Jesus and his disciples got into a ship to cross over the sea to a part of the country called the Gergesenes. Mark tells us there were other ships with them, the last one carrying Jesus. A sudden storm arose with great waves spilling over the sides soaking everyone on deck. Every ship was being tossed like so many toothpicks on the ocean. Every heart raced with the fear of death (Mathew 8:23-27; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24).
Jesus, however, was perfectly at ease sleeping on a pillow at the rear of the boat. The disciples most likely thought he was exhausted from ministering had not wanted to wake him. But as the storm worsened they began to resent his sleeping. By the time they thought it was all over but the drowning, they were panicked and angry. Waking Jesus they demanded, “Don’t you care that we are about to die? Save us” (Mark 4:38; Mathew 8:25).
Jesus asks them, “Why are you fearful?”
If we were there we would probably respond, “Are you kidding? But Jesus does not wait for an answer. Instead he turns to the sea and calmly commands it to be still. Immediately the waves and winds obey his word. The sea becomes like glass and all the boats reach the shores safely (Mathew 8:23-28; Mark 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25).
Do you have a sudden storm? Jesus’ question still rings clear. Why are you fearful?
