Lessons from Storms in the Bible #5 -- July 29, 2001-- AM
STRONG WINDS ON DEEP WATERS
-- The Storm Jesus Calmed --
Luke 8:22-25
INTRODUCTION:
(1) Jim Nicodem took his two youngest kids to the Batavia quarry. It has a beautiful sand beach with shallow water. [Anyone can play in the shallow water.] To go out into the deep water and the high dives and slides, you’ve got to get a deep-water pass.
At the beginning of the year, 7-year-old Andrew got his deep-water pass, but it was not something he did easily. He’s a great swimmer; he just doesn’t like the pressure of having to do something in front of a couple of lifeguards.
That day, he said, "Dad, I don’t have my deep-water pass. I’ll just hang out in the shallow water." Mr. Nicodem said, "A break is coming up. Go over and tell the life guard you’ll swim for a new deep-water pass in a few minutes." He looked at his dad as if to say, "You’ve got to be kidding. I’m going to do this again?" But there was no argument to be had. When the break came, he swam for his deep-water pass, and he got it easily. The rest of the day, they had a ball together.
So there are times when it’s appropriate to demand something of our kids, though a good father considers the limitations of his child. Good dads take into account a son or daughter’s age or temperament or peer pressure or physical health or school struggles or popularity issues. --Adapted from Jim Nicodem, "The Father Heart of God," Preaching Today, Tape No. 152.
(2) The Lord considers our limitations and our need to expand. There are times when He has to direct us into deep water. If you want to launch big ships, you have to go where there is deep water. -- Glen V. Wheeler, 1010 Illustrations, Poems and Quotes, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing, 1967), p. 91. But you are wise to keep in mind that you cannot control the water.
(3) I am told that during the years 1014-1035 there ruled over England a Danish king named Canute. King Canute tired of hearing his retainers flatter him with extravagant praises of his greatness, power and invincibility. To him the words were exaggerated. They amounted to playing in shallow water and pretending to be able to control the ocean. He ordered his chair to be set down on the seashore, where he commanded the waves not to come in and wet him. No matter how forcefully he ordered the tide not to come in, however, his order was not obeyed. Soon the waves lapped around his chair. The water was real, the water was deep, the water responded to a different force, and Canute could do nothing about it. One historian tells us that, therefore, he never wore his crown again, but hung it on a statue of the crucified Christ.
This is appropriate, for whereas the Danish King could not control the deep waters, Jesus could. Jesus can control the deep waters and the mighty winds that stir them to frenzy. The Old Testament speaks accurately when it says “He calms the storm, So that its waves are still,” and “He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.” (See Psalm 107:29; Job 26:12.) We see this clearly in Luke 8:22-25.
PROPOSITION: IT REQUIRES REAL FAITH AND NOT MERE PRETENSE TO FOLLOW THE LORD THROUGH STRONG WINDS ON DEEP WATERS.
Any premise of human control over storm forces can legitimately be debated. However, here are Three indisputable themes from the storm Jesus calmed.
I. Theme #1 is THE PASSENGER THAT HAD A PLAN (Luke 8:22)
A. The plan was providential (on a certain day).
1. The Lord provided for the day’s circumstances. From the earthly perspective, this certain day merely proceeded in normal fashion after other normal days.
2. The fact that it was a certain day indicates that the providence of the Lord figured into the situation. Always, providence plays into the equation -- it is just more noticeable sometimes than at others. [See also Mark 4:35-36.]
B. The perpetrator was a passenger (He got into a boat).
1. The Lord got into the boat as part of His plan. He did not need a boat but His disciples did and He was concerned about teaching them this lesson. To do this, He had to go at a slower pace and make provision for them. He therefore went with them.
2. It was not the Savior’s way to show off or demonstrate how much more He could do than they could. Here He is developing them. “The Lord doesn’t take us into deep water to drown us, but to develop us.” -- Vern McLellan, The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs and Wacky Wit (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996).
