For Those Who Doubt Their Sea Legs: Mark 4:35-41 - Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

³⁵When evening had come, [Jesus said to the disciples,] “Let us go across to the other side.” ³⁶And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. ³⁷A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” ³⁹He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. ⁴⁰He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” ⁴¹And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (NRSV)

Crashing wave by Nate Zoch on flickr. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Commercial fishing ranks as one of the most dangerous occupations, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. This holds true despite major technological advances in storm tracking, navigation, ship construction, and worker safety. 

Several of Jesus’s disciples were commercial fishers, including Peter, Andrew, James and John —and perhaps even Nathaniel, Philip, and Thomas. Without these modern advances, one cannot imagine just how deadly an occupation this must have been. If I was Jesus, and I was about to set out by sea, I’d take great comfort having these men at the helm, because they had the skills as well as the guts to make the journey a safe one. They had definitely earned their sea legs.

The fact that they were scared to death speaks to how severe that storm must have been. The boat was taking on water and about to either sink or capsize when the disciples rushed belowdecks and found Jesus asleep on a cushion.

The disciples cry, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re perishing?”

We know, of course, that even though Jesus is asleep, he does care. But Jesus knows something the other disciples do not—he didn’t come to earth to perish in a shipwreck. Thus, Jesus rebukes the wind, and all is calm. The disciples marvel that even the wind and the sea obey Jesus. 

But why did Jesus let them get this close to death? If Jesus had authority over the winds and waves, why was there a storm in the first place? Wouldn’t having Jesus as a travel companion guarantee smooth sailing? Isn’t that why people put bumper stickers in their cars that say, “Jesus is my copilot”? Nobody wants to go through storms! But that is not the Christian life or the Christian journey. If Jesus faced many dangers, toils, and snares, no one who follows Jesus should be surprised to face the very same. 

But there is nothing wrong with crying out to Jesus, as his disciples do. Somehow, we got the idea that it’s wrong to cry out to Jesus—as if Jesus is going to be disappointed in you or even angry with you—and ultimately abandon you as punishment.

When the disciples cry out to Jesus, Jesus doesn’t rebuke them; Jesus rebukes the wind. Whenever your caught in one of life’s many storms, have you ever visualized Jesus rebuking the wind? Rebuking the cancer that you or a loved one is suffering? Rebuking the anxiety, depression, or even addiction holding you captive? Can you visualize Jesus rebuking death for taking a life God created in love?

You should also know that Jesus also rebukes sin and sinners—as an expression of compassion for those who suffer at others’ hands. When Jesus rebukes you, it’s not to condemn you but to stop you from bringing harm to yourself and others. It’s a big leap of faith to invite Jesus’s rebuke; yet we all need Jesus to save us from our sinful thoughts and desires just as much as we need saving from the storms. 

All throughout Scripture, the sea embodies all the forces of chaos and death. So why does God lead people across the sea? Why does Jesus cross s perilous, stormy sea? To get to the other side! To love and serve the people over there. To proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom coming near. To rescue those caught in life’s deadly storms. 

Jesus leads his people over waves and waters, through winds and storms, because that’s how you get to the kingdom of God. This was true for Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites who crisscrossed the Jordan River countless times to settle the Promised Land; this was true for Paul and the Apostles who traveled great distances by land and sea to build up and support the Church we are part of today. Your new life in Christ began in the waters of baptism!

Jesus shows you who he is—not in the absence of storms, but in the midst of the storms and in the aftermath of storms. In the storms, you learn to trust Jesus, because he is faithful. In the storms, you see that Jesus has ultimate authority over the wind and waves that toss you to and fro. You see that Jesus has the power to raise up what the storms have swept away.

However, if your goal as a Christian, or our goal as a church, is to avoid all storms, never facing change, challenge, pain, or disappointment, you are not following Jesus. The way of the cross is never the path of least resistance. Sometimes, the way of Jesus goes across the sea and through the storm. The wind will toss you to and fro, the waves will try and pull you under. You may even end up shipwrecked, as the Apostle Paul was in his missionary journey. You may call on Jesus and the worsening of the storm leaves you wondering if Jesus is asleep.

You have permission to cry out to him. That may be all you can do in faith, and that is enough. Jesus will rebuke whatever winds and waves are battering you, as he leads you onward towards the kingdom of God.

Jesus has his sea legs! With Jesus as your captain, you will make it safely across the sea and through the storm to wherever God wants you to be. Jesus will lead you to where God’s every promise is fulfilled.