Luke 8:21-25

Luke 8:21 (KJB)
And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

Jesus then stretches out His hand and points to all who are in attendance. Jesus was not saying that the earthly family was not important but when you are speaking of the family of God, it goes way beyond the nuclear family. Jesus was also disabusing the idea of Mary being the Mother of God. Jesus widened the meaning of family and He makes specific mention of mother so there is no mistake that the title of mother in the Kingdom of God takes on a new meaning and that is those who follow Him plus it is equal to brother, sister, uncle, aunt, or whomever. All are on equal footing in the body of Christ and there are no separate titles given to believers.

Now Jesus introduces the main distinction for the spiritual family of God and that is those who hear the word of God and obey it. It is hearing the teachings of Jesus and not just hearing them but acting upon them. Notice Jesus said “do it” and not just “know it.“ The will of God is bound up in actions for the Kingdom of God. No one can be a silent disciple or one who does nothing. When one has beliefs, they act upon those beliefs and since Jesus has saved us, our action is to bring the Gospel to the four corners of the earth. When we are saved and involved in the Lord’s work, then we are showing that we are His brothers, sisters, and mothers.

Luke 8:22 (KJB)
Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

Jesus had now only preached on the western shore of the sea of Galilee and had healed many and delivered many from devil possession. It was now time to move on and go to a different place to proclaim the Gospel. They would be heading over to the area of Gergesa for a period of rest from the weary day of teaching. Gergesa was located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Luke 8:23 (KJB)
But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

The storm came up very suddenly and an interesting word is used here. (Mat 8:24 KJV) And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. The word in the Greek for “tempest” in Matthew 8:24 is “seismos” which denotes that this storm was so intense, it was like an earthquake or a great shaking had upset the sea and added another dimension of ferocity to this storm. The storm was so intense that it caused very rough seas and those seas had now covered the deck with water and it was probably so fierce that it looked to the disciples that the ship would probably sink. Now the majority of these were fishermen and they knew that storms would come up on the Sea of Galilee at a moment’s notice. This storm was different because it was not only waves but there was the shaking that accompanied it. The disciples were probably frightened by now and did not know what to do to keep the boat from sinking. Then we read that Jesus was fast asleep being tired from a long day. He was in the stern of the boat which was the hinder part. This shows the humanity of Jesus as He was fatigued in body from a long day and it tells us that he can identify with us when we are tired in body.

Luke 8:24 (KJB)
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

Then the disciples came to Him and saw Him sleeping and wakened Him out of His sleep and told Him of their dire situation that the boat was about ready to come apart and that would mean they would perish in the sea. They came to Him hoping that He could do something about this situation since they saw Him do much healing and other miracles. Maybe some just wanted Him to help bail out the boat. Those who were the fishermen among them knew what a storm of this intensity could do to a boat. This also the cry of the unsaved. There need not be a long drawn out prayer but a swift prayer knowing the consequences of dying unsaved. Nehemiah prayed short prayers pertaining to the need of the moment. (Neh 13:29 KJV) Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. So Jesus arises from sleep and then proceeds to rebuke the wind and the rain. Then as they obey Him, a great calm comes over the sea. This is what happens to our situations when Jesus becomes involved, where we had great turmoil in our lives, He brings a great calm.

Luke 8:25 (KJB)
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

They awaken Jesus and He asks them where is their faith? They still did not understand the higher calling of the ministry of Jesus and that He could not perish while in the boat. He chides them for having so little faith, especially after seeing the miracles He did just a few hours before they got into the boat. They are just like us. How many times God does something for us in a big way or even something small, and yet how quickly we forget what He has done for us.

The men were amazed because they had never seen anything like this. In one moment the seas were raging and in the next it was quiet. (Isa 17:12 KJV) Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! One day, on the last day, the Lord is going to quell all the noise in the world and there shall be silence when He returns on the clouds of glory. Like the disciples who marvelled when Jesus quieted the sea, the world will also marvel when they see Him return on the last day. The disciples still had no clue who they were with. If the devils in people and the diseases in people had to flee upon the command of the Lord, it should not be any much harder to believe that the winds and the rain had to obey also.

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