Allow me to begin our sermon with an illustration. “Horatio Spafford was a Chicago lawyer and friend of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. In 1873, to visit Moody’s preaching campaign in England, he planned a trip for his family to Europe, and sent his wife Anna and daughters on ahead. But the ship sank in the passage, and only Anna survived. Their four daughters . . . all died. Anna sent a telegram to Horatio, which began [with these words]: ‘Saved alone. What shall I do?’”(1)
“Horatio quickly sailed to join his wife. Midway across the Atlantic, the Captain told him that they were near the place where his daughters had [perished]. Though grieving, he experienced in this moment a supernatural ‘peace, like a river’ (Isaiah 66:12). In his circumstances, this peace could only be the gift of God; the ‘peace of God, which surpasses all understanding’ (Philippians 4:7). During the voyage, Horatio began to compose a hymn, to put words to his experience of peace.”(2)
“When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul’.”(3) May we have this kind of peace in the trials that come our way. In our passage of Scripture this morning, we will see how Jesus speaks peace to the storm and to the circumstances of our life. He works to either calm the storm or quiet our heart. So, let us stand at this time in honor of God’s Word, as we read Matthew 8:23-27:
23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
Jesus Will Allow a Test of Faith (vv. 23-24)
Let us get started with verses 23: “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.” Back in verse 18, we read how He “gave a command to depart to the other side,” and was then approached by two potential disciples who gave Jesus excuses as to why they could not immediately join Him in the boat. I think we can safely conclude that the ones who decided to get into the boat were His true disciples. The “wannabes” stayed on shore. His command to “depart to the other side” was a test, but the crossing of the Sea of Galilee would be an even greater test; as Jesus, in His foreknowledge, knew that a storm was brewing. Commentator Warren Wiersbe says, “Jesus undoubtedly knew [a] storm was coming, and certainly could have prevented it. But He permitted it that He might teach His disciples some lessons.”(4)
In verse 24, the storm is called “a great tempest.” The word “tempest” means, “a great concussion or shaking of the sea.”(5) The Greek word is seismos, which is also the word for “earthquake.”(6) Both Luke (8:23) and Mark (4:37) call this tempest a windstorm, “and both use the word lailaph, which signifies a particular kind of wind; [one] which is suddenly whirled about upwards and downwards; or rather, a conflict of many winds . . . Luke says, that this storm of wind ‘came down’ (8:23), referring to the motion and course of the winds, which are . . . expelled by a superior force to the lower region, [where they] move in an oblique, slanting manner, downwards.”(7) Commentator John Gill says this sounds like the description of a hurricane,(8) but today we might call this a microburst or extreme windshear.
This phenomenon described by the gospel writers is an ordinary event on the Sea of Galilee. “The Jordan valley makes a deep cleft in the surface of the earth, and the Sea of Galilee is part of that cleft. It is 680 feet below sea level. That gives it a climate which is warm and [pleasant], but it also gives it its dangers. On the west side there are mountains with valleys and gulleys; and when a cold wind comes from the west, these valleys and gulleys act like gigantic funnels. The wind, as it were, becomes compressed in them, and rushes down upon the lake with savage violence and with startling suddenness, so that the calm of one moment can become the raging storm of the next . . . That is what happened to Jesus and His disciples,”(9) but He already knew it was coming.
We read “that the boat was covered with the waves” (v. 24). Mark tells us, “The waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling” (4:37); and Luke says, “They were filling with water, and were in jeopardy” (8:23). The boat was taking on water and losing its buoyancy, so that sinking “appeared” to be imminent! And there are times in our life when everything around us gets shaken like an earthquake; when we are hit from every side, like the violent, shifting winds on the Sea of Galilee; those winds that came down from the mountain, pressing like the weight of the world that comes down on us; and during those times, we begin to feel as though our life is beginning to sink beneath the waves. From our perspective, tragedies like sickness, divorce and loneliness, financial ruin, and maybe even homelessness appear as though they will lead to imminent destruction or death; and so, we wonder, “Where is Jesus during the storm?”
