The Calm Before The Storm

I went fishing on a lake one time in Northern Wisconsin with a friend of mine. We took out my aunt and uncle’s paddle boat. It was a nice day and we wanted the exercise. A storm came up and waves started to come up over the sides of the small boat. We tried to paddle against the wind and waves toward shore but all we had to bail water out was an empty Mt. Dew can. You can imagine just how poorly that worked. By the time we got the water out we were further away from shore than when we started. We eventually figured out that we weren’t going to be able to paddle against the storm but could either allow the storm to push us to the opposite side of the lake or cut across the lake at at 45 degree angle get to the shore and walk the boat back along the shoreline. We made it doing the second option but it was scary because we had not life preservers and my friend couldn’t swim.

It’s like Maundy Thursday- Calm before the storm

Jesus was celebrating the Passover with his disciples - intimacy

We have festive times - celebrations with our families, church - connected

A time of physical renewal – kicking back

That in itself is a very valuable lesson for us - we need rest in order to perform at our best - Jesus, the very best ever, proved it

Something else going on though - This is a time for spiritual renewal

There is yet another thing going on here - Jesus is about to give his disciples two wonderful blessings

- Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman –

Kind words, acts of service, physical touch, gifts, spending time, & prayers

- Even greater blessings - Gives His body and blood as a spiritual nourishment for us

Epistle lesson, Paul writes "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation is the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf."

- Most siblings are close, God’s people are closer

- "Blood is thicker than water" - Jesus blood is thicker than water too

Lord Jesus gives this gift in a moment of respite before his greatest trial

- Strength to face the storms in this world - sanctuary

- There is a lot of work for us to do before our master returns- lot of people who don’t know Jesus

- Hymnal - church militant – Hymns 297-305 – turn there

- A Few Good Men –Col Jessup, Guantanamo Bay Cuba - “I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me so don’t think for one second that you can come down here flash a badge and make me nervous.”

- Jesus said, “don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both the soul and body in hell.”

- What do we fight with – Lutheran Worship 303 (Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You" v. 1 stanza 3 – word of God

– one day we will get our opportunity to rest

– “blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them” Revelation 14:13

- You will get your chance to rest – no, not in retirement unfortunately

Jesus will return again – that’s when we really get a chance to rest but until then he calls us to use these gifts to rejuvenate us and empower us to serve Him and build His kingdom