NBBC Kids’ Club - Mark 4:35-41

Introduction:

Content and Explanation: Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35 “35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.””

Friends, the phrase “On that day” is super important.

You see, God’s Spirit is pointing out that what’s about to happen occurred within the same day.

So friends, we need to ask, “What happened that day?”

Jesus was super busy teaching others more about God’s Word.

Particularly, Jesus pointed out that some people will believe what God’s Word says is true and others won’t.

For those who believe God’s Word is true, they’re like a really good soil that, when you plant an apple tree in the ground, it produces really good apples!

You see, friends, if believe God’s Word to be true, your life will produce that evidence in the ways you think, speak, and act.

Just like an apple has all the characteristics of an apple, so your life will have the characteristics of what it looks like to be a Christian.

However, friends, there will be some who completely reject God’s Word.

Like when a bird comes and steals the seed out of the ground that the farmer planted.

There will be others who look like they’re believing God’s Word but after a while they become more concerned about what they can get from the world, like thorns that choke a plant.

Others, friends, will look like they have believed but when they get really sick or they experience a big loss in their life, they reject God’s Word like a seed that a farmer planted but it never took root and withered in the heat of the sun.

Friends, we should all want to be like the good ground but I’m afraid that some of us may believe for a while and then reject God’s Word or just don’t believe at all.

Friends, only God’s Spirit can help you believe these God’s Word to be true.

The truth is, friends, the only reason why we don’t believe is because of our sinful hearts.

The only way that your sinful heart is going to be changed is if the Holy Spirit gives you new life.

The only way that the Spirit is going to give you new life is if Jesus gives you His Spirit.

The only way that Jesus is going to give you His Spirit is if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your only Savior from your sins and repent.

Friends, if you have yet to believe on Jesus to save you, let’s talk together tonight as soon as we can.

So friends, Jesus has been teaching on an important topic all day - what you believe matters.

Notice, friends that Jesus makes a suggestion to His disciples.

What does He suggest?

Let’s go for a boat ride!

Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Friends, remember, Jesus and the disciples have had a super busy day.

Why would Jesus suggest that they take a boat ride?

One might think to relax.

However, Jesus has something else in mind for His disciples that we’re going to see in a moment.

Friends, notice how the disciples respond in the next verse.

Mark 4:36 “36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.”

Friends, when someone makes a statement like, “just as He was,” what are they referring to about the person?

They didn’t take time to go home and change clothes or wash up.

They went on this little trip just like they were.

Friends, why would someone take a trip and not take the time to get changed or anything after a long, busy day?

Out of urgency!

They really want to get on with this trip.

Or, they really want to get away from this crowd.

Friends, it’s very possible that everybody was pretty tired and wanted to get going.

Friends, notice what happened next.

Mark 4:37 “37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.”

Friends, when you read about what was happening to the boat, what do you imagine?

The boat is filling up with water and is about to sink!

Is a sinking boat a good thing?

No!

It means that you’re going to drown.

It also means that there’s a high likelihood of death!

Friends, Who was it that suggested they take this boat trip?

Jesus.

Friends, is it possible that Jesus knew that He and His disciples were going to sail right into a storm?

Absolutely!

Why?

Because Jesus is God!

Jesus controls the weather.

Have the disciples seen Jesus control the weather at this point?

No!

They’ve seen Him heal people and tell demons to leave the people that they were tormenting.

Friends, let’s keep in mind that Jesus led His disciples to go through this storm and that they’ve never seen Him demonstrate power over a storm or any other weather for that matter before.

Mark 4:38 “38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?””

Friends, what was Jesus doing during the storm?

Sleeping!

Friends, why do you sleep?

When you’re tired.

Friends, Jesus was tired after a long day teaching people about how they will respond to God’s Word.

He’s so tired that He can sleep through a storm!

However, friends, Jesus sleeps through the storm not just because He’s tired.

Friends, where you sleep demonstrates that you believe that place is safe enough for you to get some shut eye!

Friends, is there any place with Jesus that is not safe?

No.

Friends, when Jesus returns to this earth to rule over everything, it is going to be perfectly safe in His presence.

Notice, friends, did the disciples believe that they were safe in Jesus’ presence?

No!

