Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos with audio, video, and notes explores faith during life’s storms. This passage recounts Jesus and his disciples encountering a fierce squall while sailing across the Sea of Galilee. As the disciples panic, Jesus sleeps peacefully, demonstrating his trust in God’s protection. When awakened, he calms the storm with a simple command, revealing his divine authority over nature. The story challenges believers to examine their faith in tumultuous times, encouraging them to trust God’s presence even when He seems silent. It teaches that true peace comes not from the absence of conflict but from confidence in God’s power and care.
This lesson reminds us to call on Jesus early in our struggles and to rebuke the storms in our lives with faith.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE CHAPTER 8
By Delbert Young
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
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Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
Scriptures: Proverbs 1:27, Job 40:6, Luke 8:22-23, Luke 8:24, Mark 4:38, Luke 8:24, Mark 4:39, Luke 8:25,
When you think about a storm, what do you think? Certainly, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain storms, and snow storms and the concern and fear they bring. There are also storms of life we all experience. The Bible constantly relates the calamities of life to storms.
Proverbs 1:27 WHEN calamity overtakes you LIKE A STORM, WHEN disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, WHEN distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Calamities, disasters, distress, and troubles are storms of life. We experience storms of Biblical proportions in marriage, finances, family, occupation, health, etc, right? We also read,
Job 40:6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the STORM:
Will God speak to us out of the storm? Yes, always, but have you ever been going through one of those storms of life and felt God forgot about you? Perhaps you felt Jesus was “Sleeping on the Job.” Did you ask, “Jesus, don’t you care?” Today, we read about a storm, and Jesus was sleeping on the job.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
The Unexpected Storm
Luke 8:22-23 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. AS THEY SAILED, HE FELL ASLEEP. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
Jesus decided to go for a sailboat ride across the Sea (lake) of Galilee. The destination is intriguing, but that’s for next time. It was about a seven-mile sail at most, as that’s the widest point of the Sea of Galilee. Have you ever been sailing? It amazes me to watch a sailboat being maneuvered with great skill. There’s no engine noise, only the sounds of the boat slicing through the water and the wind in the sails. It’s quiet and peaceful. Jesus is exhausted and curled up with a pillow (Mar 4:38), and “as they sailed, he fell asleep,” but a horrific storm came down on them.
This sudden shift from calm to chaos mirrors the unpredictable nature of life’s challenges. Even when following Jesus’ lead, we may find ourselves in the midst of a storm.
As I researched, I learned that the Sea of Galilee is one of the most studied bodies of water. YouTube and the web have many videos and articles about it. It is 696 feet below sea level, making it the lowest lake on the planet. It’s bordered by hills on the west and sheer cliffs on the east rising 1,000 – 1,500 feet. It’s fed on the north by snow melting from the Lebanese Mountains, including Mount Hermon, rising 9,232 feet. The valley area, called Hula, creates a high-speed wind “tunnel” from the cold wind blowing down from Mount Hermon.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
The Jordan River flows out the south end.
Hot wind crossing from the deserts on the east, pulled down by gravity and plummeting 2,000 feet, colliding with the cold air from the north is a perfect atmospheric setup for a sudden tornado or hurricane-type situation. In 1992, 10′ waves crashed over a “sea wall” damaging buildings along the shoreline. Add to that the moist wind from the west from the Mediterranean Sea, only thirty miles away, and it’s the perfect setup for God to show off his authority over weather and nature.
The old saying goes, “Everybody talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it.” The reason is no one can. My point is there will be times in our lives when fronts come together – cold from here, hot from there, winds from there – financial problems collide with marital problems added to occupational situations along with health issues – bringing a severe storm neither you nor anyone can do anything about. Let’s reread the verses.
Luke 8:22-23 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A SQUALL CAME DOWN ON THE LAKE, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in GREAT DANGER.
What began as a leisurely, calm, peaceful, restful sailboat ride, probably in Peter’s boat, became a storm. A squall came down. The wind plummeted from the cliffs, colliding with the cold air. It’s as if the storm attacked them. Have you ever felt like that? Something “came down” on you, blowing your life around, bringing waves high enough to swamp your life. Your future was in great danger.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
This was not a Jonah Storm where Jonah disobeyed God, causing his storm. These people were doing precisely what Jesus said. This boat ride was God’s idea, not the devil’s idea. We’ve been taught more like “Jesus is a good luck charm.” It’s inferred that we won’t experience anything rough if we follow Jesus. And, if we experience stormy times, we’ve done something wrong. No! Following Jesus doesn’t mean it will always be smooth sailing through life. He will send you into a storm even when doing exactly what he asked, no matter your dedication level. No one was more dedicated than these people in this storm. The truth is nothing will test our dedication and commitment like a storm.
