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Jesus was a Made Man


As a member of Amazon Prime, I frequently receive video suggestions based on my viewing history. Such is the nature of technology. One of the suggestions was for The Sopranos, an HBO Original Series about the Soprano family and organized crime. Normally I wouldn’t be interested in such a series. However, one night I decided to give it a try. The show took an interesting approach to Mafia life. After the first episode, I was hooked. For those who may not know, the series is centered around the life of Tony Soprano, a crime family boss. More specifically, he was a ‘made man.’ In order to become a made man, one must meet certain requirements and take the oath of silence known as Omerta. Doing so establishes allegiance to the organization. It also entitles the member to certain benefits. Made men cannot be cannot be touched by anyone without permission of the senior family member. They have authority and clout. Being ‘made’ is the highest status one can achieve in the Mafia.
In Luke 8:22-25 we read:

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us 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.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Many are familiar with this story. In another display of divine power, Jesus calms the storm and demonstrates mastery over creation. More importantly, he establishes his identity. When Jesus asks his disciples, “Where is your faith?” I cannot help but think that in his own way he was really saying, “Don’t you know who I am?” In other words he was telling them he was a made man. And he was in a way.
            While this story is told in just a few short verses, there is a lot going on. The first element is the squall. Boats of the day were nothing like modern vessels. A storm was to be taken seriously because it could very easily flood a small craft and send everyone into the water to fend for themselves. There were no life preservers. Second, Luke states “they were in great danger.” He could be referring to all of them including Jesus, or he could be referring to just the disciples. Given that Jesus was in the boat, and given that he was all-powerful, the use of the word danger is curious. How could Jesus ever be in danger? No, I believe Luke is referring to the disciples in this sentence. Third, while the storm raged, Jesus slept! Without a care in the world, he rested. Fourth, the disciples, in a panic, woke Jesus. Did they simply wake him to tell him he was about to drown? Or did they wake him in the hope he could do something to save them? I believe it was the former based on their response in the final verse. Fifth, Jesus calms the storm. The NIV uses the word rebuked, which means “a sharp disapproval or reprimand.” Was he angry the storm caused the disciples to wake him from his slumber? Perhaps, but I doubt that. Sixth, Jesus rebukes the disciples. “Where is your faith?” he asked them. In other words, again, he is asking them, “Don’t you know who I am?” When Jesus admonishes the disciples, I believe he is doing it for two reasons. One, because he was a made man, he was never in any danger. Nor were the disciples. Though the storm raged, he had power and dominion over it just as he does all creation. As the creator of all things, creation is subservient to him at all times.  Never could his creation harm him. Two, they should have known based on his previous miracles that he indeed had this power. He was telling them, “You’re with me, and I’m a made man. Nothing can touch us.” Seventh, it is clear from the disciples’ reaction they did not full understand who Jesus was.

            Like the disciples, we each face storms in our lives. It’s easy to focus on the threat and danger they pose. We panic and pray for help, which God gladly provides. By focusing on the storm, we quickly forget our Savior is a made man, and we are with him. As such, we have nothing to fear because he has power and dominion over all his creation. Calming the storm was much more than a demonstration of power. It was a proclamation that all of creation, including us, is under Jesus’ control. There is nothing that occurs without his awareness, and there is nothing that supersedes his power. His question to the disciples is a question to us. Where is our faith? Do we really know who Jesus is? Or are we like the disciples, befuddled and lacking true understanding?

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