Outline Jesus is With Us in Times of Fear based on Mark 6:45-56

I. Smooth sailing?

II. The hymn. The hymn “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me” was written by Rev. Edward Hopper in the nineteenth century when he was pastor of a New York church for people who made a living by sailing on the sea. While his church members often experienced the actual perils of the sea, many Christians have come to love the hymn, which speaks in picture language of Jesus guiding us through life. The hymn begins with these words: “Jesus, Savior, pilot me Over life’s tempestuous sea; Unknown waves before me roll, Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal. Chart and compass come from Thee. Jesus, Savior, pilot me” (LSB 715:1).

III. Flying on jets today.

IV. Jesus and storms and events before this Gospel lesson.

V. Disciples in a boat and Jesus in prayer.

VI. Stretched to breaking point and Murphy’s Law.

VII. Happy, healthy, and wealthy?

VIII. Fear troubles and despair and forget God is bigger.

IX. Admit our weakness and trust in Jesus.

X. Hurricane hunters and the eye of the storm. The U.S. Air Force’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, based in Biloxi, Mississippi, is known as the “Hurricane Hunters.” Their mission is to fly right into tropical storms to gauge their power and movements. No avoiding those storms. There’s much to be learned by going through them—all the way to the eye.

XI. Jesus in middle of storms of life.

XII. Read Mark 6:50-51 and comment. Instead of steering us clear of every storm, Jesus is with us in the middle of our fear in the storm of life. Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was walking on the Sea of Galilee as the storm was tossing the boat around that the disciples of Jesus were in and they were terrified. They were filled with fear. Jesus calmed their fears. Mark 6:50-51 tells us, “But immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’ And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded.”

XIII. Jesus in the midst of fears and storms.

XIV. Greatest storm ever with Jesus on the cross.

XV. Jesus does not give up on us and read Mark 6:54-56. When we get through the storm, we might be astonished or have hardened hearts like the student disciples of Jesus in the boat. Jesus keeps on working on us though. He does not give up on us. What took place when they arrived at the shore? Mark 6:54–56 lets us know: “And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.”

XVI. Conclusion. So, when we get through the storm and our fear is taken away, we do not want to be hardhearted and think we have things made in life. We trust in Jesus and praise and thank Him for getting us through the storm. We pray to Jesus to help us remember when the next storm of troubles tempts us to be full of fear that He will be with us and give us comfort and peace. Amen.