Who Is This Man?

[0:00] Verse number 22 of chapter number 8 in Luke's Gospel, in your copy of God's Word, it says this, Now it came to pass on a certain day that he went into a ship with his disciples, and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake, and they launched forth.

[0:16] But as they sailed, he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled with water and were in jeopardy. And they came to him and awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish.

[0:31] Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging water, and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith?

[0:44] And they, being afraid, wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this? For he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him.

[0:56] It's kind of a familiar passage of Scripture. There's some great truths that we can take from this. And the question we need to ask ourselves is this, Who is this man?

[1:08] Who is Jesus to you? Is he just somebody that he hopes in the boat, maybe can fix a few things? Because I think the disciples are really starting to realize who Jesus Christ is.

[1:21] Because he's more than just a miracle worker. He's more than someone just to fix your problems. No, he is the Lord of all. Even the wind and seas obey him.

[1:34] Let us be reminded of that truth this morning. Father, thank you for this opportunity you've given us to be here. Lord, thank you for the wonderful songs that have been sung. Thank you for this special. And Lord, sometimes we look at our life, we look at our world, and we should all have that desire that you would come.

[1:49] But Lord, I pray that while we are still here, Lord, that we would live for you. We would do what you've called us to do. Lord, I don't know what kind of storms people are facing in their life right now, but I pray that over these next few moments that maybe the storm doesn't leave, but their focus has changed.

[2:11] Lord, I pray that if there's someone here today that does not know you as their Savior, that today would be that day. Lord, I pray you'd be with me now. I pray you would just empty me of self, cleanse me of sin.

[2:22] Lord, fill me with your spirit. Lord, I need your help. Lord, I need you every hour. Lord, I pray you'd be with us now as we open up your word. In Christ's name, amen. Thank you for standing. May be seated. Did anybody ever watch Deadliest Catch?

[2:39] Like, I don't know what those people, how many screws they have loose to get in those boats. It's amazing when you see that. And now I know why crab costs a lot of money when you go to the store and you go to the restaurant and you want crab.

[2:52] You're like, well, that's expensive. Well, watch the show and you'll understand why they charge so much money. I mean, they are risking life and limb so you can eat some crab on the patio at a restaurant one day.

[3:04] But it is crazy. See, I can't imagine being on a boat like that and being out there. I mean, and the boat's going all the way up and it's coming all the way down and the waves are coming over. And those guys are just chilling.

[3:16] And they're just kind of hanging there. I mean, it's just normal life for them. I heard about a cargo vessel that was crossing the North Atlantic and encountered a violent storm. And the waves began to crash over.

[3:28] They were so high. And they started just ripping off the lifeboats and just battering the ship. And some of these greenhorns on the boat, they began to panic and they're running around.

[3:39] Except there was one man. He was in the galley and he was just sitting at a small table, sipping coffee. Like it was just some ordinary day on the boat.

[3:50] And one of these rookies yelled at him, how can you sit there so calm? Don't you see what's going on? I'm pretty sure we're going under. The man just smiled and he replied.

[4:03] He said, I've been through worse. And besides, I've seen the captain and I know he's at the wheel and I trust him. See, that man had been through some things before.

[4:14] And yet he knew the captain of the boat that he was on and he trusted him with his life. And as we come to Luke's gospel and our text this morning, that's kind of the same thing that's going on.

[4:24] Except the crew members have forgot who's actually in control of the boat. They forgot who the captain really was. And before we really dive into this, I want us to see that this passage isn't about whether storms will come.

[4:42] They will. You're welcome. I wish we could come in and say, well, here's a way to avoid storms in your life. And if you do these few things, then you're never going to, you're going to have smooth sailing.

[4:54] Well, I can't find that anywhere in the Bible. And we're going to see in a minute, we don't want smooth sailing. Because smooth sailing doesn't create skillful sailors. It doesn't allow us to grow closer to the Lord.

[5:08] No, this passage is about whether we truly trust the one who's at the helm. Who's guiding the boat. Who's leading us where he has called us.

[5:19] And in this short yet unforgettable story, Luke records how Jesus reveals his identity through this storm. Because that's what he wanted to teach his disciples.

[5:31] And we're going to see this in a minute. Jesus knew what was coming. And yet they were still in the boat. And he taught his disciples then. And he teaches us still today that, number one, that God orchestrates the circumstances of our lives.

[5:46] That's what we see there in verse number 22. It says, now it came to pass on a certain day that he went to a ship with his disciples. And he said unto them, let us go over onto the other side of the lake.

