JESUS CALMS THE STORM

PROCLAMATION

“One day Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’  So they got into a boat and set out.  As they sailed, He fell asleep.  A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped and they were in great danger.  The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’  He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  ‘Where is your faith?’ He asked His disciples.  In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this?  He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’ ”  Luke 8:22-25 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Luke, the physician.   After He left the home of the Pharisee, Jesus traveled from one town and village to another, preaching and teaching.  His disciples and some of the women were with Him. (Luke 8:1-3)  There was also a large crowd following Him and He told them The Parable of The Sower, (Luke 8:4-15) and He told them about A Lamp on A Stand. (Luke 8:16-18)  Then Jesus and His disciples went over to the other side of the lake.  As they were sailing on the lake, a severe storm arose which frightened His disciples.  Jesus was asleep on the boat and they woke Him.  He got up and rebuked the storm saying, “Peace, be still.”  Immediately the winds and the waters were calm. (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25; and John 6:16-21)  

 

APPLICATION

The rebuking of the wind and the waters by Jesus when He calmed the storm is recorded in all four gospels.  Jesus, The Christ, is able to control all of the elements and the weather.  He controls the storms in our lives, both physical and situational.  He may choose not to calm every storm, even though He can because He is omnipotent.  However, He will be with us as we go through our storms.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  We are protected in His hands and nothing can ever take us out of His hands. (John 10:28-29)  Through His permissive will, He may allow us to be punished, but we will never be utterly and completely destroyed.  As believers, we have been promised the victory through our Lord Jesus, The Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)  So, we have no need to fear the storms of life.

HELP IN THE MIDST OF A STORM

Proclamation:

"And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now 
full ... And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 'Peace, be still.'   And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm ... And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, 'What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?'"  Mark 4:37-41 (KJV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Mark.  The situation was such that, because of the large crowd on the shore, Jesus sat in the ship on the lake and taught the crowd. (Mark 4:1)  After He had taught them a number of parables, He said to His disciples, let us go across to the other side of the lake. (Mark 4:35)  As they were crossing the lake a storm with strong winds arose causing waves that splashed water into the ship. (Mark 4:37)  The disciples were fearful and woke Jesus, and He calmed the wind and the sea by saying, "Peace, be still."

Application:

The disciples, who were followers of Jesus, The Christ, and who were with Him at the time, did not really understand who He was or the power that He possessed.  They were in awe that the wind and the sea obeyed Him.  Many of the believers today who are followers of Christ do not understand the power which He has.  Jesus does keep us from some things, but He allows us to get caught up in some storms to show us that He can bring us through the storms. (John 16:33)  He can calm the storms in our lives, but He can also help us to overcome the storms. (Romans 8:37 and 1 John 4:4)  Jesus is always in control of the circumstances in our lives, and we can access His awesome power to deal with them if we believe, pray, ask for it, and have faith that it will be done. (John 14:13)  We need to trust Him to help us when storms hit our life.  He may not choose to end the storm, but He will be with us through the storm.