Sunday of the Flood (G)

Mark 6:45-52

⁴⁵ Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷ And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, ⁵⁰ for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, ⁵² for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

I would like to use an alagory with this text just once.  Jesus puts the disciples in the boat, just like his church lifts people up out of the water and helps them into the boat.  The church is the great ark of God that carries his people through troubled times.  Jesus in this text will come along when the seas get rough and the disciples become afraid because they see him.

The Chruch at times runs into difficult waters.  Jesus comes to us through the truth of his word.  This truth often times freightens us.  We are not quite sure whether it is truth or just another spirit of deception.  But Jesus has to come to us, and still the waves so we can recognize  the truth of God.  This truth once recognized in a time of turmoil tends to remain strong in the body of believers who have faced this turmoil.

Therefore as we go through difficult times we remind ourselves of the promises God has made to people and his Creation.  He has promised to be there when we reach our last breath.  He has promised to return and raise our dead bodies from the grave.  Jesus has promised to provide us with life everlasting through his sacrifice on the cross.  Just as he bids the disciples to take heart and be not afraid in the boat, we should take heart because we are in his holy ark the church.