Jesus’ Divine Appointment

Jesus has a divine appointment with a man across the Sea of Galilee. On the way there, His disciples get a glimpse of His power over the elements.

We have come to the account of Jesus going across the sea of Galilee to help one man. One of our authors puts two men into the story while the other two only identify one man. Either way, it is the same event. It’s possible that one man stood out above the other, so he ‘got the ink’ in the story. The whole point of this story is Jesus’ love for a hurting soul. The end of the story puts a witness in the Decapolis that no one can deny.

On the way to this encounter, Jesus takes a ‘nap’ in the boat on the way to this divine appointment. According to Google, crossing the sea would normally take about two hours, in Jesus’ time, and in favorable weather. The crossing, in bad weather, could take six hours. Either way, plenty of time for Jesus to grab a nap.

I’m going to ‘go out on a limb’ and say the nap was probably ordained as well. I can’t imagine Jesus sleeping through the storm any other way. Makes me worder about Jonah’s ‘nap’ as well. But the author of the storm was definitely different in the two stories. The end of both was not. The power of God ended both storms, after His purpose was completed.

Let’s rejoin our story on the seaside as Jesus chooses the direction of His ministry. Holy Spirit lead this journey again today. Show me where to look and what to focus on. Bring the story to life for me and let me learn from it what You have for me in it.

♥ ♦ ♥

It has been a long day on the seashore for Jesus. He has taught the people and ministered to the crowd since morning. It is late in the afternoon before He sends the last of the people on their way. He knows that He has somewhere to be before morning. His disciples have no idea what Jesus’ plans are.

Jesus takes a deep breath as the last person from the crowd walks away from the seashore. The fishermen have returned and are preparing for night fishing. Jesus turns towards the water and looks out across it. He can make out the mountains in the distance. His plan is to visit the region of Gerasenes. He knows that He is needed there.

“Simon, Andrew, get the boat. We are going across the sea to the region of Gerasenes.”

Simon and Andrew hurry to do as Jesus commands. As fishermen, they immediately gauge the weather. It has been a fairly cool day and there are no clouds in the sky. It should be a fairly calm night.

The two brothers quickly return with their boat in tow. It was anchored at the dock. As soon as it is brought near, Jesus and the disciples all climb aboard. The boat is a sizable vessel and easily holds them all.

Simon pushes off from the sandy bottom using an oar. Once they are in deeper water, Andrew hoists the sails. Once they are underway, Jesus moves to the stern of the boat and curls up on a cushion. Within minutes, He is fast asleep.

This trip shouldn’t take long, with the weather like it is. There are other boats out on the water as well. It’s time to begin their night of fishing. The sky is picking up a few clouds, but nothing serious.

By the time Simon’s boat reaches the halfway point, the clouds are roiling and there isn’t a star in sight. The wind has picked up speed and is pushing against the boat instead of with it.

Simon adjusts the sails, trying to draw on the wind to propel them out of this storm. Soon rain pours down and the sails are useless. Andrew quickly lowers the sails and the oars are distributed to the disciples. All of those who are fishermen the danger that can arise in an instant. Matthew, though not a fisherman, has seen storm damage. This is his first time in a big storm at sea. And he is TERRIFIED!

The disciples are rowing as hard as they can, but they are making no headway. Waves are crashing over the sides of the boat and threatening to capsize it. All the disciples are now TERRIFIED!

Matthew, out of the corner of his eye, spots Jesus, sound asleep in the back of the boat. “How could we have missed Him there” he wonders as, clinging to the side of the boat he makes his way to Jesus’s side. At first, Matthew tries shouting for Jesus to wake up, but his voice is drowned out by the sound of the waves striking the boat.

One hand still holding onto the side of the boat, Matthew tries to gently nudge Jesus. Jesus continues to sleep on. Matthew pushes on Jesus’ arm harder while shouting. No response. Finally, Matthew releases the side of the boat and, using both hands, shakes Jesus’ shoulders. “Master, wake up, wake up!”

Jesus’ eyes opens His eyes and sees Matthew’s face inches from His own. Above the sound of the waves, Matthew shouts; “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).

Jesus raises up and looks around Him. He sees the panicked faces of His disciples and the storm raging around them. He raises up to a sitting position and looks up at the sky.

“Quiet! Be still!” (Mark 4:39) Jesus says in a commanding voice.

