In the Face of the Storm There is an eerie quiet layer about the farm as tangible as cool dirt on the palm of the hand… The wind had died to a whisper. Not a single animal is stirring about, where are they all? It was as if someone had pushed the pause button on the world and the farm stood still waiting for the next scene. An ominous cloud begins to form and the first gusts of wind have startling power. Objects dislodge about the farm being swept across the grass now bending over as though in reverence away from the wind. An old plastic bucket tumbles in the fray. A small white table careens into an old tractor. A red shirt that was hanging on the clothes line never touches the ground and is blown out of sight into the hay field. It is a parade of things affected by the certain coming of a storm. None of them fly toward the storm, no they all flee being pushed by an invisible wind. A family secures a storm cellar door as golf-ball sized hail rains down from the sky. On the horizon a funnel shaped cloud starts to do a dance of destruction. Make no mistake…the storm is here.
In the Face of the Storm - Daily Devotions Storms.
Storms are found throughout the bible both literally and figuratively. However, in the beginning there were no storms. In the perfection of the Garden of Eden, storms and their destructive power had no place. The first hint of a storm or wind (the most common translation) is in Gen. 8:1. God sends a wind to aide in the removal of the flood waters from the earth. In Exodus chapter 9 we find the Plague of Hail, which was delivered as the worst storm in the history of Egypt (Ex. 9:24). The word storm is found five times in the book of Job, no surprise there, huh? Who faced more a life-storm that Job in the Old Testament? God even speaks to Job from the storm (Job 38:1, 40:6). Storms are mentioned three times in the Psalms. In the 55th Psalm a man flees into the desert, but is sure to hurry to a place of shelter to get out of the tempest or storm (Ps. 55:6-7)). In the 83rd Psalm, Asaph (never a timid psalmist) evokes God to bring a storm against His enemies. Asaph asks God to terrify them with the storm. In Psalm 107 we find this somewhat familiar scene:
23 Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.
Yes, that does sound like the calming of the storm (see Mt. 8:23-27, Mk 4:36-41, Lk 8:23-25). The word storm is found 32 times throughout the Old Testament, and we could study these in-depth and there is much to be learned from them from Job and Jonah, and from Genesis to Zachariah, but we’ll focus on the two storm stories found in the Gospels. They are most commonly called - The Calming of the Sea and Jesus Walking on the Water.
As I write this morning, severe storms are in the forecast for Mississippi as they are for most of the South. There is a primal fear with storms mainly due to the fact that we are so helpless against them. I struggle with their destruction, marvel at their power, and know how small they make me feel as I huddle with my family in our inner-room when sirens wail. I find it easy to pray there and perhaps that is one of the purposes of storms - they often bring us before God on our knees.
Storms Happen.
That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” (Mk. 4:35) Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. (Mt. 8:23)
Have you heard the old saying of the “calm before the storm.” I witnessed it yesterday standing outside work waiting for the storm. I had pulled up the weather radar on my computer and as 5pm neared, I knew the storm was coming. If I hadn’t looked at the radar the scene in our parking lot would betray what was coming. The wind was a gentle warm breeze, there was a quietness, people were coming and going like always, and though it was cloudy, a threat didn’t appear to be immanent. A few moments later cool air pushed in and the clouds grew dark. Everything changed.
For Jesus and the disciples they are wrapping up a day of healing and teaching. As evening comes, Jesus decides they will journey to the other side of the lake. No one got into the boat expecting an evening squall. Jesus even goes to the stern of the boat where Mark reports there was a cushion or large pillow (Mk. 4:38) to get some sleep apparently exhausted from the day. Most of the disciples were experienced fishermen and not novice sailors, so an evening crossing of Galilee was probably a welcome trip. I imagine the tranquility of the scene, everything appears to be normal, no sign of trouble, Jesus is sleeping, and experienced sailors are at the helm. What could happen?
Matthew says that a furious storm came up without warning (8:24). One moment everything was calm, as usual, just another day, then it all changed. Storms have a way coming that way. Life is going great, the career is on track, you feel great, settled into your routine, days march by like soldiers becoming weeks, months and years, then suddenly without warning…a furious storm arrives. Our health fails, a job gets eliminated, an economy goes sour, a relationship comes under fire, a loved one is lost, a bad report is handed to us… Just as suddenly the soldiers stop marching, the days slow like molasses coming from a jar, and we are halted in our tracks. Our routine is ripped from us and shredded in the backyard of our existence.
