Pentecost 5

(NIV): 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 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?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

One of the greatest blessings that we have as citizens of the United States is freedom. What is freedom? It is the ability to make our own choices without being forced to do things by the government. Of course, the government regulates what we do, but it does not often force us into having to do everything according to the plans of others.

With freedom comes a certain degree of self-control as we make choices. In what areas of life do you exercise self-control?

Diet

Degree of exercise

Career

How to spend vacation

Clothing styles

Transportation

Major purchases

When and where to worship our God

Hobbies

Volunteer opportunities

The list is quite extensive.

In many cases, the decisions that we make and the amount of time, talent, and effort we put into our choices has a direct impact on expected results. “Whoever walks in integrity will be deliveed but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenlyfall. Whoever works his land will have plent of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will hae plenty of poverty. “

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

Fourth Commandment: “ Honor your father and your mother that it may go well with you and you may live a long life on the earth.”

Good choices combined with hard work and dedication is expected to harvest good results.

You are where you are today in many ways because of a lifetime of using your freedom to choose in positive ways and you have been rewarded.

That is why it is so frustrating when it doesn’t always go this way.

Our text is one example from the Bible of how calamity came upon the disciples through no fault of their own — or the plots of evil men. They were faced with a disaster due to something that they could not control and which we today still cannot control. Although they would not have been in this situation had they made the choice to stay on shore, the point isn’t how we sometimes put ourselves into risky situations, but how even when we are not in control, we can trust in the one who is in control of all things and trust that he will work all things out for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his good purpose.

Trust in God who is always in Control

The situation is well known.

It is Jesus (who knows all things) who decides it would be the time to cross the sea of Galilee. I never thought of it this way before. Certainly, he must have known better than any seafarer or meteorologist what the weather forecast was for that night. And yet, he made the decision to cross over on the lake. Sometimes we beat ourselves up because a tragic accident had happened and we tell ourselves that if only we hadn’t taken this route, gone at this time, stayed home, etc., it would not have happened. Do you understand what we are thinking? “Since I alone am in control, it I had made better choices, or if I had done things differently, it would have happened differently.” This is a conondrum. On the one hand, a lot of what we choose affects the outcome (as noted above). But at the same time we live in a seemingly random world so that things happen that are not in our control and we should not believe that everything that happens is influenced by our own decisions. So there is a balance between making good choices, avoiding risky situations, and realizing that we do “walk in danger” all the way. Sometimes we are just “in the wrong place at the wrong time.” as it were.

Here Jesus decided they should cross the Sea of Galilee that evening. During their journey, the furious squall came up. This is not the only time such a storm affected them. In another occasion, we read how the disciples tried to save themselves.

(NIV): 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

On this occasion Jesus is with them. We have a stark contrast between the reaction to the storm between the disciples and Jesus. While they were frantic and perhaps worried that they were about to be swamped and drown, Jesus is sleeping soundly on a cushion without seeming to have a care in the world. This is not because he was obliviously to danger and unaware of what was going on. He knew that even though the situation seemed dire, he could trust in the one who was in control and would save the disciples.

The disciples are struggling with this. They wake Jesus up but instead of asking for help, they question his care for them.

Illustration: This is a powerful lesson in the book of Job from which we read a portion earlier. It is a book of the Bible that is highly recommended for us to read when we face situations that we are not in control of.

Are we ever in a situation when we are threatened or injured or suffer loss due to circumstances beyond our control? Of course we are.

Natural catastrophes such as the example in our text when the weather brings destruction, harm, and even loss of life.

Victims of crime.

Disease

People who dislike or hate us.

Abandonment.

The major news story this past several weeks on the national level is how families are being treated who are entering the United State on our southern border. Many of those families are fleeing their country due to circumstances beyond their control which put them at risk. When they are captured, they are subjected to the law which separates children from their parents. The children and parents openly express their grief over what they have no control over. It is a very difficult situation and opinions run strongly on either side of the issue.

One accusation that is made is that our government doesn’t care.

This is an accusation that the disciples made against Jesus when they were in trouble and he was just lying there sleeping. It is the accusation that is made in the book of Job.

Job is the epitome of someone who suffers from circumstances beyond is control.

He had made all the right choices.

He had done the right things.

He trust in God more than anyone else in the world as attested to by God himself.

And yet, he suffered great loss. On the surface it seemed like it was the result of evil men (raiders), bad weather (wind storm killing his children), and poor health (boils). But in his case God allowed Satan to do this to him.

What was Job’s accusation? “Lord, you don’t care.” See passages.

We may be tempted to accuse God also. Or if we don’t accuse him directly, we blame Christians for not carry enough or we blame the government (God’s representatives) for not caring or doing enough.

But God does care. (see passages).

God did not give Job the reason why he suffered but he assured him that he was in control.

Jesus showed right there that he cared and rescued the disciples.

God saves us as well. He has met our greatest need. How will he not also along with him give us all that we need?

St. Paul expresses this hope after he summarized the many things he endured as an apostle with his confidence in the one who is in control. (see passage)

Conclude with a poem or hymn verse about God’s care.