Ridin' the Storm out

Zero Dark Thirty

“I would much rather be in here wishing I was out there than out there wishing I was in here.”

A crusty sea captain spoke those words to me at a marina one very early morning. At Zero Dark Thirty, the wisdom went right over my young head. Instead, I was ticked.

It was the early eighties. I was in this coastal North Carolina village on assignment from a local TV station to shoot a story on marlin fishing. I had visions of video filled with screaming reels, excited anglers, and massive fish leaping out of the sea.

Taking No Chances

His words made it clear it was NOT happening today. This old salt was taking no chances with the weather. The forecast called for a possibility of scattered squalls and high seas. Rather take the chance today, he would wait until tomorrow.

Years later, I’ve thought about this charter boat captain’s words of warning whenever I read the story of Jesus and His boys getting caught in a nasty storm one night on the Sea of Galilee. Instead of ridin’ the storm out with Jesus if they wished they never went out in the first place.

Take a Boat Ride with Jesus

Ever imagine what was it like to be in the boat with Christ and His crew? Thanks to John Mark, we can experience it for ourselves two thousand years later. The writer of the second Gospel gives us such a vivid account that we might as well be along for the ride (Mk 4:35-41).

As a matter of fact, Mark’s version of the story is one of three we find in the New Testament. Both Matthew and Luke give us their perspective of this wild boat ride (Mt 8:23-27; Lk 8:22-25). But I admit being partial to Mark's description.

Pete’s Story of Jesus

Why? Because the early followers of Jesus believed the source of Mark’s bio of Jesus is actually none other than the Apostle Peter. Is there a better eyewitness than the dude our Savior selected to lead the original Dirty Dozen before heading home to heaven?

Long before Jesus nicknames him Rocky, Simon and his kid brother Andrew were commercial fishermen on the Sea of Galilee (Mk 1:16-17). Why not get the story of the midnight squall on the water from a guy who made his living on this lake?

It’s Been a Long Day

Before we board the boat, let’s back up just a bit. Jesus has just spent a big chunk of the day teaching a big crowd on the beach. The audience is so large that He actually speaks from a small craft so that crowd won’t crush Him (Mk 4:1).

It’s been a long day. A VERY long day. As the sun goes down, Jesus tells His posse it’s time to leave. “On that day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side’” (v35).

One Forecast You Can Count on

Don’t miss the point that this boat ride is Jesus’ idea. He’s the one who wants to set sail. As God in the flesh, I’m betting He knows EXACTLY what’s about to go down. He knows the forecast better than the National Weather Service.

We also have the benefit of reading ahead and seeing Christ has a divine appointment with demon-possessed guy in a graveyard on the far side of the Sea of Galilee (Mk 5:1-20). But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

It’s Been a Busy Day

A quick thought runs through my head as they shove off from the shoreline. It’s the end of a busy day. You’ve gotta figure Jesus is worn out. He may be the Son of God but He’s also fully human. You can bet His team is also tired.

Is it just me or does trouble seem to come when we’re the most tired? Early in the morning after a couple cups of coffee, I’m ready to take on the world. Bring it on, baby. But after a long hard day, I cooked and can’t wait to kick back on the couch.

Invariably, we get blindsided when our tank is on “E.” I may believe I’m bulletproof before noon but nighttime is my Kryptonite. The old saying is true, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Even crusty commercial fishermen.

Not Alone on the Lake

As the sun sets on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples “took Jesus in the boat and started out” (v36). Remember, the Lord was already aboard when He was teaching. It made for a nifty exit strategy when the day is done.

Mark then drops a detail we don’t find in Matthew or Luke. They aren’t alone on the lake. They may be the first ones to leave but “other boats followed” (v36). We’ll soon see there’s one huge difference between the disciples’ dingy and the rest of the fleet. They had Jesus on board. He’s going to come in VERY handy.

A Lake below Sea Level

A little geography lesson would probably help us at this point. While we call it the Sea of Galilee, it’s actually a large freshwater lake in the northern part of Israel. The lake is 13 miles long, seven miles wide, 150 feet deep, and full of fish.

The thing that makes it unique is that it sits 680 feet below sea level. That makes the Sea of Galilee the lowest body of freshwater in the world. The surrounding mountains rising 2,000 feet above sea level exaggerate that.

An Explosive Atmosphere

It’s not hard to imagine the beautiful scene. A couple of dozen boats setting sail on the lake at sunset. The soft orange light of the late day sun illuminates the water, the ships, and the surrounding mountains.

