“Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, Let us cross over to the other side of the lake. And they launched out” (vs22).
First, “Take Heed How You Hear” (Luke 8:16-18)
Our purpose is to show the light of Christ, to let men see Him, so they might be saved. He didn't save you to be hidden, but to REVEAL who He is in glory.
Do not be ashamed.
Everything will be revealed in the Last Day, so that what you really are will be known (vs16-17). Hypocrisy doesn't succeed. It isn't enough to be Christian in name only.
If we don't practice what is preached, living by the glory of God in Christ unto good works, then we'll be exposed frauds. He says, “Therefore take heed how you hear. For whosoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him” (Luke 8:18).
Don't deceive yourself thinking that you can be a hearer only, that commitment and devotion to Christ is optional, that you can be saved and love someone or something more than Him, that you can live for something other than the Son. If He's saved you, then you love Him. Paul wrote plainly, “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed when the Lord comes” (1 Cor 16:22).
Secondly, Do the Word of God - “Do It” (vs19-21)
His mother and brothers were kept from Him by the size of the crowd, illustrating that no one has a special place in the kingdom because of who they are. It is only as we do His will that we get the EQUAL rights of the saints (Gal 3:26-28). One may have differing gifts, but we are all the children of God by faith, equally.
You have no rights because of who you are in the flesh. You stand in Christ's grace, by His work, and in His choosing you for life by the blood of His obedience. You don't stand in your heritage, nationality, wealth, or privilege. You don't stand because of you at all, and if we're in Christ, then we're one.
We must do the word of God to be disciples. He says, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it” (vs21). We have no privilege because we hear it, were raised under it, and can quote its mysteries. We are in the kingdom by obedience, and only the obedient have access to God by faith (James 1:22). Only obedient people are disciples. It is not the hearer but the DOER of the word who shall be saved. He is heard in prayer. He really believes grace.
Thirdly, We'll Get to “The Other Side of the Lake” (vs22-25)
We will make it to the other side, if we get in the boat with Jesus. The command comes with promise, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake”, so that we won't try to get there, but we'll make it surely (vs22). If you and I believe, then we'll be saved, forgiven, recovered, and strengthened (Rom 10:9). Everything needed to make us obey - everything that is required - will be given to us. We won't trust Christ, getting in the boat by faith, and then perish because of storms and wind. He will be with us surely.
It is a command to get into the boat, and the promise is that all will be well.
We may feel forsaken, feel unworthy, and feel helpless, but He is with us (Josh 1:9). Come to Him. Your faith is small, doubts are humongous, and trials are real, but He HEARS you, receives you, and He does for us the miraculous and impossible, proving that He is God by the salvation that He gives. No trial will be more than He can handle!
When He speaks, He calms our fears and gives tremendous peace. I have meditated on, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You”, so that God saves us by believing on Him amidst the trials of life (Is 26:3). He keeps us inwardly happy by revealing His eternal and faithful care, His love, atonement, and His grace to us. We have sinned, but He has forgiven it freely. We have squandered our lives, but He is with us now in His will. We have no strength, but we have the Almighty, our Helper, to do in us what must be done.
In all trials, there is a powerful and comforting God who reveals His love, and herein, we have peace the world can't see. Christ said, “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace”, by obedience, “I leave with you”. He continues “My peace”, the joy of obeying Christ, “I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” in sin and rebellion, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:26-27).
He rebukes us for our good, warns us, teaches us, and does all things to bring us to see His glory. We are wise to believe, and He teaches us the fact of it now.
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