Luke 8:22-25

Luke chapter 8 verses 22 through 25 for our texts and study this morning. Now it came to pass on a certain day that he, meaning Jesus, went into a ship with his disciples and he said under them, let us go over under the other side of the lake, and they launched forth. 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. 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. And he said unto them, where is your faith? They being afraid, wondered, saying to one another, what manner of man is this? For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. May God bless to us His sacred and holy word this morning. Let’s have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we ask that you might bless your word to us this morning. that you’d give me the utterance that I need, Father, to properly proclaim it in the strength. And we pray, Lord, that we may all benefit and rejoice in the blessings of your word to us. Give us open hearts, open ears to receive it. And I pray, Father, that you would strengthen all of us in the things of Christ. And whose precious name, and we pray with Thanksgiving. Amen. Trials are a necessity and not a detriment to the Christian. It’s through trials that we grow. Consider a kite flyer. You have a kite and you have the string in hand and you have to run until that kite lifts up into the air. However, you’ll never be able to fly a kite if there’s no wind. And an adverse wind is what you need that will blow against the kite and lift it up. Kites rise not with the wind, but against the wind. And so it is with regard to Christians and trials. The believer develops these different graces in the midst of the adversity of the adversity of trials. In other words, your soul, like a kite, actually sores higher toward heaven when facing adverse winds. This great miracle of Christ is recorded in the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which demonstrates, of course, its importance and its value to us as Christians. And so we should pay attention to what is found. in this passage. Certainly this miracle proved without question that Jesus Christ is the God man. We see both his humanity and his deity portrayed in the events of this miracle. Thus, he’s the perfect mediator. His humanity was essential to him being a mediator because he has to die in the place of his people. You see, his human nature. in the fatigue that he has, that he falls asleep in the ship, exhausted, no doubt, from the labor in the vineyard of the Lord, in his preaching ministry. You see, his divine nature, when he’s awakened, and he calms the storm and the winds and the waves with a bare word. It proved Jesus to be God. But what do we read about Jehovah God in Psalm 107? that we sing, He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves there are of still. That’s spoken of Jehovah God, and here Christ is doing exactly what the scriptures say there in Psalm 107. And I’ve often thought as that as sort of a prophecy of what Christ would do when he came. And therefore, Christ is mighty to save and can save us from ourselves. We can have confidence in his ability to save. But let me focus this morning on what this passage teaches about the Christian in trials. And so that’s what I want to speak about this morning. Let me begin by saying this. Being a Christian does not mean that you will escape. the trials of life. Now notice verses 22 through 24 here. And I’ll start with this idea. Following Christ’s command is a duty as one of his disciples. Verse 22, we read here, now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his disciples. And he said under them, let’s go over under the other side of the lake, and they launched forth. Christ ordered his, disciples to put out the sea he wants the cross to the other side of the sea of galilee the disciples set out on this passage immediately without making any preparations they just did as they were told they launched as verse 22 tells us it’s always a mark of Christ’s disciples that they hear the word of God and do it as verse 21 tells us tells us here, my mother and my brethren are those which these which hear the Word of God and do it. So we see that here. Not that Christians are always perfect in their obedience, but in general they are obedient to the commands of Christ. As Jesus has already taught, why call you need Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say. if I’m your Lord, then you should be submissive to me. Notice the phrase, he went into the ship with the disciples. For if Christ gives us a command to do something, he’s going to be with us. Is he not? He’s not going to leave us to ourselves in doing it. And as we carry out that duty, he will be present. Wherever you are, however you are, however you are employed, in carrying out the work of the Lord and Lord’s will, you always have Christ along with you. Though I am with you always is his promise. So you have this providential protection, and your soul is safe, regardless of what happens. So following Christ’s commands is your duty as one of his disciples. Now, following Christ’s commands does not prevent storms from arising in your life. you notice verse 23 here 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. When disciples put out the sea at the Lord’s command, all was calm, all was tranquil. It was a very peaceful crossing at first. However, as they were sailing there came down a storm of wind upon the sea sudden storms commonly occur on the Sea of Galilee this was not a small squall but it must have been a severe storm they had come down so that they were filled here and the words with water are added but that’s certainly the meaning here the boat was filling up with water not only from the waves but from the rain. That is, the ship was rapidly filled with water. So they threatened to quickly sink the ship. So they were in jeopardy, they were in danger of perishing. You learn from this that following the path of Christian duty does not guarantee exemption from trouble. You can’t expect the Christian life to be a constant calm as if everything’s going to be tranquil. Storms will arise in trouble you. