In week three of our Summer Fruit series Pastor Nick Newman unpacks from Mark
4 how true peace isn’t found in our own strength but in our connection to Jesus,
the Prince of Peace. We can trust in God’s promises to anchor us in any storm
and have lasting peace rooted in our connection with Jesus. This message was
recorded live on June 29th, 2025.

Finding True Peace in a Chaotic World: Lessons from Jesus in the Storm

In a world filled with turmoil, war, and personal challenges, we all could use more peace. Whether it’s peace in our homes, workplaces, relationships, or even in that crowded Sam’s Club checkout line before a holiday weekend, peace seems to be in short supply. But what if true peace isn’t dependent on our circumstances? What if it’s something deeper?

What Does the Bible Teach About Peace?

In Mark 4:35-41, we find a powerful story about Jesus and his disciples encountering a storm. Jesus had just finished ministering and told his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side” of the lake. They loaded up their boat and set sail, but soon found themselves in the middle of a furious storm.

The waves crashed over the boat so violently that the disciples—many of whom were experienced fishermen—feared for their lives. Panicking, they searched for Jesus, only to find him asleep in the stern of the boat. They woke him with an accusation: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus calmly got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately, the wind died down and the sea became completely calm. Then he turned to his disciples and asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

This story reveals three profound truths about peace that can transform how we navigate the storms of life.

How Can I Experience Peace During Life’s Storms?

1. Peace is a Posture

Jesus wasn’t napping because he didn’t care or was oblivious to the storm. He was sleeping because what was going on around him didn’t dictate what had already been established within him. This reveals a fundamental difference between those who walk in peace and those who don’t: people without peace are driven by everything happening around them.

In the same storm, we see two completely different responses. The disciples were freaking out while Jesus was sleeping peacefully. As David wrote in Psalm 4:8, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

The posture of peace is trust. It’s carrying yourself with the confidence that God is bigger than whatever storm you’re facing. Nothing reveals what you put your trust in quite like a storm does.

Importantly, this storm wasn’t a result of disobedience like Jonah’s was. The disciples were in this storm precisely because they were doing exactly what Jesus told them to do. This wasn’t a storm of disobedience but a storm of obedience.

Sometimes God allows storms not to punish us but to develop us—to make us storm-ready. He’s preparing us for future challenges because our current level of trust won’t be sufficient for where He wants to take us.

2. Peace Comes from God’s Word

When Jesus said, “Let us go over to the other side,” he was making a divine promise. Despite what they would encounter on the journey, they were going to make it to the other side.

Many of us miss out on peace because we’re looking for it in all the wrong places when it’s available in God’s promises. The storm you’re currently experiencing doesn’t negate God’s promises. If He said you’re going over, there’s no way you’re going under.

There are 7,487 promises that God gave mankind in Scripture. If you spent every day reading just one promise, it would take over 20 years to go through them all. This is why it’s crucial to dig into God’s Word—because when you’re in the midst of a storm, what comes out of you is what’s in you, and we want God’s promises to be what’s in you.

Contrary to what some might believe, following Jesus doesn’t mean your life will be storm-free. The disciples were closest to Jesus, yet they still faced storms. The difference is that with Jesus, you have promises to cling to during those storms.

3. Peace is a Person

What the world offers as a counterfeit to peace is relief—a temporary escape from pressure. We seek relief in endless scrolling on our phones, in substances, in relationships, or in achievements. But these only provide momentary relief at best.

True peace is not temporary or circumstantial. It’s not something that’s here one minute and gone the next. Peace is a person, and His name is Jesus. As He promised in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

This peace is specifically for those who have a relationship with Jesus—not just those who made a decision once but those whose lives are being transformed by that relationship. An indication that you’ve trusted Jesus with your life is that you’re changing and growing. As Jesus said, “You know a tree by its fruit.”

Life Application: Finding Peace in Jesus

If you find yourself anxious, unable to sleep, overwhelmed by family turmoil, or consumed by worry, you need peace—and it only comes from Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

For followers of Jesus, there may be things you’re worrying about that you need to surrender to Him. Remember David’s words: “In peace I lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” This isn’t because everything is going well, but because he knows things are better in God’s hands than in his own.

Rest is trusting God to take care of the world without you. He’s been doing it a whole lot longer without you than He has with you. He’s got it covered.

For those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus, understand that you won’t find true peace in a better job, a new hobby, or your next relationship. You might find relief, but it will be temporary at best. Peace only comes from the Prince of Peace.

Questions to Consider:

• What storms are you currently facing, and how has your posture been in response to them?
• Which of God’s promises do you need to remember and speak over your situation?
• Where have you been seeking relief instead of true peace?
• What specific worries do you need to surrender to Jesus today?
• How might your life look different if you truly believed that peace is not dependent on your circumstances but on your relationship with Jesus?

This week, challenge yourself to spend time daily in God’s Word, specifically looking for His promises. When anxiety or fear arise, practice speaking these promises out loud. Remember that true peace isn’t the absence of storms but the presence of Jesus in the midst of them.