Christ Calms

 This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church on Sunday, 6/23. The text was Mark 4:35-41

I always refer to the Galilee as a lake because that is exactly what it is, a lake. It is located in a depression about 700 feet below sea level, surrounded by hills. Although larger than Chautauqua, on a clear day you are able to see across it. And just like Mark writes, violent storms suddenly come up on the Galilee. Signs were posted around the lake warning of the winds. However, it was mistranslated, “Beware of western whips.” Evidently they were trying to warn the public of western winds or winds that come whipping in from the west.  We never did quite figure that out.

This drama from Mark hinges on four questions, the final one combined with an exclamation. 

The first question from the scared disciples is, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" If we paraphrase the disciples’ question, we get something like this, “Why aren’t you as anxious about dying as we are?” This was one mega storm! Here were four professional fishermen and they were scared. Just as the sea monster in ancient times represented the powers of evil, the raging storm too reflects all the powers of chaos and evil. They were headed from a familiar shore to the unfamiliar, where gentiles lived, which was scary. 

This trip was certainly not the disciples’ idea. Jesus commanded it (v. 35). And where was Jesus? He was asleep, resting in the stern of the boat, in the calm of the love of his Father. Jesus’ disciples did not ask him to calm the storm, instead they accused him of not caring. As far as the disciples were concerned, Jesus seemed detached from the situation. We can understand they’re being afraid, but in order to transcend the fear and not be paralyzed by it, they must realize that Jesus is not just any old human, but rather he is the Son of God.

Jesus is not sucked into the panic mode of his followers. He doesn’t address them at all until after he speaks to the raging elements. Doesn’t this speak to us as we look at churches declining and wonder where we will be in the future? Let’s not get sucked into the panic mode of some.

Jesus got up and showed his fearful followers his authority over the sea and wind. The result? The wind stopped and there was “dead [or great]calm.” “Great calm” followed the “great storm” which began the predicament (vv. 37, 39) in the first place.

This was indeed a mighty miracle, but also an exorcism; for Jesus used the same language to address the wind and sea with which he had addressed demons. The sea was thought to be the abode of forces that were hostile to God, which we see in the Psalms and elsewhere. Jesus is portrayed as possessing the power of God over such forces. 

The second question is, “Why are you so afraid, ?” Jesus asks this of his disciples.  This is a pretty mild translation of the Greek. Jesus’ response more accurately is, “Why are you so cowardly (or fearful or timid)?”

So often we expect and perhaps hope that others will share our panic and distress. Jesus’ sleeping through the storm was more than these desperate disciples could handle. 

Then we have a follow-up question, our third, to the one regarding fear, “Do you still have no faith?” It was not a matter of the first followers not having enough faith—they had none! And how do these hapless disciples respond?

The last verse in today’s gospel reading says the disciples “were filled with great awe,” (v. 41), however literally, it means “They feared a great fear.” This was their response to their Master’s questions. They had a mega-fear. There was a mega storm, mega calm and now mega fear. The disciples did not address Jesus, but spoke among themselves, asking the final question, “Who is this that even the wind and sea obey him!”

What is the answer to this last question? God, Jesus. The disciples could not grasp the significance of Jesus’ identity, even though they had already seen Jesus heal people and cast out demons. 

The disciples were focused on externals—first the storm at sea and then what they’d seen Jesus do. In both instances, it was fear that was produced. Instead of the “great storm” that became a “great calm” becoming a sign of “great faith” for the disciples, it becomes a source of “great [mega] fear” (Agost)

Even if the first disciples didn’t know who this was who had calmed the sea, the church Mark wrote to surely knew. They knew, and we know, but in the storm, sometimes it’s easy to forget.

There is an alternative to risking the dangerous, stormy crossing. That is, to stay tied up on the shore. That is the picture of many churches—a peaceful, restful clubhouse on the shore rather than a boat following Jesus’ command to take the fearful risk of crossing the lake. Sometimes we are more willing to be safe than to answer Jesus’ call to go to the other side.

However, if we stay tied up to the dock on the safe side, how can we show others that we care for them? We may be able to speak an authoritative word to bring stability to chaos. This is something Christians of all stripes need to do in the chaos we’re experiencing today in America. If only God’s church speaks with one voice.

We are easily distracted, discouraged and frightened by circumstances. We may wonder if God has abandoned us. However, even in such situations, God works. Life is much better if we are not overcome and paralyzed by fear. In spite of the disciples’ lack of faith, the miracle still happens for them. Jesus did not give up on them, and doesn’t give up on us. We can allow Jesus to speak peace to our hearts.

God’s real work is in the midst of real problems—wars, crime, drugs, natural catastrophes, migrant disasters—for the well-being of the community, for the benefit of struggling humankind. God empowers people to do God’s work, intervening in crises and altering the course of events in our world.

Where is God encountering us and calling us to the other side of the lake—to change, to a new and different imagination about what it means to be a people of faith in our particular community and circumstances? Do we allow nasty comments about “others” to go unchallenged—whether the people are LGBTQI+ or migrants or other outsiders? How do we respond to the final verse of today’s gospel?

“Who then is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?” Who is he to you and me? Amen.

Resources

Efrain Agost, Feasting On the Word: Year B, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost

James Boyce, workingpreacher.org

Fred B. Craddock, Preaching Through the Christian Year B

David Lose, davidlose.net

Pheme Perkins, The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume VIII: Mark

Marion Soards, Thomas Dozeman & Kendall Mc Cable, Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year B, After Pentecost 1 

Brian Stoffregen, crossmarks.com 

Wikipedia

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