Who Then is This?

Pray with me for a moment, would you please? Father, we thank you for this day and we thank you, Lord, that we can sing praises to your glorious name, that you truly are majestic and all-glorious. And I pray, Father, that as we open your word today, that we would see more of that great glory as you display your power over the winds and over the waves of the sea. And may we learn to trust you and believe you for all things, more so today than ever before, because your word speaks to our hearts. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Turn with me in your Bible, if you would, to Luke chapter 8, Luke chapter 8, verse number 22. As we continue our study through the book of Luke, verse by verse, we are going to look at a very familiar passage of scripture this morning.

It truly is one of my favorite passages of scripture. Every year we go to Israel, I preach particularly on this passage on the Sea of Galilee. When we arrive in Galilee and it's early in the morning when we arise and look out over that sea from our hotel, we're able to see the sunrise on the Sea of Galilee. It's quite a picturesque sight. And then to be able to get up and get on a boat and sail out to the middle of the sea and to speak on this portion of scripture, it's one of the true places in the land of Israel that you know for certain is an authentic place.

It truly is a place where our Lord sailed on boats and walked on the water. It truly is an authentic place so that when you're on the Sea of Galilee, you know that your Lord was there. And to be on that sea and to open to Luke chapter 8 or Mark chapter 4 or Matthew chapter 8 where these scenes are recorded and to read about what took place on the sea, sometimes it's hard to imagine the kind of storm that would erupt on a sea that is as calm as the one we sail on. But on this day in Luke chapter 8, there came a great storm.

And from this storm we're able to see the greatness of our God. Many of us have seen pictures that depict this scene. Sometimes it's with Jesus in the boat and the waves are huge and the rain is or the water is everywhere and the disciples are drenched. And usually it's with Jesus with his arms held up. But very rarely is the scene ever pictured with a calm sea. It's always pictured with a tempestuous sea. But in reality this is a story about the calm and how the Lord can calm the adversity that comes your way.

Only He can do that by the way. Nobody else can. And so whatever adversity you might be experiencing or whatever calamity you might be facing, our Lord, our Savior, our King is the only one who can control it. Let me read to you the story.

Then we'll spend some time talking about Luke chapter 8 verse number 22. Now it came about on one of those days that he and his disciples got into a boat. They said to them, let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched out. But as they were sailing along, he fell asleep and a fierce gale of wind descended upon the lake. They began to be swamped, to be in danger. And they came to him and woke him up saying, Master, Master we are perishing. And being aroused he rebuked the wind and the surging waves.

And they stopped and it became calm. And he said to them, where is your faith? And they were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, who then is this that he commands even the winds and the water? And they obey him. This story, a familiar story to most of us, is said in a very particular scene in the book of Luke. We know about the messianic credentials of our Lord. We have studied them all through Luke beginning in chapter 1 up through chapter 7. For the Messiah to come, he must prove himself as the Messiah of the Old Testament.

He must prove himself as one with power over death. And we saw that in Luke chapter 7 where he raised the widow's son from the dead. So we know that Jesus has the power, the power that only God himself has because Jesus is God. As Messiah, he would prove himself as the Son of God by demonstrating his power not only over death but over disease. People who were blind and people who were lame and people who were deaf were able to receive sight and receive their hearing and be able to walk again. Our Lord had the power over demons.

That too we have seen in the book of Luke because he's slowly but surely proving his messianic credentials. Today in Luke 8, he shows himself the most powerful as he demonstrates his power over nature, over the wind and the waves. A good Bible study for you would be to study the power of God. I wrote down a couple of verses this week. The Bible says in Psalm 79 11 that his power is great.

Psalm 89 13, his power is strong. Exodus 15 6, his power is glorious. Job 9 4, his power is mighty. Isaiah 26 4, his power is everlasting. Exodus 9 16, his power is sovereign. Isaiah 43 13, his power is effectual. Deuteronomy 32 39, his power is irresistible. Psalm 89 8, his power is incomparable. Job 5 verse number 9, his power is unsearchable. Excuse me, Jeremiah 27 5, his power is creative. Psalm 106 verses 8 to 9, his power is salvific. His power is absolutely incredible. In this passage today, talk to us about his power and what is going to happen over the next series of events that take place.

We're going to see the power of God over the deep in Luke 8 verses 22 and following. And then we're going to see his power once again over demons as he goes to the land of the Gerasenes and cast out one who's filled with legion. And then we're going to see his power over disease as we look at a woman with a bleeding for 12 years that is non-stop and yet, and yet the Lord heals her as well.

