Luke 8:22-40
How it came to pass on a certain day, that He (Jesus) 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.
“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 (danger).
“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 great calm.”
The men had seen the power of Jesus to cure the sick and raise the dead, yet they greatly wondered that He could quiet a storm. They said to one another,
“What manner of man is this! for He commandeth even the wind and water and they obey Him.” See also Mark 4:35-41.
The disciples. did not then realize that Jesus was the Son of God, the One with God the Father when the seas and land were made,
“All things were made by Him.” John 1:3.
He taught them by their danger, more of Who He was, and showed them they had little trust, When He had said, “Let us go to the other side,” would they not surely reach there? Was He not with them?
His word was sure, they would not sink under the stormy waves.
But Jesus’ words, “Let Us go-to the other side” are for us too. He said,
“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20.
We cannot see Him as the disciples did, yet He is still with His own in spirit, and is teaching them by the troubles to trust Him more.
“The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm.” Nahum 1:3.
No storm of trouble, but He can give peace. We shall surely reach “the other side,” which for us is Heaven, for He also said, “They shall never perish.” John 10:28.
That day when Jesus and the disciples landed on the shore, they saw a man living among the tombs, and very fierce, because of wicked spirits living within him. He had been bound with chains, but broke them.
In spite of his dreadful condition, thc Lord Jesus had power to free him, and commanded the evil spirits to leave him. They did so, but went into a herd of swine feeding near, and the whole herd ran “violently” down steep hill into the lake and drowned.
What of the man who had been so tormented? He sat down quietly at Jesus’ feet, thankful for what Jesus had done for him, and wanting to be with Him. But the saddest part of this story is that, when the men who kept the swine, ran to tell the owners what had happened, they, with many other people of the town, came to Jesus and begged Him to leave their lands. They were afraid more. of their animals would be lost, and that meant more to them than that Jesus should save persons fruit, such awful misery as that man. So Jesus went away.
ML 04/08/1945