Daily Word: Mark 4:35-41. The Storm Stopper

In his gospel Mark is showing Jesus’ victory over death and how Jesus dealt with death’s many invasions into human life. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, all the disciples believed that death was defeated, but the central question is why does its shadow still remain? 

To help us, Mark gives us 13 “case studies” in how Jesus defeated the effects of sin and death. From chapters 1 to 10 there are 13 minor characters, who generally are not named, but each is suffering from some manifestation of living under the shadow of death. And in each case their circumstances are changed as a result of their encounter with Jesus. In each case Jesus brings life where there once was a type of death.

Mark wants to bring his readers into these stories. He wants you to feel like a first-hand observer. He brings you into the same perspective that the first disciples had. He wants you to identify with the people suffering in the case studies. 

Jesus’ Kingdom comes in word and in deed. In Mark 4 and 5 you see both. There are 4 “word” parables and then 4 “deeds.”

And in the 4 deeds Jesus is defeating and aspect of life under the shadow death.

He defeats  

• Natural Disasters
• Demonic attacks
• Disease
• Death

In this first story story we learn 3 truths about Jesus:

He sends…He sleeps…He stops…