And then we're going to see his power over death as he raises Jairus's daughter from the dead. And that will take us to the end of Luke chapter 8. But Luke wants us to see the power of Almighty God. At the same time, he wants you to see the response to his power. Because the response in all four stories is exactly the same. The people are out of their minds. That is, what they have seen is so incomprehensible to them, they can't even begin to fathom the power of God. And the response of all people is the same.

In fact, when you go over to verse number 25, it says after the storm was made calm, it says, he said to them, where is your faith? And they were fearful and amazed. Look over in Luke chapter 8 verse number 37. After he cast legion out of a man who was demon-possessed, verse 37, and all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear. Now here was Jesus casting out the demons out of this man and the people didn't want Jesus around them anymore.

They wanted him to leave their district. Why? Well, we'll talk about that next week. But they were filled with great fear. Exist in me. Same word used of the disciples in earlier on the boat when they were filled with great fear. And then look over in verse number 47 about the women, the woman with the disease, the bleeding for 12 years. It says, and when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before him.

Same word is used. It's just described in a different English word. She was out of herself as well because she was in great fear as to what had taken place in her life. And then in verse number 56 and her parents, this is the parents of Jairus's daughter were amazed, but he instructed them to tell no one what had happened. They too had the same experience that the woman with the hemorrhage did, the people in the land of the Gerasenes did, and the disciples did on the water. They were absolutely dominated by fear.

Why? Because it is fearful to be in the presence of God. It is so fearful to be in his presence. And we will show each of these scenes to you and explain to you what was taking place in the lives of these people as they experienced the presence of Almighty God. On this day in Luke 8, on the sea, his disciples would experience that fear. Six points I want to cover with you this morning. The first one is the scene before the storm.

The Bible tells us in Luke 8 verse 22, now it came about on one of those days that he and his disciples got into a boat. He said to them, let us go over to the other side of the lake. On one of those days, well what day is it? We know that verses 19 to 21 didn't happen in the chronology of the story of Christ. But Luke, we told you this last week, inserted the story of Jesus and his mother and brothers being outside and wanting him to come to them. Luke inserted that story because it dealt with how you hear the word of God.

And now he says on one of those days, well what day is that? Well if you go back to Mark 4 and to Matthew, you realize that it's the same day as he gave the parable of the sower and the soil, as well as the other parables that he gave to explain the kingdom age and what was going to happen during that age. Christ taught all day. Mark tells us it was at the evening of that day. It was at the evening time, that is Christ had spent all day teaching. And at the end of that day as the sun began to go down, he said, let's get into a boat and let's journey to the other side of the sea.

Matthew's account tells us they were in Capernaum. So they were on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee. They were going to the land of the Gerasenes, which is on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. And why were we going to go there? Because Christ had a divine appointment with a man who was demon-possessed. You see, you must understand the story that our Lord is in control of every single thing. The Lord is even in control of the wind that blows. I know sometimes we have a hard time understanding that, but he is.

He's in charge of all the tornadoes, all the hurricanes, all the floods, all the natural disasters that happen. He is in complete control. Sometimes we don't understand that. Hopefully this story will help you get a handle on it. It's a story of our Lord and his mighty power. And so he tells them, we're going to get into the boat and go to the other side. He has just given a series of parables all dealing with how you hear the Word of God. And then Luke tells us, he gives us the background about how it is you are to hear the Word of God.

And now he is going to test their listening skills by saying to them, let's get in a boat and let's journey to the other side. He wants to test their listening skills because when the storm arrives, they believe they're not going to make it to the other side. When Jesus has already said, let's go to the other side. And how often we are like the disciples that we listen to what Jesus says, but don't believe that we'll ever make it to where he says we're going to go.

And these men began to be in great fear when the storm would come their way. And so Christ tells them, he says this to his disciples. Now, for the most part, when you hear the story, you know that his disciples, Peter, James, and John, they all have boats because they were all in the fishing business. Capernaum was the hometown of Peter. And so they, he had a home base there. Christ had a home base of his ministry there. These men were fishermen. They knew boating well. They knew fishing well. They knew the Sea of Galilee like the back of their hands.

So he would compel his disciples to get into the boat. So when we read the story, the most, most of the time we think it's only the 12 he deals with. That is not true. When he tells his disciples to get into the boat, he's telling all those who are committed, as well as all those who are curious, all those who are faithful, as well as all those who are fascinated with our God. Just because he tells his disciples to get into the boat, it does not mean it is only the 12 disciples. They are called the apostles.

