“God Calms Our Storms”
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 1:18:08
0 ratings
· 94 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
Good morning. Turn with me to Luke chapter 8. I wanted to take a quick moment and thank those of you who went with us last night to our Annual Marriage Conference. We had a great time of eating a meal together and fellowship, but also were challenged to work on our marriage. I am so thankful for Dr. Phil Newton and his challenge last night for us to constantly be working on a better marriage. As you are making your way to Luke chapter 8, the title of our message today is this, “God Calms Our Storms.”
One of the biggest problems we face as human beings is the threat of death. There are so many people today who tell me Pastor I am afraid to die, or I am afraid of losing a spouse or family member. If that is not enough we often see or even read about the widespread presence of wars and murders that are happening all around us. One of the things that we learn too often fear is other human beings and how we can deal with hostile people.
In addition to the threat of violence and violent people, we also have the threat of disease, of natural catastrophes like earthquakes, floods, and even fires. The question that we often think about is how would you or I deal with these things if they came into our lives??? What are we to do when the storms of life come are way? Some of you are facing these storms right now, while others will face them. How will you respond? Let me remind us of this helpful passage from Isaiah today.
2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
Over and over again we see that Jesus deals with difficult storms. The Lord had already displayed His power over the natural realm in so many different ways. Jesus showed us His power over disease, death, and demons. Back in Luke chapter 5 we learned a powerful lesson when Jesus was on another boat and showed his power over the natural realm. In this lesson today we see a great outpouring of the power of Jesus as He calms a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee. Let’s look at 5 lessons that stand out to us about the Lord’s power and how He calms the Storms of life.
22 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?”
1. The Furious Storm.
1. The Furious Storm.
22 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.
Luke tells us here that one day Jesus got into a boat with His disciples. Mark’s account shows us that this event took place during the evening of the same day that Jesus was teaching the parables. After having a meal Jesus and his disciples got into a boat that was probably a fishing boat owned by Peter, Andrew, James, or John. Even though these men had now decided to follow Jesus they apparently still had their boats.
Desiring to get away from the large crowds for a time of rest Jesus told the disciples let’s go over to the other side of the lake. Leaving the area of Capernaum which was on the northwest tip of the Sea of Galilee they headed for the region of Gerasa which was on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was there that we will later see that Jesus heals a demon-possessed maniac.
What is so interesting here is that as they put out this boat into the lake and set sail we see a picture of the calm before the storm. What I mean by that is that we see Jesus fall asleep shortly after they set sail, showing us how extremely tired he was. Mark adds the detail that Jesus was asleep in the stern of the boat. All of this helps us to see that Jesus was not only fully God, Jesus was fully human and therefore he got hungry, he was thirsty, and yes he even took a nap. This incident is the only time in Scripture where we see Jesus sleeping. Here we see that Jesus was truly at peace and calm, despite knowing that there was a storm getting ready to violently shake things up. Jesus was trusting in His Father’s plan, He was sure that God in His power could at any moment calm the wind and the waves.
2. The Frantic Cry.
2. The Frantic Cry.
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.
Out of nowhere the lake’s peacefulness now turns into a very fierce storm. This storm had the potential of hurricane force winds. Clearly we know that this was not your average ordinary storm, but one so severe that the disciples worried that their lives were going to come to an end. These massive waves that came about by the powerful wind began to cover the boat and the result was that this small fishing boat was filling up with water. We see this in Mark’s Gospel.
37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
Clearly these disciples were frantic and fearful. Even though many of these disciples who were at one time professional fisherman had gone through many storms this one was much different. In their frantic state of mind they had no idea what to do and the one thing that came to mind was to go to Jesus for help. Desperate and terrified they now come to Jesus and call Him Master. Matthews account tells us that the disciples called Him Lord, while Mark’s gospel tells us that they called Him teacher. The point here is that all the gospel writers show us this chaos and confusion on this stormy night. Some may have called out Lord, or Teacher, and even Master. All of these men had witnessed the power that Jesus had over sickness and death, but could Jesus control this powerful storm? These disciples knew that they were perishing and without the Lord’s help they would all die so they call out to Jesus.