C. The plan had a revealed purpose (Let us cross over).
1. The Lord’s intent was to get His disciples to the other shore. He said as much. Jesus did not say “Let’s go out for a trip on the lake.” He said, “Let’s go to the other side.” They had no need to worry when they were with Him, they were obeying Him, and He had revealed His intent to be on the other side of the lake. He was at rest in the plan.
2. When the disciples received their "exam" in faith, they were following the direction of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we face our exams because we are simply doing what the Lord has told us to do. They launched out when He said let’s go to the other side of the lake. Simple tasks require simple steps of obedience.
3. Following the Lord involves many simple things that require simple obedience. That obedience takes us across waves and on to other destinations. Following the Lord submits us to encountering whatever comes up in the way. Simplicity makes the occurrence seem commonplace, but a test may be around any corner -- or across the next wave.
II. Theme #2 is THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED A PANIC (Luke 8:23)
A. The disciples were momentarily detached from the Lord’s presence.
1. They sailed. The disciples were busy people. They occupied themselves with the duties and pleasures of sailing. In the process they failed to notice or follow the Lord’s example in the setting.
2. He slept. As the Disciples sailed, the Lord fell asleep. It was also part of His plan to rest in the course of travel. With all the press of the crowds, it is likely that this was the only time He anticipated rest. The disciples sensed no need to rest.
B. Factors of fear faced the disciples.
1. The disciples encountered contrary winds (a windstorm).
a. A windstorm came down onto the lake. A smooth boat ride looks entirely different when the wind comes down on it. We talk of wind coming "up" on the lake, but the idiom was different for Luke. The wind, nonetheless, came from above. The Father controlled the wind. It came from His treasury.
b. The word used by Matthew implies a tornado. The Greek word denotes a sudden and violent gust of wind, such as frequently bursts on the lake. All travellers describe the storms as very sudden and violent caused by the cold air that rushes down from the mountains into the heated depression of the lake. (PNT 52)
2. The disciples found themselves in deep water (on the lake). What is in the deep water that makes us afraid?
a. No footing.
b. No air.
c. No rest.
d. Unknown threats?
e. Disorientation
f. Seasickness
g. Bigger waves.
h. Loss of our own control.
C. There was danger in the path of obedient discipleship (in jeopardy).
1. The wind caused the boat to begin filling with water. Being in an unfamiliar environment that was not their natural habitat, the Disciples were in jeopardy. There was no solid ground anywhere near them. They felt foolish, fearful, small, and imperiled in the place where the Lord had led them. Nobody abandoned ship, but I am sure the desire to be back on familiar ground crossed more than one mind.
2. Danger and difficulty is not at all a certain indicator of being out of the will of God. The Disciples followed Jesus into the storm.
III. Theme #3 is THE PRINCIPLE THAT PRODUCES PEACE (faith – Luke 8:24-25)
A. The Disicples had the presence of mind to remember the presence of the Lord (they came to Him).
1. Someone had the presence of mind to go to the Master. In the storm, on the water, surrounded by definite uncertainty, it is wise to seek the Master. In Matthew 8:25, they went to the Savior for deliverance. They called for Him to save them. These were experienced fishermen who called to a carpenter for help on the sea. “Master, Master” () -- the repetition here shows the uneasiness of the disciples.
2. He was still asleep in the storm. His confidence was greater than theirs that they would reach the other side. He could rest in this assurance. This somewhat portrays the sleep of death that the Lord would have to endure until He heard the voice of the Father awaken Him from it. He would need greater reliance then. He would have to trust in the promise that He would "reach the other side."
B. The Lord’s command of the situation revealed contrast (there was a calm).
1. The Disciples called to Jesus with their fears of perishing. They saw themselves in danger and wanted His help. They saw the end and did not want it to come this way at this time. When is the time anyone wants his or her end to come? When is the time that someone close to death does not want the Lord’s help?
