Religion & Spirituality
Pastor Steve Ruetschle Mark 4:35-41 Today, in preaching on Mark 4:35-41, Pastor Steve offered five lessons from this passage in Mark. Lesson 1) Storms come even if Jesus is in your boat. Pastor Steve noted that Jesus led the disciples to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee in the evening. He led them into the night storm. Why would he do this? Please discuss and read Joshua 1:9 and Zephaniah 3:17 out loud together. What are your thoughts about these verses? Lesson 2) Storms can make us feel that God doesn’t care. During the storm, Jesus was in a deep sleep and the disciples “woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?'” Have there been times when you felt God just didn’t care? How did you respond? What was the outcome of this situation? Please discuss and read Psalm 46:1-3 and 6-7 out loud together. What are your thoughts about these verses? Lesson 3). When facing a storm, call out to Jesus! Matthew 8:26 quotes the disciples as saying “Lord, save us!." Read Psalm 4:1 out loud together. Pastor Steve explained that when facing a storm we often try to handle it our own. Do you tend to handle things on your own, or at least try to? Share your thoughts on this and read Jeremiah 6:16 and 32:17 out loud together. What are your thoughts about these verses? Lesson 4) Storms teach us about faith. During the storm, Jesus asked the disciples why they were so afraid. Are you afraid during this time of pandemic? Please share your fear if you’re comfortable doing so. Pastor Steve noted that storms cause fear especially when we focus on the storm. Where is your focus right now? Are you able to ‘trade your fear for faith’? Please read and discuss Psalm 91:3-7 out loud together. What are your thoughts about these verses? Lesson 5). Who Jesus really is. Pastor Steve proclaimed that Jesus’ power is greater than any storm! He can still the waves. Please read the following verses out loud together, Psalm 89:8-18 and Revelation 1:8. How will you re-focus during this time? Think of and share ways to reach out and be of assistance to others.