RAP SHEET LUKE 8:22-25

3 days ago

3 min read

SERMON: Who Is This Man?

SERIES: The King’s People

SCRIPTURE: Luke 8:22–25

REVIEW

For the past several weeks, Luke 8 has taught us what it means to be the King’s People.

Jesus has repeatedly emphasized hearing and responding to His Word:

THE KING’S PEOPLE HEAR THE KING

AND DO WHATEVER HE SAYS.

But Luke 8:22–25 asks an even more foundational question: Do we really understand who this King is?

Jesus tells His disciples to cross the lake. They obey Him, get into the boat, and encounter a dangerous storm. This is important: the disciples are exactly where Jesus told them to be, and they still encounter a storm.

Following Jesus does not guarantee freedom from difficult circumstances. In fact, Luke tells us the disciples were genuinely “in danger.” Their fear wasn't imaginary, and recognizing the seriousness of their circumstances wasn't wrong.

But while the storm rages, Jesus sleeps. Eventually they wake Him, convinced they are going to die. Jesus gets up, rebukes the wind and waves, and suddenly everything becomes calm. Then He asks them:

“Where is your faith?” — Luke 8:25

Biblical faith isn't simply believing strongly enough that something good will happen. Faith is trust. The disciples know a lot about Jesus, but they are still learning what it means to actually trust Him when circumstances move beyond their control.

Then the disciples ask the second question:

“Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him!” — Luke 8:25

Psalm 107 describes sailors caught in a terrifying storm who cry out to the LORD, and He “stilled the storm to a whisper.” Throughout the Old Testament, God holds authority over the sea. Now the disciples watch Jesus stand in a boat and exercise that same authority.

Luke is showing us something extraordinary about Jesus:

In verse 23, Jesus is asleep. His exhaustion reveals genuine humanity.

In verse 24, Jesus commands creation. His authority reveals His deity.

Jesus is fully human and fully God. He isn't simply another teacher or prophet. He is the divine Son of God, the King with authority over creation itself.

This does not mean that enough faith guarantees Jesus will immediately calm every storm in our lives. Sometimes following Jesus means walking through circumstances we never would have chosen. But our circumstances do not determine who Jesus is.

THE STORM CHANGED. JESUS DIDN’T.

He was just as powerful while He was sleeping as He was when the sea became calm. The disciples' circumstances changed. Their understanding changed. Jesus didn't.

That brings the two questions of the passage together:

WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?

WHO IS THIS MAN?

The more clearly we understand who Jesus is, the more reason we have to trust Him.

THE MORE CLEARLY WE SEE WHO THE KING IS

THE MORE WE WILL LEARN TO TRUST AND OBEY HIM.

APPLY

Jesus didn't ask the disciples, “Do you have faith?” He asked: “WHERE is your faith?”

All of us are placing our confidence somewhere. So consider:

What are you depending on right now for peace, security, or confidence about your future?

Is there an area where your circumstances have begun determining how much you trust Jesus? Instead of only asking Jesus to change the storm, spend some time getting to know the Jesus who is in the boat with you.

The disciples' faith was imperfect, but they did something important: they went to Jesus. And when they did, they discovered something about Him they had never understood before.

Identify ONE area where you are struggling to trust Jesus right now.

Then ask:

What would trusting and obeying Jesus look like in that situation, even if my circumstances don't immediately change?

PRAY

Use these prompts:

“Jesus, show me where I'm placing my faith instead of placing it in You.”

“Help me see You more clearly, not merely ask You to change my circumstances.”

“Remind me that Your character does not change when my circumstances do.”

“Give me faith to trust You when I cannot control what happens next.”

“Show me what obedience looks like in the storm I'm facing right now.”

Spend a few moments focusing less on what you need Jesus to do, and more on who He is.