It said, “A squall came down on the lake.” Did the squall attack them? Squall is lailaps {lah’-ee-laps}meaning whirlwind, a violent attack of wind, never a single gust nor a steadily blowing wind, a violent storm breaking forth from black thunder clouds in furious gusts, with floods of rain, and throwing everything topsy-turvy.
I’ve fished and boated for years and consider myself an experienced navigator, having frequently experienced sudden winds and sudden large waves.
The wind blows rain and water through the air sideways, striking at whatever speed the wind blows – at times, 30 miles an hour. It doesn’t sting. It hurts. It’s blinding. You’re soaked and miserable. Navigating high seas and high winds with a 150 HP engine is difficult. I can’t imagine navigating in a massive storm with a sail and a rudder. These were experienced sailors, or several were. We can imagine Matthew, the tax collector, holding on while hanging over the side, sea-sick and hurling, wishing he had taken Dramamine. Indeed, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, the fishermen, had been in storms before on this lake. They’d always handled the storms before, but today, “they were in great danger.”
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
It doesn’t matter what your skill level is in life. No matter your expertise, a squall will come down and attack you. Suddenly, the winds and waves of life hit. Life rocks and tosses you around. The storm hurts, blinding you. You’re miserable. It will make you sick and ill. You do all you can. You realize you’re in great danger. Where’s Jesus?
The Sleeping Savior
While the disciples panic, Jesus sleeps peacefully. Where was Jesus during the disciple’s storm of “great danger”? He was sleeping! This scene raises questions about God’s apparent silence during our struggles. Yet, Jesus’ calm sleep demonstrates his complete trust in God’s protection, even amidst the storm.
Luke 8:24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “MASTER, MASTER, WE’RE GOING TO DROWN!”
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
The disciples (plural) were all yelling! “We’re going to drown!” Imagine the pandemonium. Mark adds an interesting thought to his gospel.
Mark 4:38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “TEACHER, DON’T YOU CARE IF WE DROWN?“
Have you ever been in a storm and said or felt, “God, don’t you care?” This is the only story we read about Jesus sleeping (Mat 9; Mar 4). He’s not only sleeping. He’s sleeping in a storm, but not just any storm. It was their storm. They were in pandemonium, but Jesus was sleeping. We know he’s tired, but why’s he sleeping now?
Sometimes, I need God, but it seems heaven is sleeping on me. It seems God’s off snoring someplace. “God, don’t you care? Wake up! Help me!”
Interestingly, the disciples did all they could before crying out to Jesus. One would think they would yell out way before they were close to drowning, but don’t we do this? I’ve talked to people going through horrific storms. I ask, “What is God saying?” Frequently, the response is a look of surprise as if to say, “I haven’t asked God about it. That never crossed my mind.” When you go through storms of life, don’t wait until you’re about to drown before you call out.
Did Jesus care? The truth is Jesus was right there the entire time. Not only was he there, but he was going through every wave the disciples went through. Every blast of wind hitting them hit Jesus. No matter what fear I feel in my storms of life, Jesus is right there with me. Though I’m fearful, he’s not. He will never leave me nor forsake me (Heb. 13:5).
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
The Divine Command
Luke 8:24 …He got up and REBUKED THE WIND AND THE RAGING WATERS; the storm subsided, and all was calm.
The wind stopped blowing. The seas fell flat. All was calm. I’m sure the disciples thought as he spoke to the wind and the raging waters, “He’s insane. That’s not going to help.” They sort of understood speaking to sickness and demons. They’d seen him do that, but speaking to a storm? Have you ever done something like rebuke a storm? Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Well… me, but perhaps I’m not in my right mind. I’ve yelled at hurricanes when they threatened my vacation. I’ve yelled at tornado-creating weather.
I was rebuking a storm on my back porch just a few days ago. I thought, “What could it hurt?” As soon as I began hearing about tornado warnings, I started rebuking. I’m sure the disciples thought it crazy until they saw the results. Jesus spoke to storms, fevers, demons, and trees. He told us to speak to the mountains. Mark tells us what Jesus said.
Mark 4:39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “QUIET! BE STILL!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
King James says, “Peace be still.” Quiet or Peace is siopao {see-o-pah’-o} – silence, hush, muteness, involuntary stillness, inability to speak. Still is phimoo{fee-mo’-o} – to close the mouth, to stop the mouth, make speechless, reduce to silence. Isn’t that interesting? We see wind and waves and atmospheric turbulence. Jesus sees something alive, yelling and screaming. Jesus sees something to rebuke and correct. “Hush!” “Be quiet. Set yourself down now!” What do you see?
