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Jesus Calming the Storm – Bible Lesson

19 April 2010 Email This Bible Study Email This Bible Study

Bible Study Lesson:

  • Mark 4: 35-41
  • Matthew 8:23-27
  • Luke 8:22-25

How do you feel if you are in one of these storms in the sea? How will you react to the situation? Where would you go for help? Let us look at what the disciples of Jesus reacted in such a life threatening storm.

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 cannot 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?

  • “Let us go over the other side.”
Q. What was the occupation of his disciples?
  • Mark 1: 16-19: Peter, Andrew, James and John were (experienced) fishermen. There were not new to sudden storm in the sea of Galilee!
Q. What was the storm like?
  • 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.
  • They started panicking – Fear of drowning and death.
Q. What was Jesus doing?
  • 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
Q. What was Jesus’ involvement in the storm till then?
  • Totally indifferent
  • While others were struggling for life and death, he was at sound asleep!
Q. Why did the disciples go to Jesus?
  • Surely, they did not expect the miracle, by their reaction after Jesus calming the storm. (Mark 4:41)
  • They assumed that they are all going to die.
  • Angry and frustrated to see Jesus sleeping – “Don’t you care, if we die?”! (Questioning God – Psalms 13)
  • Is he insane? How can he sleep in such a situation?
  • There seems to me, two storms raging – one in the sea of Galilee and the other in the hearts of disciples!
Q. What did Jesus do? What were disciples’ reaction?Jesus calms storm
  • 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 feeding 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!
Q. What can you learn about the nature of Jesus here?
  • 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”?

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 thank 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.)
  • 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 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 volunteers!

Are you willing to entrust your whole life to Jesus?

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11 Comments »

  • The Wind and Wave Obeyed Jesus - Mark 4:35-41 | Bible Study … | boatknees.com said:

    [...] The Wind and Wave Obeyed Jesus – Mark 4:35-41 | Bible Study … [...]

  • Questioning God - Psalms 13 - Bible Study | Bible Study Exposition Online said:

    [...] “Where is your Faith in life storm?” [...]

  • dizzed.com said:

    Jesus Calms the Sea…

    Bible Study – Disciples and Jesus in Boat, Jesus was sleeping at Stern, Sudden Storm in Sea of Galilee, Jesus calms Storm and Sea. Faith Lessons…

  • Miracles of Jesus Christ: List | BibleSEO Blog said:

    [...] Jesus calms the storm – Matthew 8:23-27, Luke 8:22-25 [...]

  • corrine said:

    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

  • Bible SEO (author) said:

    Thank you Corrine. I agree its hard to be calm under the storm. But that’s where the faith comes in.

  • Ed said:

    Awesome short teaching on Calming the storm. I needed this encouragement as I ponder about what God wants me to do next.

  • Isis said:

    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

  • Bible SEO (author) said:

    Thank You.

  • Bryant said:

    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

  • Brian said:

    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.

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