Turning in our Bible now to Luke
chapter 8, Luke the 8th chapter, and I'm taking the title for
the message from the words found in verse 25, the last part of
verse 25. And he said to them, where is
your faith? That is the Lord Jesus Christ
speaking to his disciples now, his apostles, his inner circle.
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 the voice of the
Lord Jesus Christ. So I'm taking the title from
the words found in verse 25. What manner of man is this? The Lord Jesus Christ. He commands
the winds and the seas And they obey him. Now, can any mere man
speak to the wind and say, stop? Or to the boisterous waves to
stop? Can any mere man do those things? Well, you would certainly think
me a fool if I walked outside on a windy day and said, stop. No mere man can do that. But
the Lord Jesus Christ is more than a mere man. He is a real
man. He is fully man and truly man. But let us never forget when
He assumed our nature as a man. God manifests in the flesh that
He never stopped being Almighty God. In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the
Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. The Lord Jesus Christ became
what He was not, flesh, but He always remained what He has always
been, Almighty God. He never laid aside His deity
when He robed Himself and clothed Himself in our humanity. Thank
God that He didn't. Now, this story of the disciples
upon the stormy sea of Galilee is given unto us in Matthew chapter
8 and in Mark chapter 4 and here in Luke chapter 8. Mark chapter
4 says, He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea and said,
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased and there
was a great calm. Over in Matthew chapter 8, when
it gives the account there, it says that there were other little
ships around. What do you think they thought
when they were out there experiencing this same storm and all of a
sudden, it stops? No doubt they had wondering in
their mind, but they did not know what was going on. With
the mere words of his mouth, The Lord Jesus Christ stopped
the violent wind, calmed the raging sea, and there was this
great calm. I can imagine the sea was just
flat. and smooth, and clear, and calm. You see, when he speaks, it done. When he commands, it stands fast. For his word is quick and powerful,
sharper than any two-edged sword. There were also in that ship
with the Lord Jesus these fearful disciples who were so terrified. I mean, the ship was taking on
water. The ship was sinking. Their life was in peril. They were so afraid and so fearful
they were going to perish in the storm. Their fears were also calm. And
it says in Matthew 8 that they marveled when He said, Peace,
be still. It says here that they wondered
Imagine what was going through their heart and going through
their mind. Why were they so fearful? They
were with the Lord. Let us never forget, they were
men at best. The best of men are only men
at best. And truly, truly, the Lord Jesus
Christ, He is a marvel, is He not? Truly, the Lord Jesus Christ,
He is a wonder. His name is called Wonderful
Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. The Lord
Jesus Christ is our marvelous Savior. Call His name Jesus. He shall save His people from
their sin. And is He not our wonderful God
in whom we trust? Let the redeemed of the Lord
say so. The Lord is good. The Lord is
gracious. You see, He is God our Savior. We say with the Apostle Thomas,
He is my Lord, and He is my God, and He is my Savior. Now, let's
take a look at verse 22 in Luke chapter 8. And he answered and
said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear
the word of God, and do it, or believe it, verse 22, and it
came to pass. Now it came to pass on a certain
day. Now, it just didn't happen. We
know better than that, don't we? It just wasn't blind fate. It came to pass on a certain
day, because the Lord Jesus Christ brought it to pass, that he went
into a ship with his disciples, and he said unto them, This is
the Sea of Galilee. He said, let us go over to the
other side of the lake. Now, why must he go over to the
other side of the lake? Well, we're going to find out
next week. There was a man over there that
the Lord Jesus Christ must meet. He came to pass because God,
by His great purpose, He brought us to pass. Whatsoever the Lord
please, that's what He does. He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. The Lord must cross over the
Sea of Galilee to the other side, because there's a wild man there
that needs taming. next week, who was full of devils
that needed healing, that needed salvation. You see, he was one
of God's chosen. He was one of God's elect, and
the Lord must cross his path. Like we read about in John chapter
4, when the Lord said he must needs go through Samaria. Remember? Why? Why must he go through Samaria? The Jews tried to avoid that
city of Samaria. Because he must meet a woman
there at the well and give her salvation, for she is one of
the Lord's chosen. He said to her, I give unto thee
everlasting life, a well of water springing up into everlasting
life. The Lord will go wherever his
sheep are and call them out with the gospel message of salvation
in Christ. They must hear the gospel and
they will. And they will come to the Lord
Jesus Christ in saving faith. Turn to John over there in John
chapter 10 just for a moment. Hold your place there in Luke
and find John chapter 10. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of God's power. All that the Father giveth to
