Jesus Calms the Storm
Month 5: Jesus — God With Us · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: Mark 4:35–41
35 When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. 37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” 39 Then 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?” 41 Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Memory Verse
“Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?””— Mark 4:41 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 21–23
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 135 of 365 — David prepares for the temple his son will build.)The Heart of It
It had been a long day. Jesus was so tired that He fell asleep on a cushion in the back of the boat. Then a fierce windstorm came roaring across the Sea of Galilee. It was the kind of storm that made tough, experienced fishermen panic. Waves crashed over the sides. The boat was filling with water. The disciples woke Jesus, half afraid and half hurt. "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" He stood up. He spoke just a few words to the wind and the waves. "Silence! Be still!" And instantly the storm fell into a great calm. The Maker of the sea simply told His sea to quiet down, and it obeyed.
Notice what scared the disciples the most. It wasn't the storm. It was the One who stilled it. They were filled with fear, and they asked one another, "Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" That is the question Mark wants every reader to ask. And the answer the whole Bible gives is breathtaking. This is God Himself. He is the One sings about: "He calms the storm, so that its waves are still." Jesus didn't ask God to calm the storm. He calmed it Himself, because He is God with us. And the same Jesus who held that boat holds your family. He is never asleep to your need, even when it feels like it.
Around the Table
Jesus said, "Be still!" and the big scary storm stopped right away. Jesus is stronger than any storm!
Let's do it: Wave your arms like a loud storm. Then freeze still when someone says, "Be still!"
The disciples were scared of the storm. But then they were even more amazed at Jesus. Wind and waves obey Him because He made them.
Let's talk: What hard things feel too big for you right now? How does it help to know Jesus is in the boat?
Only the Creator can command creation. When Jesus calmed the storm, He was quietly showing that He is God in the flesh.
Let's go deeper: Why do you think Jesus let the storm happen before He calmed it? What might He be teaching about trust?
💬 Conversation Starter
What is the loudest storm you've ever heard or seen? Did it scare you a little? Even grown-up fishermen were scared of this one!
🛡️ Defending the Faith
How do we know this really happened? Mark's Gospel reads like the report of someone who was there. It was likely Peter's own memories. It is full of small, true details, like the cushion in the back of the boat. Made-up legends don't usually show their heroes panicking. But honest witnesses do.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Mark builds his whole Gospel around one question. Who is this? The storm is a hinge in that question. By echoing , Mark is quietly telling us Jesus is doing what only Yahweh does. For you as a dad, there is both comfort and a gentle rebuke here. The disciples' real fear wasn't a lack of safety. It was a lack of faith that Jesus cared. You may feel that in your own storms. Money worries, a wayward heart, a frightening diagnosis. You can wonder if God is asleep to it. He isn't. Lead your kids not by pretending storms won't come, but by showing them whose boat you're in. Your calm in the chaos preaches louder than your words.
Draws on: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, You are stronger than every storm. When we are afraid, help us remember that You are right here in the boat with us. Help us remember that You care. We trust You. In Jesus' name, amen."
Even the wind and the waves obey Jesus. So I can trust Him in my storms.