Mark 4:35-41

I'm continuing with posts from Pastor Kurt Gebhards' sermon series on The Gospel of Mark. To read all of them type Gospel of Mark into the search bar at the top of this blog.

Mark 4:35-41 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Storms happen and will continue to happen! It doesn’t matter if you are a Christian or not, because note; the disciples were right where Jesus told them to be and He was with them and they were still in a storm! James 1:2 says “when” the storms happen, not “if”. And he was talking to believers.

The Sea of Galilee gets very windy every evening. The disciples would have known that, especially the fishermen. Most people didn’t take a boat out on it in the evening. But Jesus wanted to get them away from the crowds for some small group time, so this is what they did.

Then he proceeded to go to sleep. Where the Bible says “that day” we need to go back to Mark 3:20 to see where the day began and how many things happened. It was a LONG and BUSY day. And Jesus was exhausted. So exhausted he was sound asleep in an uncomfortable boat with waves splashing over the sides and His disciples in a panic all around Him.

When the storms come our attitude is important. We need to be prepared. Many people play the blame game and that’s what the disciples did here. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” This is a natural human response, but not a good one. Of course He cares! He loves all of us deeply and to suggest otherwise is rebuking His very nature!

But in spite of their reaction, Jesus mercifully stopped the wind and waves. We need to remember how big our God is. We need to come to Him, turn our problems over to Him and trust that He’s there for us. He has authority over everything. Trials remind us of the one who can actually do something about them!

But then we have to allow Him to work in His way not ours.