Trinity 3
Today’s Gospel is the account of a really spectacular miracle at the end of a long day for Jesus. Not only is this miracle one that no one could miss and explain away--after all, the disciples were saying at the end of our text: Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him-- but as we examine this miracle today, we will see that it is also one that is rich in doctrine and comfort for us.
This miracle came at the end of one of Jesus’ really busy days. We don’t catch it so much in St. Mark’s gospel as he focuses more on Jesus’ parables, introducing the chapter this way: And again [Jesus] began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathering to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. But St. Matthew includes other things Jesus did that day, like the account of Jesus healing a leper, the healing of a centurion’s servant, of St. Peter’s mother-in-law and then he records: when evening had come, they brought to [Jesus] many who were demon possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. It was a full day! And so it didn’t end with the evening coming, but even ramped up. So is it any surprise that we read: on that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” After leaving the crowd behind, the disciples took [Jesus] along in the boat, just as He was. Jesus was brought to the boat just as He was, that is, hastily, without food and preparations. Jesus needed to get away from it all; He needed a rest! And so is it surprising that Jesus Himself was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion? And is it surprising that in the midst of this great windstorm with the waves splashing into the boat that we find Jesus still fast asleep? Hardly! Really what does show us but that Jesus is a true man, a true human being! He is truly one of us in every way, except sin. Just like any person after a long hard day, Jesus, too, needed His rest. When you are tired after a long day, know that Jesus knows exactly what that is like. This is a wonderful reminder to us that Jesus knows what life is like in this world; this is a wonderful teaching showing us the depth of His work--He truly became/ is one of us in every way--and entered the muck and mire of our everyday lives.
Jesus is true man. But as this miracle teaches and shows us so clearly, Jesus is also the true God. Here in this account of Jesus calming the storm, we see so clearly and beautifully that Jesus is the God-man. What seeming contradictions we have here. Who is it that is there, dead-tired and in the stern, sleeping on a cushion? The very God and Creator of all things! And how does He, the one who is so physically and mentally tired, show He is the almighty God and Creator? By calming the storm! Then [Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Only to God, the almighty Creator, do the wind and the sea, the forces of nature, obey. Whenever it is man against nature, nature ends up winning. Look at the ways that we have tried to tame the forces of nature but in the end, nature rules--beautiful oceanside homes are washed away by storms or destroyed by mudslides. On a much smaller scale, just look at our gardens and how we have to maintain them lest the weeds again take over. The point is this--who can control the forces of nature, more powerful than we can even imagine, except One more powerful than them--their Creator? What can we do in the face of a tornado or blizzard? --Simply hunker down and wait for nature’s force to pass. A great windstorm arose, and the waves were splashing into the boat, so that the boat was quickly filling up. What could the disciples do in face of it? --Only the same thing we could do--nothing! But what could/ did Jesus do in the face of it? Then [Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and there was a great calm. And why could Jesus do this? --Because He is the almighty God, the Creator Himself. That’s what God said to Job in today’s OT reading: Who locked up the the sea behind doors when it burst out of the womb? When I clothed the sea with clouds, when I wrapped it with thick darkness as its swaddling cloths, when I broke its power with My decree, when I locked it up behind barred, double doors, when I said, “You may come this far, but no farther. Here is the barrier for your proud waves.” Beyond any shadow of a doubt, with His miracle of calming the storm, Jesus showed He is the true God, the almighty Creator of all things.
So notice: here is Jesus, true man--exhausted, sleeping on a cushion; but true God commanding the forces of nature. Here are all sorts of seeming contradictions-- but all understandable and logical when we hold to what the Bible tells us about Jesus: that He is both true God and true man. For example, Scripture tells us of God [Ps 121.4]: Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. So as true man, Jesus is asleep; but He is awake according to His divine nature. So, it is right to say that the One who is asleep on the pillow is the almighty, divine Creator who is guiding the boat.
This is terribly vital to keep in mind always because it is always true! Jesus is always both true God and true man! That applies also/ especially when He is on the cross. Who is it that died on the cross for the sins of the world? Not just a man but Jesus, the God-man. So when we see Jesus hanging on the cross, who is hanging there? God Himself! God died for our sins. The holy and eternal and almighty God died. That’s why Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has such infinite worth and value for the sins of all people--it’s the death of God. And yet God cannot die. But Jesus is the God-man--as man He could die. It was the blood of God--who is Spirit--that was poured out for us. How could God have blood? --Because Jesus is the God-man/ both true 100% God and true 100%! A great mystery! Something we cannot fully understand with our finite human minds, but true--and something we see beautifully portrayed in our text: the One sleeping on the cushion is the almighty God and Creator, and He shows it! All things are under His control. When the wind and the waves obey Jesus, it means that He is true God and true man.
