Yours might be to
something else.
2. Up until that time Peter, like most of us, had thought,
"peaceful circumstances equal peaceful spirit."
3. But in that midst of that storm, Peter saw something in
Jesus, "troubled circumstances STILL equal peace of
spirit."
4. By the way, you may have been saved a long time and still
not know that truth or you may have known the truth but
forgotten it, but it is true.
5. Peace is not the absence of the storms. Peace is the
absence of inner turmoil during the storms.
E. Notice what this observation got the disciples to thinking.
Mark 4:41 …What manner of man is this….
1. They were seeing something they had never seen before and
it was causing them to rethink some things.
2. By stacking themselves up to Jesus….
a. They were starting to see that their lives were not as
complete as they thought they were.
(1) They are seeing a missing peace.
(2) There are other things missing: satisfaction,
purpose, courage, ability, hope….
(3) You do not have to be on a boat in the storm to
start seeing what is missing in your life.
(a) You don’t have to be looking at Jesus to see
what is missing in your life.
(b) You don’t even have to be the one going
through the storm.
(c) But I hope you do have the realization that
here are things missing in your life
because there is little hope of your
salvation until you do.
b. They were seeing that there was more to Jesus than
they had realized. They were starting to understand
that Jesus is God.
II. \\#Luke 5:1-11\\ The reality of obedience occurred to Peter.
A. \\#10\\ Notice that Jesus called Peter, James, and John ALL
to follow Him.
1. It is interesting to know this was not Peter’s first
meeting with Jesus \\#John 1:35-42\\
2. John the Baptist had already pointed Jesus out and Peter
had spent the better part of day with Jesus—at least
once.
3. However, Peter was like us. When it came to spiritual
things, he had a problem staying in forward motion.
a. We all have seasons of forward and reverse.
(1) \\#2Ti 4:2\\ "in season, out of season…"
(2) Most people are at best 2 steps forward, 1 step
back.
b. Our goal should be:
(1) Minimize the distance we travel in reverse.
(2) Reduce the frequency of reverse all together.
B. What did it take to knock Peter into a firm 1st gear?
1. It took seeing the power of God on the Sea of Galilee.
2. Perhaps you know the story:
a. \\#5\\ Peter and crew had fished that body of water
all night.
b. It would not surprise me if Jesus directed the ship
back to the same exact spot where Peter had fished
the night before.
c. \\#4\\ Then Jesus gave the command to let down the
"nets."
d. \\#5\\ Peter only dropped "a net."
e. \\#6\\ They caught so many fish that net broke.
F. \\#7\\ Peter got his partners to come and they caught
so many fish that both ships were about to sink.
C. \\#8\\ Notice Peter’s response.
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down
at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I
am a sinful man, O Lord.
1. Why did Peter call himself sinful?
2. Could it have been because he had not obeyed him?
3. Did you ever get yourself into a fix by disobeying God?
a. All of us have.
b. Whenever I read this story, I see Peter’s utter
frustration as his net is breaking and he is having
to watch those fish slide out of it back into the
sea and a phrase comes to my mind.
c. "I would not be having this problem if I had done
what Jesus said."
d. Jesus said "Let down ‘nets.’" I let down "a net."
D. Do you know what Peter realized that day?
1. He realized the reality of obedience and surrender to
Jesus Christ.
2. Will that be the last time he realizes their importance?
3. No, Peter will fall into reverse many more times in his
life.
E. Questions:
1. Have you ever realized the importance of obedience and
surrender to Jesus Christ?
a. We do not call Jesus LORD for nothing.
b. You have probably heard my testimony. The first time
I prayed asking Jesus to save me, I was not
surrendering and I did not get saved.
c. There is a reason I am stubborn about some of the
things I am stubborn about.
2. Are you in a state of obedience and surrender right now?
a. Are you in forward or reverse.
(1) There is no neutral.
(2) You are either in forward or you are in reverse.
b. The only proof you have that you ever got saved is
that you are surrendered and believing in Him right
now.
(1) There is no such thing as partially surrendered.
(2) You are either completely surrendered or you are
completely rebelling.
III. \\#Matt 14:22-32\\ The reality of faith occurred to Peter.
A. Another day on the sea, another storm, and another realization
for Peter.
B. Faith is the ability to see into God’s invisible things of God
clearly enough to act on them in this world.
1. This definitely was not Peter’s first dealings with faith.
a. I think he was a believer in Jesus by now.
b. He had accepted Jesus’ call to serve.
c. Peter had even performed miracles by this time.
2. However, this appears to be the time when faith became
more than just a chance game for Peter.
a. Up unto this time, Peter’s faith had been strong
enough to do what he was told. Here, Peter had his
own vision of what God’s will for him is.
b. Peter was not willful or proud.
(1) He verified what he thought with Jesus (prayer).
(2) We have three we need to verify with:
(a) Prayer
(b) Word
(c) Counsel
c. Then Peter literally stepped out on FAITH.
(1) It was his faith that held Peter up.
(2) What a risk Peter was taking! He could have and
should sank like an anchor to the bottom of the
sea.
d. What made Peter even try? For a moment, Peter
realized that the risk of never living by faith was
more dangerous than the risk of trying to live by
faith and failing, even if it meant death.
3. That is the reality of faith!
a. That it is worse to live without faith than to fail
living with it.
b. The reality of faith is not that God may work if I try
but that I must live by faith.
c. The thing that breaks God’s heart is not that we step
out by faith and fail—because we will. The thing
that breaks God is that we will not even try to live
by faith.
d. Faith is a growth process. We will fail like a toddler
learning to walk fails, but as we strengthen our
faith muscles, we will get better at it.
e. We are not to live hap-hazard or foolish lives, but to
pro-actively seek God’s will, verify it through the
Word of God and counsel, then step out and do it.
f. Slowly, carefully at first, realizing that you are
going to misunderstand God’s will from time to time,
but as you gain more experience in walking by faith,
having more confidence—not in God, but in your
comprehension of the will of God.
C. When our faith in God is tried and trued, it becomes a
reliable tool for God’s power.
1. It became a weapon to use against the enemy.
2. It became a bridge across deep waters.
3. It became a protection from harm.
IV. \\#John 21:1-7\\ The reality of repentance occurred to Peter.
A. This is after Jesus has died and risen. Peter had seen the
risen Jesus on at least three occasions.
1. Remember that Peter had denied Jesus three times.
2. Peter still lacked something. I believe Peter still
carried guilt.
B. On that day, Jesus took Peter aside and asked him three times
if he loved Jesus.
1. Why three? It is the same number of times that Peter
denied Jesus.
2. The Bible does not spell it out, but sometime during that
conversation or shortly thereafter, I believe that Peter
realized the power of repentance and forgiveness.
3. I believe Peter had been begging God for forgiveness since
the morning he denied Jesus, but he had not understood
what power lay in repentance and God’s forgiveness.
4. Somewhere around in here, he learned.
5. In a few days, Peter will stand and preach this wonderful
forgiveness to the very people who had literally
crucified Jesus and when asked what they need to do,
Peter will reply:
Acts 2:38 …Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins….
6. And 3000 souls will do just that.
Have you realized these things?
1. That something is missing
2. Obedience and submission
3. Faith
4. Repentance and forgiveness
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