Sermon Audio: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ministrybymail

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (NKJV)

Think about the worst storm you’ve ever been in. Do you remember what it felt like to live through it? You probably do because the event was pretty memorable—possibly terrifying—and has been burned into your memory.

Back in 2008 I was pastor in the Houston area when Hurricane Ike, a category 3 hurricane, hit. That was terrifying. More than 12 straight hours of torrential rain and hurricane-force winds. For much of the night I heard my house “creaking” and making very strange noises—almost as if it was being twisted—and this was a brick home, mind you! I remember hearing two huge chunks of the large trees behind the house breaking off and slamming against the peak of my roof in the middle of the night. As much as I wanted to see what it looked like during the worst of the hurricane, I was afraid to even peek through the blinds out one of the back windows of my house for more than just a few seconds!

When you witness the power of a hurricane and when you see the incredible devastation it produces you definitely feel your mortality. You definitely realize that man is nowhere near the most powerful force on this planet, and you definitely think thoughts like, “What could possibly stop a storm that big and that powerful!”

Perhaps this was what the disciples were thinking in the boat on the night of our text when, as so often happened on this lake, an incredibly fierce storm swept down upon the Sea of Galilee. This storm, however, must have been particularly fierce. Our text tells us, “And a great windstorm [this word in the Greek can mean hurricane] arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.” (Mark 4:37) The disciples realized their helplessness in this situation and at first appeared to do the right thing. Matthew tells us in his account of this incident that the disciples cried out to Jesus, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (Matthew 8:25)

These experienced sailors with all their skill threw themselves upon Jesus as their only hope; a man who had spent His life working as a carpenter, not sailing ships! But the disciples knew that Jesus was more than just a man; He was also true God. They threw themselves then on the mercy and power of the divine hands of Jesus. That was faith! However, we notice from our text that the disciples’ actions and words here were motivated by fear more than faith: They awoke[Jesus] and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v. 38)

What conflicting emotions and thoughts must have been running through the disciples! They obviously believed that Jesus, the God-Man, could do something to save them, but as they battled this deadly storm which was beginning to sink their ship [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on a pillow (v. 38a)! The disciples, of course took this as indifference on Jesus’ part: “Sure Jesus is in the boat with us, but He’s sleeping while we’re dying!”

The reality of the situation is that Jesus was actually showing a great display of faith by resting comfortably in the midst of this horrendous storm. His heart was completely absent of fear, and He trusted perfectly and completely in His Father’s care. He then showed His disciples in the most powerful way just how little they had to fear: Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. (v. 39) Wow! Whenever I read this text, I think of the satellite images I saw of Hurricane Ike and I imagine someone in a small boat on the Gulf of Mexico right in the middle of that hurricane in all its fury, saying, “Peace, be still!”—the image is so impossible, it’s almost laughable—but then imagine immediately having the wind cease and a great calm come over the waters!

Would you be astounded if you saw that happen? The disciples certainly were: And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (v. 41) This man is Jesus, the almighty, eternal God; the Ruler of heaven and earth! The disciples had Him in the boat with them! Therefore, Jesus had every right to rebuke them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (v. 40)

Do we always realize that we have Jesus “in the boat” with us every moment of our lives? We have the almighty God of the universe watching out for us every day! We have Jesus Himself “riding along” in our “boat” of life every day and He has said to us, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

Well, maybe we know that. Maybe that thought is always in the back of our minds, however our problem is much like the one the disciples had in the boat. The storms of life are swirling fiercely around us and are about to take us under, yet it appears to us that God isn’t doing anything about it. To us it appears as if He’s “sleeping;” indifferent or unconcerned about our problems. We think maybe He’s forgotten about us, or worse yet, maybe He’s punishing us for our past sins! In our fear we cry out, like the disciples, “Jesus, do You not care that we are perishing?” (v. 38)

Let’s ask ourselves—honestly—what kind of Jesus do we believe in? One who if we can’t see or feel His presence nearby must be uncaring, unjust, or simply unable to help us? Do we have a God who is “asleep” on the job while we are perishing?

Or is He Jesus, the “Storm Stiller”? The Ruler of heaven and earth who tells the sea, “This far you may come, but no farther, And here your proud waves must stop!” (Job 38:11) The One who tells the storms of our daily lives “Peace, be still!” and calms the “wind and the waves” of the stresses and pressures of the world we live in—our job, school, relationships, family matters, our health, our financial issues, etc.? Is He the One who, most importantly, calms the storms within ourselves; Who speaks to our troubled hearts and our consciences, which are drowning in sin and guilt, “Peace, be still!” as He says, “Be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you!” (Matthew 9:2) That’s our Jesus!

He is true man: In His compassion He came to this earth to be one of us. Our text made this very clear, didn’t it? Jesus spoke with a human voice; traveled by human methods of transportation (boat); He even slept (Mark 4:38)! He became man to be our Brother, our Friend, to go through what we go through in life; to be tempted like we are tempted, but Jesus never sinned. And so, He became man to do for us what we could never do: live a sinless life and keep God’s holy Law. Jesus lived for us; He even died for us! He became man to suffer the punishment of death and hell for our sins so that we would never have to! As we read in our New Testament reading, “For[God] made Him[Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus is also at the same time true God. The disciples asked at the end of our text, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (v. 41) The answer: He is God! Only God can control the winds and the waves. Only God can simply speak His Word and His will is done. Only God is powerful enough to save us. Jesus is true God! His blood is the only thing powerful enough to pay for all our sins—all of them! He is the only one powerful enough to raise Himself to life victoriously from the grave; to ascend to heaven; to rule heaven and earth for eternity. He is the only one powerful enough to raise us from our graves and give us the gift He earned for us: eternal life in heaven!

Jesus is our Brother and our Friend; He is our Savior and our God. He is still our “Storm Stiller”!

So, if I were to ask you to think about the worst “storm” of life you’ve ever been through, would a particular tragedy or traumatic event stand out—or maybe several? I can think of a few in my life. I would guess that we all can. Now, think of how Jesus got you through that “storm”—or those “storms.” You’re still here today, aren’t you?

Are you facing some of these “storms” of life right now? Think about that for a moment. What “storm(s)” of life are making you fearful; making you feel like you just might go “under” and drown in all the chaos and destruction? Now, trust Jesus, know that He will get you through this “storm”—or these “storms”—just as He has in the past, just as He has promised. And like His disciples cast yourself completely on Him and cry out to Him, “Lord, save us!” (Matthew 8:25)

Does Jesus still rule the winds and the waves? You bet! The words of that familiar hymn are still true, “Be still my soul; the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.” (Hymn 651 v. 2 TLH). Even more importantly, let’s also remember that Jesus still stills our storms, the storms of life, the storm of sin. Let’s remember the words we have heard Jesus, our God, speak to us this morning: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (v. 40) “Peace, be still!” (v. 39)

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)! Amen.

—Pastor Luke Bernthal

St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Mt. View and Hayward, CA

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