As we look at this series – we’ll be looking through the lens of ‘disciple’ – how did Jesus disciple the disciples? How did He go about training them to have his heart, attitudes, actions replicated within them? How is He still wanting to be doing that within us?

A disciple isn't an intern. Interns are assigned to someone to manage – and really it’s about managing their energies to accomplish tasks. The life of following after a Rabbi was one of apprenticeship & thus active 'followership'. “May the dust of your rabbi always be upon you” was a famous saying to a disciple…meaning may your proximity to the one you follow be so close that their dust rests upon you. That you would see how they see, act as they act, do as they do.

Discipleship is a big deal.

Quote:
"Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

last week: we looked at Matthew’s calling and one of the markers of a disciple is that Jesus wants to form within us a ‘willing heart’, because it’s the kind of heart he has. We’re to have a growing willingness. To do what Jesus would do, go where he’d go, be more and more like him

backdrop:
The Sea of Galilee is an unusual body of water. It is relatively small (13 miles long, 7 miles wide), but it is 150 feet deep, and the shoreline is 680 feet below sea level. Storms can appear suddenly over the surrounding mountains, stirring the water into violent, sometimes, 15-20 foot waves. The disciples had not foolishly set out in a storm. They usually did not encounter storms at night and did not see this one coming. Even though several of these men were expert fishermen and knew how to handle a boat, they had been caught without warning in this furious storm. Their danger was real as the waves began sweeping over the boat.

Matthew 8:23-27 is not ultimately given to us to say that God wants to calm all the storms in our lives.
-Ultimately, this passage is not about you. It's not about your storms.
It's about the beauty, power and majesty of Christ.
-Ultimately, this passage is about Jesus, his authority, and his greatness.

What is authority?
**There are 2 Greek words that point to the idea of authority. The first word is exousia. Exousia is unquestioned authority that is tied into a person's position. To have jurisdiction or dominion over a certain realm. The other Greek word related to authority is the word dunamis; it’s used 120 times in the New Testament. Loosely, the word refers to “strength, power, or ability.” It is the root word of our English words dynamite.

Jesus has power and authority over all of life – and all of your life.
Look through Matthew 8 - we see him in a moment's notice blowing the whistle, and a leper is cured, diseases are healed. In a moment's notice, a Centurion's servant is restored. In a moment's notice, he speaks and creation bows. He whispers words over a tormented soul and demons are forced to flee. He has exousia—authority that is so tied into his person and position so that even the winds and the waves obey him.

LOOK BACK: at Matthew 8:23
“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.”
= sometimes following Jesus will lead you into unexpected storms; but your Savior is powerful enough and close enough that you need not let fear sink you. Jesus said we’re going to the other side…and he will get you through.

AND THEN JESUS REBUKES THE WIND & WAVES
-epitimao: rebuke, censor, scold, order, give a command.

Just like that it stopped. FRIENDS, the miracle isn’t that the storm died down – because eventually all storms die down. The miracle is that fact that it happened instantly. At first the disciples were overwhelmed by WHAT surrounded them. It all changed when they became undone by WHO was WITH them. (verse 27) "Amazed; marveled" - thaumazo in greek. Some times in our journey of faith, we forget how big our God really is. We need reminded of how Big, POWERFUL and Active Jesus is…we need more ‘thaumazo’ time.

Memory verse for this week:

Matthew 8:27
"The men were amazed and asked, What kind of man is this? Even the winds and waves obey him!”

This week, steal some time to be quiet and reflect on the majesty and magnitude of Jesus. Go outside at night and look up at the stars - think about Isaiah 40:25-26. *Friends: God’s Might, Power, Authority and Sovereignty is to grow within us an INCREASING sense of AWE for ALL of WHO He IS! Following after Jesus is a continual encounter with a God who is way bigger than you think He is. As we encounter the BIGNESS of God it is to draw us into WORSHIP. The disciples marveled.
Do you?

NEED PRAYER? ....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.

Join us next week as we continue in our Disciple series in the gospel of Matthew. Check out more info about our HOPE MOB initiative going on - within our app.