Title: “Why Are You Afraid?”
Contents
“Why are you afraid?”
November 4, 2007
the tenth day of creation
Mark 4:35-40
[35] When evening came that day, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross over to the sea." [36] So they left the crowd and went with Jesus as he was in the boat, and the other boats followed. [37] But a strong wind arose, and the waves rushed into the boat, and the boat was already full of water. [38] Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the stern. The disciples woke Jesus up and said, "Teacher, are you okay with our death?" [39] Jesus got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Be still, be still." [40] Jesus said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" 』
1. Meditation on Sunday Worship
Today, rather than giving a one-way sermon,
We will have a worship service in which we meditate on the Word together according to the Bible text.
2. Let's take a look at the first part of today's Bible text.
After being baptized by John and tempted in the wilderness, Jesus begins his public ministry by proclaiming, "The kingdom of God has come."
To summarize the work of Jesus, as a sign that the kingdom of God came here, he cast out demons and healed old diseases. And especially he called his disciples and taught them what the kingdom of God was like.
The scene just before today's text shows many people flocking to Jesus on the beach, making them sit on the shore, and Jesus and his disciples getting into a boat and teaching the kingdom of God while keeping some distance from them.
3. And That's What He Said That Evening
[35] When evening came that day, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross over to the sea."
Evening is the beginning of a new day for Jews. (We set 12:00 p.m. as the start of a new day.) Darkness swallows up everything in the day and prepares for a new start. Darkness and chaos are preparations and starting points for creation. At the same time, a new day is an uncertain future and uncharted territory.
At the beginning of that new day, Jesus said to his disciples: "Let's cross over to the sea." Up to this point, Jesus has been ministering in Capernaum, Galilee, the land of the Jews. But now we want to go beyond the sea to the land of strangers inhabited by the people of Gerasea. The disciples may have hesitated for a moment at Jesus' suggestion. Thinking 'Gentiles are filthy people who cannot receive God's salvation'... Will you follow Jesus across the sea to the land of strangers, or will you just stay here?
Our lives receive a new day every day. The gift is also a proposal to a new unknown world. Your coming to this place today may be a step into a new world.
[36] So they left the crowd, and took Jesus as he was in the boat and went, and the other boats followed.
In the end, the disciples leave the many Galileans who have followed Jesus on land and cross the sea with Jesus. You can see the disciples throwing away their familiarity and vested interests and opening a new horizon of life by heading to a new world to expand the will of God.
Believing in Jesus means taking God's offer seriously and responding to it. Soon, I will give up my vested interests and established habits and set out on a new path.
[37] But a strong wind arose, and the waves rushed into the boat, and the boat was already full of water.
However, after making such a difficult decision, I left my precious things behind and followed the Lord, but I ended up going through hardships. If you have made a tough decision to follow the Lord, shouldn't it be difficult now? Shouldn't it be finished after verses 35 and 36, saying, "So they crossed the sea well and testified of the kingdom of God?
But following the Lord does not mean that we are free from difficulties. We often think that if we believe in the Lord and follow Him, our difficulties will go away. But God is not the only one who unconditionally removes the difficulties I am having. Then, which ones should be fixed and which ones should be left alone... This is not an easy problem for us. We must study it well in our religious life. Today, we are trying to understand and discern His will well.
But what is clear is that God wants to cast out the evil spirits that oppress our lives and to cure the chronic diseases that prevent us from living a human life. So He wants us to live a free life that enjoys God's creation.
The Sea of Galilee is so large that it is also called the sea. The lake is lowlands, 212 meters below the Mediterranean beach, and is surrounded by high mountains on all sides. Therefore, the weather changes frequently, and the wind blowing from Mount Helmon often causes sudden storms.
Moreover, Jews have traditionally been taught that the sea is a place of chaos inhabited by sea monsters such as Leviathan and Tannin (Job 3:8, Psalm 74:13), a realm of chaos dominated by satanic beasts. So the sea is the realm of death. So how scared are you?
So where should the ship be?
Yes, ships are always required to be in that dangerous sea. You should always be in the surf and windy sea. That's what the ship looks like. What if the sea is dangerous and the boat is in the mountains
But at the same time, a ship is also something that should never be thrown into the sea. A ship is the one that divides the sea but must not be drowned in the sea. Isn't it possible that we, Christians, are all on a boat that crosses the world like this?
[38] Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the stern. The disciples woke Jesus up and said, "Teacher, are you okay with our death?"
