Mark 4:38-39 the story of Jesus asleep in boat with His disciples is compounded when we realize the past careers of four of these men being fishermen on this very lake. This truth causes us to realize that they had firsthand experience with these storms on this lake. That information must be added into the story as they came to Jesus and awoke Him. This indicates three things:
a. The extreme conditions they were facing was beyond even their experience.
b. They were willing to admit defeat to their Master.
c. They believed in Jesus’ ability to do what they, in all their knowledge and experience, were unable to do.
There is one other observation we can gain and it is based upon their indictment of Jesus in verse 38 as they said, “Teacher, DO YOU NOT CARE that we are perishing?” The charge against Jesus is indifference. This indicates that the storm began before Jesus went to sleep. They could not have made this accusation to him of not caring if He had already been asleep before the storm as He would have been unaware of their condition. From their perspective:
• Jesus knew of the situation
• Had the power to change it
• But didn’t care enough to do something about it
Now before we are too harsh on these disciples I suggest that we evaluate our time in this boat with our Lord. How many times have we made the same indictment? We are quick to acknowledge His omniscience and omnipotence while indicting Him for His lack of compassion! I believe that what appeared to be indifference to them was a greater storm then the crashing surf pounding their boat to oblivion. Their faith was being sunk by fear not of the impromptu storm but what they perceived to be the calculated indifference of the one person that they knew, who was completely aware of the situation, had the power to reverse it but didn’t care to do so. They had never doubted His love or concern for them before, but had consistently been surprised at what He knew and His power. Their blindness seen in their indictment of indifference indicates that they clearly understood that Jesus himself was facing the same common peril but what bothered them isn’t that He was OUTSIDE the situation but that He didn’t seem to care for THEM!
They fail to realize that He is not separated from the same outcome. His perceived lack of compassion would have doomed Him as well, yet they still make the charge. Our Lord is not outside our circumstances and if our fears were correct He would be far from who we believe Him to be. Saints, our Lord is IN OUR BOAT! We must remember that what wouldn’t awaken Jesus in the situation seen in the cold rain, ruckus wind and filling boat was quickly brought to action at the complaining indictment of those who doubted His love.