Mark 4:35-38

Passage

Having finished teaching, Jesus tells His disciples that the time has come to leave the crowd and go to the other side of the lake.  The disciples got into a boat and took Jesus with them.  However, there were other boats with them.  As they are in the middle of the lake, a storm arose and the waves were so tall that they were breaking over the edge of the boat.  The boat was beginning to fill with water.  Jesus slept through the storm until His disciples woke Him up.  They asked Jesus whether or not He cares that they are about to die!

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Geographically speaking, the Lake of Galilee was notorious for storms.  This strong storm that comes out of nowhere is a pretty common experience.  However, while we might think the storm comes out of nowhere – Jesus is God.  Jesus would have known the storm was coming.  In fact, using that logic we can actually say that Jesus intentionally put His disciples right into the path of this storm.  Jesus suggests they leave.  He gets into the boat.  He falls asleep and lets the disciples fend for themselves.  Yet Jesus is in control; He knows what He is doing.

As we begin this story, what reasons might you be able to give as to why Jesus was willing to put His disciples in the path of this storm?  What’s going on here from the perspective of the discipleship process?

Second Thought:

Remember that Jesus had just spent a great amount of time teaching the crowd and then privately explaining everything to His disciples.  Jesus was teaching a particular curriculum about the Kingdom of God through these parables.  We know that faith comes by hearing.  (See Romans 10:17).  We also know that faith produces a response – often called works.  This is one of the major points of the book of James.  (See James 2:17 in particular).  Therefore, it makes sense that Jesus would balance the learning of the disciples with an opportunity to live out their faith.

How does it make you feel to realize that Jesus not only taught but also arranged for opportunities for them to practice their faith?  How many opportunities do you have to practice you faith?  How many do you take advantage of?

Third Thought:

The disciples panic.  The storm is upon them and their teacher is asleep.  They immediately assume that Jesus does not care if they perish.  They jump to conclusions.  People almost always jump to conclusions when they are under pressure.  People almost always focus on themselves when they are under pressure.  When stress in life comes, it is amazing how people make their worlds so small.  It is amazing how people naturally become self-centered the more stressful their life becomes.

Think about a time when you were under a lot of stress – how self-centered did you become?  Why do you think people shrink their world down to themselves and make everything about “me” and “how I feel” when they are under stress?  Can you understand from a human perspective why the disciples felt and did what they do here?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 4:39-41