Sermon - Pentecost 10 - Mark 6:46-56

 

Take Heart!

Today we have the miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ walking on water.  Mark’s account of it is, as often, simpler and doesn’t include the part about Peter getting out of the boat and walking on water, too.  But it does include these words of Jesus, on which I would like to focus even more than the miracle itself this morning.  And those words are these:

“Take heart!  It is I.  Do not be afraid.”

These simple words of Jesus stand out in our reading – especially if you have one of those Bible’s with Jesus’ words highlighted in red.  “Take heart!” or “Be of good cheer” or “take courage” our English translations render it.

“It is I” or in the Greek, “Ego eimi”.  Which is very evocative of the phrase, “I am who I am”.  The same words that Jesus spoke when they came to arrest him and when he answered, “Ego eimi” the soldiers fell backwards.  And of course, in the Hebrew that “I am” is rendered as “Yahweh”.

And of course, “Do not be afraid.”  Common words of comfort from Jesus, as well as from many an angel.  Perfect love drives out all fear, and of course the one who loves perfectly never wants his people to be afraid.

Take heart!  It is I.  Do not be afraid.  Easy for you to say, Jesus.

It sort of reminds you of when Jairus’ little daughter had just died and Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid, only believe!”  or when Jesus saw the widow’s son at Nain and said, “Do not weep!”  Of course, in both those cases someone was facing their worst fear – the death of a loved one – and Jesus directs them away from their natural human reactions of fear and sorrow.  In those particular cases, he even went a step further and turned sorrow into joy by raising that loved one from the dead – Jairus’ daughter and the widow’s son.

But think about what it must have been like for those disciples in the boat.  Going back a few days, already things weren’t going their way.  They were tired and exhausted, they didn’t even have leisure to eat!  So they tried to find some rest, a little vacation if you will, over on the East side of the Sea of Galilee. 

But that didn’t turn out as they planned, as the crowd followed them and Jesus spent the long day teaching them.  When it was evening, the disciples thought maybe now they’d get some relief, but instead Jesus told them to feed the crowd.  With what, Lord?  All we have is 5 loaves and 2 fish!  Ah, but the Lord had it under control, and he fed the 5000 plus with 12 baskets full to spare.

Now, finally, it was time to get some rest, perhaps they thought.  But life is never easy.  The wind is against them.  It’s not quite the crazy storm that came upon them a few chapters before, where the boat was getting swamped.  It’s just painful progress.  They can’t seem to make headway. 

But that time was different, too.  Jesus was with them, before, sleeping on a cushion.  Jesus woke up and took care of business, calmed the wind, quieted the storm.  There was no Jesus in sight now.  They were, or so they thought, all alone.

Life is hard, friends.  The wind is ever against us.  It might not be a storm swamping our boat, though sometimes it is.  Life is hard.  We get tired.  We get hungry.  We need a vacation.  But sometimes it seems there is no rest.  We have responsibilities and problems that don’t just go away because you wish they would.  They don’t get easy just because you want them to.  We can relate to these disciples in their weariness and fatigue.  And when you are depleted, when your “cup is empty”, then it is all the more easy for worse things to happen – fear, doubt, even despair.

So look what happens next.  Jesus comes to them.  He comes, miraculously, walking on the water.  He didn’t mean to frighten them, but to pass them by, to meet them at the next stop.  But he uses even this opportunity for their good.  Just like he used their fatigue, and their lack of bread, to show them and teach them of his goodness.

They cry out in fear, thinking he’s a ghost!  And who wouldn’t!?  Men don’t walk on water.  It was the 4^th watch.  They were exhausted.  It was getting scary out there.  They were losing heart.

But he says, “Take heart!  It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  He climbs into the boat, and once again all is well.  The wind dies down.  All is calm.  There is peace.  He doesn’t just say nice words to take away their fears.  He makes everything ok.

Jesus words for them are his words for you, today.  Take heart.  Take heart, dear Christian!  All is not what it seems.  Sure you’ve got your problems and I have mine.  Sure life is always making us swim upstream.  Of course our sins are ever before us, our enemy is always prowling, looking to devour.  And certainly this sinful world is ever out to get us.  It mocks us like it mocks our Lord, for it hated him first.  And then, there’s death, ever before us, a constant threat.  Hanging over us like a sword ready to drop.  A wave that could wash over us at any moment.  There’s no shortage of things to fear in this broken world.  There’s always stress, always sorrow, always heartburn and heartache of the physical, emotional and spiritual varieties.

But take heart!  Because there is Jesus!  And he comes to you. 

He tells you who he is.  “It is I!”  He’s no ordinary man, or at least that’s not all he is.  He’s the God-man who can multiply loaves, and walk on water, who can calm storms, and who can forgive sins.  He’s the one, the anointed one, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and thus took away everything that would trouble your heart.

Take heart!  He has risen from the dead, walked out on death like a walk in the park, even easier than strolling upon the sea.  And so death’s icy grip has no hold on you, dear Christian.  For where Christ has gone, we will go.  His victory over death is ours.  He lives and reigns to all eternity, and he promises the same to us, when on the last day he calls us forth.  And we will live, and all will be well, for we will be with him forever.

It looked bad for those disciples.  The hits just kept on coming, one thing after another.  But then, at the fourth watch, when it seemed far too late to expect any help, Christ brought the miracle.  So will he do for you and me and all who are in the same boat.  So will he be with us, and we with him, in glory, and all will be well.

But until then, he doesn’t leave you alone.  He comes to encourage and sustain you, to feed and comfort you.  He doesn’t take away all the troubles right away.  We must endure this world for now.  But he is with us, in his strong word of encouragement.  He is with us, feeding us at his table. 

Take heart!  It’s not over yet, dear Christian.  The wind is against you, but Jesus is with you, and which do you think is greater?  He who hushes winds with a word, and walks on water like it’s nothing. He calls you to take heart, do not fear.  Nothing this world can throw at you is greater than he is.  Not even your sin.  Not even death.  Take heart!  You have Jesus, and he has you.