THE DYNAMIC LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE SLEEPING TEACHER

THE LESSON TAUGHT BY THE SLEEPING JESUS

Mat 8:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
Mat 8:24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
Mat 8:25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!
Mat 8:26 He replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Mat 8:27 The men were amazed and asked, What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!

When Jesus calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee, He teaches his disciples 3 important lessons in life:

Here is the first lesson:

I. THE LESSON ON SACRIFICE: He taught the great cost to pay on following God’s will – vs. 23-24
It is very clear here that it is Jesus who gave the orders to the disciples to cross over the lake. But here also we understand that following Jesus command does not exclude us encountering the storms. There is price to pay on following Jesus.
Mat 8:18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
Mat 8:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
Mat 8:24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat…

a). There is a risk of encountering the waves and the storm
• It might be the waves of bills
• Waves of discouragement
• Waves of heartaches
• Waves of problems

b). There is a challenge of receiving no material gain
Mat 8:19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.
Mat 8:20 Jesus replied, Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

c). There is a possibility of selfless sacrifice
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me

d) . But there is more than enough reasons to take every risk
2Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Now see the second lesson:

II. THE LESSON ON PEACE: He taught us that we can rest sleep in the midst of even the fiercest storm – v. 24
Mat 8:24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.

While the disciple were trying to handle the storm, what is Jesus doing? Jesus is sleeping. That is why the disciple ask him, Mar 4:38 …Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?

a). The character of disciples revealed by the storm:
1. They don’t ask for Jesus miracle working power (“Can you still the storm?)
2. They don’t ask about his know how (Is there something we can do?)
3. They blame him for not caring (Do you not care that we are perishing?)

b). The effects of fear created in the mind of disciples
1. Fear corrodes confidence on God’s goodness (Why Jesus is sleeping in the time I needed Him most?)
2. Fear turns us in the control freak (They demand Him to do something when they feel out of control)
3. Fear deadens our memory recall (Fear creates a form of spiritual amnesia, they forget all His miracles)
4. Fear sucks the life out of us (When fear struck their heart, safety become their god)

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