me, they shall come to me. In John chapter 10. Look at verse 22. And it was
at Jerusalem, the Feast of Dedication, and that was winter, and the
Lord Jesus walked in the temple of Solomon's port, and came the
Jews round about him, saying to him, How long dost thou make
us to doubt? If you be the Christ, tell us
plainly. John 10, 25. He said, I told you, and you
believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. You believed not. because you're
not one of my sheep. I said unto you, as I said unto
you, my sheep hear my voice. I know them. And they follow
me, and I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave them me is greater than all. No man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." You
see, the sheep, when they cross the path, when the master crosses
the path of the sheep, they hear his voice and they receive his
word and he gives them eternal life and they follow him. God saves his elect, his sheep
on purpose and by his grace. God who saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and His own grace, given us in Christ before the
foundation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ never saves
sinners by accident. Every sinner whom he wisely saves,
he saves by his purpose. And his purpose is an unchanging
purpose. His purpose is a sovereign purpose. It's no mistake or accident that
you bumped into the gospel one day. God was looking for you. And he crossed your path one
day with the gospel truth that set you free. Now Luke chapter
8, look back over there. So he said, let us go over to
the other side of the lake. and they launched forth. Now,
verse 23, and as they sailed, he fell asleep. Now the wind
must have been blowing gently. I just can imagine when they
set sail and the wind caught that sail and there was a gentle
breeze and the ship moved out of the port. They sailed But
as they sailed, the Lord Jesus Christ went to the back part
of the ship. He found some kind of a makeshift
pillow, pillowed his head, laid down, and he fell asleep. As they sailed, he fell asleep. And there came down a storm of
wind upon the lake, and they were filled with water, that
is, the boat, was filling with water, the waves breaking over
the bow of the ship, and the ship was in jeopardy. The ship
was in great peril, and they were alarmed. But you know what
I find most amazing here? The Lord Jesus Christ, who was
God Almighty, is sleeping. Here we see something of his
real, true humanity. He was a real man. It says there in John chapter
4, being wearied with his journey. That's why he sat down on Jacob's
well and asked that woman for a drink of water. He was thirsty. He was wearied with his journey.
We see the Lord Jesus Christ, not only Almighty God, sending
the storm, rebuking the storm, but also fully man needing to
take a nap, needing to rest his body. He was a real man, bone
of our bones and flesh of our flesh. As I get older in this
flesh and older in this body, I find myself having a need each
day to take a nap. The Lord Jesus Christ can identify
with us as a real man. He knows our frame. He knows
that we are but dust. You see, our Lord knew hunger.
He knew thirst. He knows by experience all the
frailties of this flesh. but he had sinful flesh, but
he had real flesh. And you know, we never read in
Scripture, he never performed a miracle to relieve his own
suffering. Now, he did that for others,
but never for himself. He asked that woman, I need a
cup of water. Well, he could have just said,
let that water be. But he never performed a miracle
to relieve his own suffering. You see, he identified with us
in his humanity. But thank God, he does perform
many miracles for us. You see, he was tempted and tested
in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Such a high
priest became us. Real humanity. He took humanity
to his deity, married it together in one blessed person. He was
tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin. He had a real body just like
ours, just like you, flesh and blood. He took upon Him flesh
and blood apart from sin. That's why He had to be. His
humanity was created by God the Holy Spirit, virgin born. As
man, He slept. But as God, we read in Psalm
121, that He never slumbers nor sleeps. He that keepeth Israel,
He never slumbers, He never sleeps. As man, He slept. But as God,
He sends a storm and then He calms the storm. As man, He was
made sin for us who knew no sin. But as God, He put away our sin
by the sacrifice of Himself. You see, God bought the church
with His own blood. He appeared once in the end of
the age and put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. As man,
the God-man mediator, He obeyed the law of God for us. He said,
I didn't come to destroy the law. I came to honor the law
of God. Isaiah writes of Him, The Father
is well pleased of the Son, for He has exalted and magnified
the law for us and has brought in everlasting righteousness. As God, He received perfect As
God, He received that perfect obedience as a justifying righteousness
for us. Hold your place there and turn
over here to the book of Philippians chapter 2. And here we see the
humanity and the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ expressed in
these verses. Philippians chapter 2 verse 5. Philippians 2 verse 5, Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,
being God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.
