Mark 4:35-41
35 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”
36 After dismissing the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.
37 And a fierce gale of wind *developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water.
38 And yet 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?”
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.
40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Jesus’ Sovereign Authority
To the other side
In the evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side.” The crowd remained on the shore, as Jesus stayed on the boat as they set out for the other side. Other boats followed Jesus. The Sea of Galilee is located about 200 meters below sea level and is surrounded by steep mountains, making a bowl-shaped environment, which causes frequent weather changes and sudden gust of wind. In such conditions, the Sea of Galilee can become a fierce storm. In today’s passage, it seems that water entered the boat, creating an extremely dangerous situation. Among the disciples were several who had been fishermen before, so the storm must have been quite severe for them to be genuinely afraid. However, Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.
Jesus silences the storm
Awakened by the disciples’ earnest plea, Jesus calmed the storm with the words, “Hush, be still.” The greatest miracle in the Bible is the “incarnation” (the Son of God becoming human). If one can believe in the incarnation, all doubts about miracles would be resolved. John teaches, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3). Jesus is the Creator of the universe. It’s only natural that He has the power to calm the storm. The One who created the universe calmed the storm with His words. When the sea became calm, fear struck the disciples. This fear was not the same as the fear they had for the storm. It was a sense of awe, a fear arising from the realization of being in the presence of God. Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” On the other hand, the disciples questioned, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” We know the answer to this question. Jesus is with you in the boat of your life. Let’s confess that “Jesus is Lord,” and let Him calm the storms of your heart. In any storm, the safest place to be is with the Lord Jesus.
Today's prayer
My God the Creator, I thank you for the presence of the Lord Jesus in my life's boat. Today, I heard the rebuke, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Please allow me to have deeper faith. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.