In Jesus Holy Name June 20, 2021
Text: Mark 4:35-41 Pentecost IV Redeemer
“In the Storms of Life”
Each Sunday our gospel readings are from the Book of Mark. Mark begins by saying. This is the history of what God is doing in Jesus. This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus ….the Son of God.” Each chapter is designed and written by Mark to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. Not only who He is but what He will accomplish by His death and resurrection. In chapter 1 Jesus expelled demons from people. They knew who He was, the Holy One of God. In Chapter 3 the Pharisees tried to “cancel” Jesus. In chapter 4 the disciples have to decide if Jesus is more than a Jewish prophet who heals people.
(read the text from “The Message”)
Our story takes place on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus and his disciples are in the middle of a furious storm. Waves were breaking over the boat so that it was nearly swamped. This is nothing unusual on the Sea of Galilee. It is in a deep bowl surrounded by high hills and mountains.
To the north, you can see Mt. Hermon in the distance. Mt. Hermon is capped with snow, and sometimes the cold air from the top of the Mountain rushes down the mountain and blows across the lake.
The force of the cold air colliding with the hot moist air around Galilee can be explosive. Waves can be 6 to 8 feet in height. It is a terrifying experience, especially when you are in a boat that is 26 feet long, 7 feet wide and only 4.5 feet high. The first century fishing boats were made for throwing nets over the side and drawing them in not for sailing in a storm.
Storms will come. And when a storm hits no amount of human intervention will stop the storm. Man made levees don’t always work. Mark tells us the disciples were afraid. Life jackets were not yet invented. Peter and John, seasoned sailors struggle to keep the sail down. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. There is no light from the moon. It is dark. Only the lightning flash breaks the blackness of the night. The boat is bouncing, like a kite in the wind. Matthew the tax collector was trying to keep his lunch down. The thunder roars. The wind is screaming. The shouts of the disciples are carried away on the wind.
Jesus is drained from healing and teaching. The crowds were so large He was teaching from a boat just off the shore. Now exhausted. He is sleeping. The storm rages for hours. Fear of death overwhelms. No one can bail fast enough. How can Jesus still be asleep? Jesus kept on sleeping. Jesus kept on sleeping as they strained at the oars. He kept on sleeping when they lowered the sail. He kept on sleeping as they bailed water out of the ship even as more poured in.
Listen to their words: “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
When storms come we might find ourselves saying the same thing, wondering if God really cares about our plight. We’ve all been there. We are in the middle of a crisis. In the middle of a divorce, tossed by guilt. In the middle of debt, tossed by creditors. In the middle of chemotherapy, fearing it will not work. It seems like God is off somewhere….and we forget that He is all knowing.
Max Lucado in his book “Fearless” writes: “Fear can overwhelm us. Fear
corrodes our confidence in God’s power and goodness. Fear unleashes a swarm of doubts. Fear makes us forget what Jesus has done and how good God is. Fear sucks the life out of your soul.” (Fearless p. 9,10)
Storms will come into our lives. Winds of adversity blow into our lives. Fear will knock on your door.
Human experience tells us we shall see a storm, a storm so intense our dreams, our hopes, our plans, our tomorrows, our lives will be turned topsy-turvy and the things which once seemed unshakable will crumble and lie shattered at our feet. Our storm may come in the form of an illness or an accident, a betrayal, a disappointment, a failure, or a tragedy of unexpected and monumental proportions.
When storms come it does not mean that God does not love you. It does not mean that God is angry or He is paying you back. Sometimes the storms that happen are self made. Sometimes storms just happen. “God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:45) In other words, good and bad happen to all. The important thing
is whether or not we are prepared. (thoughts from Rev. Ken Klaas Mark 4)
When they woke Jesus, they didn't say, "Savior, can you help us?" No, they didn't say that at all. They didn't ask for Him to intercede with His omnipotent power. The best they can do is whine out a challenge, a rather disrespectful challenge: "Teacher, don't You care?" A mixture of fear and frustration finally drove the disciples to wake Jesus, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
"Jesus, don't you care?" Do the words sound familiar? They probably do if you have ever found yourself in a spiritual storm. "Jesus, don't You care?"
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that my child is sick?
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that my marriage is falling apart?
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that my friends have deserted me?
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that I have no money?
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that I feel so alone?
Lord Jesus, don’t you care that I want to give up?
"How can a gracious God allow this to happen?"
If you have ever asked you should know God does care.
