Hello everyone! I know it’s odd to see my name attached to one of these. It’s weird for me too. In case you didn’t know, I’ll be preaching this coming Lord’s Day (first time ever!). Our scripture passage is Matthew 8:23-34, and the topic is “Jesus is Lord.” I encourage you to read it before finishing this “Heart Prep” because everything that follows will make a whole lot more sense if you do. Done? Great.  

Now, I’d like to think that this passage was assigned to me with no ulterior motive—it’s just the way the schedule fell into place. But there’s a small part of me that wonders if it isn’t some kind of elder candidate hazing scheme. I envision a session meeting a few months ago with everyone snickering “Let’s see how he handles the demon possession passage with the suicidal pigs!” 

Intentional or not, I’m now glad I’ve had the chance to dig into and reflect on this section of scripture. I’ve been struck by how Jesus’ lordship often defies our expectations. Here are a few examples from this week’s passage to convey what I mean:

• Jesus slept while the disciples battled the storm and feared for their lives. Is He oblivious? Does He not care when we’re in peril?
• When Jesus finally wakes up, He dispels the storm with a simple word. That suggests He could’ve dealt with it at any time but chose not to. Does Jesus really work like that?
• When He gets out of the boat, Jesus is met by two men tormented by demons who attempt to strike a bargain. He grants their request, sending them into a herd of pigs that then rush off a cliff. I bet the disciples didn’t see that one coming.
• The story closes with the former demoniac who’s now a missionary. In the (modified) words of anchorman Ron Burgandy, “That (de)escalated quickly.”

So, yeah—Jesus's lordship doesn’t always conform to our understanding or expectations. That's exactly why we need them recalibrated by God’s Word regularly to make Jesus Lord in every aspect of our lives. I look forward to looking at that with you as we worship together this Sunday.

Wade Baker, Ph.D.