Jesus Calms the Storm - Mark 4:35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
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!”
Reflection:
Living life with Jesus afforded the disciples many opportunities to see how he handled a variety of situations, including stressful ones. In today's text after finishing a long and arduous day of ministry, Jesus endeavors to get to the other side. As we will see in chapter 5, there is much more ministry awaiting him on the other side of the lake. Ironically his preaching pulpit has now become his resting place, as most fishing boats has a place for the captain to rest with perhaps a pillow. Note there were other boats with him, perhaps wanting to join him in ministry on the other side.
But on this night there was a furious storm so bad that the boat was not just leaking with water but filling up with water. The disciples assumed Jesus didn't care about them because he was still resting, deservedly so. It reminds us that there storms in our lives where it seems Jesus may be absent, or at least not listening to our prayers. Jesus mildly rebukes them, challenging them to rely on their faith more than their fears. Note the disciples have saving faith as a result of their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, but this is about exercising faith in a difficult, fearful situation. When we are in fearful situations, the question is do we really trust that God is with us in all things, including fear producing trials.
Jesus rebukes the storm and it dies down immediately. The words in the Greek imply that he literally tells the storm to be quiet, as the raging nature of it is so noisy it produces a lot of the fear. When we have trials in our lives it is the noise of them that creates so much fear, even if it is the noise coming from our own head. The result is the disciples are terrified. The fear turns from a storm on a lake, to fear of the one who could calm the storm with two words. There is a holy fear we have of God, when we see the beauty and sometimes the stormy nature of His Creation. And there is a fear when we see the power of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, as He ushers in God's kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
What are the storms in your life, if only happening in your own head? Where is the boat filling up and you are wondering if Jesus is asleep at the Captain's seat? How can this trial cause you to exercise great faith in the One who calms the wind and the waves. He calms both the things we see, and the things we don't see! Amen.
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!”
Reflection:
Living life with Jesus afforded the disciples many opportunities to see how he handled a variety of situations, including stressful ones. In today's text after finishing a long and arduous day of ministry, Jesus endeavors to get to the other side. As we will see in chapter 5, there is much more ministry awaiting him on the other side of the lake. Ironically his preaching pulpit has now become his resting place, as most fishing boats has a place for the captain to rest with perhaps a pillow. Note there were other boats with him, perhaps wanting to join him in ministry on the other side.
But on this night there was a furious storm so bad that the boat was not just leaking with water but filling up with water. The disciples assumed Jesus didn't care about them because he was still resting, deservedly so. It reminds us that there storms in our lives where it seems Jesus may be absent, or at least not listening to our prayers. Jesus mildly rebukes them, challenging them to rely on their faith more than their fears. Note the disciples have saving faith as a result of their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, but this is about exercising faith in a difficult, fearful situation. When we are in fearful situations, the question is do we really trust that God is with us in all things, including fear producing trials.
Jesus rebukes the storm and it dies down immediately. The words in the Greek imply that he literally tells the storm to be quiet, as the raging nature of it is so noisy it produces a lot of the fear. When we have trials in our lives it is the noise of them that creates so much fear, even if it is the noise coming from our own head. The result is the disciples are terrified. The fear turns from a storm on a lake, to fear of the one who could calm the storm with two words. There is a holy fear we have of God, when we see the beauty and sometimes the stormy nature of His Creation. And there is a fear when we see the power of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, as He ushers in God's kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
What are the storms in your life, if only happening in your own head? Where is the boat filling up and you are wondering if Jesus is asleep at the Captain's seat? How can this trial cause you to exercise great faith in the One who calms the wind and the waves. He calms both the things we see, and the things we don't see! Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment