Peace in the Storm

Prayer of Adoration and Petition for the Service

Read Mark 4:35-41

Mark 4:35–41 LSB

35 And on that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already filling up. 38 And Jesus Himself was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion; and they got Him up and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you so cowardly? Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they became very afraid and were saying to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Consider a sailor caught in a sudden storm at sea—a raging tempest, waves crashing, and fear escalating. He remembers his training, applying all he knows to navigate the ship through the chaos. Yet, amidst the storm’s fury, he finds himself overwhelmed. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus exemplifies this, as the disciples—seasoned fishermen—struggle against a storm they cannot tame. It’s in these moments of helplessness that we realize our limitations and the importance of turning to Christ, who can bring calm where we see only chaos.

Key Question: Do we remember our training, or do we fold over in the face of adversity?

Going to the Other Side: The Setting for a Test. (v. 35-36)

Jesus finished teaching the three parables regarding the Kingdom of God, and now seeks to go from Capernaum to the region of the Gerasenes.

The setting gives us the inclination that Jesus is not coming to shore, but rather moves quickly to go from the crowd he has taught all day.

Jesus takes advantage of using the boat as a pulpit, which then forms his transport to the next ministry setting. Here, too, Jesus is now presenting the Disciples with a test.

Our faith is really and truly tested only when we are brought into very severe conflicts, and when even hell itself seems opened to swallow us up.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

The Tempest and Two Responses. (v.37-38)

The Sea of Galilee is roughly 700 ft below sea level, it is about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. This particular setting leads the sea to regular violent storms and hurricane-like conditions.

The other varges (boats) may have been driven to back to Capernaum, or may have sought another closer shore, meanwhile, the boat Jesus boarded continued through the storm, taking on water as it dealt with strong waves.

Here the contrast is stark and noticeable, as the mariners are frantically seeking to escape the storm, while Jesus is calmly sleeping on the stern (back) of the boat. Here we see a keen similarity to that of a Prophet sent to Nineveh.

Jonah 1:3–5 LSB

3 Yet Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, and paid its fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. 4 But Yahweh hurled a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship gave thought to breaking apart. 5 Then the sailors became fearful, and every man cried to his god, and they hurled the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down below into the innermost part of the vessel, lain down, and fallen deep asleep.

Note to Remember: Jonah is running away from God, and runs into a storm; Jesus is leading the disciples into obedience and they must face the storm.

The Apostles accuse Jesus of being indifferent and lacking concern for their lives because they see the storm being far more powerful than Jesus.

Jesus Displays Authority and Expectation. (v.39-40)

I cannot be the man I should be without times of quietness. Stillness is an essential part of growing deeper.

Chuck Swindoll

Jesus rebukes the wind with the stern command, “be muzzled.” The wind dies down, the waves still. The Sea that was chaotic is now the perfect example of stillness and quiet.

Jesus is not faced by the accusations of indiference and aloofness to the disciples’ danger. Jesus chides the disciples for their immaturity and facile faith.

Here the disciples are finding out their current standing in their spiritual maturity and faith n God.

Here we see Jesus fulfilling and acting out the power of God described elsewhere in Scripture:

Psalm 65:7 “7 Who stills the rumbling of the seas, The rumbling of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.”

Psalm 89:9 “9 You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.”

Psalm 107:29 “29 He caused the storm to stand still, So that its waves were hushed.”

Note: The Disciples missed the mark because they were not fully surrendered to the truth before them.

While found in all four gospels, the picture of the disciples as cowardly, spiritually blind, and hard of heart is particularly vivid in Mark.

D. A. Carson; Douglas J. Moo

The Question All Must Answer. (v.41)

Like children after facing a dangerous situation and being caught by their parent, their fear goes from the storm to the person who governs the storm.

The idea behind the word fear means to be in awe and reverence of Jesus. The Apostles have seen something that is similar to Prophets of old, who were able to do unnatural acts by God’s power.

The question that finishes this Gospel unit is the very question we are called to answer today—Who is this man, that even the wind and sea obey him?

In a civilization like ours, I feel that everyone has to come to terms with the claims of Jesus Christ upon his life, or else be guilty of inattention or of evading the question.

C. S. Lewis

Key Question: Do we remember our training, or do we fold over in the face of adversity?

Repent, Confess, and Obey.

Be active in the life of the Local Church.