Mark 4:35-41

[35]On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."
[36] And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
[37] And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
[38] But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?"
[39] And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
[40] He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"
[41] And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"

I remember I have heard a sermon on this passage before. When you look at the reconstructed boat above, you believe Jesus could really be sleeping in a boat like that during the storm? (It's not as if it's a Titanic!)

The preacher suggested that Jesus may be pretending to sleep?? while the disciples were in a panic. =P

It's during the time of crisis when we can see ourselves truly.

The disciples had saw so many different miracles before, yet when their lives were endangered, Jesus still need to ask them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"

What about us??

More about this passage from NT Wright's Mark for Everyone,

This tale isn't just about danger and rescue. Older echoes like Jonah, Israelities crossing the Red Sea, stories of creation of God'w new world emerged from the dark primal sea, the Psalms several times speak of the creator God who rules the raging sea, telling the rough and threatening waves to quieten down.

The Jews were not a seafaring people; the sea came to symbolise for them the dark power of evil, threatening to destroy God's good creation, God's people, God's purposes. In books like Daniel, the sea is where the monster came from. So when Jesus rescues the disciples from a storm, we are witnessing something which says in concrete terms, what the parables earlier in the chapter were saying in word-pictures. God's sovereign power is being unleashed; that is, God's kingdom is at hand. It's the same power that made the world in the first place. And the power is now living in Jesus, and acting through him.

Just as in Daniel 7 the monsters who've come up from the sea are finally put to flight by "one like a son of man", so here Jesus assumes the role of God's agent in defeating the forces of chaos. He isn't a Jonah. He is doing exactly what the living God wants.

The forces of evil are aroused, angry and threatening, but Jesus is so confident of God's presence and power that he can fall asleep on a pillow. The disciples are cross; doesn't he care? Jesus reverses the question, don't you yet have faith?

Here is Jesus with the disciples, here are forces of evil, here is Jesus not now asleep on a pillow but slumped on the cross, we hear his voice: Why are you afraid? Don't you believe?? Who then is this?

Here's Mark invitation to all of us: ok, go on and wake Jesus up, pray to him in your fear and anger, and don't be surprised when he turns to you as the storm subsides in the background and asks when you're going to get some real faith.