They cried out to Jesus that they believed they were going to die on account of this storm.

Friends, the disciples knew that this was a serious storm.

However, friends, they were more concerned about the storm and not enough about Jesus.

Friends, this actually sounds kind of familiar.

It sounds like the soil that, when the heat of the sun bore down on it, the seed just withered up and died.

You see, friends, this storm was so big to the disciples that they forgot about what they’ve heard Jesus teach and having seen Jesus do some amazing things.

Friends, this can happen to us also.

But, more on this in just a moment.

Friends, notice what it is that Jesus does next.

Mark 4:39 “39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.”

Friends, have you ever been in a storm that stopped immediately?

But notice, friends, how quickly did this storm stop?

As soon as Jesus said, “Hush, be still.”

Friends, none of us have this kind of power to tell a storm to stop and it does.

Only God can do this.

If only God can do this, then Who is Jesus?

He’s God!

You see, friends, even though the disciples questioned Jesus’ care for them, they had no reason to do this.

Instead, they questioned Jesus’ care for them out of a problem with their heart.

They did not believe Jesus.

Friends, you’re going to be faced with the same temptation.

I know because I have.

I have faced times in my life where I thought it was so hard that I wondered if God really does care.

However, friends, we can’t rely on circumstances to determine whether or not God cares about us.

Friends, this is why He’s given us His Word.

His Word does not change!

And, His Word accurately and truthfully tells us more about His character and His love as demonstrated through Jesus coming to this earth to live perfectly, die sacrificially on the cross for our sins, and now lives forever to forgive sins, and give new life and sonship through His Spirit to all who believe on Him.

Notice, friends, Jesus’ next question for His disciples is just the right one given what He taught them all day that day.

Mark 4:40 “40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?””

Friends, Jesus pointed out their heart problem just like we reflected on earlier - they were not trusting in Jesus in this moment.

Mark 4:41 “41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?””

Notice, friends, this is actually our memory verse to learn this upcoming week.

Explanation - Friends, the question that the disciples asked is the same that we must ask today.

Illustration - If Jesus can control the weather, something that the Bible points out that only God can do, then He must be God.

Admonition - Friends, never doubt God’s Word for only God has all power, even to control a storm.

Repetition - Mark 4:41b “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Application: Because Jesus is God, trust His Word, even through great difficulty.

Friends, when the disciples were attempting to awaken Jesus, what did they accuse Him of?

Not caring about them.

Friends, they did this because they saw that Jesus was asleep.

They took His sleep as He wasn’t interested in them anymore.

Friends, it could not be further from the truth that Jesus was no longer interested in them!

Friends, He was the One Who suggested that they take this boat trip in the first place!

He was interested in where it was that they were going by setting the course for them.

Friends, even though the situation looks bad, that does not mean that God is not working or leading.

It’s actually the opposite!

God is always working and leading.

Friends, think about the storms that I’m sure that your moms and dads have seen on the news and may have even talked with you about.

Friends, it looks like the storms have won.

However, friends, Who is in charge of those storms and all of life?

Jesus!

There are ways even now that we cannot see that God is working.

Friends, there are other Christians that God is working through to bring comfort and much needed food to people who are hurting as a result of this storm.

Friends, this is only one way in which we see God’s power at work.

Friends, because the Lord is always working out His purposes, even through hard and sad times, never stop trusting Him but look to His Word as your comfort and to remind you that God always cares.

Discussion Questions:

At what time of day did Jesus and the disciples go for a boat ride? - evening

Who was it that suggested that Jesus and the disciples go for a boat ride? - Jesus

What did Jesus and His disciples encounter on their boat ride? - a storm

How was the boat affected by the storm? - it was filling with water!

What was Jesus initially doing when they encountered the storm? - sleeping

What was Jesus sleeping on in the boat? - a cushion

Who woke up Jesus from sleeping in the boat? - the disciples

What did the disciples call Jesus when they woke Him up? - Teacher

What did the disciples say to Jesus when they woke Him up? - don’t You care that we’re dying

What did Jesus do to stop the storm? - He spoke

What is one of the questions that Jesus asked? - Why are you afraid? and How is it that you have no faith?

What did the disciples ask among themselves? - Who is this that even a storm would obey Him?