Let's explore some more incredible moments from Jesus' ministry, focusing on how He showed His power over nature itself. These weren't just amazing tricks; they were profound signs that God's Kingdom was truly here, vividly revealing Jesus' incredible power as the Creator of the universe and His deep love and compassion for us.
Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41).
One evening, after a long day of teaching, Jesus told His disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So, they got into a boat, and Jesus was so tired, He fell asleep in the back, resting His head on a cushion. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a furious squall (a violent storm with strong winds and heavy rain) erupted! The waves grew huge, crashing over the sides of the boat, filling it with water until it was nearly sinking. The disciples, many of whom were experienced fishermen, were absolutely terrified. They woke Jesus, yelling, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?!" Jesus calmly woke up, stood up in the rocking boat, looked at the wild wind and raging waves, and simply commanded them: "Quiet! Be still!" And just like that, the wind died down, and the lake became completely calm. The disciples were left speechless, utterly terrified in a different way. They whispered to each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" This miracle powerfully shows Jesus' absolute control over even the most chaotic forces of nature. It's a huge reassurance that even when we face the roughest "storms" in our own lives, Jesus is always in perfect control, and He can bring peace to our troubled hearts and order to our chaotic situations.
Jesus Feeding the Five Thousand (Mark 6:30-44).
After a busy time, Jesus and His apostles tried to get away for some rest, but a huge crowd followed them. When Jesus landed and saw the massive crowd, He had deep compassion on them, seeing them like "sheep without a shepherd." He spent the day teaching them many things. As evening approached, the disciples realized they were in a remote place and the people were hungry. They suggested sending the crowd away to buy food. But Jesus surprised them by saying, "You give them something to eat." The disciples were bewildered, pointing out it would take a huge amount of money to feed so many. When asked what they had, they found only five small loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus then had everyone sit down in groups on the green grass. He then took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and began giving them to His disciples to distribute to the hungry crowd. He also divided the fish among them. Amazingly, everyone ate until they were completely satisfied. And even more miraculously, when the disciples collected the leftovers, they filled twelve large baskets with the broken pieces – a huge abundance. This miracle is so important that it's recorded in all four Gospels. Jesus' actions here—He takes, blesses, breaks, and gives the bread—are exactly what He would do later at the Last Supper when He instituted the Holy Eucharist. This miracle foreshadows the Eucharist, showing us Jesus Himself is the true "Bread of Life," and His grace is overflowing and more than enough for everyone. The 12 baskets symbolize how God provides for all His people.
Jesus Walking on Water (Matthew 14:22-33).
Imagine a stormy night on the Sea of Galilee, with the disciples in a boat, struggling against strong winds, and Jesus is not with them – He's up on a mountain praying. In the darkness, the disciples suddenly see a figure walking on the water towards them. They were terrified, thinking it was a ghost. Jesus quickly called out, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then, Peter, ever bold, called out, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." And Jesus said, "Come!" Peter actually stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But as he looked at the strong wind and big waves, he got scared and began to sink. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him, gently saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This dramatic miracle not only reveals Jesus' absolute power over the laws of nature but also offers us a powerful reminder: even when we face doubts, fears, or overwhelming situations in our lives, if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, He will sustain us and keep us from sinking. He invites us to step out in faith, even onto the "water," knowing He is always there to catch us.
Scripture Passages:
Mark 4 Jesus Calms the Storm
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 6 Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Matthew 14:28-31: "'Lord, if it’s you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come,' he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'"
Reflection Questions:
How do Jesus’ nature miracles affirm His divinity as Creator?
What similarities can you draw between the feeding of the five thousand and the Eucharist?
Why does it seem that Peter sinks after coming out onto the water?
Multiple Choice Questions:
After Jesus commanded the wind and waves to be still, what was the disciples' reaction?
a) They celebrated that the storm was over.
b) They were angry that Jesus was sleeping.
c) They were left speechless and terrified, asking, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
d) They immediately praised Jesus for His kindness.
According to the text, Jesus' actions of taking, blessing, breaking, and giving the bread to the five thousand are exactly what He would do at the Last Supper. This miracle therefore foreshadows what?
a) The miracle of multiplying fish.
b) The Holy Eucharist.
c) The final judgment.
d) The baptism of all people.
In the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, what happened with the food that was leftover?
a) There was nothing left over.
b) A small amount was left, which they saved for the next day.
c) They filled twelve large baskets with the broken pieces, showing God's abundance.
d) They threw the leftovers away.
In the story of Jesus walking on water, why did Peter begin to sink after he stepped out of the boat?
a) He was tired from a long day.
b) Jesus let go of his hand.
c) He got scared when he looked at the strong wind and waves instead of keeping his eyes on Jesus.
d) He was never meant to be able to walk on water.
What is the overarching message of Jesus’ nature miracles, according to the summary?
a) Jesus can perform fun tricks to get people's attention.
b) Jesus has absolute control over the chaotic forces of nature and can bring peace to our lives.
c) Jesus only cares about the physical needs of people.
d) Jesus' power is limited to a few specific situations.