When it says the disciples, it's talking about a slew of people that follow him, that listen to him. Because Mark's account tells us that not only was it one boat, but that it was several boats that journeyed from Capernaum to the land of the Gerasenes on the Sea of Galilee this day. This lesson isn't just for the 12. This lesson is for all those who want to listen to what God has to say. Those people who claim to be followers of Christ. Those people who are the learners of Christ. He's going to help them understand his identity.

He's going to help them come to grips with who he is. They need to be assured in their minds that the one they're following, the one they're learning from, is the one who is the all-powerful God of the universe. And so he's going to demonstrate to them his great power. So after Christ gives the parables, he has spoken all day. And he commissions his men to get into the boat as well as the other disciples to get into the boat. And Mark's account tells us that it was more than just one boat, it was several boats.

They launched out into the deep and Jesus immediately falls asleep. Now if you've been to the land of Israel, the journey from Capernaum to the land of the Gerasenes is not a very far journey at all. But they get into their boats and Jesus falls asleep. Do you know that this is the only time in scripture that we know Jesus sleeps? Now we know he did sleep because he was 100% human. But this is the only time it says he went to sleep. And isn't it interesting, the only time he records our Lord sleeping is when he knows of the storm that's coming.

He knows not only that the storm is coming, he knows what's going to happen as a result of the storm and how it is he's going to control the storm. It's no wonder Jesus said in John 14, my peace I give unto you. Oh not as the world gives give I unto you, but my peace I give unto you. What kind of peace is that? The kind of peace that allows you to sleep no matter what the storm in your life. That's the kind of peace that that the Lord gives. It's the kind of peace that calls him to sleep and he was able to sleep when the storm was at its peak.

When the boat was filling up with water he was still asleep. Nobody else was. They were fearful for their lives. But this is the scene before the storm. He wants to test their listening skills. And so he beckons all those disciples, the same ones he has been talking to in the parable of the sower, the soil, as well as those who learn to listen effectively and properly. He says let's launch out into the deep. Let's make our way across the sea. Let's go to the other side. So the disciples, his apostles, and all those who claim to be his learners get into their boats and begin to make their journey across the sea.

The sun sets. It goes past dusk into the darkness. The moon begins to shine. It's calm and things quickly change. We move from the scene before the storm to the sea during the storm. It says in verse number 23, and as they were sailing along he fell asleep and a fierce gale of wind descended upon the lake and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. The word for fierce gale is where we get our English word hurricane. I mean we're talking winds that are mighty winds. Winds that would stir up the sea.

Now the sea of is like in a bowl. If you were to go to Israel today and make your way from Cana of Galilee to Tiberias, and as you begin to descend Tiberias, you begin to see the sea of Galilee, the lake of Gennesaret. And there it sits. And it's like in a bowl. And when the winds whip around inside that bowl coming down from Mount Hermon, they stir up waves that are unbelievable. And what happens at this time is something that these men who know the sea of Galilee like the back of their hand, who have fished all their lives, they make their living on the sea, are absolutely terrified.

Because they say, Lord don't you care that we are perishing. Their only conclusion is they're gonna die. It's over. We're not gonna make it to the other side. Although the Lord said, let us go to the other side of the lake. When the storm arose, they did not believe what Jesus said. Isn't that the way with you and me? We go to Sunday and we hear a sermon and we read our Bible and we hear what the Lord says. And all of a sudden the storm arises in our personal lives. And all of a sudden we live our lives as practical atheists, as if God doesn't exist.

As if he never said anything to me. At least I don't believe what he said. Because the Lord would say, why don't you have any faith? Why don't you believe what I say? The Lord asks that same question of us all the time, doesn't he? Don't you believe what I say? On this day, on the sea, the storm would arise and it would come at the blink of an eye. When the winds begin to whip down from Mount Hermon, down the Golan Heights, down through around that sea and stir up that water, there is nothing to stop the force of those waves.

Matthew's account says that the boat began to fill with water. I mean, I'm sorry, that's Mark's account. The boat began to fill with water. The waves were banging against the boat. This was not some little rock your boat kind of thing. This was something that caused these men to fear for their lives. And the Bible says, this fierce gale would arise.

Matthew calls it a seismos megas. So that is a seismic, an earthquake, a water quake. You ever been in an earthquake? This was a water quake. Everything began to shake. They were out of control in these boats. And as their boats were covered with waves, and as the boats began to fill with water, we move to the shock. Point number three, from within the storm.

