MARK 4:35-41

35  On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."

36  And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.

37  A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

38  But 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?"

39  He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.

40  He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"

41  And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Have you heard that they’re bringing back the television show “Fear Factor.”   That’s the show where contestants can win $100,000 by doing some really scary things.  All you have to do is eat a handful of live beetles or lie down in a tub while they pour a bucket of snakes all over you.   I can tell you this right now. You couldn’t pay me enough money to do some of those things.  How about you? 

Maybe you wouldn’t. Then again, maybe you’re like the guy who did something really amazing one day.  It happened while he was attending a party.  The party was at the estate of a rather eccentric billionaire.  The billionaire decided to entertain his guests by putting a man eating shark in his swimming pool.   He then announced, “I’ll give $1,000,000 to anyone who is brave enough to jump into the pool with that man eating shark.”  Just then there was a big splash and people watched with amazement as the man swam like crazy from one side of the pool to the other.  When he climbed out of the pool the billionaire handed him a check and said, “That was really amazing. What are you going to do with all that money?”   The man who was still huffing and puffing and trembling with fear looked back at the other side of the pool.  “Well,” he said. “The first thing I’m going to do is find the dirty rotten weasel who pushed me in.”

Everyone is afraid of something.   For example, at the top of my list of fears you’ll find snakes, flying and lima beans.  What are some of your fears? Some people are afraid of heights.  Some people are afraid of death and some people are afraid of what I’m doing right now.  Did you know that public speaking is a big fear for a lot of people?

Sometimes fear can get in the way of your hopes and your dreams and life in general. When that happens fear is bad.  Sometimes, however, fear can be good.  There are times when you should be afraid. For example, the disciples had every reason to be afraid while they were in that boat on the Sea of Galilee.  The wind was howling and the waves were washing over the sides of the boat.  The disciples were in a life and death situation but you what? They don’t deserve a single second of sympathy. If that sounds a little harsh just ask yourself this question. Why did the disciples wait so long before they went and asked Jesus to help them?  Think about it for a minute.  That storm didn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. 

So, why didn’t the disciples wake Jesus up when the clouds began to gather?

Why didn’t the disciples wake Jesus up when the wind began to howl?

Why didn’t the disciples wake Jesus up when the waves began to toss the boat from side to side?

Instead of doing that they waited until it was almost too late and then they had the audacity to accuse him of not caring about them.   Do you remember what they said to Jesus when they woke him up?  They said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

Well, it’s obvious that Jesus didn’t appreciate the question or should I say their accusation.  It’s obvious because instead of comforting the disciples he scolded them.   Now it’s important to understand why Jesus scolded them.   Jesus didn’t scold the disciples because they woke him up out of a sound sleep. He scolded them because they waited too long to bring their fear to him.   

Now that’s the lesson to be learned here. When fear starts to get the best of you the best thing you can do is bring that fear filled problem to the Teacher right away.  Don’t wait until the marriage is already on the rocks.  Don’t wait until you get a call from the police that your son or daughter’s in jail for teenage drinking.  Don’t wait until the gambling addiction has you on the edge of bankruptcy. 

Don’t let pride keep you from bringing your fear filled problem to the Teacher.   That’s what happened to the disciples.  Their pride got in the way. That shouldn’t come as a big surprise.  After all, don’t forget, at least four of those disciples were fishermen.  So, sailing on the Sea of Galilee was their life.  Imagine how embarrassing it must have been for them to admit to the Teacher and the other disciples that they couldn’t handle the problem?  “Hey, Jesus…could you help us out.   We may be experienced fishermen but this storm is getting the best of us and to tell you the truth we’re scared to death here.”

The disciples may have been experienced fishermen but their fear filled problem was just to much for them to handle.  It’s also important to remember that sometimes it doesn’t matter how smart you are.  It doesn’t matter how resourceful you are because sometimes a fear filled problem is going to be unavoidable.  Sometimes you’re going to find yourself in the same boots that a cowboy found himself in one day.   The cowboy was working cattle with a friend when he came face to face with an angry bull.   When the bull charged him the cowboy jumped into a nearby hole.   As soon as the bull passed by the cowboy jumped out of the hole.  But then, the bull, madder than ever charged him again.  So, the cowboy jumped back into the hole.  As soon as the bull passed by the cowboy jumped out of the hole.   That happened several times.  Finally, the cowboy’s friend hollered, “Why don’t you just stay in the hole?”   The cowboy hollered back, “I would but there’s a bear down there.”

Sometimes a fear filled problem is unavoidable and it may be hard to admit that you’re afraid.  Just remember, however, what happened after the disciples swallowed their pride and shared their fear with the Teacher.  

Jesus looked at the wind and the waves and said, “Peace!  Be still!”   That’s what’s waiting for you in the back of the boat.  Never forget that no matter what your fear may be there’s a “Peace! Be Still!” waiting for you in the back of the boat; there’s wisdom and courage waiting for you in the back of that boat; there’s hope and healing waiting for you in the back of the boat.

Many years ago when I was just starting out as a minister I had an elderly parishioner who decided to take his fear filled problem to the back of the boat.   His fear filled problem emerged after he was diagnosed with cancer.  The news was devastating not only to himself but also to his wife of almost sixty years and his daughter.  Over the next several months the elderly man battled his cancer with great courage and concern for his family.  Eventually he ended up in the hospital.  One day when I stopped in to see him he asked me to come back the following Tuesday at 2 o’clock.  He said he wanted me to talk to his doctor about his treatments.  His request surprised me but I told him that I would be there. Well, things got really interesting when Tuesday rolled around and I walked into his room and found his wife and daughter there as well.  The elderly man pointed to the door and said, “The doctor’s down the hall.”   By now I was really confused.  I walked down the hall though and introduced myself to the doctor.  I told him that I was the elderly man’s pastor and said, “He wants me to talk to you about his treatments.”  At that point the doctor looked at me with a puzzled look on his face and said, “What do you mean?  There are no more treatments.  We’ve done everything we can do.”  Immediately, the fog lifted and I knew why I was there.  I walked back to the elderly man’s room and said to him, “You don’t want to fight this anymore do you?”  He shook his head and whispered, “No.” I then turned to his wife and daughter and asked,  “Can you love him enough to let him go?”  With tears streaming down the cheeks they nodded “yes” and I left them to being saying their sacred good-byes to each other. 

Sometimes fear is bad and sometimes fear is good.  It’s good when it drives you to the back of the boat and into the arms of the Teacher who will help you find that grace filled moment beyond the wind and the waves.   Just don’t wait until it’s too late. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

July 24, 2011