Jesus Calms the Storm · who is this, that the wind and the sea obey him?
A Bible story to tell as a family · Mark 4:35–41 · ages 3–12 · 8 min
The story
It had been a whole day of teaching by the Sea of Galilee. There were so many people that Jesus had to get into a boat and speak from it, while the crowd stayed on the shore, listening to the stories of the sower and the mustard seed. When evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.”
So they left the crowd and took Jesus along in the same boat he was already in. Other little boats went along too, bobbing behind them. The fishermen knew that sea well and knew the way to the other shore. The sun was going down, and Jesus, after such a full day, went to the back of the boat, the stern. He laid his head on a cushion and fell asleep.
Suddenly, the weather changed. A violent windstorm came up. The wind whistled, the waves grew and crashed against the boat, throwing water inside. The disciples tried to hold on, but the boat was already filling with water. Remember: several of them were fishermen, people used to that sea. And even so, they were terrified.
And Jesus? He kept on sleeping! With the rocking, the noise of the wind, the water pouring in... asleep on the cushion. The disciples went to him, woke him up, and asked, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” In other words: don't you care if we die?
Jesus woke up. He rebuked the wind and spoke to the sea. “Silence!” he commanded. “Be still!” And the wind stopped. The waves went down. The water became smooth as a mirror. It was perfectly calm. No one had to row harder or bail out more water. Jesus' word was enough, and the whole sea became still, like a child who obeys a father's voice. All you could hear was the heavy breathing of the disciples, soaked from head to toe.
Then Jesus looked at them and asked, “Why are you so afraid?” And, “Do you still have no faith?” He wasn't saying that feeling afraid is forbidden; everyone feels fear. He was asking why they thought he didn't care, when he was right there, in the same boat, with them.
And then something curious happened: the disciples became even more afraid! It wasn't fear of the storm anymore; it was awe before Jesus. They said to one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” That is the big question of the story. And each of us is invited to answer it too.
35When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. 37Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. 38But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” 39Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. 40“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” 41Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
What the Bible says
- v. 38: Jesus was sleeping in the stern, on a cushion, while the boat was filling with water.
- v. 39: Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Silence!” and “Be still!”, and it was perfectly calm.
- v. 41: the disciples asked, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
What we learn
This story shows that Jesus has authority over the things that frighten us: the wind and the sea obey him. But it also shows something important: being with Jesus doesn't mean being free from storms. The disciples obeyed, got into the boat with him, and the storm came anyway. Their question, “don’t You care,” is the same one many people ask in hard times. Jesus answered by being in the boat and acting. Faith, here, is trusting the one who is with us, even when he seems to be asleep.
Questions to talk about
For little ones
- What was Jesus doing when the storm started?
- What happened when Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea?
For kids
- What are you afraid of? What would it be like to tell Jesus about it?
- Why were the disciples afraid even after the sea became calm?
For teens
- The disciples asked if Jesus cared. Have you ever felt that God was absent in a problem of yours? What does this story answer about that, and what does it not answer?
For adults
- Jesus asked, “Do you still have no faith?” after calming the sea, not before. What does that teach about how he treats our fear?
Activity
Fill a basin with water and put in a paper boat or a bottle cap. The kids make wind and waves with their hands and by blowing. When someone reads aloud “Silence!” and “Be still!”, everyone stops and watches the water grow calm. Then each person names a fear they want to hand over to Jesus.
To memorize: Mark 4:39
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that you are in the boat with us. When the storm comes and we are afraid, remind us that the wind and the sea obey you. Calm our hearts and increase our faith. Amen.