Why the Disciples (and We) Feared

"38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" (Mark 4: 38)

Even though Jesus had promised the disciples that they were going to Cross over the Sea, they feared when the storm arose, and they cried out to Jesus.

On three points they were wrong, and from those three points we can understand why we are fearful and we find ourselves yelling at Jesus during times of trouble rather than trusting that He is taking care of all things for us.

If Jesus is asleep and the storm is raging in your life, do not think for one second that He is not aware, and that He does not care.

The fact that Jesus was on the earth, God made flesh, was the full testimony of God's love for us:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)

Yet the unbelief of the disciples in the rocky boat bare revelation to us, as to why we may find ourselves still fearful, still crying out.

First of all, the disciples shouted "Master."

Jesus is our Savior, not just a teacher, not an example. When the disciples cried out for help, Jesus did not explain to them the phenomena of the weather, nor did He shame them because they did not bring along a life-raft, and He certainly did not shame them for their fear, or claim that there was some sin in their lives which frustrated God's grace to protect them.

Is Jesus a Master, a Task-Master, a Teacher, or a Savior in your life today?

I admit that I am still learning to receive Him as a Savior, someone to whom I can cast all my cares (1 Peter 5: 6-7) To this day, I hear Christians quoting unscriptural advice, like "God helps those who help themselves." No! God helps those who cannot help themselves (or why would they seek His help?)

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)

and

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)

Second, the disciples questioned: "Do you not care?"

Jesus had faced this accusation before:

"But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me." (Luke 10: 40)

Of course He cares. Not just in giving Himself for us, even when we were not paying attention, let alone cared (Romans 5: 8), with this promise affirmed in Peter's First Letter:

"6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. " (1 Peter 5: 6-7)

Maybe you know that Jesus is a Savior, but you are not sure that He will save you.

He died for the worst of us (which from the standpoint of sin is actually all of us), that we may be first in Him:

"4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 4-6)

He knows everything that we are going through:

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4: 15)

and

"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (Galatians 4: 9)

He knows what you are feeling, and He knows what you are going through. Not once should we question whether He cares or not.

Third of all, the disciples magnified their problem instead of their Savior:

"Don't you care that we are perishing?"

The fact that the disciples in the boat could yell at Jesus asleep on the boat already demonstrated that they were not dying at all.

Just as the Israelites magnified the giants of the Promised Land instead of focusing on the Promises from the One who Promised all things, so too we tend to focus and enlarge the problems in front of us instead of the Eternal Problem Solver, Jesus our High Priest Forever:

"3Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8: 33-34)

Jesus is interceding for you and me right now! He is praying for you before you started praying to Him or to His Father for anything.

And God has placed all things under His feet:

"22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1: 22-23)

When you recognize that He is above all things, then you have no need to fear anything, for you are in Christ, and all things are under your feet, too!

Today, see Jesus as your Savior today, not just from death to life when you believed on Him for eternal life, but every day. Know that He cares for you in all your troubles, regardless of what may be happening, and magnify Him in your mind as you read the Word of God, recognizing that no matter what challenges you face, He is greater than all of them:

"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together." (Psalm 34: 3)