and being found in fashion or habit as a man, he humbled himself,
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name, that at that name of Jesus, the Lord
Jesus Christ, every knee should bow, and things in heaven, and
things in the earth, and under the earth, that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the
Father." You see, He's just the perfect Savior we need. obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. As a man, He can sympathize
with us and identify with us. Let's find another scripture
on that. If you find the book of Hebrews, chapter 2, verse
14. Hebrews 2 verse 14, For as much
then as his children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy
him that had power of death. devil, the devil, and deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject
to bondage. For verily he took not on him
the nature of angels, but he took on him, he laid hold of
the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren. that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that
he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor
them that are tempted." And that word, succor, there being simply
to save, those people from their sin. You see, He's just the Savior
we need. As man, He can sympathize with
us and identify with us. As God, He is able to save us
to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. The last part
of verse 23, with the first part of it rather,
but as they sailed, he fell asleep. And then it says there, and there
came down a storm of wind upon the lake. As man, he sleeps. As God, he sends a storm. You see, he's the God of providence.
There came down a storm upon the lake. He's the God of the
storm because He's the God of all the weather. He's the God
of all creation and the God of all nature. Now, one of my favorite
channels that I watch on TV is the weather channel. I like the
weather channel, but I get quite put off when they talk about
Mother Nature. I don't like to hear anything
about Mother Nature. I like to hear about the God
who controls the weather, but they can't say that. There's
three ladies I never like to mention. Mother Nature, Lady
Luck, and Miss Fortune. Don't ever mention those three
ladies in in relation to anything about God's good providence. You see, the Lord is in control
of all things. He is the sovereign Lord of all
things. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did He in heaven and earth seize in all deep places. He does all things in heaven
and in earth according to His sovereign purpose. Now sometimes
being the frail, weak creatures that we are, sometimes we have
a tendency to think that everything's out of control. Everything's
out of control. My friend, not so. The Lord God
Almighty is still on His throne. He's never abdicated His power
nor His throne. He's still on the throne ruling
the affairs of this world with exact wisdom and almighty power. precise wisdom, He is the almighty,
powerful, sovereign ruler, for He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. Of Him, and through Him, and
to Him are all things to whom be glory, both now and forever. The Lord is sovereign in creation,
He created all things by the word of His power. He upholds
all things by the word of His power. The Lord is sovereign
in providence. All things are of God. What's
unfolding in time is what God has decreed from all eternity. Explain that. I can't. It doesn't need explaining. Faith
believes God is God over all things. The Lord is sovereign
in creation. The Lord is sovereign in providence.
And as I've said for many, many years, the Lord is sovereign
in salvation as well as He should be. Salvation is of the Lord. He prayed, Father, You've given
me power over all flesh that I should give eternal life to
as many as Thou hast given to me. He will have mercy on whom
He will have mercy. Now I know the rebel and the
ungodly reprobate, they don't like to hear that. They don't
like to hear that God will save whom He will. But my friend,
that's the God of Scripture. This is the God with whom we
have to do. God is not who you think He is, He's who He is.