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Psalm 3419. Now we could look at Jonah’s life and we could understand a storm rising in his life because he forsook the Lord’s command. He was fleeing to Tartius from the presence of the Lord. So we can understand the storm arising in his life. and God chased in King Jehoshaphat for his close friendship with the evil King Ahaziah of Israel. They built a fleet of ships together. They were going to sail and I guess to Tarshis and other places and prosper in that way. But here’s what the Lord said. The Lord hath broken thy works. The ships were broken thy works. that they were not able to go to Tarshis because of his friendship with the evil king Ae Isaiah. We think they’re broken by a storm. But let our text be a reminder that storms arise even when you are in the process of obeying the Lord’s commands. I apologize for pausing. I’m blacking out a little bit here this morning. Let me just give me a second here to catch my breath. the Lord promises that all things will and some manner work for the good of his people. However, you’re never promised exempt from trials. So that actually trials are working for your good, even though you may not like to go through them. So following Christ’s commands does not prevent storms from arising in your life. Following Christ’s commands also does not mean he will immediately prevent storms. relief from the storms that arise. You’ll notice here in verse 23 and 24, the first part of verse 24 here, and they came to him and awoke him saying, master, master, we perish. While angels and men require sleep, it is ever an indication of our Lord’s humanity that he also needed sleep. But the Lord Jesus Christ could grow weary and need rest. He must have had a human nature, just like yours and mine. Now, when we look at this, it should encourage us to some degree, realizing that we have a high priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities, that he knows the kind of things that we go through. He knows what it is to be fatigued. He knows what it is to be fatigued. He knows what it is to be be worn out. And so when we go through that, sometimes we might think, well, God just doesn’t understand how tired I am. We, he does understand how tired you are. Now, with this violent storm threatening to sink the ship, disciples became greatly alarmed. Many of the disciples were seasoned fishermen. It’s not like they never had to face a storm on the Sea of Galilee before. They’ve been out on this city many, many times. They faced storms before, but they never face a storm like this storm. When they’re fearful, as seasoned fishermen, then you know must be really bad. Even though Christ is present with them, it doesn’t seem like he’s paying any attention to their jeopardy, does it? He’s fast asleep. So they awakened the saver and they basically say, master, master, don’t you care that we’re perishing? As Mark records it in his gospel, Mark 438, Master, carest thou not that we perish. Sadly, there is a suspicious tone to this statement, as if they were charging the Lord with some negligence of duty and with regard to them. They forgot that Christ never failing. care for them has always been there in the past. And the terror of the storm they see right now doesn’t mean that he’s indifferent. Does it mean that he’s neglectful? We could actually say that by his providence, Christ was caring for his disciples all the while he was asleep. And his divine nature, he’s still caring for it. Sadly, this kind of accusation, follows us sometimes when we’re in trials, we think that God has forgotten about us. We think he doesn’t care about our circumstances and that he’s indifferent toward us. As if he were asleep and needed to be awakened. I find it interesting that in the Psalms in particular, we have this kind of language. Psalm 35, 23, stir up thyself, awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God, and my Lord. Stir yourself, wake up, Lord. Don’t you see what I’m going through here? Psalm 44, verses 23 and 24, awake. Why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off forever. Wherefore hideest thy face and forgettest our affliction and our oppression. Isaiah 51. nine. Awake, awake. Put on strength, O Arm of the Lord. Awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old. They thought, in a sense, they had to wake up the Lord. What afflicted the people of God so much that they cry out in the heat of their afflictions is one thing. But we should rest assured that the glorified Christ never slumbers nor sleeps. Jesus Christ is never like the indifferent slumbering Jonah in the ship while the storm is going on and he’s, you know, he’s oblivious to it all. And he has to be wakened by the ship captain and say, hey, you better pray, man, we’re going to go down. Christ isn’t like that. What we have to realize is that Christ waits at time to be gracious for the development. of our patience and other gifts that we have. He doesn’t just automatically and immediately jump in there on his own. Sometimes he wants us to seek