Luke 8:22-25 (MSG)
One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.
Then he said to his disciples, “Why can’t you trust me?” They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, “Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!”
Title: Sleeping Jesus
There are many words to describe Jesus, but have you ever calling Him sleeping?
Have you ever felt like Jesus was sleeping in your storm? Have you ever been in a moment where chaos is raging, and yet it feels like heaven is silent? That’s exactly where the disciples found themselves in this passage.
Jesus invites them on a journey across the lake. Everything starts off great—"smooth sailing." But suddenly, without warning, a terrific storm comes up. Water is pouring in. The boat is about to capsize. And where is Jesus? Asleep.
The disciples panic, waking Him up, shouting, “Master! We’re going to drown!” And with one word, Jesus silences the storm. Then He turns to them and asks, “Why can’t you trust me?”
I want to share with you two simple observations from this story:
1. Prayer Provokes His Power
Jesus was asleep during the storm. 2 different types of sleepers, one who can sleep through anything, the other who wakes up for anything.
The boat’s movement didn’t wake Him. The violent wind didn’t wake Him. The crashing waves and water flooding in didn’t wake Him. But the cry of His disciples did.
This tells us something: Your voice has power.
The storm didn't move Him, but their prayer did.
The waves didn’t stir Him, but their words did.
When you feel like God is silent, don’t stop calling on Him. You have direct access to the One who commands the winds and the waves. He may seem silent, but He is still present.
Some of us have been trying to fix our storms with our own strength. We try to bail out the water. We try to fight the waves. But Jesus is just waiting for us to do what the disciples finally did—wake Him up! Cry out to Him, and He will respond.
Psalm 34:17 (NLT) – "The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles."
2. Peace is in His Presence
Jesus was asleep, and they thought that meant He didn’t care. But here’s the truth: If He wasn’t worried about the storm, neither should they have been.
The same Jesus who said, “Let’s cross the lake” wasn’t going to let them sink in the middle of it. If Jesus says, "We’re going to the other side," then you can rest in His word. You don’t have to panic when He’s already promised the outcome.
Here’s the key:
Jesus slept through the storm because He had peace.
The disciples could have slept too if they trusted His presence.
Sometimes, we are stressed about things that Jesus is sleeping through. If He’s at rest, we should be too. His presence in the boat was proof they were safe.
The storm may be raging around you, but it doesn’t have to rage within you. The waves may be high, but His peace is higher. Stop letting what’s happening around you dictate what’s happening inside you.
Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) – "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
After Jesus calms the storm, He asks them a simple but powerful question:
“Why can’t you trust me?”
That’s the same question He’s asking you and me today.
The real miracle wasn’t just that Jesus stopped the storm. It was that they saw Him in a new way. The storm didn’t destroy them; it revealed more of who Jesus was.
Maybe the storm you’re in isn’t meant to take you out—it’s meant to show you Jesus in a way you’ve never seen Him before.
You can’t experience healing, if you're never sick, provision is you're never in lack, restoration if you're never broken, etc…
So today, instead of worrying about the waves, remember:
Your prayer provokes His power.
His presence is greater than the storm.
And if Jesus is sleeping, you can too. Trust His peace, and rest in Him.
