Two stories of Jesus the carpenter and his fishermen disciples on water. Who is this carpenter?
Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41)
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious storm came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’
Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’
41 They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’
Jesus walks on Water (Mark 6:45-52)
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Think...
Here are two strange stories of Jesus on water. Jesus had deliberately prompted them to these two experiences, while passively allowing the fearful events to unfold.
Jesus seemed to have left the disciples alone at the time when they needed him most. Why do you think Jesus chose to do so?
Were the disciples' fearful complaints justified?
Find out all the similarities and differences between the two stories.
Why did Jesus deliberately lead them to these fearful experiences?
'Who is this?!'
The disciples seemed to have great difficulty recognizing Jesus, despite having spent much time with him. What could be the possible reasons?
Feel...
Feel the emotions the disciples went through in these two terrifying experiences.
What can we learn about fear? What can we learn from fear? What can we learn in fear?
The disciples were still terrified at the end of both stories after the miracles, but for very different reasons than before.
What exactly do we fear when we say we fear God? How does our fear of God affect our other fears in our lives?