him to help. So while you cry out, how long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, forever? Rest assured the Lord hasn’t forgotten you about you at all. The truth is Christ never forgets his people, however it may appear that that is so. He’s ever watchful over your interest. You’re the apple of his eye. You’re precious to him. Let it clearly be understood that Christ never sleepeth with regard to his human nature. He that keepeth thee, will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. You know, when you have children and they’re small, they have a tendency sometimes to wander off. But as a good parent, you have one eye on them. They sort of keeping an eye on them, even if they’re at a distance. Well, they may not think you’re around. But you’re watching. You’re keeping an eye on them. And so Christ does so with regard to us. We’re never really out of the sight. We may think they were out of the sight, but he’s got one eye on us all the time. He’s keeping us in his sight. Julius Caesar was one time in a storm, terrible storm. And he maintained the most perfect tranquility while all those around him were panicking. When the ship’s captain’s courage forsook him, and he just gave up, he thought all was going to be lost, Julius Caesar addressed him, and said, why are you afraid? Remember, you carry Caesar, and the fortune of Caesar. In the terrifying storms of life, remember, Christ is with you, and his province is watching over you. Fear not, I am with me, he says. He’s never going to leave you. He’s never going to forsake you. So let that bolster your confidence. So being a believer does not mean you shall escape the trials of life. These disciples are following Christ’s commands, but in following Christ’s commands, they still have the trials come up but we find that they are here still under the care of the Savior. The second main heading this morning is this. Being a believer does not mean you can count on Christ to help you. Excuse me. Being a believer does mean that you can count on Christ to help you in the trials of life. First 24 says this. 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. Despite all the unnecessary alarm and the unbelief, the disciples had manifest. Nevertheless, they did the right thing. They went to Christ. They did not. Matthew’s Gospel, record their earnest prayer, Lord, save us, we perish. Matthew 825. Now, when Jesus was awakened, he was not angry with his disciples, despite their spiritual weakness that had been displayed. He didn’t reject their prayers because of it, despite their words about his indifference. And after all their hard thoughts, he still helps them. Friends, isn’t this a wonderful thing? When we think about all the hard thoughts we may have toward the Lord, he still reaches out and helps us. We cry out to him and we’re not worthy of it, but he still helps us. He doesn’t reject us. What patience our Lord shows toward his people, what kindness, what gentleness he shows toward us, even when we’re faithless people in our distress. The lesson we have here is the way to have your fears relieved during the storms of life is to go to Christ, seek him out. Is Christ your master? Well, then go to him. Call upon him to help in your time of need. Lay your distress at the feet of Christ. Follow the simple prayer of the disciples here. Lord, save me, I perish. George, George Mueller wrote one time concerning his large orphan ministry. He wrote once, the funds are exhausted, we had been reduced so low as to be at the point of selling those things that could be spared. Then a woman arrived who had been traveling for four days, bringing with her sufficient funds for the orphanage. And when George Mueller referred, reflected upon this, he thought, here we are, we’ve been praying for four days, but from the very beginning, the Lord had already sent an answer to the prayer. It just took her four days to get there, that’s all. And under these circumstances, Mueller made this observation. That money had been so near the orphaned childs for several days without being given, is plain proof it was from the beginning in the heart of God to help us, but because he delights in the prayers of his children had allowed us to pray so long also to try our faith to make his answer so much sweeter. And so the Lord tries our faith to some extent. He delights in our prayers and that we would seek his face. And so he lets us go through the portion of the storm for a period of time. Don’t imagine that Christ is indifferent to your plight or doesn’t delight in answering your prayers. go to him believing that his ear is open under your cry and that he will help you. So be assured Christ hears you, hears your cries in your times of distress. Also be assured that Christ has the power to overcome the storms of life. Notice verse 25, 24 in the last part of verse 25. Then he arose, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased. 