28 July 2024
St.
Athanasius Lutheran Church
Pentecost 10
Vienna, VA
Business as Usual
Text:
Mark 6:45-56; Ephesians 3:14-21
Grace, mercy, and peace
to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Todays Gospel seems like dj vu all over again,
doesnt it?
Just a few weeks ago, we heard of the disciples
out on the Sea of Galilee. They were freaking out, Jesus calms the storm for
them, and they are astounded.
Weve also heard stories about the crowds of
people that followed Jesus around. Just last week we heard one of those
stories, in fact. And as usual, when they find out where Jesus is, they not
only come out to Him, but they bring everybody! Everybody who needs
healing - the sick, the lame, the blind, the deaf, the
diseased - and Jesus heals them.
But there are a few things in the reading today
that are different . . . and probably the chief thing
is Jesus walking on the water. But not just that.
Thats amazing, certainly, in and of itself. But maybe some of its amazingness
is tempered a little because of what we heard a few weeks ago - that Jesus was
able to command the winds and waves to be quiet and still, and they obeyed Him.
So if He can do that . . . then walking on water isnt that far of a stretch.
Different also today is that the disciples werent
afraid of the storm they were in. What freaked them out today is that when they
saw Jesus, they thought they saw a ghost. Thats what terrified
them! But whether or not they believed in ghosts and things like that (and I
dont know what they believed), it kind of makes sense to me. People dont walk
on water. People sink in water. At least I do! So when they saw Jesus walking
on the water . . . I get their thinking!
As far as the people who came for healing . . .
perhaps different for them is that they werent
begging Jesus to touch their loved ones or heal them - they just wanted to
touch the fringe of His garment! But this, too, is understandable, as we
recently heard the story of the woman who bled for twelve years and was healed
when she reached out and did just that - touched the hem of His garment and was
made well. Pretty amazing! And it seems that word had gotten around.
But there is one thing is the reading we heard
today that is very different, and honestly, quite odd. And it is
this: that when Jesus came to them, walking on the water, about the fourth
watch of the night, He meant to pass them by.
Now, Ive heard a lot of explanations about that
- maybe you have, too - about what that means; why Jesus was going to do that.
And there are many! And some make sense to me, and some dont. And its really
all conjecture, because Mark doesnt tell us why. Does He not care? Was
He testing their faith? Was He hoping they wouldnt see Him? But the impression
I get - not just of this detail, but of this entire story, and this entire
story in the context of Marks whole Gospel - is that this is just business
as usual for Jesus. That for Him, there is nothing really extraordinary
going on here. Hes just doing as He has done, and will continue to do. Steadfastly, consistently, faithfully going to the cross for the
life of the world. And the life He gives as He goes - the healings, the
feedings, the forgiveness, the rescues - are all signs, pointers, to the great,
new life He has come to provide for us.
So that day, right after the feeding of the
5,000, the disciples get into the boat to go to the other side. Business as usual. Jesus goes off by Himself to pray.
Business as usual. The storm is calmed by
Jesus. Business as usual. The crowds follow
Jesus and He heals them. Business as usual. And
even Jesus walking on the water, intending to pass by His disciples and meet
them on the other side, business as usual . . . for Jesus.
Now, often, business as usual for us is
freaking out like the disciples. When life throws you a curveball, when the
storm clouds gather on the horizon, or when the storms of life hit - you
lose your job, the stock market crashes, there is a death, or the doctor comes
into the room with that look on his face - you know, the one that tells
you this isnt going to be good news, the wrong party gets elected, causing
widespread weeping and gnashing of teeth, a pandemic shuts down the world . . .
or even smaller whirlwinds, like a break-up, a promise not kept, a failing
grade, being passed over for a promotion, your plans for the future not quite
working out as you imagined or hoped . . . and its dj vu all over again,
when we, like the disciples, wonder: Lord, dont you care? Lord, are you
intending to pass us by? Lord, why is this happening? Lord, wheres the fringe
of Your garment when I need it? Lord, where are you?
And in the midst of our uncertain world and our
uncertain lives, in the midst of our fear and doubt, in the midst of our
troubles and trials, there is the Lord. Steadfast,
consistent, faithful. The crowds are fed, the storms are stilled, the sick are healed. In the midst of this world and its business as usual of things falling apart
and things going wrong and chaos, is Jesus and His business as usual of
calming, rescuing, and saving. Even when faced with the
biggest chaos of all - going to the cross.
