Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus of Nazareth has great power and authority. whatever he wants, whatever He decides, what ever he commands, that’s what is going to happen. And nothing can stand in his way.

He is currently still ministering in the north of Israel around the sea of Galilee.

And He has just told His disciples, His students, to prepare a boat to go across the sea.

this is where our section of scripture begins for today.

Text

Matthew 8:23 ESV

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

When you think of the boat Jesus gets on, what size is it? Because whatever you are thinking, it’s smaller.

This is what a fishing boat would look like back then. A lot smaller, isn’t it?

You can’t fish in a storm. You wouldn’t fish in a storm. So these boats are made for good weather and calm seas. And you hope that no storms come up while you are on the water.

And I don’t know about you, but I have a baaaad feeling about this one. Oh No, look in verse 24

Matthew 8:24 ESV

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

Obviously, this is not good. This isn’t just a little rocking of the boat. The boat was filling up with water, the waves tossing them back and forth. What can you do?

What can you do when there is turbulence in an airplane, or your cars is spinning out? Nothing.

They were helpless in this moment, convinced they were going to die.

But notice what Jesus is doing. He is sleeping in the boat. He seems unaffected by this storm. He is not scared or panicked. He is unconcerned. Because this storm, these waves, they are not a threat to Him. they have o power over Him. They cannot kill Him.

Matthew 8:25 ESV

And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”

So they wake Him up and they cry out. They know Jesus could do something. They’ve seen great things from him. And when you are in trouble, you look to the leader and you just cry for help.

Matthew 8:26 ESV

And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

To be fair, Any of us would be afraid. But these guys literally have Jesus in the boat. And it shows, that even though these disciples have seen so much from Jesus, they still don’t really understand who He is.

And then Jesus does something strange, something unexpected. Something, quite frankly, unbelievable. He rebukes the wind and the sea. If you haven’t heard rebuke before, it means to criticize, to correct, to command the opposite behavior. In other words, it’s saying “stop that”. And Jesus says this to the weather!

But what is the significance of this event? how do we apply this to our lives?

Before we get into it: Here’s something you should know. Like in any story of the Bible, this story is about Jesus. Which means this story is not about you.

This is not a story about how you are the disciples and the storm is the difficulties of life and Jesus will always protect you from anything.

But that’s not what it means. This is not a story about your life and how Jesus fits into it.

It’s not about your big test coming up. It’s not about you trying to find a job, it’s not about you. It’s not how Jesus will always make sure you never die.

Jesus doesn’t stop every oat from sinking, or any harm from coming to everyone. So how could that be the point?

This story is about Jesus and Jesus alone. One hint we have is the way the disciples respond.

they don’t say, “Jesus saved us, He will always save us from anything, hooray!”

Matthew 8:27 ESV

And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

This verse is why this is one of my absolute favorite pieces of scripture.

They ask “who is He? That’s the right question, that’s the point of the story. Jesus is revealing to these disciples and to us who he really is: God.

In order to understand this scripture we need to look at other parts of scripture to know, whom does the sea obey? Whom does the wind obey?

So let’s take a look starting at the beginning. we just heard in our reading that God created the the world from nothing into everything, from chaos into order. And of course, part of that is creating and controlling the seas

Genesis 1:6 ESV

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”

Genesis 1:7 ESV

And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.

So who controls the waters? The God who created the world.

Let’s take another look in the book of Exodus. God has led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. But the Egyptians are following them to kill them all. And they have come to the sea and have nowhere to run. They need God to deliver them again! And He does!

Exodus 14:21 ESV

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Exodus 14:22 ESV

And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

So who controls the waters? The God who delivers Israel.

When God sent a prophet named to preach in a wicked city, he refused and tried to flee in the opposite direction by ship. Here’s what God did:

Jonah 1:4 ESV

But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

Jonah 1:15 ESV

So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

So who controls the wind and the waves? The God who speaks through the prophets.

Then, after years in the wilderness, God shepherds His people into the promised land, Israel. And this is how they cross into it. Through the Jordan River.

Joshua 3:13 ESV

And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”

Who controls the waters? The God who shepherds His people.

Application

So, what should we tell the disciples? Because they don’t understand. They think Jesus is a powerful man, a prophet, a teacher, the one sent by God. And they are right, But Jesus isn’t JUST those things.

Jesus Is God. He is the same God that created the world and you.

He is the God that delivered you from sin and death on the cross.

He is the God who spoke through the prophets, and sent his disciples, including you, into the world to make him known.

He is the God who shepherds His people into the kingdom He is bringing.

He is the God of the Old Testament, the New testament, Of the Beginning and the end.

This Story is about Jesus. It’s not an allegory for your life. It’s about How Jesus power and authority are unlimited. He doesn’t just have power over a sickness or two. He has authority over all of creation.

Has anyone ever said to you “well, Jesus doesn’t say He’s God in the Bible.” First of all, Yeah he does. Second, this is just one of many examples that Jesus doesn what only God can do. Control creation, forgive sins, heal lepers, the list will go on and on as we continue in the coning weeks.

Here’s the point of the story.

Jesus created this world and it was perfect. No sin, no death, no suffering, it was perfect.

But sin entered and threatened us all with imminent death. and like the disciples in the boat. We are helpless, waiting to die.

But Jesus doesn’t let sin and death have the last word. He has authority over them. He has the power to overcome them. And he does so when he dies on the cross and rises again. And He shared that victory with all who have faith in him, even those of little faith.

And as the God of creation, He will come again to still the waters, to bring order, to restore everything. That’s the day we are waiting for right now. That could be any moment.

And until then, we continue to have faith, to trust in Jesus power, and to eagerly await the last day when Jesus creates everything new and brings us into His kingdom.

And on that day, none of will have to ask “who is He?” Because We know. He Is our God. Who has created and delivered us, who shepherds us into his kingdom right now, and who will restore us when He comes back on that great day.

Read Text

Matthew 8:23–27 ESV

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

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