Storms happen. It is just that simple. One moment everything is as it has been and the next the world turns upside down. James, the brother of Jesus who didn’t believe in Jesus until he saw Him in His resurrected body, knew all about storms. He called them trials or testing.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (v.12) Blessed is the man perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
Yes, storms happen, but they aren’t happenstance. They carry purpose for without them perseverance has no place, work can’t be finished, we can’t be molded, the promised crown of life can’t be rewarded. As Jesus set foot in the boat He knew what was coming. What did He do? He found a nice cushion in the stern of the boat and decides to take a nap. Remember who is in the stern of your boat, the storm doesn’t worry Him at all.
Storms are Fierce.
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (Mark 4:36-37) NIV
Luke adds that as they sailed, Jesus fell asleep. The early evening waters were probably calm and the boats enjoyed the gentile evening breeze. Matthew says that without warning the furious squall was upon them, and Luke states that the disciples were in great danger.
The Sea of Galilee is merely a lake 13 miles long and around 8 miles wide. It sits 700 feet below sea level and enjoys a semi-tropical climate. Herod built his winter fortress in Tiberias, and several other small towns dotted the shoreline. The surrounding hills and mountains tower over the lake, including the Lebanon range to the north and the Golan Heights to the east. Elevations go up to the thousands in a short distance, therefore the warm water (the lake is only 150 feet at the deepest point) mixes with the cool air off the mountains causing “furious squalls.” In 1992, a storm struck the lake that was so severe that waves measuring 10 feet high crashed the shoreline of Tiberias causing significant damage. Being out on the lake in one of these type storms was and still is a death sentence. That is where the disciples find themselves. They have a boat swamped with water, ready to sink, and a Savior slumbering through it all.
When storms hit they are all consuming, they capture most all of our attention. It is important to note that the disciples aren’t novice sailors, no they were in grave danger and knew it completely for most of them were fishermen. The storms of life consume us the same. The doctor’s report is all we can think about, the lost job is always on your mind, the grief of losing a loved one doesn’t let up, the hurt from the failed relationship follows keeping the boat swamped, the waves are high, and the wind is fierce. We scarcely can see anything else. The storm appears to be king, an all-powerful force of which we have no control.
King Solomon describes storms as a “calamity that overtakes you, a disaster that sweeps over you like a whirlwind, and distress and trouble that overwhelms you.” (Pro. 1:27)
And, all the while, Jesus sleeps upon a cushion.
God feels distant to some in the storm and close to others, but both usually pray. Folks who have no inkling of faith (even atheists) are often compelled and do pray when the storms of life overtake…sweep over like a whirlwind… and overwhelm. For me it is one of the greatest proofs of the existence of God that people reach out to what they can’t see in the face of the storm. It is an inherent and inborn response to the fierce storm. You could say that storms point us to God. In the swell of our lack of control we reach out to the only Being who could possibly help.
Jesus in the Storm.
The waves are relentless. They crash over the sides of the boat, and all efforts to keep the boat afloat appear to be in vain. In the back of the boat, seemingly oblivious to all that is going on, Jesus sleeps on a cushion being pelted by the rain He created. The disciples have exhausted all options to keep the boat from sinking, “they were in great danger” (Lk 8:23b). They probably didn’t want to wake Jesus. For a long time they most likely thought, we got this… we’re experienced… we can handle it…
But now things are way beyond their abilities.
“Master! Master! We are going to drown! (Lk 8:24b”
“Teacher, don’t you care if we drown? (Mk 4:38b)”
“Lord! Save us! (Mt 8:25b)”
The question posed in Mark gets right to the point doesn’t it? As the storm rages and they are all about to perish, how can Jesus slumber. They ask if He cares. It is a fair question, for how could they know He slumbers because He has no worries about what is going to happen in the storm. The disciples contrive that He doesn’t care.
In the peak moments of our storms we often ask the same question of God. Where are you, God? This storm is wrecking my life, and I haven’t heard a word from you. I’m doing all I can, all I know to do, but the waves are swamping my boat. I’m sinking here, and You aren’t doing a thing about it.
What if we stopped focusing on all “we” can do or know to do, and recognize the presence of the Lord in the storm with us. He may appear to be sleeping, but He is still in control. Perhaps He is waiting for us to wake Him, waiting for us to come to Him, and stop relying on ourselves. He knows we are doing all we can and all we know. We must realize that all He can do and all He knows is far greater than our limited scope.