Verse 24, and they came to him and woke him up saying, master, master, we are perishing. Lord, we're going to die. Now they had to wake him up. Why? Because he was asleep. He had no fear because he knew he was going to the other side. They were filled with fear because they didn't believe they were going to make it to the other side. And they were shocked. They were stunned. They believed they were going to die on this day. And they were shocked that the Lord would sleep and not care about their lives.

You ever been in that situation? It's almost as if you want to shake heaven and say, Lord, wake up. Where are you? Don't you care about my situation? Are you sleeping on the watch? Don't you know my family problems? Don't you know my physical ailments? Lord, wake up from your sleep. All the while, the Bible says the Lord never sleeps, nor does he slumber.

All the while, knowing that he is in complete control of every calamity that comes your way. Isaiah 45 7 says that he is the creator of all calamity. He creates it. He's in charge of it. He controls it. The one that controls the storm calms the storm because he creates the storm. See, our view of the sovereignty of God is so minimal that when something bad happens, we can't handle it. We think God's out of control. We think God doesn't know what he's doing. We think God's asleep someplace. And here were the disciples trying to wake him.

Lord, don't you care that we are perishing? All the while, all these other boats are around them. They too are being shaken. They too are being filled with water. They too have water overcoming them. They too are fearful for their own lives. Lord, don't you care that we are perishing? Now remember, they have seen the Lord's power when he raised the widow's son from the dead. They have seen the Lord's power when he caused those who are lame to walk, those who are blind to see. They have seen the Lord's power when he's able to feed thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people by recreating food.

They have seen the Lord's power over demons. He's powerful over the supernatural realm. They have seen the power of God at work. But all of a sudden in their own personal lives, because the calamity is very personal to them, everything up to this point has been on the outside of them. Now it truly affects them, right? And a lot of times that's the way we are. We say, whoa man, that tragedy. Boy, down in Iowa, over in Texas, those people who face tornadoes, those are tragic experiences. We're going to ask God to do a great work in their lives because we know God can.

Or that person, like Jason Kirby, who will be with us in our second service today, we know he was in a horrific crash.

Let me tell you something. I've seen the pictures of his car. It is a miracle of God the man even lived. But he did live. And so we pray, oh God, do a great work. Restore the family. Restore Jason to complete health. Boy, we know you can do that because you're the all-powerful God. But yet when it happens to us, we can't handle it because it's personal. It's easier for us to sit back and say, we're praying for you brother. We know God's all-powerful. We know God's all-sovereign. But to live the sovereignty of God is a whole nother realm.

And this was the disciples, they were living out the sovereign control of God in their lives. They couldn't handle it. As if God didn't care that they were perishing. Of course he cares. But what disturbed him was that they didn't care enough to believe what he said. That's what disturbed him the most. So you move from the scene before the storm, to the sea during the storm, to the shock from within the storm. Remember he was not surprised at the storm. God's never taken by surprise. God has a plan.

And that plan runs on course. He knows the plan from the beginning to the end. So he's never taken by surprise. He knows everything. He's omniscient. He knows when the storm is going to come. He planned the storm. He planned it. They're moving from the lecture hall in Capernaum to the laboratory of life on the sea. You know it's easy for us to go to church and hear the sermons about God and his power and his majesty and his glory and his all-controlling power over all things. Or we hear the sermons and we speak amen.

Praise the Lord brother. Preach it. Hallelujah. But to go out the doors and to experience God's sovereignty when calamity and adversity overwhelm my home, that's a whole different story isn't it? And that's where these men were. And Christ just wanted them to be in the laboratory of life. He wanted them to put their listening skills to the test. He wanted them to hear exactly what he said and to believe him for what he said. And that's God's compelling call to us today. You hear my word. You listen to my word.

I want you to take me at my word. I want you to believe me for what I say. I want you to grab hold of my words and never let them go because what I say is true. And I want you to believe them no matter how severe the difficulty, no matter how huge the trial. I need you to believe in me and my words. Some of you today are right in that spot. And you're going through a test. You're going through a trial where God is causing you to live in the laboratory of everyday life that you would listen to everything he says.

Some of you are doing well. Others of you not so well. And God is saying to you today, have you listened to what I've said to you? And so as we look at this shock from within, these men need to realize that our Lord created a desperate situation.

