LutheranLectionary.org

Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:03	[Music]
0:20	hello
0:22	today let’s talk about doing the
0:27	impossible the text is from the gospel
0:29	of according to St Mark the 4th chapter:
0:35	35-41 Jesus calms the storm introduction
0:40	even the Wind and Sea obey
0:43	him the Sea of Galilee is a freshwater
0:47	lake often pictured with still Blue
0:50	Waters surrounded by picturesque
0:53	mountains it is
0:55	beautiful however this lovely lake is
0:58	also a very dangerous sea with
1:01	unpredictable and tempestuous Waters why
1:06	well at 680 ft below sea level it is
1:10	largely encompassed by mountains with
1:13	deeply etched Ravines cool and even cold
1:17	air from the mountains is drawn Down The
1:19	Ravines toward the waters clashing
1:23	against the warm air that is rising up
1:25	from the surface when they Collide the
1:28	calm water can be very very quickly
1:31	turned into a cauldron of raging wind
1:33	and roaring sea to complicate matters a
1:37	Galilean fishing boat typically is
1:39	narrow long and very shallow its flat
1:43	bottom allows fishermen to work closely
1:45	to shore but this construction also
1:48	allows large waves to crash over the bow
1:51	and gunnels of the boat the Disciples of
1:54	Jesus knew this lake that is to say they
1:57	knew its dangers in today’s Gospel the
2:00	disciples were suddenly terrified Fierce
2:03	Gale forced winds were stirring large
2:06	waves and great swells were breaking
2:09	upon their boat the shallow vessel was
2:12	filling with water and beginning to sink
2:15	experienced fishermen knew the danger
2:18	and even these men were
2:21	terrified Jesus was sleeping near the
2:24	stern of the boat they rushed to wake
2:26	him crying teacher do you not care that
2:29	we are per ising Jesus awoke and rebuked
2:33	the wind hush be still the Greek word
2:37	indicates that Jesus literally commanded
2:40	involuntary silence he shut the mouth of
2:43	the wind in effect he said shut up sit
2:47	down Jesus commanded raging winds and
2:50	crashing Seas to be quiet and be still
2:54	it seemed
2:56	impossible the Lord’s disciples had seen
2:58	Jesus heal many people Peter’s
3:01	mother-in-law she was Ill but then she
3:04	got up and served them lunch a man with
3:07	Leprosy had rotting skin then he was
3:11	clean a paralyzed man could not walk
3:15	then he stood up and went home but in
3:18	this gospel passage Jesus did something
3:22	so unique so shocking so Unthinkable
3:26	that his own disciples asked who then is
3:29	this that that even the wind and the Sea
3:32	obey
3:33	him picture
3:35	please a couple is coming home from the
3:38	hospital she’s carrying their
3:41	newborn but they are greeted by their
3:43	two 85 lb voners these are large gray
3:48	German hunting dogs they’re athletic and
3:50	highly energetic the doggies are
3:54	thinking oh mama’s home and they’re
3:56	beginning to jump and bark the doggies
3:59	wanted to jump up and greet Mama oo and
4:01	to sniff the bundle that she’s carrying
4:03	but Dad cannot let that happen so in a
4:05	loud voice he says quiet sit down sit
4:09	the good doggies do exactly that and I’m
4:14	wondering is that what we’re seeing here
4:17	no no not at all lots of human beings
4:21	speak to their dogs but there are no
4:23	human beings who command raging winds to
4:26	shut their mouths and tempestuous Seas
4:29	to be quiet and sit down who does
4:34	that that is what the disciples were
4:36	asking who then is this who commands the
4:40	Earth who demands of nature it seemed
4:45	impossible but they had just seen Jesus
4:48	do it point one this is
4:53	God so who treats a ferocious storm like
4:57	a dog clearly the master of the storm
5:00	the one who created the wind and the
5:02	water and the waves that Almighty master
5:06	was the one who himself was now sitting
5:09	in their boat that’s what his disciples
5:13	realized we’re four chapters before the
