JESUS CALMS THE STORM

Mark 4:35-41

Key Verse 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.

Introduction

So far through the parables, Jesus taught his disciples the importance of considering the word of God with a right attitude. Jesus taught them that the secrets of the kingdom of God are contained in the word of God, which they must search out. After explaining these parables to his disciples, Jesus then planned to teach them the faith by which they could overcome the world. Jesus wanted his disciples to experience the storm to learn the faith that overcomes the storm and the faith that can endure the storm. It’s therefore so important to hear Jesus’ voice in our hearts, especially his words: “Why are you so afraid?” “Do you still have faith?” It is his word that drives out every fear in our hearts and plants the faith that overcomes the storms of life. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…”

1. Read verses 35-37. When evening came, what did Jesus tell his disciples to do?

(35) How did the disciples obey? (36) What happened shortly afterward? (37)

1-1, Read verses 35-37.

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.

1-2, When evening came, what did Jesus tell his disciples to do? (35)

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”

• That day Mark is talking about is the same day in which Jesus taught the crowds one parable after another in the hope that they might learn the secret of the kingdom of God.

• Most certainly, it had been a long day, both for Jesus and for the disciples. The disciples might have felt that serving Jesus’ ministry was draining them out.

• They were thinking about a time to rest, Jesus was thinking about how he might lead them to the place where their souls could truly rest.

• Jesus must have had in mind to bless them with a training so that they might have faith. Then he planned to expose his disciples to a storm.

1-3, How did the disciples obey? (36)

36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

• They quickly obeyed to Jesus. They might have expected to have a joyful picnic time with Jesus without people’s constant demand.

1-4, What happened shortly afterward? (37)

37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

• The lake of Galilee was about 13 miles from north to south, and about 8 miles from east to west. At it deepest depths it is about 141 feet.

• A storm like this one was not unexpected. Even several disciples who used to be fishermen did not predict it. It is a characteristic of Lake Galilee to have storms that happen suddenly and unexpectedly.

• But this particular storm was something these disciples and fishermen had never seen nor experienced before. This one was beyond their expertise.

• Like the storms on Lake Galilee, there are also many storms of life which are beyond a person’s experience and ability to cope with.

• The disciples felt that they were experienced fishermen and they did not feel like they needed to call on Jesus from the start. For this reason they allowed the storm to intensify until they came face to face with their human limitations.

• Pride and self confidence compels a person to brave life and its storms all alone, with the thinking that there is nothing that they cannot handle.

• Of all the storms of life that people can or cannot handle, there are storms that are absolutely beyond a person’s ability to handle. At this moment, what did the disciples do?

2. Read verse 38. What was Jesus doing? (38a) What did the disciples do and say to Jesus? (38b) What does this reveal about them?

2-1, Read verse 38.

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?”

2-2, What was Jesus doing? (38a)

38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.

• Jesus was in the stern and sleeping on a cushion. It indicates that Jesus was dogged tired because of his nonstop service so far.

2-3, What did the disciples do and say to Jesus? (38b)

2-4, What does this reveal about them?

The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

• A sinful mind looks at the situations not as God given opportunities to grow in faith or to draw near to God but the sinful mind looks at suffering and hardship as opportunities to blame God.

• We don’t always understand why tragedies happen in life. But tragic situations are clearly opportunities to grow closer to Christ, to grow in faith and to learn about the love of God.

• Although Jesus was in the same boat, they could not see Jesus. They could only see the storm of life. They focused only on the storm until they could not believe the truth of God.

3. Read verses 39-41. What did Jesus do when he got up? (39a) What happened? (39b) What does this reveal about Jesus? What did Jesus say to his disciples? (40) What could they learn from this event? (41)

3-1, Read verses 39-41.

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!”

3-2, What did Jesus do when he got up? (39a)

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”

• When Jesus heard their unreasonable words of despair and fatalism. Instead of rebuking them, Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!”

• In this way Jesus helped his disciples to see the spiritual reality. Jesus showed them that no matter what storm one is going through, the word of God can bring stillness and peace in the place of the storm.

• He showed them that his Word was enough to calm the raging storm. He showed them that his word can calm the storm of life.

• Later on in life, the disciples would suffer from other storms and it was Jesus’ words that replaced the fear in their hearts with the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding.

3-3, What happened? (39b)

Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

3-4, What does this reveal about Jesus?

• He showed them that he is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and certainly the Lord over the storm and all storm of life.

3-5, What did Jesus say to his disciples? (40)

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

• Jesus’ words convict the heart so deeply. “Why are you so afraid?” It is a question that deeply touches the core of the heart.

• We must know that while the storms of life will surely come time and again, we must also know that as long as Jesus is with us in the boat of life, there is no reason to fear.

• Jesus reminded them that there is no need for fear at all. There is in fact no room for fear as long as Jesus is with them in the boat of life. This is the truth. This is the spiritual reality. This is the truth we must believe and hold on to.

3-6, What could they learn from this event? (41)

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

• They must have learned and admitted the fact that Jesus is greater than any storm.

• As these disciples sat in a still boat on a calm sea they now became terrified of Jesus Christ himself.

• They must have believed that Jesus Christ is God incarnate the one wind and waves must obey.

Conclusion

1 Cor. 15:24-26 reads, “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” When God the Father determines the end has come he will send Jesus himself to destroy all dominion, authority and power. His last enemy he will destroy is death itself. Then should we not fear Jesus more than anything else, of course, including death? Jesus will be the one who will destroy death. Thank God for this Jesus Christ who will one day destroy even death itself. May the Lord help us repent and place our faith and obedience in Jesus Christ. When by God’s help we have faith in Jesus Christ awesome and terrifying power we will be able to overcome any and all storms in this life.

One word: Who is This?