Epistles to the Cyberchurch - Su Min

To: All
From: Su Min
Subject: Storms

To my very dear children, and my extended family, my Christian brothers and sisters, near and far, and scattered all over cyberspace:

Today's lesson is recorded in Matt 8:23-27. Do read this passage and let the Word of God minister to you directly. A parallel passage is found in Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25.

This lesson is very precious to me when I go through actual physical storms with heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and even more so when I pass through metaphorical storms in my life. Most of us will go through turbulent times at one time or another. Read and store these words of God in your heart, that you may always weather the storm and keep sailing straight into the sunshine, safely back into the harbour. Learn to experience peace even in the midst of the storm.

Jesus had been ministering in the region of Capernaum. Big crowds had gathered around. He must have been tired physically, mentally and spiritually. He gave the order to depart to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. One bible commentary suggests that he intended to reach the east coast where it was quieter, so he could rest and pray and talk with God his Father. The mode of transport was probably a small little fisherman's boat (Luke 8:23). (In recent days archaeologists have uncovered from the bottom of the Sea of Galilee the remains of a fisherman's boat dating from Jesus' time here).

  1. Now it happened, on the same day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake". They left the great multitude behind, and he got into a boat with his disciples who followed him. Other little boats were with him. (Matt 8:23, Mark 8:35, Luke 8:22-23.)

  2. They launched out and as they sailed, Jesus went to the stern of the boat and lay his head on a pillow, and soon he was asleep. (Matt 8:24, Mark 4:38, Luke 8:22,23.)

  3. And suddenly a great windstorm came down upon the lake, a great tempest, a windstorm arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered in waves. The waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling with sea water, and they were all jeopardy. (Matt 8:24, Mark 4:37, Luke 8:23.)

  4. His disciples came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Lord, save us! Master, Master we are drowning. Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" (Matt 8:25, Mark 4:38, Luke 8:24.)

  5. But Jesus rebuked them, "Why are you so fearful, O you of little faith? How is it that you have no faith? Where is your faith?" (Matt 8:26, Mark 4:40, Luke 8:25.)

  6. Then Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and said to the raging of the water in the sea, "Peace, be still". And they ceased and there was a great calm. (Matt 8:26, Mark 4:39, Luke 8:24.)

  7. So the men marvelled, and feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the wind and the waters of the sea, and they obey him?" (Matt 8:27 Mark 4:41, Luke 8:25.)

May God add His blessing to the reading of His Holy Word.

The lesson may be taken in 6 steps.

  1. Now it happened, on the same day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake". They left the great multitude behind, and he got into a boat with his disciples who followed him. Other little boats were with him. (Matt 8:23, Mark 8:35, Luke 8:22-23.)

    Jesus knows where he wants to go, and leads his group across the lake in a little boat. His disciples are obedient enough to follow Him. Jesus, with the supreme knowledge and foreknowledge of all, must have known that there would be a storm. We, his disciples should have equal obedience to follow him wherever he directs us, even into the midst of great tempestuous storms. Can there be any situation that Jesus leads us that he does not expect? The answer is "No!" Will Jesus always be there by our side, in the same boat in all situations that he has led us? The answer is "Yes!" With that encouragement we can boldly follow Jesus wherever he would lead us.

  2. They launched out and as they sailed, Jesus went to the stern of the boat and lay his head on a pillow, and soon he was asleep. (Matt 8:24, Mark 4:38, Luke 8:22,23.)

    Jesus, as Lord of all, is supreme commander of the elements. He needs not fear the storm, and is comfortable to rest in any situation. With the supreme confidence of the Master of The Universe by our side, in the same boat as us, what need we fear?

  3. And suddenly a great windstorm came down upon the lake, a great tempest, a windstorm arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered in waves. The waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling with sea water, and they were all jeopardy. (Matt 8:24, Mark 4:37, Luke 8:23.)

    Fierce sudden storms are not uncommon in Lake Galilee. Note how the gospel writers capture the acuteness and severity of the great tempest that abruptly envelops the boat, swamping it with great waves that rock the boat and flood it with seawater. The disciples panic, feeling that they are soon to meet a watery end at the bottom of the lake. Perhaps they know of fishermen who have lost their lives in similar windstorms. The storm is threatening to swamp them and drown them..

  4. His disciples came to Him and awoke Him saying, "Lord, save us! Master, Master we are drowning. Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" (Matt 8:25, Mark 4:38, Luke 8:24.)

    In panic the disciples know how to go to Jesus. Hmm, reminds me of some people who know how to turn to God in times of disaster, but when the going gets good, turn their faces the other way! No doubt they have panicked and temporarily lost faith, but to their credit they have followed Jesus into the boat, and in crisis they have turned to Jesus, appealing to him, supplicating for succour.

  5. But Jesus rebuked them, "Why are you so fearful, O you of little faith? How is it that you have no faith? Where is your faith?" (Matt 8:26, Mark 4:40, Luke 8:25.)

    Jesus had hoped that his teaching and example would have inspired his disciples. If he the leader could sleep through the storm, why not them? God's protection shelters us in the Rock of Ages, Under the shadow of His wings, a very refuge for the poor, a shelter from the storm.

    • "When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by (Deut 32:11)."
    • Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed (Ps 57:1).
    • Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings (Ps 63:7).
    • He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust"(Ps 91:1-2).
    • The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand (Ps 121:5).
    • You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall (Isaiah 32:2).
    • I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand (Isaiah 51:16)
    We, who are his followers, should enhance our faith with the word of God, and echo these faithful and trustworthy sayings.

  6. Then Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and said to the raging of the water in the sea, "Peace, be still". And they ceased and there was a great calm. (Matt 8:26, Mark 4:39, Luke 8:24.)

    Can you imagine what it would have been like to witness this miracle? On a tempest tossed boat in the midst of a gale force storm, Jesus gets up and rebukes the winds and says to the sea, "Peace, be still". And instantly they obey. Great calm, not just a bit of calm, but great calm, as great as the storm was great, great calm comes upon the waters.

  7. So the men marvelled, and feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the wind and the waters of the sea, and they obey him?" (Matt 8:27 Mark 4:41, Luke 8:25.)

    And the marvel is for you and me to experience my friends, as Jesus comes to calm the storms in our life. They may be big storms, little storms, great giant turbulent tempestuous storms. A shaky relationship. A rocky examination. A wobbly health status. Cancer, heart attack, death of a loved one. Job insecurity. Housing problem. Problems with parents, problem with children. An addiction to alcohol, drugs, to gambling, to sex.. A spiritual crisis. Spiritual dryness. Backsliding.. Drifted away from church.. Got involved in black magic, other religions... You feel adrift, cast out in the raging storm. Turn to Jesus. Place your faith back in him. Call out to him in anguish. "Lord, Master save me." And I believe that in confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as Lord in your life Jesus will calm your storm. He will reach out to you and say "Peace, be still". And you will experience his peace, his shalom that passes all understanding. Praise be to God!

Let us close in prayer.

For any comments or enquiries please write to Dr. Lim Su Min


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