INTRODUCTION

Sometimes life seems out of our control doesn’t it. Maybe we have at times even asked, “where are you Lord?” The account of Jesus calming the storm provides a starting place for many of us who need assurance of God’s control over forces that seem out of our own control. The disciples in the sinking boat faced overwhelming fears. But when Jesus so quickly calmed the storm, they not only saw his power but realised that even in their deepest fear that he was present and in control.

Let’s take a closer look at this story:

BIBLE READING

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!”

Mark 4: 35-41

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

The geography surrounding the sea of Galilee was such that a calm lake could very quickly turn into a violent storm. The disciples were very familiar with the ways of the sea; and certainly this was not their first storm, but even these professional fishermen were frightened by this one to the point of fearing they would die.

And so here they are panicking. The waves were crashing in, the boat filling with water, in the dead of night, no light to guide their way, far from shore we imagine. This is not a good situation! And, to make matters worse, the one person that they believe could really help them in this seems oblivious to the whole thing!!! Look at verse 38: “But He,” Jesus, “was in the stern, asleep on the cushion"!

The fact that they turned to Jesus for help likely meant that they were at the end of their means—they had tried everything they knew to combat the storm and had failed. At the point of pure desperation, they woke Jesus with screams of terror.

But do you get the sense that it was also a rebuke? “Teacher, rabbi, what are you doing? Don’t you see that the world is crashing in around us? Don’t you care? Aren’t you concerned? Why don’t you do something?”

The disciples are clearly frightened by the storm and upset with Jesus' apparent lack of concern for their well-being, “can’t you see what’s happening, Jesus?” Maybe some of you have thought to say that. “Don’t you have a Twitter account, Jesus? Aren’t you following the news? Don’t you see what’s happening with all these updates? Where are you?”

But when Jesus awoke, he immediately demonstrated that he was in control. There was no hint of worry or concern in his words. He simply said, “Quiet!” He then said, “Be still,” a term that literally means “muzzle yourself and continue to be silent.”

AND THEN ALL WAS COMPLETELY CALM!

LIFE APPLICATION

We have the benefit of knowing how the story of Jesus’ calming the storm ends. But imagine the disciples’ amazement when the raging waves instantly became calm. Even today, with our advanced technology, we don’t have any control over the weather.

The disciples had seen Jesus heal people, but never before had he done anything of this magnitude.

Jesus seemed surprised though that the disciples’ faith was so weak. After all they had seen, they hadn’t fully grasped who Jesus was or what he was capable of. But now they had seen something so powerful, so awesome, that they were in awe and even terrified to think about who Jesus really was.

• What do you think the disciples were most afraid of?

• How did Jesus calm the storm?

• How did Jesus calm the fears of the disciples during the storm?

• What fears do you have?

• Can Jesus calm your fears? How do you think he does that?

IN SUMMARY

Jesus never promised us that we will never see a storm in life, but what he has promised is that he will be with us in those storms. He will never leave us alone in the midst of trouble. In our story today, with one quick word from him the storm abated and the sea became calm. If Jesus can calm the storms of the sea with one word, we can be assured that he can calm the storms in our lives as well.