Jesus rebuked the storm. “The wind ran out of breath, and the sea became smooth as glass. Then Jesus turned to the disciples and asked: “Why were you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were afraid because they were men who were used to being in control of life. They knew how to handle hard situations. There wasn’t a weakling among them. And yet, when put in a life-threatening situation beyond their control. Fear wiped out their confidence in God’s power on display through Jesus. Instead of putting them down, Jesus simply says, “Have you still no faith?”
We walk by faith. all too often the focus of our faith proves itself to be unreliable, untrustworthy, undependable. Men and women, who are elected to public office; who are swept into their position because their constituency had great faith in them, prove to be a disappointment when campaign promises aren't kept and moral compasses are misdirected. We walk by faith, but the high cost of malpractice insurance says physicians aren't perfect.
When Jesus asked the disciples: “Do you still have no faith?” It was a
question based on their past experience with Him. They had witnessed Jesus
heal Simon Peter’s mother in law. They had watched Jesus heal a man of leprosy. They watched Jesus heal a man paralyzed from birth. They watched him heal hundreds of people and even cast out demons. The fear of the moment over came their life journey with Jesus.
Faith contains two aspects: intellectual assent and trust. Intellectual assent is believing something to be true. Trust is actually relying on the fact that the something is true. A chair is often used to help illustrate this. Intellectual assent is recognizing that a chair is a chair and agreeing that it is designed to support a person who sits on it. Trust is actually sitting in the chair.
To have faith in Jesus means to trust Him. The great chapter in Hebrews gives countless illustrations of people who placed their faith in the word and promises of God. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” The first thing we must understand is that faith doesn’t originate from within us. We’re not born with a natural ability to believe. Faith comes from God./
Paul is clear: It is by grace you have been saved through faith…and this faith… is not from (inside) you. It is a gift of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 says: “Looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” Jesus is the originator of faith. Before his crucifixion and His resurrection, before His ascension into heaven, faith in Jesus happened by seeing Him, Hearing Him, seeing the results of His healing touch. His question to the disciples I based on their past experience with Him. In other words… you guys have been with me. You have seen miracles. Why did your trust in me go away?
Put your faith in Jesus because He alone has proven Himself to be faithful; when humankind fell into sin, our gracious God took pity on us. Knowing we would never be able to rebuild the bridge that separated our sinful souls from Him, God promised to send a Savior. For thousands of years our heavenly Father gave information that would help humanity identify His Son when He was born. No other religion can say that. Let me say that again: No other religion can say that. Only Jesus could have fulfilled the prophecies made about the Redeemer.
It was predicted the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. Jesus was born there. It was promised the Savior would be true God and true Man. Jesus, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary met that criterion, too. The prophet Isaiah said the Savior would be beaten for us, bruised for us, unfairly tried and sentenced to death. That same prophet said Jesus would die with criminals.
One promise after another was made; one prediction after another was fulfilled. There is no coincidence, no happenstance, nor accident that Jesus fulfilled all prophecies both large and small. It was also promised that His dead body would not decay and He would rise from the dead so all might be sure and certain that His work of saving us from the wrath of a “holy” God was carried on His shoulders at the cross.
“Faith is God’s gift.… Given to us by the Hoy Spirit.” “Faith comes from hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17) The Holy Spirit convinces the heart that Jesus is who He says He is. The Redeemer, the Savior of our body and soul. The Holy Spirit dwells within each believer and enables us to “imitate the values and character traits of Jesus (Ephesians 5:1, 22ff) and He will raise us to eternal life. (Romans 8:10-11)
As the church sails into the culture….there will be those swimming in water that never quenches their thirst. They will be crying out for help and a life preserver will have be tossed and they will have to be brought on board.
The disciples did not hug the shore….but when the storm started to swamp their comfortable boat ride fear ran high. The biggest risk the church faces is to embrace the future. It’s a lot easier to live in the past. We must remember… this is not our boat. We are only the crew. God promised: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” (Is. 43:2)
It is Jesus who spoke the words that calmed the sea and the hearts of the disciples. Mark notes: They were terrified….. . Their fear of the storm was nothing compared with the fear they had when they realized who it really was with them in the boat. To walk with Jesus and to see him as a great teacher and healer is one thing. It is quite another to suddenly realize He is Lord of the Universe. This is the point Mark is making…the disciples suddenly realize that Jesus is more than a prophet. Do you realize who Jesus really is?
