Rev. J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv
Mark 4:35-41 (NKJV)
35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
What kind of a man would you say Jesus is? Looking at the text, we read about Him telling His disciples and unidentified others who would travel in smaller boats, to cross over the lake to the land of the Gadarenes. Jesus had gone to the stern, or the back of the boat where He was fast asleep. Suddenly, a great windstorm began raging. As the waves began beating against and filling the boats with water, His disciples woke Him and asked Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” They were not sure what He could do, but they wanted Him to do something.
What He did was so unusual and unexpected, it left them all in awe. Jesus spoke, or as the Bible says, “rebuked” the wind. To rebuke is to check or restrain. He said to the wind and to the sea, “Peace be still!” With just His words, the wind was restrained, and the sea became calm.
Jesus’ challenge to them is a challenge to us to examine our faith and to confront our fears. Jesus asked them two questions, “Why are you so fearful?” and “How is it that you have no faith?” If it were me in any of those boats and I heard Jesus speak to the ferocious wind and the storming rain and they both immediately became calm, I too might very well have asked the question, “what manner of man is this?”
With only words, He controls the wind and the sea. Jesus is no ordinary man. He can sleep through a storm because He made the winds and the sea. The Bible declares that He is God in the flesh. What He does with nature, He does for us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). You should really get to know what manner of man He is. He calms the raging storms and gives rest to our souls.
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of J Loren R Consulting, LLC, providing Church Financial & Strategic Consulting, and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Facebook LIVE, Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The Book at www.BookBlues.com.
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