November 16 2025, Sunday School Lesson

Jesus Calms a Storm

Lesson Text: Mark 4:35-41

Related Scriptures: Psalm 107:23-32; Jonah 1:1-16; Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25; Acts 27:13-44

TIME: between A.D. 26 and 30

PLACE: Sea of Galilee

Golden Text – “And they reared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is the, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41).

Introduction

Over the last two weeks, we have seen God’s overwhelming power. This week, we see Jesus display that same power to calm a violent storm and control the weather.

Only God has the power to control the raging sea, and Jesus therefore demonstrated His divinity in this passage. And yet, He also grew tired and needed sleep, demonstrating His real humanity. In response to His demonstration of power, the disciples marveled and wondered, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

One implication of this passage is that Jesus is able to deliver us from the troubles of our lives. No matter how fiercely the metaphorical storms of life may rage around us, He is all powerful and able to deliver us easily. At the same time, however, that is not the main point of the story. The main point is Jesus’ identity as truly God and truly man. Every one of us must answer the disciples’ questions: Who is Jesus?

LESSON OUTLINE

1. THE SETTING – Mark 4:35-36

2. THE STORM – Mark 4:37-37

3. JESUS’ RESPONSE – Mark 4:39-40

4. THE DISCIPLES’ RESPONSE – Mark 4:41

QUESTIONS

1. What happened immediately before this passage?

2. How did Jesus sometimes preach to crowds?

3. How is the detail that there were others boats helpful to us?

4. Why were the disciples caught in the storm?

5. What does Jesus falling asleep demonstrate?

6. Why did disciples wake Jesus in the storm?

7. What did Jesus’ calming the storm demonstrate?

8. What two things does genuine faith involve?

9. How did Jesus respond to the disciples’ lack of faith?

10. What is the main point of this story?

ANSWERS

1. This passage comes immediately after a series of parables (Mark 4:1-34). Jesus had been teaching about the kingdom of God, and now He was about to demonstrate its power.

2. Sometimes, when the crowd was thick and crushing, Jesus would get into a boat and put off a little from the shore. That way, He would not be tightly surrounded by people and could be more easily seen and heard by a great number of people. From there, He would preach to the people (Luke 5:1-11). That may have been the case here.

3. Although this may therefore seem like a wasted line, it is actually quite helpful for us, precisely because it has no real relevance to the story. If you were making up a carefully crafted myth in the first century (cf. 2 Peter. 1:16), you would not throw in random, irrelevant details like this. But we say this sort of thing in passing all the time during everyday conversation when telling a story. This throwaway line about an incidental detail is the mark of a true eyewitness account, not a legend. It provides internal evidence that someone who was a real eyewitness (almost certainly Peter, according to church history) recounted this story to Mark, and he recorded it faithfully for us.

4. The disciples did not get into this storm because they disobeyed Jesus. He did not command them to go in one direction only for them to flee the opposite way, as Jonah had centuries earlier. In fact, the disciples got into this storm precisely because they obeyed His command to cross over to the other side.

5. Meanwhile, Jesus was fast asleep! This highlights Jesus’ genuine humanity. He was completely exhausted! After a long day of preaching, He was worn out. He was not a tireless superhero. He truly experienced human weaknesses, and He needed rest.

6. This seemed to believe that He could do something – that was the whole point of waking Him up, after all! It is not clear what they expected Jesus to do given their shock and fear when He did respond, and perhaps it was just nervous panic, but they seemingly expected Him to do something. Perhaps they thought He would call out to God in prayer, and they would be delivered.

7. Jesus had power that belongs to God alone. Only God could calm a storm (cf. Psalm 107:23-32),

8. But genuine faith involves more than just belief in Jesus’ power. It also includes trust in His love.

9. Also, not that Jesus calmed the storm and saved them even though He rebuked them for having no faith.

10. The disciples’ question in verse 41 is the main point of the story.