Introduction
Are you willing to follow Jesus even when obedience leads you straight into a storm, and then trust Him when it feels like He’s silent? The central teaching of Mark 4:35–41 is that Jesus may lead us into real trouble for His purposes, and in that storm He proves His presence, His power, and His peace so our fear is re-ordered into faith. Mark tells us this familiar story not as a myth or a sentimental Sunday school lesson, but as a grounded, eyewitness-like account: other boats were with Him, Jesus was in the stern on a cushion, and the disciples’ panic is anything but flattering (Mark 4:36–38). Those details pull us into the real event, and they also confront our real discipleship.
Main Points
Are you willing to follow Jesus even when obedience leads you straight into a storm, and then trust Him when it feels like He’s silent? The central teaching of Mark 4:35–41 is that Jesus may lead us into real trouble for His purposes, and in that storm He proves His presence, His power, and His peace so our fear is re-ordered into faith.
Mark tells us this familiar story not as a myth or a sentimental Sunday school lesson, but as a grounded, eyewitness-like account: other boats were with Him, Jesus was in the stern on a cushion, and the disciples’ panic is anything but flattering (Mark 4:36–38). Those details pull us into the real event, and they also confront our real discipleship.
Following Jesus Can Lead Into Storms
Jesus initiates the journey: “Let us go across to the other side” (Mark 4:35). That matters because this storm is not a consequence of rebellion or foolishness. The disciples are doing exactly what Jesus told them to do, getting into the boat with Him, leaving the crowd, moving forward in obedience.
I need you to hear this clearly: not every hardship is self-inflicted. Yes, we can create trouble by sin and bad decisions. But Mark 4 shows another category, storms that come because you’re following Jesus. Sometimes God’s will is a boat ride that heads directly into difficulty.
So when trouble comes, don’t assume, “I must be outside God’s will.” Sometimes the storm is confirmation that you’re actually on the path Jesus put you on.
Jesus Is Present Even When Silent
Mark says Jesus “was in the stern, asleep on the cushion” (Mark 4:38). He is physically present in the boat, but emotionally the disciples experience Him as unavailable. Their cry exposes what’s happening in their hearts: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38).
That question is tragically common, not only for them, but for us. “God, don’t You care?” Yet the very presence of Jesus in the boat is the answer. He is with them because He cares. He came into the world because He cares (John 3:16). His nearness is not measured by our comfort but by His covenant love.
Isaiah captures the same temptation: “My way is hidden from the LORD… my right is disregarded by my God” (Isa. 40:27). And then comes the corrective: the Creator does not faint, does not grow weary, and gives strength to the faint (Isa. 40:28–29). When you feel unseen, you must preach truth to yourself: He is here. He sees. He knows.
Jesus Rules Wind And Waves
When Jesus wakes, He doesn’t scramble for a plan. He “rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’” (Mark 4:39). And immediately “the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39).
This is not merely encouragement that Jesus can “help” with hard things. This is revelation of who He is. Psalm 107 describes sailors in a storm who cry out to the LORD, and He makes the storm be still and hushes the waves (Ps. 107:23–30). In Mark 4, Jesus does what the Old Testament says Yahweh does. The disciples are being confronted with the divine authority of Christ, the Lordship of Jesus over creation.
If I’m discipling you honestly, I want you to see that Christianity is not mainly about Jesus giving us a calmer life. It is first about Jesus revealing Himself as King, so that we trust Him whether the sea is raging or glassy.
Fear Exposes What We Trust
After the calm, Jesus speaks to the disciples: “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). Notice the logic: their fear is not just an emotion; it is a window into what they believe about Jesus in that moment.
Here’s the uncomfortable but loving discipleship question: What does your fear reveal about your view of Christ right now? It’s possible to know the story, know the doctrine, know the right answers, and still be “no faith” in practice when the future feels threatened.
Faith is always lived forward. It’s easy to be thankful for yesterday’s deliverance. But today’s storm demands present trust. The disciples had Jesus’ word: they were going “to the other side” (Mark 4:35). Yet panic made them forget His promise and doubt His love.
Holy Fear Replaces Lesser Fears
Mark highlights three “great” realities: a great windstorm, a great calm, and then the disciples are filled with great fear (Mark 4:37, 39, 41). The surprising part is that their greatest fear comes after the danger passes, because they realize who is in the boat.
They say, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). This is the point many of us miss. Jesus doesn’t only calm storms; He unveils His majesty. And when we truly see Him, our fears get re-ordered.
What you fear most is often connected to what seems most powerful in your life. But when the most powerful reality becomes clear, Jesus Himself, lesser fears lose their tyranny. There is a “mega” fear that is actually mercy: reverent awe before the living God. And when you fear God rightly, you don’t have to fear everything else.
Jesus Trains Courage For Mission
This revelation wasn’t only for the disciples’ comfort; it was for their formation. The early church, buffeted by persecution and pressure, needed to know that Jesus is not merely a teacher but the sovereign Lord. This is why the image of the church as a boat in a storm became so meaningful: not because the seas were easy, but because Christ is King in the midst of them.
And this is where discipleship gets practical: the storms you walk through with Jesus can become training grounds for fearless obedience. These same disciples would later face real threats, political power, suffering, even death, and press forward because they had learned that the One in their boat is greater than anything outside it.
Conclusion
Mark 4:35–41 calls you to a deeper faith than “Jesus, make my life easier.” It calls you to trust Jesus when obedience leads into storms, to remember He is present even when He seems silent, to worship Him as Lord over all creation, and to let holy fear replace the smaller fears that dominate your heart.
So I’m asking you: what storm are you in right now, and what is it revealing about what you believe, about Jesus’ care, Jesus’ word, and Jesus’ power? The goal is not simply calmer circumstances; the goal is clearer sight of Christ.
Father, thank You for Your Word and for this true account of Jesus in the storm. Forgive us for the ways we have questioned Your care and forgotten Your promises. Lord Jesus, help us to trust You when You lead us into difficulty, to remember that You are present with us, and to rest in Your sovereign power. Replace our anxious fear with reverent awe, and strengthen our faith to obey You into the future. Holy Spirit, make this Word meaningful and fruitful in our lives, our families, and our church, for Your purposes and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Conclusion
Mark 4:35–41 calls you to a deeper faith than “Jesus, make my life easier.” It calls you to trust Jesus when obedience leads into storms, to remember He is present even when He seems silent, to worship Him as Lord over all creation, and to let holy fear replace the smaller fears that dominate your heart.
So I’m asking you: what storm are you in right now, and what is it revealing about what you believe, about Jesus’ care, Jesus’ word, and Jesus’ power? The goal is not simply calmer circumstances; the goal is clearer sight of Christ.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for Your Word and for this true account of Jesus in the storm. Forgive us for the ways we have questioned Your care and forgotten Your promises. Lord Jesus, help us to trust You when You lead us into difficulty, to remember that You are present with us, and to rest in Your sovereign power. Replace our anxious fear with reverent awe, and strengthen our faith to obey You into the future. Holy Spirit, make this Word meaningful and fruitful in our lives, our families, and our church, for Your purposes and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.