This morning’s passage is found in Mark 4 beginning at verse 35. I will read from the NIV.
The focus verse for me in this passage beginning with 4:35 and going through to the end of chapter 5 is in verse 41. The Disciples asked each other, “Who is this?” It is a question and a quest that has been asked for 2000 years. The answers we seek to this question are found in the scriptures. We need go no further than the inspired word of God to discover all we need to know about Jesus. The problem is that often we do not want to accept the answer.
We see this earlier in the Gospel of Mark when Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man (2:10). That he and he alone has authority to forgive sins. The teachers of the law sought to find fault, to make Jesus into someone else –a liar, a demon possessed person. His family did not accept at first and saw him as delusional or crazy. Many sought to see Jesus just as a miracle worker or a good teacher. The question, Who is this? Is answered quickly and clearly in all of the gospels.
Matthew 1 –the messiah, Immanuel, Jesus, savior.
Luke 1 –the son of the most high God who will reign forever
John 1 –the word was god and became flesh
Here in Mark 1 –You are my son, whom I love, the bringer of Good News –THE good news!
And here in this passage today 4:35-5:43, we have the clear picture of Jesus Christ being Lord of all, that he is the Son of Man spoken of in the prophesy of Daniel 7. Let me read it for you beginning with verse 13.
Who is this? He is Jesus Christ, Lord. Although it does not say the word Lord in this passage he earlier declares that he is Lord of the Sabbath (2:28), the actions of Jesus certainly show his lordship and authority over all aspects of creation.
Here in the passage we read, we can see that Jesus is Lord of creation. The Sea of Galilee is actually quite a small lake. It measures only about 7 miles at its widest and 13 miles at its longest. If you stand on a hillside just above the water you can see the entire lake on a clear day. It is situated in a valley and the winds can come up quite quickly and cause the water to get quite rough. How could experienced fishermen who knew this lake so well get caught in the open?
On our first trip to Israel, Jodi and I stayed in a place right on the shore. Within an hour the water went from calm and quiet to whitecaps and rough as the wind picked up and wept into the valley of the lake.
Jesus is asleep in the stern when the storm comes up. It was terrifying, even for these seasoned, experienced men. Jesus stands and rebukes the wind (the cause of the storm and waves). The word rebuke is used when one has authority to command.
The calming of the storm is a great picture not just of the power of Jesus but the authority of Jesus. He is Lord of the natural elements. We read in Colossians 1:15-19…
The second part of the narrative has Jesus and the disciples landing on the east side of the lake. There they encounter a man, likely well known in the area, who is possessed and comes running down the hill yelling, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the most high God. Swear you won’t torture me.” The words of the man communicate to us several things –the recognition of who Jesus is, the power Jesus has, and the fear Jesus brings to the demons.
I can imagine the scene as the disciples had just come out of the fearful experience of the storm and now this wild man, whom we read, was so strong he broke chains and no one could subdue him. Imagine seeing this man running don the hill towards you as you are just getting off the boat, still shaking from the storm! And Jesus, as calmly as he speaks to the wind and the waves, speaks to this man.
We read that Jesus said to the demons get out, and then they asked, they ASKED, to be sent into the herd of pigs and Jesus gave permission! Again, the authority of Jesus is brought to light.
Earlier Jesus had been accused by those who opposed him of being possessed by Beelzabub (Mark 3:20-30). The power of Jesus in casting out the demons cannot be lost on the disciples as they hear the echoes of Jesus own words, “Satan cannot drive out Satan.”
Although this is not the first time Jesus has cast out demons, it is by far the most potent. He has the authority to command not one or two, but a legion! In this case at least 2000 demons!
In I John 3:8 we read that Jesus came to destroy the Devil’s works. John, who wrote these words, stood on that shore and watched Jesus free a man from the oppressive, seeming mighty power of Satan with a word –come out. And then he gave permission, permission! The word in greek is always used of one who has authority to do so, to grant. Even the spiritual world must obey, for Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and of earth!
