“Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.” Whoever composed that word picture understood the ongoing tension that believers face between fear and faith. Fear knocks on the door of our hearts every day, doesn’t it? And it is true that when faith answers, fear cannot stick around. But is our faith always there to answer the fears we face? Honestly, we must confess that at times our faith does not answer fear’s knock and so our fears remain.
We might compare ourselves to Peter walking toward Jesus on the Sea of Galilee, when we take our eyes off the object of our faith our fears pull us down. But as our Savior Jesus was there to catch Peter, he is with us to catch us when our faith falters. He is here this morning to lift us up and strengthen our faith so that it will answer the door when fear knocks.
One encouragement that we find literally hundreds of times in the Scriptures is to not fear. To Abraham God said, “Do not be afraid.” God told Moses and the Israelites not to fear the Egyptians who were pursuing them. Throughout the history of the Old Testament God again and again said to his prophets and through his prophets, “Do not be afraid.” When God spoke directly to people through the vocal cords of His Son he repeated the same encouragement. Remember that Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit many of the New Testament writers repeated God’s invitation to live fearless lives. When God calls for faith, he points us to the fact that he is with us always. He directs us to his total power over everything and his unlimited love for us as evidence that we have nothing to fear.
In our Gospel Lesson for this Sunday, we are given encouragement to let faith answer when fear knocks on the door of our heart. The One who quieted the wind and stilled the waves has demonstrated his ability to care for us. And through his suffering and death we know he has unlimited love for us. Now through his Word and Sacraments he works in our hearts and minds trust in his power and confidence in his care. Brothers and sisters in the faith I encourage you to always:
TRUST YOUR STORM-STILLING SAVIOR
I. He stills our fears in the storms around us
II. He stills our fears in the storms within us
As we consider what Jesus did in our gospel lesson for this Sunday, we might first ask why Jesus performed miracles—so many miracles. We know from the Bible that the chief reason Jesus did miracles was to confirm his identity. All of his miracles proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is the almighty Son of God. And we can he also point out that Jesus did miracles to help people, to free souls from Satan’s power, and to teach spiritual lessons. Although miracles didn’t create faith in people, they did cause people to listen to what Jesus had to say. Jesus’ words then could create saving faith in those who listened. And although we must witness Jesus’ miracles by faith and not by sight they do the same for us. The miracles of our Lord remind us of his identity and point us to his loving care.
I.
With the purposes of Jesus’ miracles and the power of his Word in mind let’s consider the verses of our gospel lesson. “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’” Jesus had had a long day. He had healed a leper, a centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother-in-law. In addition to those specific miracles we are told he healed many other sick and demon-possessed people. As usual crowds of people had gathered to see Jesus, hear him speak, and be healed by him. Mark goes on to tell us, “Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.” Although at first we might miss this important point I want you to think about what I just read. Why does Mark tell us, “they [the disciples] took him [Jesus] along”? Wasn’t Jesus the teacher and leader of the disciples? How come they were “taking him along”? Remember that at least four of the disciples had been professional fishermen before being called to be disciples. It appears that once Jesus was finished with another day of preaching, teaching, and healing they wanted to take over the work of sailing. We can imagine them saying, “Jesus, you relax. We’ll take things from here. We know what we are doing. In fact, why don’t you lay down and get some rest?”
But then something the experts couldn’t handle happened. Mark goes on to tell us, “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don't you care if we drown?’” The veteran sailors had suddenly lost control of the situation. They probably tried all the tricks they knew. They shifted their weight. Perhaps they adjusted the sails and the rudder. But nothing was working. Finally, in desperation, they went to Jesus.
Oh, how their words must have hurt Jesus. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus would have had every right to get up and let the disciples have a good tongue-lashing. He might have responded, “How can you even ask that question! I have led you, fed you, and protected you. I care more about you than I care for my own life. Why would you ever think much less ask me, ‘Don’t I care’?” But our kind and compassionate Savior didn’t do that. He answered their fears with actions. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Jesus stilled the storm. He took the source of fear away from the disciples. He showed them that he cared.
But the storm-stilling Savior did more than just stop the wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee. He built trust in the disciples. This miracle was a demonstration that nothing happens outside of God’s control. The disciples would need this lesson in trusting Jesus. They would face many other storms in their lives. As they traveled to the corners of the world with the good news about salvation they would be persecuted and suffer terribly. But Jesus would still their fears in all those storms as well. At times he might stop the storms. However, when he didn’t, he would always be with them leading them through the storms.
As is often the case we don’t have to look very deep to find the timeless application of God’s Word to our lives. We see ourselves in the disciples. How often don’t we attempt to “take Jesus along” with us, thinking we are the experts at navigating through the storms of life? We say, “Okay, Jesus, I’ll take things from here.” And then when things get out of our control, we turn to him in a panic and say, “Where are you? Are you sleeping? Don’t you care about what is happening to me?” Thankfully our storm-stilling Savior calms our fears. Sometimes he removes the things that make us afraid. Other times he lets the fear causing factors continue. But in everything he assures us that he is in control. Then he empowers us to put our trust in him and believe his promises.