After 40 years in the desert, Joshua was about to lead the people of God back into the promise land. Their failure the first time was seeded in the fact that they didn’t trust the Lord, but recoiled in fear. Joshua has no assurance that these people won’t act the same way again. The land is still full of the sons of Anak and other great and mighty people - the storm hasn’t subsided. They must face it, go through it, rely upon the promises of God. God tells Joshua, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Jos. 1:5)
Jesus says He is with us in the same way - even to the ends of the earth. He is always in our boat, He will never leave you. More importantly understand that He will not “forsake” you either. That word means to abandon or give up on something. Jesus cares, you may not always feel that, but you can take it to the bank. We must rid ourselves of ourselves and He will always be there. One of Satan’s greatest lies whispered in our ear is…”you can handle this… you got this… don’t bother the Lord, He’s exhausted… No need to wake Him.” If we listen, we play right into Satan’s hands. Jesus is with us, the Spirit is within us, and we are not forsaken no matter what the wind and the waves may suggest.
Faith in the Storm.
One moment the waters raged and all appeared lost and the next moment they calmed down. The surface of the lake was like glass. The wind was now a gentle breeze. One moment Jesus is asleep on the cushion in the stern of the boat exhausted from the day, and the next moment He is in control of the squall. One moment He appears to be utterly human, the next He is LORD. One moment Jesus appears unconcerned about His friends, distant even, oblivious to all that rages on around Him. The next moment all that was dangerous evaporates after only three words from the Master.
“Quiet! Be still!” (Mk. 4:39)
Luke says He rebuked the wind and the waves. As though reprimanding a young child, Jesus speaks to creation and appears to say, “That’s enough! Stop it!” And, it is over, the storm subsides, and men drenched to the bone from the rain begin to shake out their garments and white knuckles turn pink again.
Jesus offers two questions.
“Why are you so afraid?”
“Do you still have no faith?”
Just the previous day there had been many healings, sometime before they have seen water turn to wine, and Jesus has spoken with such authority that all marvel at Him. Yet, the disciples have not fully trusted Him yet. What’s more, fear and faith can’t occupy the same space equally. One must rule the other, and on this evening faith ran to the shed while fear came home to roost. The wind and waves took their faith and swamped it just like the boat, and Jesus wasn’t doing anything but sleeping. Fear, Satan’s greatest ally, rose up and took command.
In the midst of our storms we fight the same battle with faith and fear. The desperation of being out of control facing certain calamity is all consuming, and fear grips us because the future is unknown. Faith dispels fear because by definition faith is belief in what we hope for and certainty of what we can’t see (Heb. 11:1). Faith is not an answer, it is a remedy. In the face of uncertainty about our future, faith tells us the Master is in control in spite of what is happening. Faith tells us that the job we just lost will be replaced by another, the loved one that just passed away is in glory and we will see them again, the wind and the waves will return to calm, the pain we feel will be replaced with peace … this moment shall pass.
Whatever you are afraid of, don’t live another day under control of it. Go wake the Master, even though He appears to be sleeping soundly, He will take control of the situation. If we put our trust in Him, faith will come on back home and bring His peace to us. A peace, as Paul said transcends all known human understanding. It is not of this world, and is a tangible presence in the storm that actually points back to faith. We can live certain of what we can’t see and hope with abandon even in the face of the storm. So in the moments of your storm, if you close your eyes and listen you might hear the Master whisper to your heart, “What are you afraid of? Where is your faith?”
Questions in the Storm.
Matthew reports they were amazed, Mark tells they were terrified, and Luke states that in fear and amazement they asked one another…
“Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.”
Storms cause questions. I’m sure the disciples had several questions surrounding this entire storm episode. Why don’t we wait to cross the lake in the morning when the chances of a squall are not likely? Why is Jesus sleeping as the boat is sinking? Why would He lead into this storm and allow us to perish here? Who is this Man that commands the wind and waves? What has faith got to do with anything? Mark says there were other boats on this journey with them, I wonder what they thought was happening? As the wind dies down and the water calms, there are more questions than shouts of halleluiah.
