Matthew 8:23-27
Learning from the King
Welcome!
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Intro
√ Learning from the King
Keep in mind the context of chapters 8-9, Matthew takes us from…
The things that Jesus said, to the things that Jesus did.
The words that Jesus spoke, to the works that Jesus performed.
From teaching about the KOG, to a practical demonstration of the KOG!
All for the purpose of proving that Jesus is the King.
The other side of Matthew’s account is how the people responded to the King’s message…
The leper and the Centurion responded properly by placing their faith in the King.
The scribe and the un-named disciple chose not to express their faith in the King.
In our text this morning we find that Jesus is going to extend that lesson of faith to His closest disciples that they might learn what it means to…
…follow the King.
Moving from the “classroom” to real life experience!
Ex. Learning to drive
Learning how to follow the King is much like learning to drive…
…there’s a world of difference between the classroom simulation and the open road experience!
Take what they’ve learned in the classroom and see how it’s applied in the real world!
Can’t simulate the rush of panic you experience the first time you hit black ice!! Simulated death doesn’t produce the same adrenaline that the real threat of death does!
So, we’re going to jump in the boat this morning with Jesus and His disciples that we might learn what it means to put our faith into practice…
…and follow the King.
Ap. Like the disciples, we need to take what we hear and put it into practice!
Following King Jesus means putting into practice what we learn in the Bible.
Ex. Many Christians are like the boy in the wonderful commercial about the couch potato kid…
“Who’s the man, don’t be bringing that weak stuff in here…”
“Exercise lately?”
The “couch potato Christian”…
We can learn about eternal life – but if never confess our sins and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we’ll not receive the promise!
We learn about prayer – but if we never pray we’ll never experience the power of prayer!
We can learn how to experience the peace, joy, and satisfaction that Jesus promised His disciples – but if we never submit to Jesus then we’ll never experience it!
So, there is great personal application in this section of scripture for us.
As we study we’ll look at the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke to help us get a full picture of this incredible experience.
Following the King (vs. 23)
Matt.
Mark writes…
Mar 4:35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."
Mar
√ Following the King
Having finished His work in
So, Jesus with his disciples head across the
Interesting that we’re not told why it is that Jesus wanted to head across the lake, a few possibilities…
Needing a break from the multitude of people (Mark
Desire to minister in other areas (Mark
An opportunity to teach the disciples by experience what He had been teaching through parables (vs. 26)
Probably all of the above, however, I’d like to focus our study on the last possibility because of what happens next.
Doubting the King (vs. 22-25)
Matt.
Matt.
Mark adds…
Mar 4:38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
√ Doubting the King
Let’s get a mental picture of what’s happening here…
The disciples climb into the boat near the end of the day and set sail for the opposite side of the lake.
However, when they get out on the lake, suddenly the sky changes and a fierce wind begins to whip up the sea so that the waves become so large that they begin to crash into the boat.
Somewhat common occurrence on the
It’s surrounded by hills. It’s not uncommon for these storms to whip up; as the winds blow across the mountains they get funneled down the steep narrow valleys and hit the lake with great fury.
Ex. Reminds me of
flying into
Of special interest to us is the response of the disciples in vs. 25…
“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
And, vs. 38 of Mark’s account…
“…And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
Understand that these guys know what they’re doing, at least four of them are experienced sailors having spent their lives fishing on this very lake.
Peter, James, John and Andrew
So, for them to express this kind of fear communicates to us that this was an especially bad storm, worse it’s dark now!
√ Cause for doubt
I have to confess that at this point in the story I’m a
little concerned, even beginning to doubt the wisdom of Jesus to take the boys
out on the
Isn’t Jesus the One who told the disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake.
They’re in the boat because
Jesus told them too! (Mark
Now, as they’re trying to faithfully do that which Jesus told them to do – they find themselves in a very dangerous position!
I mean, they’re in a boat in the middle of a deep lake, with wind howling all around them, and massive waves filling their boat with water and threatening to send them all to Davie Jones Locker – because Jesus told them too!
And, while the disciples are busy trying to keep themselves alive – we find Jesus sleeping!
What is going on!?
Ap. You ever felt like that?
You’re just trying to be a faithful servant. Trying to do what the Lord’s called you to do.
Then you find yourself in some scary situation and you feel like you’ve got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel…
…and Jesus seems to be sleeping cause He sure isn’t responding the way you think He should be!
Like the disciples you cry out…
“Teach, do You not care that we are perishing?"
You’ll notice that the disciples called Jesus “Lord”, Matthew’ account, and “Teacher”, in Mark’s account…
…yet it is obvious from their behavior and speech that they did not understand His teaching or Who He really was!
They doubted the King!
Fortunately the story doesn’t end there because Jesus was teaching the disciples an important lesson about following the King that we need to learn too.
Let’s look.
Obeying the King (vs. 26)
Matt.
Mark adds…
Mar 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Mar 4:40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"
√ Obeying the King
The first thing we want to take note of is that Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves!
“rebuked” means “ordered”
Mark records the actual words of Jesus’ rebuke…
“Peace, be still” ~ Mark 4:39
…which is more accurately translated…
“Be muzzled and remain so!”
It’s somewhat of a technical term (“be muzzled”), and is used most often in the New Testament for the dispossessing a demon of its power! (ref. Mark 1:25)
That would strongly suggest that Jesus recognized a demonic power behind this savage storm.
