October 13, 2022 — The Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary

“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” Mark 4:35-40

“…what would Mark’s church have heard in such stories, and what can they be saying to us? As best we can discern, Mark’s church was living in the shadow of the traumatic war of the Jews against Rome that ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. If Mark’s account of Jesus’ life and ministry were to be “good news” for the church, it would have to proclaim that message in the midst of the storms through which they were living (and in which many were dying). It would have to shine a light of hope in the nighttime of the life of the church, and not only proclaim the coming “day” of Christ’s longed-for return in power. This story affirms that still in that nighttime, when the long and perilous journey is in process, the cosmic authority of the crucified and risen Christ is with us. God is with us, and we are not alone.”  (workingpreacher.org; Sharon H. Ringe)

It is imperative that we see G-d as active in our lives every day, not just reflect on G-d’s work in the past. Sometimes the 21^st century follower of Jesus reads of his miracles 2000 years ago and struggles to see the impact that same miracle should have on us right now. When the people of the 1st century gazed upon a miracle by Jesus, it was truly either an act of G-d, or the Devil. When we see something miraculous happen before us today, we are more likely to say “it was done with smoke and mirrors” or “it is some act of illusion” — rather than to say “thanks be to G-d”.

My friends, even today G-d can act through the ordinary to do extraordinary things. Every Sunday when the bread and wine are consecrated in Holy Communion, we believe that G-d is “bodily in, under and through the bread and wine” — G-d is doing the extraordinary through ordinary bread and wine. It is being streamed to us live right at that moment — it is not a memorial — G-d comes to us and into us through that act of Communion. And if G-d can act through ordinary bread and wine, who is to say that G-d cannot do amazing things through ordinary you and me? We are fed on bread and wine by an amazing G-d — so let’s get going doing amazing things in the name of the Lord.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, though we struggle with understanding your miracles, we need not struggle with your amazing love, mercy and grace. Help me today to not live by fear, but instead to live by faith. Amen.

Pastor Dave