How can two families, who are both praying to God sincerely in a closet, have different outcomes to those prayers? How can one family be spared and the other perish? Is it punishment or lack of faith? Punishment doesn’t sound right, for before God even the most righteous among us are as filthy rags. Lack of faith was what Jesus chastised the disciples for, but He rescued them anyway. So, you can prove that neither is the case from scripture. Maybe it is less what we do and more what God is up to with his will and plan.
One of the most difficult verses in the entire Bible is Romans 8:28.
“For we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
Do we really believe this verse? Deep down where we hold our darkest resentments, do we doubt God’s word here? All things are all things, right? But, don’t miss the two criteria that are established in this verse identifying who God works good through all things. They are those who love Him, who are called to His purposes. This doesn’t mean we have to understand this verse fully in the face of the storm, but we must accept it by faith. “Where is your faith?” Jesus often asked the followers. In John chapter 9, the disciples ask about a blind man. They wanted to know who had sinned to cause his blindness. This is somebody’s fault, right? A man’s blindness, tragedy in a storm, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, broken relationship, cancer, heart disease, etc. Who is at fault, God? Jesus replied to the disciples that the man born blind was not the result of anyone’s sin (think about it - who wouldn’t be blind!) The man was born blind so that the work of God might be displayed in His life. Wow, that puts a spin on all storms, doesn‘t it? Why are people who endure tragic circumstances so inspirational? Yes, God is at work and we merely see the fruit of this work which causes us to marvel. God is glorified through how those who love Him weather the storm in His purposes.
Theologically that is all fine, but what about the hurt, pain and loss. I would suggest you don’t use Romans 8:28 when your good friend is in the midst of suffering, but do as Jesus did with Mary, who was suffering the loss of her brother. In John chapter 11, Lazarus dies and Jesus returns to Bethany. Mary doesn’t even go out to meet the Lord as her sister Martha does. Mary knows Jesus could have stopped this and she is upset. Jesus sends for Mary, and she comes out to Him and states, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would have lived?” Mary had the toughest of questions, and she doesn’t get the theological explanation like Martha received, no with Mary - Jesus wept. Did you get that? Jesus, seeing the distress of Mary, wept with her. I think that is what we are called to do in the midst of the storm of others, be with them, weep with them, pray with them, seek them out, comfort them, simply put - love them.
And remember, a day is coming when all this temporal tragedy will be made right. We long for justice to be done, and on the great day of justice when every knee bows and every tongue confesses, we won’t worry about what happened here on earth. Matter of fact, it will all make sense. We will see His glory. The glory the disciples saw later, but not that night in the boat as the seas calmed and they wondered in fear and amazement who He was. In truth, only God can command the wind and the waves, and rightfully so that causes more questions than answers. Every time you have an imbalance of questions and answers - FAITH is required. The path will always lead to the same precipice where the only answer is a leap of faith. Trust in Him that His word is true.
The Next Storm.
Jesus had just received very troubling news. The forerunner, the Elijah figure, the prophet, the voice crying out in the wilderness, had been silenced by Herod. He had been beheaded by Herod, who had taken special interest in John only to end up killing him to honor a request he had granted.
Mark and Luke report that the disciples had been away on mission and returned at this time with reports of their exploits (Mk. 6:30 and Lk. 9:10). Luke adds that Herod has turned his interests to Jesus, “I beheaded John, Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” He makes attempts to find Jesus (Lk. 9:9).
Not only is Jesus sought by Herod, but literally thousands of others seeking healing from demons, leprosy, blindness, paralysis, and a multitude of other things. They clamor to Jesus like sheep with no shepherd. It is an endless sea of need and want. Feeling the relentless pressure from the crowd, the pang of pain from the death of John, the certainty of future problems with Herod, when the disciples return Jesus ushers them back to the boat and on the sea. This time Matthew reports that Jesus left privately and journeyed to a solitary place (Mt. 14:13). Mark says they didn’t even get a chance to eat (Mk. 6:31}. Jesus just wants to get away to a quiet remote place and get some rest. However, the throng of people will not let that happen. They followed around the shore on foot and when Jesus and the disciples landed - their solitary place was now jammed with people. The Bible says that Jesus had compassion on them. He healed and he taught in spite of his need for quiet and rest. As evening approaches the problem of food is a real problem. What ensues is what many perceive to be the miracle of all miracles, the feeding of the 5,000 recorded in all the Gospels. It would be the high water mark of His popularity. From here on out, things would digress to crucifixion.
