Since our last study Jesus has continued traveling around and teaching the people about the kingdom of God. Though they can be a fun study I don't intend to go through all the parables in this series. So we will be jumping ahead to Mark 4:35-41. This event in the life of Jesus' disciples opens our eyes to the fullness of who Jesus is.
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 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?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
In this narrative we find Jesus and His disciples climbing on a boat to sail across the Sea of Galilee. It is prefaced with Jesus telling them, "Let us go over to the other side." These words are quit possibly the more important then the rest of the events that happened in this event, but we will get to that more later in this blog.
So these guys set sail and Jesus goes below deck to sleep. As they are sailing a fierce storm hits. Based on the geographic location the Sea of Galilee it is subject to sudden, violent storms that could capsize a ship in a mater of minutes. Many of these guys on the ship had been fisherman, they knew this body of water well. They had seen these sudden storms rise up many times. They knew how to handle a ship in a storm. This is important to note because this particular storm was so bad that these experienced sailors where afraid.
Life is full of storms! It seems all through life we find ourselves in situations and circumstances that are greater than we are. Life is full of these storms! Sometimes they are related to our jobs or families. It could be financial or relational, these storms fill us with dread. We cry out, "why me!" or "What did I do to deserve this?" We throw our hands up knowing we are in a situation we can't escape.
That is where these disciples found themselves. They were in a situation that all their knowledge, experience, and skills couldn't get them out of. Here they were fearing for there lives the cried out to Jesus, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
How often are we guilty of this?
We find ourselves in a tough spot and we think God doesn't care. We feel that we are unworthy of His notice or that He has far more important things to worry about than our problems, but the truth is we missed something.
Remember the words Jesus had spoke, "Let us go over to the other side."
Jesus had already provided assurance for the conclusion of this journey. He didn't say, "Hey we're going on this boat and we might make it through." No, He said they were going to the other side.
The Good News:
As we are going through the storms of life we can be assured that we will make it through because of the words of God Almighty, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Again we are told, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
May you trust in the one who can take the storms of life and make them calm. May we trust Him when He says we will make it to the other side, and trust that He will keep us safe in the midst of the storm.
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