Sermon 06-21-09                                            

Psalm 9:1-2 & 7-10                                                                 Mark 4:31-45

“In The Boat Together”

Are you a water person? Do you like being in or around water?

Even though I love the beach, I am not friends with the water. Anyway, here in New England the water is always so cold, I just don’t go in.

I also tend to get sea sick easily, and feel like I am walking like a drunk, sideways, as well as being afraid of drowning. So any sort of boat ride is not my favorite thing to do. Going on a Cruise is not something I plan to do in the near future. Now if it’s parachuting, air ballooning, or just a plane ride, that’s another story.

Prayer

Last week we talked about Jesus’ radical way of teaching. He was teaching from the boat on the Galilean sea. “For the Galilean fishers the boat was their home and place of work.” (Seasons of the Spirit, Cong. Life, 6-21-09, pg. 32)

As the evening approached, Jesus suggests to the disciples to sail across to the other side of the sea, “and leaving the crowd behind, they took Jesus with him, just as he was. Other boats were with him.” v.36.

“The sea in ancient Jewish thought was a place of danger. In Genesis and other near Eastern creation stories, the sea represented chaos. In Roman times the sea came to be viewed as the domain of Rome’s power. Rome’sships, as well as armies, ensured domination. The one who held power over the sea ruled.” (S. of the S., idem) That explains why there were other boats with them.”

Jesus as the guest, was invited to stay at the stern, and there he went to rest, Jesus was so tired from the long day, preaching and teaching, he felt asleep promptly.

The Sea of Galilee was notorious for its storms. They came literally out of the blue with shattering and terrifying suddenness. And that is exactly what happens here. Suddenly, “a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.” “The boat was in great distress. The anguish of the disciples, then, was not ill founded. They were not overreacting when they awakened Jesus with the frantic cry, “Do you not care that we are perishing? They were in a desperate situation, they were frightened.” (Brueggemamn, Year B, pg. 400)

“The question of care is a relational one. It asks whether the God revealed in Jesus can be trusted to seek our good.” (S. of the S., idem)

Jesus being able to sleep so deeply through the storm, reveals “his trust in God bringing remarkable peace, in contrast with the panic of the disciples.

“And Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind, (like a preacher approaching the pulpit, and with authority he) said to the sea, “Peace! Be Still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. v.39

As Jesus stilled the sea, “His exercising such authority makes a powerful statement about Jesus’ identity. Such authority forms the background for Jesus’ healing and exorcisms, and even teachings that assert life in the face of oppressive forces.” (S. of the S., idem)

Why are you afraid?, Jesus asked. If the church is like a boat, threatened by the forces of the seas, are we afraid of the storms? Are we afraid of being shaken, and swamped, and ultimately perishing?

Do you have no faith?, Jesus asked.

For us today, “The presence of God in fearful times may bring peace and calm. For Christ, who is “in the boat” with us, is not there merely to accompany us, but to help us, even when we think he is sleeping and notcaring. When do we, like the disciples, find ourselves wondering in experiences of vulnerability whether Christ really cares – and if so, whatdifference that care will make? What enables us to speak and act with thrust in God’s presence when we find ourselves confronting new experiences that give rise to fear?” (S. of the S., idem)

For the disciples, “their panic shows that they have not yet reached a point of profound trust… and they are still asking, “Who is this? At the same time they are in awe-struck by what Jesus has done. They tremble with the fear appropriate to those who have been in the presence of God’s Son, and at least pose the critical question.” Who is this?

This text can be applied to the church, recognizing that through the story those times in the life of the church when it is threatened by the forces of chaos and confusion, the forces that turn out to be no match for the reign of God present in the person of Jesus… We see two stories in this text, the fearful disciples and the calming and reassuring Jesus. But the stories present us not merely with the presence of Jesus, who shares our predicament amid the storms of life, but with the power of Jesus, who can do something about the storms. The text confront us not so much with a strategy for coping, as with a promise of salvation.” (Brueggemamn, Year B, pg. 400-401)

During the Interim time fear and faith are two of the biggest struggles of the church. Fear of the unknown in the mist of change, fear of perishing in the storm. As we transition through the storms of our reality, where our numbers have decreased, is our commitment also declining do to our fear of the storm?. As our priorities changing do to the busyness of our world?

Are the waves of busyness swamping our lives?

We sometimes forget that we need to have faith during the stormy times, to be able to continue trusting in the reassurance and presence of Jesus.

All this to say: “When the cold, bleak wind of sorrow blows, there is calm and comfort in the presence of Jesus. When the hot blast of passion blows, there is peace and security  in the presence of Jesus. When the storms of doubt seek to uproot the very foundations of the faith, there is a steady safety in the presence of Jesus. In every storm that shakes the human heart there is peace with Jesus.”(Barclay, Matthew. Vol. 1, pg. 318) Amen!

Benediction

Go in the peace of God, daring to change,

daring to care, daring to share, daring to love.

And may the presence of Christ, the love of God

and the friendship of the Holy Spirit go with you now and always. Amen!