After the miracle, Jesus sent the disciples back to the boat and instructed them to leave. Then Jesus dismissed the crowd and went to find the solitary place He had sought all day, alone on a mountainside with the Father. He prays alone deep into the night as a storm comes up and the disciples have only made a few miles from shore. Again, they are struggling against the wind and waves and the Master is nowhere to be found.
We often think that with the conclusion of one storm we may not face another. But here we see Jesus facing storm after storm. His actions are telling - He finds time to pray. In the face of the storm we must find time on our knees. We need to seek out that solitary place and spend time in quiet prayer. Jesus chose a mountainside, but other places will do. Bring the storm to the Father; it is what the Son did. Until we are called home there will always be a next storm.
Against the Wind.
As Jesus prayed on the mountain, the disciples fought against the wind and waves.
“A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough.” Jn. 6:18
“He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them…” Mk. 6:48a
“…the boat was already a considerable distance from the land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” Mt. 14:24
Sailing was a useless act for the disciples, and with the wind against them they resorted to the oars. Rowing for all they were worth, they were getting nowhere. By the 4th watch or 3am, the boat was only a few miles out on the lake.
Have you ever been there? Have you ever been rowing and giving something everything you have but yet not seeing much in the results? Sometimes we work long and hard, but the promotion doesn’t come, the relationship doesn’t get fixed, the disease continues to eat away, the clouds don’t clear, the waves keep crashing and the wind is mighty against us. This is where the disciples are and this time Jesus is not in the boat, they’re not really sure where He is. They just know He is not with them and they had better keep rowing. Surely this wind will relent, they must have thought for most of the night, but it doesn’t. I sense their resolve, but I also sense the futility of the situation. This storm doesn’t sound as rough as the other storm, maybe they are a tad over confident. Besides, Jesus will save them, that they knew by now. Paul was tested when sailing for Rome with 275 others. They were caught in a massive storm and drifted for 14 days able to do nothing against the wind (Acts 27:13-44). The wind can’t be ignored.
For us we can live a life against the wind when Jesus waits and wants to direct us toward much smoother sailing. The key is less how hard we’re rowing and more how solidly we are in His will. Sometimes we need to turn back, turn left, turn right, or just plain let Him drive. If we aren’t careful we fall into a life against the wind as described in the second verse of a Bob Seger pop classic:
The years rolled slowly past
And I found myself alone
Surrounded by strangers I thought were my friends
I found myself further and further from my home
And I guess I lost my way
There were oh so many roads
I was living to run and running to live
Never worried about paying or even how much I owed
Moving eight miles a minute for months at a time
Breaking all of the rules that would bend
I began to find myself searching
Searching for shelter again and again
The years don’t have to roll past, you don’t have to be alone, good friends can be found, you can come closer to home, there is a correct road for you, you don’t have to keep running, you can meet responsibility head-on, move quicker, obey the rules, and not have to worry about Shelter.
Jesus may not even take the wind away, He didn’t for Paul (2 Cor. 12:7-10), but He can teach you how to “tack” into the wind. What the disciples didn’t know that night would be discovered years later. If you set the sail taut and angled from the centerline of the hull you create a forward force. This forward force in opposition to the wind then creates a path of least resistance that actually propels the boat windward. Yes, you can sail into the wind. With Jesus at the helm - all things are possible regardless of the wind, the waves, or the forecast.
The Invitation out of the Boat.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” He said. (Mt. 14:28-29)
What got in to Peter? Why on earth did Peter ask to get out of the boat? It is a good question, and when the storm rages, we feel safer in the boat. Peter saw Jesus defying all physical laws by walking on the rough sea, and something within him compelled him to make his request. Peter was always a man of initiative. No other disciple asked more questions or offered more answers than Peter. It was Peter who drew his sword in the garden that last night they were together and Jesus was about to be arrested. It was Peter who leaped from the fishing boat in the same waters to swim to Jesus when John said the Lord was on the beach. It was Peter who started drawing up building plans on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was Peter who denied his Lord. It was Peter racked with guilt who said, “I’m goin’ fishing.” It was Peter who stood before the multitude at Pentecost and delivered a sermon with an alter call that prompted 3,000 people to believe. It was Peter who healed the crippled beggar by the gate called Beautiful. It was Peter with John by his side, who spoke boldly before the Sanhedrin presenting the Gospel to them as a the healed beggar stood with them. It was Peter who was straight-up with Ananias and Sapphira guarding the young church from their manipulative ways. Peter was a man of action. You could say he was a getting-out-of-the-boat kind of guy.
