What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!

Beloved, I am glad to share with you today on “Jesus dominated the storm and there was a great calm”. We are still implementing the power that the Lord Jesus received in heaven and on earth. Indeed, after the healings and deliveries of evil spirits, he shows here that he dominates over the elements by subduing the sea and the storm.

The Bible tells us about it in Mat 8.23-27: “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

So when he is taken on board with his disciples, a violent storm rises over the lake and the Lord Jesus is asleep. The disciples awaken him with cries of anguish: “Lord, we are perishing!” He reproached them for their little faith, then having risen, he commanded with authority over the winds and the sea, and great calm returned. So all the witnesses to this situation are in awe.

How small this Sea of ​​Galilee is, there often arise violent storms because of the surrounding mountains. So it is with our existence which is also crossed by menacing storms which we overcome thanks to our faith in Almighty God. Yet in this danger, the Lord Jesus slept, as a result of human physical fatigue, with the calm of a conscience in peace, before manifesting after his awakening, the majesty of his divine power: He first calms the worries of his disciples, then he calms the waves of the sea. This is an admirable blend of power and love from him (Psa 107.28-30).

The disciples deserved to be reproached for lacking faith by the question addressed to them by the Lord Jesus: “Why are you afraid?” This anguish, which went so far as the fear of perishing in the presence of Jesus and with him, was certainly, after all that they had already seen and heard from him, a lack of confidence. But who, if not the Lord, would dare to take them back? And the question makes sense. For whoever does not see in him the Master of nature whom he created, will never admit that the winds and the sea obey him, as well as sickness and death. It is in fact his double human and divine nature that he demonstrated throughout his earthly life. Because he needed great efforts of imagination to explain this kind of facts in a natural way and without the intervention of the divine power which was in him. The disciples’ weak faith grows at the sight of this miracle.

The different passages compiled below will edify you in understanding our theme.

I. CHRIST SHARED HUMAN EXPERIENCES

• Humanity of Christ: he shared human experiences

-the sadness: Mat 26.37 “ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

-natural growth: Luke 2.40 “ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.”

-hunger: Luke 4.2 “ where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.”

-sleep: Luke 8.23 ​​“ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. ”

-poverty: Luke 9.58 “Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 

-a physical body: Luke 24.39 “ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

-tiredness: John 4.6 “Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”

• Physical sleep: Gen 15.12 “ As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.” ; 

Jonas 1.5 “All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.” ; Mat 26.40 “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.

• Human weakness leads to depend on God: 

2 Chr 20.12 “Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” ; Psa 127.1 “ Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” ; John 3.27 “ To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.” ; 2 Cor 3.5 “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”

• The Ununderstood Power of Christ

-to forgive sins: Mark 2.7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

-to calm the storm: Mat 8.27 “The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” 

-to heal the sick: Mark 2.12 “He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

-to feed the crowd: Mark 8.4 “His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

-to drive out demons: Mark 9.22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

-to master the forces of nature: Mark 11.21  “Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

-to descend from the cross: Mark 15.31 “ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!”

-to raise the dead: John 11.37 “But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

-to conquer death: John 20.25 “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

II. CHRIST DOMINATES ON EVERYTHING

The power of Christ manifested over nature:

-to multiply the loaves: Mat 14.20 “They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

-to walk on the sea: Mat 14.25 “ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.”

-to find what to pay the taxes for: Mat 17.27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

-to dry out the fig tree: Mat 21.19 “ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.”

-to calm the storm: Mark 4.39 “ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

-to change the water into wine: John 2.7 “Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.”

• Examples of weak faith: 

Mat 6.30 “ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” ; 

Mat 8.26 “ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” ; Mat 14.31 “ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”; Mat 16.8 “Jesus, having known him, said: Why do you reason in yourselves, people of little faith, about what you have not taken bread?”

• Doubt is reprimanded by Christ: 

Mat 6.30 “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” 

-Peter sinking into the sea: Mat 14.31 “ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

-the disciples unable to heal: Mat 17.17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”

-the disciples in the midst of the storm: Mark 4.40 “ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

-the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: Luke 24.25 “ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!”

• Dominion of christ

-is eternal: Dan 7.14 “ He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

-is universal: Zec 9.10 “ I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

-on nature: Mat 8.27 “ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

-on the Church : Eph 1.22 ” And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,”

-on the heavenly powers : 1 Peter 3.22 “ who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”

• Christ causes astonishment: 

Mat 13.54 ” Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.” ;

The mastered sea: Psa 33.7 “ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars ; he puts the deep into storehouses.” ; Pro 8.29 “ when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.”

The subdued wind: Mark 4.39 “ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

From all of the above, we note that our existence is also crossed by violent storms that we overcome; thanks to our faith in the Lord Almighty God, father of our Savior. The Lord Jesus uses the power from above that he received to work miracles. First he calms the worries of his disciples, then he calms the waves of the sea. And it is evident that these storms were allowed to put the faith of the disciples to the test, and to bring out the dignity of the person of the Lord. If the enemy was the instrument to produce fear and worry, it only succeeded in giving the Lord the opportunity to manifest his glory. This is always the case for Christ and for us when faith is found. This is an admirable blend of power and love. With him we will always be more than victorious. Our prayers support you all in your efforts in this direction.

PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS ​​CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR

I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows :

Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.

I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.

I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To you all adoration, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!

I would be happy to respond to your questions and comments, before sharing with you next week on the healing by the Lord Jesus of two demoniacs.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.

David Feze, Servant of the Lord Almighty.