There’s just one little problem. The lake’s drastic topography also makes for an explosive meteorological atmosphere. Winds howl through the mountain gorges and hit the moist lake air triggering violent storms, especially from May to October.

Strong storms pop up out with little warning on these waters. When that happens, you’d rather be in here wishing you were out there than out there wishing you were in here.

A Sudden Squall

And wouldn’t you know it, that’s EXACTLY what happens that night. “But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water” (v37). 

Mark uses a Greek word for “storm” (Gr. λαιλαψ/lailaps) that describes a squall, windstorm, whirlwind, or sudden and violent gusts of wind. It was also one of the first century terms for a hurricane.

It’s a Mega-Storm

If that’s not scary enough for you, the author says this sudden squall is also “fierce.” Check out the word here. It’s μεγας/megas. You don’t have to be a Greek scholar to see we’re talking about a sudden mega-storm.

It’s easy to see why Mark is famous for his vivid descriptions. Remember, he’s passing along Pete’s first person account…and the Rock was rockin’ in the boat with the boys in the storm!

Big Waves

Let’s just say things escalate quickly as they set sail. Before you know it, “high waves were breaking into the boat” (v37). Just how high? There have been reports in the 1990s of ten foot waves on the lake. Some historians record wave heights of 20 feet.

Archaeologists’ examinations of a so-called “Jesus boat” from the First Century tell us the sides of the small ship were about four feet high. It doesn’t take much imagination to see a wave big enough to break over the hull and swamp the boat.

The Weather Starting Getting Rough

So just to recap, the winds are howling. It’s raining sideways. Waves are breaking into the boat. Water covers your sandals. You can barely see your hand in front of your face. Scary enough for you?

You won’t find the theme from “Gilligan’s Island” in any church hymnal but I can’t help but think of those lyrics at this point. “The weather starting getting rough. The tiny ship was tossed.” But instead of “the courage of the fearless crew," Jesus’ followers are freaking out!

That’s a big surprise considering that of the handful of boats caught in the storm, there’s is different from the rest. At least four of them (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) are commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16, 19). And there’s a good chance Thomas and Nathanael are as well (Jn 21:1-3).

The Lord on Board

If that’s not enough, the Lord is on board! Shouldn’t that always be the trump card for those of us who are His followers? Shouldn’t His simple presence in our lives give us peace when everything hits the fan?

It should. But in reality, it doesn’t. At least for me, not at first. Despite my faith in Christ, I can almost always count on a few moments of panic at the first signs of a storm. But it’s not long before His Holy Spirit grabs me by the shoulders and calms me down.

Our Snoozing Savior

While the boys are freaking out, the Son of God is grabbing some shuteye near the stern. “Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion” (v28). Remember, this has been a VERY long day for the Lord.

Our snoozing Savior is a great reminder of His humanity. The God Man isn’t Superman disguised as Clark Kent just pretending to be mortal. He gets tired. He needs sleep. The day Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He was “tired from the long walk” (Jn 4:6).

Don’t You Care?

The Son of God isn’t asleep for long. “The disciples woke Him up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?’” (v38). It’s their way of saying, “If You REALLY cared about us, You would be awake and paying attention!!”

Come on. Admit it. We’ve all been there. We’ve all felt like God wasn’t paying attention. Even worse, that He doesn’t care. The boys ask almost the same question Martha did when she was mad about her slacker sister’s unwillingness to help. “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” (Lk 10:40 emphasis added).

We're NEVER Alone

Yes, actually, He does care. He cares VERY much. It’s the whole reason He left the heavenly palace and came to our sin-filled planet to save us. If not, He wouldn’t be in the boat with His crew in the first place.

Same for us. We may be in the middle of the scariest storm. But we’re NEVER really alone. Jesus is ALWAYS with us. He’s ALWAYS in our boat. He is the God who is with us (Mt 1:23). The God who is ALWAYS with us (Mt 28:20). Even in the storm. ESPECIALLY in the storm.

Yelling at the Storm

“When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Silence! Be still!’” (v39). Can you picture Christ rubbing His eyes and then yelling…not at His disciples…but the STORM?!?

Give that a try the next time you want the weather to change. Go outside and yell at the rain, the wind, the heat, and the fog and see what happens. Let’s face it, most of us struggle to keep the thermostat at the right setting. Forget controlling the weather.

The Boss in the Boat

But not Jesus. Nature listens to its Maker. Mark describes how the Son of God actually rebukes the squall. We can translate the original language as “put the wind and waves in their place.” The creation submits to the Creator. Settle down, storm. The Boss is in the boat.

