Matthew 8:23–27 (KJV)
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”
Following Jesus Into the Storm
Matthew tells us that “his disciples followed him.” They did not wander into the storm; they followed Christ directly into it. This simple yet profound detail reveals a deep spiritual truth: obedience does not exempt us from storms—sometimes it leads us straight into them.
But if Christ led them into the tempest, then the storm was not a sign of God’s absence, but of His purposeful presence. The disciples were where they were supposed to be. And yet the waves still rose, the winds still howled, and fear still gripped their hearts.
So it is with us. Many believers assume that faith guarantees smooth seas, but Scripture teaches the opposite. The question is never whether storms will come—they will—but whether we trust the One who leads us through them.
Christ Asleep in the Midst of Chaos
The ship was being swallowed by waves, yet Jesus slept. This was not indifference. This was sovereignty.
He rested because the storm was no threat to Him.
Where the disciples saw danger, Jesus saw no cause for alarm. What terrified them did not trouble Him. Their frantic shaking—“Lord, save us: we perish”—revealed the condition of their hearts: fear had overshadowed faith.
Christ’s gentle rebuke pierced through the roar of the wind:
“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”
Those words were not condemnation but correction. He was calling them to a higher understanding of who He is. Faith is not merely believing that Jesus can save; it is trusting that He reigns even when He appears to be silent.
The Word That Commands Creation
With a single rebuke, the winds yielded and the waves stilled. Chaos bowed to the Creator.
And in that holy stillness the disciples whispered, awestruck:
“What manner of man is this…?”
This was the revelation the storm was meant to bring—not merely a display of deliverance, but a revelation of identity.
They had seen His miracles, heard His teaching, witnessed His compassion—but now they saw His authority.
The sea, uncontrollable to men, obeyed Him instantly.
He is not merely a teacher.
Not merely a healer.
Not merely a prophet.
He is the Lord of creation, the eternal Word by whom all things were made.
The storm revealed what calm seas never could.
Faith in Our Tempests
Every believer faces storms—storms of loss, storms of illness, storms of uncertainty, storms of spiritual opposition. Christ does not promise the absence of storms, but He does promise His presence in them. And His presence changes everything.
When the waves rise, faith remembers:
- If Christ is in the boat, it cannot sink.
- If Christ leads into the storm, He will lead through it.
- If Christ speaks, the winds and waves must obey.
The disciples entered the storm asking for survival.
They left the storm with a revelation: the Man who was with them was the Master of all things.
Conclusion
“What manner of man is this?”
He is the One who enters our storms, commands our chaos, and calls us to trust Him even when the waves rise. Faith does not deny the storm—it beholds the Savior. It rests when others fear, because it knows who is in the boat.
May every tempest in our lives reveal the same truth the disciples discovered that day:
Jesus Christ is Lord over all—our peace in the storm, our assurance in the darkness, and our unshakable anchor forever.