IMMEDIATELY, the wind stills and the waves drop to smooth seas. Gentle rocking of the boat confirms that they are still on water. Then, the clouds are peeled back and the night if filled with stars.

Jesus’ disciples’ jaws all hang open as they examine the sea before them. Jesus looks over at His disciples and shakes His head. He rises from His cushion and takes a seat on one of the planks.

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

This scares the disciples even more than seeing the storm stilled. They look at Jesus in a new light. “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:41).

A gentle breeze begins to move over the water. Jesus looks at Simon. “Are you going to hoist the sail, or do we row the rest of the way?”

Simon and Andrew both scramble for the ropes, almost knocking one another down in the process. In a few minutes, the boat is underway again; peacefully sailing to the northern shore.

Simon wades ashore, pulling the prow rope. He anchors the boat and the rest of the occupants make their way to shore. Everyone is soaked from head to toe from the storm. Several of the disciples start gathering wood for a fire. As they are busy, Jesus stands looking farther up the beach.

A screeching sound begins to draw down on them. Everyone stops and looks towards the sound. Coming out of the night is a man, or what appears to be one. He is filthy from head to toe, his hair is matted with twigs and debris, and he is naked as the day he was born.

This man has spent the last ten years roaming the night among the tombs. He is tormented day and night and has the strength of ten men when in an agitated state. His family has tried everything, from holy men to ropes and finally chains to subdue him. He breaks free of every bond and recognizes no one. He now lives in this solitary place; alone with his torment. Everyone, and everything, flees from him in fear.

As he rushes down towards the beach, Jesus’ disciples are ready to join those who run in fear, but Jesus stands still. As the man approaches Jesus, he drops to his knees before Him.

“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” (Luke 8:28).

Jesus looks the man straight in his eyes. “What is your name?” (Luke 8:30a).

“Legion” (Luke 8:30b) says a voice straight out of the bowels of hell.

Jesus does not flinch or back up even a step. The demons begin to plead with Jesus. “Don’t send us into the abyss! We have not harmed You! Leave us alone!” they shout. Then one demon cries out; “Send us into the swine where we can live.” The man turns towards a herd of pigs, standing on a hillside.

Jesus look at the pigs and gives a small nod. “Go! And do not return to this man ever again.”

The man convulses once, then falls down, as still as death itself. Jesus watches in the spirit as the demons flee from him and rush to the pigs. As soon as they are settled in the pigs, the whole herd begins screaming and rushes headlong into the sea. They don’t stop when they encounter the water. They keep plunging forward until the all drown.

There were three herders who had charge over the swine. They watch in horror as their charges fling themselves into the sea and none return. Rushing down the hill behind the swine, the men stop at the edge of the sea and watch as the pigs clearly choose death to existence with the demon inhabitation. When it is clear that the pigs are dead, the three turn and look at Jesus. He is still standing beside the man they know as demon possessed. The men are terrified! They run from the shore, straight into town.

Jesus watches the herders go. He has a slight smile on His face. He looks down at the man before Him and reaches out His hand. “Come with me” Jesus says.

The man reaches up and takes Jesus’ hand. He rises from the ground and notices his state. He is ashamed. Jesus smiles warmly. “Let’s get you cleaned up and dressed.”

The two go into the water and Jesus helps the man wash the filth from his hair. If it weren’t for it being dark, you could have seen the layers of years of grime pooling around Jesus and the man as he is cleansed, inside and out. When the job is finished, Jesus calls out to James.

“Bring me a tunic.”

James rifles through his bag and brings out his spare tunic. He quickly takes it to Jesus, who wraps the man in it.

While Jesus was tending to the man, the rest of the disciples got a fire going. Jesus and the man walk out of the water and join the others around the fire. They are all listening to Jesus and sharing stories of their adventures so far when people from town show up.

The herders woke the town with their cries. The owners of the swine and all his neighbors come storming over the hill towards the beach. The man from the tombs looks up at their approach. His face is gentle, he is clean, and he is dressed. A state that no one has seen in this man for more than a decade. He smiles up at them. Jesus joins him in smiling at the town’s people.

The owner of the pigs steps forward. “You have to leave; please! We… don’t want… Oh, please, just leave!”

Jesus nods. “Let’s go” He says to His disciples. “They are not ready yet.”

