Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 18
Jesus Calms the Storm
Luke 8:22-25 (KJV) Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
It was the Lord Jesus who directed the disciples to be on the ship that eventually met the storm. It was also the Lord Jesus who stilled the storm so that the sea was a calm. For the disciples, the encounter with the storm will help them to see that Jesus is God. He has power over the elements of nature. The psalmist knew the LORD, who is the invisible God, before the incarnation, when he testified in Psalm 107:23-30 (KJV) They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
The fact that God came in human flesh is a great mystery to be received by faith. This faith is objectively understood in how Jesus calmed the storm. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. He is fully God to represent God to reach man, and He is fully man to represent man to be reconciled to God. Trusting in Jesus as the only Saviour of the world is the only way to eternal life because dealt with our sins by His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead three days later – John 1:3-4 (KJV) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The disciples’ encounter with the storm was to help them to be further strengthened in the faith to trust in Jesus and to call upon Him in every storm of life. He is able to deliver them – 2 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV) Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; Amen.