Jesus screams into the storm, “Silence! Be still!” (v39). We could do an extensive word study in the original language of Christ’s commands, but it’s a waste of time. Frankly, what He shouts is, “SHUT UP!!!!”

From Mega-Storm to Mega-Calm

And whattaya know, the storm shuts it down. Immediately. “Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm” (v39). In just the blink of an eye, we go from mega-storm (v37) to mega-calm. Yup, that’s right. Mark uses the same word (Gr. μεγας/megas) to describe both the storm and the silence.

For those of us who had our doubts about Jesus’ power over the thunderstorm, this is a mic drop moment. His words shut down the wind and waves. Instantly. In the blink of an eye. The gale is gone. The sea is glass. For the disciples, it's quiet. TOO quiet!

The Guys Get an Earful

Just as quickly, the Lord goes from scolding the squall to giving His guys an earful. “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v40). Apparently the scene in the storm was just a bit embarrassing.

The word Mark uses for “afraid” is δειλος/deilos. It means cowardly or showing fear in a shameful way. Other than Matthew’s version of this same story, we find this term in only one other place.

Near the end of Revelation, the risen Christ gives us the final roster of who’s headed for hell. “Cowards (Gr. δειλος/deilos), unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars” (Rev 21:8).

Fear and Faith

You may wonder why Jesus connects fear and faith. Simple. They are polar opposites of each other. A lot of us think doubt is the opposite of faith? But that’s not the case. Let me show you.

Fast forward a few pages in Mark’s Gospel to chapter nine. A desperate dad begs Jesus to exorcise the demon that’s tortured his son since childhood. When our He asks the man if he believes Jesus can do it, the man responds, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24).

On this side of eternity, there’s always going to some level of doubt mixed with our trust in God. It’s okay to have questions. There’s nothing wrong with not having it all figured out. The key is taking them to Jesus and trusting He’s got it all under control. Even the stuff we doubt. ESPECIALLY the stuff we doubt.

Courageously Standing for Christ

Any time a follower of Jesus feels fear, you can take it to the bank it’s not from Him. The Apostle Paul tells his buddy Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2Tim 1:7).

When we feel weak-kneed and faint-hearted, we can be sure it’s NOT from Jesus. Remember that we have a supernatural enemy who loves to keep us cowering in the corner rather than courageously standing for Christ.

Freaked out by the Calm

Interestingly, John Mark tells us the boys in the boat are actually more freaked out about the instant calm than the violent storm. “And they were absolutely terrified. ‘Who is this Man? Even the wind and waves obey Him!’” (v41).

You see, these guys still haven’t figured out the true identity of the radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth. Chances are they’re getting a good idea that He may well be the Messiah. Wrapping their heads around the idea that He’s the one and only Son of God is another thing altogether.

Who is Jesus? In many ways, that’s the big theme of the first half of Mark’s Gospel (Mk 1:1-8:26). As we walk with Him, we see Him teach like no one before or since, perform jaw-dropping miracles, and even forgive sin. Is Jesus really God in the flesh? It’s the decision we all must make.

Find a Seat on the Ship

So what’s the bottom line? The words of that charter boat captain keep coming back to me. “I would much rather be in here wishing I was out there than out there wishing I was in here.” Solid advice for deep sea fishing but not so much when it comes to faith.

That’s because everything changes once Jesus is in the boat. Remember, all of the boats were in the storm but only one of them had Jesus! Am I in the right boat? Have I placed my trust in Christ? If not, now is a GREAT time to find a seat on the ship.

Anything but Boring

With our Savior onboard, I’m going to rephrase the old sea captain’s statement. I would rather be in the storm with Jesus than in the calm without Him. One big reason is that God doesn’t call us to safe.

Following the Lord is anything BUT boring! He does give us His peace in the storm. As the song says, “Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.”

The Storm IS Coming

The other reason is that the storm IS coming. Things may be peaceful and serene now. But I promise you, it’s only temporary. The storm is coming. You may not see it, but it’s on the way.

You know the kind of sudden tornados life throws at us. The scary diagnosis from the doctor. Your spouse announces they’re leaving. Your child has an eating disorder. You get downsized. You face financial collapse and bankruptcy. Wrestling with whether to move your parent into retirement home.

The Calm Won’t Last

Oh, the storms are coming. This is one forecast we can guarantee. One hundred percent chance. Remember, the calm won’t last. But Jesus always will.

That’s why I would rather be ridin' the storm out with Jesus than in the calm without Him.

©2017

Jay Jennings