Jesus Calms the Storm

One of the best known stories in the Gospels is that of Jesus calming the storm on the lake. The story comes in a series of reports about Jesus’ authority in various areas—sickness, demons, death, and sin. It provides another significant part to the portrayal of the King: He is not just a king over the people of Israel; rather, He is king over all nature as well.

The story is placed here in chapter 8 in Mathew no doubt to be a part of this demonstration of Jesus’ authority. Chronologically, though, it has to come later in Jesus’ ministry, probably in the fall of the second year of his ministry (fall of 31 A.D.).

In the story, the disciples are thrown into a panic and yelling all kinds of things. Think about it. They are in a sudden storm in the middle of the lake; the little fishing boat is about to go down.

The gospel of Matthew says that Jesus said to them, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Mark says, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Luke simply says, “Where is your faith?”

Jesus rebuked the disciples for their weak faith.

Mathew 8:23-27

²³ Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. ²⁴ Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us, we’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith! Why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!”

In addition to the items mentioned above, Mark adds some more information. It was in the evening (4:35); Jesus said, “Let us pass over to the other side” (4:35); there were other boats that went along side (4:36); Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion (4:38); when Jesus rebuked the storm He said, “Peace! Be still!” (4:39); and the disciples were terrified (4:41) and asked “Who is this?” (4:41).

Luke says that “one day” Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake” (8:22); He fell asleep (8:23); and when the storm came up they were in great danger (8:23).

Matthew likes to contrast Jesus with the limitations of ordinary people. Jesus was tempted, like a man, but rebuked Satan (Matt. 4). Jesus was accused of having a demon, but He cast out demons (Matt. 12). And here Jesus is tired and sleeping, but He has control over nature (Matt. 8).

Jesus is revealed in His power. He might truly be a man, but He is also clearly the “Son of Man” (see Matt. 16:21-23; based on Daniel 7:13-14). This was the Messiah, the one everyone believed would be the Lord of all the earth.

The effect of Jesus’ powerful command was to calm the storm on the sea, but also to calm their fears. By taking care of the troubling circumstances of life Jesus was able to take away their fears and build their faith in Him. He had not rebuked their weak faith simply to point out their weakness; He had rebuked their faith in order to show a weakness that He was now about to resolve. They would look back on this and always remember His “Why are you afraid?” because they would not be so afraid again in His presence.

This becomes the powerful thrust of the passage to all subsequent believers. Even though there are so many things in life that threaten our lives and cause us to fear, the more we know the Lord and His power, the less we will be afraid. Our prayer for deliverance from our troubles will be less and less out of fear and desperation and more out of confidence.

Think of creation where by His word the LORD brought everything into existence, even including controlling the seas (Gen. 1). This theme of controlling the seas was stressed in Job 38:8-11. That idea was important in the Bible, for the seas were always the symbol of chaos. To control them was to show sovereignty over the chaos that was in the universe. In fact, throughout the ancient Near East the sea was the symbol of Sheol, the abyss, the evil enemy.

Throughout scripture God is portrayed as mightier than the raging seas (Ps. 93).

Good Shepherd

The disciples of Jesus were truly surprised when their Good Shepherd,  Jesus called them to a very odd standard of living  i.e. owning nothing. Jesus apparently knew that when our possessions posses us – imprison us – risk and adventure become impossible.

The Good Shepherd protects his sheep against wolf, and instead of fleeing he gives his life for the sheep. He knows them all by name and loves them. He knows their distress and their weakness. He heals the wounded, gives drink to the thirsty, sets upright the falling, and leads them gently, not sternly to pasture. He leads them on the right way. He seeks the one lost sheep, and brings it back to the fold. But the bad shepherds lord it over the flock by force, forgetting their charges and pursuing their own interests. Jesus is looking for GOOD SHEPHERDS.

Predictability and faith cannot coexist. What characterized Jesus and his disciples was unpredictability. Jesus was always surprising the disciples by eating at the wrong houses (those of sinners), hanging around the wrong people (Tax collectors, adulterers, prostitutes, lepers), and healing people on the wrong day (the Sabbath).

People matter more than things and that small is beautiful. With clarity of both vision and calling I believe Canaan land is just in Sight. Joshua briefed the people of Israel as they readied to embark into the Promised Land saying, “You have NOT passed this way before…. CONSECRATE yourselves… that you may KNOW the way by which you shall GO…” (Joshua 3: 4 – 5)

The call of the Good Shepherd is that  we must rend our hearts. To rend hearts is to ask God to cleanse our grudges, our prides, our hatreds, our selfishness. We must rend our hearts. Jesus teaches that it is a person’s heart that defiles for in the heart are evil thoughts, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, fornication, theft, murder, adultery,  foolishness, etc (Mark 7:20 – 23).

Only with rend hearts can we love God and love neighbor. Moses said Love the Lord with all your hearts (Deut. 6:4-6). Prophet Jeremiah says we must circumcise ourselves to the Lord, by the removal of the foreskin of our hearts… (Jeremiah 4:4). Prophet Ezekiel calls on us to get ourselves a new heart and a new Spirit (Ezek 18:31) I like especially the way Joel says; “Rend your hearts and not your friends, co-workers or garments.” The book of Psalms says God will not despise a broken and contrite heart (Ps 51:17).

The word says do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. BEHOLD, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18 – 19)

Also the word says “FORGETTING those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13, 14).

A NOBLE TASK

SHARING THE GOODNEWS

1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,  Because the LORD has anointed Me; To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3 

FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD 

Every valley shall be filled
      And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Luke 3:5-6