5:16	famous confession of cesaria Philippi in
5:20	Mark chapter 8 this is when Peter
5:23	responds to the question asked by Jesus
5:26	who do men say that I am and who do you
5:29	say that I am
5:30	Peter says you are the Christ the son of
5:33	the Living God but in this passage in
5:36	Mark 4 Jesus is laying the foundation
5:40	for that confession of Faith at cesaria
5:42	Philippi Jesus is demonstrating himself
5:45	to be almighty God lord of the Waves God
5:49	of all creation yes he is the Christ the
5:53	son of the Living God it seemed
5:57	impossible not just that he had stopped
5:59	to storm but that he was almighty God in
6:04	human flesh sitting in their boat
6:08	frankly that was shocking that was
6:11	unsettling Jesus was a man who was also
6:16	God how can Eternal God be born of a
6:19	human woman how can all powerful God
6:22	become a weak and fragile infant or sit
6:24	in the back of their fishing boat how
6:27	can a man who would weep and bleed and
6:29	suffer and die be the infinite Eternal
6:33	lord of the
6:35	universe it would be another 300 years
6:38	before a council of Bishops would
6:40	clarify this
6:41	christology though its language is
6:44	familiar to you
6:45	today and in one Lord Jesus Christ the
6:49	only begotten Son of God begotten of his
6:52	father before all worlds God of God
6:56	light of light very God of very God
7:00	begotten not made being of one substance
7:04	with the father by whom all things were
7:06	made yes Jesus is fully God but also who
7:12	for us men and for our s salvation came
7:15	down from heaven and was incarnate by
7:17	the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and
7:20	was made man and was crucified also for
7:24	us under Pontius Pilate he suffered and
7:28	was buried yes Jesus is fully human the
7:34	Divine word of God became the God man so
7:38	that he could join himself to you by
7:40	grace through faith the God man suffered
7:44	and died in order to give you the Great
7:47	Exchange Jesus imputed to himself all of
7:51	your sin sickness selfishness pity of
7:54	faith and filthiness of idolatry but in
7:57	exchange he imputed to you his spiritual
8:00	strength his holy love his complete
8:03	faithfulness and his eternal blessing It
8:05	seems impossible but Jesus Christ has
8:08	done it for
8:11	you point
8:12	two like unto his glorious body today
8:17	we’re talking about things that seem
8:20	impossible well here’s another one St
8:23	Augustine described four states of
8:26	humanity in relation to sin first
8:29	Adam and Eve they were able to sin and
8:33	able not to sin but at some point they
8:36	chose to sin so second after the fall
8:40	they were not able not to
8:44	sin but to rescue the Fallen World God
8:48	sent his only son your savior Jesus and
8:51	third by his word he gave you faith and
8:55	now you are able not to sin
9:00	did you hear that you by the power of
9:02	the Holy Spirit and the word of God in
9:05	your heart and mind are able to resist
9:07	the devil you are able not to sin does
9:12	that seem impossible oh well yes you
9:15	will not resist the devil perfectly but
9:18	you can resist purposefully by the power
9:22	of Jesus Christ in you you can follow
9:25	the commands of Christ you can forgive
9:27	those who wrong you you can bless bless
9:29	those who persecute you you can love
9:32	your enemies and be generous with your
9:34	money and with your time and with your
9:37	joy and love you can be free with your
9:41	testimony of the gospel and become the
9:44	servant of others as Christ has been a
9:46	servant to
9:47	you then finally fourth when you leave
9:52	this church militant and join his church
9:54	triumphant in glory you will receive
10:00	the blessing of Christ with all the
10:02	saints in light and there you will be
10:05	unable to
10:08	sin really yes in heaven you will be
10:13	unable to sin
10:16	glorious once again we are facing
10:19	something that seems
10:21	impossible but it’s not impossible
