The Other Little Boats

“And when they had sent away the crowd, they took Him with them as He was in the boat. And there were also other little boats with Him.” (Mark 4:36)

Jesus had finished speaking to the crowd and had shared the parable of the Sower and the mustard seed when He sent the crowd away. He had already told the disciples that they would go to the other side of the sea. (Mark 4:35) He had been teaching from the boat. It’s a fact that water is a good conductor of sound. This is God using common wisdom in a time when there were no microphones.

The boat Jesus was on was not the only boat that crossed the lake with Him. Scripture tells us that there were other little boats with Him. Who were in those other boats? They were probably other disciples or believers. We always think of just the twelve, but in Acts we read that there were 120 gathered and waiting for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:15) These were the crowd that followed Jesus. Jesus wanted to go to the other side, and they followed. Being fishermen, they knew that a storm was brewing. What compelled them to follow Jesus into the storm?

This is the act of a true disciple of Jesus. How many follow Jesus today, maybe not in our country, but worldwide, believers follow Jesus, knowing there is a storm waiting for them. Jesus is so real to them, they follow Jesus knowing the persecution they may face, the abandonment of their families, the possibility of being driven from their community and in some cases their country. In some countries it’s a death sentence.

Some are not willing to give up their earthly life, a life of comfort and ease for life eternal with Jesus. We know that some will reject the Gospel. “But speaking boldly, Paul and Barnabas said, It was necessary for the Word of God to be spoken to you first. But since indeed you put it far from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the nations.” (Acts 13:46) Paul and Barnabas encountered rejection at Antioch. They tell those in Antioch they had to testify the Gospel to them by commandment and commitment but those in Antioch didn’t receive it so they’ll take it “to the nations,” meaning other people. And that is what we must do. When people reject the Gospel, take it to someone else. Not everyone will receive the Gospel because they need spiritual understanding. They are blinded by the devil. “But also if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those being lost, in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.” (2Corinthians 4:3-4) Preparation before witnessing to anyone is essential. This includes prayer for personal anointing, for the right words, for wisdom, knowledge and discernment.  Pray to bind the works of the devil. And pray for those who will hear the Gospel, that their eyes and ears of understanding be opened so they can understand the Gospel.

We need to think of those disciples in the other little boats. They were in the storm also. The “leaders” (the twelve) were with Jesus in that one boat, but in the other boats were other disciples, followers of Jesus. We may not be part of the five-fold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers), but we’re like those in the other little boats, followers of Jesus. Where Jesus leads the leaders, we are there following Jesus with the leaders through the storms. And where Jesus is, He will calm the storm when we trust in Him. Jesus tells us the same thing He told His disciples, “... Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

Jesus calmed the storm, and they reached the other side of the sea. Likewise, Jesus will calm the storms that arise that would keep us from reaching the other side of our assignment. And with the help of the Lord, we will reach the other side. In every assignment we’re given, there will be storms because there is a devil in this world that would like to keep people in the dark. But in faith and trust that Jesus will calm the storm, we can reach the other side.

Ultimately, the disciples of Jesus in the other little boats represent all the other believers in Jesus who are not in the five-fold ministry. They follow Jesus through the storm to reach the other side which for us would be the completion of our assignment, whatever it may be. It may be to tell your neighbors about Jesus, to proclaim Jesus to your fellow workers or to develop a ministry to the sick, the elderly or children. Our leaders of the five-fold ministry are there, with Jesus, teaching us God’s Word, delivering to us what Jesus wants us to hear and praying for us, the church, that we may fulfill our destiny in obedience to God.