As He revealed in His book, and He said, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. That's the God who controls all
things. Now look at verse 24, back in
Luke 8. And they came to him, and awoke
him, saying, Master, Master... I just can't imagine they shook
him. Lord, we're taking on water,
and we're going to perish. heroes rebuked the wind and the
raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calm. You get a bunch of water moving
and it takes, to stop that momentum, and the waves lay down, he stopped
the momentum, the power of the water, and it was still. Still. Did not move. Still. And the raging wind stopped. Now, the Lord sent this trial,
the Lord sent this storm into the lives of the apostles for
their good. and for their benefit, and for
us too today. Well, they said, Master, Master,
we perish. And then in Matthew 8 it's recorded,
Lord, save us or we perish. In Mark chapter 4, Master, don't
you care that we're going to perish? They charged him with
not caring for the sheep. Imagine such a thing. Now, how
does all that help us? The Lord does not send trials
and storms into our lives to create faith. Faith is the gift
of God. But the Lord does send trials
and storms into our life for our eternal good. The Lord does
send trials and storms to reveal our faith and to strengthen our
faith and to reveal our faith whether it is real or whether
it is phony. Turn over here to 1 Peter 1. That's why Peter when he writes
about trials, now remember Peter was in his boat. Peter was one
of these who said to the Master, don't you care that we're going
to perish? And he was fearful. 1 Peter 1. And then when God the Holy Spirit
writes through Peter, He says in 1 Peter 1 verse 6, wherein
ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye
are in heaviness, through manifold temptation, that the trial of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
Though it be tried with fire, it might be found unto the praise,
and honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom have ye
not seen ye love? In whom though now ye see him,
not yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your soul." Oftentimes, temporary faith, And false and phony faith
is exposed in the time of trial. Usually what is born in the storm
dies in the calm. Oftentimes in sickness or trial
and heartache, people get some kind of temporary faith. But
I've found over the years that which is born in a trial usually
dies when the storm goes down, but not so saving faith. Saving
faith remains steadfast. True faith may be shaken, have
times of Doubts and fears, but true faith never completely collapses,
nor is it ever removed. We may have times of unbelief.
You see, the Lord has promised us grace for the trial. He does
send the storm, He does send the trial, but He also sends
the grace. Find 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. The Apostle Paul knew something
about trial, didn't he? He was shipwrecked. He was beaten
with rods. He was scourged. He was stoned. He was drug out of the city as
a dead man. He certainly knew something about
trials. Well, some of them say he must
not be living very godly or he wouldn't suffer such terrible
things. Really? 2 Corinthians chapter
12, And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance
of revelations, there was given to me, verse 7, a thorn in the
flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be
exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the
Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me,
My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will
I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may
rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake, for when I'm weak, that's when
I'm strong. The Lord has promised to never
leave us, to never forsake us. Oh, He does send the trial. He
does send the storm. But He also gives us grace in
the time of storm. And He enables us to persevere
in the faith that just shall live by faith. But now look at
verse 25, back in Luke 8 verse 25. He arose, he rebuked the
wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and there was
a great calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? Where is
your faith? They, being afraid, wondered,
saying one to another, What manner of man is this? For he commandeth
even the winds and the waters, they obey him. The best of men
are only men at best. These are the apostles who were
so fearful their faith seemed to be almost gone. The greatest of saints are still
Sinners saved by God's grace. The strongest believers are still
sometimes filled with unbelief. Don't you find that so? I do. The Lord in His mercy rebuked
the wind, but He also rebuked them. Didn't He? Luke 8.25 says,
Where is your faith? In Mark 8.26 He says, O ye of
little faith, And then in Mark 4 verse 40, he says, How is it
that you have no faith? Now, it's not that the disciples
here were completely without faith altogether. They believed
the Lord and looked to Him for all of salvation. However, their
fear so overwhelmed them and overcame them, they seemed to
act like unbelievers. How many times have you experienced
that? When a heartache and a storm
comes your way, it takes a little time to realize that all things
work together for good, and we know that all things work together
for good to them who love God, to them who are called by His
purpose. You see, our fears arise out
of unbelief. Don't be too discouraged. Faith and fear oftentimes reside
in the same heart. Faith and fear. You remember
the father that had the demon-possessed child, and he brought him to
the Lord, and the Lord said, All things are possible to them
who believe. Remember what he said? Lord,
I do believe. Would you help my unbelief? Help
my unbelief. Many times the Lord instructs
us to fear not, but believe Him. Let's look at a few. Find Isaiah
35. He uses this phrase over 50 times
