Have you ever ridden out a fierce storm on the high seas? I once (and only once!) found myself in that predicament. The year was 1973 when my family and I were going to England from Paris. This was long before you could hop in a car and drive under the channel. In those days you actually had to sail across. We left Paris by train thinking we were going to Calais for the short crossing since that is what it said on our train/ ferry tickets. It was not long before we left the station in Paris that we were told the train was being diverted to Dieppe because of “industrial action” (we call it a strike in North America) on the Calais/Dover passage. The Dieppe/ Newhaven crossing is twice as long as Calais/Dover and it traverses, not in the narrow gut of the English Channel, but further out in Atlantic waters.
A personal experience
The day was misty with light showers, which amounts to a reasonably fair- weather day in Great Britain, so we weren’t unduly concerned about the crossing. When we pulled into the Dieppe docks and embarked on what looked like a very sturdy 300-foot ocean-going ferry, we felt even more secure. It seemed, however, that as soon as the ship passed the harbor entrance at Dieppe, the wind picked up dramatically, and we were no more than thirty minutes into our four-and-a-half hour journey when we were told no one would be allowed outside on deck. As we got further out to sea, waves 30 feet or more poured over the bow and slammed into the bridge of the ship. At the same time, counter currents swirled through the channel at right angles to the direction of the ship’s heading causing it to roll side to side even as it plunged headlong into the oncoming storm which rocked the boat from bow to stern.
The condition of the passengers was not a pretty sight. I was never so sick in my life and neither had been the rest of my family. The crossing from Dieppe, France to Newhaven, England was, and still is, the longest and most painful four and one-half hours of my life. It is not one I would care to repeat. Nevertheless, in retrospect, I doubt that a ship that big was ever in any real danger and the crew didn’t seem that perturbed. Later research has convinced me that a ship that size should easily be able to weather ocean waves 50 to 60 feet high without serious danger. Nevertheless, there were a lot of very nauseous passengers aboard who shared our gratefulness when the ship finally docked in Newhaven, England and we set our feet on dry land.
Storms on Galilee
I understand that a storm in an inland lake can be even more treacherous than one on a vast ocean. In a relatively small lake such as Galilee, surrounded by very uneven terrain on the shores, swirling winds and reflections from the coasts cause havoc. Waves can reflect and plummet over the ship without warning from unpredictable angles and swamp the vessel without there being any time whatsoever for the helmsman to react and steer the bow directly into the oncoming maelstrom.
The danger of being dashed on rocky promontories or hidden shoals is also far greater for an inland sea than on the open ocean. My own, admittedly limited, but nonetheless unforgettable experience in crossing the English channel years ago gives me the greatest sympathy for the fear and terror that must have struck in the hearts of the disciples. They were caught in the midst of a terrible storm on the inland sea of Galilee, in a boat many times smaller in length than the one on which I had sailed.
Experienced fishermen
Among the disciples were experienced fisherman, not amateurs, and they must have been out in storms many times in the past. For them to have been in fear for their lives was not a panic born of ignorance, but must have been based on their sound judgment that the storm they were in was truly life-threatening. To fully appreciate this miracle, we must realize that the disciples didn’t think they were going to die, they knew it! The situation had a profound effect upon their lives, and its appearance in all three of the synoptic gospels makes it clear the story has deep significance.
The three gospel records precede the account of this miracle with different events, but it is clear from the wording in Mark 4:35 that Mark’s account gives the precise chronology. From Mark we have a picture of Jesus being alone with the twelve and as the record states: he expounded all things to his disciples (v.34). Perhaps our Lord Jesus was expecting at this juncture in his ministry some higher level of understanding on the part of his disciples, a level which perceived the workings of the spirit and the complete reliance on their Lord which was necessary for them, and us, to receive him completely into their (our) hearts.
The storm on the sea
The story of the storm on the sea of Galilee commences in quite a shocking fashion — in fact, almost an unbelievable manner. All three gospels record that Jesus apparently fell peacefully asleep immediately as they set sail (Luke 8:23) and he remained sleeping even as the intensity of the weather grew and the storm eventually threatened to engulf them. Some commentators have insinuated that Jesus faked his sleep to test his disciples, but personally I find such an idea repugnant and categorically reject such. Some people are completely at peace, even when all around them the storms of life heave to and fro. Their serenity comes from an inner strength, and I have no doubt that a tempest that would terrify me, or even the disciples, probably did not disturb our Lord Jesus in the least. It was also, naturally, a consequence of how tired our Lord must have been; as his ministry progressed he found himself laboring day and night to serve, teach, heal and meditate.
There are times when we may feel that our Lord Jesus Christ is sleeping and that he doesn’t hear our prayers. The storms of life may indeed appear overwhelming and we can rightfully feel that we will be drowned with sickness, anguish, tragic circumstances, or severe disappointments in ourselves, friends or family. Indeed, it is a very rare person who can live a whole lifetime without ever facing the danger of being swamped by the storms of life. Ultimately, we will all at some time or other face our own demise and unfortunately what is far worse in many respects, the passing away of others very close to us, whether dear friends or beloved brethren. How will we face such circumstances? Let us see what the disciples did and then find out if there might be a different, perhaps better way.
