November 11, 2005

DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE

Mark 4:35-5:43

Fear! It stalks us all, does it not? We all know its icy grip. The tightening of the chest, the shortness of breath, the swell of panic, the sweaty palms, the urge to flee. It comes in so many forms: Fear of the dark, fear of open places, fear of closed places, fear of high places, fear of being in crowds, fear of being alone, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of growing old, fear of dying. I can go on and on. Fear has been with us since the Garden of Eden and it entered human experience on the heels of sin. There in the Garden, after Adam and Eve had eaten from the forbidden fruit, the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid…” And mankind has known the torment of fear ever since.

In the passage before us this morning, Mark 4:35-5:43, we have the record of four miracles of Jesus. They are each highly dramatic and it is easy to be swept up in the drama of these accounts. But there is a subtext that runs through these accounts and ties them together. It is the subtext of fear. In all four accounts, fear is mentioned. But in each of these accounts, the antidote to fear is also found. That antidote is faith. Not just faith as an abstract concept. Not just “faith in faith”. This is a very specific faith. It is faith in the identity of a man named “Jesus.” The message that runs through these accounts is this: Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus is.

Let’s see how this theme unfolds in each of the different accounts.

In the first account (Mark 4:35-41), following the teaching of the parables, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side.” As they were crossing the lake, a tremendous storm descended. The Sea of Galilee is located in a bowl, surrounded by steep hills. Furious winds storms can rush suddenly down from the hills and create violent storms on the lake. This one was so severe that the waves were sweeping over the boat and it was filling with water and in danger of sinking. Through it all, Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat. In a panic, they woke him. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus got up, looked around at the crashing waves, the howling wind, the panic-stricken faces of his followers. Then, we’re told, he rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Instantly, as though someone flipped a switch, the wind died, and the boat was surrounded by an utter calm, a silence broken only by the dripping of water from the oars and the rigging of the boat.

The truth was clear before their eyes and their ears: Jesus is Lord over the forces of nature.

It is in the interaction between Jesus and his disciples that followed that we see the subtext of faith and fear introduced. Look at verse 40: He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

We see from this verse, that fear and faith are opposed to each other. If they had had faith, they would not have been so afraid. Faith would have banished their fear. We gain further insight by their response in verse 41: They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

I think we learn two important things in this verse. First of all, Jesus’ identity is at the heart of the journey from fear to faith. We see this in the question they asked. Who is this? The implications of the fact that Jesus could speak to the wind and the waves and that they obeyed him was absolutely staggering to them. They had seen for themselves, but they still could not take it all in. What did it mean?

That also brings us to the second lesson from this verse: The journey from fear to faith is a process. Why were the disciples asking the question, Who is this? Didn’t they already know? Had they not professed their faith in him as the Messiah? Yes. But their understanding of the implications of that fact was still incomplete. They did not yet fully grasp his claim to Deity. Yet the miracle they had just seen was the simple act of the Creator speaking to his Creation. And the Creation obeyed!!! This is over and beyond their understanding to this point. They were on a journey toward faith, but it was a process. The process was not yet complete. They were a bit slow to grasp all the implications of Jesus’ identity. Hence, fear was still present in their lives.

Let’s move on with Jesus and his disciples as they arrive on the other side of the lake. As they disembarked upon the shore, still shaky from their experience, they were startled by a terrifying sight. A naked, disheveled man came running toward them. His face was distorted in the grip of an awful power, his body bore the mark of wounds and gashes both new and old. Some of the wounds were self-inflicted. Others were inflicted by those who had tried repeatedly to restrain him. Around his wrists and ankles were the broken remnants of shackles and chains. He was shouting at the top of his voice. I don’t know about you, but I think I would have turned around and jumped right back into the boat!

He fell on his knees in front of Jesus, screaming in a tormented voice, What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God. Swear to God that you won’t torture me.

Jesus began immediately to rebuke the evil spirit in the man, ordering him to leave. When Jesus asked his name, the demon answered: “My name is Legion, for we are many.” The spokesman for the demons then begged that they might be permitted to depart into a herd of pigs feeding nearby. When Jesus gave them permission, there was a dramatic pause. Then there was a stirring, a rush of movement among the pigs. Squealing in panic they bolted as though pursued by wild dogs, and in a herd they dashed down the hill and into the lake where they drowned.

Jesus has demonstrated it before, but maybe never quite so dramatically. Jesus is Lord over the realms of spiritual power. His power is superior even to the powers of the kingdom of darkness.

Once again, the interaction following the event is very revealing. By way of background, we need to know that the area east of the Sea of Galilee at that time was a largely Gentile area, which explains the presence of a herd of pigs. There was a cluster of ten cities in the area known as the Decapolis, ruled by and inhabited by a primarily Gentile population. Those who were tending the pigs immediately ran to report what had happened in the nearby town and countryside. Many people came out to see for themselves what had happened. What they saw was stunning. This man who had terrorized their community was sitting speaking to Jesus. He was clothed. He was sane. It was a scene of psychological and spiritual calm as dramatic as the calm that fell over the sea when Jesus spoke to the storm. So what was their response? Look at verse 15: When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Then look at verse 17: Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Isn’t that amazing? They responded with fear instead of faith and they asked Jesus to leave! People don’t always respond correctly or draw the right conclusions even when the evidence is right in front of them. They are like the seed that fell on the path in the Parable of the Sower. They refused to receive the message, and so the word of truth, Jesus himself, gets back in the boat and leaves their region. But one seed has found its way into good soil. The healed demoniac pleads to accompany Jesus. Instead, Jesus sends him back to his home and family to tell what has happened to him. There is a revealing exchange of name and title that shows that the identity of Jesus is still the central issue in the passage. In verse 19 we read Jesus’ words: Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. The term “the Lord” there with the definite article is a reference to Deity, to God himself. Look what the man did in verse 20: So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him..

