Bible Study Lesson:
- Mark 4: 35-41
- Matthew 8:23-27
- Luke 8:22-25
How do you feel if you are in the middle of life threatening storm ? How will you react to the situation? Where would you go for help? Let us look at how the disciples of Jesus reacted when they were faced with such storm. Jesus calming the storm is one of the most dramatic miracles of Jesus Christ. This incident is mentioned in Mark, Matthew and Luke. But we will be mostly focusing on gospel of Mark.
Q. Mark 4:35 starts with ‘that’ day. Which day is he talking about?
- The day started with chapter 4, when Jesus started teaching the crowd. He taught them lots of stories and parables and performed many miracles.
- At the end of the day, Jesus and his disciples would be tired, needed rest. They went into boats for rest. This was often the case to find rest, so that crowd would not follow Jesus. (Mat 14:13)
Sea of Galilee: is 680 feet below sea level and surrounded by hills.
Q. What did Jesus tell his disciples in Mark 4:35?
- “Let us go over the other side.”
- Mark 1: 16-19: Peter, Andrew, James and John were (experienced) fishermen. There were not new to sudden storm in the sea of Galilee!
- Squall – sudden, violent wind with rain.
- There were no storm Warning! Otherwise, disciples would have warned him.
- The disciples must have tried to control the boat by themselves, as they were experienced fishermen.
- But the Storm must be beyond their power or control.
- They started panicking – Fear of drowning and death.
- Sleeping!
- He must be at sound sleep, that he did not wake up in such a stormy condition.
- He was sleeping in Stern.
- Stern : is a rear or aft part of ship or boat. Stern area has always been the location near steering apparatus and by extension became ‘domain of the ship’s Captain’. (Wikipedia)
- Surely, they did not expect the miracle, by their reactions after Jesus calming the storm. (Mark 4:41)
- They assumed that they are all going to die.
- They were angry and frustrated to see Jesus sleeping – “Don’t you care, if we die?” – They told him! (Questioning God – Psalms 13)
- There seems to me, two storms raging – one in the sea of Galilee and the other in the hearts of disciples!
- Jesus calms the Storm and the sea.
- He got up, rebuked the wind and the sea!
- “Quiet, be still.”
- Jesus demonstrated his power over the wind and the waves – over the Nature. (also check, Jesus feeds five thousand)
- I suppose, it was wind and wave’s time to be terrified!
- At once, there was a complete calm.
- Disciples might be wondering, was that a dream? What has just happened?
- They were shocked and terrified, even more than before!
- Mark 4:38 – He was tired – Man.
- Mark 4:39 – His power over nature – God
- He was God and Man both. (This is the greatest mystery of all!)
Q. Why did Jesus ask, “Where is your faith”?
- Because he told them, “Let us go to the other side.”!
- Fear is the absence of faith and trust.
- It was a powerful discipleship lesson. (7 conditions of Christian discipleship)
Q. What was disciples’ response?
- “Who is this”? – Not mere teacher for sure. (Mark 4:38)
- “Who can command the wind and the wave?”
- “Who can calm the storm and the sea?”
Bible Study Lessons:
- We may not go through the physical storm as the disciples did. But we all have been through many other storms in our own lives like sickness, loosing job, failures, personal weakness, death of loved one, accident, depression, hopelessness…, where we feel helpless.
- We may think or feel like God does not care. He is sleeping. He is not answering our prayers.
- But thanks be to God that Jesus is in our boats! He is in control. (Captain of our boat)
- We need to completely trust him. (This is a lot harder to do that to say.) (Trust in the Lord – bible devotional)
- I have been through many storms in my personal walk (sailing) with Jesus, and I have seen his faithfulness and power at work in due time. I have learnt not to doubt, but to completely trust him. I have learnt not to be afraid but totally rely on his power and promise in the storms of my life. (I have not completely succeeded yet, I must say!)
- We may think that Jesus is a teacher, leader, speaker or great man… But it is only when we realize his true identity, we can entrust him our whole life.