How calm Jesus is through all of it. He knows
whats about to unfold and take place, and there He is washing His disciples feet
and teaching them. He goes off to pray, and then lets
Himself be arrested. He doesnt try to defend Himself or protest, but as Isaiah
says (53:7), He is like a lamb
led to slaughter and opens not His mouth. He doesnt ask His Father to send
twelve legions of angels to fight for Him, He prays for those who are
persecuting Him. He bows His head and hands over the Spirit, and despite the
forsakenness of the cross, entrusts His Spirit to His Father.
And while thats all going on, the disciples are,
well, being the disciples! Theyre freaking out, drawing the sword, running
away, denying, mourning, dazed and confused, unbelieving, in chaos.
But then Sunday morning. Easter
morning. A resurrection. And
. . . a good chaos? Soldiers who have abandoned their post, the
disciples running not away but to an empty tomb, disbelieving, dazed and
confused with joy? But for Jesus, business as usual.
He talks to Mary in the garden as is nothing unusual has happened. He walks and
talks with those two disciples on the road to Emmaus, matter-of-factly opening
the Scriptures to them. He greets His disciples in the locked room like it was
any other day: Peace be with you. Showing, as He did all along, that He cared. That He doesnt
pass us by. That everything that happened was according to plan. And that even when He seemed farthest away from us with no chance
of His coming back to us - when He lay dead in the grave! - here He is, with us, as He was all along. With
us in all the storms and chaos and
uncertainty of this world. That no matter what is going on in the world
or in your life, there is one thing - always one thing - you can count
on: Him.
I said last week that the disciples were still
disciples and still learning. They were still learning about Jesus and what
He came to do and all He came to do. And still learning about Jesus,
that day on the Sea they thought they saw a ghost. Jesus ghost.
Passing them by.
Dont mock them. We do it, too. When the storms
and chaos and uncertainty hit, its easy to think Jesus is ghosting us,
too. You know what ghosting is, right? Its the term used when youre on a
video call like Zoom or WebEx and a person logs on and is supposed to be there,
but their video isnt on and really theyre off doing something else, or at
least, not paying attention. Theyre there, but theyre not there.
And we can think that, too. Because is Jesus with
us? Well, yes you might say, because Jesus is God and so He is everywhere. True
enough. But not very comforting when I need Him here.
With me. Like a crying child in the middle of the
night - its not good enough just to know Mom and Dad are in the house. I need
them here, now, with me! So yeah, Jesus is
everywhere, but is He really ghosting me? Off helping someone else?
But as good Lutherans, you know that Jesus is
more than just present everywhere, that He is present
for us where He has promised to be, which is in His Word and Sacraments. But I
read His Word and dont feel Him with me. I take communion and the storms and
chaos are still there. And my baptism was so long ago . . . Is Jesus really
there for me, or ghosting me?
The devil whispers in your ear: Hes ghosting
you! Hes not really there. And sometimes, like those disciples in the
boat, we believe it. We think its only a ghost.
But Jesus was not a ghost that day. That was
really Him. There for His disciples as He always was. And
really here for you. Dont rely on what you feel or what the devil is
trying to trick you into thinking; rely on the witness of His Word. And rely on
the empty tomb. And that if the storm and chaos of death
couldnt keep Jesus from us, no other storm can either.
Thats what the apostle Paul came to know - and
He had more than his fair share of storms and chaos in his life!
So he prays that the Ephesian Christians know this, too. That they be strengthened
with power through the Spirit in their inner being. That Christ dwell in their hearts through faith. That they may comprehend breadth and length and height and
depth of the love of Christ for them. And to believe that He
is able to do far more abundantly that all we ask or think. Which is to say, that they know the steadfastness, reliability,
consistency, and faithfulness of Jesus for them.
And that you know it, too. That
you know that, as we sang, you can Entrust Your Days and Burdens to Gods
Most Loving Hands (LSB #754).
That you know that when you are baptized, that really was Jesus taking you into
His death and resurrection, so that you have already begun to live a life thats
never going to end. Death cant have you! Youve already been raised with Him,
in Him. And that you know that when you read or hear His Word, that really is
Jesus speaking to you - words of life, word of peace, words of forgiveness. And
that you know that here at this altar, this eating and drinking is really and
truly His Body and Blood, feeding you with the Bread of Life. Ghosting is what
we do! It is NOT what Jesus does. Where His Name is, there
is He.
And these stories we heard today teach us that.
The storms and chaos and uncertainties of life may cause us to freak out in
fear, and disbelieve a bit, and wonder . . . But for Jesus, it is business
as usual. The business of rescuing and saving. The business of forgiveness, life, and salvation. The business of a Saviour here for you.
In the Name of the
Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.