Did he get the message wrong? No, he got it exactly right. Jesus is Lord, even over the realms of spiritual power. While no human being had the power to restrain him, Jesus had the power to not only restrain him but to set him free. Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus is. This man understood, and like the seed that fell on good soil, he shared that message with others, and we are told that they were amazed.

When Jesus and his followers returned to the other side of the lake, a crowd immediately formed around him again. There follows the account of two more miracles, related to us in a “sandwich” format. The account begins by introducing a man name Jairus, an important synagogue official, whose daughter is dying. He came to implore Jesus to come and heal her. Jesus agreed and immediately went with him. But the crowd went along, and it was so large and demanding that they pressed in around him and their progress was slow.

In the press of the crowd there was one particular woman. She has been ill for 12 years with what is described as an “issue of blood”. What the medical diagnosis was, I am not sure. But she had had no relief in all that time in spite of using up all her resources on doctors. The nature of her illness would have had social and spiritual consequences as well, as the issue of blood would have rendered her ceremonially unclean, which made anyone who touched her unclean as well. She came timidly, fearfully, but persistently, pressing through the crowd, desperate to get close enough to him to just touch his clothing. Finally she was within reach and her hand stretched through the crowd and touched his robe. Instantly, she felt in her body that the bleeding stopped and she was healed! She began to shrink back through the crowd, eager to protect her anonymity; to slip away and to privately absorb the wonderful thing that had happened to her. Then she heard Jesus’ words clearly above the bedlam of the crowd. “Who touched me?”

Then the disciples’ words: “What do you mean, ‘Who touched me?’ What kind of a question is that? Look at the crowds pressing around us?” But Jesus had stopped now, and was looking around the crowd, seeking for the one he knew was there. Knowing that her secret was known, she came, trembling and afraid, and fell at his feet and told him her story. Gently and with infinite love he spoke to her: Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.

Her faith overcame her fear. She came to Jesus, and he healed her and sent her home. He proved once again, to her and to the watching crowd, that Jesus is Lord over physical afflictions. Through her example we see again that Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus is.

During this delay, we can imagine the burning impatience on the part of Jairus. Time is short. His precious daughter’s life is slipping away while Jesus talks to the woman. Then a hand was laid on his shoulder. He turned to see someone from his home. The stricken face tells the story. The words only confirm what he has been dreading: Your daughter is dead. There is no need to trouble the teacher any more. We can only imagine the awful anguish that rose up within him. But before he can cry out, Jesus spoke: Don’t be afraid. Just believe. Once again fear and faith are placed in opposition. What does it mean, to believe in Jesus in this situation? How can he not fear? His daughter is dead!

Now separating from the impeding crowd, Jesus took just Peter, James and John with him and pressed on with Jairus. When they arrived at his home, the mourners had already gathered and the awful wailing of grief had already begun. As Jesus entered, he told them to stop wailing. “The child is not dead, but asleep.” What I believe Jesus meant was not that the child was only sleeping or in a coma, but rather that this death was like a sleep in that it would not be permanent. Therefore there was no need for grief and mourning. The mourners responded with a mocking laugh. They knew death when they saw it. They knew there was no coming back from death. Firmly Jesus forced them all from the house. Then, with his three disciples and the girl’s parents, they entered the death chamber. The child was lying in the stillness of death. He went to her, took her by the hand and said: Little girl, get up!

There was no hesitation; no delay. As though she had only been asleep and was being wakened for her morning chores, she opened her eyes, stood up and began to walk. Don’t be afraid. Just believe. Jesus is Lord over death.

Truly, Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus is. That is the message that Mark wants us to understand and realize. That is why he has recorded these events for us. They are witness to Jesus’ true identity. They tell us who he really is. Jesus is Lord.

He is Lord over the forces of nature, for he is the Creator of the universe.

He is Lord over the realms of spiritual power for he is the Son of the Most High God.

He is Lord over physical afflictions for he is the Maker of the human body.

He is Lord over death, for he is the Source of all life.

The elements over which Jesus demonstrates his sovereignty in this chapter are some of the things that cause us the greatest fear. We fear the physical forces around us, for we cannot control their destructive nature. We fear the powers of darkness which we do not understand and which have such awful power to bind us as human beings against our will. We fear the pain and suffering of physical illness which can cause such misery. And above all we fear the inevitability of death to which all our physical suffering ultimately leads.

But this is what we need to know and understand. Jesus is Lord over all that we fear. And he loves us. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:35-39: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Notice, he does not say that we shall never experience these things. In fact he says we will experience many of them: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But we are not afraid. Rather, listen to the perspective of faith: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus really is.

If we are honest, most of us live somewhere on the spectrum or scale between fear and faith. What we know in our heads, and even say that we believe in our hearts sometimes still conflicts with our emotions. When the storms of life are swamping our little boats, when the forces of evil seem so strong around us, when we are racked by physical pain, or stand grieving by a loved one’s grave, we feel the pull of fear upon us. There are no once for all victories in this struggle between fear and faith. There are many struggles on many battlefields. It’s not like a light switch that is either off or on. It is more like a light on a rheostat or dimmer switch. When faith loses strength, the darkness of fear crowds in upon us. As faith becomes brighter, the darkness of fear is pushed back.

The key to it all, and that is what this passage of Scripture makes so clear, is that, at its root this is all about Jesus. Who is he? Jesus said to his disciples: “Do you still have no faith?” “Don’t you know who I am? I am the Lord and I love you.” Faith banishes fear when we understand who Jesus really is.