Mark - Jesus in a storm

 

Jesus in a Storm

Good morning class.  Happy Sabbath.  

Question of the day: Can you share a story of when you went through a literal storm? 

Today we are finishing up chapter four in Mark.  This is one of my favorite stories and I can't wait to study it with you. 

In studying for this lesson I learned that there are some interesting differences in the telling of this story between the three gospels.  We could dive into all three and examine how they are different, but I have decided that today we will just look at it in Mark as if it isn't told by anyone else.  I want to challenge you to put aside all that you have "known" about this story and let's look at it with fresh eyes, and from this passage in Mark.  

READ:  Mark 4:35-41

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!”

IT is good to remember that this is the day that Jesus is in the boat, (in an effort to keep the crowds from pressing in too close.) preaching to the crowds.  So after preaching they get in the boat and other boats join them. 

If we look at this setting aside all that we "know" about this story, here is a break down of this story here in Mark...

1. At the end of the day

2. Jesus said, Let's go over to the other side."

3. They took Him along, just as he was.

4. Other boats were with them

5. The storm came and was pouring water in the boat.

6. Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion.  

7. The disciples woke him.

8. Said, "Teacher don't you care if we drown?"

9. Jesus got up and rebuked the storm.

10. It went calm

11. Then he asked them why, "Why are you so afraid, do you still have no faith?"

12. They were terrified and asked each other, "who is this? even the wind and waves obey him!"

1. It is the end of the day.  I am sure Jesus was tired, and wanted some peace. So he asked to go to the other side.  He is the one requesting this journey.  

2. I think it is important to note that Jesus wanted to get away, and  he asked to do just that.  How many times do we need something, some rest, or a break, or time away from ministry and we aren't willing to speak up and say anything about it.  

We need to be willing and okay with stepping away, getting away and taking a break. 

3. I also think it is notable that they "took him just as he was."  

I don't really know what this means, but knowing how Mark likes to write, "immediately" all the time, I'm wondering if it is referring to the fact that Jesus asks for this, they are in the boat already, and they just push off, they just go.  No going back to the house and getting some things.  No vote.  No ceremony, they just left. 

4. Other boats came with them. The attempt to get away, didn't really work.  Can you picture this.  They push away, and people run to their boats and push off too.  Or maybe they were already in their boats around him and then others tried to climb on so they could get a ride and head off with them.  

5. Then the storm came.  Reading this I wondered if the storm was just coincidence or if it gave some protection from all the other boats.  Maybe it gave some separation making it easier for Jesus to rest.  Regardless, what we know is that it was a bad storm.  So bad that they were sinking or at least that is what these experienced fishermen thought.  

6.  Jesus was asleep on a cushion.  This struck me in a new way this week.  When we think about the storms of life, sleeping on a cushion is not what we think our response should be.  We want to take action, to fight, to bale water, to work as hard as we can, to get through it or to remedy the cause.  What are some of the storms in your life right now?  

Do you think, "let me find a good cushion and take a nap?"  

I have always looked at this story, with the idea that they didn't have faith that Jesus would calm the storm.  But with Jesus as our example, maybe we don't need to worry about whether the storm is even going on or not.  It isn't about having faith that He will calm the storm, but to have enough faith that we can find a cushion and take a nap during the storm.  In fact maybe the storm is sheltering us from something else.   Just a thought. 

7. The disciples wake Jesus.  I have always found it interesting that we see this as a negative thing.  Aren’t we supposed to go to Jesus when we are afraid, or worried, or stressed about something.  Isn’t that what we are supposed to do?  Is there anything wrong with what they did? 

What else could they have done?

I think the issue here is their blindness to who he was.  They didn’t get that God was in the boat with them!  Surely if they had known they wouldn’t have been afraid right?  When we are in a storm, do we know that God is with us?  How does that change our response or reaction to what is going on around us? 

8.  What they said to Jesus varies in every gospel, but here they say, “Teacher don’t you care if we drown.”    In this gospel they aren’t asking, they are accusing.  In this gospel they are upset that he isn’t struggling with them in this storm.  We can judge by their reaction at the end of this story, that they didn’t expect him to quiet the storm.  They just wanted him to be struggling and to care that they were about to go down.  They woke him, so He could struggle with them.  

I am sure they were all baling water, they were working hard to keep the vessel upright, and they needed or wanted him to be in it with them, baling water, rushing about to save the vessel and instead he was just sleeping.  The nerve! 

I have really been struggling with some storms recently and it has kept me awake at night, kept me from focusing on things I know I need to be focusing on.  I have been crying out to God, I have been bailing water out of the ship and feeling like it is going down anyway. Could it be that I need to stop and just go take a nap?  Maybe to have faith that God is in this boat, He’s got this, it is His boat, His ride, and because He is here, I can lay down, and stop the bailing, stop the sleepless nights and just rest!  Could that be.  Do we take on too much responsibility, think we need to do more to make it okay, think that our efforts must be more, or more creative, or more right, or more… when really what He asks is we REST in Him and have faith that he is in the boat.  Not that He will calm the storm, but that He is in the boat! So for that reason alone we can REST!  We can find a cushion and take a nap! 

9.  Jesus’ response.  He just gets up and rebukes the storm.  He doesn’t debate with them, he just demonstrates what they failed to KNOW, which was that HE was way bigger than any storm! Jesus can calm the storm, but sometimes he is just resting because obviously the storm isn’t what we think it is. 

10. The storm is quieted.  I want us to NOT think about the storm.  This is NOT about the storm.  Jesus was asleep on a cushion so the storm is not the story!  The story is that Jesus has the power, that Jesus was not just a good man! This is about who he is not about the storm!  Jesus, was clearly showing his disciples that He was more than a teacher, more than a friend, more than a good man, more than a man who could heal.  He is also God.  Lord of Creation.  

11. Then after taking care of the issue, he asks why they were so afraid.  In this version it doesn’t say they were afraid until when?  Their fear is expressed at what Jesus did, at who he must be, not at the storm.  Now in Matthew it does say they were afraid of the storm, but in all three accounts of this story, it is clear they were afraid of what Jesus had done.  Perhaps he was also speaking to that fear.  

12. The disciples were realizing who he must be, but they still don’t really get it do they?  

I want you to stop and think about this story, not in terms  of the storm, not in terms of the disciples and what they did and didn’t do, but in terms of who Jesus is!

What do we know about Jesus because of this story and how does that impact how we live and what our relationship with Him is like? 

Let’s start living like we are in relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is the Alpha and the Omega!  He is everything therefore…. 

I’M GOING TO FIND A CUSHION AND TAKE A LONG NAP IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM!!!!