Mark 4:35-41 tells the story of Jesus calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee while His disciples are terrified their boat will sink.
Overview of Mark 4:35-41
When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:35-41)
What This Passage Teaches
The disciples were experienced fishermen, and the storm frightened even them. Jesus was not indifferent to their danger — He was simply not afraid, because He had authority over the storm itself. His question, “Do you still have no faith?”, points to the lesson: knowing who Jesus is changes how we face fear.
Discussion Questions for Sunday School
- Why do you think the disciples woke Jesus up instead of trying to handle the storm themselves?
- What does it mean that “even the wind and the sea obey Him”?
- When have you felt afraid the way the disciples did, and what helped you remember God was still there?