But Jesus is sleeping in a situation in which the waters of death, the power of Satan's chaos, are about to overtake the ship and swallow it. Seeing that he slept without waking up even on that shaky boat, he must have been very tired. Maybe you didn't have to worry about anything and you slept comfortably
Then the disciples woke up Jesus, who was sleeping, and said:
"Teacher, are you okay with our death?"
Why do we suffer so much, why do we have to go to such a place? This image is reminiscent of the disgruntled Israelites, saying, “Why do you bring us out of Egypt, where we live well, and suffer in the wilderness?”
In fact, the fear of death is a natural part of all living things. Instinctively feeling fear and avoiding the threat of death is the only way to preserve life. So fear becomes a protective shield that protects us. The problem, however, is unfounded fear. There is such a thing as panic disorder. Panic disorder is a feeling of fear of death due to an overestimation of situations that are not really threatening.
How are you? Is the fear you are feeling right now an appropriate fear? Is it the fear that keeps me and keeps me looking back? Is it the fear God gives to protect me? Or is it an unfounded delusion from a demon?
What were the disciples like? Is this fear justified?
[39] And Jesus got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Be still, be still." Then the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
When the disciples wake up with a cry, Jesus responds to their murmurings, rebukes the wind and orders the sea to be silent. The verb "rebuke" here is the same as the command to the evil spirits in the synagogue (Mark 1:25). So, Jesus considers the same evil spirits, winds and seas that torment and threaten people. Jesus rebukes the forces that bring calamity and oppress our free life.
When we cross the sea on a boat, there is always the threat of a storm. Then we must seek the Lord. I need to find Him in me and ask Him. You must appeal to me to save you. Only He can save me from death.
Now the story must end here. Then we can learn another lesson about prayer. But the story doesn't end there. After calming the wind and the sea, Jesus tells his disciples:
[40] Jesus said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
Why were the disciples afraid? afraid to die? Then why did Jesus say, "Do you still have no faith?"
What does fear have to do with faith? What is faith? What faith did Jesus speak of?
When a strong wind blew and a storm hit the boat, the disciples saw the sea and the storm and were afraid. And he was angry with Jesus.
Now let's draw the situation again.
There was a violent storm and the boat was full of water.
The disciples were afraid. And I was angry.
Then why did they board the ship in the first place? Yes, it is to go beyond the sea. But when the storm came, the purpose of the trip was forgotten.
And Jesus, who proposed the trip, is also on the boat. We are ignoring that fact. If they die, Jesus will die with them, and they complain that they are dead.
They get scared and angry when a threatening situation comes up. This is an emotional rise depending on the situation. And those feelings are being swayed by these disciples.
Jesus says, “Why are you afraid?” No need to be afraid. No need to panic. They say not to be swayed by the outward appearance
The disciples were in a boat with Jesus. Then when we die, we will die together. You have to realize it. Fear comes when you don't realize it. In the vagueness, fear becomes a demon and takes hold of me Don't be fooled.
Today's story does not focus on miracle stories. This story is not just to teach that Jesus is a great being. Rather, it is a story of successful crossing and unsuccessful discipleship.
No matter what happens, don't forget that Jesus and we were in the same boat, going to the other side of the sea. Like the disciples, don't be swayed by the storms that may arise along the way. They do not stop us from going beyond the sea. What is belief here? What do you believe? It is realizing that we are in a boat with Jesus that goes to the other side of the sea, and at the same time that the boat will go to the other side of the sea even in a storm.
Even before that, the disciples must have crossed the Sea of Galilee by boat. And in the process, you may have seen your boat capsize or a close friend killed. These painful experiences come as fears today. But today, we are crossing the sea in the same boat as Jesus promised. You may mistake it for a similar situation, but it is never the same situation. Now is the time Jesus has promised and Jesus is with us. Jesus wants his disciples to understand this. You are expecting that belief.
How are we?
Where are we looking in the storm that rushes with our mouths open like death?
Our lives are like sailing across the sea. The Lord is with you in that boat. Go to Him. Wake him up, talk to him and rely on him. He is holding the rudder to the boat. He knows the ship's destination. Don't be preoccupied with the overflowing waves, don't get caught up in the storm, don't get caught up in previous experiences, look to Jesus Meet Him and trust Him.
Jesus is the one with the vision of crossing. He is a person who crosses the sea resolutely with that vision. We are also on that ship.