the power of one

"As evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, 'Let us cross to the other side of the lake.'" Mark 4:35

It will help if you have your Bible and read the rest of this story, but let me paraphrase what happened here. Just before this story we see Jesus had been teaching many parables to great crowds of people. Jesus was tired and told his disciples, to cross to the other side of the lake. As they were crossing, a huge storm came up and the disciples were very scared and afraid they were all going to drown.

While they were all freaking out, Jesus was sleeping in the back of the boat. So the disciples woke Jesus up and and said to Jesus, "Don't you care were going to drown." Jesus then rebukes the storm and says, Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Isn't it interesting that Jesus told the disciples to cross to the other side, thus sending them into a storm, that He knew was coming. I mean, this is Jesus, the all knowing God man, the creator and yet He led them straight into the storm. After reading this passage I have many questions. The first question is, why? Why would Jesus lead them straight into a storm?

In chapter 5 verse 1, we see that immediately after Jesus steps out of the boat, He meets a man who is demon possessed and He casts the demons from the man. Then immediately after touching the man, He gets back into the boat and goes back to the other side! Seems sort of crazy doesn't it? So why? Why cross the river, in a storm, to heal just one man?

After Jesus heals this man of demon possession he tells him to "go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he was." The man then went into the Ten Towns, telling of this man called Jesus and the miracle that he experienced. Jesus did not usually tell a person to speak about his healing but He did in this instance. But Jesus was in ‘Decapolis’. ‘Decapolis’ is a Greek word that means ‘Ten Towns’. This was an area full of Gentiles and an area where Jesus would not return. This man would be a witness among Gentiles to the saving power of Jesus. I also believe this mans own faith was strengthened because of telling his story over and over to others.


One man. This one man, Jesus knew had great potential to change the world he lived in. Just one man. Jesus needed a voice in this part of the world because He knew He would not return here. He needed a representative, he needed an ambassador, he needed just one man.

There will be times in your life when Jesus will lead you into a storm because He has a greater work for you. Jesus expects that we know and understand, as He did with the disciples, that we know He is with us daily. 24/7. He asked the disciples, where their faith was. Jesus expects that if we serve Him, then we will trust Him.

If Jesus promised to never leave us nor forsake us, I'm confident that as the storms of life come, that Jesus has a very specific role for me just on the other side of the lake, that just may change the world.

Looking back over the trials in your own life, what are some very specific reasons you can point to, as to why Jesus allowed you to go through a storm? Please share them today as encouragement to others.