1. Upset disciples

Since Pentecost we are reflecting upon how Jesus’ disciples founded the church by being led by the Holy Spirit. From its foundation till today christians get together every Sunday to listen to God’s word. And now we are seeking how to conduct ourselves as christians in today’s world. Today we lecture on the story of a squall on the lake, which tell us about an incredible event.

When Jesus and his disciples were on a boat a squall came down. But Jesus ordered the squall to calm down and it obeyed him. Today’s rational and scientific mind can scarcely accept it as a real phenomenon but believers of the early church did. Besides they were strongly encouraged by Jesus’ power shown in the script.

The story begins in the second part of chapter 4, on the lake side of Galilee. Jesus was preaching there and. ;- That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. (Mark 435-37, see Luke 8:23)

Sea of Galilee, surrounded by mountains at 209 meters below sea level, is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world. Sunshine days heated air goes up high in the sky and comes down at the beginning of cool evening. That generates easily violent squalls. Once it happens, strong winds and waves put boats at risk of swamping. Peter and his brother Andrew tried to cope with the trouble by themselves because they had been fishermen there. But the squall was too powerful for them to make it. At that crucial moment Jesu kept sleeping. So ;- The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?"(Mark 4:38)
Mark describe Jesus’ reaction this way ;- He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"(Mark 4:39-40)

Jesus wanted them to understand that God was the Almighty and rules all the nature. Therefore they had no need to be upset even in the middle of violent squall, as Jesus said ;- Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.(Matthew 10:29)

Rivers, seas, mountains or every thing in this world is controlled by God’s hands. Moreover, Jesus implies, they are children of God, much more important than other things. Thus they should have bee able to sleep calmly, like a baby in mother’s bosom, in any situation. Indeed, as long as we trust our entity to God we should remain serene whatever happens outside.

2. Jesus Calms the Storm

When Mark wrote the Gospel they were under persecution from Roman authorities. After Jesus’ death on the Cross, in around 30 C.E., his disciples commenced spreading the good news. And their followers founded christian churches in Rome and several important cities in the Empire. They witnessed that Jesus was the Son of God and dead on the Cross to save humans by giving them eternal life. But traditional Jewish authorities considered such a belief to be heretic and lifted social protection for them. As a result of the decision christians were regarded to be cultic groups in roman society too. Moreover Nero, Roman emperor of the time, officially declared great persecutions against them in 64 C.E. Peter and Paul were said to be executed under such circumstances. Other church leaders did likewise. In short in Mark’s time the early church was amid a strong squall of oppression. Therefore believers of the peiod read the story as encouragement to them.

Christians were looked down, thrown out of societies and even lynched or executed due to their faith. So much so believers appealed to God for mercies. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” is their sincere appeal addressed to God.

The word “drown” here is [ἀ¦Ðό¦Ë¦Ë¦Ô¦Ì¦É {ap-ol’-loo-mee}] in Greek text, which originally meant “to destroy” or “to kill.” Thus ” Don’t you care if we will be destroyed ?” represents what christians felt under harsh Roman oppressions.

To those believers Mark gives words which implies: “If God rebukes the world all things must be quiet and still to obey him, wind, waves and even Roman empire too. So you must trust themselves calmly to God’s will.”

As a matter of fact, when we are living in favorable conditions it is easy for us to feel God’s love and give him thanks. Nonetheless once unhappy incidents occurs we become upset and forget that God is always beside us. Adversities are inevitable throughout our life, grave illness, loss of close relatives or ugly disagreements inside family or the church, for examples. In such circumstances we have a keen desire to ask God why. And we appeal to God for relief. But sometimes God keeps silence, which destabilizes our faith.

Thus it was necessary for Mark to tell them, through the story, to remain in faith despite all bad situations. He encourages us too to continue calling Jesus so as to wake him up. When awake, Jesus might say ” Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” However our faith can grow up mature through rebukes. To begin with we must admit the fact that we forget easily God’s love and the good news, especially by facing threats and fears. Then we the calling to strain to get rid of such nature thanks to Jesus’ teachings.

But simple act of hearing the good news won’t change us. We must practice the good news to be anew born and to become faithful. It means at first we acknowledge our faithless existence. Adversities will allow us to know our weakness and make us to seek God. At that very moment we can receive God’s voice. Therefore we need to reflect upon meanings of sufferings, illness or misfortunes, because God lead us to him through those pains.:- But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.(Job 36:15)

Harsh way is the way to the faith.

3. Belief in the Lord of earth and sky.

Today’s invocation verse is Psalm 4:8 ;- I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

The writer of the verse might have been segregated and receiving humiliations from surrounding world. Probably he was accused for a false reason and incorrectly blamed by social members. Therefore he rebukes them and appeal to God for the justice ;- How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame ? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods ? Selah. * Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;the LORD will hear when I call to him.(Psalm 4:2-3)

Answer to prayers may come through external world or directly to our heart. Or sometimes without clear response. Nonetheless by praying God we can feel our life inside God’s power and peaceful, then joyful.

Such a feeling, accorded by God, heals and allows us to sleep even in unfavorable and fearful situations. It is peaceful sleep which heals authentically our fatigue. It is a great mercy. Our life is like a little boat which traveling over a sea of violent waves. The boat is never stable. It is always facing risk of turning up side down and sinking into the bottom of dark sea. But we believe that Jesus is always beside us. He can dominate even winds and waves. The good news tells us so.

During the second world war christian countries fought against each other. Christians were taught not to kill but at that time christians combatted among them. And the churche estimated such battles. For example majorities of English denominations told English people that the war against Germany was in accordance with God’s will. German churches did likewise. Japanese churches made donations to imperial Japanese army for construction of war aircrafts. In consequence, all church leaders had enormous difficulties to reestablish international relationship in activities of faith. Nonetheless christians achieved the foundation of World Council of Churches (WCC)**. Organizers chose a floating boat with the Cross as its symbol mark. The boat embodies the sustainable will to continue listening to Jesus’ words, regardless of any incidents and misfortune which might tumble the faith. The boat was also the symbol of the early church. Believers of that period didn’t abandon the faith under oppressions by Romans and, after all, the Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. We, today’s christians, will continue following Jesus teachings even facing difficulties and problems because ” For you alone, O LORD, make us dwell in safety.” The verse expresses our witness to God as it should be.
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* Selah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selah
**WWC http://www.oikoumene.org/