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The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2006
February 2006
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The 3rd Sunday after Pentecost (B)
[Pr. 7] In the Name of him who gives us peace, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN! Our gospel for today is about ABIDING in and EXPERIENCING God's peace - even when all of the outward circumstances seem to be cause for fear and alarm. The situation was this: It was nighttime and Jesus and his disciples were sailing across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was exhausted after a long day of preaching and teaching - and he was sleeping on a cushion in the stern of the boat. Suddenly a great storm of wind arose and the sea turned into a raging froth. Picture yourself being in that small boat far off from land - in the dark - as the wind is howling at a gale-force velocity, and the waves are crashing into the boat, filling it up with water and threatening to capsize it! It is a terrifying thing to think about! The disciples, as we probably would be also, were filled with panic as they became convinced that they were going to die. That THIS WAS IT!! And then they looked at Jesus, as he was STILL SLEEPING in the midst of all this! And as they looked at him, their panic turned into anger as well. It was HIS FAULT that they were in this mess, wasn't it?! If he hadn't told them to sail - at night - to the other side of the sea - they would be on dry land right now instead of being about to drown! It was his fault that they were in this predicament! And how could he keep on SLEEPING when they were all in such distress?! All hands were needed on deck to help bail water out of the boat! And so they woke him up and said to him, "TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE IF WE PERISH?!" "Don't you care at all that we are about to die?!" But instead of getting angry and upset, Jesus simply the wind, and said to the sea, "PEACE! BE STILL!" (These are about the same words he earlier spoke to the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 1:25.) And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then Jesus, lovingly and compassionately speaking to his disciples as a parent might speak to a frightened child, said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith?" "You don't need to be afraid - I am with you and I’ll take care of you!" And as our gospel concludes, the disciples were filled with awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?" What really impresses me about this story - even more than the actual miracle itself, is the PEACE and SENSE OF CALM that Jesus so obviously had even when the wind and sea were blowing and raging about him. He had a simple, child-like trust that God loved him and was going to take care of him no matter what may happen. He had put his life into the hands of his Heavenly Father, and knowing that caused him to be totally secure and content. Many of us have heard the expression about someone having the faith and trust of a little child. And it is true that little children seem to be much more innocent and trusting than us more cynical teenagers and adults. A year ago at one of our confirmation programs, Eric Beenken brought in his daughter Lauren to demonstrate what trust is like. They did a great job! Eric tossed Lauren into the air a few times – and then even held her upside down as they played “salt shaker” – all while she was laughing and giggling and obviously having a wonderful time! When you think about it, kids are really amazing in their trust level! Most of us who are older would be terrified if some big person was to do that with us. You see, teenagers and adults know that other people can and often do fail. And when they fail, WE are going to get hurt if we have trusted them too much. We see this understanding as part of growing up. We learn that we had better not be too trusting of others - or we are going to get burned. We learn to laugh at and make fun of people whom we consider to be "naive". We learn that we should become independent and self-sufficient and always aware that it is not good to trust others too much. We even do this with God! Most people will say that they believe in God and trust Him to take care of them - but only up to a point. To become too trusting of God and His promises would mean our having to make some major changes in our attitudes, in our priorities, and in the conduct of our lives. And, to be honest, most people - most of US - are just not prepared to do that. At least, not all the way - and all of the time! But Jesus was different. He had a completely intimate relationship with his Heavenly Father. He had a perfect, child-like TRUST that his Heavenly Father would always take care of him, come what may. Jesus knew the "secret" of how to be totally at peace within, even when the outward circumstances seemed to indicate anything BUT peace. And his secret was nothing more than his having a simple FAITH in God such as a little child might have in his or her parents. The contrast between Jesus and his disciples in today's gospel lesson could not be more obvious. HE was at PEACE, trusting that his Father in heaven would take care of him. The DISCIPLES were TERRIFIED, feeling ABANDONED and ALONE, and ANGRY because they thought that God and Jesus DID NOT CARE about them! And what about US? If we are honest, we have to admit that we are often feeling just like those disciples did when we or someone close to us is going through difficult times such as a medical crisis - or a divorce - or having financial difficulties - or being addicted to drugs or alcohol - or suffering the loss of their employment. When things like these happen - and they happen all the time - (maybe some of us are going through these things even right now) - we feel SCARED. We feel DEPRESSED. And then we may even get ANGRY at God - and at anyone or anything else that is apparently connected with Him. But the good news is that even when we are feeling like that, God will still keep on loving and taking care of us - just like Jesus did with his disciples in today's gospel. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! A central message of the Christian faith is that we do not need to be afraid anymore - even when the world seems to be turned upside down. "BE NOT AFRAID!", was the message the angel gave to the shepherds in the field on the first Christmas. "BE NOT AFRAID!" again was the message the angel gave to the women at the tomb when they saw that stone rolled away and that Jesus was not there on that first Easter. "PEACE BE WITH YOU" was the message that Jesus gave to his disciples when he met them after his resurrection. We do not need to be afraid of anymore anything - we can have perfect PEACE within, because God through Jesus Christ has promised to be with us forever more! For as Jesus says in Matthew 28:20; "LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE CLOSE OF THE AGE." Knowing and trusting that God through Jesus is always with us and always working for our good is what casts out fear and worry - and depression and loneliness and anger - and instead gives us PEACE within. Peace even when the storms of life are raging about us in utter fury! I have certainly found that to be so in my own life. So did the disciples in today's gospel. And so have millions and millions of Christians - including, I hope and pray, many of you as well! It is like learning to swim. You can learn about all of the breathing techniques and all of the strokes - but until we LET GO and let the water support us - we never really EXPERIENCE what swimming is really all about. And it is only when we LET GO and LET GOD – trusting that he will take care of us – that we will really EXPERIENCE God’s peace - that peace he wants to give to each one of us through Jesus Christ. I believe that with all my heart and soul - and I hope that you do - or will too! For he who calmed the wind and water in today's gospel is still working to calm the storms that we face today, whatever they may be. And even in the midst of those storms, he is with us and assures us that he loves us – come what may. "FEAR NOT!", Jesus says. "PEACE! BE STILL!" "PEACE! BE STILL!" And now may the PEACE of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. AMEN! -------------------- George R. Karres, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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