Getting back to our ship in the midst of the storm in the sea of Galilee, note that the disciples do precisely what you and I would no doubt have done, they went in panic (apparently) to wake their Master. The fact they approached Jesus shows they had some degree of faith he could do something about it. Obviously, they didn’t simply abandon ship. As with other miracles, faith enters into the performance of the act.
The miracle
In two of the gospel records we find Jesus immediately arises and commands the storm to cease, or as it says in the NIV: Quiet, be still. Moses had performed a miracle over the forces of nature; as we are told in Exodus 14:21: And Moses stretched forth his hand… the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night. Surely the disciples were aware of this miracle, but they also were aware it took all that night! What Jesus did that night on the sea of Galilee truly dwarfed all other miracles of nature recorded in scripture That this was so is clearly recognized by the disciples: What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him. (Luke 8:25). Possibly they also had in mind the words of the Psalmist (65:5,7) when he said that it was the God of his salvation., which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of the waves.
By the act of commanding the storm, the Lord Jesus unequivocally identified his power as being directly from the Lord, the God of their salvation. The immediate stilling of the waters was a unique miracle that could not in any way be attributed to mere circumstance. The justification for this statement should be obvious because even if the storm winds had ceased by some fortuitous circumstance precisely at the moment the Lord Jesus had spoken, there is still no way under heaven that the seas would have also immediately stopped their pounding. After a storm the laws of fluid mechanics guarantee that wave action would continue perhaps for many hours until sufficient friction forces eventually caused the action to dampen. For both the wind and the seas to cease instantaneously is truly a miracle of nature unparalleled in history and beyond the realm of any human ingenuity or coincidence.
Many witnesses
It is important to note that it was not just Jesus and the twelve disciples who witnessed this miracle. The gospel of Mark (4:36) adds the interesting parenthetical comment that there were also with him other little ships. From this it is obvious that many others witnessed the incredible events that night on the Sea of Galilee. They were neutral observers and could testify both as to the intensity of the storm and the abrupt ending of the fierce wind and waves. The miracle was certified beyond the shadow of any doubt.
Faith required
It wasn’t that the disciples were completely without faith, which is the impression you get if you only read the Mark (4:40) account: How is it that ye have no faith? The issue really was not that black and white and clearly the disciples had enough faith to wake Jesus and ask him to do something about the terrible storm. The question is, did they have enough faith to do nothing, but instead go on with their business and trust that the Lord would act on his own accord if necessary? It is a dilemma that we can face ourselves when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm us.
The Lord, in fact, chides them for having little faith (Matt. 8:26); clearly he expected (hoped) that they had a lot more faith than they demonstrated that night on the Sea of Galilee. If we look ahead we can see from the record in Acts that the spread of the gospel would take great acts of courage and absolute faith in the Lord Jesus would be necessary if they were to persevere. Thus, half measures were out; only complete faith would do; Jesus Christ was no doubt preparing his disciples for the arduous tasks that he knew the future would bring. We can gain insight into the working of faith by examining a few of the incidents that take place in the book of Acts.
We find in choosing the seven elders of the Jerusalem Church, the issue is not their financial acumen or even their administrative talent. Instead, as it is explicitly stated in the case of Stephen, they chose him because he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:5). The fullness of his faith was an absolutely essential quality and it was to be tested in the most awful manner. When Stephen is tried and committed to stoning we do not find a coward nor one crying for immediate salvation; instead we are powerfully struck by his complete submission to his fate: But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God (Acts 7:55, 56). There was none of the panic exhibited by the disciples back on that terrifying stormy night on the Sea of Galilee.
Stormy trials inevitable
Again in Acts we find that it was by faith that Paul healed and this faith was a quiet assured commitment. Consider, for example, the impotent man at Lystra: He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed (Acts 14:9 NIV). The record goes on to say:…remain true to the faith. We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God (NIV). We cannot expect an easy life without trials and at times terrible tragedies might well strike our lives. In other words, being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a ticket for a guaranteed fair weather crossing!
There will be storms in our lives and they might even at times threaten to swamp and drown either ourselves or those very close and dear to us. But absolutely nothing should cause us to lose our faith. Being a disciple will not absolve us from potentially serious illnesses, emotional upheavals, loss of jobs and income, severe disappointments and even betrayals by friends or family. If this were not so, everyone would become a disciple and life would be perfect for him/her (and for us) and faith would have absolutely no meaning.
The lesson on the limits of our expectations in this life is given to us in the letter of the Apostle Paul to Timothy: But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (I Tim. 6:69). Notice that men drown when they are swamped with foolish and hurtful lusts, not when they are full of faith.
Focus on the future
Ultimately, the storms of life can only plunge us into the depths of the sea if we fail in our faith, for, as with Stephen, if we have our minds completely focused on the future glory there can be nothing in this life that can touch us. Faith calms the stormy seas in our lives and will eventually bring us to a safe and peaceful harbor, which will provide us rest and eventually put us on the shore in the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One