Claimed, gathered and sent

  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 is the sermon I preached on Sunday, June 24 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 4:35-41 .  Being on the water can be so much fun, can’t it? However, being in a boat, in a terrible storm, where the boat is taking on water is quite another matter. The boat Jesus and his companions rode in was not very big. It was a fishing boat.  When I lived in Bethlehem, that kind of boat was discovered because of a drought which made the depth of the Galilee very low. The boat was dubbed the “Jesus Boat.”  It was the largest boat type in use on the lake in antiquity. The boat could have been sailed or rowed. It would have had basic crew of 4-5 rowers with a helmsman/captain. I keep referring to the Galilee as a lake because that’s exactly what it is. It is located in a depression about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by hills. Although larger than Chautauqua, on a clear day you are able to see across the lake. And just like Mark writes, v...

This is the reflection on this Sunday's gospel reading that was sent out to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.    Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 35 When evening had come,  [ Jesus said to the disciples, ] “ Let us go across to the other side. ”  36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.  37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.  38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him,  “ Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? ”  39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,  “ Peace! Be still! ”  Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.  40 He said to them,  “ Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? ”  41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another,  “ Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea o...

Amid the horror and sadness of Wed. evening's killing of those at a Bible study in Charleston, SC, the gospel text for Sun., 6/21, Mark 4:35-41 seemed so applicable to the situation. I really sensed God's direction as I prepared to share with St. Timothy's and St. Mark's. I received a lot of positive feedback. See what you think. I would appreciate hearing from any of you via the comments. We continue to pray for all who have been impacted by this event, including the shooter and his family. Lord have mercy. Do you know what the proper name is for the place where you all are sitting? It's called the nave, which is Latin for boat. Think of the word navy. If you look up at the ceiling, you can see how this space resembles an upside down boat. Throughout the centuries, the church has been considered an ark of safety, a lifeboat for God's people, which carries us in safety across the seas of life. In today's gospel reading, Jesus is in the boat with his dis...