[5:58] And they launch forth. You know, we've been studying on Wednesday nights and our faith that triumphs lessons. We looked at the life of Job. And the life of Job is one that you might know the first couple chapters.

[6:13] And you think, man, that guy had a rough day. And he did. But when you really study the life of Job, you realize that Job comes to this conclusion that while he doesn't always understand it, that he knows that God is in control.

[6:29] And God knows the way that he was taking it. And Job believed wholeheartedly that he would come forth as gold. Now, it wasn't easy. And Job went through some extremely difficult things.

[6:40] But he came to this conclusion, I don't know it, but I'm just going to trust God. I'm just going to trust that he knows where he wants to take me. And that's what we see taking place here in the beginning of our text.

[6:54] Luke begins kind of nonchalantly that, hey, it was just another day. And the disciples probably thought the same thing. They're there and they're just enjoying maybe some time to get away.

[7:05] Jesus says, hey, we're going to get on the boat. And they're thinking, yes. You know why? Because they probably got tired of people. You ever get tired of people? Yeah. You know, Jesus was always, every time somebody came up, they were thinking, I thought we were done for the day.

[7:18] I thought we were going to clock out. No, but they're there and there's really nothing special about the day per se. What we do know is Jesus has been in this area, has been ministering to the crowds.

[7:30] We looked at the parables. He's been teaching. He's been healing the sick. We see that at the end of chapter 7 into chapter number 8. But then Jesus just says, let us go over unto the other side of the lake.

[7:47] Now, a couple things when we read that phrase. Number one, the journey was his idea. The disciples weren't trying to press him and say, hey, Jesus, this is what we want to do.

[7:58] No, this is exactly what Jesus told him. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to all get in this boat and we're all going to go to the other side. So, number one, the journey was his idea. They didn't stumble into this storm that's going to take place here in this text by accident.

[8:15] Sometimes this is hard for us to wrap our minds around. But the one who can control the storms is the one that led them directly into it. You ever been in a storm in your life?

[8:29] You think, Lord, really? Did you not see this coming? Why would you lead me here, Lord? But what we're going to see is many times in the storms that God can teach us things.

[8:43] See, when they launched from the shore, conditions were calm. I would assume they would have been perfect for sailing. Because if the storm would have been on the horizon, you know Peter would have said something.

[8:55] Peter likes to talk. Have you noticed that about the scriptures? Peter said, listen, Lord, I know you're a carpenter. I'm a fisherman. Let me explain. See those clouds? Bad news. But we don't see that taking place here.

[9:07] We see that the conditions were probably great. Nobody complained about leaving the crowds behind. They're thinking, yes, it's finally some good old R&R. We can just get on the lake.

[9:18] Nobody can find us here. But conditions can change quickly on the Sea of Galilee. And I would imagine you've experienced in your own life that conditions can change just like that as well.

[9:33] Just like my voice is changing instantaneously up here. You're just going to have to go with it this morning. But sometimes that happens like that. And sometimes we assume, and I think we want to believe, and we even convince ourselves that if we're following Jesus, the skies should always be blue.

[9:52] I've thought that. Yes, your preachers thought that. Lord, I don't know if you know this, but I'm doing this, this, and this. Why is this storm happening in my life?

[10:05] I think that's a natural response sometimes. Because we look around at the world, and you really study scripture. You find some good men and women that had the same question. You study the psalmist, and they're thinking, how can the wicked just do whatever they want?

[10:19] And God's people seem to suffer. And yet, we find ourselves there sometimes. But this text also reminds us that many times obedience directly takes us into situations that are intended to stretch our faith.

[10:35] See, I was like, yeah, let's get in the boat. But God was going to grow them. God was going to show them something. He wanted to teach them a great truth. And it just reminds us here this morning that your interruptions and your delays and your unexpected hardships in life, listen, they're not random.

[10:58] Listen, a trial is never wasted when we allow the Father to work it in us. God doesn't want to. He's not just trying to make our life miserable. No, sometimes difficulties come because He wants us to grow closer to Him, to trust Him more.

[11:15] Listen, God uses them to reveal who He is. Because we see that by the end of the story. Not only does He use these storms and these trials to show us Him, but He uses it to show us our need.

[11:28] You know, because when skies are blue, seas are calm, anybody can do that. Like, this is easy. Like, I can handle this boat.

[11:41] But when the storms come, you want somebody that knows what they're doing. And you realize this, I can't do this. And sometimes God allows things in our life to remind us that we need Him.

