THE WORD 4 ev 1

Read Matthew 8 (click here for link)

What sort of man is this? It is amazing how quickly the modern reader reads right through the astounding things that this man, Jesus, does in chapter 8. How often have we read accounts of Jesus calming the storm, of his healing the sick, exorcising demons? We know exactly what kind of man this is—but do we, really?

Now… I hate being critical, but it seems to me that we sometimes read this more like a comforting parable than as bona fide history. However, Matthew is clearly determined to show us that this is no mere parable that Jesus told in general about the power of good over evil or faith over doubt. This really happened! Jesus really calmed a violent storm and the disciples didn’t know what to think about it—they were shocked, scared. Yet, too many times I have heard this text applied to the modern Christian life in an allegorical way. The allegory usually plays out like this: We are the disciples and we face our own storms in life and Jesus is the one who calms the storms. Does this sound familiar? Yet, something has always rubbed me the wrong way about this application. It is too easy. Where is the shock and the awe? Where is the exclamation point? To simply make the quick generalization that Jesus does the same thing in our lives grossly misses the point.

In fact, despite its familiarity, this account of Jesus calming the storm is actually one of the hardest things for us to swallow. After all — be honest — how many times has Jesus actually calmed a violent, thunder and lightning storm in your life? It has more often been my experience that in the storms of life Jesus has been strangely absent and has not always protected me—at least, not like he does in this text. Here, Jesus makes the danger go away, completely. But He does not always do that today, nor will he always do so for the disciples. They will go on to face many storms and dangers in the coming years. Indeed, even Jesus will not be spared in the end, when he submits to his Father’s will and dies on a cross. Therefore, to make such a general application of this text that Jesus will always calm the rocking boat of life, I believe, might insult the true experience of many Christians who today bear patiently with faith the burden of discipleship, despite the storms that rage around them. In fact, this is the persistent difficulty with the Christian message for so many, we follow a Lord who has the full ability to calm chaos with a word, but sometimes remains silent.


Of course, this is not to say that miracles never happen today. Nor is it to imply that God will not hear us when we turn to him in our fear in the face of the storm and cry, “Lord, save us!” Indeed, He has promised to be with us: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) But we must remember that the entirety of Jesus’ work here on earth during his life and ministry was a first fruits work of God—a sign and promise of what is to come. Notice, that in the account of Jesus meeting the two demoniacs in the region of the Gadarenes, the demons ask Jesus, “Have you come to torment us before the appointed time?” They are shocked to see God at work so powerfully before the last day.

Some two thousand years ago, the world groaned as with the pains of birth. Something had to happen. And so, at the right time, God broke into history, as he had so many times before (as testified in the Old Testament). However, this time, he did something that shocked everyone who encountered this miracle—even demons. God stepped into the flesh. Jesus Christ truly was “God with us.” Who is this man? Well… the winds and waves obey him! Sickness departs at his touch! Demons flee before him! This man rose from the dead. Whatever the plan of God may be for this groaning world, Jesus is the key to that plan. He is the Savior—the maker of heaven and earth. But our Lord is not always where we expect him to be. When the women came to the empty tomb on that dark Easter morning, the angel told them, “He is risen. He is not here.” Indeed, he is not here — not in the flesh! He has risen. He is sitting on his throne as Lord of heaven and earth.

Thus we walk now by faith whereas the disciples walked by sight. Faith is no easy thing; by its very definition it believes in something that cannot be proven or seen. But he has promised to return — at an appointed time — and he will bring all of heaven with him. Of course, this is a difficult hope to cling to when the dark storm clouds gather, but what else can we do but follow him as the disciples did — even to death. But this we know for sure: there is real hope now — even in the storms of life. Not even death can kill our hope, for it could not kill Him. We wait for the day when this God in the flesh returns to speak calm into the chaos, once and for all.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Pastor Aaron