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Passage to Study:
Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25.
Read with the class: Mark 4:35-41.
Memorization Text:
Younger children – Mark 4:39 “He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said
unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’” Youth - Mark 4:39 “He arose,
and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’" And
the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
OBJECTIVES: To show that:
1. Jesus is God and as such has divine authority and power over the forces of
nature.
2. Jesus was made man and because He was human, became tired from the work He
did.
3. A follower of the Lord Jesus will encounter difficulties in life, even when
he is obeying the Lord.
4. Everybody needs the Lord Jesus in the “ship” of his life.
5. In order to carry out the service God has given us, it is absolutely
necessary to have faith in the Lord in every situation and recognize His power.
SCENE No. 1. VISUAL AIDS: Beside the Sea of Galilee, figures of Jesus with
His disciples and others.
DEVELOPMENT:
- After teaching near the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus suggests to His
disciples that they put out to sea.
- Before this, Jesus had been teaching the people by parables.
- Now the Lord carries out a series of miracles that verifies His right to give
teaching.
- Jesus and His disciples do not set out to sea without first sending the
multitude on their way.
- This means that he answered their questions and attended to their needs.
Cmt. The Lord was always willing to help those who needed Him. No one ever
looked to the Lord without his need being satisfied.
Cmt. The Lord Jesus is always seen actively fulfilling the statement in Mark
10:45, “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (or
serve).
Sug. Stress the consistent willingness of the Lord to attend to the needs of
those who came to Him.
“They took Him even as He was, into the ship”, tired after so much
work.
- They go over to the eastern side of the sea, from which strong winds blow,
causing fearful storms to rise on the Lake of Galilee.
SCENE No. 2. VISUAL AIDS: Stormy sea and figures of a boat with people inside,
one of them asleep, and the words written, “Master, carest Thou not that we
perish?”
DEVELOPMENT:
- The Lord Jesus’ humanity is seen in that He became tired.
Cns. Jesus was asleep on a pillow. See Matt. 8:20. Jesus once said
that He had no place to lay His head.
Sug. To introduce the next point, ask the question: “Did the Lord not know
about the storm?” Of course He did.
- He slept with His mind at ease for He knew that everything was under control.
There was no need to be alarmed, although the circumstances were such as to
cause fear.
Cmt. This experience of the storm happens in order to test the disciples’
faith and stimulate prayer.
- In the test of their faith they were weak, but their prayers were strong.
- Jesus had assured the success of the journey when He said “Let us pass over
unto the other side”, but at the appointed time, He has compassion on them for
their fears and awakens.
- The disciple’s question, “Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”
shows that they are not well acquainted with the Lord’s loving Heart.
Apl. Anyone who could think the Lord does not care about His people is seriously
offending Him.
- The disciples allow their fears to control them rather than conquering them
with their faith.
- In any case, they took their problem to the right person.
- There are also other boats with Him. (Mark 4:36). No doubt those who were in
them were going through the same frightening experience.
Apl. Many children are in danger due to facing life unprepared, without the Lord
Jesus, and depending on themselves alone to overcome the problems of life.
Apl. In life’s difficulties, one needs Christ, not only for the salvation of
the soul, but also for protection in the midst of life’s dangers.
Cns. The teachers will have had times in in their own lives when they were able
to prove the Lord’s faithfulness. It is well to mention these to help the
pupils know the character of our loving Saviour.
Cmt. The increase of our faith is achieved through testing since through
dependence on the Lord in the midst of a problem, we experience His guidance and
care.
SCENE No. 3. VISUAL AIDS. A quiet sea and the figure of a ship with people
in it, and of one person, Jesus, standing, and the words written, “Who is
this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
DEVELOPMENT:
- With a word, Jesus silences the fearful voice of the storm. See Mark 8:36
“Peace, be still”
- Again, as is the case of the centurion’s servant, Jesus’ word has power.
See John 4:51-53. Lesson No. 090.
Apl. In response to the word of the Lord Jesus, the sea became silent. If
we seek Him in stormy and problematic times of our lives, the same can happen
and peace is enjoyed.
- When they were fearful, He did not rebuke them. When it became calm, He
mentioned that this was due to their lack of faith.
Cmt. The sudden and complete calm shows how perfect this miracle was.
Cns. Although our attention is focused on the part that affects the disciples,
there were other boats and those who lived beside the sea who would experience
the effects of the miracle also.
Apl. At times we receive blessings as a result of what the Lord is doing in the
life of another.
Sug. There are students whose parents or grandparents have received blessings in
life and the children have shared in them. Do they realise this?
- The disciples who previously had been afraid of the tempest now “fear
exceedingly” the Creator of those winds and sea.
- Gently the Lord reproves the lack of faith that caused the disciples to become
so desperate.
- In their comments they recognise that He has dominion over the forces of
nature and that He is more than mere man.
Cmt. The purpose of the miracles done by the Lord Jesus was to prove the
validity of the words he spoke and that they were the truth.
Sug. The teacher ought to look for an example in daily life that
demonstrates this principle for the students. For example, the child that says
he knows how to ride a bicycle and promptly does so. The girl that says
she can knit, and then produces something knitted, etc.
- There is a precious prophesy in Isaiah 43:2 “When thou passest
through the waters, I will be with thee." |
