Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.
You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.
Carefully Think
- Read Mark 4:35-41
- What is the context of chapter 4? What is the common theme of all three parables prior to our passage?
- How do we know that this story is connected to the previous three parables?
- Who is Jesus with in this story?
- Are there other boat scenes in Mark? What do these passages have in common? (See chapters 4:35-41; 6:45-52; 8:14-21)
- What happens to the sea?
- What does this mean for the safety of the disciples? How do we know they were in danger?
- What is Jesus doing while the storm is raging?
- What do the disciples ask Jesus when they wake him?
- What does Jesus first do after the disciples wake him? How does he do it?
- What does the storm’s response to Jesus reveal about Jesus?
- What does Jesus do after he calms the storm?
Prayerfully Meditate
- Is it significant that Jesus is alone with the disciples for this message? Why might that be the case based on evidence from chapter 4?
- What is the response of the disciples?
- Does Jesus care? What evidence do you have for your answer?
- Does this passage remind you of an Old Testament story? If so, which one?
- What do these two stories have him common?
- Why would Mark be drawing our minds to the story of Jonah?
- How do the disciples respond to Jesus calming the storm?
- Why are the disciples fearful now?
- Do the disciples understand Jesus’ messages about the kingdom? What evidence do you have from chapter 4?
- How does the disciples’ lack of awareness of Jesus’ identity contrast with the demon in chapter 5:7?
- What does this passage reveal about God’s patience?