Our journey of Walking with Jesus continues this Sunday, and once again, we find ourselves in a rather unexpected place.
We began along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus extended a simple invitation… “Follow me.”
We followed Jesus into the wilderness, where we witnessed what it looks like to trust God when life becomes difficult.
Last Sunday, we stopped beside a well and discovered an extraordinary encounter that began with something as ordinary as a request for a drink of water.
This Sunday, we’re getting into a boat!
Our Scripture is Mark 4:35–41, where Jesus and His disciples set out across the Sea of Galilee.
Mark 4:35-41… (Common English Bible)
35 Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” 36 They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along.
37 Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?”
39 He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. 40 Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?”
41 Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
What begins as an ordinary boat ride quickly becomes anything but ordinary.
A violent storm develops.
The waves crash against the boat.
The disciples become frightened.
And Jesus?
He’s asleep.
I don’t know about you, but I find that detail fascinating!
As you read this familiar story in preparation for Sunday, I invite you to pay particular attention to the questions being asked.
The disciples ask Jesus a question.
Jesus asks the disciples two questions.
And at the end of the story, the disciples are left asking yet another question.
What do those questions reveal about the disciples?
What might they reveal about Jesus?
And perhaps something worth pondering this week…
Have you ever experienced something that challenged what you thought you understood about God?
Sometimes the longer we walk with Jesus, the more we discover there is still much to learn.
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
~ Pastor Dustin