According to Luke: The Storm Before The Calm

According to Luke: The Storm Before The Calm

Opening Illustration:

It was just a week or so ago that we experienced the reality of Hurricane Michael. Michael took the normal quiet tranquility of the panhandle of Florida and turned it into a nasty mess of a war zone. Winds clocking in at 150 mph took well built homes and turned them into heaps of firewood. Trees were striped of their leaves and branches. Businesses that had been in operation for more than 5 decades were blown off the map as if they had never been built or even existed. It is estimated that more than 50 people might have lost their lives. 

Storms, especially hurricanes, are scary. Hurricanes were not something that I ever thought much about until I moved here. It is good reminder thought that hurricanes don’t always have names do they. Sometimes the hurricanes take different forms. We call these the storms of life. Some of us are going through the storms right now. A storm could be a serious illness, the death of a loved one, a marriage on the rocks, a secret addiction, a rebellious child, a job loss, or a financial crisis. What’s dangerous about these storms is that there are no winds, no homes blowing down, there is little to no physical signs that someone is hurting. At least with Michael, you can see the need. So, what hurricane are you facing today? What storm are you battling? Fill in the blanks below. 

Are You Looking For Help In Your Hurricane?

Background and Context

Jesus is continuing His journey through the countryside of Galilee. He and His disciples have been healing, teaching and preaching the Good News of the Gospel everywhere they go. You might look at Luke 8 as a fairly pivotal chapter. It is in Luke 8 where we see the responses that people have to the message of Christ. It is also in Luke 8 that we see that Jesus has an expectation of obedience from His followers to take that message, His teachings and words, to the people. So now Jesus and His Disciples continue their travels across the Sea of Galilee. You need to know that Jesus is doing more than crossing the Sea. You see on one side, the side they were coming from, was predominantly Jewish. It was the religious side. It was the safe side. Jew stuck to that side. Yet, Jesus is saying, lets go to the other side. What was on that other side? Well, Gentiles. On the other side, the east and south side of the Sea of Galilee were 10 Roman cities called the Decapolis. There were theaters, bath houses and temples dedicated to other gods.  This side of the Sea was considered unclean and unfit for Jews. However, Jesus is now taking His Gospel message to them. Jesus is illustrating a powerful message to His followers. The Gospel is not just for Jews, but for Gentiles. While on the Sea, a massive storm breaks loose. Something that is pretty common on the Sea of Galilee. The Sea is surrounded by mountain ranges and the Sea sit in a bowl and because of it geography, storms often pop up violently. So what was a simple trip across the Sea now turns into a a life or death teachable moment. Let’s read that story this morning. 

Luke 8: 22-25 ESV

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Lessons From The Boat

I. The Problem vs. 22-23

Luke 8:22-23 ESV

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger.

Point:

Actually 2 problems: a Sinking Ship and a Sleeping Savior.

Let’s remember that the disciples were led into this storm by following their Master.

v. 23 They followed Him right into a storm. Some believe that storms come for the Christian only when they rebel or disobey God, but that’s not true. God’s will isn’t always smooth sailing.

This kind of a storm is not out of the ordinary on the Sea of Galilee.The Sea of Galilee is 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. It’s surrounded by mountains and hills. The cool air comes over the mountains and mixes w/ the warm sea air and violent storms can erupt without much warning.

And that’s just how the storms of life come, isn’t it? One minute the sun is shining, and the next the lightning is flashing, thunder booming, and the winds and the waves go wild. The phone rings and in seconds your life is changed, you’re in the midst of a storm. You have a routine Dr. visit that was to be quick and simple, but the look on his face tells the story even before the words are out of his mouth…you’re in a terrible storm!

It can happen as you go thru an intersection in a flash, or when your boss calls you into the office, or when you open that hospital bill. Storms arise suddenly and violently, and without warning.

Point

Storms come due to a variety of causes:

Sometimes we blow up our own storms. These storms are of our own making, like in Jonah’s case. He decided not to do God’s will. It’s amazing as you read the story how many times it says that Jonah ‘went down.’ After he decided to go his own way it says he went down to Tarshish, down into the heart of the ship, down into the sea, down into the belly of the whale. And once you decide not to follow God’s best there’s only 1 way to go and that’s ‘down!’

