(Text and Audio)
Title: Dominion
The Dictionary defines “dominion” in the following way:
1. the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority.
2. rule; control; domination.
3. a territory, usually of considerable size, in which a single rulership holds sway.
Keep that in mind as we begin today.
Read/Pray
Side note on chronology: A couple weeks ago someone (I think it may have been Steve) asked if the two men approached Jesus before or after he crossed the Sea of Galilee. Because of the way Mark records these events in Mark 4:35 “on the same day, when evening had come, he said to them: Let us cross over to the other side” I’m inclined to believe these men approached Jesus before he entered the boat to cross the sea.
A Deeper Meaning
Let me ask a hypothetical question: Jim, do you remember when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989? Was that event significant to you? Do you think it was more or less significant to you, or to a German living in Berlin? Why?
Craig, do you remember where you were on the morning of 9-11? Was that event significant to you? Do you think it was more significant to you, or to a man your age, with two children, living in Tokyo at the time? Why?
Zeb, would you say you like football? Would the Cleveland Browns winning the Superbowl be more significant to you or me? Why?
My point: The Stronger the personal connect to an event, the more meaningful the event will be.
2000 years after the event of Jesus calming the waves, we read this passage and marvel. But for the disciples who were there when it happened, this even takes on a much larger meaning for two reasons:
- They were there. They saw it in person. One of my friends from high school, his younger sister was living in Manhattan during 9-11, she literally watched the towers fall from her balcony about 2 miles away. She took pictures as it happened from her living room. As much as 9-11 has meaning for me, that day could never, will never, be for me what it was to her.
- They saw this event in light of the O.T. Let me attempt to put you in the mindset of these men, as they see Jesus rebuke the waves, against some of the scriptures that may have come to their minds. I’ll put these up on the projector, and I’ve underlined some sections that I think are especially powerful.
- Psalm 65:5-7 “By awesome deeds in righteousness you will answer us, O God of our salvation. You who are the confidence of the ends of the Earth, and of the far off seas; who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power; You who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples.”
- Psalm 89:8-9 “O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds You. You rule over the raging sea; When it’s waves rise, you still them.”
- Psalm 107:28-30 “Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So he guides them to their desired haven.”
Imagine if you were one of these disciples, and as you watched even one of these events unfold, even one of these scriptures came into your mind. Would you not have the same reaction: “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
Subtext: Is this the Messiah? Is He the one we’ve been waiting for? Can it truly be? Is he the Son of God?
This is the only time in scripture we see Jesus sleeping. Now it’s natural to assume that sleeping was a regular part of Jesus’ life, he was human, after all. And the reason that the Gospel writers don’t go to great length to say, “And that night Jesus slept.” is because it’s not central to the message of the Gospel, but here we see Jesus sleeping, in the midst of a storm. Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they were fishermen. This was not their first storm. But this storm was bad enough that they panicked, and in seeming desperation, they sought out Jesus to help them. I think it’s safe to say that Jesus was sleeping through a pretty rough event here.
It is here that the great 16th century American theologian says something every interesting: He slept at this time, to try the faith of his disciples, whether they could trust him when he seemed to slight them. He slept not so much with a desire to be refreshed, as with a design to be awaked.
Think about the order of events here: A storm comes, it is so bad, they call to Jesus and say, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
And then Jesus stills the storm, saves them, they look at each other and say, “Who is this?”
Let me say that again.
Lord, save us, we are perishing.
God intervenes.
They conclude: Is this the Messiah?
This passage is not about a storm. It’s much bigger than that. And the key is in what Jesus says to them. “Why are you faithful. O you of little faith?”
What does he mean there. How could they have little faith? They called out to Jesus hoping, believe he could save them. Doesn’t that show that they did have faith? So what is Jesus telling them?
Again, I like Matthew Henry’s answer to this question: He does not chide them for disturbing him with their prayers, but for disturbing themselves with their fears.
In other words, Jesus says, do you believe you belong to me? If you are mine, what have you to fear? Don’t trouble yourselves with such simple things as storms. There will always be storms. You chose to leave the solid footing of the shore and get into the boat with me. You could have stayed behind, you could have ridden this storm out in the safety of dry land and your homes. But when I bid you come with me, you obeyed, and now, because of your commitment to me, there are storms. But do not fear, I am with you, and all things are under my dominion.
I find it noteworthy that Jesus tells us to weigh the cost of discipleship, and then those who follow him into the boat are almost immediately thrown into danger.
This passage is not about a storm. Look deeper. This passage is about you. About me. About anyone who would weigh the cost and follow Christ into that boat because, even though they know danger and chaos await them, they love their Lord so much, they cannot help but go with him. They are compelled to go with him.
Let’s Pray