TAKE COURAGE!

By Dr. Eric C. Stumpf, Senior Pastor

St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church – Munster, IN

Mk 6:45-56 + Pentecost 8 +

July 25 & 26, 2009

              Christ is risen!  He is risen, indeed.  I want to assure you that this sermon is not a repeat of last Sunday’s sermon which began the same way.  I do want to assure you that it is on the basis of Christ’s resurrection we proclaim the Word to you this morning, for without the risen Christ, there would be no point at all to be here or worshipping in this beautiful building dedicated to the risen Lord.

            The facts I am about to tell you were clearly recorded and attested to by eyewitnesses and forensic evidence, published and reported by J.M. Farrar.  A train filled with about 200 Sunday School children and adults was traveling through eastern Missouri a distance of 50 miles to a picnic spot for their annual outing.  Along the way a sudden thunderstorm erupted pouring a deluge of water obscuring the view.  As the train swung around a curve and approached a station that they would pass the engineer saw through the break in the rain the switch ahead was open.  This would cause the train, traveling at the speed it was traveling, to be sidetracked and cause the whole train to tip over and crash.  The engineer hit the brakes, threw the drive into reverse, and yelled, “God help us all!”  Those were the facts, no one disputes them.

            Instantly after saying “God help us all!” a flashing of lightning and instantaneously a crash of thunder struck just ahead of the train.  The next thing they knew they were past the station, the train on the main tracks upright and safe.  The engineer and conductor hurried back to examine the switch.  The found the switch charred where the lightning struck it and the switch closed.  Those are the facts, no one disputes them.  The switch was closely examined by inspectors, reports were filed, all were in agreement the switch had been operational until it was shocked into being closed.

            The engineer said, “It was purely an act of God.”  Some of the Sunday School teachers said, “It was a miracle.”  That’s where those in agreement before about the facts differed.  Some saw it as a coincidence or “blind luck.”  They said that a lightning bolt hitting at that particular time, at that particular spot, with that particular result, after the engineer’s particular and personal prayer for deliverance, although almost astronomically coincidental, was nevertheless coincidental.  Some see with the eyes of faith and some don’t. 

The Gospel Lesson

            Please follow along as we go through the Gospel lesson.  Last week in Mark 6 we covered the previous verses, the feeding of the 5000.  Immediately, a favorite word of Mark, the disciples board their ship and set off in a northwesterly direction towards Bethsaida.  Jesus finally finding some quite time for prayer goes off into the mountains, which are close to the shore, and prays.  Since the feeding of the 5000 was towards the end of the day, evening comes.  Meanwhile the disciples are rowing, and Mark explains why they are laboring so hard – the wind was against them.  Since they were going northwest and the wind was against them, that meant the wind was coming from the north, the same conditions that set up the sudden storm which quieted in the Gospel lesson a few weeks ago.  Mark uses Roman time reckoning, it was the fourth watch, between 3 and 6 am when Jesus is seen walking on the water.  Mark noted that Jesus appeared to be walking by them.  Since this was outside their experience they could only conclude that what they saw was a phantom, the very Greek word that is used.  Already nerves worn raw with fighting the waves and fear mounting, this was just too much.  They cried out.  But Jesus was not there as a practical joke to scare them, “Courage!  It is I!  Fear not.”  Jesus climbs into the boat, the storm stops, and the disciples again soaking from the waves hitting the boat are amazed and dumbstruck.  By now with all these miracles – the calming of the sea, the healing of the demon possessed man, the raising of Jairus daughter, the feeding of the 5000, miracles would be more expected.  But Mark explains the problem – they did not understand, their hearts were hardened.  Once landed people came from every direction, except from the sea, bringing the sick and those in need so Jesus could heal them.  That’s the account, now what does it mean for you and me? 

What Does This Mean?

            The account tells us of people in trouble and Jesus coming in a way people don’t understand, but are helped by Jesus nonetheless by his grace.

            We can feel empathy with the disciples.  At times in crisis we are afraid.  Goodness knows there is a lot to be afraid out there.  Some fear for their jobs, some fear when their nest egg is considerably less that what they were counting on, some fear for their health, some see their families being torn apart because of, you can fill in the blank.  Because we are sinners and we live in a sin filled world, and Satan never misses an opportunity to whisper in our head that we really can’t trust God to keep his word, we are afraid.  What have you been afraid of this past week?  Although we are sometimes afraid, we are not alone.  Not that we find comfort in others who are afraid, but we have the one who can give us courage and tell us not to be afraid.

            Did it strike you as odd that Jesus came between 3 and 6 am?  Why wasn’t he there between 6 and 9 pm when this all started?  Maybe Jesus knew that if he came just as the wind was picking up the disciples, who were professional fisherman, might have said, “That’s okay Jesus, we got this, nothing to worry about.”  Like the Publican in the temple we need to be really in need, “I a poor miserable sinner,” to receive Jesus.  By the 4^th watch they were really in need.

            Did it strike you as odd that Jesus “…meant to pass by them.” (vs. 48)  I take it to mean that Jesus was walking in a parallel line to the boat so it looked to the disciples that Jesus was going to pass by.  Does this tell us Jesus is not forcing his way into your life. Rather he is close by us in our memories and thoughts, when we see that little used Bible on the bookshelf, that often overlooked cross on the wall, and want us to call to him when we are in need.

            In Exodus the people of Israel in Egypt were there some 400 years.  All those years were not in slavery, only after a change of kings did that happen.  About that time Moses was born, but it would be 80 years before God called him from the burning bush (3:7).  I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.  So I have come down to rescue them…”  God came when people cried out.  Are you crying out to God or are you still of a mind that you are a Master of the Universe, a Tom Wolfe expression, Captain of your ship, who doesn’t really need God just yet.

            When you do cry out, Jesus has an answer.  First, it is “Courage.”  Courage is not what you see in the movies, the hero that digs deep within his psyche and brings forth that extra something that wins the day.  If that were the case, you wouldn’t need Jesus.  No, this courage comes in the person of Jesus who, for us, faced death, and rose from the dead.  He conquered so we could have courage and assurance of the victory is in Jesus.

            Second, the answer comes in Jesus, “It is I.” Interestingly the disciples would make the same mistake on Easter Sunday when Jesus appeared to them (Lk 24:37), they thought they were seeing a phantom.  Jesus invites them to touch him and see…a phantom has no flesh and bones, as you see I have.  When we are in such fellowship with Jesus we have courage.

            And finally, stop being afraid.  When you talk to people are really afraid, who worry constantly, who struggle day after day, what they cry out for is “make it stop.”  Jesus can do that, he can bring the peace that passes all understanding – you see that is a miracle too.  While the fact may be indisputable, it is the sight of faith that sees the Lord, calls upon him, and trusts in his deliverance.  Amen.

SDG