[11:53] We know we do. We say, oh, I need the Lord. And yet we walk out and live like we don't even know who He is sometimes. Listen, we need Him every hour. We need Him every minute of every day.

[12:05] And these storms that we face in life, these circumstances that God allows, He does that so we can build trust in Him. Because I would imagine there's been things you've walked through, and as you walked into it, you thought, I don't ever want to do this again.

[12:25] But when you walked out the other side, you loved Him more. You knew Him more. You had trust in Him. And guess what? When the storm comes again, you say, well, at least I know who the captain is.

[12:39] At least I know, like that man sitting there drinking that coffee, how was he so confident? Because he knew the captain knew what he was doing. And that's what Jesus wanted to teach His disciples.

[12:50] But I love this little phrase, before the wind really picks up, and before the storm really comes down on this little boat, Luke adds this little detail that kind of sets the tone for the whole scene.

[13:03] I love this. Verse 23. But as they sailed, He fell asleep. This is great doctrine right here.

[13:15] We talk about doctrine in the next steps. This is the doctrine of napping. Yeah. How many of you subscribe to this doctrine? Just don't subscribe right now, okay?

[13:25] We're going to get you home, and you can take a nap here in a minute. But I love this. We see here in this little phrase that, yes, Jesus is fully God. We know that.

[13:37] But He's also fully man. And that's really the mystery of the incarnation. That He is both. Listen, He didn't cease to be God. People say when Jesus came that He ceased to be God.

[13:50] That's not what happened. No, He veiled His deity. There was times where it really popped out and showed forth. They said, wow, what is going on here? We think of the disciples when they go on the Mount of Transfiguration.

[14:02] We see other situations like that where they realize, we're not dealing with just some kind of good prophet. Even at the end of this story, when He calms the sea, they think, whoa, where did that come from?

[14:16] I mean, it's one thing to maybe see some of these other things, but they're really beginning to see who He is. And Luke really shows us His humanity. That He's physically exhausted from ministry.

[14:27] He's asleep in the boat. But here's a great thought as well. That His sleep is also a sign of His trust in the Father. I read in a book one time, and I thought, this guy's weird.

[14:41] But he says, your sleep can show us what you believe about your theology. You know, sometimes we think we're the only people that can do it. And God needs us. And we're going to burn the candle at both ends, because if I don't do it, nobody's going to do it.

[14:56] You know what sometimes we just got to do? Sometimes you just need to go to sleep and trust that the Father can handle it. That's sometimes what just needs to happen. Remember when Elijah was all struggling, and he's there, and he's thinking, well, I'm the only prophet left.

[15:08] Why don't you just kill me? God says, you know what you need, Elijah? A nap. Go to sleep and let me handle some of this. Isn't that what he did? Right? That's exactly what he did. But yet we find Jesus here, and he knows the storm is coming.

[15:22] He understands that. He's God. But yet he rests, because he knows the Father's plan cannot be overturned, and he's in complete control. And by the way, he already told him, let's go to the other side.

[15:39] How many times does God tell us something, but when the storm comes, we forget what he told us? They completely forgot that Jesus said, hey, we're going to the other side.

[15:50] This storm begins to come, and they get anxious about it. And when we come here, we're reminded that true peace isn't the absence of trouble.

[16:01] Sometimes that's what we're looking for. We think, I just need peace in my life. I just need no problems. Like, I'm for that too. Like, I'm not looking for problems. But that's not really what it is.

[16:13] It's confidence in the one who's in control. Because you're never really going to come to a place in life where you have no problems, where there's no issues.

[16:24] You know, if you're there, it's probably because you've just forgot all the things you're supposed to be worrying about. Yeah. Like, man, I've got no problems today. Well, maybe you should look at your calendar. You have problems.

[16:36] You just decided not to go to him. See, if Jesus fully trusted his father, so should we. He trusted in the father's plan.

[16:48] And we're going to see next week why he got in this boat. Why he was willing to go through this storm. Because there was a man on the other side that he intended to meet. He had a divine appointment with this man that was demon-possessed.

[17:01] And everybody had written him off. And yet Jesus knew, hey, I have an appointment with this man, and I'm going to make it there. That we're going to make it to the other side. But when we have peace with Christ, it doesn't mean that there's always peace in the weather of life, so to speak.

[17:17] And that's what Luke tells us there in verse number 23. And there came down a storm of wind on the lake. And everything changed in an instant.

[17:28] We see this, number three, that we panic when we lose sight of who's in the boat. Because when this type of thing starts happening in our life, it changes things.

