Thursday, January 26, 2012
Jesus
can calm a storm
I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee a couple of times. It’s a beautiful place that is rich in biblical history. It’s hard to imagine a storm that would result in waves that could capsize a boat. The lake (the Sea of Galilee is actually a lake) is about the size of Lake Tahoe. We were out on the lake in a boat about the size that Jesus would have boarded and our guide told us that he had seen waves twenty one feet tall on this lake during a storm. So the storm that Jesus and his followers encountered was probably similar.
Jesus had instructed his disciples to enter the boat with him to cross to the other side. When they got into the boat, Jesus, wearied from the pressures and burdens of the multitudes to whom he ministered, laid down and went to sleep. When the storm arose, the disciples demonstrated their lack of faith. Jesus not only rebuked the storm, he rebuked his followers as well. I would like to share four lessons from this story that I think are important to all of us who follow Jesus.
1) Even though Jesus was on the boat, it did not keep the storm from striking. Jesus was with them, but the problem still came. People can take several attitudes toward the storms that come into their lives. They can resent it. They can run from it. They can resign themselves to it. They can rejoice in it, as Paul and Silas did when they were in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:16-34). Even though we are Christ-followers, we are not immune to difficulties, trials or troubles in our life.
Matthew
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!”
I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee a couple of times. It’s a beautiful place that is rich in biblical history. It’s hard to imagine a storm that would result in waves that could capsize a boat. The lake (the Sea of Galilee is actually a lake) is about the size of Lake Tahoe. We were out on the lake in a boat about the size that Jesus would have boarded and our guide told us that he had seen waves twenty one feet tall on this lake during a storm. So the storm that Jesus and his followers encountered was probably similar.
Jesus had instructed his disciples to enter the boat with him to cross to the other side. When they got into the boat, Jesus, wearied from the pressures and burdens of the multitudes to whom he ministered, laid down and went to sleep. When the storm arose, the disciples demonstrated their lack of faith. Jesus not only rebuked the storm, he rebuked his followers as well. I would like to share four lessons from this story that I think are important to all of us who follow Jesus.
1) Even though Jesus was on the boat, it did not keep the storm from striking. Jesus was with them, but the problem still came. People can take several attitudes toward the storms that come into their lives. They can resent it. They can run from it. They can resign themselves to it. They can rejoice in it, as Paul and Silas did when they were in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:16-34). Even though we are Christ-followers, we are not immune to difficulties, trials or troubles in our life.
2)
Even though the storm was raging, it did not keep Jesus from sleeping. Here is
a perfect example of trust in God. Jesus was asleep in the middle of a furious
storm. What a powerful example of resting in the care of the Almighty!
3)
Even though Jesus was present, the disciples were still afraid. There will be
circumstances in our lives that will cause us to be anxious and afraid. The
disciples were afraid that they were going to drown. Mark’s account of this story says that the
disciples woke up Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
(Mark 4:38). In other words, we’re facing this problem and you don’t care
enough to wake up and help us! How many times do we face problems and think
that God doesn’t care, isn’t around or somehow abandoned us? This is the point
where Jesus rebuked them for little faith. We need to trust Jesus when times
get tough; not question him.
4)
Even though the disciples had little faith, Jesus still saved them. He still
calmed the storm. He still took them safely to the other side. It’s not the
quantity of faith we have but the quality of faith we express. The quality of
faith will be right when the Object of our faith is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are
you facing a storm today? Jesus is with you. You can rest in His care. Trust
Him. He will take you safely to the other side.
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