Matthew 8: 23 - 9:7 Three Amazing Miracles Cont.

The Calming of the STORM on the Lake of Galilee.

Mat 8:23  And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

Mat 8:24  And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

Mat 8:25  And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."

Mat 8:26  And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

Mat 8:27  And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

Mat 8:24  And behold, there arose a great storm  [a furious storm NIV] on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

Notes

And Behold, {and LOOK},  Matthew is painting a vivid picture of what took place that day.

there arose a great storm  [a furious storm NIV] on the sea, Usually the word used to describe the storm is used for Earthquakes.

tempest G4578 σεισμός seismos Thayer Definition: 1) a shaking, a commotion

2) a tempest 3) an earthquake

This was a truly wild and turbulent storm to be out on the Sea. The Boat was being covered by the waves. They were breaking right over the boat so that the Boat was being submerged quickly by them

but he was asleep. Jesus was completely asleep while the winds howled and the waves roared. He must have been exhausted.

He had been teaching and healing most of the day and people can be draining and ministry is wearing on the Human energy and soul. To sleep through such an event must have been indicative of his extreme exhaustion.

Mat 8:25  And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." {we are drowning} Moffat’s Translation

Lord, Save, We perish…..

This was a disaster and their cry for help needed to be short and swift.

If you are in a danger cry out to Jesus He will save you.

Mat 8:26  And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

"Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?"

Jesus calls his disciples “Men of Little Faith”.He was there in the boat they should have trusted Him knowing who He was and what he could do. This may have been a huge storm on the Sea of Galilee but He should have been trusted more than the boat or the circumstances.

Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

He rebuked the winds and the sea,

rebuked epitimaō  Thayer Definition:

4) to tax with fault, rate, chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely

4a) to admonish or charge sharply

Illustration:

I remember while living in Central Congo in the 1970s in a mud-brick home with lightweight aluminium roof a great storm came from an unusual northerly direction.  We had the Roof trusses tied by cables to cement All I could do was cry out to God in my heavenly prayer language. To our great joy the storm quietened down as quickly as it came.

Our Central Congo Home

Here is my daughter Robyn’s description 40 years later.

“Some of earliest memories from Africa are every vivid. One of my earliest was when I was about four years of age a that great storm came. We were petrified and you hid us in your arms as you bellowed in tongues at the storm. We felt safe.”

Robyn in the Congo

SO CRY OUT TO GOD AND HE WILL ANSWER AND DELIVER YOU

Mat 8:27  And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

What manner of man - What kind of a personage. How unlike other men! What a vast display of power! and how far exalted above mortals must he be!