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Text: Luke 8:22-25
This episode of Jesus calming the storm did not make sense to me for a while. While Jesus is asleep on the boat with his disciples a storm comes and nearly sinks them. The disciples call out to Jesus to do something, he calms the storm, then rebukes the disciples for lacking faith. My problem with the account was why is Jesus getting on the disciples for lack of faith when they clearly turn to him for help. Isn’t that what they’re supposed to do?
Luke is a little ambiguous about why Jesus would be mad at the disciples for looking to him for help. But when you turn to Matthew and Mark for the same account, Jesus rebukes their fear. Here is a place where fear has filled people’s hearts in the place of faith. You may find that you don’t like the way Jesus conducts his business after this episode. You’ll see a side of the LORD Jesus Christ that is divine, but also distasteful.
Faith that matters
- …they were in jeopardy… (vs 23)
- Notice that there is real danger. It’s not that these waves and this storm are not dangerous because Jesus Christ is in the boat. And many of these men are fishermen. Their lives are spent on boats. They have experience navigating rough waters.
- The fear seems legitimate. Their lives are literally in jeopardy. Yet they’re still scolded by the Lord. It’s almost like he expects his people to have faith when it matters.
- The proverb says that if you fail when adversity comes, then you don’t really have any strength.
- Apparently fear was their lack of faith even when the danger was literally threatening their lives.
Faith when the LORD doesn’t care the way you care
- … but he fell asleep…(vs 23) Another problem the disciples have here is that Jesus is asleep during this dangerous time. Not only does he not appear to care, but he doesn’t care. Not only does he not care about the danger, he’s angry with the disciples for caring so much about it.
- Your faith will be tried to see if it’s faith at all when you realize the LORD doesn’t always share your feelings and concerns about things. He doesn’t care about things like you care about them. As valuable as an empathetic Savior is, it’s equally valuable to have a Savior who is not caught up in my little world.
- This is an accusation often leveled at the LORD.
- Find security in who God is because you don’t always know what He’s doing.
- He doesn’t care the way you care because His perspective on things is much different than yours.
- He attempts to give you His perspective through His words, but we can be woefully ignorant sometimes.
Faith because the word of God is powerful
- …and there was calm… (vs 24)
- The words of God are supernatural power. They are superior to nature. They are superior to death.
- He had authority in his teaching doctrine, he had authority over disease, over devils, over sickness, over leprosy, and now over creation.
- Jesus Christ is the Creator who put aside the lower laws of nature for the higher law of his direct commandment.
Faith that is absent in the presence of fear
- …where is your faith… (vs 25) When the LORD asks you this question
- I admit that this is a problem. What is the LORD mad at? The disciples come to him for help. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Why is he scolding them for coming to him? We’ve learned that he’s frustrated with them because they’re afraid.
- Notice that little faith is bad, not good
Faith in Jesus Christ
- What manner of man is this! (vs 25)
- The outcome was a greater revelation of who Jesus Christ is.
- Fear that seemed reasonable at first has no place in the presence of Jesus Christ.