That the storm had come up to keep the disciples from doing what Jesus told them to do!
So, the storm isn’t a freak coincidence. There is an active force behind it that sought to stop the disciples from obtaining their God-given goal of reaching the other side!
Ap. No coincidences in the Kingdom of God!
Make a note of this truth so that you understand that the conflicts in life can have a demonic force behind them!
Ex. Getting ready for church
You…
Suddenly feel sick, decide not to come to church, and at 11:00 a.m. you just as suddenly feel better!
You go out to your new car and find that it won’t start!
Your dog ate the car keys and you can’t find the spare key.
Your ready to go and just as you get to the car your baby vomits all over you.
It’s not a coincident! The enemy will do anything to keep you from following the King!
So, don’t give up on following the King, or doubt His command when the going gets rough, it’s probably just a spiritual attack.
√ Note the response of the storm.
The wind and the waves obey Him!
Let me say that again…
The wind and the waves obey Him!
…how awesome is that!? Try it when you get home!
Ex. Describe the scene
Friends, people don’t talk to the elements – wind, waves, storms etc., and actually get a response.
You can’t fake this stuff! (i.e. phony “healers”)
All or which reveals to us that Jesus is the King over every situation and every enemy that we face…
Disease
Demons
Elements
So, the disciples, and you and me, ought not to doubt Jesus because all of the powers in the universe obey the King!
√ Jesus rebukes His disciples
After taking care of the crisis, Jesus now turns His attention to His students who had failed their lesson!
The practical application of what He had taught them concerning the KOG.
He said…
“Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” ~ vs. 26
Note that Jesus’ rebuke is two-fold in that He relates their fear (“cowardly fear”) to their lack of faith!
The reason that these two thoughts are connected is that…
If they had properly understood Jesus’ teaching
Then they would have known that all of God’s power and authority were present in Jesus.
…therefore they had nothing to fear!
You see, they had 3 strong reasons why they should not have been afraid as they followed the King!
1) They had Jesus’ promise to get safely across the lake.
Look at the beginning of Mark’s account?
Mar 4:35 On the
same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."
When the Lord gives us something to do…
…He also enables us to do it!
But, you’ll find that the power to do the Lord’s commands come when we step out in obedience to do His will.
The disciples weren’t going to drown, they just needed to keep rowing because Jesus said that they would get to the other side!
Important to note that Jesus never said it would be an easy trip, but He did say that they would arrive at their destination!
2) The Lord Himself was with them!
These men had already personally witnessed the great power that Jesus wielded.
Based on their experience they should have had confidence that His presence in the boat was more than sufficient for any situation.
Jesus has promised us that He is always with us!
Jesus is the Master of every situation!
3) They had Jesus for an example – He wasn’t worried!
They could see that Jesus was perfectly at peace!
This fact alone should have encouraged them.
Jesus was in God’s will and knew that the Father would care for Him, so He took a nap!
Psalm 4:8 declares…
“I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Ap. How often do you and I in the midst of the storms in our life find ourselves like the disciples blaming God and crying out…
“Lord, don’t You care”?!
The answer to our cry is that He does care so we don’t have to be afraid because…
He gives us the power to do what He commands.
He is with us always.
He provided us an example to follow.
So, we have nothing to fear when we’re following the King!
√ He had a plan
We have to believe that Jesus knew all about the coming storm even before sent them from the safety of the shore line.
Yet, He still sent them into the midst of storm – not to destroy them – but to teach them an important lesson of faith.
For the greatest danger to the disciples was not the storm around them…
…rather it was the unbelief within them!
They’d heard Jesus teach, they even saw Him do great miracles…
…yet, they still had no faith.
Ap. The sin of unbelief
Friends, our greatest problems are not the storms around us…
…rather, our greatest problems are the doubts within us!
We can hear the Word of God taught every week and even see how the Power of God works in other people’s lives.
Yet, if we haven’t begun to follow the King and walk in faith then our unbelief will bring fear into our lives.
Fear will cause us to question the goodness of God, to wonder like the disciples whether or not Jesus really cares.
Admiring the King (vs. 27)
Matt. 8:27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
√ Admiring the King
The disciples watched as the…
Clouds, the rain, and the wind fled for the horizon.
The waves flattened themselves so as not to disturb the King.
…and the disciples were left staring at each other under a calm sky with only the gentle rock of the boat to remind them that this wasn’t a dream!
Then someone says what they’re all thinking…
“Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
In that moment they understood what the Centurion already knew…
There had never been, and never will be, a Man like Jesus.
Their eyes were opened a little wider with this new revelation.
For hidden behind the humble frame of a carpenter was the glory and the power of the Creator Himself Who framed the universe with His own Word.
They knew then that Jesus alone has authority and power over everyone, everything and every power in the universe!
Sickness and disease obey Him
Demons surrender to His will
Elements and powers of the universe bow to His whim
They understood that they weren’t following another holy man, or a prophet, or a great teacher…
…they were following the King!
Close
√ Are you learning from the King?
Or does fear, or unbelief, keep you from learning how to follow the King.
Jesus wants to teach us to follow Him.
To do that He will sometimes lead us into our greatest fears so that we can learn that when we are following the King we’re going to…
Get to where He wants us to go.
Receive the power to do what He wants us to do.
Have His example to follow every step of the way.
So, learn from the King so that you can follow Him.