weekly scripture & discussion guide

December 8-14 | Week 14



Mark 4:35-36 On that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.

  • When Jesus instructed the disciples to go to the other side of the sea, do you think he knew they would hit a storm? Why or why not?
  • Why is it important to know the storm was part of Jesus’ plan?



Mark 4:37-38 A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”


James 1:2-4 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

  • When the storm arose Jesus was asleep, and the disciples were afraid. Their reaction is nothing less than we would expect. Jesus expected their reaction as well; he was setting them up to learn a new truth about him. 
  • James tells us we will face trials and storms, how should we view them?



Mark 4:39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.


Psalm 106:9-12 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert. 10 He saved them from the power of the adversary; he redeemed them from the power of the enemy. 11 Water covered their foes; not one of them remained. 12 Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.


Psalm 107:23-32 Others went to sea in ships, conducting trade on the vast water. 24 They saw the Lord’s works, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 He spoke and raised a stormy wind that stirred up the waves of the sea. 26 Rising up to the sky, sinking down to the depths, their courage melting away in anguish, 27 they reeled and staggered like a drunkard, and all their skill was useless. 28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. 29 He stilled the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet. Then he guided them to the harbor they longed for. 31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his faithful love and his wondrous works for all humanity. 32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

  • When Jesus calms the storm, we are told that it was a great calm. Why do you think Mark described is as a great calm?
  • What do these parallel passages from the Old Testament tell us about Jesus’ power over the storm?



Mark 4:40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

  • What faith building things had the disciples seen before this that would have led Jesus to ask why they still had no faith?



Mark 4:38 & 41 He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” 41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”


Matthew 10:28-31 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


Romans 8:31-39 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • The disciples ask if Jesus cared about them in verse 38. In verse 40, they are terrified and in awe of what he had just done. How does the Matthew 10 passage and the Romans 8 passage help us to connect Jesus' power with his care for us?

Section Title

Type the content for this section here. This is just example text to show you what it will look like when you enter text content into this section. Your unique, authentic, and appropriate text will be filled into this section. Once you click into this section, you will see the filler text disappear, and you can begin typing your real content. We’ve simply put in filler text in this area. No need to get caught up in the actual content of this body text, we just typed a bunch of meaningless sentences. If you get anything from this text, please understand that this is just example text to give you a feeling for what your real text might look like.


Once you click into this section, you will see the filler text disappear, and you can begin typing your real content. We’ve simply put in filler text in this area. No need to get caught up in the actual content of this body text, we just typed a bunch of meaningless sentences. If you get anything from this text, please understand that this is just example text to give you a feeling for what your real text might look like. We’ve simply put in filler text in this area.