Do you feel like your drowning? With all of the political turmoil, the surge of recent cases and hospitalizations due to Covid-19, the cancelled events, the virtual school announcements, the wait for a vaccine that never seems closer, the stress, the anxiety, the uncertainty, unemployment, fear of sickness or symptoms, racial tension, lack of respect for law-enforcement, such frustration by all, and I could go on and on! It really feels like a perfect storm right about now, doesn't it? With all of those things constantly crashing against our minds and our hearts, it is getting hard to breathe. I feel it. I know you feel it too.
It can compel us to cry out to God with almost an accusatory tone: "Lord, don't you care if we drown? Are you sleeping, God? Are you unaware of everything that is happening? If you are aware, why are you not doing anything? Can't you see this is it!"
Jesus' disciples said the same thing to Jesus once. "Teacher, don't you care if we drown???" They had just woken Jesus up and in fear cried to him these words. They were in the middle of the sea of Galilee, stranded because of a furious storm that had risen up. The waves were breaking over the boat so much so that there was almost enough water in the boat to sink it. "This is it!" They thought. "We are going to die. The storm is too big. The waves are too constant. And our teacher doesn't even care! Look, he is sleeping!"
How Jesus slept through that storm is miraculous in itself to us! However, what appeared to be indifference to the disciples was anything but that. Jesus was calm because he trusted his Father. He knew that this would not end in their death. Everything was just fine.
He shows them their foolish fear by getting up and speaking directly to the wind and the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" And just like that the wind died down and it was calm. Can you imagine the stillness and the quietness that filled the air after Jesus did that? Can you imagine the faces of the disciples, wet and barely visible, and yet clearly in shock and disbelief!
Then Jesus says some very powerful and sharp words to them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
I think we need to hear those words from Jesus right now to remind us who it is we follow, who it is we worship, and who it is we trust for exactly times like this. "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Our God is not sleeping during all of this because he doesn't care. Our God is not unaware of everything going on. He doesn't just like to watch us squirm and struggle. No, Jesus is with us and he cares for us just as much as he always has, just as much as he cared for his disciples that day. We may not know why he is allowing this crazy storm to swirl and beat against our minds and our hearts right now, just like the disciples couldn't understand why Jesus was sleeping through their storm, but that doesn't change the fact that God knows. He knows the end of the storm and He has the power to end it in an instant. All of a sudden he will say, "Quiet! Be still!" And just like that, it will be calm once more. Jesus has power to stop every storm. Even as he felt the first and second death striking his heel, Jesus spoke confident and freeing words of power when he said, "It is finished." The storm of sin and death had to heed his call and give up its victims forevermore.
With that Jesus on our side and in the boat with us, why are we so afraid? Why do we still have so little faith?
Jesus will deliver us through this in his time and in the way he knows best. So we know that everything will be ok. We have no reason to be afraid. We can have faith and rejoice, yes, even now, because Jesus is with us. When all of these blistering winds and waves keep hitting, let us look at the calm face of Jesus and remember him as the one who says to us, "Do not be afraid, it is I."
Yes, Lord, you, the mighty king of heaven and earth, are with us. We do not need to fear!
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Mark 4:35-41
May God bless and keep you all today!
Some Announcements and Prayers
First, let us pray for our president and first lady, that they may make a speedy recovery from this virus that has even reached our highest leader. Let us also pray for all who are fighting off this infection at this time. Lord, be with all of them and strengthen their body, and God-willing, also their souls during this difficult time.
Second, let us pray for our nation. Lord, please give our nation a spirit of unity and peace during this divisive time. Help us dwell on those things that unite all of us and respectfully address those things that divide us. Give wisdom to us, your children, of how to navigate these hard times and to give the best witness possible to your Son Jesus.
Third, please stay focused on Jesus during this time by joining us for worship on Sunday either in-person or online! You need his words of calm and power more now than ever. If you are not able to join us in person at 9am, please make use of our livestream service on our YouTube or Facebook pages (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFrso0m0pKyVwuUBfGEF21g or https://www.facebook.com/stpaulclintonville). You can watch them live or at a later time. The bulletin is uploaded and posted here: http://www.stpaulclintonville.com/video. We will also continue our Sunday School and Bible Study classes in person after the service tomorrow. If you would like the study or the lesson to use at home, please email me and I will send you a copy!
Fourth, this week we will be starting our class about what we believe and how that shapes the way we worship called, "In the House of the Lord." This will be on Wednesdays for the next two months at 6:30pm. You can attend this class in person or online. Please register online at our website or let pastor know if you plan to attend so that he can prepare materials for you and make sure you are all set to take the class. This is a great class for members to learn more, for our guests to learn what we teach and believe, and for everyone to have questions asked and answered. Consider joining us in person or online this coming Wednesday! http://www.stpaulclintonville.com/in-the-house-of-the-lord
That is all for now. God bless and keep you all in Christ Jesus.
In His service,
Pastor Titus Buelow