Title Are All Dead? / Matthew 8:23-27
Did all the contents die? / Matthew 8:23-27
23 When he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
24 A great tumult arose in the sea, and waves covered the boat, but Jesus was sleeping.
25 His disciples came and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save me. we will die
26 Jesus said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
27 The men marveled, saying, What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him.
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People often compare our lives to ‘a ship sailing on the sea’. There are times when the boat is calm when sailing on the sea, but there are times when there are unexpected storms and waves.
That is how our lives are. There are times when we get along just fine, but there are times when unexpected difficulties arise. It could be a storm of disease, a storm of disaster, an economic storm, or a storm of human relationships. The pain is very great. It is a pain that only those who have been through it know.
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If you look at today's text, on one occasion, Jesus was going to the other side of Lake Tiberias in a boat with his disciples. However, the ship soon ran into a serious problem. Suddenly, there was a big bang and the waves covered the boat.
The boat Jesus was on was in danger. Why did the storm come on the boat Jesus was on? I don't know at other times, but if Jesus is in the boat with us, shouldn't the storm that should have come to us not come?
We must learn a very important lesson here. It means that even those who believe in Jesus sometimes storm. There are times when undesirable storms strike even those who depend on Jesus, making it difficult and painful.
So, from now on, let's look at why storms come to us who believe in Jesus, and how we will deal with them when we meet them.
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Why do storms come to us who believe in Jesus?
1) To test our faith (Why do storms come to believers?)
Jesus is sleeping in a boat. But a storm ensues. Yet, Jesus does not wake up and continues to sleep. Isn't it strange? Why does Jesus just sleep when the boat is full of water and is in danger of sinking? Some say it must have been because Jesus was very tired. But it's kind of weird. Perhaps Jesus was watching what the disciples were doing.
I hope you can imagine what the disciples would have done during a storm. Perhaps Peter knew the sea well, so he asked him to go quickly by rowing, and the other disciples must have worked together to get out of the crisis. At least four of them are sailors. So they must have done everything they could to get out of the trouble on their own.
Then, when that doesn't work, he wakes up Jesus. "25 His disciples came and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us. We are perishing." Then Jesus got up and rebuked the disciples. "26 Jesus said to him, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he rebuked the wind and the sea. Then the sea became very calm.
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When I was a child, I had the experience of living in a fishing village. One time, while going on a picnic to an island with the saints on a boat, the boat met a storm. The rain is falling and the wind is blowing. Water seeps into the boat. That's when I thought, "Hey, aren't you going to die here?" At that time, a deacon prayed loudly and sang a hymn, and all the saints in the boat cried out for help. It was really earnest prayer and praise. Later, the storm calmed down and I had the experience of arriving at my destination. At that time, a certain member of the church was angry and said that he would never go on a church picnic again. At that time, I could see the faith of the saints. I remember being so scared at that time that I went into the bottom of the boat with Jonah and rolled over while doing overtime.
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What is Jesus rebuking the disciples who met the storm today? "Why are you afraid, you of little faith!" That's right. The Lord saw the disciples' faith in that situation.
Even now, Jesus allows storms to test the faith of our saints. “How much faith do you have in me? Big faith or little faith? Do you believe in the existence of God? Do you believe that God is with you?” Do not forget that God confirms from time to time.
Therefore, when we face the storms of life, we must remember to test our faith and not forget that disasters and tribulations come to strengthen our weak faith.
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2) To show that Jesus is the Messiah (Why do storms come to believers?)
Until then, Jesus' disciples were people who knew and followed Jesus as 'teacher, rabbi, or prophet'. They did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, even though Jesus healed the sick and performed miracles. So our Lord needed to show them that he was the Son of God. So the storm was allowed.
When the disciples say, “I am going to die,” Jesus wakes up and rebukes the wind and the waves. Perhaps to the sea, “Be calm. Be still.” He must have commanded. Think about it. Does the wind have ears? Does the sea have ears? Why are you shouting? But when Jesus shouts, it quickly becomes silent. Isn't it amazing?
When it rains during the monsoon season, shout it out. "Stop the rain. Be calm, be still." You can't just shout about cancer. You'll only hear the locals say you're crazy.
But why did the wind and sea calm down at Jesus' command? This is possible because Jesus has a divine nature, He is the Creator, and He is the Lord of all things.
We call the many miracles that Jesus performed as signs. Why are you signing? Because Jesus' miracles are to show that he is the Messiah. Jesus walks on water, raises the dead, and feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fish. All of this is to show that Jesus is the Son of God.
That is why John 20:31, the conclusion of the Gospel of John, says this. “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Dear saints, Therefore, when hardships and storms come upon us, we must remember that there is only one person who can calm them down, and that He is “the Son of God, the Creator, and the Messiah.”
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3) To convict of sin (Why do storms come to believers?)
Sometimes storms come as the cause of my sins. Jonah disobeys God's command and runs away. I'm not going to Nineveh, I'm going to Tarshish. Then the ship is hit by a huge storm. The storm is because of Jonah. In the end, God pointed out Jonah's sin by drawing lots and demanded repentance. When Jonah is thrown into the sea, the wind and waves are calm.
It's not like that, but sometimes our storms are caused by our sins. Therefore, believers should look back on their sins when storms strike. If we do not realize our sin, God sometimes makes us realize it through storms.
Of course, if we repent, He will not destroy us. He simply uses the storm as a means of discipline for love. That's why the psalmist said in Psalm 119:71, "It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes."
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▶ What kind of attitude should the saints have when facing storms?
I have to depend on the Lord rather than on my own.
The disciples must have thought that they were better than Jesus at sea, so they would have used their methods and experiences without waking Jesus up. But this was a foolish decision.
Jesus is the Creator of all things. There is no one in this world who can stand against His wisdom and power. That is why Job 12:13 says, “Wisdom and power belong to God, and counsel and understanding belong to him.”
This is not just the story of Jesus. Both now and in the future. No matter how much science advances and the world changes, no one can stand up to the wisdom of Jesus. So, whenever you face the storms of life, please keep in mind that asking for his way and help is the greatest wisdom and the best way to solve problems.
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▶Conclusion of the Word
Why do storms come to those who believe in Jesus?
1) To test our faith
Through the storm, God said, “How strong is your faith? Big faith or little faith? Do you believe in the existence of God? Do you believe that God is with you?”
2) To show that Jesus is the Messiah
He wants to show that he is the only “Son of God, Creator, and Messiah” who calms the storm through the storms of life.
3) In order to make you realize your sins- This means that once you encounter a storm, you will look back on yourself. That the storm is using you as an instrument to purify you from sin.
What is the attitude of the saints in the face of storms?
I must depend on the Lord rather than on my own
Because there is no one who can withstand the wisdom of Jesus. No matter how much science advances and the world changes, no one can stand the wisdom of Jesus
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What storms in your life have you encountered now? Aren't you desperate right now that you can't help it in the midst of the storm? Through today's Word, we will discover the meaning of the storm that is beating us who believe in Jesus, and we will pray that we will go faster because of the storm by relying more on the Lord in the storm.