The Storm Stopper

At the end of a very busy day (teaching extensively to large crowds, being accused by leaders of doing ministry by Satan's power, resisting the attempt of family to kidnap him because they considered him crazy...) Jesus commanded his disciples to take him and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. With his boat was a whole floatilla of others boats. Mark 4:35-41

The Sea of Galilee is a very beautiful spot on planet earth. It is also one of the lowest places on the planet (630' or so below sea level). It is surrounded by hills and mountains. Because of its geographical features, sudden storms are not uncommon. Winds descend from the surrounding mountains and the recently placid lake becomes the scene of fierce storms of near hurricane strength. Such was the case at the end of this very busy and exhausting day for Christ and his disciples.

A great windstorm arose at some point in their crossing. The waves were so large they were breaking over the boat and filling it quickly with water. They were in danger for their lives. The disciples were frantic. Remember, at least some of these disciples were fishermen. This was THEIR lake. They knew it. They knew its storms. And they knew when conditions were so bad that their very lives were in danger. This was one of those times. "Master...we are perishing!" v.38.

Where was Jesus? "...He was in the stern (back of the boat), ASLEEP on the cushion" v.38a. There are several things to note here:

• Jesus' sleeping in the midst of a hurricane shows just how EXHAUSTED he was. The One who came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45) had been doing so with ALL his might. And Jesus' exhaustion shows us the full colors of his HUMANITY. This one who had already turned water to wine, who had cast out demons with a word, who had healed all kinds of diseases instantaneously, and who would soon give nature orders that would be promptly obeyed...was also a man. He was dogged tired. His energy was spent. Why is it so important to recognize his humanity? Because UNLESS Jesus was both God AND man, He could not have died as the substitute for sinners. He had to be God so that his sacrifice had infinite value and he had to be man...perfect man...to die for men. He was...Hebrews 10:5-10. Therefore, this scene of the exhausted Jesus should be very precious to us who have been eternally forgiven through the offering of this very real human.
• Jesus' dead-to-the-world sleep also gave the perishing disciples the appearance that he didn't CARE. "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" They were in the storm of their life and Jesus was asleep. They had left families and jobs, they had risked the crushing vise of the mobs who followed Jesus, they had endured the reputation slaughter of the Pharisees for this Rabbi, and now, when death was imminent, he was snoozing. What would you think? What would you do?

Has it ever seemed to you, in the middle of life's storms, that Jesus was asleep on the cushion? You are being overwhelmed by the waves of a breaking relationship, or a financial collapse, or a baseless accusation that you can't defend yourself against, or a child that is rebelling, or decisions that are too many and too complex to begin to sort out, or a general dark and forboding depression...and it seems Jesus is nowhere to be found. I bet you have been there or that you ARE there.

At that point, two basic decisions can be made.

One: accuse Jesus of not caring and turn away from him.

Two: go to Jesus in the storm and cry out to him.

Which have you done? Which are you doing? The disciples were not demonstrating exemplary faith in the sinking boat with the snoozing Savior, but THEY DID GO TO HIM AND CRY OUT TO HIM! They "roused" him with their cries for help. Result: "...He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." v.39

Jesus was in the boat. The exhausted Rabbi was also the Divine Storm Stopper. Had the disciples really known this, they would not have been so frantic and desperate. And this storm was meant to teach them more about this man in order to strengthen their faith in him.

But it is not to be overlooked that the disciples WENT TO JESUS, even with "frantic" faith. And He arose and rescued them.

Are you in a storm of life? GO TO JESUS! With your imperfect, frantic faith. With your thoughts that he is asleep when you need him most. Cry to him. Rouse him with your prayers. You will find that he was not really asleep like Jesus was in the boat, but that "the Lord watches over the way of the righteous" Psalm 1:6. This storm has its purposes:

• To teach you who Jesus is: theology class in the storm
• To teach you to cry out in the time of trouble: glorifying Jesus in the storm (Psalm 50:15)