One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23
and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24
And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25
He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
This morning we come to one of the most well-known accounts of Christ’s life, the calming of the storm. Whenever we come to something familiar, it is wise to slow
down a bit…take more time to consider…perhaps we have missed something.
A journey across the lake would have normally taken just under two hours. The surface of the lake is 700 feet below sea level and on several sides bordered by steep
hills including the famous Golan Heights. The winds would sweep down through ravines and whip up terrific waves for a lake of that size. Some want to argue that the storm just died out as quickly as it came upon them, but the language of the text and the response
of the disciples cannot lead to such a conclusion. The words, “and they ceased and there was calm”, means that the storm did not simply blow itself out, but that there was a supernatural calm that came over the waters as soon as He spoke.
The Church Fathers believed this miracle to be THE picture of the church in the world. That is not to say they allegorized the situation, or did not believe
it physically took place, only that they saw the bigger picture, the correct picture of what the Lord is teaching. The boat symbolizes the church as it carries the disciples of Christ and the storm represents whatever evils threaten us, whatever comes against
the people of God by the way of trials and difficulties. Artistic representations of a boat on a storm-tossed sea have been found in the catacombs, as this scene became the symbol of the church’s life in this world.
It is simply a fact that cannot be denied that while we are in this world, we find ourselves upon stormy seas. At times the waters calm and at times they rage and
our text speaks to us of the providence, power, and presence of our Savior who is with us in the storm. There are countless books and sermons that you can read that speak about suffering, about trials and what they mean and don’t mean for the Christian. I
could never do justice to everything there is to be said about this reality in a short devotional. Therefore, I am merely going to speak to one broad principle that directs us in how we view the trials and the storms and how we respond to them.
Look closely at your text, who was the one who suggested they leave and travel this well-known body of water? It was Jesus’ idea. It was His plan and his purpose
to put them out at sea.
Everything is under Divine control, every breeze that gains momentum, every turn of your day, every phone call that brings some news that takes your breath away. Think
of all the Bible says to make us aware of this. Joseph says that God rather than his brothers had sent him to Egypt. God gives Joshua assurance that He will deliver the enemies to Israel. Proverbs says that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord
to turn it wherever He wills…God is the one who bade Shimei to curse David…the Lord calls the Assyrians, ‘the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation.’ And it was the Lord who provided a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets
of Ahab. And we could list many more.
Brothers and sisters, whatever it is that stares you in the face this day, and whatever awaits you in the days ahead, cannot conquer you if you begin here, “This is
the hand of my God, blessed be His name.” You see, storms solicit responses, storms show us our fears and reveal where or upon whom, our hope rests. Storms bring us to the end of things seen and turn us to things unseen, where our life is hidden with Christ
in God.
The disciples had a response, the disciples revealed their fears as well as their doubts. They cried out to the Lord that they were perishing. Mark includes that
they said to the Lord, “Lord, don’t you care, we are about to perish…” Lord, don’t you care…a very interesting accusation, don’t you think? And yet is it not the case that the Lord listens to accusations like this every day? Accusations of angry men,
of fearful men that He doesn’t care, or that He is negligent, or has fallen asleep and has no idea what is going on. Accusations from the creatures to the Creator, accusations that have come from your lips and from mine.
And yet we are to ask ourselves, has not the Lord sent this? Is this not, ultimately, His doing, His plan and purpose? Does the Lord bring us to this point, only
then to abandon us, to leave us to ourselves and to the winds that ravage our spirits?
Charles Spurgeon asks us, “Christian, you ought not to dread the arrival of evil tidings, because if you are distressed by them, what do you more than other men?
Other men have not your God to fly to, they have never proved His faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear. But you profess to be of another spirit, you have been begotten again unto a lively
hope and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things. Now, if you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of grace which you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature which you claim to possess?”
When we claim and make our stance upon the providence, and the sovereignty
of our God…it means something. And what it means cannot be divorced, not ever, from every moment of every day. Ask
yourself, what do you do with the God of your moments? What do you say when the winds blow? Do you accuse Him of not caring? Do you fill with anger? Oh not at God you say, of course not, at…well, at stupid people; God is sovereign but people are
stupid and so I am angry at the stupid people! But who put these stupid people in your path? Ok then, not mad at the stupid people, I am mad at bad…luck, oops, no not luck, bad… karma, no not karma, bad…how about, bad theology?
How many times a day do you suppose we deny the very heart of what we believe about God? Our grumbling, complaining, anger, mood swings, circumstances dictating to
us how we act and react? It is a faith issue, plain and simple. It is true that sometimes we suffer under the Lord’s kind hand of discipline for our actions and faithlessness, but will you buck at that? God’s loving you as His child? Our God is sovereign
or He is not…our God is good or He is not…Our God loves us, or He doesn’t.
Our Lord sends storms so that we might be led to higher thoughts of Jesus and to further relinquish self-dependence. We know of course that some of the disciples were
fishermen who were used to the seas and used to dealing with squalls and storms. But the Lord brings them to the end of their own resources that they might look to Him as their only hope.
I think there is a parallel in the mind of Luke between this text and the parable of the soils. The point of that parable was that our faith is to be shown by patience
in and through testing. Jesus asks His disciples, “Where is your faith…” He doesn’t mean they have none, but what we have before us is a test of the faith of these men, a test they fail. And yet, from that failure they learn what it means to follow Him.
Has that ever happened to you? Has the Lord ever taken your lack of faith, and used it to teach you that in such fear and in such a view of life, there is nothing?
Sure, He has…the question is, what did you do with that lesson? Did you run back to the foolishness again, or has it helped you stand firm in the face of the storms?
Do you know what the most often repeated command in the Bible is? The command given in the pages of God’s Word more than any other? Do not be afraid, or do not fear.
Over and over again we are commanded to put away fear, we are commanded to stand in faith, to stand in the presence of our Sovereign God. Does that hit home with us? We live in a day that is pandering to fear, fear the pandemic, fear the riots, fear Nancy
Pelosi, fear Donald Trump…fear the stock market’s decline! We fear what others think of us, so we pretend to be what we are not.
What is the point of Jesus in his rebuke of the disciples? It is stated explicitly in Matthew and Mark and implied here in Luke. Jesus is there, the Christ is with
them, they need not fear, nor be afraid.
God is not in heaven trying to stop the storm and just simply can’t figure out how to do so. Remember, the Lord Jesus brought you out into these waters, in fact, He
brought the storm itself, but He has not left you alone, He is turning your eyes to Him for He is enough. Maybe, and this would not be the case all the time, but at least you should ask yourself the question; Could it be that the reason for the protracted
nature of your adversity, your trial, your stormy days, is because you are not listening? Could it be that you refuse to learn in the storm what the Lord is calling you to learn? Could it be that you are rejecting what He is telling you? You refuse to be
content, happy, peaceful, you refuse to trust, believe and find your joy in the Lord, even IN the storm? Be still…listen…the One who calms all storms is YOUR God, Savior and Friend.
Here is a poem by John Newton:
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek, more earnestly, His face.
’Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer!
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour,
At once He’d answer my request;
And by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in every part.
Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.
Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?
“’Tis in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith.
These inward trials I employ,
From self, and pride, to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
Prayer: Father in Heaven, as the winds blow, I ask You for a present mind, content in your love and promise to be with me always. Help me to learn and see clearly
to what and where you are directing me in tumultuous times that my heart would be at peace and I would be able to rest in the power of my God. And Father, I look forward with anticipation to the day when all storms are calmed and I stand upon the sea of glass
in the perfection of God! Through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.
Hymn: Be Still My Soul