But if you look more closely at the painting, you will discover that there is something that is not quite right. There are too many people in the picture. If you count them, there are 14 people. There should only be 13 people (12 disciples & Jesus). But, in fact, there are 14. It is then you notice that one of the men in the boat is Rembrandt dressed in 17-century clothing. He has painted himself into the picture. He has placed himself in the same boat.
Storms Are Inevitable
I think the Gospel writer Mark would want us to see ourselves in the boat as well. The boat has always been a symbol for the church. On the walls of the catacombs underneath Rome, persecuted Christians in the 1st & 2nd centuries carved pictures of boats with masts in the shape of crosses with them in the boat. Christians follow Jesus in this world with Him in the midst of storms and in the midst of the Christian community.
At the end of Mark 4, the original disciples of Jesus found themselves on choppy waters as thet obeyed Christ’s command: “Let us go over to the other side” (Mark4:35). They were engaging in faithful discipleship, yet they found themselves right in the midst of a storm.
Evidently, Jesus is giving a heads up to all His followers in this present age. God’s purposes are going to be fulfilled on earth and in our lives, but the way they are going to be accomplished will be surprising and even tumultuous at times.
The passage in Mark 4:35-41 sets before us 2 different worlds we can choose to live in as we seek to follow Jesus. No matter who we are, Christian or non-Christian, life is not always going to be lived on a calm lake. Storms are going to come. We don’t have a choice about that. But we do have a choice about whether we will live in fear or according to faith in Jesus.
Paul’s Testimony
I think we need to keep reminding and encouraging one another that it’s not so much that the Lord who needs to be awakened to our circumstances, as much as it’s we who need to be awakened to the Lord through trust and worship. In Philippians 4:6,7, we read these words of the Apostle Paul:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in eveything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
This was Paul’s own testimony as he wrote these words from a Roman jail, not knowing whether he would be released or martyred. He knew God’s purposes would be fulfilled in his life, whatever happened to him. As we live in trust and worship, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus, not even death.
This is the Good News, the Gospel, of Christ Jesus, our LORD.