2. Then He arose, are the words that mark His assumption of the posture for helping His Disciples. In addition, these words mark the Gospel message: Jesus died, but He arose. Upon rising, He rebuked the wind. Because of the resurrection of the Savior, Jesus has rebuked the winds of judgment. His disciples are safe with Him.
3. The water was raging. This is a word of anger. There was the discomfort of facing an angry personality in the storm.
4. Jesus calmed the storm.
a. The wind and the raging waters were brought to peace. There was a calm. The parallel accounts say this was a great calm. This again emphasizes the Lord’s control in the storm. Would He have been less in control if the storm had been allowed to rage? Is it possible that the Disciples were as safe as the Lord wanted them to be?
b. SL Johnson mentions that the Master muzzled the howling winds and returned them to their kennels in His treasury. In effect, He commanded them to stay there.
c. Vine’s Dict. # 392 CALM = GALêNê () [Strong...1055] primarily signifies calmness, cheerfulness (from a root gal-, from which , to smile, is also derived; hence the calm of the sea, the smiling ocean being a favorite metaphor of the poets), # Matt 8:26, Mark 4:39, Luke 8:24
5. Here we find a major contrast in the scene before and after the Lord speaks.
a. This is true not only in the storm but in the hearts of the Disciples.
b. This passage is filled with contrasts: Land is contrasted with water, Life is contrasted with Death, Rest is contrasted with worry, Faith is contrasted with work, Self-confidence is contrasted with Confidence in God, Storm is contrasted with Calm, Jesus is contrasted with us.
C. The Lord questioned their faith (Where is your faith?)
1. Our Lord rebuked the disciples for their weak faith, not for disturbing His nap!
a. It was not wrong to ask Jesus for help. It was wrong not to have faith in the midst of the storm. [See also Mark 4: 39-41]
b. Something in their response showed no faith. What was it? Were they not safe as long a He was in the boat? They were traveling in obedience to Him. Were they not safe as long as they were doing what He commanded? Yet, good people die in obedience to the Lord. Why did He note their lack of faith? Did not their call to Him amount to a prayer? Don’t we need to pray in the storm? What was it they should have done?
2. The question the Lord asked here was, "Where is your faith?"
a. The Lord also asked, according to parallel accounts, “How is it that you have no faith?” and, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” [See Mark 4:40; Matthew 8:26.] Something in the collective behavior of the Disciples indicated that they were trusting in something other than Him. Their manner in coming to Him was less than trusting. How? It was filled with panic, misunderstanding, and near demand. It was self-oriented.
b. Their faith was placed in their attempts to get Him to do what they wanted -- not in His omniscience wherewith He would know what to do. Their "belief" doubted His ability or desire to do what was best. Therefore, they feared.
c. There is value in even a little faith. The disciples were asked where their faith was. They were also told it was little – small enough that it was as though they had none. Yet, it was enough faith in the Master to make them come ask Him for help. The storm revealed the strength or amount of their faith as well as that in which the faith was vested. When it came right down to it, that little trust was in Jesus and it was enough to rescue them in the storm.
3. How should we respond in life’s storms?
a. The story is told of a small town in which there were no liquor stores. Eventually, however, a nightclub was built right on Main Street. Members of one of the churches in the area were so disturbed that they conducted several all night prayer meetings, and asked the Lord to burn down that den of iniquity. Lightning struck the tavern a short time later, and it was completely destroyed by fire. The owner, knowing how the church people had prayed, sued them for the damages. His attorney claimed that their prayers had caused the loss. The congregation, on the other hand, hired a lawyer and fought the charges. After much deliberation the judge declared, "It’s the opinion of the court that wherever the guilt may lie, the tavern keeper is the one who really believes in prayer while the church members do not!" We smile at this story, but it suggests how faithless we sometimes are in offering our petitions to God.