What does it mean for us when the wind and waves obey Jesus? It means that our faith has grounds, evidence, reasons. Remember, faith is not some sort of blind leap into the dark. Faith is not that we believe things we know not to be true. No! Instead, faith is a divinely worked certainty. Faith is not believing just anything. We believe for a reason. Faith has an object--something that it holds on to in spite of every appearance to the opposite. Our faith is in Jesus--who He is and what He has done for us and our salvation. What do we see in our text? --We have good reason to put our trust and confidence in Jesus and His work and word because He has shown that He is not just anybody--but that He is the true God, the almighty Creator who has become one of us and has come into this world to be our Savior, by suffering and dying for our sins and reconciling us to God. Our faith has a divine certainty!
The thing to remember is that just because we are Christians and have faith in Jesus, that does not mean that we will be free from trials and sufferings. And the flipside is also true: just because we have trials and sufferings does not mean that we are not Christians or that God is mad at us. Remember, here on the boat with Jesus were His closest disciples, the Church, if you will. They had heard Him preach; they had seen His miracles. In the previous chapter we had heard [Mk. 3.14]: [Jesus] appointed the twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. Especially as Christians, we must be on guard against the devil and his allies. They are the ones who are always at work to destroy--and especially to destroy our faith and drive us away from Jesus. This was a real attempt of the devil to try to destroy the apostles --just look at them, many of them were experienced fishermen, but even they were seized by fear and terror. Simply because Jesus is God, who controls the wind and waves, does not mean that we who cling to Him in faith will be spared trials. But remember our text: Then [Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and there was a great calm. This same Jesus is with us in our trials today. And remember, as the God-man, even as He was asleep in the boat, He was still the one guiding, leading and protecting it; He still had it/ the disciples in His hands.
Although the devil intended great evil and destruction--certainly both physical and spiritual-- with the storm, Jesus, the almighty God allowed it. The devil cannot do anything without God’s allowance. And here, and like with us today as well, our good and gracious Lord allows some of the trials and crises to come upon us that the devil wants to work. But He does so to strengthen, purify and awaken faith. Whatever trial and affliction the Lord does allow to come upon us, He intends to work it for our spiritual good. After leaving the crowd behind, the disciples took [Jesus] along in the boat, just as He was. The point? Here it was certainly very easy for the disciples to trust and believe Jesus. They had just heard His preaching; they had just seen many miracles. But what sort of faith is that “easy” faith? Our Lord is always working to strengthen our faith. The more that our faith is tested and tried, the stronger and purer it becomes. That’s what He did with the disciples that day and that’s what He does for us. Like we see with the disciples, many of whom were experienced fisherman--they thought they could handle the storm. But it got to the point that they realized they were in over their heads! They finally despaired of themselves and threw themselves completely into Jesus’ divine hands. Jesus Himself was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are about to drown?” That’s the amazing thing the Lord wants to work when we are in times of trial. He wants to turn us from ourselves and our trust/ reliance on ourselves to trust/ reliance on Him. He allows these times of trials to come upon us--that the devil wants to use to destroy us and our faith--so that we despair of ourselves and look to Him. When Jesus delivers us in those times, He wants us to see His protection and action. If Jesus were to help and rescue us before the trial hit or at the very beginning, we would not recognize His help and rescue; faith would grow weak and falter, after all it would be so easy to think we can do it/ have done it on our own. And if that’s the case, what need do we have for Christ? So, yes, these times of trial can serve a great spiritual good.
In all times of trial, when we realize “I cannot do this;” “I am at my wits end”; “I’m helpless”; then instead of despair, let us all the more run to Jesus. When we face trial and temptation, it is time to awaken Christ! And the glorious thing is that Jesus is closer to us than He was with the disciples in the boat. Jesus is united with us in baptism; we receive Him in the Blessed Sacrament; He dwells within us. He is closer than close and will hear and answer our prayers for help. Then He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind stopped, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still lack faith?” Our faith has a foundation. We have more than enough reason not to be afraid--so let us stop looking at the storm and look to Jesus instead; and commit it to Him and have patience until He is roused from sleep by our prayers. They were filled with awe and said to one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!” They knew the answer. We know the answer! They kept repeating and marveling at the answer. Let us do the same thing when we experience the Lord’s help and rescue. It’s the same Lord and God who helped the disciples that day. Let us commit our need to the Lord, receive His help and marvel and praise Him. What a glorious comfort to us that the wind and wave obey Jesus! INJ Amen.