in the Scriptures, and I'm not going to read all 50 of them,
but if you'll find Isaiah 35, Isaiah 35, Verse 3, "...strengthen ye the
weak hands, confirm the feeble knees, say to them that of a
fearful heart..." Have you ever been there? Have you ever experienced
that? Is His mercies clean gone? Has
God forgotten to be gracious? Who said that? David. Man after
God don't hurt. Say to them that have a fearful
heart, be strong, fear not. Behold, your God will come with
vengeance, even God with a recompense. He will come and He will save
you. Turn to Isaiah 41. Isaiah 41 verse 10. This is one
of my favorite scriptures. Isaiah 41 verse 10. I trust you
have it marked. In this chapter, fear thou not,
for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, I am thy God,
I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Look at verse
14, fear not thou worm, Jacob, ye men of Israel, I will help
thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 43, turn there. Verse 1, Isaiah 43, But now thus
saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, he that formed thee,
O Israel, fear not. Why does the Lord keep saying
that? Because we have such a tendency to be so fearful and weak. Fear not, for I have redeemed
thee, I have called thee, By thy name, you are mine. When
you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. When you go
through the rivers, they won't overflow you. When you walk through
the fire, it won't be burned. Neither shall the flame kindle
upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One, thy Savior. I gave Egypt for your ransom. and Ethiopia, and Seba, since
thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, I have
loved thee, therefore I give men for thee, and people for
thy life." Verse 5, Isaiah 43, Fear not, I am with thee, I'll
bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.
You got the idea? Fear not. Trust Him. Trust Him. Fear not, but trust
Him. Now in closing, let me give you
this. The last thing I want us to consider is how longsuffering
and full of compassion the Lord is with His little children. And that's what we are. He does
not cast them out. He does not cast them aside. He gently rebukes them and corrects
them out of love, doesn't He? Where is your faith? O ye of
little faith! You see, whom the Lord loveth,
He chasteth and correcteth every sign whom He receiveth. The Lord
gives them more reason to trust Him and to love Him. He calmed
the storm. Peace be still, and there was
a great calm. The Lord deals with His children
in a most gracious way. Oh, that men would praise the
Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful work to the children
of men. You see, think about this, four
things in closing. We deserve no mercy. We're not
worthy of the least of His mercies. Yet the Lord delights to show
mercy unto us. It's not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. It
is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. We deserve
no mercy. Yet He's merciful. The Lord is
good. Secondly, we deserve no forgiveness. Do we? We've all sinned and come
short of the glory of God. We deserve no forgiveness, yet
He freely forgives us for one reason, for Christ's sake. In
whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sin, according to the riches of His grace. Thirdly, we deserve
no salvation. Yet he is willing and ready to
save all that come to God by him. He said, I'm the door. By
me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. How do we enter in?
How do we come to Christ? By faith, believing him. All you that labor and heavy
laden coming to me, the Lord said, I will give you rest. All
that the Father gives to me shall come to me and those that come
to me, He said, I will know why I will never cast them out. We
deserve no mercy, yet He delights to save us. We deserve no forgiveness,
yet He freely forgives us. We deserve no salvation, yet
He saves us for Christ's sake. We do not merit or deserve His
love, do we? No, we don't. God committed His
love toward us. And while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Having loved His own which are
in the world, He loved them to the end. Hearing His love, not
that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to
be the sacrifice for our sin. He loved us with an everlasting
love. Therefore, with loving kindness
does He draw us unto Himself. Let's find one more Scripture
and I'll send you home with this. Psalm 103. Psalm 103. Oh, that men would praise the
Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to the children
of men. And they are wonderful considering
who we are, considering what we have done, Psalm 103. Bless the Lord, verse 1. Bless
the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His
holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
forget not all of His benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities,
who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction,
who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercy, who
satisfies thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is
renewed like eagles. The Lord executes righteousness
and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known His
ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord
is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
He will not chide, neither will He keep His anger forever. And
look at verse 10. He hath not dealt with us after
our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquity. For as the heaven
is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that
fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has
He removed our transgression from us. Like as the Father pities
His children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him. He knoweth
our frame, He knoweth we are but dust." Thank God. He is God. Thank God He's pleased
to save sinners for Christ's sake. Lord, save us. We perish.