By Amédée Varin – http://www.culture.gouv.fr/GOUPIL/IMAGES/101_Christ_sur_eau.jpg (Gravures et eaux fortes), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4780982
What’s the Point?
Mark 6:45-56
July 29, 2018 – Redeemer
What’s the point of Jesus walking on the water? When He cast out demons He was destroying the devil. When He healed the sick He was loosening the grip of death. When He forgave sinners He was opening the Kingdom of heaven. When He made water into wine He was blessing marriage between a man and woman and giving joy to the wedding party. In those miracles He served and gave. He demonstrated the power of God but humbly, quietly, even telling people not to say anything about what happened.
When Jesus walks on water it looks like He is simply using His divine power for Himself. Kind of like the young Clark Kent discovering he is faster than a speeding bullet. Jesus takes His Godly legs out for a little spin. It’ll be a lot easier to walk across this lake then around it. Mark even indicates that Jesus was going to pass right by the disciples in a boat. He knew the storm wouldn’t get them. They would be fine. I’ll just keep walking.
Could that be? Could God just use His powers any old way because He is God? That is what many people believe about God. He’s just a willy nilly, I’ll do what I want, sort of supreme being. One moment God favors you. You live in Walden Woods, succeed in business, have wonderful marriage, and 1.7 above average children. Then God randomly changes His mind and you lose your job, you are “under water” on your mortgage, and a flood of bills is coming your way.
Would you have come to church this morning for such a haphazard God? Would you confess your sins to a god who was as fickle as a cat – one day He loves you and the next day He won’t look at you? Would you trust a God whose thoughts and heart you could never figure out? I wouldn’t and you shouldn’t.
This miracle is not Jesus just trying out His divine superpowers. This miracle happens for one reason, so that He can speak His Word to His disciples. By His Word Jesus tells them and us exactly WHAT we can expect from Him always.
Jesus sends his disciples off in the boat. After he dismisses the crowd he goes by himself to pray. This is the crowd of 5000 plus he had just fed with the five loaves and two fish. That miracle did not end well. For after that miracle the crowds abandoned Him. Why? Because He started talking about His cross. He started calling them to faith in Him alone – unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you. The body and blood of Jesus were too much for the crowds to stomach. They wanted a Bread King. They didn’t want a Savior from their sin. They wanted a Superman Lunch Truck who gave free food.
Jesus goes off by Himself to pray. Being fully human He was tempted – being the superman of free lunches would make Him a lot more popular than the Savior of sinners. The former would result in all the glory for Him, the latter would result in the glory for undeserving people like you. He needed His Father to strengthen Him against the Devil and His own glory. His prayer is selfless – for He is praying against Himself and for you and your salvation. Following the crowd is death. Going to the cross is life for you.
Did Jesus know the storm was coming when He put His men in that boat? Sure He did. He created the sea. He didn’t need Dave Dahl and his Doplar radar. He sends his disciples into the storm so He can speak to them.
They weren’t making headway. The wind was driving them where it wished. Water was crashing over the bow. The good news is that Jesus sees. That is always good news – Jesus sees you, no matter if you are in a literal boat caught in a storm, or in a figurative storm of depression or sickness or strife in your home.
Jesus doesn’t just see – He comes. This is the first hint that Jesus isn’t just exercising His Divine legs by walking on the sea unaffected by the storm.
Why did He intend to pass by them? He may have known they would be fine. He may have wanted to see if they would call upon Him for help. This miracle is like Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene or the Disciples on the Road to Emmaus. They don’t recognize Jesus, perhaps because they didn’t expect Him rise from the dead – just like the guys in the boat didn’t expect Jesus to walk on water.
So they were afraid – of the unknown, but all of that changed when Jesus spoke, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” This is more than “Everything is going to be OK.” This is Jesus. He’s telling His men to act like men. Be courageous, even in the storm. Why? It is I. These are the most important words in this miracle. The men in the boat would have heard it differently than we hear it. They would have heard Jesus say, “I am.” As in I am the Bread of Life. I am the Resurrection and the Life. I am the Good Shepherd who lays down my life for the sheep. I am the Light of the World. As in the Lord who appeared to Moses, “I am who I am.” This figure on the lake is not some ghost, some unknown spirit driving them to their destruction. It is Jesus of Nazareth, God in the Flesh, the great I Am — the same guy who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and made water into wine.
Do not be afraid. One pastor said that whenever you hear those Words in the Bible they are God’s absolution, His forgiveness. The angel Gabriel said them to Mary. Why? Mary is a sinner receiving a heavenly messenger, but the Angel says, “There’s no need to fear Mary. God forgives you. He is sending His Son into your womb to forgive the sins of the world.” So here also Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. You didn’t recognize me. You were afraid even though you knew I was watching. You didn’t believe I am with you in the storm. I forgive you.”
Jesus speaks and the miracle becomes clear. By His Word we know who Jesus is. It is I. I am who I am. He is God in the flesh. Do not be afraid. Why? Because your sins are forgiven. God is not against you – not if you’re drowning in a boat or under water in your mortgage, or swimming in the great sea of depression. How do you know? Jesus hung on the cross for your sins and rose again three days later. But what about those other people who aren’t drowning, who are Dave Ramsey disciples and have their house paid off by age 30, who go through the troubles of life with joy and happiness? There is only one place to look if you want to know what God thinks of you and what He is doing – Jesus. “It is I. Do not be afraid,” He says. I have come for you. I’ve climbed into the boat of humanity, and walked into the storm of death and sin, and was hung on the wood of the cross. I am no ghost, but true God and true man. I’ve got your sins. I’ve stilled the storm of God’s anger. I’ll get you through the safe harbor of the new heavens and the near earth. You’re forgiven. You’re God’s favored child. Stop being afraid!
I wonder how afraid Noah and his sons were every time it started to rain. How could they not fear that another flood was coming? Wouldn’t their hearts begin to race knowing the Ark was now in disrepair and rotting on the top of Mount Ararat? There was one reason they weren’t afraid – God’s Word. He told them – never again. And in case they forgot His Word, He also gave them a sign – His bow in the sky. Never again will the world be judged in a flood, for the world is judged in the flesh of Jesus, judged not guilty by His blood. We have more than a Word and more than a sign – we have the Word made flesh and the cross of Jesus which tells us exactly what God desires and what He does – He forgives our sins in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
July 28, 2018 anno Domini