How many of you would say you’re tired right now? (Pause, let hands raise and smiles show.)
We live in a world that celebrates exhaustion. We wear busyness like a badge of honor.
• We brag about how little sleep we got last night: “I only slept four hours, but I still made it to work.”
• We glorify the hustle: “I’m grinding. I’ll rest when I’m dead.”
• Some of us even compete over who has the most chaotic schedule—like it’s a mark of importance.
But let me ask you: What if our exhaustion isn’t a trophy, but a warning sign?
Let me paint a picture for you.
You’ve had one of those days—kids are screaming in the house, the dog just threw up on the carpet, your boss is still texting you at 11 p.m. asking if you can “jump on a quick Zoom call,” and the laundry pile in the corner is tall enough to qualify as a mountain range.
And in the middle of all that chaos—you decide to lie down on the couch and take a nap.
Now imagine your family’s reaction: “Really?! You’re going to sleep right now? Can’t you see everything that’s falling apart around here?”
Sound familiar? (Pause, let people laugh/nod.)
Well, believe it or not, that’s exactly the scene we find in the Bible. The disciples are in a storm so violent that professional fishermen are convinced they’re about to die. And what’s Jesus doing? He’s asleep. On a cushion. In the middle of a hurricane.
And His disciples react just like your family would: “Jesus! Don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”
The Bible gives us a beautiful, almost humorous detail about Jesus: He took naps.
• In Mark 4:38, while the disciples were panicking in a life-threatening storm, Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the boat.
• In Matthew 8:24, the waves were sweeping over the vessel, and Jesus was… snoring.
I don’t know about you, but that both comforts me and challenges me. Think about it:
• The Son of God, who came to save the world, who carried the weight of humanity’s sin, who knew His time on earth was short… took naps.
• He didn’t live like a workaholic, rushing from one thing to the next. He lived at the Father’s pace.
And here’s the truth: If Jesus, the Savior of the world, made time to rest, then maybe we need to rethink how we live.
Because for many of us, rest feels unspiritual. Rest feels lazy. Rest feels irresponsible. But in Jesus’ life, rest wasn’t weakness—it was worship. It was trust. It was part of how He carried out His mission.
So today, I want us to lean into this thought: “If Jesus took naps, maybe we should too.” And I don’t just mean physical naps—though some of us need those! I mean learning to rest in the Father’s care.
We’re going to look at Jesus’ nap in the storm and see four truths about what His rest teaches us:
And by the end of this message, my prayer is that you’ll walk away not just encouraged to take a nap, but invited into a deeper rest for your soul—because the One who calmed the storm still gives peace today.
Point 1: Jesus Rested Because He Was Fully Human
John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully human.
He got hungry (Matt. 21:18) 18 Early in the morning, as he was returning to the city, he was hungry.
He grew tired and weary (John 4:6) 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
He cried (John 11:35) Jesus Wept.
He slept.
On the boat that night, Jesus wasn’t acting holy by napping—He was acting human. He had been teaching crowds all day, healing the sick, pouring Himself out for people. And His body needed rest.
Bible parallel: Elijah (1 Kings 19:5–7). 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.
Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
After his great victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah collapsed in despair under a broom tree. He prayed to die. God didn’t lecture him. God let him sleep and sent an angel with food. Sometimes God’s most spiritual prescription is simple: “Eat something. Take a nap.”
Modern illustration: Parents of newborns know this. You run on fumes, you nod off in the middle of conversations, you drink coffee by the gallon. Eventually, your body shuts down. Jesus understands that level of exhaustion. He lived it.
Application: Rest doesn’t mean you’re lazy—it means you’re human. If Jesus needed sleep, so do you. Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is take a nap
Truth: Just like Elijah, God will call us on difficult journeys, and we need rest to fulfill His mission. Without rest, we burn out before we reach the destination.
Point 2: Jesus Rested Because He Trusted His Father
Picture the scene: the storm rages, waves crash, disciples panic—and Jesus is asleep. His nap was not indifference; it was confidence.
Psalm 4:8 – “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
Jesus trusted His Father. He knew no storm could stop God’s plan. His nap was a declaration of faith: “My Father’s in control. I don’t have to panic or worry.”
Bible parallel: David. While running from Saul, David wrote in Psalm 3:5: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” Even on the run, David could sleep because he trusted God to protect him.
Modern illustration: Have you ever tossed and turned all night, replaying worries in your mind—about bills, health, or work? Anxiety keeps us awake. But every time you sleep, you’re saying, “God, You run the universe while I rest. I trust You.”
Application: Jesus shows us: it’s possible to sleep in the middle of the storm because the Father holds the storm in His hand.
Truth: Storms will come, but trust allows us to rest instead of living in fear. Worry robs us of rest, but faith restores it.
Point 3: Jesus Rested to Show Us a Different Way to Live
The disciples thought panic was the right response. Jesus modeled peace.
Matthew 11:28–29 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus didn’t just offer rest—He lived it.
Bible parallel: Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42). 38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.[a] 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s[b] feet and was listening to what he said.[c] 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”[d]
41 The Lord[e] answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.[f] Mary has made the right choice,[g] and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was frantic with serving, stressed and distracted. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, resting in His presence. Jesus said Mary chose the better way. He was teaching that being with Him is greater than being busy for Him.
Modern illustration: Our culture glorifies the grind. Emails at midnight. Phones buzzing constantly. Kids’ schedules packed seven days a week. We live as if exhaustion equals success. But Jesus says, “Come to Me. Slow down. Learn My rhythm of grace.”
Application: Busyness is not faithfulness. What if the holiest thing you could do this week is put down your phone, shut the laptop, and sit quietly in Jesus’ presence? Rest is not wasted time. It’s worship.
Truth: Often times being overly busy distracts us from our relationship with the Father. Even in the church, we can get so caught up is serving, that we lose sight of what is most important, resting in the presence of God.
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Point 4: Jesus Rested, Then Rose in Power
After His nap, Jesus stood, rebuked the wind, and said, “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). The storm obeyed Him.
His rest was not neglect—it was preparation. He showed that storms don’t rule Him; He rules storms.
Bible parallel: Israel and manna (Exodus 16). 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.”[a]
God told them not to gather on the Sabbath. He provided double the day before. Resting didn’t mean going without—it meant trusting God to provide and then experiencing His power.
Modern illustration: You’ve seen it: when you’re exhausted, even small problems feel overwhelming. But when you’re rested, you can handle much more with calmness. Rest equips you to rise in strength. Jesus slept, then spoke peace over chaos.
Application: Rest is not wasted—it’s preparation for power. When you rest in Christ, you wake up ready to face the storm.
Truth: God’s power flows through those who learn to rest. Rest equips us to rise with strength and authority when storms come, and they will come.
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Conclusion
Jesus took naps. And His naps teach us:
1. Rest is human.
2. Rest is trust and an act of worship.
3. Rest is a spiritual practice.
4. Rest leads to power.
The world says, “Do more. Grind harder. Don’t stop.” Jesus says, “Come to Me, and I’ll give you rest.”
So the next time life feels overwhelming, remember the Savior who slept through a storm. And the next time someone asks why you’re resting, you can smile and say: “Because Jesus took naps—and I trust Him with the storm.”
Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