The third scene is two stories wrapped in one. Jesus returns to the western shore near Capernaum. There he is met by a crowd, one of whom is a ruler of the synagogue. Remember, the religious leaders were largely against Jesus, but we see this man coming to Jesus falling at his feet and pleading for Jesus to come and heal his daughter. As they make their way into the village, the crowd presses in and a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years reaches out and touches the cloak of Jesus. She is immediately healed.
Felling the power leave him, Jesus wants to know who touched him. Not just any touch because many were touching him (v 31). The woman then falls at Jesus feet knowing she could be punished for what she had done. You see, she was bleeding as a part of her menstrual cycle and was considered unclean. She had just made Jesus unclean and he would not be able to proceed and he would be unclean until evening. Since time was of the essence, this could mean the death of the little girl. And we see that indeed the girl had died.
But for the moment, Jesus deals with the woman. His response to here and her actions is, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” I want to come back to this later, but for now begin to see that Jesus has authority over the physical realm of our lives. Again this is nothing new. Jesus has been healing people for maybe a year or more from al kinds of things –lameness, blindness, all kinds of diseases. What makes this more impacting is the declaration that it is her faith that has healed her. Faith in what? Rather faith in who? In Jesus Christ.
Faith plays a huge part in the follower of Jesus. It is faith that makes one be good soil. Paul says it is by grace we are saved through faith. In Galatians we read that we are justified by faith and are to live by faith in the Son of God. Faith is being sure of what we hope for! And never has this been more clearly shown than in the act of the woman here. She desperately hoped in the simple touch of Jesus that she would be healed.
You can imagine the great hope, the great resolve this woman had, just to touch his garment! And her faith healed her. Her faith in Christ, the one who has authority over the wind, the waves the demon possessed. Jesus is Lord of our physical world.
I must note, but cannot explain, that there were many who touched Jesus at that time but did not get healed. Why? I do not know. But this I know, this woman was. And by faith she received not only healing but the blessing of peace. Go in peace!
It I perhaps this peace that is more important than the healing. This troubled woman, this fear fraught woman, this desperate woman received something we all need –the peace of Christ. The prince of peace, who is peace and brings peace between God and man, gives peace even in our struggles.
Jesus would later bless his followers with his peace, not as the world gives, but as he gives. (John 14:27) A peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ. (Philippians 4:7)
And in the middle of this blessing, the news comes. The girl is dead. There is no peace no in the life of this man. But Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, just believe.”
Faith in the midst of tragedy can be really hard. I can imagine the father, giving in to the temptation to blame God/Jesus. If only you had not delayed, if only you had not stopped to deal with this unclean woman! He could have blamed and lashed out at the woman who delayed Jesus, or the crowds who slowed him down.
He could have given in to the crowds who had already given up –don’t bother the teacher, she is already gone. He could have given in to the crying of the mourners. They were already crying over the death. And then when Jesus said she was only sleeping he could have joined them in their disbelief.
But this man came to Jesus in faith at the start. And I think that, in part, the incident of the woman being healed was meant to bolster the faith of the man. We read nothing of his faith, nothing of his belief, only words of Jesus, “do not be afraid, just believe.” Perhaps seeing the woman healed, knowing her and knowing she was perpetually unclean, not only being unclean for 12 years, but unable to even go to the synagogue to pray.
We read simply that he went with Jesus, past the mourners turned scoffers, and with his wife went up to the room and witnessed the extraordinary event of the return of life to his daughter.
Who is this? This is Jesus. The son of man who has been given authority over all things. He is Lord of the Sabbath. He has authority to forgive sins. He commands the wind and the waves. He gives permission to demons. He heals and brings peace. He raises the dead. He is lord of heaven and earth.
Do you want to know Jesus? You do not need go any further than the gospel accounts. They proclaim and Jesus jumps out at us as Lord of all –he has the authority to do what he says, to be who he is and to offer us what we need –good news!
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