[17:43] We begin to panic, and rightfully so. I mean, if you're in the middle of a, if you're in the lake and a hurricane comes, and a lake would be crazy. Because those are in the ocean. I'm on medicine, it's okay.

[17:55] But just a little topography lesson here. These sudden squalls are very common on the Sea of Galilee.

[18:06] Where the way the mountains are, and the cold air rushes down the mountains, and it collides with the warm air that's over the lake, and it produces these fierce winds. I just know if I was alive in this time, I probably wouldn't have gotten on the lake.

[18:19] Just to be honest. It seems like the disciples go every time because Jesus said, now that's a good thing. I guess I should rephrase that. If Jesus said get in the boat, I probably, hopefully, would have gotten the boat.

[18:33] But they're in there. And this storm comes out of nowhere. And it seems like it just instantly takes over, and they were filled with water.

[18:45] Now, I'm not a boater, but I know one thing. It's not supposed to be in the boat. It's supposed to be on the outside of the boat. Yeah. I mean, some of us know better than others.

[18:55] We're not going to point it out on situations like that. But you want the water outside of the boat. And we're reminded here, just in case we forgot, some of these men in this boat are not amateurs.

[19:09] This wasn't their first time in the lake. Four of them we know for sure, and possibly more. This is where they made their livelihood. These were professional fishermen. This was their stomping ground, so to speak.

[19:23] They had seen a storm or two in their time. But there was something different about this one. They know they're in real danger. And notice what they do.

[19:34] They came to him and awoke him saying, Master, Master, we perish. Now, sometimes we give the disciples a really hard time.

[19:48] But here's the great thing they did. They went to the right person. They went to the right person. They went to the one person they knew that could probably do something about it. But the problem they had is they didn't ask for help.

[20:02] They questioned whether he really cared. Isn't that what storms do to us sometimes? When skies are blue, seas are calm.

[20:13] You know, somebody asks, how are you doing? Blessed and highly favored. You know, better than I deserve. It's easy to give a good answer when life is good. But when all of a sudden the cold wind rushes down the mountain, hits the warm air, and life is turned upside down, we say this.

[20:32] Lord, do you even love me? Lord, do you even know where I'm at? Lord, I don't know if you know this. There's water in my boat. And maybe you're here this morning.

[20:44] And it feels like water's in your boat. And it feels like the Lord has forsaken you. Let me remind you, he doesn't. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, he promised to never leave you nor forsake you.

[20:58] But what are you looking at? Are you looking at the storm? Are you looking at all the situations? Are you looking at the Savior? See, we often believe that Jesus loves and cares when things are good.

[21:11] But when it doesn't, where are you, Lord? But that's not the case. Listen, Jesus loved them. He already had a plan for them.

[21:22] And when panic grips us, it's usually because we're staring at the storm instead of the Savior. And that's true in my own life. I just keep talking about the storm and thinking about the storm and Googling the storm and this or that.

[21:37] And the Lord's like, what about me? Why don't you come to me? I know the verse that we're to cast all our cares upon the Lord because he cares for us. But, you know, that doesn't apply right now because I'm in a storm.

[21:50] No, it still applies. But God still wants us to go to him. Listen, faith doesn't pretend that danger isn't real. That's not what we're teaching here. That's not what Jesus is teaching his disciples.

[22:01] No, faith remembers who's in command when the danger is real. That who's in control. See, the disciples fear it drives them to wake Jesus.

[22:15] And what he does next is really just boggles their mind. So they run and they wake him up. I wonder how quick he woke up. This is just me thinking out loud. Because he's like my kids.

[22:28] It's not the first time. You know, I wonder if he just went slow just to kind of teach them a lesson. Kind of, hmm. Oh, what is going on, Peter?

[22:41] I thought you were in control of everything. I thought you could handle it. I think Jesus had a little bit of sarcasm in there. I mean, he picked Peter. I think he had to. I just wonder how it was.

[22:52] These are one of those things. I hope we get to see how this kind of played out. You know, because they're trying to be nice and they're trying to kind of wake him up gently. But obviously this is a difficult situation. But the Bible says there in verse number 24.

[23:05] Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased and there was a calm. I love how it's just so just matter of fact.

[23:18] And it should be. Because Jesus has authority over everything. But he has authority over nature because he is God. See, for the disciples to see this type of miracle, it boggled their mind.

[23:33] But really it just, it should have harkened them back and reminds us that this is the same voice that spoke. Let there be. And there was.

