The Night Of The Storm

August 7, 2022

     The Jewish Rabbis said the Sea of Galilee was God's chosen sea.  I have never visited the land where the Sea of galilee is located and with the turmoil that exists in our world today, I doubt that I shall ever go there.  I must be contented reading descriptions of those who have.  However, we must remember that Galilee is a rather small body of water.  It is oval shaped, only 13 miles long and 6 miles wide.  On the eastern shore, mountains rise to about 2,000 feet.  To the north is the snow capped summit of Mount Hermon.

     It is said to be a chosen sea, not because of its beauty.  It is a chosen sea because of its prominence in the life of Jesus.  We cannot be certain of the location of most places mentioned in the Bible.  We do not know where Calvary or Gethsemane actually were.  Yet, we can be certain where the sea of Galilee is.  It rolls just as it did in the days of Jesus.  The fishermen still fish its waters.  The same brown mountains still rise about it.  The same stars look down upon it.  The same storms convulse its waters.

Take away the incidents in the life of Jesus associated with Galilee and when you do a good part of the gospels is gone.  It was at Capernaum Jesus made his home.  It was there he worked many of his greatest miracles.  Jesus and the disciples preached on the shores of Galilee.  It was there Jesus walked on the sea and it was on Galilee that Jesus calmed the stormy sea.

     Regardless of what ;people might say or think, preaching can be strenuous.  The physical, mental and spiritual labor is sometimes intense. Mark chapter 4 tells us that Jesus has been teaching and preaching all day.  He taught the great Parable of the Sower.  There also were other parables and sermons that day.  He had been using a fisherman's boat for a pulpit.  It is evening and Jesus is weary and worn.

     So, Jesus says to the disciples, "Let us pass over to the other side."  Mark says they took Him even as he was.  That is they took him without any extra baggage.  They took Him without even another cloak.  It sas a "come as you are party.  Can you see Jesus as he steps over the side of the ship?  Seee him lie down in the broad seat at the stern.  He rests his weary head o a piece of sailcloth.  Almost immediately, Jesus falls asleep.

     One of the disciples gives the boat a shove down the gravely beach.  Then he leaped in when the boat was in deep water.  The black horizontal sail is hoisted.  The course is set for the dimly lit hills on the eastern shore.   It is a perfect night, the stars are shining, the soft wind is filling out the sail and Jesus is sleeping peacefully.  Someone has thrown a mantle over the Lord and all around them there are "other little ships".

     The sea of Galilee can be calm one moment and then stormy the next.  So it was that night.  Andrew and Peter are on the ship and they are not novices, they are experienced sailors.  Andrew might say, "looks as if there will be a blow tonight".  Peter responds, "perhaps we should shorten the sail."  However, before they can make any adjustments, the winds are on them like a hurricane.  The sail cracks like the report of a rifle, the winds road and the sea and wind begin to rage.  On every side the great waves come rushing in.  They smash against the sides of the tiny ship.  These disciples were seasoned navigators on Galilee and yet they were all frightened.  The waves get higher and higher, the sky is balck as the light of the stars is extinguished.  Lightning flashes, thunder roars and the rain falls in sheets.  

     The disciples look and see Jesus as he lies sleeping in the stern of the boat.  One moment he is far above their heads and the next he is far beneath them.  The frightened disciples debate as to whether to waken Jesus.  Finally, they wake him and cry, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?"  Now, can you see Jesus stand majestically in the ship?  Do you hear him as he speaks to the elements?  Jesus rebuked the wind and it folded its wings.  He rebuked the sea and the waves fell flat and then there was a great calm.  It was then he spoke to the disciples, "Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?"

     Life has storms like that.  Life and storms go hand in hand.  The storms of life typically appear as gradually intensifying.  Sometimes, sudden winds of adversity hit us hard.   You see, the storms of life have a way of cutting us down to size.  Yet, the same Jesus who stilled the tempest that night on Galilee can command the winds and the waves that agitate our lives.

     The storms of life are many and varied.  They break as suddenly as the storm that night on Galilee.  Yet, whatever the storm, Jesus can calm the storms in our lives.  To those living within the will of God he says, "Peace, be still."  

     In the storms of life we must follow the example of the disciples.  We must call on Jesus and Jesus will calm the storm.

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