(Joseph Bianco)
Matthew 8:23–27 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
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Dear church family, this brief yet profound account in Matthew 8 reveals the sovereign lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ over all creation. As he and his disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, a fierce storm arises—violent enough to threaten their lives and fill seasoned fishermen with terror. Yet Jesus sleeps peacefully in the stern, undisturbed by the chaos. When the disciples awaken him in desperation—“Save us, Lord; we are perishing”—his response is both gentle rebuke and divine action: “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” With a word, he rebukes the winds and the sea, and immediately there is a great calm. The same voice that called the universe into being now commands the elements to be still, demonstrating that he is no mere teacher or prophet, but the eternal Son of God in whom “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).
The storm was no accident; it served to reveal Christ’s divine authority and to expose the frailty of human faith. The disciples, though they had witnessed healings and exorcisms, still feared for their lives when providence brought trial. Jesus does not chide them for feeling fear—fear is a natural response to danger—but for letting it overwhelm their trust in Him. “O you of little faith” is a tender yet pointed reminder that true faith rests not in the absence of storms, but in the presence and power of the Savior who rules them. As the Westminster Confession teaches, God governs all creatures and all actions according to the immutable counsel of his own will; nothing—including wind, wave, or wave of affliction—escapes his lordship.
Beloved, as I reflect on this passage, I have always felt insufficient, because I want the faith of Jesus. I want to be able to fall asleep in a storm. I want that kind of peace. Perhaps, one day, I’ll be that mature, but perhaps this passage is demonstrating not simply our deficient personal faith, but the true reality that Jesus is on board the ship with us. He is here with me in the storm. The fact that I can’t fall asleep in a storm is not what saves me; Jesus saves me. Jesus is with you, dear friends, on board the ship as it were. He wants you to grow up, to grow in faith, but his chastisement is also an invitation. He is present and able to help you. Would you go to him? Pray in two ways. First, confess the areas you have lacked faith in the storms of your life. Second, fall into his arms. Ask for the peace that comes with having God on board your ship.