The Holy Gospel comes to us this morning from Mark the 4th chapter, beginning at the 35th verse.
On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 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? 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. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”
Here ends the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ!
I chose Mark four, because this short story along with Psalm 1 and Matthew 6:25 have done more to change my life in the past seven years than anyone, and I mean anyone, even myself, could come close to imagining. The story of Jesus calming the storm appears in Mark, Matthew, and Luke. But the version we have today is my most favorite of all.
You see, Mark to me is truly a happening gospel. Mark moves at such a fast and furious pace that it is very difficult for one to dwell on what has happened in the past, and impossible to see what’s going to happen next. Therefore, I call Mark a gospel of what’s happening.
So this morning I would like to try and bring this wonderful story back to life. I would like for us to take a ride with the disciples on that boat and go across to the other side and experience the story in Mark’s happening mode.
To begin with we need to realize that the disciples hadn’t been with Jesus that long. A week or so at the most, maybe only a few days. They probably had no idea at all what had been happening in the past couple of days and they sure as the dickens had no clue where they were going next. But one thing was for certain, whoever this man Jesus was, they were going to take him in their boat, to the other side, just as he was, whoever he was.
We also need to remember that these followers had witnessed some really strange happenings over the last few days. Jesus had been healing all kinds of people, people with skin diseases, mental problems, and paralytics.
Oh! And the way, the way this man spoke was even more weird. Just about everything that Jesus said was in some kind of short story. A short story that tease the mind and make them think about their lives. Who is this person? But like I just said, whoever he is, these disciples were going to take him with them wherever they go, just as he was.
And it’s a good thing, because before they know it, these disciples, who most of them fish for a living, find themselves smack dap right in the middle of a great storm. One that came up out of nowhere, with maybe 15 foot waves pouring into the boat, taking on water.
They never did have a chance to figure out what exactly had been happening in their lives, and now more than ever, they have no clue to what their future might hold.
They do know however, what’s happening now. They are stuck in the middle of the worst storm of their lives and they are scared, no, more than scared, they are petrified that they are going to sink and die.
Then by some chance they remembered, “Hey we’ve got Jesus on board with us. Maybe he can do something for us.” But when they went to find him, guess what? Jesus is sound asleep. How can Jesus be asleep? They are in the midst of the wickedest turmoil of their life, and this man Jesus, the one who heals the sick and speaks all those strange words of wisdom doesn’t seem to give a hoot!
Jesus, Wake Up! Please! We need you!
Well, Jesus does wake up. He says a few words. “Peace! Be Still!” The winds cease and the sea is calm. Totally amazing!
Then I love this part, Jesus looks over at the disciples and ask, “Why are you afraid?” I would have paid money to have seen the look in the disciples eyes when they stared back at Jesus with a puzzled and dumbfounded look on their faces and maybe replied, “What do you mean, why are we afraid? Our life is in turmoil and sinking right before our eyes and you ask why are we afraid?”
Then I think Jesus ask them even a stranger question. “Have you still no faith?” Faith! Faith in what? The disciples barely knew this man. Sure they had witnessed some miracles, seen some really strange happenings, and his words did seem to make a lot of sense, but faith in what?
Who is this man that calms the sea and the wind?
All they knew for certain is that they had enough sense to realize Jesus was in that boat without understanding it all. And the sea was calm.
Isn’t this one fabulous story that happened almost 2000 years ago? But didn’t I mention that Mark was the gospel of what’s happening? I think I did. And it still is the gospel of what’s happening.
What’s happening now. Now, Today August 17th here at the beautiful town of Ferdinand, in your life.
You know in many ways there is very little difference between us now, and the disciples then. The wonders, the confusion, and the fear that the disciple’s experienced 2000 years ago, and our experiences of today are so close it makes you wonder.
We too, and even more, live in a fast and furious world where there is very little time to dwell on the past and just as impossible to see into our future. We too can be just as confused at the same strange words of wisdom that Jesus spoke to the crowd many years ago. We too can be dumbfounded with the miracles of life and creation that we simply have no way of explaining. And we too can ask the very same question, “Who is this man Jesus?”
