A sermon delivered in February 2025 describing how as Jesus Calms the Storm : Luke 8:22-25 for his disciples, so too he will calm the storms of our lives when we turn to him.
In this scripture, I see, in my head, an image of a lighthouse, because they have traditionally been viewed as symbols of hope and security, strength and authority in times of trouble, which is what Jesus was displaying to the disciples in the words of St Luke.
However, although lighthouses save lives, Jesus, our lighthouse, saves souls.
He offers us strength, hope, and guidance with his light in both good and bad times.
Because, as we live in a fallen world, we too are bound to encounter stressful situations, adversity, and various trials and tribulations.
But, the peace Jesus offers is not in the absence of challenges; financial problems, enemies, and health issues – these are things we are all subject to.
The peace Jesus offers us is teaching us how to have the wisdom, strength, and hope to be still, during the storms of life.
To trust in his power, and take correct choices in our actions, to take us safely and calmly to the other side – as He did when he calmed the storm.
Jesus Was Asleep When the Storm Struck …
… as he sometimes seems to be asleep in our lives today.
But in the midst of life-threatening danger, the disciples called upon Him to save them, and he did so in the most spectacular fashion.
For me this drama highlights how, although Jesus may not be making himself known in any obvious way in our lives today, he is nevertheless still nearby and we only need to call on him to know how to start making right what is wrong in our lives.
Jesus was Calm in the Storm
Another thing that I notice, is that Jesus is awoken to chaos all around him. He, like his disciples, were all in the eye of a life threatening storm.
But although drama crashed all around him from the storm, he did not allow the storm to disturb anything within Him.
He knew who he was and where his authority came from. He knew his power was given by God his father the creator of heaven and earth.
He knew that the storm would yield to his command.
So he wasn’t frightened or alarmed by this situation and he stayed calm as he took control and did what was within his power.
So too when we trust in God’s power and divine grace, we can remain calm in the storms of our lives as we draw strength from Jesus.
Divine Intervention vs. Free Will?
Jesus calmed the storm through divine intervention.
And God has intervened in this way throughout history, including through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
I believe that God still intervenes today, when circumstances are right, although I think it unlikely that any of us will ever see anything as dramatic as Jesus calming the storm.
The thing is we were born into an imperfect world in which we will all encounter trials and tribulations.
But we were not born into this world as robots or puppets, rather, as individuals with our own free will on how to react in times of trial.
And, although I believe God will still intervene in certain situations, he also respects human rights and created us with the gift of freedom of choice.
Meaning that he does not force humans to be what he wants them to be, to be what he created them to be.
Rather, he allows us to work things out for ourselves, with the liberty to choose between right and wrong.
And, while Jesus can provide comfort, strength and sometimes miracles, God does not remove the storms from our lives entirely, as they allow us to gradually develop spiritually by exercising our free agency (our conscience) to choose how to best respond to life’s tests and difficulties.
We are empowered to either choose the Christian way to react or, in another way.
Today the Holy Spirit is how God makes himself known when he intervenes for believers
Then when we choose the Christian way to respond to the trials of the modern world, we slowly develop into the full potential God had planned for us.
But sadly, and we see this around us in the world, because of our gift of free choice, this also means that humans can, and do, go astray and commit evil.
But when we choose to call on Christ’s strength and teachings, particularly when we find ourselves ship-wrecked on the sea of life;
by God’s Grace, our relationships with Him will flourish and our spirits develop and mature, as we live in the sure and certain hope of life everlasting.
Of life in a renewed world, in which Jesus reigns and evil will be no more.
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
In the words of this well-known hymn, John Greenleaf Whittier, who wrote the words, encourages a quiet, contemplative relationship with God, meaning that God can be found in stillness and trust, rather than in hectic activity or religious zeal.
I find the words of this beautiful poem, put to music by both Hubert Parry in the UK, and Frederick Charles Maker in the USA, compliment the teachings of Jesus when he calmed the storm.
You can listen to a rendition of this beautiful hymn from Westminster Abbey in the YouTube link below.
