Bible Reading:
Luke chapter 8 verses 22 to 25

Peace, Be Still!

Consider the account of how The Lord Jesus had power over a storm. I say "account" on purpose. If I call it a story, you might think of it as something made up to entertain you. This is an account of something that really happened just as it is written in the Bible. The Bible is Gods word and is always true and complete. I want to ask a question from the end of the passage now at the start. What manner of man is this? While we consider the events before us, I want you to have it in the back of your mind. What manner of man is this? What kind of man is The Lord Jesus?

The Lord Jesus and His disciples left the place where He had been preaching and set out across the lake in a boat. It was not a big boat, only a boat that was big enough to carry a dozen or so people. It had a sail and oars and was used for fishing. It was just a humble fishing boat. People far less important than The Lord Jesus have private yachts to sail around in. The Lord Jesus had nothing of His own but borrowed an open fishing boat

Teaching can be quite a tiring business. The Lord Jesus spent many hours teaching and healing the people who came to Him. He had to deal with many different reactions. There were people who loved to hear Him and there were people who listened so they could catch Him out and accuse Him. He was careful in every word He spoke. When He had finished His sermon and healed the people who were ill He sent them all away. His labours and the gentle rocking of the boat sent The Lord Jesus to sleep.

The disciples drove the boat while The Lord Jesus rested in the stern of the ship. Any waves that splashed over the bows would not normally reach the stern, the back of the boat. So, The Lord Jesus must have been able to get comfortable there.

Then a storm blew up. It was a violent storm of wind. Galilee is well known for sudden storms that blow up. The disciples who were fishermen were probably used to them. I remember once when my sister and I were children on holiday with our parents in Cornwall the minister of the local church where we stayed was a retired fisherman. He had a boat and offered to take us fishing. It was raining so my Mum and my Nan stayed in the harbour. We set off toward the end of the harbour wall in the open boat. I suppose it was about 15 to 20 feet long. At the end of the harbour wall sat an old gentleman with a long grey beard. "You're not going out in this are you? " he called. Our fisherman said it would be all right and on we went.

The harbour was quite sheltered. The sea beyond was a different matter. The little outboard motor puttered along as we sailed further out into the English Channel. The swells got bigger and bigger until, when we were in the troughs we could not see the land. Then we would be climbing up to the peak like going up a big grey mountain. These were quite quiet waves. It was raining but there was no gale-force wind.

The Lord Jesus and His disciples were in a severe storm. The open boat was filling with water and at risk of sinking. No buoyancy tanks on boats in those days - and no life jackets. These were fishermen used to The Sea of Galilee and its sudden storms. This one seemed different. They turned to The Lord Jesus who they found was still asleep and doing nothing to help bail the water out of the boat. The fishermen were worried, afraid for their lives. Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? In the same account we read in Luke 8:28 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. The waves had beaten into the ship, so that it was now full. I do not know how full a boat has to be before it sinks but boats are designed to have the water outside and not inside and this boat was now full. Perhaps just on the point of going down.

What had the disciples experienced of The Lord Jesus so far? Healing, teaching and casting out devils. All manner of miracles showing His care and concern for people. Yet the disciples thought He did not care whether He and they drowned in the storm. Surely the disciples should have trusted The Lord Jesus?

What manner of man is this? A very human man and a very powerful man. He is someone beyond our understanding. The Lord Jesus is God and man at the same time. He had our weakness but without sin because He became a man and He had, and still has, the power of God because He is God

The Lord Jesus then stood up in the boat and told the storm to be still. Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Who else could do that? The disciples asked, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" Surely, He is someone to take notice of! What has He to say to us that we should take notice?

He taught with authority that sinners should repent and believe the gospel if they want to be set right with God. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. He said that sinners should turn away from sinful ways and find Gods way and that they should believe what God says is the right way. God says sinners should trust The Lord Jesus for forgiveness of sin. God says that there is nothing sinners can do to save themselves. Sinners cannot earn a place in heaven but God gives Salvation freely to those who ask Him. Will you ask Him to save you?