2023.06.11 Shhhhhhhh!

Shhhhhhhh!

Psalm 17:6-8 • Mark 4:35–41

Mark 4:35–41 NASB 2020

35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” 36 After dismissing the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37 And a fierce gale of wind developed, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling with water. 38 And yet Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Growing up, I don’t think I had any idea how big the Sea of Galilee is.

[Map - Israel at time of Jesus] Look at a map of the area.

Point out a few locations:

Bethlehem

Jerusalem

Nazareth

Cana

Sea of Galilee

This looks more like a lake doesn’t it?

[Map - Sea of Galilee] Let’s look a little closer

[read statistics on the screen]

Point out

Bethsaida (not the same thing as Bethesda), hometown of Apostles Andrew, Peter, and Philip [location is in question - 2 other dig sites right now think they may be Bethsaida!)

about 6 miles from Capernaum

LOTS of Jesus’ ministry took place in Capernaum. Some scholars even refer to Capernaum as Jesus’ “ministry headquarters”.

It’s also Matthew’s hometown.

Capernaum is where Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath

Today’s gospel story begins in Capernaum.

Jesus has been teaching along the shore, and he says, “Let’s go to the other side” (probably to get some respite from all the people)

“The other side” would be the city of Gergesa.

Most of us have likely not heard the name of this city, but it has some level of importance.

Gergesa is where Jesus casts a legion of demons out of a man into a herd of pigs. The townspeople get scared and ask him to leave. A few weeks ago, we talked about the healings of the bleeding woman and the rabbi’s daughter. Those happened after the people of Gergesa asked Jesus to leave.

We’re kind of walking backwards through Mark’s gospel, but today’s reading is what happened right before the herd of pigs event.

The orange line on the map is the traditional route across the Sea of Galilee, so somewhere in this middle of the 8 miles of West-to-East journey, they encounter this storm.

So there’s some background … I’m going to switch the order of our questions a bit today...

What do you learn about HUMANS?

What do you learn about HUMANS?

We expect God to intervene without us asking.

Look at verse 38:

Mark 4:38 NLT

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

“Oh, God!”

“Don’t you care that my son lost his job?”

“Don’t you care that my wife is dying?”

“Don’t you care that I’m overwhelmed with bills and expenses?”

“Oh, God! Why aren’t you doing something?!”

Sound a little more familiar now?

Author John Currid

In theology, such cries and questions of faith are given a name. It is ‘theodicy’. And that is ‘the attempt to understand the nature and actions of God in the face of evil and suffering’

John D. Currid

Currid, John D., The Expectant Prophet: Habakkuk Simply Explained (Welwyn Commentary), EP Books; Darlington, England, 2009

Papers and books written about “theodicy” could fill libraries all across the country … and we still don’t have a definitive answer to these questions.

Although they’re related, approaching Theodicy is generic in nature, while today’s observation about humans is a little more specific - Why isn’t God doing something to help ME! Our expecting God to intervene without us making a request leads to a second observation:

Humans think human-centric thoughts.

We don’t think about God first … but we DO expect Him to be paying attention to us. We don’t think about the rest of creation first. We don’t really think about other people first … but we expect everyone else to be paying attention to us. I am ALWAYS the most important driver on the road. If we’re honest, we think of ourselves first, don’t we?

Now, it’s tempting to say there’s nothing wrong with that because it is part of our nature. EVERY human being is wired that way from birth. But let me remind you that our nature is called sinful nature in the Scriptures. So I can give you “It’s understandable,” but I can’t give you, “It’s okay.”

Perhaps the most difficult command of the Gospel is the one (or two) that are central to the whole gospel: Love God, Love Neighbor.

Look at Matthew 16

Jesus is foreshadowing his death. Peter has told him he’d never let the Jewish leaders kill him, and look at Jesus’ response to Peter in verse 23:

Matthew 16:23 NASB 2020

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.”

Then, he says:

Matthew 16:24 NIV

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

But denying myself is so stinking hard … isn’t it?!

What we really learn about humans is that … Humans have trouble with life and with following God because we have trouble denying ourselves. It’s okay … you don’t have to Amen that … we all already know it’s true.

What do you learn about GOD?

What do you learn about GOD from this story?

HOLY COW!

Now, many of us have heard this story since we were little kids, so we can’t imagine the real impact of being in that boat.

Imagine you’re in your house and a storm comes up. As the sky grows darker, you hear sirens in the distance, and then it appears. A tornado crawls down from the clouds till it reaches the ground, and grows wider as it moves across the landscape.

Previous generations would’ve run for the cellar.

Today, we walk outside to get a picture or video

Now, imagine as you stand watching the twister tear up cars, and houses, and barns in its path, imagine that it turns - directly toward you. It’s close enough that there’s no time for you to get back in the house or cellar. You’re face-to-face with certain death or at least severe injury. As you prepare yourself for the ride you’re about to take, someone steps out of your house and calmly says, “That’s enough.”

And you watch the tornado return to the clouds, which quickly dissipate until the sun returns to paint a beautiful blue sky.

It would be shocking enough to witness such an event, wouldn’t it? Once it sinks in what you just witnessed … your attention turns to the one who stepped out and said, “That’s enough.”

Returning to Mark 4:41

Mark 4:41 NLT

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

It’s easy for us to say that God can do whatever he wants. But, friends ... GOD REALLY CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO!!

If we can imagine it … He can do it!

If we can sort of imagine it … He can do it!

If we can’t imagine it … He can do that, too!

And Jesus addresses their fear in verse 40:

Mark 4:40 NLT

40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

What do you learn about YOURSELF?

What do you learn about YOURSELF?

What have you expected God to do without asking him for it?

Are you bold enough to ask for it today?

Are you afraid he won’t do it?

Or are you afraid you secretly don’t believe he can do whatever it is?

Friends … GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS TO! And the miracle you can’t imagine asking for … may be awaiting your asking.

Shhhhhhhh!

Today, I’d like to encourage a different response than usual —

Someone please go get the kids, too. I want them to be a part of this.

When asking God for big stuff … miraculous stuff, historically the church has anointed people with oil as we prayed. I have oil this morning. What is so big in your life?

Today, we’re going to blow off the Offertory, the Benediction, and the closing song.

We’re going to sing our Song of Response, and I want to invite you to come to the altar rail as we sing.

After we’ve sung, those of us remaining will take time to anoint and pray for the miraculous needs among us.

The miracle you need may be awaiting your asking for it.

GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS! AMEN?!

GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS!

GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS!

LET’S ASK HIM TO DO IT, THEN.

Please come forward and gather near the center as we sing our Response Song - Here I Am Lord.