Is Jesus in Your Boat?
Few ships in the world are more famous than the Titanic. She began her maiden voyage on April 10, 1912, from Southampton, England, to New York City. On April 14, the Titanic struck an iceberg and in a few short hours broke apart and sank. More than 1500 people lost their lives in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
On the Sunday after the Titanic sank, Belfast, Ireland, was in shock. The Titanic was built by one of the premier shipbuilding firms in the city, and it was considered virtually unsinkable. As you can imagine, the townspeople were devastated. Men met on the city’s streets, grasped each other’s hands, burst into tears, and parted without saying a word. One church lost 16 of its male members to the icy waters; they were all mechanics on the Titanic. And on that dark Sunday, the pastor in that congregation read Mark 4:35 to 41.
As we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark, we come to this text. It is the dramatic account of Jesus and His disciples on the Sea of Galilee amid a horrendous storm. The title of this study is a question, “Is Jesus in Your Boat?” I hope you can stay with me. Listen now as I read Mark 4:35 to 41.
As we look at the interaction of Jesus and the disciples in this text, we’ll see that the only unsinkable vessel in history was the little boat occupied by the sleeping Savior. How you answer the question, “Is Jesus in your boat?” will have far-reaching and eternal consequences.
Consider the Humanity of Jesus
As I read and meditated on this short text, I was impressed by how few words are spoken. There are several short commands and questions, but they are loaded with so much meaning.
Jesus makes the first statement; “Let’s cross over to the other side.” It is the evening of what has been a hectic day. The events included the blasphemous accusation by the Pharisees, the visit of the family to rescue Him from the crowds, leaving the crowded house for the sea, teaching parables from a boat, and more parables in the house, and back to the sea again. Now, they are preparing to cross the sea!
Here is evidence of the humanity of Jesus. He was physically tired, and it was time to find some relief from the pressing demands of the constant crowds. He had been so busy there hadn’t even been time to eat, according to Mark 3:20. Think of the emotional drain that constant ministry put on Him. The needs were endless.
They were on the west side of the lake and a voyage to the eastern side in the evening would be a delightful and refreshing change for the weary Jesus. Furthermore, the eastern side of the lake was much less populated, making it a good place to rest. But as is often the case with Jesus, there’s more to the story. He has a divine appointment on the other side of Galilee.
So, they started their voyage. They took Jesus with them in the boat, the one He had been teaching from. Mark is the only one who mentions other little boats with them. People must have gathered around Jesus’ boat to be closer to Him and to hear His teaching.
It reminds me of our trip to Israel in March 2023. When our tour group visited a site, there were always those who were taking pictures or looking for a place to sit. I tried not to be obnoxious or pushy, but...
