Evangelism | Discipleship | Servanthood | Diversity
Finding Jesus Asleep in the storm (sermon)
Finding Christ in All the Wrong Places:
Asleep In the Storm
Mark 4:35-41 Nov. 1, 2009
Rev. Dr. Keith M. Curran
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
1885 Bridge Road Suffolk, VA 23433
www.standrewpres.net
It’s interesting that the 3-year Galilean ministry of Jesus included 3 journeys into Gentile territory, loosely corresponding to the 3 missionary journeys of Paul in the Book of Acts. In today’s story from Mark 4, Jesus starts off on his first journey: from Capernaum, on the Northwest shore of Galilee to the eastern shore and the land of the Ten Cities, the Decapolis, a confederation of Greco/Roman cities founded during the time of Alexander the Great. Let’s walk through the text that finds Jesus in what might seem to us like the wrong place: asleep in the storm.
That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go to the eastern shore.” Jesus was preaching on and off all day long. For a time it was from a small fishing boat just off shore. So many people came to listen that he stood on the bow and talked about thinks like a farmer who went out to sow seed, a candle hid under a bed, and faith the size of a tiny mustard seed. By dusk, the crowds were leaving and Jesus said it was time to leave as well. With nothing more than a nonchalant ‘by your leave’, Jesus was off on his first journey away from his base of operations; the fishing village of Capernaum. This is the journey.
He was off to the eastern shore where Gentiles and Greeks, pagans and pigs awaited the Master. What’s the Christ doing with pagans and pigs? Seems like the wrong place for a good Jewish boy. This was turning out to be a Purell kind of day, a wrong side of the tracks excursion, but that’s a story for another Sunday.
It was February, 29 AD and Galilee’s version of the Deadliest Catch was about to begin. Wicked winds from the East, known to the locals as the ‘Sharkiyeh’, blew up in moments and out of nowhere. The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew their boat would be lost. This is the storm.
Cold water splashing in over the rails, stomach turning, rocking and bobbing, rain stinging exposed skin, screaming winds pelting every surface. “Batten that down!” Peter’s sharp command, grown men pleading, praying, fishy-smelling water covering ankles and filling nostrils. “All hands on deck!!!!” Andrew cried. And all were…except one; asleep in the storm. Pillow nestled nicely under his chin, oilcloth blanket keeping him dry and warm; the ‘sleep of the innocent’ some have called it. Asleep in the storm.
Seasoned fishermen don’t get scared. There’s no crying in fishing! The Rock (Peter) turned to Jell-O. The Sons of Thunder (James and John) whimpered ‘Uncle’. Andrew shouted, “Abandon ship!” But no Galilean waterman would willingly jump overboard. You see, in Jesus’ day, the sea, even this inland lake called Galilee, was home of the Evil One. Superstitions ran wild. Halloween can’t hold a candle to the nightmarish superstitions of first century Judeans. The sea in turmoil was the Devil in motion; stirring a caldron of chaos like a maniacal short order cook whipping an omelet with the barrel of a gun. “The earth was in chaos, with no form or order, rhyme or reason; chaos boiled under the waters. It was darkness.” So says the Creation Poem in Gen. 1:2. Only when the Spirit of God breathed upon the waters did it bring harmony, life and shalom. Superstation had it that the Devil was just beneath the white caps, raging to get out, straining, grabbing. This is the fear.
The unknown, the unknowable, unjust, uncontrollable, unreasonable, that took no account of status, fame or family name. No amount of arguing could save you from nature’s fury when it’s being bullwhipped by the Devil. Chaos. Fear. And no one knew this better than these Galilean watermen.
“Be still!” is all he said. Did he yell, holler or scream? What’s certain is his words; be still. The same words used to quiet a demonized man a few months before: be still. These are the words.
They’re the words that zippered the mouth of demons and put Nature in a sleeper hold. These are the words that rolled over the Perfect Storm of Genesis 1:2 and eased the world toward life. These are the words that had 12 ordinary men standing slack-jawed in a motionless fishing boat on a still sea. These are the words we find in the ingredients list of the bread that is broken. These are the words that swirl in the cup that is shared. These are the words of the Christ who is in the right place, at the right time to calm the storms in our lives. These are the words: “Be still.” Barclay says of this verse: “To voyage with Jesus was to voyage in peace even in the storm. Now this is universally true. It is not something that happened once; it is something that happens and can happen to us. In the presence of Jesus we can have peace even in the wildest storms of life.”
The story ends with the disciples more afraid of what they just saw than the ferocious storm that almost sank them. And they ask through tight lips, “Who is this guy that even Nature bows to his words?” (Turn to the person next to you and quietly ask, “Who is this guy that calms the storms?”) This is the question.
