November 11, 2012
Jesus in this passage is talking to believers only. This
message is for us.
In this story men who know how to take care of themselves
and are familiar with the seas are scared. Sometimes in life, in what is familiar
to you, trouble comes. Trouble comes because we live in a troubled world. Just
because we are Christians does not exempt us from trouble.
Trouble and tests shows us how weak we are or how strong we
are in our faith. The reason we are given tests is to show how much we know
about what we have learned. This is a good thing. Unfortunately, now, in school
for instance, we are taught how to take tests instead of how to learn and when
trouble comes we are clueless. Everything that is made, boats for example, are
put through tests before they are launched. In the same manner God tests us, to
show us our strengths and weaknesses. If we go through the test and show we are
strong we should not be prideful but thank God they we have passed the test. If
we are shown weak we must still thank God because he has shown where we need to
gain strength and we need to look to Him for that.
V24: In this passage the boat is in the storm and the
disciples are working feverishly to keep it from sinking. Jesus is down in the
boat asleep. This is not normal behavior in a sinking boat. The disciples go to
wake Him up because they fear that they will perish. Jesus asks them why are
they fearful? He probably said this in a soothing tone, calming the disciples.
In a situation that was out of control God was in control.
V25: In this passage we see choice at work. The disciples
could have rested on their skill. They are trying to save themselves here. They
are probably baling water out of the boat and trying to steer it. But they make the decision to go wake up
Jesus. Choice is a beautiful thing. Sometimes when we get in trouble the last
person we think about is God, if at all. Here, in the boat, as the storm is
raging the disciples go to Jesus and say Lord, save us. We must know that God’s
desire is always to save us. We must understand and rest in that truth.
We also see the power of observation. The disciples have had
time to observe Jesus sleeping. We must be observing what is happening around
us so that we can make a choice. When you have time to observe, you have time
to choose. The best choice we can make is to call on the name of the Lord. The
disciples had enough time to observe Jesus sleeping and make a choice to wake Him
up.
V26: Finally, we see God’s intervention. The disciples woke
Jesus and he went into action. When God intervenes we see three things that
happen.
1. There
is a pause – Jesus got up
2. God
always stops death – he stops the storm
3. God
introduces life – The lives of the disciples are spared.
When God speaks everyone stops and listens and nature
responds. In the course of this day they see Jesus heal the leper, the servant
of the centurion, Peter’s mother-in-law, the multitude and Jesus tells them the
cost of following Him but they were never in trouble themselves. Now they were
in trouble and they needed Jesus and they marveled at what He had done for not
just others but more importantly for them. That is what God wants in our lives.
He wants us to recognize the things He has done for us and marvel at them so
that we know that we must make the choice for him.
This story is a lesson for us that we must look to God.
Trouble should not be looked at as being something that is uncontrollable. We
need to invite God in. It’s not about the winds and the waves obeying Him but
us obeying Him. This story is for us because we need to allow God into our
lives in good times and times of trouble. When we allow God to take control He
preserves our lives.
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