We read in verse 24, that while all this was taking place, Jesus was asleep. Allow me to share an application. We know that “on the Sea of Galilee the fisherman used small boats, which were propelled by oars.”(10) Nevertheless, John Gill provides an intriguing application using large sailing ships from the eighteenth century; one that pictures Jesus as our “shipmaster” or “captain.” He says that Mark mentions the place where Jesus slept as being in the stern, “where He, as Lord and ‘Master,’ should be”(11) – alluding to a “shipmaster.” In an article I read on the website “A Sailor’s Life for Me,” the author explains how, in his quarters at the stern of ship, within his roomy, calm, and comfortable cabin, the captain or shipmaster “plans the ship’s route, and makes decisions that might win or lose a battle or a war. It is a big responsibility, and it is his alone.”(12)
What an amazing illustration of our captain, Jesus! The captain is at His place in the stern, charting our course and fighting our battles. We read in Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you,” and in Joshua 23:10, “For the LORD your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you.” But maybe we have not seen the captain for quite some time. Perhaps He has not given us any recent instructions; and because we have not seen Him, we have begun to wonder if everything is okay. Could He be asleep? And then a stormy trial comes along, one that threatens to capsize our life, and we become discouraged and afraid; and maybe we even try to fix the problem by ourself. But let us not forget that the responsibility for planning a safe course, and strategically fighting our battles, belongs to the shipmaster, and to Him alone.
Jesus Can Calm the Raging Storm (vv. 25-26)
In verse 25, we read that the disciples came to Jesus and awoke Him. According to Mark, when they found Him, He was “asleep on a pillow” (4:38). This “pillow” was “a sandbag used for ballast in the stern.”(13) When they approached Jesus, they addressed Him as “Lord.” In Luke, they cried out, “Master, Master!” (8:24); and we can see how the form of address was doubled, “expressing their distress, importunity, and haste for deliverance saying, ‘Save us! We [are perishing]!’ or [another translation is] ‘we are lost’.”(14) But were they truly perishing? And were they really lost? What was the truth of their situation?
Henry Blackaby, the author of Experiencing God, reminds us how, in John 14:6, Jesus said that He is the Truth. He continues to explain, “That means that you can never know the truth of your circumstances unless you have first heard from Jesus. The disciples thought they were perishing in the storm. They were fishermen who knew the sea and knew what their condition was. They had allowed their circumstances to convince them that the ‘truth’ was their imminent death. But they were wrong. Truth was asleep in the back of their boat! Since some of the disciples were fishermen, they trusted in their own expertise and wisdom, rather than recognizing that only Jesus knew the truth of their situation. At times, our human knowledge in certain areas of life can blind us to our desperate need to hear a word from Truth.”(15)
Look at verse 26. “Though [His disciples] had ‘some’ faith in Him, yet there was a great deal of fear and unbelief, for which Christ blames them, saying, ‘O [you] of little faith.’ In Luke, the phrase is, ‘Where is your faith?’ (8:25). What [has] become of it? You professed [only recently] to believe in Me. Is your faith gone already? . . . Their faith was very small. It could hardly be discerned . . . They had no faith in Him, as sleeping, that He could deliver them; but [they] had [‘some’ faith, or] ‘little’ faith in Him, that He might, could He be awaked [from] sleep; and for this [reason], Christ blames them; for He, as the eternal God, was as able to save them [while] sleeping as [in] waking.”(16)
“Being awaked by His disciples, He raise[d] His head from His pillow, [stood] up, and with a majestic voice, in an authoritative manner, showing some kind of resentment at the wind and sea, as if they had exceeded their commission – [as] the one had blown, and the other [had] raged too much and too long – He rebuke[d] them.”(17) Mark has Jesus saying, “Peace, be still!” (4:39), which can mean, “’Be silent, hold your peace, stop your mouth, put a bridle on it, . . . and go on no longer to threaten with shipwreck and loss of lives,’ [at] which the wind ceased, the sea became calm, and the ship moved quietly on [its way].”(18)
Blackaby tells us, “When Jesus spoke, the disciples saw the real truth of their situation. There was absolute calm. The disciples had seen Jesus perform other miracles, but they had not yet witnessed His power over nature in such a dimension. Often, we are like the disciples. God may have recently demonstrated His power to us in a mighty way. We may have experienced many spiritual victories in the past. Yet, when a new and frightening situation comes upon us, we too panic, and say, ‘Lord save me! I’m perishing!’”(19) Blackaby continues to comment, “Have you become fearful instead of faithful? If you have, prepare for the rebuke, for it will come.”(20)
But it is also important to remember His grace in the calming of the storm. You see, Jesus can and will speak this same peace and calm to the circumstances of our life. “God will remind us of His provision, saying, ‘I can handle this situation, too, and you will know more of Me because of it’.”(21) And hopefully, we will petition Him in faith, rather than fear. Contemporary Christian singer Kristene Dimarco reminds us of our hope, saying this: I know the earth has quaked before; moved by the sound of His voice. Seas that are shaken and stirred; calmed and broken for my regard. So, through it all, through it all, my eyes are on you; and through it all, through it all it is well. Let go my soul and trust in Him; the waves and wind still know His name. The waves and wind still know His name.(22) Can somebody say, “Amen!”
