e said when they first heard it,
but when it was hard to do what he told them they soon gave up trying.
That was like seed falling on a rock, where there was no soil or water
to give it root.

Then there were some who cared more about money and pleasure than they
cared about God. That was like seed being choked by thorns.

But some people heard Jesus preach; and they believed in him, with
good and honest hearts, and they were faithful. That was when his
preaching brought results, and it was like seed falling on good rich
earth.

"Unless people have faith in me," said Jesus, "they will never
understand God. They will see the things I do, and never even know
what they are looking at. They will listen to me, and never know what
they are hearing. I can do nothing with them. But you--my
disciples--you have faith in me. You will understand everything
someday."

The disciples were going to be good ground for the seed that Jesus
sowed.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

8. Jesus Is Strong

That night Jesus said to the disciples, "Let us go across the lake."

Simon and Andrew and James and John were fishermen. They knew where to
get a boat, and they knew how to sail it too.

All twelve disciples, along with Jesus, climbed into a boat and pushed
away from shore.

The Sea of Galilee was a lovely blue lake in the daytime, when the
sunlight sparkled on the water. In the evening it was lovely too, when
the waves were lapping peacefully against the side of a boat, and the
stars came out twinkling overhead.

But the Sea of Galilee was not always so lovely or so peaceful.
Sometimes the wind came roaring down the steep banks around the lake,
and the water grew white and angry.

Then again everything might be calm and quiet when a boat left the
land. But before it had gone very far a storm might be howling all
around. It would toss the boat around like driftwood, and then it
would be too late to turn back to shore.

Some of the disciples were fishermen, and they had fished here all
their lives. They knew what the sudden storms were like. It was no
surprise to them when the stars disappeared as though the rising wind
had blown them out. They knew what was coming now. The night would
grow black as ink, and the great foaming waves would smash against the
ship and fill it up with water. There was nothing anyone could do
about it. Nobody could sail or row or steer the boat any longer. Only
God himse