Mark 4:35-41 Little Ships Introduction This is the fourth message in a series of messages entitled When God makes little go a long way.

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1 Mark 4:35-41 Little Ships Introduction This is the fourth message in a series of messages entitled When God makes little go a long way. We have discussed about how there seems to be an epidemic in todays Church culture that is causing Christians or at least Church-goers to seek God in a superficial way. We say catch phrases such as, I hope God shows up and shows out. I am asking God for BIG things. Looking for God to do MIGHTY things. While there is certainly nothing wrong with asking God to do a big thing, or a mighty thing, I am afraid that those words have simply come to mean an emotionally high service. Possibly meaning many professions of faith, or a vocally loud expression of worship. As I look through scripture and think about God doing big things, it seems to me that He always does it through little things. First we learned some lessons from a little lunch. Next we gleaned from Onesiphorus and saw what God can do with a little ministry. Then we saw what a little revival looks like from Ezra 9&10. Tonight I would like to look at these little ships. As we work through this big and miraculous account, I would like to point out some little details that are easy to miss as I preach on: the other little ships. The first detail I would like to examine is

2 I. The Contrast of the Ships A. The Size of the Ships are Contrasted There is a distinction in the size of the ships. The ship Jesus got into is referred to as a ship, but Mark says there were with him other little ships. Smaller ships. These ships aren t as big as the other ship. Many times throughout our Christian life we can get the feeling that we are just too little to matter in the work of God. Because we are small our work is somehow insignificant. I am glad however that God uses little things! Many times He even uses little things to do big things. It is in this text that we find such an instance. The Holy Spirit has inspired Mark to include some little things in what is commonly known as a big story. B. The Sailors of the ships are Contrasted Notice with me the difference in those occupying these ships. 1. The main ship is occupied by the Disciples and the Lord The main ship was filled with the disciples and the Lord Jesus Christ. We know their names. We know a lot about them. Much is recorded through the pages of scripture about the disciples, and especially the Lord! 2. The little ships are occupied by those Devoted to the Lord However, the little ships are filled with unknowns. We don t know their names. We don t know anything about them other than the fact that they must have been devoted to the

3 Lord. The text makes it clear that these little ships were with him. They were with Jesus. They may not have had their names recorded in scripture and we may not know anything about them, but they were with the Lord. It doesn t matter if you are a big ship or a little ship if you are with the Savior. It doesn t matter if anyone knows your name as long as the Savior knows your name. It doesn t matter if anyone knows who you are, but they they see to whom you are devoted! C. The Service of the Ships is Contrasted One ship was used to carry the Savior, and the other ships were there to follow the Savior. They served a different purpose, but they served the same master! These shops had different tasks, but they were all used for the glory and the honor of Christ! You may feel small and insignificant, you may feel the task you have been given is small or somehow less important than someone else, but take comfort and rejoice that regardless of what you do, the captain has charted your course and you are doing what you are doing for His honor and for His glory! The second detail I would like to examine is

4 II. The Commonality with the Storm Man may make distinctions in the size of your ship, but storms don t discriminate. Storms don t care if you are big or little, up town or downtown, storms just come! A. The Ships faced the same Winds These ships all face the same fierce wind. V.37 says that this was a great storm of wind. This was probably a strong whirlwind. It was a squall of wind. It was a sudden and violent gust of wind. One minute it was smooth sailing and the next violent winds. The wind did not respect the main ship anymore than the little ships. The same wind that blew in opposition to the main ships progress blew against the little ships. It does not matter if you are a big ship or a little ship when the winds of opposition blow its hard rowing! You can only imagine crewmembers of each ship trying to keep the ship moving forward. The winds of opposition are going to blow against, they are certainly going to try to stop you in your tracks, but just keep on rowing toward the other side! B. The Ships faced the same Waves they were full of water The text seems to indicate that the waves were tossed about due to the severe winds. These waves were so high that they were breaking over the boat. The same waves that crashed on the main boat crashed into these little boats and these ships were now filling up with water!

5 C. The Ships faced the same Worry It doesn t matter how big your boat is, if its full of water you aren t going anywhere but down! And that is exactly what the disciples feared, and you know if the disciples feared it the others feared it as well! Whether you are a big ship or a little ship the storms of life can beat you down to the point you feel like there is no way in the world you are going to make it. Sometimes we all feel like we are going under! I am simply saying storms don t discriminate! The third detail I would like to examine is III. The Company on the Shore A. The Company one the Shore was Saved As I watch Jesus hush the wind, and make the waves lay down, and I see everyone stepping out of their ships onto the shore, I can t help but imagine what these little ships had come through. 1. The Company had been given Peace Tyndale said, Mark is the only gospel that tells us of the other boats being with Jesus here: the calming of the storm therefore becomes a miracle of mercy on a wider scale than the mere saving from drowning of a boatload of frightened disciples.

6 Peace was dispensed equally that day. No matter how big or how small we all stand in need of peace as we travel through this life and the sweet words of Jesus can give us that peace! Alexander Maclaren said, If our faith unites us to Jesus, there is nothing that need shake our courage. If He is our fear and our dread, we shall not need to fear their fear, who have not the all-conquering Christ to fight for them. Well roars the storm to them who hear A deeper voice across the storm. 2. The Company had been Preserved The size of your boat doesn t matter when you step on the shore! No, all that mattered was that they had made it to the other side! Cruise ship illustration: The storm was bad, but the captain had sailed through rough waters before and the ship had weathered storms before! No matter the size of your vessel no one sailing with Jesus has ever been lost! Conclusion Now that we have examined these little ships, maybe you just want to come and thank God that He is with you in the storm? Maybe you want to thank Him for peace, or perseverance? Maybe you aren t sailing with Jesus but you would like to? If you will come to Him He will save you today!