Pentecost 3

Pentecost 3 ASLEEP IN THE STERN 6/22 & 25/06

I very much enjoy boats, boating, and life on and around the water. Your generous surprise gift for me less than two years ago resulted in a boat that has become a source of deep gratitude and priceless memories. Boating, as is true also golf or computers or cooking, has its own vocabulary: “Stringers, lines, bilge, head, cleats, starboard, transom, & bow” to name a few. Boaters love to use this language! Our Gospel writer uses boating language when he describes Jesus sleeping “in the stern…on a cushion.” (Mk. 4:38) The stern is the rear portion of the boat, the location of the primary steering mechanisms. On a powerboat, the outdrive or outboard motor is in the stern. On a inboard or sailboat, likely what Jesus and the disciples were in that day, the rudder is in the stern. Although Jesus was asleep, it’s interesting that Jesus was literally in “the driver’s seat”…the place of steering and direction for all who were sailing with Him!

This Gospel lesson is short and one of the most familiar. Jesus has been teaching and “when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’” Jesus gives the direction to His disciples and they leave “the crowd behind.”(4:36) Focusing only upon these few words, we are given insight into discipleship: the value of spending time with Jesus, listening to Jesus, receiving our direction from Jesus, and obeying the word of Jesus. We are also instructed that following Jesus will often mean leaving the “crowd”. Jesus was not impressed, constrained, nor swayed by crowds or popular opinion. Jesus did not function according to the most recent “polls” and never entered a popularity contest. He could, obviously, gather the crowds and He could, obviously, leave the crowds behind. He was obedient only to His Father’s will, not the will of the people. How does the way we live our days, so wanting to “fit in”, compare with Jesus’ example of daily living…of standing up and, for God’s sake, standing out?

As the mainline churches are becoming the “sideline” churches; as the term “established church” often describes a congregation unwilling to change and grow; as the 7-last words of a dying church are “We’ve never done it that way before!”…Jesus’ first 3 words in our Gospel lesson convict us… “Let us go…” The Church of Jesus Christ is always “on the move”! Jesus invitation to all the world is to “follow” Him, not sit down comfortably next to Him! We “Go in peace,” but our Dismissal does not conclude here! “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!”

The next phrase in vs. 36 is a rather strange, even humorous, one in my reading. Mark indicates that “Leaving the crowd behind, they took Jesus along, just as he was…” The strange part is in the four words “just as he was.” I’m not sure what this means, whether it refers to Jesus’ clothing or appearance or condition. The humorous part is revealed in the phrase “they took him along.” “They took him”? This trip is Jesus’ idea, commenced by His direction, and He is in the stern, the location dedicated to keeping the intended course. I wonder how many of us treat Jesus in the way indicated by these four words? As we move through life, as we are “sailing” along, we take “him along.” When we follow Jesus, He leads and we follow. Jesus humbly “takes” us “along”! As the saying goes, “If Jesus is your co-pilot, quickly change seats!”

So, as is so common on the Sea of Galilee, a “furious squall came up.” (4:37) This, too, is boater’s language! A “squall” is a sudden, violent wind, created by the collision of a warm and a cold front. The squall line is located anywhere from 50-200 miles ahead of a cold front. These boat-owning fishermen had seen more “squalls” on the Sea of Galilee than they had any reason to count. For many, this was their “home waters”! This body of water is notorious for such weather conditions. A lesson for us here is that following Jesus does not exempt us from the storms of daily living. A further lesson surfaces as we witness a sadly familiar and fear-full response to the storms of life. In a rude and disrespectful manner, the disciples nearly attack a sleeping Jesus, saying---apparently in unison---“Don’t you care if we drown?” (4:38) Rather than turn to Jesus in prayer, His disciples accuse Him, assuming He doesn’t care! Still the case, when disciples most need to turn “to” Jesus, we are prone to turn “on” or “from” Him!

Jesus awakens, with little choice, and with but 3 words “Quiet! Be Still!” eliminates the cause of His disciples’ fear. Now Jesus speaks to His disciples, asking them two timeless questions: “Why are you so afraid?” and “Do you still have no faith?” (4:40) The wind and waves have calmed, but the disciples “were terrified”(4:41)…literally, “They feared a great fear!” They asked the question we all must ask when we consider getting into “the life-boat” Jesus steers from the stern: “Who is this?” “Who is this” Jesus? We answer this in our confession and Creed, but how do we answer this question in our conduct? The world is “dying” to know! AMEN.