Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 8:23 – 27

Jesus announced his appearance by healing the sick, etc.  As the Disciples looked on they were astounded. Is this not the son of Mary of Nazareth?  From where does he get this power to heal?

An outcast Jew cured of leprosy, amazing.  The servant of a Roman soldier, sick but now healed.  Peter’s mother-in-law whose high fever was relieved.  A Teacher of the Law reminded of the way to eternal life and now a lesson for his disciples on the boisterous Sea of Galilee.  Where Jesus was, miracles happened.  He was obviously different.

As the boat, manned by the disciples, was crossing the Sea of Galilee a fierce storm appeared out of nowhere and threatened to harm if not kill them.  Jesus, by the way, was fast asleep on the deck of the boat.  Things became desperate, even for seasoned fishermen – they faced certain peril.  While they were scurrying about to save the boat and their lives, Jesus slept soundly.  At that point, when they could no longer save the boat, they awoke Jesus!  “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”

No one knew the fury of the sea like these disciples.  They faced certain doom and they knew it!   Could it be that their minds went back to Jesus’ healing the sick?  Or was it just a fit of desperation that compelled them to wake Jesus, without knowing quite why?  In any case, Jesus must have surely known the plight of the ship and all in it.  I doubt whether the disciples even imagined that Jesus could help. He knew nothing of the ways of the sea.

But waken him, they did, only to hear him ask why they were afraid.

Without hesitation Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and it was completely calm.  In the deafening silence, he heard a chatter among the bewildered disciples, “What kind of man is this?”

They asked the only question that really matters, “Who is this Jesus?”  It remains the eternal question of all mankind.  It is my question this morning, and yours.  May we know more of Him.