[23:44] Many of Jesus' miracles, maybe you wonder why does he speak? Because he is showing once again who he is. That he is the creator.

[23:54] That he is the sustainer. And that's why he could say these things and everything. Listen, creation still obeys his voice. And Luke uses this same word rebuke that he does when Jesus silences the demons.

[24:11] That it's just, they instantly respond. We've seen that when we walk through there in the synagogue in his hometown. When he speaks, the demons listen.

[24:24] Because they know who he is. That he is the sustainer of all things. The forces of nature are no less subject to him. And it just, it should comfort our hearts.

[24:40] That everything that terrifies us. Everything that keeps us up. Everything that causes us to worry. Is under his authority. Everything is a shadow in his light.

[24:54] There's nothing that's going to come up that's going to surprise him. That he's not able to do that. And he may not still every storm right away. Because maybe you're sitting here this morning thinking, I've been praying for the Lord to stop this storm in my life.

[25:12] Well, maybe that's not his intention. Maybe the intention is to stop the storm in your heart. That he's trying to get your eyes off of everything else and onto him.

[25:23] That's where he was trying to get the disciples. That's what he wanted them to understand. And I would imagine, this is just me.

[25:35] I don't, I think he just spoke. He didn't yell. It was just a calm. He has that authority. And the lake is glassy calm now.

[25:50] But the disciples are still real turbulent in their own life. Their hearts are still kind of all over the place. And what Jesus reminds us in verse number 25, the first part, is this.

[26:02] That trials are meant to strengthen our faith. Now, we don't like to hear that. We don't, we're not looking for trials.

[26:16] But if we allow the one that's in control to be the guide, to be the captain, here's what a trial can do. It can strengthen us. It can help us.

[26:27] It can help us to move forward. Jesus asked, where is your faith? Did you notice he didn't say, do you have any faith?

[26:40] It's kind of this. Hey, where'd you put your faith? Where'd you set it down? Anybody ever set something down and can't find it? Yeah.

[26:51] You know how you walk in a room and you're like this. Has anybody seen my keys? I don't know where they're at. Has anybody seen my phone? Sometimes we treat our faith like that.

[27:04] We'll bring it on Sunday morning. We'll bring it on Sunday night. We'll bring it on Wednesday. Wednesday. But sometimes we get out in real life and the Lord's like, hey, where's your faith?

[27:17] Where's your faith in that job situation? Where's your faith here? Where's your faith at? Where did you put it? Their fear, here's what it did. It revealed that their faith was in good weather.

[27:31] Not the Lord. So they had no problems getting in the boat when the weather was good. But when the weather got bad, then they had fear.

[27:42] Because it was all based on the circumstances of their life. As long as life is good, then I'm going to have no fear. My faith is real good.

[27:55] I always have an umbrella, except when it rains. You know? Isn't that how it goes? I mean, you look at it, and sometimes you're even trying to plan it. Like, should I put this in my car?

[28:07] Should I take it with me today? No, I won't. And then it's lunchtime and lunch break, and you're thinking, it's a monsoon out there. Like, I have an umbrella. It's at home. Well, guess what? It's completely useless.

[28:19] Completely useless. Listen, faith unused and untested is like an umbrella that's left in a closet. You have it, but it didn't do any good for you.

[28:29] And what we're reminded here, as we kind of close this text out, is that faith is tested in storms.

[28:41] Listen, you should want your faith to be tested. That's how God grows us. That's how God brings us closer to Him. That's how we trust Him more. That's how you can see some seasoned Christian, and you're thinking, how can they just walk through this difficulty in life with a smile on their face?

[28:59] They know the captain. They've seen it. He's at the wheel. They know it. And it doesn't mean that it's easy. It doesn't mean that, like, hey, I don't have any worries all the time. No, no. But God uses these trials not to sink us.

[29:14] Because the Bible told us that they were filled with water, and they were in jeopardy. They were certain from all accounts they were going under. That's not why Jesus put them out there. Jesus wasn't going to let them sink in the middle of the lake.

[29:29] You know what He was trying to do? He was trying to anchor them more deeply into Him. They weren't just trusting life. And they weren't trusting their own abilities as sailors and fishermen.

[29:42] They weren't trusting their own talents and all of those things. No, they were trusting Him. That's where He was bringing them to. That even when life seems to be going well, you still need to be anchored into Jesus Christ.

[29:58] Not say, well, I don't need Him right now because everything's good. No, you need Him right now. See, the disciples' fear now shifts from the storm to Jesus.

[30:14] Notice what they say in verse number 25. And they being afraid. No kidding. I love when the Bible kind of just says that real quick.