What storms are raging around you right now? What do you fear most? Perhaps you are fearful about the economy or your job. What about the upcoming presidential election? What about the war in Ukraine and Gaza? And what about the alliances between Russia, China, Korea, and now Viet Nam? What about the loved one who is ill? Is your marriage falling apart? Are you fearful for your children? What will the end of your life be like? Maybe the wickedness of this world intimidates you.
In the midst of those kinds of storms your storm-stilling Savior is with you. Trust that he is in control of everything. Hold the conviction that the Apostle Paul expressed in Romans 8:38 39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Whatever storms we face in life they cannot separate us from our storm-stilling Savior. May that knowledge bring us peace. We have the same assurance that the LORD gave to his people through Isaiah, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:2 3)
It is true that Jesus does not promise to calm every storm in our life. Because of sin in the world, because of the world’s hatred for believers, and sometimes because of our own sinfulness, we will face storms in life. And as Job learned in our First Lesson for this Sunday, we cannot know the mind of God and why he does what he does and allows what he allows. But Jesus does promise to calm us in every storm of life. And also as the Apostle Paul learned in our Second Lesson sometimes the storms in life will bring destruction into the lives of believers. And yet, through all the storms we know that our storm-stilling Savior is with us and will work everything out for our eternal good. The hymn writer expressed the thought that Jesus stills our fears in the storms around us. “Let all who are sad take heart again; / We are not alone in our hours of pain; // Our Savior stoops from His throne above / To soothe and quiet us with His love; // He leaves us not when the storm is high / And we have safety, for he is nigh. // Can it be trouble which he doth share? / O rest in peace, for the Lord doth care!” It is our storm-stilling Savior who stills our fears in the storms around us. Your Savior invites you to put your trust in him in all the storms that rage around you.
II.
As we look more deeply at our Gospel Lesson for today, I think we can say that the storm on the Sea of Galilee was not the only storm Jesus stilled that day. Mark’s Gospel continues, “He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” The disciples’ fear in the face of the storm was evidence of a deeper problem. Their fear about the storm around them uncovered a storm within them. When you read this verse in the original language it seems as though Jesus is more disappointed about the continuing fear in the disciples’ hearts than their fear about the storm. They needed their storm-stilling Savior to still the storms of fear within their hearts and minds.
Some have wondered why Jesus allowed the wind and waves to threaten the disciples in the first place. If he was in control of nature, why didn’t he stop the storm before it started? Obviously, Jesus wanted to test the disciples. But he didn’t test them to find out for himself how strong their faith was. He could read their hearts, so he knew that. No, he wanted them to see how weak their faith was. The storms that enter our lives may serve a similar purpose. They may come to expose our lack of faith and knock down our self-confidence. Although we may not like calling it sin, a lack of trust is sin. Each trial and trouble can reveal that sin to us so that we repent and turn in faith to Christ our storm-stilling Savior.
What fears remained in the hearts of the disciples after Jesus stilled the storm? Perhaps they were suddenly afraid of being in the presence of someone so powerful. Maybe they were also intimidated by Jesus’ expectations of them. They saw how weak their faith was. Their question, “Who is this? Even the winds and waves obey him” needed to be answered. Then when they knew Jesus and believed in him the storms of fear and doubt that raged within them would be stilled. Jesus was encouraging them to repent of their lack of trust and believe who he was. He was saying, “Friends, look at what I have done and know who I am! Believe in me. Trust me!”
Don’t similar storms cause turmoil in our hearts? Within us lurks fear and intimidation of a holy God who demands perfection from us. His power and majesty overwhelm us. Maybe we are afraid of his awesome power and his holiness. Perhaps we are embarrassed by the times we have doubted and let our trust slip away. The devil whips up the waters of our hearts so that we wonder if God cares about us or if he is able to help us. Those are the storms, the ones within us, that Jesus desires to still. Then we can face the storms around us.
If Jesus is going to still the storms within us we need to answer the question that the disciples asked. Who is this that the winds and waves obey? He is God in human flesh. We heard him speak to Job in our Old Testament lesson about how he made the earth and the seas. He is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” (Colossians 1:15 16) He is the one in whom “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” (Colossians 2:9) Our storm-stilling Savior is in complete control of everything. The first storm that Jesus stilled really pointed ahead to the second storm he stilled. Yes, the storm on the Sea of Galilee was powerful but the one in the hearts of the disciples was potentially even more destructive. One could have destroyed the boat they were in and even taken their physical lives. The other, the storm of doubts and the waves of unbelief could have taken away their eternal life found in Christ alone. And so, their storm-stilling Savior also stilled the storm within them.
Jesus wants to do the same for us. And how does he do that? Through his Word and the Sacraments. So we turn to the Bible to find the answer for our fears. John wrote: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. . . ." (1 John 4:18). Christ’s love is the perfect defense against the physical and mental effects of fear. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13) The phrase “fear not” is found at least 365 times in various forms throughout the Bible. The Hebrews writer says, “that we may confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid...’” Our storm-stilling Savior stills the storms within us through God’s Word. And in the sacraments he reminds each of us personally that we have nothing to fear.
“Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.” Whoever composed that word picture understood the constant tension that believers face between fear and faith. Fear knocked on the door of the disciples’ hearts on the Sea of Galilee. Their faith did not answer. So Jesus answered their fears. Fear knocks on the door of our hearts every day. Let faith answer. Trust your storm-stilling Savior to still the storms around us and the storms within us. Amen.