This storm was brought on himself by Jonah and his stubborn will, and he holds the distinction of being the first man in history to spend the night on a foam blubber mattress! But in the end you can’t keep a good man down and God used even that storm in the life of His child and though he was spiraling down, down, down, he eventually came up!

Point:

Some storms God creates Himself. Such as in John 6, after He fed the 5,000, the people wanted to make Him a king. Oh how tempted the disciples must’ve been to give in to the pressure of popularity but Jesus said, no, get in the boat and go to Capernaum, and along the way they again ran directly into the middle of another storm. Why? I believe He did it to divert their attention from something that would have created a bigger problem in their lives. Sometimes God sends us a little storm to keep us from heading into a bigger one!

Point:

Some storms are Satanic in origin. The devil himself is sometimes the source. Most Bible scholars believe this storm in Matt. 8 was devil driven, because in v. 26 it says Jesus ‘rebuked’ the storm. Jesus is oft said to have ‘rebuked’ demons. In today’s passage Jesus says, “Be still.” In the Greek language it’s the word for muzzling a dog. It’s possible that this storm was another attempt of Satan to destroy Jesus, while He was sleeping no less! But Satan had no power to take the life of Jesus…only He Himself would be able to give His life, laying it down willingly for us! The soldiers didn’t take His life, He ‘gave up the ghost.’

Sometimes Satan kicks up a storm in our life to try to get us off track. On one occasion the Apostle Paul said, I would have come to you, but Satan hindered me. (try that on your boss next time you’re late for work)

Another reason I believe the devil was behind this storm is because it was extraordinary in nature. Understand that most of these disciples were raised on this sea and had fished it for years…they no doubt had been thru countless storms, but in this case they all thought they were going to die, it was so severe. They were frantic.

So, we have a problem…a sinking ship, and to make matters worse, we’ve got a sleeping Savior.

Point:

v. 24b ‘He was asleep’. This is the only time we find Jesus asleep, and it’s in a storm. Several other times we find the disciples sleeping when Jesus has important business, but this time He’s asleep and they are biting their nails to the quick!

Ever been in a storm of life and it seemed like God was sleeping? “Where are you, Lord? Don’t you know what’s going on? Don’t you care?”

When I go thru a storm I feel like I have it all figured out. I know what the Lord ought to do, how He ought to do it, and when…now!

2 hard lessons: 1. God doesn’t need my advice. 2. God doesn’t work on my timetable. He’ll do it in His way and His time. He doesn’t need a wake up call, and He never oversleeps. He’s always on the throne and in full control.

It may seem sometimes like He’s asleep or is late, but we need to remember His ways are higher than our ways, and though God is sometimes early, He’s never late!

Psalm 27:1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Lessons From The Boat

I. The Problem vs. 22-23

II. The Prayer vs. 24 

Luke 8:24 ESV

24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” 

Illustration:

The other day, I took my family to see a movie. We had our popcorn. We had our drinks. We were ready to watch. The commercials were finally over and just before the previews started, the theater went through their safety checks. You know what I am talking about right? In case of emergency, you have exit signs at the front and at the back of the theater. Follow the illuminated path and exit slowly and safely. 

Yep, that’s the one I am talking about.

The theater is illustrating a powerful point. If there is an emergency, you need to go this direction. If a fire breaks out in the theater, don’t just sit there and burn, get up, find the exit, and get out. 

Point:

Say what you want about the disciples, when they experienced a crisis, they knew where the exit was. Their exit was Jesus. They got up, got out and got Him. 

Point

What you do during a crisis says a lot about who you are and what you are made of. 

What’s your first impulse in a storm? Run to a friend? That’s not entirely bad if they will give you Godly counsel, but it’s not the first response you should have.

The disciples went to Jesus first, and so should we. Character is revealed in the storm. The storms of life will either draw you closer to the Lord or further away, but no one will emerge on the other side of the storm the same as they went in! Either you will become bitter or better!

