Who is This? Part 3 – Luke 8:22-25

Throughout this aquatic journey in Luke 8, we learn who Jesus is. He is God who provides everything. By His providence, Jesus provides the plan, our purpose, and what we need. Jesus is also impassable which means He is not shaken or influenced by any circumstances. Though everyone else was at the mercy of the storm, Jesus slept peacefully in the tossing boat. It is when the disciples cry out to Him, that we see that Jesus is always near us and hears our prayers. 

Now we will see that Jesus is Almighty God. He is LORD, Yahweh, the Creator. He is mighty and no one can match his strength. His power is unique and divine  Even Satan had to ask permission before he could torment Job. His power does not wax or wane. Jesus simply got up, without having to warm up or stretch, He simply speaks and the storm is quiet. 

Jesus rebuked the wind. In other religions, they would pray or offer something for the sea to calm down because nature is treated as a god. Instead, Jesus rebukes the wind because it belongs to Him. Imagine the power of this raging storm and yet it cannot resist Jesus’ command in the slightest. The water stopped instantly and completely (Job 38:11, Jonah 1:15). Jesus’ power is absolute over all things.

Why can we not experience God’s power in our lives? Because we want to handle things our own way and not in God’s way. The prime example is the crucifixion where Jesus had to suffer and die. People wonder why didn’t Almighty God make another way. Like the Israelites, we think Jesus would have conquered His enemies through the military. Yet it is through the cross that Jesus has demonstrated His divine power by conquering the greatest power of sin and death. So when storms happen in your life, do you merely confess with your lips, do you wish Jesus would do things your way, or do you trust in Jesus who is Lord of All?

Jesus must be the sole object of your faith(Luke 8:25). There is no one else who has the power or worth. Jesus is God and Lord over Creation. After He calms the storm, Jesus asks the disciples, “Where is your faith?”. The storm is not the real issue but life is a matter of faith (Mark 4:40, Mt 8:26). It seems illogical and even foolish to tackle a storm with faith but this is how Jesus grew up and lived (Luke 2:52, Hebrews 2:13, Mark 10:33-34). Even until His dying breath, Jesus practiced faith (Luke 23:46). It was complete trust and love for the Father that allowed Jesus to endure the cross unto death and rise in victory. Jesus demonstrated faith in all things.  Therefore it is those who walk by faith that is Christian. A Christian without faith in Christ is a contradiction. Where is your faith? We all put faith in something but is it in Jesus the Lord? Our faith must be in Jesus and not in anything else (2 Corinthians 5:6-7)

Faith is trust and obedience to the will of God. It is placing our conviction in the person and words of Jesus Christ. Faith doesn’t depend on the sturdiness of the boat, on the sailing skills of a veteran fisherman, or anything else but on Jesus who is sleeping. Faith realizes Jesus is always near, ready to hear our cries for help (Matthew 28:20, John 14:8). Jerry Bridges said, Faith is “Obeying the revealed will of God and trusting Him for the results.” We must apply our faith in all circumstances (Romans 14:23). Only by faith can we please God and glorify Him. When we trust in God through faith, God gives us something better than what we asked for, something beyond what we deserve. For example, Apostle Paul was under great suffering and prayed three times to the Lord. God gave Paul something different in response to his faith (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).  God doesn’t waste any moment of faith but gives us something better. That is why Paul says he will praise God and boast about His weaknesses.

Conclusion

Faith is a work of the Holy Spirit. Desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit through God’s word (Psalm 42:1-2). Do not go through life with the same mundane patterns, coming to church as usual, reading the Bible as usual, or acting like a Christ as usual. John 5:5-9 shows a man who was ill for 38 years. He tried his best to heal himself according to the myths. After decades of doing the same thing, he meets Jesus and is able to walk. By trusting Jesus, his life was changed. Our lives will also be different if we have faith in Jesus Christ.