Asleep In the Storm
Mark 4:35-41 Nov. 1, 2009
Rev. Dr. Keith M. Curran
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
1885 Bridge Road Suffolk, VA 23433
www.standrewpres.net
It’s interesting that the 3-year Galilean ministry of Jesus included 3 journeys into Gentile territory, loosely corresponding to the 3 missionary journeys of Paul in the Book of Acts. In today’s story from Mark 4, Jesus starts off on his first journey: from Capernaum, on the Northwest shore of Galilee to the eastern shore and the land of the Ten Cities, the Decapolis, a confederation of Greco/Roman cities founded during the time of Alexander the Great. Let’s walk through the text that finds Jesus in what might seem to us like the wrong place: asleep in the storm.
That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go to the eastern shore.” Jesus was preaching on and off all day long. For a time it was from a small fishing boat just off shore. So many people came to listen that he stood on the bow and talked about thinks like a farmer who went out to sow seed, a candle hid under a bed, and faith the size of a tiny mustard seed. By dusk, the crowds were leaving and Jesus said it was time to leave as well. With nothing more than a nonchalant ‘by your leave’, Jesus was off on his first journey away from his base of operations; the fishing village of Capernaum. This is the journey.
He was off to the eastern shore where Gentiles and Greeks, pagans and pigs awaited the Master. What’s the Christ doing with pagans and pigs? Seems like the wrong place for a good Jewish boy. This was turning out to be a Purell kind of day, a wrong side of the tracks excursion, but that’s a story for another Sunday.
It was February, 29 AD and Galilee’s version of the Deadliest Catch was about to begin. Wicked winds from the East, known to the locals as the ‘Sharkiyeh’, blew up in moments and out of nowhere. The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew their boat would be lost. This is the storm.
Cold water splashing in over the rails, stomach turning, rocking and bobbing, rain stinging exposed skin, screaming winds pelting every surface. “Batten that down!” Peter’s sharp command, grown men pleading, praying, fishy-smelling water covering ankles and filling nostrils. “All hands on deck!!!!” Andrew cried. And all were…except one; asleep in the storm. Pillow nestled nicely under his chin, oilcloth blanket keeping him dry and warm; the ‘sleep of the innocent’ some have called it. Asleep in the storm.
Seasoned fishermen don’t get scared. There’s no crying in fishing! The Rock (Peter) turned to Jell-O. The Sons of Thunder (James and John) whimpered ‘Uncle’. Andrew shouted, “Abandon ship!” But no Galilean waterman would willingly jump overboard. You see, in Jesus’ day, the sea, even this inland lake called Galilee, was home of the Evil One. Superstitions ran wild. Halloween can’t hold a candle to the nightmarish superstitions of first century Judeans. The sea in turmoil was the Devil in motion; stirring a caldron of chaos like a maniacal short order cook whipping an omelet with the barrel of a gun. “The earth was in chaos, with no form or order, rhyme or reason; chaos boiled under the waters. It was darkness.” So says the Creation Poem in Gen. 1:2. Only when the Spirit of God breathed upon the waters did it bring harmony, life and shalom. Superstation had it that the Devil was just beneath the white caps, raging to get out, straining, grabbing. This is the fear.
The unknown, the unknowable, unjust, uncontrollable, unreasonable, that took no account of status, fame or family name. No amount of arguing could save you from nature’s fury when it’s being bullwhipped by the Devil. Chaos. Fear. And no one knew this better than these Galilean watermen.
“Be still!” is all he said. Did he yell, holler or scream? What’s certain is his words; be still. The same words used to quiet a demonized man a few months before: be still. These are the words.
They’re the words that zippered the mouth of demons and put Nature in a sleeper hold. These are the words that rolled over the Perfect Storm of Genesis 1:2 and eased the world toward life. These are the words that had 12 ordinary men standing slack-jawed in a motionless fishing boat on a still sea. These are the words we find in the ingredients list of the bread that is broken. These are the words that swirl in the cup that is shared. These are the words of the Christ who is in the right place, at the right time to calm the storms in our lives. These are the words: “Be still.” Barclay says of this verse: “To voyage with Jesus was to voyage in peace even in the storm. Now this is universally true. It is not something that happened once; it is something that happens and can happen to us. In the presence of Jesus we can have peace even in the wildest storms of life.”
The story ends with the disciples more afraid of what they just saw than the ferocious storm that almost sank them. And they ask through tight lips, “Who is this guy that even Nature bows to his words?” (Turn to the person next to you and quietly ask, “Who is this guy that calms the storms?”) This is the question.
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