What they did—they went to Jesus.

What they said—Lord, save us: we perish. It’s one of the shortest prayers in the Bible. And when we’re in trouble, we cut down on the long, fancy prayers and ramblings and get right down to business. It happened when Peter walked on the water and took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the storm and began to go under, but then he prayed his famous 3 word prayer “Lord, save me!” He didn’t have time for “Oh God of Jeroboam and Rehoboam and all the Boam boys” or “Oh God of Jehoshaphat and all the Phat boys…”

Point:

The disciples did right by going to Jesus. They even recognize Him correctly by calling Master. Yet, they failed in one particular place. They cried out to Him and said that they were perishing. It was like they blended the prayer with fear and faith. What was there to be afraid of? 

Point:

Are you afraid today? Are you nervous, unable to know if Jesus is really in the boat with you? Let me provide for you some encouragement. 

The Disciples Should Have Remembered Jesus’

A. Promises

Point:

They had a promise from Jesus that they were going to make it to the other side. (see parallels passage in Mark 1) And God’s commandments are God’s enablements. He won’t ask us to do something we cannot do w/ His help. He didn’t promise a storm free, easy trip, but He did indeed guarantee success! And that’s what faith is, really, is just trusting in the promises of God!

B. Proximity 

Point:

The Lord Himself was in the boat with them! They had seen Him cleanse the leper and heal countless others and cast out demons…by now they should have complete confidence that He can handle their situation. This is good reason for all of us to keep a prayer journal. Not only a list of requests but of the answers and the dates. They serve us for life as a reminding testimony of God’s power!

C. Peace

Point:

They could see that the Lord Himself was at perfect peace. When you have a situation and you see someone you respect is calm as they view it, it has a calming effect on you. The opposite is true if they react in a fuss.

Illustration:

Calm stewardess means calm Stuart!

Calm Stuart calm kids! 

Isaiah 41:13 ESV

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Lessons From The Boat

I. The Problem vs. 22-23

II. The Prayer vs. 24 

III. The Power vs. 24

Luke 8:24 ESV

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 

Point:

The problem that day was not the storm, the sinking ship, or the sleeping Savior…it was the unbelief in the hearts of the disciples. Jesus asked them, “Why are you so fearful?”

Here’s some verses written hundreds of years before this storm, that the disciples should have trusted in, and we should today:

Scripture:

Psalm 107: 23-30 ESV

25 Some went off to sea in ships,

    plying the trade routes of the world.

24 They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action,

    his impressive works on the deepest seas.

25 He spoke, and the winds rose,

    stirring up the waves.

26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens

    and plunged again to the depths;

    the sailors cringed in terror.

27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards

    and were at their wits’ end.

28 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,

    and he saved them from their distress.

29 He calmed the storm to a whisper

    and stilled the waves.

30 What a blessing was that stillness

    as he brought them safely into harbor!

Closing Illustration:

My buddy Wen Liles sent me this photo. It was texted to him from a friend of his who is working doing relief in an area where Hurricane Michael did so much damage. The picture is from a church. Notice what is still hanging on the wall. It is a picture of Jesus. What is He doing? Can you tell? He is walking on the waves, calming the storm. Sure, what around Him may look like a disaster, but Jesus is still there. 

This was Wen’s text to me! Listen to his words. 

As we’ve seen many photos of hurricane damaged churches, when I saw this my first thought was this one is such a poignant illustration of how Jesus stands and walks with us in all the storms of life. Can’t bring Him down!

Application:

So what is the application for you this morning. First, storms will come. They will come for the believer and the non believer. God can use the storm to help you grow closer to Him or prevent you from entering a larger storm. Second, your storm may rage but Jesus is with you. Don’t doubt. Don’t fear. Cry out to Him and be confident in your Master’s ability to get you through the tempest. Lastly, Jesus is powerful. Nothing can bring Him down. As long as He is hanging on the wall of your life, you will be ok. 

Remember, Nothing Can Bring Jesus Down!

Romans 5:3-5 ESV

3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Nothing Can Bring Jesus Down!