I start early in the week for message prep.  Mostly because 1) I have questions about the text that take time to solve 2) I’m slow (and I don’t want to start on Friday and not be done in time for Sunday, AM) and 3) I’m just anal about getting stuff done early.   Anyway, talking about the great “seismos moment” in Matthew 8:23-27.  Totally stuck on a few things:

Matthew and Mark say “where is your faith?” and then Jesus calms the storm.  Luke’s version has Jesus calming the storm and then asking “where is your faith?”  Is that significant?  

Did Jesus intentionally take the disciples out into the squall?

Is the overall point of the calming of the sea to help develop the disciples belief in Jesus as a miracle worker OR their belief in him as God (there would seem to be a significant difference). Both?  Is their “lack of faith” an issue of thinking they were going to die or an issue of them not believing that Jesus was God? (God was often portrayed as having complete control and sovereignty over water, a la Psalm 89:8-9,  Ps 65:7, Ps. 104:7, Ps, 106:9, Or Ps. 107:23-30, Ps. 46:1-3).