Our paragraph topic is: (The storm on the lake) Part 1.
23 Then he got into a boat, and his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves;but he was asleep.
Christ ordered the disciples to go across the sea when he saw the great crowds gathering. The word had spread of his popularity and all the crowds came to see him. And out of the woodwork came all who wanted to be near him. The groupies wanted to follow him. His disciples made excuses to leave him. And he had no place to rest. He got into the boat and set sail for the other side of the lake. Christ slept while they were traveling across the lake. Matthew tells us that a great storm arose on the sea and the boat was covered by the waves. But Christ was asleep in the boat.
Christ had just spoke to a groupie telling him that the Son of Man had no place to lay his head. He had no place to move away from the gathering crowds of people. He was like a movie star that draws crowds wherever they go. He had to have people to protect him and to be around him at all times lest he is mobbed by the people. Yet he was God made flesh like all other humans and required rest for his human body.
And the world raged on around him. The seas churned, the waves lashed against the boat, and the waters began to wash into the boat, filling it to near flooding. The disciples were panicking. They did not know what to do. They tried to bail out the water but it was too much for them. They were lashed about by the waves. They were thrown hither and yonder by the winds. They fought for their lives under the overflow of the waves. They were afraid. They feared for their lives. And Christ was asleep in the boat.
How often we face the same situations in our lives where turmoil surrounds us. We see our lives going down in destruction. We fear the worst for ourselves when change comes about that threatens our livelihoods. The waves of tribulation flood into our boat and we are lost not knowing what to do. We frantically try to bail out the water without any success. The waters of destruction overwhelm us leaving us frustrated and fearful. We panic. We live in a state of stress. We are angry at what has happened to us. We seek answers and find something to blame. We live in the past constantly reliving what we could have done to change our current circumstances. We do everything that we know to do, relying on our human strength to bring about a change.
In the previous paragraphs Christ has given us examples of authority, miracles of restoration, and opportunities of faith to lead us along the path. He is traveling somewhere and wants us to follow. He tells his disciple to follow him. He tells him to let the dead bury the dead implying that the living should be with him. And now in the mist of the worldly storm he sleeps. Should we sleep also following his example? Should we place our trust in him and not worry about what we see around us? Should we believe in his authority that will protect and guide us to safe shores? Or should we see the gathering storm and fear? Should we panic and use our human powers in an attempt to deliver us from the storm? Christ is asleep in the boat. Shouldn't we also rest with him? Shouldn't we also be at peace with him?
23 Then he got into a boat, and his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves;but he was asleep.
Christ ordered the disciples to go across the sea when he saw the great crowds gathering. The word had spread of his popularity and all the crowds came to see him. And out of the woodwork came all who wanted to be near him. The groupies wanted to follow him. His disciples made excuses to leave him. And he had no place to rest. He got into the boat and set sail for the other side of the lake. Christ slept while they were traveling across the lake. Matthew tells us that a great storm arose on the sea and the boat was covered by the waves. But Christ was asleep in the boat.
Christ had just spoke to a groupie telling him that the Son of Man had no place to lay his head. He had no place to move away from the gathering crowds of people. He was like a movie star that draws crowds wherever they go. He had to have people to protect him and to be around him at all times lest he is mobbed by the people. Yet he was God made flesh like all other humans and required rest for his human body.
And the world raged on around him. The seas churned, the waves lashed against the boat, and the waters began to wash into the boat, filling it to near flooding. The disciples were panicking. They did not know what to do. They tried to bail out the water but it was too much for them. They were lashed about by the waves. They were thrown hither and yonder by the winds. They fought for their lives under the overflow of the waves. They were afraid. They feared for their lives. And Christ was asleep in the boat.
How often we face the same situations in our lives where turmoil surrounds us. We see our lives going down in destruction. We fear the worst for ourselves when change comes about that threatens our livelihoods. The waves of tribulation flood into our boat and we are lost not knowing what to do. We frantically try to bail out the water without any success. The waters of destruction overwhelm us leaving us frustrated and fearful. We panic. We live in a state of stress. We are angry at what has happened to us. We seek answers and find something to blame. We live in the past constantly reliving what we could have done to change our current circumstances. We do everything that we know to do, relying on our human strength to bring about a change.
In the previous paragraphs Christ has given us examples of authority, miracles of restoration, and opportunities of faith to lead us along the path. He is traveling somewhere and wants us to follow. He tells his disciple to follow him. He tells him to let the dead bury the dead implying that the living should be with him. And now in the mist of the worldly storm he sleeps. Should we sleep also following his example? Should we place our trust in him and not worry about what we see around us? Should we believe in his authority that will protect and guide us to safe shores? Or should we see the gathering storm and fear? Should we panic and use our human powers in an attempt to deliver us from the storm? Christ is asleep in the boat. Shouldn't we also rest with him? Shouldn't we also be at peace with him?
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