TITLE: PREACHING CHRIST TO A TROUBLED WORLD
TEXT: Mark 4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?
39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
INTRODUCTION: This event in the life and ministry of Jesus is a picture of what our Lord knew we would face in ministry. We are now living in a Troubled World; we are sailing on a Troubled Sea. The World we are now living in and the people we are trying to minister to are in a great Storm, perhaps the greatest storm ever this side of the “TRIBULATION.” Jesus, I believe, sent His disciples out into this Storm to let them know what kind of ministry we would be involved in, our ministry is “Preaching Christ to a troubled world.”
When I first arrived at Bible school, over 50 years ago, I had been saved only a few days and all I knew was I wanted to be a preacher and win people to Jesus. Only a month earlier I was on a U.S. Navy ship at sea, in the north pacific. I have been in some Storms at sea and knew how it could be, it is hard to do anything when you are in a storm. Have you ever been Sea Sick? Have you ever been so sick you wanted to just jump over board into the Stormy Sea?
When I came to Bible school I wanted teaching, fellowship, peace, encouragement and safety but the first song I remember hearing in the chapel service was “Troublesome Waters.”
Page two
“Troubles waters, much blacker than night,
Are hiding from view, the harbor’s bright lights.
Tossed on the turmoil of life’s troubled sea,
I cry to my Saviour, “Have mercy on me.”
Troublesome waters around me now roll,
they’re flooding my boat and wrecking my soul,
loved ones are drifting and living in Sin:
The treacherous whirlpools are pulling them in.
CHORUS:
Gently I feel the touch of His hand,
guiding my life boat to that better land.
Leading the way to heaven’s bright shore,
Where troublesome waters I’m fearing no more.
Jesus said “Why are ye so FEARFUL? How is it that you have no FAITH?
Now we all know we live in a Troubled World. Wars, Revolt, Anarchy, Economic stress, Governments in failure, anti-Christ religions, Drug Abuse, Drunkenness, Sex Abuse, Broken Homes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis and the list goes on. But “The Old Gospel Ship” Sails on this Trouble Sea and Jesus is still on board and Jesus is still the Peace Maker, Jesus is still the Storm Chaser, Jesus is still the Blind man Healer, Jesus is still the Sea Walker and Jesus is still the Way Maker. We can, with great faith, still Preach Christ in and to a Troubled World with Resurrection Confidence and “If God be for us who can be against us.” Overcoming Victory.
When I started into ministry over 50 years ago, I believed Christ was the only hope for this world, the only answer, the answer for every need and I still believe this today. The only chance this world has is Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus.
I- JOB FACED A TROUBLE WORLD (the book of Job)
A- We all know Job lost everything he had but never lost his faith in God.
B- Job believed God had the answer for men.
Job 13:15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him.
II- JONAH FACED A TROUBLE WORLD (the book of Jonah)
A- The first foreign Missionary on the troubled Sea.
B- Jonah discovered God could deal with the Storm.
C- Jonah learned God could save a Troubled City.
Page three
III- JESUS FACED A TROUBLE WORLD
A- How Jesus faced a Troubled world
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to tell the good news to the poor. He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set oppressed people free, 19 and to announce the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.
1. Jesus gave the scroll back to the Minister (to the Church).
B- Just like Elijah to Elisha Jesus allows His Mantel fall to the Church
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. 8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
C- Jesus said the anointing that the Father poured on Me He will pour on you.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose-soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose-soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
IV- JESUS SAID “Do you want to be well? (do you want to be what I want you to be?)
A- The Troubled waters John 5: at the pool in Jerusalem when the waters are troubled it is time to plunge in
CLOSE: How can we face this Trouble World? We must go with Prophetic Anointing as Peter Preached at Pentecost
Act 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:"
We must remember the anointing that is on the head flows down to the feet and even on the ground we stand on. “We are standing on Holy Ground.”
TEXT: Mark 4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?
39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
INTRODUCTION: This event in the life and ministry of Jesus is a picture of what our Lord knew we would face in ministry. We are now living in a Troubled World; we are sailing on a Troubled Sea. The World we are now living in and the people we are trying to minister to are in a great Storm, perhaps the greatest storm ever this side of the “TRIBULATION.” Jesus, I believe, sent His disciples out into this Storm to let them know what kind of ministry we would be involved in, our ministry is “Preaching Christ to a troubled world.”
When I first arrived at Bible school, over 50 years ago, I had been saved only a few days and all I knew was I wanted to be a preacher and win people to Jesus. Only a month earlier I was on a U.S. Navy ship at sea, in the north pacific. I have been in some Storms at sea and knew how it could be, it is hard to do anything when you are in a storm. Have you ever been Sea Sick? Have you ever been so sick you wanted to just jump over board into the Stormy Sea?
When I came to Bible school I wanted teaching, fellowship, peace, encouragement and safety but the first song I remember hearing in the chapel service was “Troublesome Waters.”
Page two
“Troubles waters, much blacker than night,
Are hiding from view, the harbor’s bright lights.
Tossed on the turmoil of life’s troubled sea,
I cry to my Saviour, “Have mercy on me.”
Troublesome waters around me now roll,
they’re flooding my boat and wrecking my soul,
loved ones are drifting and living in Sin:
The treacherous whirlpools are pulling them in.
CHORUS:
Gently I feel the touch of His hand,
guiding my life boat to that better land.
Leading the way to heaven’s bright shore,
Where troublesome waters I’m fearing no more.
Jesus said “Why are ye so FEARFUL? How is it that you have no FAITH?
Now we all know we live in a Troubled World. Wars, Revolt, Anarchy, Economic stress, Governments in failure, anti-Christ religions, Drug Abuse, Drunkenness, Sex Abuse, Broken Homes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis and the list goes on. But “The Old Gospel Ship” Sails on this Trouble Sea and Jesus is still on board and Jesus is still the Peace Maker, Jesus is still the Storm Chaser, Jesus is still the Blind man Healer, Jesus is still the Sea Walker and Jesus is still the Way Maker. We can, with great faith, still Preach Christ in and to a Troubled World with Resurrection Confidence and “If God be for us who can be against us.” Overcoming Victory.
When I started into ministry over 50 years ago, I believed Christ was the only hope for this world, the only answer, the answer for every need and I still believe this today. The only chance this world has is Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus.
I- JOB FACED A TROUBLE WORLD (the book of Job)
A- We all know Job lost everything he had but never lost his faith in God.
B- Job believed God had the answer for men.
Job 13:15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him.
II- JONAH FACED A TROUBLE WORLD (the book of Jonah)
A- The first foreign Missionary on the troubled Sea.
B- Jonah discovered God could deal with the Storm.
C- Jonah learned God could save a Troubled City.
Page three
III- JESUS FACED A TROUBLE WORLD
A- How Jesus faced a Troubled world
Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to tell the good news to the poor. He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set oppressed people free, 19 and to announce the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.
1. Jesus gave the scroll back to the Minister (to the Church).
B- Just like Elijah to Elisha Jesus allows His Mantel fall to the Church
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. 8 And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
C- Jesus said the anointing that the Father poured on Me He will pour on you.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose-soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose-soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
IV- JESUS SAID “Do you want to be well? (do you want to be what I want you to be?)
A- The Troubled waters John 5: at the pool in Jerusalem when the waters are troubled it is time to plunge in
CLOSE: How can we face this Trouble World? We must go with Prophetic Anointing as Peter Preached at Pentecost
Act 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:"
We must remember the anointing that is on the head flows down to the feet and even on the ground we stand on. “We are standing on Holy Ground.”