Rescue Begins with a Holy Fear (v. 27)
The account concludes in verse 27 with the men asking, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” This is the million-dollar question – the one to win the prize – the prize being eternal security from the storm! Back in verse 20, when the scribe approached Jesus claiming He would cross over in the boat as one of His disciples, Jesus reminded Him that “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” In calling Himself “the Son of Man,” He established His lordship. So, when they asked the big question here, the conclusion would have been, “Surely, He must be more than a mere man; he can be no other than . . . the Most High God.”(23) Gill says that when reading this account, there are only two choices: To deny the truth and the circumstances presented; or to believe that Jesus is truly Lord, as the disciples believed.(24)
Luke tells us, “They were afraid, and marveled” (8:25), and Mark says, “They feared exceedingly” (4:41); meaning, they had great awe and reverence. Proverbs tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (9:10); those who “understand the fear of the LORD” will “find the knowledge of God” (2:5); and “the fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death” (14:27). There is a dark storm heading our way; one that is called death. According to Romans 6:23, death is the penalty for our sin. It is a spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. However, the fear of the Lord leads us to the knowledge of God. In Luke 1:77, we read that Jesus came “to give [the] knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins.” There is life and salvation in Jesus Christ; and the fear of the Lord will lead us to this knowledge; to repent of our sins and confess Jesus as Savior and Lord!
Time of Reflection
We read in Malachi, “Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so, a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name” (Malachi 3:16). Those who fear the Lord have encountered His holiness, realized their unrighteousness before Him, repented of their sins and confessed the true name of the Lord, which is Jesus. Their names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:7). Our choice is to either fear the Lord, or fear the storm; whether that storm be earthly trials or the flames of hell. But when we meditate on His name, we will see only Jesus, rather than the storm, and we will no longer be afraid. The only way we can meditate on His name is to truly know His name; to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord or our life.
NOTES
(1) Peter Johnston, “Hymn Guide: It Is Well,” Anglican Compass: https://anglicancompass.com/behind-the-hymn-it-is-well/ (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(2) Ibid.
(3) Horatio Spafford, “When Peace, Like a River.”
(4) Warren Wiersbe, “The Complete New Testament in One Volume,” The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), pp. 322-323.
(5) John Gill, “John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible,” Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-24.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(6) William Barclay, “The Gospel of Matthew,” The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), p. 323.
(7) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-24.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(8) Ibid.
(9) Barclay, p. 317.
(10) J. A. Thompson, “Fish, Fishing,” New Bible Dictionary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1962), p. 379.
(11) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-24.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(12) “Captain’s Cabin,” A Sailor’s Life for Me: https://asailorslifeforme.org/educate/annotated-scenes/captains-cabin/ (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(13) David E. Garland, “Mark,” The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), p. 191.
(14) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-25.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(15) Henry Blackaby, “Truth is a Person,” Blackaby Ministries International: https://blackaby.org/truth-is-a-person/ (Accessed September 17, 2024).
(16) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-26.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(17) Ibid.
(18) Ibid.
(19) Blackaby, “Truth is a Person.”
(20) Ibid.
(21) Ibid.
(22) Kristene Dimarco, Bethel Music Publishing; parts of this quote are edited or paraphrased.
(23) John Gill: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-27.html (Accessed September 14, 2024).
(24) Ibid.