- You may have heard the famous Story of Tight rope Walker:
A tightrope walker amazed a crowd of onlookers by successfully walking across a rope which stretches across the mighty Niagara Falls.After his performance, the performer asked the crowd, “How many of you believe that I can carry a man on my back while walking the tightrope across the falls?”Many of the people in the crowd enthusiastically raised their hands. Then the performer asked another question:“Which of you is willing to actually let me carry you across the falls?”Of course, not a single person volunteered!
Are you willing to entrust your whole life to Jesus?
More Bible Study Lessons:
- Jesus Feeding the 5000 | Bible Study
- Jesus Heals the Woman with Blood Issue
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart – Bible Verses
- Questioning God – Psalm 13
- Shriveled Hands – Jesus Heals on Sabbath – Mark 3:1-6
thank u for your encouragement of these parables
we need all we can get , it is pretty rough out here
however God is always in control
love
corrine
Thank you Corrine. I agree its hard to be calm under the storm. But that’s where the faith comes in.
Awesome short teaching on Calming the storm. I needed this encouragement as I ponder about what God wants me to do next.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORDS.I beleive that God will send his grace and his power through the storm if I am begging him to help me
Thank You.
Great study. The keys seem to be:
1. Trouble Comes
2. Jesus is Near
3. Seek his help
4. Jesus delivers.
Thanks for the thoughts,
Bryant
You know you truly believe in your faith when you are relaxed in the sight of adversity, because you have an undoubted trust in God’s ability to watch over you. Thats what I think the lesson was to the disciples.
i thank the God for your labor and hard work in this web site, it encourages us and bless us so much.
me and my husband are refresh time to time due to this web site. God has so many ways to provide food for our soul.
it encourages us and affirmed us in our calling once again as a missionary.
both my husband and i are in a pioneering stage of the ministry God called us to do in the islands and we are bless to share what we have learned from this web site inductive Bible study.
Thank You we really appreciate the works of your hand.
Be bless:) mae
Thank you for your wonderful comment. We are blessed by such comments. All Glory goes to God. Thanks.
Chris,
BibleSEO Editor.
Thank you LORD,GOD IS ALMIGHTY,FATHER GOD, CREATED THE WHOLE UNIVERSE,GOD IS ONLY ONE HAVE AN AUTHORITY TO PROTECT,STOP&DESTROY THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.GOD GIVEN US FOR ALL TO READ THE WORD OF GOD.STUDY THE WORD OF GOD&MEDITATE UPON THE WORD OF GOD,&ALSO GIVEN US FOR ALL TO BIBLE STUDY LESSONS,BIBLE TV CHANNELS THROUGH ONLINE.THANK YOU JESUS,AMEN.
Great Study Lesson, it really spoke to me as I am currently going through a storm. 6 months ago I would not have had the faith that I have today. Knowing that I can trust in Jesus is so relieving. Even though I’m going through I have faith and I trust Jesus with my Entire Life, b/c he has already showed himself to me through his blessing in my life. I’m 22 years old and I’m proud to say that I have faith in Jesus to do what he does best.
God is our healer & our provider, with Him by your side you have no worries. But its only when you give your entire life to Him and rely only on him that he will take control and steer course your life. He will always make a way, he is that light in your tunnel. God is good all the time
Blessings brothers and sisters for this web site and the person that posted it. Our family used it for a bible study tonight. We are facing storms at the moment and this helped to take away much anxiety. PLease also read Phillipians 4: 5-7.Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Not meaning to be rejoicing in your current circumstances (ie pain, depression, etc), but the wonderful fruit that will be produced from it that will give God Glory and shape you into God’s will. Jesus will Guard your heart and mind from all anxiety. Cast your cares upon him. When we are faithless, he is faithful!
Thank you Mataruso’ for your encouraging comments. I agree we need to face the storm of life with the hope and joy that Christ gives.
I’m encouraged by this teaching. Thank u.
Thanks Godwin. This website is for that very reason.