A desperate situation. So they would learn to depend upon every, listen, every word that he said. God creates desperation so that we will learn to depend upon every word that he says. So we move to point number four and that is the stilling of the storm. Lord, don't you care that we are perishing? Don't you care that we're going to die and being aroused? I like that. He wakes up. He's been asleep. I wonder if he was wet while he was asleep. I wonder if he was drenched while he slept, but he was aroused, the text says.

And then it says, he rebuked the wind and the surging waves and they stopped and it became calm. The stilling of the storm. He rebukes the wind and the waves. You know, when Jesus speaks, you got to listen.

So much so that the wind listens to what he says. Now listen. Now when he says, peace, be still, because that's what Mark's account says. Peace, be still. Everything ceased. Everything stopped immediately. The boat did not keep rocking. No, the boat was rocking. It was turbulent on the sea. He says, peace, be still. And the boat stops instantaneously. The wind stopped instantaneously. The waves stopped instantaneously. And all of a sudden, the sea became glass. There was no, listen, ripple effect.

There was no residual effect throughout the lake. Everything stopped immediately because he controls the wind and the waves and they have to do what he says. The Bible tells us that he holds all things in the power of his hand. All things. He's in control of the wind. He's in control of the universe. He's in control of the stars in the sky. He holds the whole universe together, Hebrew says, with the word of his mouth. Just with a word. And so whenever he speaks, nature responds. He says, peace, be still.

They have no choice but to stop and to obey the command of the sovereign king of the universe. Peace. Everything responds to the voice of God. Listen, if all you knew about Jesus was this account, this account is enough to prove to you that Jesus is God and everything he says must be believed. Just this account alone. He wanted his disciples, not just the apostles, the disciples, all of them, and maybe the 70 are included here. Remember in Luke 10, he's going to send out the 70. There are 70 other disciples, not the apostles, 70 other ones that he sends out to preach the gospel.

We know they're committed. Maybe within those boats are the 70 who are listening, who are listening, who are looking and watching and learning about the identity of Jesus the Messiah. And they come to saving faith because they believe in the sovereign control of the God of the universe. The stilling of the storm, peace, be still. Luke tells us that Jesus didn't ask anybody for help. He just did it all himself. He didn't pray, Lord God of heaven and earth, make your... He didn't pray. He just said, peace, be still, because he's God in the flesh.

And then you move to the fifth point and that is a statement concerning the storm. Verse 25, and he said to them, where is your faith? What is faith? Faith is believing in what God has already said. Faith is believing in what God has already said. Faith is not about believing something God hasn't said. That's not faith. That's stupidity. Faith is believing in what God has already said. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. You have faith to believe what God has already said. Without faith, it's impossible to please him.

We please him because we believe in what he has said. Mark's account says, why are you so timid? Why are you a bunch of cowards? In the original language of what it says. Why are you cowards? We were fearful, Lord. We were in danger. We were about to drown. We were about to die. No, you're cowards. You were cowards because you did not believe what I said. I said, let's get into the lake or into the boats and go to the other side of the lake. You didn't believe that. You didn't believe me. You didn't take me at my word.

So when a little bit of disruption came your way, a little bit of disruption, Lord, we were about to die. Really? Really? So they thought. You know, when we find ourselves in the midst of a calamity, we always think that we have it worse than anybody else, right? It's always worse for us than it is anybody else. Oh Lord, we're about to, we're about to perish. We're not going to make it. Lord says, really? Why are you such a coward? Why is he had no courage? Why are you so timid? Why is it you don't believe everything I say?

Ask yourself that question. Why is it you don't believe what Jesus says? So when something happens, the doctor's report comes back, it's negative. The doctor comes back and says, you're going to die. Tell me something I don't know. I don't know, doc. I know I'm going to die. The Bible says I'm going to die.

He says, yeah, but you're going to die next week. Really? How do you know that? You don't know that. So the doctor's report comes back and says, you got cancer. You're going to die. How do you respond to that? What am I going to do? Is God in control of your life? Are all your days numbered before there was even yet one of them? Of course they were. Everything is under the sovereign control of God. And so we learn to trust him in everything that he says and believe him for all that he has already spoken and trust him and wrap our trust in our arms around him as the sovereign God of the universe and believe everything he says.

And Jesus says, where's your faith? He makes a statement because he wants them to understand. I can raise the dead, but you don't trust me. I can cast demons out of people, but you don't trust me. I can make those who were lame for years upon years and years able to walk. I can make those who are blind from birth, able to see, and you can't trust me for one little storm tonight. You can't do that. How come you can't do that? Do you listen to what I tell you? Do you believe in what I say? How come you can't trust me for your situation?

