Is Jesus In Your Boat?

Sermon from CCM Fallowfield

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LISTEN

 

This sermon was preached by Richard Thomas at the Fallowfield site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 25th February 2018.

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SERIES

 

This message was part of the ‘Roads to Joy’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Fallowfield in late 2017. The full series included the following sermons:

 

BIBLE VERSES

 

This sermon was based on Mark 4:35-41 and Mark 5:1-20.

Jesus Calms a Storm

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

 

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

KEY POINTS

When Jesus Calls Us To Do Something, We Say Yes

  • Jesus is Lord of our life and therefore we must be obedient to HIm. But He also asks us to be in a relationship with Him – He doesn’t force His way in.
  • He is with us whenever we step out for Him – He is in the boat with us. We have certainty that God is with us. We don’t need to plead with Him to be there as if He is unwilling. If He has called us, His presence will go with us.

Don’t Expect Calm Weather

  • Just because we are called to do something doesn’t mean that we are promised an easy ride. We have complete confidence that God is with us but when we take steps of faith for Jesus, the enemy will try to stop us.
  • Don’t be surprised by trials. These times can be used by God to perfect our faith.
  • Fear, jealousy and anger can arise in times of trial and these are the things that can be purified in us by God.

Think About What Is On the Other Shore

  • On the otherside of the lake there was a man who had a demon in him that really needed help from Jesus. Jesus saw the bigger picture and knew that He had to make the journey to help this man. The disciples weren’t really needed on this trip but still Jesus brought them along and allowed them to face a storm to strengthen their faith.
  • Who could God be preparing you to help? Maybe take a step of faith, get into the boat and allow yourself to be available to help someone.

MORE SERMONS

 

To see more sermons from Christ Church Manchester, you can visit our sermons page, or why not consider subscribing on iTunes.