[30:27] Jesus just stood up. Woke up, actually. Calmed the storm. I wonder what their faces were. I mean, I can't imagine. You ever just been somewhere like that?

[30:38] You just look at it like, did you just see that? I mean, they're shocked by it. And they start talking to each other. And they said, what manner of man is this?

[30:52] For he commanded even the winds and the water, and they obey Him. They realize He's worthy of our trust.

[31:09] He's worthy to follow. He is the one that is in control. And as long as my eyes are on Him, as long as He is in the boat with me, as long as He is my Savior, then I'm going to be okay, come what may.

[31:28] And we need to be reminded of that. Because we can set up, I can set up here and preach it, but I know there's going to be something coming in my life, and I'm thinking, Lord, do you even love me?

[31:39] Oh, He does. He's in control of everything. The thing that is, I feel like wrecking my life, all He has to do is just say, peace be still.

[31:54] You think, well, why doesn't He just say that sometimes? Why don't He just calm my storm? If He really loved me, why wouldn't He calm me? No, if He really loved you, He wants to make you more like Him. He wants to gain your focus and gain your trust, and so we can build that and grow closer and closer to Him.

[32:11] When Jesus looked at Him and said, well, guys, you survived. That's not what He said. He said, where's your faith?

[32:25] And that's the question I just want to leave with you today. Jesus doesn't ask that question to shame them. He doesn't ask that question to us to shame us. No, He asked that question because He wants to shape us.

[32:37] He wants to grow us more. See, every one of us will face moments where the wind howls and the waves rise higher than we think we can handle. Some of you have walked through them.

[32:50] Some of you are walking through them right now. Maybe it's a diagnosis that changes your life. A phone call in the middle of the night, a financial storm, a relationship that feels like it's sinking.

[33:01] And you think, Lord, if you would just fix this. See, in those moments, the temptation is to look at the storm.

[33:12] But this text reminds us that the invitation is actually to look at the Savior. Where's your focus? What are you looking at?

[33:25] Storms are coming. You think, well, I just got through one, so I'm good for a while. But they're still coming. In this world, you shall have tribulation.

[33:36] But be of good cheer. He has overcome the world. See, what you're going to face, you can't overcome. You can't make it through. You are in jeopardy.

[33:47] You will sink. But He won't. See, the disciples thought the real danger was the storm. But the truth is the real danger was in their doubt.

[33:58] And God wants to work that out in the storm that we face in life. God wants to move us from that and say, yes, it could be raging all around.

[34:09] But as long as Jesus is there, you're good. Because remember when Peter walked in the water? It wasn't calm seas. The storm was raging.

[34:21] And as long as Peter was focused on Jesus, he was good. But the Bible says he began to look around and began to see all the things going on. And he said, what am I doing out here? I can't do this.

[34:31] And he began to sink. What I love about our Savior, and we see it in this text especially, is that even when they forgot, even when they doubted, even when they questioned, Jesus didn't abandon them.

[34:51] He rose. He spoke. He calmed. Not just the waves, but their fears. And here's the good news.

[35:04] The one who commands the wind and the water still rides in the boat with his people. Maybe God's telling you this. Let's get in the boat and go to the other side.

[35:17] Maybe you're not experiencing any storms because you're not in any boat. You've got to get in the boat. You're not going to experience the storm on the sea when you're sitting on the shore. Yes, sometimes obedience leads to this, but you're going to come through the other side, and you're going to see things you never thought you could see.

[35:36] You're going to see God working in a way you never thought. We're going to see next week when they get over there, they meet this maniac of Gadara that no man could tame. Well, there is one man. Jesus.

[35:49] And see, they built some trust here on the water. Then they're going to build some trust there. Then they're going to come back, and they're going to see him work in Jairus' daughter and the woman with the issue. And it's just a reminder over and over and over.

[36:02] Stop looking at all the things going wrong in your life, and just look at the one constant, Jesus Christ. He's not distant. He's not powerless. He's never lost a battle.

[36:12] And so when you leave here today and the clouds start to gather in your life, don't ask, how big is this storm going to be? You can walk out and say, I'm thankful I serve a big Savior. I'm thankful God is in control.

[36:25] God, would you use this? Would you help me learn what I need to learn here today? And we can answer the same way that the disciples said, wow, what manner of man is this?

[36:39] That he did this in my life. And it can be a testimony to all those around you. Would you stand with your heads bowed, with your eyes closed? Amen. Amen.

[36:49] Amen. Amen.