Preaching Paths 23 June 2024 Proper 7

Sally A. Brown, Professor Emerita, Princeton Theological Seminary

The story known as “the stilling of the storm” (Mk 4:35-41) is one of two such stories in Mark (cf 6:47-53). The vast majority of sermons based on today’s text treat this boat-in-a-storm metaphorically: the boat is either the church or one’s life situation; the storm represents the trouble and suffering  that assail us. The message is, “We need not fear amid life’s inevitable storms, since Jesus is with us in the boat.” No doubt such messages have buoyed dozens of listeners; but this metaphorical treatment is not the only homiletical possibility. A closely contextual reading can reveal promising alternatives.

First, Mark notes that it is evening of “that day” (v.31), cueing readers that the parables we’ve just heard about the nature of the inbreaking reign of God should be held together with events about to unfold. Jesus has used words to reveal the dynamics of the reign of God. Now, from 4:35-5:43, Jesus demonstrates his authority to bring God’s reign to bear on situations that threaten human thriving: chaos in nature (our text), chaos in the human spirit (the Gerasene demoniac), human captivity to chronic disease (the hemorrhaging woman), and the incursion of untimely death (Jairus’ daughter). A sermon might explore how the inbreaking reign of God emboldens us, through the power of the Spirit, to confront an array of captivities that threaten human wellbeing in the world today.

Notably, the journey on the lake begins when Jesus declares:”Let us go to the other side.” Nightfall would be the worst time to venture out on the Sea of Galilee, known for sudden, violent storms—a fact the fishermen among Jesus’ disciples know well. Furthermore, the “other side” is Gerasa—Gentile territory, a place Jews took pains to avoid. Yet, Jesus apparently foresees an urgent reason to make the dark, risky crossing. A preacher might, therefore, suggest that instead of focusing on the storm and the boat, we consider the destination. A sermon might ask, “What, for us, may be that ‘other side’ – that place, situation, or endeavor that we would rather avoid, but to which God may yet call us, individually or collectively?”  Yes, we may face fearsome opposition as we make for that “other side;” yet, Jesus assures us, over and over, that God’s reign takes hold in unlikely places.

Alternatively, one might compare today’s scene on the lake with the story that immediately follows on the shore at Gerasa. Parallels and contrasts here are striking. The sea, regarded in ancient cultures   as the domain of demons, is whipped into a life-threatening frenzy by howling winds. Jesus’ terrified disciples are saved from drowning when Jesus “rebukes” the wind (the word used when he “rebukes” evil spirits in Mark). The sea becomes calm. Arriving at Gerasa, Jesus is met by a frenzied, howling, self-abusive man torn by multiple demonic spirits. Jesus drives them out, permitting them to enter a herd of pigs who dash blindly into the sea and drown. The raging man is now calm and lucid. What is Mark telling us here about Jesus’ authority and the cosmic reach of God’s reign?

Or we may choose to ponder why it is that fear, not joy, is the reaction when Jesus intervenes to overcome life-threatening chaos (4:41, 5:15). Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid?” Truth be told, there is an odd sort of comfort in being able to point beyond ourselves and say, “there—that is chaos!” Perhaps the reason Jesus’ disruption of the status quo is so disturbing is that, once we are unable to point away to chaotic forces and situations outside ourselves, we may be called upon to confront chaos within and among ourselves. Unlike his disciples, we know that we can trust the One whom sea and wind and frenzied spirit obey. Whatever the chaos with which we must grapple –personal, relational, or political—we  can take heart: amid the howling winds, Jesus is still here with us.