Storm 1 - Jesus and Jonah

"The Sea" referred to here is the Sea of Galilee.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, increase my faith. 

Mark (4:35-41) & Matthew (8:23-27) & Luke (8:22-25). 

For Bible reference-kindly look at the bottom of the page. 

When all is dark, when troubles come and God seems to be a million miles away, then we are in the midst of a storm.
In the evening, Jesus got into a boat and told the disciples to go the other side.
A great storm arose suddenly and threatened to destroy the boat. The shore was far away, the waves were rising too quickly and the winds were too strong.
With the noise and the water engulfing the boat, Jesus is able to lay on a cushion, in the stern, asleep.
Remember – Peter, James, John, and Andrew were experienced fishermen, so what is it that drives the apostles to wake Jesus with the words, “save we are perishing.” (Matthew 8:25) or Mark 4:38 “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?”
Could it be, that none of them had experienced such kind of storm before and secondly their faith consisted in the persuasion that they could be saved by waking Jesus from His sleep as their only hope?
Jesus calms the apostles, before calming the storm. He does so only when His apostles put their faith in Him.
The words: “Peace! Be still!” Mark 4:39 

When we feel abandoned, we need to trust in God and we need to pray, just like the terrified disciples. 

To remember, Jesus is in our boat makes a difference! He is always with us in the storms of life, saying “Peace, be still!” (v39). We need to calm our anxious hearts and trust in Him.

Jesus, rebukes the wind and the sea, and then says to the apostles, Mark 4:40 “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” Jesus admonishes the apostles/disciples. Jesus expected them to trust in Him, knowing that nothing would happen to them while He was with them. 

Our Lord’s rebuking the sea, is a sign of His divinity. After He calmed the waves, they were amazed. “And the men marvelled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27). 

When we are tempted to let fear and worry rage within, we must remember Jesus gives the peace that passes all understanding so that we may walk calmly with Him through every storm we encounter in our lives. 

Peace is trusting God in our circumstances and in the storms of life. 

Scripture defines still as a quiet rest and trust in the Lord. Exodus 14:14, Moses told the Israelites how God would deliver them from the Egyptians: “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” And in Psalm 46:10, we are told to “Be still, and know that I am God.” 

Jesus is always in control and He will calm the raging storms within our souls. God has promised to give us peace through any storm if we will trust Him to take care of us.

Through the storm, they recognized Jesus as The One, Who, has power even over the physical laws of the universe.

Only God can make the winds and water obey.

Jesus = Peace!

The similarities between Mark’ Gospel and the book of Jonah. 

This is Jonah, his boat caught in a dreadful storm and it is about to sink. Jonah is fast asleep below decks. And the captain of the boat comes and wakes him up, saying, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us that we do not perish.” (Jonah 1:6) 

Jonah was on the ship because he was trying to escape. God had ordered him to go to Nineveh, to call the people of that city to repentance, but Jonah responded by fleeing in the opposite direction, which is why God intervenes by sending the storm. 

Jonah asks the men to throw him into the sea. He tells them, the sea will quieten down once it is done. In the Book of Jonah, it is The Almighty God who calms the storm. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus, rebukes the wind and the waters are calmed instantly. (Mark 4:39) 

No wonder the disciples are truly amazed that all they can say is, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41) 

Jonah like Jesus is able to sleep during the storm. Ability to sleep during trouble was often a sign of faith in God.

For a brief moment, let us with the Israelites cross the Red sea to escape the pursuing Egyptians. 

Before God drives back the waters of the Sea, the Israelites are stricken with fear when they see the approaching Egyptian army. Exodus 14:10. 

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw the great work which the Lord did against the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord; and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Exodus 14:30-31. 

In the Old Testament, it was God whom the seas obeyed. 

In Exodus, the Lord parts the waters of the Red Sea to redeem Israel and fill them with awe and a holy fear. 

The Psalmist reminds us that only God rules the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, God stills them.

The Truths:

• Jesus, calms our fears. 
• God builds our faith through trying times.
• God entrusts specific tasks to each one of us. 
• Jonah tries to escape his calling. Jesus embraces His death on the Cross. 
• Responding to God's call requires sacrifice. 
• When we surrender our lives to God, He will heal our wounds and make our lives complete. 
• St Augustine: 'You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you.'

Paul describes a difficulty he has which he calls "a thorn in the flesh." ‘Three times’ Paul says he prayed to the Lord to free him from it, and the Lord answered him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9 

From that day, he even began to glory in his weaknesses: "for when I am weak, then I am strong" 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. 

Remember, the disciples were saved because Jesus was in the boat, with them. 

The lack of faith of the disciples that Jesus reproached was the fact that they doubted that He was concerned about their lives and safety-"Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” Mark 4:38 

This is a story of a man who had a dream saw two pairs of footprints in the sand and understood that one pair of footprints was his and the other pair was that of Jesus, who was walking by his side.
At a certain moment, one pair of footprints disappeared and he understood that this happened exactly at a difficult moment of his life.
He tells Jesus, "There was only one pair of footprint in the sand?"
"They were mine," replied Jesus. "In those moments, I carried you on my shoulders."

This is my request that if you could, please do continue to read. Storm 2 - Jesus walks on water

Bible Passages 

Mark 4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 
Mark 4:36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 
Mark 4:37 And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 
Mark 4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” 
Mark 4:39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 
Mark 4:40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”

Mark 4:41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?” 

Matthew 8:23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
Matthew 8:25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save, Lord; we are perishing.”
Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Matthew 8:27 And the men marvelled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” 

Jonah 1:4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god; and they threw the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep.
Jonah 1:6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us that we do not perish.” 

This is my request that if you could, please do continue to read. 
Storm 2 - Jesus walks on water