Rochester, MN UCC - “Who Is This, That Even the Wind and the Sea Obey Him?” - Mark 4:35-41

At the end of the gospel story of Jesus’ stilling of the storm, all the disciples in the boat look to one another in awe and say, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” The wind and the sea have always been forces of nature beyond human control. There are few moments when we realize our vulnerability and mortality more fully than when we are tossed by the winds and waves of a stormy sea. Yet there are so many things in this life that are beyond our control, so many obstacles that seem insurmountable, so real dangers that overwhelm us. How will I survive this illness? How will I make it through this grief? How will I find joy and meaning again?

When the disciples are fearing for their lives, when they are unsure how they will survive to the next moment, they remember the good news of the Gospel. Jesus is with them in the boat. Jesus rises and stills the storm, calms the raging sea. He demonstrates a power over the waters that overwhelm and overpower human beings- just as God had done so often in the stories of the Old Testament- dividing the waters of creation, parting the Red Sea, freeing Jonah from the whale. Jesus commands the sea with nothing less than the power and authority of God. Jesus is God with us in the boat. Not only is God with us in Jesus Christ, but in Jesus Christ God is willing, able, and ready to help us through any storm. In Jesus Christ God can and does save us from the storms of our lives.

 Although there will be moments of blissful smooth sailing, there will be many storms that we must face during our lives. They will be challenging, they will be out of our control, they will feel overwhelming at times. Yet we do not face them alone. God is with us in the boat in Jesus Christ. We may trust in the power and grace and goodness of God. The God revealed to us in Jesus chooses to be with us, chooses to still the storms we face, and to bring us safely to the peace of God’s shore. Thanks be to God for the power and grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 Rev. Andrew Greenhaw