I grew up in the church, the son of a Lutheran Pastor, and you know what they say about those preacher kids. In my case it was true. I’m surprised my dad didn’t lose churches because of me. But in the past 46 years I must admit, I have also seen some really strange happenings. I have seen broken lives turned around. Diseases the doctors could not heal, cured. And I must admit I have always thought that the words found in this book were rather interesting.
The problem was I couldn’t put it all together, I just could not understand it all. I thought maybe someday I would figure all this Jesus stuff out, then, then I could comfortably make some type of commitment.
Well about ten years ago I found myself in one of those giant storms with 15 foot waves, threatening to take me under. I was diagnosed with a malignant cancer and was told I’d most likely be dead in less than 5 years. The Bible tells me to fear not and have faith. But it was almost like I did the complete opposite.
I was scare to death, I was only 36 years old. I had no idea what my past had meant, and I darn sure had no idea where I was going. And basically whatever faith I did have was being shattered by this storm, that had no reason to blow in at this time of my life. When I did turn to Jesus, it seemed all I could hear was one big snore. Jesus seemed to be asleep and it was like he could have cared less if I lived or died.
I felt like I was on my own. I needed to find a solution. And I did. So I thought. I turned to the bottle. Inside of it was the cure. It deadened my nerves and allowed me to hide this fear I had deep in pit of my soul. So for the next three years I faced the storm of cancer with the sweet spirit of Dewar’s Scotch.
But the storm did not let up. It got worse. I became more afraid and doubted my faith even more. Jesus still seemed to be asleep.
Seven years ago I was sitting on the banks of a lake in Pittsburgh, doing a little trout fishing. The fish weren’t biting and miraculously, I had a Bible in one hand and a pint of scotch in the other.
I was reading the happening gospel of Mark and I came to this passage that we have just considered, and the words, “They took him just as he was… Peace… Be Still…And the sea was calm,” seemed to jump off the page and smack me right in the face.
Hey, maybe I didn’t have to have all the answers. Maybe I didn’t have to understand it all. The disciples sure didn’t seem to know what was going on and they were with Jesus. Even with all my fear and doubts, even with all these unanswered questions, could I have the sense to do what the disciples had done and realize that Jesus is in my boat?
I cried out from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. Jesus wake up! Please! I need you!
I would be lying to you if I claimed at that moment an enormous Peace came over me, and the storm in my life was over. But I would also be lying if I claimed that nothing happened. Over the next seven years an incredible peace, and stillness has come into my life and to tell you the truth, I still don’t understand what exactly has happened.
Sure there are still moments when I am terrified. There are still moments when I feel like claiming “have faith in what?’ But when I take the psalmist advice and I meditate on God’s instructions or teachings found in God’s Holy Words, and also in the fabric of life itself, I find in this way I become like a giant oak tree planted by a stream of living water, and I am assured Jesus it with me, wherever I go.
I told a piece of my story today. But I realize each and every single one of you probably has a similar sinking story to tell in your faith journey. I could call any one of you and I bet it would not take very long for you to tell how your life has been rocked by a violent storm, in which you thought that you were going under.
Maybe you try to calm that storm on your own. Maybe you have called on Jesus only to seem like he was asleep. But let me assure you, that is not the case. Some 2000 years ago, God came and lived among us with so much power that even the wind and the sea obey. To cry out in the midst of your storm, “Jesus! Wake Up! Please! Is an enormous statement of faith. A statement that you can’t go it alone, we need help.
And miraculously here you are, becoming a disciple without understanding it all.
So if you take anything away with you this weekend, take this happening story. It will calm the storms you will face in this calling. It will calm your storms, so that, with the gift of Word and Sacrament, you may be a blessing and calm the storms of those around you, saying Peace! Be Still!
Who is this man that even the wind and sea obey?
