Let us be blessed by this story and be refreshed and reminded of the infallibility of the Scriptures and the lessons of life it would brings to us.
Sea of Galilee has many names, most New Testament readers recognize "the Sea of Galilee" as its common designation. It is also called the Sea of Kinnereth (Num. 34:11; Josh. 12:3), the Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), the Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1; 21:1), and sometimes simply "the lake" (John 6:16).
1- When the storm develop: (v35)
Cool air with warm air meet anytime!
“Be ready for Change”
35And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, “Let us pass over unto the other side.”
The sea's location makes it subject to sudden and violent storms as the wind comes over the eastern mountains and drops suddenly onto the sea. Storms are especially likely when an east wind blows cool air over the warm air that covers the sea. The cold air (being heavier) drops as the warm air rises. In life, the cool air of blessings, favors, answers to prayers meets the rising heat of pressure, or stress, busyness, doubts, sickness, or any others that breeds a stormy day or crisis in an individual. This sudden change can produce surprisingly furious storms in a short time, as it did in Jesus' day (Matthew 8:24). Many storms develop anytime and anywhere between points A and B. Storms can arise in any transitory phase. From old to new ways there can be a storm. From place A to place B. Storms can be encountered in change, in developments... change of profession, change of course, change of job, change of partners, most of the time there will be storm. Proverbs 27:1 (“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth”) Faith and fear take their turns while we are in this world of storms but not for long, fear will be overcome, and faith will be stronger as we weather every squalls of life.
2- What the storm suggests:
“Be ready to be Tested”
*How much have you learned from His word?
Matthew 6:34 in the Message Bible offers some great advice:
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
That it is normal to have storms, earthquakes, turmoils, problems, it is but usual that life changes that it is possible from day 1 Full of blessings to day 2 full of problems! It is that our life would suddenly shift to vibrant ecstasy to a sudden depression and questions. A change may begin. Expect turbulence when you fly. Expect storm when you sail. It is not possible that when you ride a boat that there would be no big waves. Anticipate that there would be storms in every person’s life. No one who ever live will miss the Storm. Even Jesus Himself encountered such event. But He’s sleeping since He is the One that said; “Let’s Cross over the other side of the Lake” Mark 4:35 in the Amplified Bible says: “On that same day [when] evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side [of the lake].”
Do you believe the Son of God knew what was going to happen to that boat. . .before it ever happened?
Of course He did!!
Acts 2:23 in the New Living Translation says:”But God knew what would happen, and His prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus...”
Christ was asleep in the storm, to try the faith of His disciples, and to stir them up to pray. Their faith appeared weak, and their prayers strong.
3- What the storm did: v37
“Be Expectant”
James 1:2-3
Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
1 Corinthians 10:13
For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape toa landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.
The storm shook the boat! It was to horrify and scare the passengers
The storm also beat the boat.... it threaten the life of its occupants. It endangers their life, because it was now full of water.
All storm will shake us, horrify and scare us and even to the point of threatening our life. The storm may threaten or scare us but they do not necessarily, automatically or always sink boats or drown people. When we are facing a storm, 99% we will survive... why? Because life finds a Way! The captain and its crew will find all possible means to help every passengers with their floaters, life gears and jackets and life boats. The Captain and his crew will always be the last men to leave the boat. So, when we face a storm 99% we will survive... there is one thing that many forget about storms, there is a small possibility of death. In our life when we encounter storms of fear, worries, or problems... the Captain of our soul would definitely not leave us! He can command the storm to be still and the turbulent winds and waves stop.
4- How to deal with storms: (v38)
“Be like Jesus”
38And 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?
That’s an important lesson we can learn from this story. Well, we can be Jesus sleeping on a pillow or the reactions of the disciples.
Jesus resting in a storm, so great was His fatigue and longing for quiet rest from whole day’s work. He was as if in that moment slumbering in the Arms of His Father in the midst of a violent water soak boat, and the sounds of waves... still sleeping! We might also surmise in ourselves thinking, that Jesus has gone to sleep when storms come on the Church, or on ourselves, and that He is ignorant of, or indifferent to, our plight.
Our Lord was resting and the disciples encountering fear.Same storm but different reaction or response. One is resting. The others stressed and distressed. So terrified that they forgot who they are, fishermen disciples who were used to such squalls, and, at first, would probably let their sail down, and pull so as to keep the boat’s head to the wind. But things grew worse, and when the crazy, undecked craft began to fill and get water-logged, they grew alarmed. The storm was fiercer than usual, and must have been pretty bad to have frightened such seasoned hands. They awoke Jesus, and there is a touch of petulant rebuke in their appeal; ”Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”
Again, observed even in the aftermath of such an ordeal, the disciples is still scared to death even if the storm stopped by the Lord of the Storm. They maybe were more scared because what would happen if the storm did not stop!
“It is also worthy of notice how considerately the Lord defers this rebuke till He had first removed the danger, in the midst of which they would not have been in a state to listen to anything.
how is it that ye have no faith?—next to none, or none in present exercise. In Matthew (Mt 8:26) it is, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" Faith they had, for they applied to Christ for relief: but little, for they were afraid, though Christ was in the ship. Faith dispels fear, but only in proportion to its strength.”
(Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary)
As a conclusion; Here’s a good example why Jesus slept during that storm.
(From: ministry127.com) A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When asked for his qualifications, he told the farmer about his previous experience then said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” This puzzled the farmer, but he took a liking to the young man and hired him.
A few months later, the farmer was awakened in the night by a violent storm. He ran outside to make sure that everything was secured. He found the barn doors tightly shut and the shutters closed. The storage shed and machinery was already properly taken care of. That was when the farmer realized the significance of the statement, “I can sleep when the wind blows.”
So when the next storm comes,
Be ready for Change
Be ready to be Tested
Be Expectant
Be like Jesus!
As Christians, we are able to survive the pitfalls and problems of this world because we know they simply do not compare with the hope we have in heaven! For all of our focus on the here and now, we need to make this clear. Eternity matters. Heaven matters. Heaven is not a “reward” for being good. It’s the home we were created for, made possible for us in Christ Jesus.
As I close, can we all say to the storm, “Storms; ‘Oh, It’s Just You!”
God bless us all!
Finished: 0201am03march20199thSundayof2019 @doJpowerHouse!
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