As you face fearful situations, when is the last time you called out to the Lord? Are you trusting in the Lord? With no human solution available, these disciples come to the One who showed great power in the past. Perhaps some of the disciples remembered these helpful Psalms.
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples,
In their desperate need, the disciples appealed to the One who alone could save them. May we all learn from these disciples and do the same.
3. The Astounding Miracle.
3. The Astounding Miracle.
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.
The Lord has been sound asleep and He is now awakened by the disciples frantic cries. Our text tells us that Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. I love what the gospel of Mark says here in chapter 4 and verse 39. “Hush, or be still.” What we see is that instantly this storm obeyed the voice of the Creator of the Wind and Waters and they stopped and became still or calm.
There are many times where we know that Jesus rebuked the demons or evil spirits. In Luke chapter 4 we are told that the Lord rebuked the fever that Peter’s mother-in-law was afflicted with. What this helps us to know today is that Jesus had the power and authority over these elements and especially over nature, so that the furry of this storm subsided and everything became calm.
What stands out to us here is that even though the winds immediately calm down, even the waves do as well. Generally, as is well known, after the winds have calmed down, the waves would continue or roll on for a time. When Jesus commanded the wind and the waves to stop, both did so instantly. My point here is that Jesus can calm the storms of your life. Jesus can take whatever seems to be raging and out of control and make it smooth once again. The question today is do we trust the Lord?
4. The Loving Feedback.
4. The Loving Feedback.
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?”
Having calmed the storm Jesus now uses this incident to provide some life lessons and give some loving feedback because there was a lesson to be learned from this.
In Luke’s account here we see that Jesus says to His disciples, “where is your faith?” In Matthew’s gospel the Lord asks the question a little differently, “why are you afraid, o you of little faith?”
Luke helps us to see here that is was not only before but even also after this miracle that the disciples were afraid and needed to be strengthened in their faith. These disciples had of course been tremendously fearful of the violent wind and raging waves, however they were even more fearful of the presence of the One who had suddenly and completely calmed the storm.
Jesus asks these men, “where is your faith?” In other words do you trust me? You have walked with me long enough to see the miracles, to see the power, do you not recognize that I am the Son of God? Has not the stilling of the storm and the calming of the waves shown you that this Master of yours is not only powerful but also very loving? With me as your Lord and Protector, why were you so afraid of the storm, and why are you even now so afraid?
The lesson for the disciples here was rather obvious. These men were to trust the Lord even in the most severe and life threatening circumstances. In the storms of life we are to cast all of our worries and anxieties on the Lord knowing that He cares for us. Church, sometimes the Lord brings a storm into a believers life to chasten us or discipline us and yet in other times He does this to increase our faith. Jonah ended up in a storm because of his disobedience. The disciples here were obedient to get into a boat and go out into the storm. In both cases God was there to deliver them.
5. The Profound Effect.
5. The Profound Effect.
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?”
These men were astonished and amazed at what just happened. They were also still very fearful. These men began to realize that Jesus was even greater than they have previously imagined. Jesus not only has power over sickness, demons, and death but even over the elements of nature like the winds and the waves.
We of course know that even today that there can be many things that can be made right humanly speaking. Moms can come along side of us and stop our tears and give us a back rub. Repair men can fix the machines in our homes. Surgeons can repair broken bones or take out cancerous tissues. But it takes the Creator and Sustainer of all life to change the weather. It is only Jesus who commands the elements of the weather, and they stop and obey His voice.
The disciples who were in the boat that day realized one thing and they said to one another, “who is this that commands the winds and the water, and they obey him?” These men truly came to worship the Lord and realized that Jesus was God’s Son.
Jesus is the one who controls all of the natural forces on this universe. So, not only does this show us His power, but it also shows us His love and compassion and His care for those who are His. This storm, as do all of life’s storms for believers, serve to increase our faith and God’s willingness and His ability to deliver us from any situation no matter how hopeless it may seem. Having experienced God’s gracious care for him throughout his long and difficult ministry Paul could confidently say and his life came to an end these great words.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Let me ask you this question today. Where is your faith? You may be here today dealing with some kind of fear. There may be a great storm that you are facing. What will you do? How will you get through this storm? Let us remember today these helpful words from 2 Timothy.
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
(Close in Prayer)
(Communion)