So, as the wind blew and the waves rolled, Peter stepped out of the boat and discovered he was buoyant. How thrilling it all must have been. His steps as light as air, Peter strode toward his Lord as His Lord had been coming to them. As he neared Jesus, though, his eyes were taken off the Lord and he started to pay more attention to the wind. He began to feel weight come back to his body, and slowly he began to sink in the waves as they lapped about him. Fear became Peter’s companion. Satan begins to win the day. As he sinks, Peter does the only thing he can think to do. \
“Lord, save me!” Peter calls to his Lord because the wind and the waves have overcome him. Matthew says the rescue was immediate. Jesus didn’t let Peter sink another inch or allow fear anymore of a toe hold. One moment Peter was sinking and all was lost then the next moment he is standing with his Lord as Jesus holds him up atop the waves.
“You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Jesus utters a statement and a question as fear is dispelled from the scene and Satan is robbed of a victory. Where was the faith Peter had showed in asking to attempt to walk on the water? Where was the faith that he displayed in taking that first unsettling step from the solid boat deck to the turbulent water? Where was the faith that took those next steps toward Jesus. The only clue we have as ro why Peter’s faith left him is centered in where Peter was focused. One moment he was focused on the Lord and walking to him, then he took his eyes off the Lord and began to see what was going on around him. In the face of all our storms we must keep our eyes upon Him. We must know where our strength comes from and how strength is not of ourselves. We must have blinders on to the storm that rages and look to Jesus who invites all who will to… “Come. Step out of those circumstances and walk with Me.”
Peace in the Storm.
As we wrap up this short series on two storms in the New Testament, we’ll look to one verse in John that should give us great comfort.
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
On that last night before His sacrifice Jesus was telling the disciples some difficult things. Things they didn’t want to hear and things that were hard to understand. As He finishes and before the long prayer of John 17, Jesus offers John 16:33 as words to quell the unsettled nerves of His followers. Truly, they hadn’t seen anything yet. The next three days would change their lives forever, and the lives of all mankind. Then they would be on their own and the storms would line-up on the horizon.
Jesus talks as plain in this verse as you’ll ever find. He tells them why they have been given the information He gave - so they would have peace. In any storm peace is a valuable commodity. This peace was centered in Christ and would deliver them in the storm. They could remain calm, face the wind and the waves, and know that no matter what happens God is with them. This peace would sustain them. They knew that Jesus was going to prepare a place for them in a home not of this world. We can claim that same peace and know it as an ever present reality in a world filled with storms.
Next Jesus tells them that they will encounter storms. They can take it to the bank. Jesus knew this because He experienced it. In the world, Jesus found all kinds of trouble as He revealed the New Covenant. Why would it be any different for His followers of the 1st century or the 21st? While standing firm in your faith you will be confronted with trouble. Satan doesn’t sit on his hands and he is not passive. He is an active force in this world.
The next point ends with an exclamation mark. Jesus wants you to get this point. Yes, the world will dish out trouble and storms for you, but take heart. It is the second benefit listed in this verse. One, we have His peace, and two, we are to take heart. Another translation could be - “be of great courage.” In the face of the storm His peace will allow you not to be paralyzed by fear, but enable through the inward presence of the Holy Spirit to persevere.
Finally, Jesus explains how all this is possible - both His peace and our courage. These things are only possible through the conquering work of the cross. When Jesus says, “I have overcome the world.” - He means it. In just a few short hours after uttering this verse Jesus would be arrested and an incredible night and early morning would ensue as He is passed from one authority to the next and eventually to the cross. For the disciples all would appear to be lost. They would clamor behind locked doors and out of the public fearing for their very lives. Then the resurrected Jesus came to them and proved to them that He had truly conquered the world.
The worst outcome of any storm is death. “O’ death where is thy sting?” Paul would write. How true. The trouble we encounter on earth pales in comparison to spending eternity with a King who came down to earth to feel every storm imaginable. Clothed in flesh He felt the sting of death and suffering, and overturned that pain for all time. Take heart today and everyday while you weather your storms in the Peace of Christ. Don’t be anxious about anything, but bring your troubles to Him. He’ll take them and give you peace in return. Then you can face any storm.