This miraculous act reveals Jesus’ divine power over nature, reminding us of his ultimate authority over all of life’s storms.
When we experience storms of life, we should see something alive yelling and screaming at us. It is! Next time, rebuke it. Tell it, “QUIET! BE STILL! Shut your mouth!” You may be as amazed as the disciples were.
The Challenge of Faith
After calming the storm, Jesus turns to his disciples with a poignant question:
Luke 8:25 “WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?” he asked his disciples…
This question prompts us to examine our own faith in tumultuous times. Do we trust in our own abilities or in God’s power and care?
Why does Jesus send us into storms? It’s so we can answer the question, “Where is my faith?” Jesus didn’t say, “You of little faith.” He asked, “Where is your faith?” He didn’t say they didn’t have faith. Jesus questioned what, or in whom, your faith is. Not if it was, but where it was.
This gives us tremendous insight. It’s not that we lack faith. It’s when we place our faith in the wrong places—in ourselves, in something, or in someone.
As I accessed this thought, attempting to listen deeply, I asked, “What does that mean? Where was their faith? What could they have done differently in a faith way? I see three things.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
(1) They could speak to and rebuke the storm themselves.
Even if the storm didn’t stop, Jesus would smile because they stuck out their faith. That’s the only thing Jesus did they didn’t do. Jesus rebuked the wind and waves immediately.
(2) They waited until they were about to drown before they cried out to Jesus.
Their faith was in themselves. They thought they were the water experts. What does a carpenter know about boating in a storm? Jesus was the expert on preaching, deliverance, and healing, but they were the experts on boats, wind, and waves.
What do you and I know more about than Jesus – your marriage? Jesus was never married. Your finances? Your children? Jesus never had children. We put our faith in ourselves. Finally, just before drowning, we wake Jesus and get him involved in our storm. So, I ask you, “Where is your faith?” A storm will indeed show you, “Where is your faith?” Storms have a way of finding the location of your faith. It’s easy to place your faith in Jesus when the sailing is smooth and the skies are clear. It’s not so easy to place your faith in Jesus when sinking and about to drown.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
(3) They said, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
Master is epistates {ep-is-tat’-ace} – any sort of superintendent or overseer. I’m confident they were all yelling something, but the thought here is Jesus is “Master,” not “God.” I fear sometimes we think along the lines of Jesus bossing – supervising, overseeing – us rather than as God of everything, even the wind and waves and storms of life. This proves true with the remainder of that verse.
The Lesson Learned
The passage concludes with the disciples’ awe:
Luke 8:25 …WHO IS THIS? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.
If our faith is where it should be, we don’t ask, “Who is this?” Did they still not know? We know he’s Jesus, but do we realize he’s God made flesh? We limit Jesus.
It was after Jesus rescued them from drowning, after hearing Jesus rebuke the wind and waves, after seeing the waves flatten and the wind hush, after they saw a complete calm, that they asked, “Who is this?” I mean, they should know, right?
We do similarly. We find ourselves in a monster storm of life. It’s then we finally call upon Jesus. He speaks to it. The storm dies, and life levels. Yet, we still can’t realize he’s God. We think more like, “Sweew! I’m glad I made it through.” Really? Do you not see who he is and why you made it through? We marginalize Jesus as God. We pencil him in here but not there. So we limit him, and by so doing, we limit ourselves. He’s the God of everything. He’s Lord of all.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
What fears and terrors haunt you? What do you fear could drown you? Learn to speak to it. Rebuke it! Say, “QUIET! BE STILL!” What is it you need to rebuke? Don’t put your faith in yourself. Get Jesus involved in your storm as quickly as the wind picks up. Realize who Jesus is. He’s way more than your boss. He’s God, and he loves you and wants you to know who he is. Where’s Jesus in your storm? He could be sleeping, but he’s there through every wave and every blast of wind. He wants to see “Where is your faith.”
This experience deepens the disciples’ understanding of Jesus’ true identity and power, challenging us to recognize God’s presence and authority in our own lives, especially during difficult times.
This account reminds us that true peace comes not from the absence of storms but from the presence of Jesus in the midst of them. It encourages us to call on Him early in our struggles and to face life’s challenges with unwavering faith.
Jesus Sleeping on the Job Luke 8:22-25: How to Weather Chaos
Other Related Sermons:
Gethsemane We All Have One Luke 22:39-48
Matthew 26-31-46 Gethsemane Audio
Rebuke The Devour Series Audio
When The Heathen Pharaoh Rebuke The Righteous
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