Where is your faith?
…as they sailed Jesus 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!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was calm. And he said to them, “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:23-25)
So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:29-31)
The bomb dropped. Plaster and bits of the ceiling rained down from the roof of Westminster Chapel, and the whole congregation rose to their feet. After a brief pause, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones resumed his prayer, the attendees sat back down, and the service continued.
Later, a high ranking officer said to a Major during lunch: “Were you at Westminster Chapel today? I have seen many things in the trenches in France but I have never seen anything more remarkable than the way that man went on with his prayer as though nothing happened.”[1]
In two different storms, Jesus asks his disciples two different questions. In two sermons, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains on how these questions illuminate the nature and practice of faith. I think his exposition shows us how we can face trials with the same type of courage that Lloyd-Jones possessed.
This week let’s just look at the first storm from Luke 8:22-25. The disciples are travelling across a lake when a storm comes upon them. The boat is filling with water, and despite their best efforts they are at a loss. They grab Jesus and shake Him awake, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Jesus wakes up and calms the storm, and the disciples marvel. Happy ending, right?
But the account doesn’t end there. Jesus goes on to ask the disciples, “Where is your faith?” Notice he doesn’t say “O you of little faith.” He doesn’t say “Why don’t you have faith?” He asks them where their faith is.
And D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on this question, making the statement that “…there are many Christians who get into difficulty…because they have clearly not understood the nature of faith.” What, then does this text show us about the nature of faith? What does Jesus mean by asking this question?
- God permits our faith to be tried and tested.
Jesus is sleeping in the boat. He certainly could have stopped the storm before it happened or immediately removed the danger. But he allows it. Why? At the end of the account, the disciples ask themselves, “Who then is this, that that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”[2] Without the storm, the disciples never would have had the experience of Jesus calming the wind and the waves. This miracle both revealed new information about Jesus (He had power over nature, a quality reserved for God alone) and gave the disciples a renewed assurance of Jesus’ power and care for them. To fail to realize this reality means we have an undeveloped view of the Christian life. Yet much of our struggle and disappointment comes from being surprised by the existence of storms and trials.
- Faith does not act automatically
Another reason we get into trouble and find ourselves unhappy is we assume faith works automatically. We think faith is like a thermostat. When the danger comes, when our faith grows cold, poof! The spiritual HVAC system kicks on and we don’t feel bad or scared anymore. If that were true Jesus would never have asked them where their faith was. He would have kept sleeping. Oh, the boat is filling with water? Poof! Their faith turns on and the disciples are cool, calm, and collected. But faith is not magical. It must be exercised. Jesus rebukes the disciples for not using the knowledge and relationship they had with Him and applying it to the storm. In the same way, to put our faith into operation we must remind ourselves what we already believe and know about God and apply it to each specific situation that tests us. In Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis defines faith as “…the art of holding onto things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.” Faith is holding on. It’s learning to remember the truth of Jesus Christ and act despite the winds whining and the waves crashing.
- God values the weakest faith
Finally, we learn that God values the weakest faith. Jesus doesn’t say they have “no faith”, he says they haven’t used the faith they did possess. And yet Jesus doesn’t wait until they have more faith in Him, He immediately responds to their cry. Though the disciples failed to put their faith into practice, though they could have exhibited confidence and trust which would have spared them their panic and fear, in the end they cry out to Jesus. And Jesus responds graciously, calming the storm and bringing peace. He rescues first and then teaches them.
The author of Hebrews writes that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith.[3] This is an incredible truth for us to hold on to. He is the author of our salvation. His perfect life and death and resurrection is the only way we can be reconciled with God. But He doesn’t leave us alone. He is also the one who perfects our faith. When our faith is weak, when we are buffeted and overwhelmed by the fearful thoughts crowding in on us, Jesus uses trials to refine and purify our faith. He shows us how to put our faith into operation. He calms the storm but he also asks us where we are putting our faith.
Where is your faith? Are you reminding yourself of the realities of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection? Do you realize God’s love for you He displayed through giving His only Son? Think about these truths.
If your faith is still weak, cry out to Jesus, for He is gentle and meek. He will not reject the prayer of the most fragile uncertain faith, but will respond with overwhelming power and peace and love. Next week we’ll look at the next storm and what it shows us about faith. Happy Easter week!
Works Cited
The Life of Martyn Lloyd-Jones—1899-1981, Iain H. Murray
Spiritual Depression, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
[1] Murry pg. 256
[2] Luke 8:25
[3] Heb. 12:2