Men In Boats

Men in Boats

Mark 4:35-36, NLT

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).

Setting the Scene

Our scene for this week opens with Jesus and the disciples embarking for a journey across the lake, and Mark provides us with wonderful details surrounding a miracle in which Jesus displayed his authority over the created order.

It wasn’t uncommon for a fishing boat in Jesus’ time to be capable of transporting thirteen men. In 1986 a fishing boat dating from the time of Christ was discovered and dug out of the mud on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Its size is similar to the boat Jesus and his disciples must have used on that stormy evening.

Although it is called a “sea,” the Galilee is a freshwater body that teems with fish. The lake is approximately six miles wide and thirteen miles long. The waters are fed by the young Jordan River, which channels water from Mount Hermon and other mountains to the north.

During daylight hours, the shore is visible from any point on the Sea of Galilee. The land rises on most of the north, east, and west sides of the lake so it’s difficult to imagine getting lost out there. But at night, the occasional distant flicker of a home fire may have been the only hint of land in any direction. And even those clues would have been absent in the dead of night if a storm blew in.

The geography of the Sea of Galilee makes it possible for violent weather to swoop down on the lake from out of the mountains that surround it. The clashing of climates between air temperature at lake level and at mountain height creates conditions for sudden storms.

But Jesus and his disciples were not worried as they set out during “the calm before the storm.” “As evening came” may seem like unusual timing for a boat trip, but night has always been a traditional time for fishing. Jesus suggested the trip, and the disciples immediately got in the boat and set out. Mark even mentions that a small flotilla accompanied them.

They left the crowds, chaos, and noise behind, and the only sounds were the wind in the sails, the water lapping against the boat, and the quiet conversations among the disciples. It was the end of a long day. It was time to think about all that had happened since these men had begun to follow Jesus. They were still in familiar settings, but life for these men was changing. They were in the company of Jesus, and they had already discovered that the unexpected was commonplace around the Teacher.

Getting Personal

The disciples were relating to Jesus on their home turf. Imagine Jesus being at home where you live each day. What difference would his presence make?

If Jesus visibly spent the day with you today, how would your schedule and activities change?

One of the last things Jesus said before he ascended into the clouds was not only a command to go to the world with his message but also to “be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, NLT). Jesus is with us everywhere we go—in times of calm and in times of storm.

Talking to God

God’s Holy Spirit is with you. Ask God to help you “practice” his presence by remembering he is with you throughout the day today.