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 the water, winds and they obey him. Now this is an amazing miracle when we look at it. It’s easy to read this and miss the greatness of this miracle. but no sooner had the disciples sought the Lord’s help and he interposes and gets them deliverance. He rebukes the wind and the raging of the water. Luke, excuse me, Mark records in his gospel the actual words that Christ uses in Mark 439. He said under the sea, peace. Be still. Perhaps he said this out loud so that everyone recognized. It is his word, his command, that brought this to pass. And the miracle here is instantaneous. Now, if it was the storm subsiding on its own, it might slowly get better. But this immediately got better. Immediately all the storm and the wind and the waves stopped. Everything became calm. To show us that it is the Lord’s work. And this deeply impressed the disciples. They are amazed at this. They’re taken back by this. They’re fearful. this is a fear of awe of Christ that he would have such power that he could do such a thing. The disciples also wondered, they are amazed at what they had witnessed. What manner of man is this? This is no ordinary man here that he can make these commands and have nature obey him. What a display of Christ’s divine nature. we see in this command. His power over the elements of the world, they will do exactly what he commands them to do. As man, he may sleep, but as God he stills the storm with this bare word. An amazing miracle. Now all of Christ’s almighty power here, you’ll notice, is engaged on behalf of his people. This ought to comfort us when we think about this passage. Why does he still the calm and calm the sea for the sake of his disciples? There might have been other ships out on the sea, but it’s for his disciples that he does it. They may get the benefit of that, but it’s for his disciples that they perish not, that he does it. What the Lord does, he does for his people in this world. When you pray to Christ, You’re praying the one who possesses almighty power. There’s nothing too hard for him to do. And therefore, Christ would have us know this. This is one of the reasons we have these kind of miracles listed for us, so we know who, to whom we’re praying. No matter how great the storm in your life, he can subdue it. There’s no need to despair. When you have the omnipotent power of Christ’s arm, ready on your behalf to work. Greater is Christ who is for you than all the things that may be against you in this life. God is our refuge and strength of very present help in trouble, Psalm 46.1. At the same time, let me say this. Those who oppose Christ, who reject the message of the gospel, who will not see, who will not submit to Jesus Christ, ought to remember also that he is all powerful. They ought to remember that when you contend with him, you contend with the one who can still the storm and the waves, and you’re fighting losing battle. He has the power of nature against you when he wants to. He can bring tremendous judgment into your life. And so you ought to submit to Christ. You ought to repent of your ways. You ought to believe in the Savior, and trust in him for the salvation of your soul. He’s really your only hope. To oppose him, to be opposite of him, is opposing the Almighty King, and it will not go well in the end. So be assured Christ has power to overcome the storms in your life. Also, notice this. Be assured it’s essential for you to have a faith. ready for use. You’ll notice verse 25. Jesus says to them, where is your faith? Christ gives a mild rebuke in this case. He waits till he has rebuked the storm and calmed it. And then he gets them to assess how they did in the storm. And he says, well, where was your faith in all this? You didn’t exercise it. You trembled. You were fearful. You felt yourself in despair when you ought to have been reflecting upon the fact that Christ Almighty is in the boat with you. Why can’t you trust in the Lord to help you overcome circumstances? It isn’t just the same kind of message that Christ would have us to learn? We go through the storms of life. We disdeme. We get all upset. Everything is going bad and Christ will say to us, don’t you know I’m present with you? Where’s your faith? Let’s assess the situation. To have faith is one thing. To have faith ready for use in the trial of life is another. Not that didn’t have any faith at all, but they weren’t exercising it when they needed to. Christ shouldn’t have to inquire where’s your faith. He gives you faith. You should be exercising the faith. What need there is for us to pray to increase my faith so that we would be prepared when the storms of life come. Too many of us belong to the Christian tribe ye of little faith. It’s a bad tribe that belong to. At least they have faith, but little faith. It will not do when something unexpected but overwhelming comes up. This is why developing of your Christian grace this is so important that this develops as you go along in in a Christian life because I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that as you start out in the Christian life you have smaller storms. But as you get older in the Christian life, sometimes the storms get more severe. And if our faith isn’t growing in proportion to our age, remember Caleb, that his strength was the same as his age. He didn’t lose any strength. That’s the way in our Christian life should be how we should gain strength as we get older because we should be growing in these graces, especially in our faith, so that when more difficult challenges come up, we can handle them better. So being a believer doesn’t mean you can count on Christ, or you can, excuse me, believing a being, a believer does mean you can count on Christ to help you in the trials of life. Just as an adverse wind is necessary to lift a kite, so the adverse storms of life are necessary to lift your soul. Spiritual. Trials are what exercise our faith. They show us also our spiritual weakness and what needs to be developed. Where’s your faith? You’re going to face the storms, even as an obedient Christian. But remember, Christ will be with you, and Christ will help you in these storms of life. Let us close with a word of prayer tonight, or this morning.