The man who was now free reaches out and catches Jesus’ robe.

“Let me go with You. I will become one of Your followers. I will be true to You for life, for You gave me back my life.”

Jesus looks at him with compassion. “Return home and tell how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39).

The man looks at Jesus with pleading eyes. Jesus shakes His head lightly and then looks at the people gathered on the shoreline. “You will be my witness here, so that, when I return, they will be ready to receive all that I have for them.”

The man nods and steps back. He watches at the water’s edge as Jesus and His disciples climb back into the boat and set off across the sea. He waits until they disappear into the night before turning to the people on the shore.

Tentative smiles adorn the faces of the people as the man makes his way towards them. Relief floods them when he begins sharing his story. He is enveloped in the crowd as they all make their way back to town. The owner of the swine accompanies him to the home of his family and stands beside him until the door opens.

A head peers out into the night through the door. Recognition dawns and the door is thrown open and the owner of that head rushes out and wraps the man in a fierce hug.

“Did you do this” the man’s brother asks the owner of the swine.

He shakes his head.

“Have I got a story to tell you”, exclaims the man.

The two brothers walk into the house. The owner of the swine turns around and goes to his own home. He has some damage control to do on his finances.

Long into the night, the incident is talked about by those who both watched and those who heard. When morning comes, the lone recipient of Jesus’ miracle begins sharing his experience with everyone he comes in contact with, whether they express interest or not. He won’t keep silent about all that the Lord has done for him.

Jesus and the disciples reach their original starting place just as the sun is rising in the east. The entire journey back, the disciples can’t help but talk about the experience either.

“Did you see the way those pigs rushed into the water? I thought I would be trampled, they came so close to me.”

“What a journey! First the storm, then the way Jesus calmed the storm, then how He cast out a LEGION of demons, the swine rushing headlong into the sea, and finally being told to LEAVE after so great a work. This is one night I will NEVER forget.”

“I wonder if we will ever go back there, and if we will see the man again.”

“Time will tell” Jesus says with a knowing smile as they climb from the boat back onto shore.

(to be continued)

I wonder if Jesus saw the man again. I have a feeling that, when Jesus’ presence was announced in the Decapolis, the man made it his mission to get to where Jesus was. I can here him asking Jesus; “Do You remember me?”

Jesus answers “Of course I do! Tell me what you have been up to since our last meeting. Apparently, from the size of the crowd, you have been spreading My words.”

Fear stops us from so many good things in life; if we let it. I had a friend, when I was in high school, that was so shy she literally cringed if someone spoke to her. I considered her my friend, even though she nearly pulled her head inside her collar every time I even said hi. I could see her smile and knew in my heart that she wanted to reach back, but fear kept her bound.

I went to my 20 year high school reunion and was surprised to see her there. She was in the room but still cowering from people. I gently approached her and she sat down with me for a meal. My heart both broke at her obvious discomfort, and soared at her bravery to push beyond the fear.

In my story, Matthew was reluctant, fearful, of disturbing Jesus. The thing that forced him past that fear was the fear of drowning. Sometimes it takes the bigger fear to propel us past the smaller ones.

What did the disciples expect when they woke Jesus. They certainly didn’t expect what happened. Did they simply expect another pair of hands to help row and bail water? ‘All hands on deck’ sort of expectations. Jesus’ reaction ‘blew them away’, even more than the storm did. They had faced storms before, but had NO idea that Jesus could calm one.

He STILL calms storms.

And, sometimes He calms His child. Either way, He has each of us who call Him Lord in the palm of His hand. I have a friend who says; “Don’t tell God how big the storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.”

Father God, thank You that the ‘wind and waves’ obey You in every storm. I’m certain that the storm Jesus and His disciples faced was Satan trying to stop Him from reaching the man waiting for his freedom. And I KNOW that the storm Jonah faced was of YOUR doing. To get his attention and get him where You needed him to be.

How many of the storms in my life are to get my attention? By You directing me to reach out and cling to You, or by Satan, trying to scare me into motionlessness? Either way, YOU are more powerful than anything. I trust YOU in the storms. Even the one I’m currently being buffeted by. My husband is in YOUR hands. I release him to You. Thank You for prying my hands open in prayer yesterday. That will be a moment I think back on every time I’m tempted to hold fast again.