You've seen my power. It's been on display for this year and a half that you've been with me. You've seen the power of God before you, yet you do not believe that he can take you through this storm. Where is your faith? I want you to notice something about the story.

The calamity that you face, the distress that you encounter, the adversity that you encounter, the tribulations and trials that you endure from day to day when they come upon you, most of the time they come upon you because of your obedience and not your disobedience. Jonah's storm happened because he was disobedient, but the disciples, they were obedient to the Lord. The Lord says, let's get into the boat. Let's go to the other side. And what do they say? Okay, sounds good to me. If they would have been disobedient and not gotten into the boat, they didn't miss the storm.

But they would have never learned the lesson. They would have never seen the power of God at work in their lives. Right? So God says, do something.

And upon your obedience, what do you find yourself amidst all kinds of difficult situations? Only because God is teaching you more and more about him. The story is about Christ. The story is not about the storm. It's not about the disciples. It's not about the Sea of Galilee. It's about the Savior who has control over all things. So sometimes you're in a storm for chastening purposes. Sometimes you're in a storm for strengthening purposes. But whenever there's a storm, it's there because it fulfills God's purposes in your life.

That's why the writer of Isaiah said these words. Isaiah chastened chapter 43, verse number 1. But now thus says the Lord, your creator, O Jacob, and he who formed you, O Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

The Lord God didn't say, if you happen to pass through the waters, if you happen to go through the rivers, if you happen to walk through the fire. He didn't say that. He said, no, when you walk through the fire, when you walk through the waters, I will be with you. That's God's promise. Just like he was with the disciples in Luke chapter 8. He was right there with them. He went to sleep because he wanted them to understand his humanity. He was tired, preached all day, so he went to sleep. But he could sleep knowing the storm was coming.

He could sleep amidst the storm because he was the control of that storm. He knew what he would do with the storm when it arrived. Same is true for you and same is true for me. Point number six, the summation from the storm. And they were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him? Who then is this? A rhetorical question. Who is this? This is unbelievable that even the wind and the waves obey him. They were so afraid.

What is more fearful than a storm outside your boat? It's a savior in your boat. They were absolutely terrified. They were more fearful once they understood Christ than they were when the crisis was at its peak. Because you see, when you recognize deity for who he is, you fear him. You're absolutely afraid because of his holiness, his power, his greatness. And it's unique to see because in the old King James it says, ah, what manner of man is this that even the wind and the waves obey him? It's a Greek word, patepen, used three times in the New Testament.

It's used here in this account. It's used in first John three, verse number one, and it's used in second Peter chapter three when it describes believers.

What manner of man, patepen is a word that talks about something that's otherworldly, something that's from another dimension. This man is from another world. It's outside the dimensions that we know as humans. It's otherworldly. It's from another dimension. It is alien-like. That's what the word means. What other dimension is this man from? What kind of alien is this man that even the wind and the waves obey him? Same word used in first John three one when John says, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God.

In other words, what other kind of worldly love is this? This is from another dimension. This is unlike anything we see with our eyes in this world. This love goes beyond this world to another world. Something that's from another dimension. Something that's completely foreign to us. It's completely alien to us because we never see it. What manner of love is this? Oh, what kind of love is this that the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God? That is from another kind of dimension.

That's from another world. That's the second time that word is used. Third time that word is used is this.

Second Peter chapter three. Verse 10, but the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what manner of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? Same word used. Since all this world is going to be destroyed by fire, what kind of people ought you to be? Otherworldly from another dimension, completely foreign by living a holy life, a godly life, because that is completely different than those in this world understand.

The compelling call for us today is to live that kind of life. And the way you do that is to believe everything that God says.

Everything. To take his word to heart and say, yes, Lord, I will believe everything you have said in your word to listen to what he speaks to you through his word and say, yes, Lord, I believe you. Yes, Lord, I want to obey you. Yes, Lord, I want to do everything that you say. Lord, help me to obey all your words. We do that. Then we've listened to the lesson on the sea. We've listened to the voice of God and we then become otherworldly. We become those of alien descent. We become those who are different than everybody else simply because we are willing to listen to everything he says and obey.

Let's pray. Lord God, thank you for today and the opportunity we have to study your word and pray, Lord, that we would listen to your voice and obey your word. And this prove ourselves once again to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for the lesson of the deep. Thank you for the lesson of the storm. Thank you, Lord, for what you did in the life of these men. I pray, Father, that we today would be listeners to everything that you say and that we would obey and we would follow and you'd be pleased in Jesus name.

Amen.