b. Mark this down: Following the Lord may take you into storms. You will be surrounded by discomfort, anger, and fearsome situations. Do not abandon ship. Remember that He is in the boat with you. Do not be surprised that what starts out as a smooth boat ride has some winds and waves in the trip. When they come, that is not the time to put distance between yourself and the Lord. Call to Him for the contrast He makes.
c. Afterwards "they" (presumably the disciples) were afraid and wondered who He was. One would think they would have known after all they had seen. Miracles do not guarantee faith. Learning to abide with the Master in trust does. Do not pray for the miracle without affirming trust in Him to do and be able to do what is best. They did not know as much about Him as they might have supposed. We do not know as much about Him as we suppose. We know the Scriptures and we know doctrine and we know the Gospel but there are deeper waters to cross with the Lord that we have not crossed yet. No one has arrived on the other shore who is still alive –except Jesus! The waters get deeper as we get closer to the other shore. The winds can be greater. The need for faith becomes more imperative. In the shallows we can pretend to have faith. Nothing much is lost if the Lord does not provide a parking space, but the threat of the deep waters with the strong winds is scarier!
d. I had just gone through a series of medical tests. Fearful of the results, I went swimming at the local YMCA to pass the time. There I noticed a father carrying his son over to the deep end. Still holding his child, he plunged into the deep water. A few seconds later they surfaced--the son laughing and brushing water from his eyes, the father guiding him safely to the pool’s edge. This picture of a father and child spoke powerfully to me. I realized that just like that boy, we are protected by our heavenly Father--and when we can be confident we’re in his arms. Martha Whitmore Hickman, "Heart to Heart," Today’s Christian Woman.
e. As great as the winds and the waters are, even in their most tempestuous combination, they obey the Lord. How can we do anything but worship in the face of such greatness?
CONCLUSION:
(1) The author of following personal account is unknown. The name has been lost but the truth illustrated is something that should be retained nonetheless.
(2) When I was six years old my parents took me to Lake Michigan for our annual family picnic and swim. I had just received a brand new plastic hot dog to inflate and ride on in the water. Since I couldn’t swim yet, my dad said, "Don’t take that hot dog into the deep water!"
Well, undaunted, I walked to the end of the dock, peered over the edge into the deepest water a six year old had ever encountered. I decided to put the hotdog into the water and replicate the famous running rear mount that I had seen my hero, the Lone Ranger, do so often on Silver. I backed up, ran the length of the dock, leaped into the air, began my descent, and ... missed! Splash, right NEXT to the hot dog.
I remember sinking and floundering about. I hit the surface and yelled, "HELP!" I went down a second time. I surfaced. Again I yelled, "HELP!" Going down for the third time I remembered the saying that goes three times down then out, so I knew I was a goner. My whole life flashed before my eyes. (It didn’t take long; I was only 6!) Just before I blacked out I felt something grab me.
When I came to on the dock, I was laying on my back looking into the eyes of my father. At that moment I knew I was alive! He spoke, "Why did you disobey me?" Then I knew that I was dead! After some loving discipline we all agreed that swimming lessons at the "Y" were in order.
This incident perfectly illustrates salvation as described in Colossians 1:13, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love."
I could not save myself. I was helpless and hopeless. Only someone stronger than me who had mastered the water could rescue me. The word "DELIVERED" means "to rescue from great danger." "TRANSLATED" means to transfer from one place to another." My dad delivered me from the danger of the waves and transferred me to safety on the dock.
What was my part in the that affair? Only that I was in trouble because I had sinned! AND that I realized the only reasonable course of action was to cry "HELP!" Had I called out "I GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL" or "I READ MY BIBLE," no one would had come to my aid, and I would have died in my sin.
Sinners today need to stop trying to impress God. Instead they must cry out as men did in Bible times, "I have sinned"! And God promises that "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved!"
(3) You need Jesus to take you through the strong winds on deep waters! Only He can get us past the storms of judgment to the shore on the other side of death.
