Luke 8:22-29

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” - Luke 8:22-24a ESV

His disciples may have been running to warn Him so He could prepare for a capsizing. They may also have been coming down in the hope, or belief, that He would do something about the situation. The Scripture doesn't say, so we shouldn't get dogmatic about what the disciples were thinking. One thing is for certain, when things got rough, they went to their Master, as should we. He is in control, and we are able to overcome all things through Him. "Yet not I but through Christ in me."

I also like the fact that Luke brings attention to Jesus being tired. A simple fact recorded; Jesus got tired. Fully man, fully God. Teaching, healing, traveling; all He did eventually caused Him to grow exhausted to the point that He could fall asleep and sleep through a storm in a boat. It's something important to recognize as it's a reassurance to us; Our Lord even grew tired while in the body, so our own tiredness should not be ignored, and we can bring that tiredness to Him and ask for help.

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And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” - Luke 8:24b-25a ESV

Jesus knew the storms would never be able to harm His followers or Himself. He rebukes the wind and waves to calm them and the fears of His followers. Notice His question / rebuke; "where is your faith?" This was a question to them at that time and could be worded (albeit probably not 100% accurately) as such: "Where are you resting your faith?" Expanded on, and applied to us today, you could ask yourself "do you have faith in your own skills? Faith in clear weather? Faith that Jesus will see you through all things? Faith that the Father will not take you from this scene until the work for you is complete? Where does your faith lie?" It very well may be that their lack of faith was of greater concern than the storms that had been raging.

We should also be asking ourselves this question. Where is our faith? What do we put our faith in? Money? Power? Fame? Health? Property? Government? Leaders? Family? Friends? Our faith should be grounded in Jesus. That's not to say be untrusting of family, friends, government or leaders. That's not to say don't work to pay your bills or keep up your health. It's to say we are not to be grounded, rooted in those things. That's not where our faith is to live.

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And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” - Luke 8:25b ESV

Jesus shows them that His authority is over even the physical world, not just illness and demons. Wind and sea are subject to Him. This causes His followers and those on the boat to begin asking the obvious question; "Who could do these things? Who is this?"

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Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. - Luke 8:26-27 ESV

Matthew records two, Luke one. It's believed that Luke recorded, or rather emphasized, the prominent speaker and more violent demon-possessed man, while Matthew recorded the total number for accuracy.

Were they truly demon possessed or just insane? Here, Luke (and other writers elsewhere in the Bible) makes it quite clear; they were possessed. We know that Satan took with him fallen angels. There's a supernatural battle as much as a physical battle going on over our faith. Physical against the temptations of the flesh. Supernatural against the unseen realm, in which we can do nothing except call upon Jesus' name when faced with it. No demon, no number of demons, and no physical obstacle, can withstand the Name of Jesus, the Name above all names.

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When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) - Luke 8:28-29 ESV

An immediate recognition of Who Jesus is. Jesus didn't need to proclaim Himself to demons. It's likely they saw / see the world in a different way than we do, and so when Jesus is before them, they see One of the Triune before them, and they can do nothing but tremble in fear.

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