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 gale 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?’

Psalm 107:23-31:

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunkards,
and were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
29 he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.

I am told that on Interstate 75, north of Detroit, just past the suburbs, next to the freeway stands the Dixie Baptist Church with a super-sized portrait of Jesus visible to passing motorists. Jesus has a long, straight nose, high check bones, groomed eyebrows, blue eyes, long lashes, thin lips, and thin, light-brown hair. He appears slender with light-colored skin, and strikes a serene upward, heavenly gaze. He looks to be of Scandinavian descent, as if his last name is Swenson. Is that Jesus?

Or, is it more accurate to imagine Jesus in terms of his life’s story, rather than appearances? As “a man of illegitimate birth, benevolent heart, enthusiastic mind, who set out with pretensions of divinity, ended in believing in them, and was punished [to the death] for sedition by [hanging on a cross] according to Roman law.” (Thomas Jefferson).

Who is Jesus? This is the very question that the gospel of Mark relentlessly pursues. And he doesn’t answer that question with a description of his appearance or even with a resume of his life. Rather, because it is not an easy story to tell, there is not an easy answer to be given. In fact the answer might be so wild, that in order to believe we have to discover it for ourselves. He is not going to hand us an outline, organizing his argument, leading us to his conclusion. He is a collector of stories and he has artfully arranged those stories so that we might see for ourselves who Jesus is.

In this particular scene a storm comes up on the sea of Galilee. I like how the Bible my son got at camp this summer entitles this section “A Storm.” Not “The Storm” or “The Biggest Darn Storm, Ever.” Just “A Storm” because sudden and powerful storms are known to funnel out of the hills of Galilee and rush out to the sea, the force of the wind causing great billows to arise. If you went through Sunday school you’ve probably seen this scene – Jesus serenely asleep on a pillow at one end of the boat, the skies are dark and menacing, the boat is at a steep tilt and taking on water; turn the page and Jesus is standing with arms outstretched, the boat is steady, the sea is calm and the sky is clear. Hallelujah! But wait. With the calm comes the most remarkable response. The disciples are even more afraid. More afraid? After the danger disappears? Why? Their fear leads them to the question, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Perhaps they were mindful of the words of Ps. 107 (23-31). Can you just imagine their train of thought…”Let’s see, the Psalm of the seafarer was talking about God calming the storm. We have just seen this man have power over the storm – yeagaads! This man…..this man is God. God is in the boat.”

So why does that make them afraid? Is their fear related to being in the boat with God and having accused him of not caring? Are they afraid that just might be true – that God doesn’t care? But wait a minute, maybe God doesn’t care, because why would the storm arise in the first place? Yeah! Why the storm? Why did that happen? We could’ve died! And while we’re at it, why did Jairus’ daughter need to die? Why did that happen?

Why the storm?

Why death?

Why cancer?

Why loneliness?

Why pain and suffering?

Why?

In the midst of our fear Jesus asks, “do you have any faith?” He is not asking that we have faith in his miracles, or some theological view or even in the historical reality of this story. He is asking that we have faith that he is God. In the midst of life’s storms fear will arise from two sources: the storm itself and the surprising power of God revealed in Jesus, his Son. This will be a fearful experience because storms are scary. This will be a fearful experience because Jesus is not your servant to fix things as you wish and in your time. He is God Almighty and in the midst of your fear he will ask you to have faith – faith that your prayers will be answered according to his steadfast love (which might not be the same thing as your desires).

Are we afraid to voice our suspicions and doubts to God in the boat? Fear not, the steadfast love of God is in the boat with you, in Jesus, because that is who he is.

-René Johnson

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