Folks,
Here is my sermon for this Sunday.
Pr Bell
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+In Nomine Iesu+
Pentecost 8
St Mark 6:45-56
26 July 2009
How much do we know? Really know? We pride
ourselves on being quite knowledgeable. There is a great
deal we have learned. Weve learned to communicate
speak, write things like that. Weve learned the
skills needed in our various vocations. We have the
accumulated wisdom of a life lived. Useful little bits and
pieces picked up over time, and tucked away. Shortcuts.
Ways of thinking, reasoning. We might easily conclude that
we are far more knowledgeable than our parents or
grandparents were. That we have greater understanding than
they. After all, they didnt have the advantages we have,
did they? Twenty-four-hour-a-day-TV. Books too numerous to
count. The internet.
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But then come those times when we are brought up short.
Brought up short, and rather roughly at that. We are
reminded of our lack of knowledge our lack of
understanding. We find one of those instances in the Gospel
this morning. We think we know whats going on here.
After all, nothing in this text is really new to us.
Weve got this Jesus stuff pretty well figured out. The
events in this text weve heard many times before. You
dont come to church Sunday-after-Sunday for a lifetime
without hearing absorbing a good deal of Scripture.
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But then we come to verses 51 and 52 in our text. Mark
6:51,52. And here we begin to scratch our heads. At first
glance we dont have a clue. What on earth could this be
about? The verses read like this: And He got into the
boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly
astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves,
because their hearts were hardened.
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Now we have questions. How does Mark know they didnt
understand? How does he know their hearts were hardened?
He wasnt there, was he? Remember, we have four gospels
in the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Four
compilations of the life of Jesus. But only two of those
were written by actual disciples of Jesus. Only two of the
writers qualify as eyewitnesses. Matthew and John. Luke
wasnt a disciple of Jesus. He was a companion of Paul.
Thus he begins his gospel by mentioning the meticulous
research he did before he began to write. And Mark? Mark
was a disciple of Peter. In a manner of speaking, Marks
gospel records the reminiscences of Peter concerning Jesus
and His words His deeds. We get a sense of that here.
Really, what we find in verse 52 of Mark 6 can be described
as Peters confession. After all, Peter WAS there in the
boat that night. They did not understand about the
loaves, because their hearts were hardened. It is as if
Peter has admitted to Mark, Thats how it was. We were
there all right, but we didnt understand. We didnt
get it.
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And us? Were no better than Peter. Very often we
dont get it either. It isnt a matter of unbelief,
really. Rather its about not comprehending the full
significance of what were seeing in Scripture. What does
it mean that Jesus feeds 5000 with five loaves and two fish?
Is it simply that Jesus can be depended upon for a nice
meal? That He can be counted on to put food on our table?
Or is there something greater something more profound in
that miracle? Is it perhaps that Jesus the Jesus who
proclaims Himself to be the Bread of Life that this
Jesus gives Himself as food? That He will feed not only the
physical life which needs to be maintained, but also that He
will feed our spiritual life? That by His dwelling in you
He will make you strong in saving faith. I think the answer
is obvious. All of that is included here. You see, our
eyes see one thing, but our heart attuned to the ways of
Jesus sees more. Much more.
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Remember the words you hear at the beginning of every
sermon? Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and
from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Those arent
words that I make up. Those are the words of St Paul. It
is the greeting he uses as he writes his letters. To the
church in Rome. To the church in Corinth. In Galatia. In
Ephesus. In Philippi. Etc. You get the point. To his
readers Paul wishes grace. In other words, the complete and
unmerited undeserved favor of God. And peace. That
peace which God, our Father, has declared toward us.
Remember the angels words at Bethlehem? Glory to God
in the highest, and on earth, peace. God has declared
peace. God has declared himself to be at peace with the
world. With you. And all of this comes to you through
Jesus Christ, who is your Savior from sin, death, and the
devil. Do we really comprehend that? When Peter says
through his disciple Mark that their hearts were
hardened, he is admitting that that evening, in that boat,
he didnt really, fully understand. And the other
disciples didnt either.
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But Jesus doesnt leave His disciples to wrestle with
their lack of understanding their lack of faith. As
they were fighting their way across the Sea of Galilee that
night Jesus came walking on the water. He made as though He
would simply pass by. But He didnt. Why? We read,
And He saw that they were making headway painfully.
Thats our life, too, isnt it? Our lives are often
painful. Not only physically, but emotionally and mentally
as well. Making headway in life is hard. Living the life
God has called us to live is difficult. We endure the pain
that sin inflicts. Its hard, life is. We hurt. Weve
been hurt by others. And weve hurt ourselves. Sin has
its effect on us. Life as a Christian brings pain and
disappointment. Left to ourselves we would be destroyed.
But Jesus comes to us just as He came to those first-century
disciples.
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Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I
in the midst of them. Thats what Jesus promises.
Hes speaking of the Church, gathered in His name. That
night, on the sea, the Church convened in a boat because
thats where Jesus joined His disciples. We take note of
that in our symbolism. The Church to this day is
pictured as a boat, a ship. This morning the Church has
convened here. Here is the boat. Right here on the
storm-tossed sea of life in the world. And right here we
have called upon God upon Jesus. Thats one reason
the Divine Service always begins with the Invocation. In
the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Thats calling upon God. Thats calling on
Gods name. Its done purposefully. Youve
promised, were saying. Youve promised that
where two or three are gathered in your name youll be
there. Well, theres more than two or three here this
morning. We expect You to come. And, so, He does. God
shows up.
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And whenever Jesus shows up He brings along all His
gifts. He brings grace His favor toward us. He brings
mercy His pity toward our weakness. He brings
forgiveness the antidote to our sins. He brings peace
between us and our Heavenly Father. He brings Himself
His Body and Blood to be shared among His people. He brings
forgiveness, and life, and salvation. Will we get it? Will
we always understand it all? Probably not. If Peter and
the other disciples didnt, theres really no reason to
think well be any brighter any quicker on the
up-take. But even with this hardness of heart on our
part Jesus has patience. Thats why the Holy Spirit is
sent to us. He brings to our remembrance all that Jesus has
done, and said, and promised. And most importantly, the
Holy Spirit reminds us that all of Jesus activity has
been for us. For our forgiveness. Our salvation. Our
eternal life. You. Me. And so it is again this morning.
You have called upon God to come. Come, and hear, and act.
You have confessed your sins. And, you have been absolved.
Forgiven. Thats one of the promises, isnt it? If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1
John 1) And so it is. There you have it. Today once again
Jesus has come. He has come to you, for you. And that
for you of Jesus is eternal. Forever.
Amen
+Soli Deo Gloria+
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