Mark 4:21-41

He  also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?   Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?   For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,   and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”   And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure   you use,   it will be measured to you — and more will be added   to you. For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”   “The kingdom of God   is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps   and rises   night   and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. The soil produces a crop   by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain   on the head. As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,   because the harvest   has come.” And  he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,   or what parable   can we use to describe it? It’s like a mustard seed   that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. And when sown,   it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,   and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky   can nest in its shade.” He was speaking the word  to them with many parables  like these, as they were able to understand.  He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.  On  that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. A great windstorm  arose, and the waves  were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 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? ”  He got up, rebuked  the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!   Be still! ” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?   Do you still have no faith? ” And they were terrified  , and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey  him! ”