10:23	because Jesus Christ God in flesh has
10:26	redeemed and saved you yes beloved
10:31	you this is but a foretaste of the feast
10:34	to come today you walk in Christ it is
10:38	no longer I who live but Christ who
10:40	lives in me declares the Apostle Paul
10:43	Christ is likewise in you beloved
10:48	fighting for you when you’re weak
10:49	protecting you guiding you providing for
10:52	you because you are his own beloved
10:54	child surely you are aware of your sins
10:58	and by the Holy Spirit power you hate
11:00	them continue to fight against the devil
11:04	and the world and your own flesh
11:06	consider yourself dead to sin and alive
11:10	to God in Christ Jesus do not let sin
11:14	reign in your mortal body sin is no
11:16	master over you your lord and savior is
11:19	Jesus Christ who’s made you more than a
11:22	conqueror through him who loves you and
11:25	when you do shed this frail flesh then
11:28	you will receive a body that is like
11:31	unto his glorious body then you will be
11:35	completely righteous and holy you will
11:39	not have a single thought that is sinful
11:42	not a single word that is cruel and not
11:45	a single deed that is selfish does that
11:48	seem Impossible Too you will not be able
11:52	to sin so holy and righteous will you be
11:56	then you will not cry or be angry
11:59	anxious you will not be guilty or be
12:01	afraid your union with Jesus Christ will
12:04	be complete and all of the precious
12:07	promises and marvelous mercies of God
12:11	will be yours
12:13	forever point
12:16	three oh ye of little faith so what’s
12:20	your takeaway from this glorious Miracle
12:23	is it that you are poor of Faith like
12:26	the disciples oh ye of little faith and
12:28	is it that your faith is so weak that
12:30	you continue to have great sin like the
12:32	disciples oh ye of little faith no
12:35	matter what you do when you look at
12:37	yourself and your own faith and your own
12:40	sin you if you’re honest will always be
12:45	ashamed and
12:46	repentant when you think about your
12:48	salvation and your eternal life do you
12:51	think that it just seems impossible good
12:55	that means that you are in a storm and
12:58	there’s a strong wind and tempestuous
13:01	waves are crashing over the bow of your
13:03	little boat can you stop the winds no
13:07	can you calm the storms no can you stop
13:11	your fears and anxieties can you cease
13:13	from sinning in thought and word indeed
13:16	no but remember this Jesus Christ is in
13:22	the back of your little boat brother or
13:25	sister do you know who it is who’s
13:29	resting in your little vessel it is
13:32	Jesus Christ The Almighty one the Lamb
13:35	of God who Bears the cross of the world
13:39	and the sins of your soul he is your
13:43	savior so when you are poor of faith and
13:47	when you are great of
13:49	sin do what the disciples did they went
13:53	to the Lord their faith may have been
13:55	weak but it was enough
13:59	not because it was so great but because
14:01	it was resting in the one who is so
14:06	great oh ye of little faith don’t you
14:10	know that you have a great big
14:17	Lord
14:18	conclusion
14:20	impossible today we’ve talked about
14:22	things that seem impossible
14:25	except for God all things are possible I
14:31	jesus makes wind be quiet and waves sit
14:36	down Jesus exchanges your sins for his
14:41	forgiveness and your death for his
14:44	eternal life Jesus helps you to resist
14:48	sin and Jesus gives you a glorified
14:52	resurrected body in which you will never
14:55	sin again Jesus Takes a child with a
14:58	poor faith and a child with great sin
15:01	Jesus Takes a a child who is in a storm
15:04	of life with no way to quiet The Tempest
15:07	or overpower the enemy and Jesus your
15:11	savior does what seems to be impossible
15:14	for
15:15	you oh ye of little
15:21	faith don’t you know that even a little
15:25	faith in Jesus Christ is always more
15:29	than
15:32	enough amen
15:40	[Music]