Fear Factor (Mark 4:35-41)

I had the pleasure of spending some time with friends Traci and I hadn't seen in over ten years.  They were on vacation and swung through Valparaiso as a part of their trip.  We, of course, spent some time up at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.  We went to the beach.

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (Mark 4:35-37 NIV)

The day was beautiful, but it still wasn't clear enough to see the Chicago skyline from our vantage point.  It was a little too far away.  The water was a little choppy with 1-2 foot waves, but the lifeguards still allowed people to swim safely.  I looked out over the water and wondered how far the disciples used to travel by boat when they went across the Sea of Galilee.  I looked it up.  The distance would be roughly the traveling distance from the beach where I was standing to South Chicago.  I'm not sure how I would react to a storm brewing out in that water...in a rowboat.  I'm guessing I would have been just as worried as the disciples.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (Mark 4:38-40 NIV)

There's no way I would have seen that coming.  He calmed the storm?  I would have expected my spiritual mentor to lead us in prayer.  Maybe he would say something wise to calm our minds, hearts, and spirits.  I'm not sure what I would expect him to do, but calming the storm would not have been on the list.

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:41 NIV)

The miracles of Jesus were just that: miracles.  They were intended to get their attention and get them asking the right question:  Who is this man?  Then, he would explain who he was and what he was sent to do.  The miracles convinced them that Jesus was the Savior/Messiah.

How about you?  What convinces you that Jesus is the Savior/Messiah?  Do you believe these miracles actually happened they way they are described?  Are you convinced?