What Manner Of Man Is This?
Writer Author Jerry Lee Kay Sr.
Christian Article
:
Christian Living
- Fiction No
Mark 4:37-41
What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark 9:24
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief!
One time the Lord gave me a job at an art gallery In Houston. In the past I worked whatever I could find and had absolutely no knowledge of art, mostly I worked in the oil patch, construction or as a ranch hand. When a young man first gets started he must do what's necessary to pay bills. Some call it paying our dues, I was never ashamed to do it because the Apostle Paul was a tent maker by trade and once said, and “If you don't work you don't eat". However those types of jobs just wouldn't do at this time, I needed to be home and available everyday, and needless to say it was an awakening to a whole new world, and I fell in love with it. Of course being a Christian I was super attracted to religious art. My job description was building frames, and cutting mats for prints etc.etc. And at times they would use me in the exhibit area to assist shoppers looking for prints or paintings. An elderly lady that had worked in the gallery since she was very young took a liking to me and spent a lot of time explaining some of the neat stuff about art that a country boy may not know...
"The Storm on the Sea of Galilee" is a painting of 1633 by the Dutch
Golden Age painter Rembrandt van Rijn that was in the Isabella Stewart
Gardner Museum of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, prior to being
Stolen on March 18, 1990. The painting depicts the miracle of Jesus
Calming the waves on the Sea of Galilee, as depicted in fourth chapter
Of the Gospel of Mark. It is Rembrandt's only seascape. It is widely
Believed, because of the fourteen people in the boat, that Rembrandt
Painted himself in the boat along with the twelve disciples and Jesus.
The crewmember looking out towards the viewer of the painting has been suggested as being a self-portrait of Rembrandt. On the morning of
March 18, 1990, thieves disguised as police officers broke into the
Museum and stole The Storm on the Sea of Galilee and 12 other works.
It is considered the biggest art theft in US history and remains unsolved. (I got this Quote from an Art Catalog).
The painting is Rembrandt's interpretation of this scene. It shows Panic etched on the faces of the disciples, as their small vessel is being raised up on a high wave, about to be crashed down. Two of the Disciples are attempting to rouse Jesus who is asleep in the stern of the boat. But if you look more closely, you will discover that there is something that is not quite right. There are too many people in the Picture. So you count them. There are fourteen. There should only be Thirteen (twelve disciples and Jesus). But instead there are fourteen. It is then that you notice that one of the men in the boat is Rembrandt. He has painted himself into the picture. He has placed Himself in the same boat. This is one of the things my friend pointed out to me. And even though it has been forty-five years, it is my inspiration for this letter.
It has been a long day. Jesus has done much teaching. He has felt the Press of many people. As evening comes, he seeks to free himself and His disciples from the crowds. He said, "Let's go to the other side".
While crossing, the winds begin to blow. We are told waves are breaking into the boat, to the point where the craft is all but swamped. We find Jesus asleep in the stern, his head on a cushion. It's not surprising that Jesus can sleep through a storm. What is Surprising is that the waves breaking into the boat didn't rouse Him from slumber, considering the sudden splashes of cold water that must have been pelting Him....That is what I call exhausted!
But the purpose of this story is not about 'crossing to the other side' or 'sleeping through the storms of life'. Although the thought is provoking, the story clearly has another purpose, let's go back to...The storm is brewing ...The boat is tossing ... The Disciples are getting wet ... And Jesus remains asleep. Things progress from bad to worse; the disciples decide to wake their sleeping Lord. They address him out of equal parts panic and anger.... It is panic that cries: "Master, we are going down.".. It is anger that cries:.. "Don't you care?"... It occurs to me that faith and fear have at least one thing in common: Both are highly contagious. You and I are delicately impressionistic, Vulnerable to the contagious influences around us. Our lives are formed, conditioned, shaped by the influences to which we have the most exposure. By our very natures, we pick up the vibes from the strongest people around us. If everybody else is afraid, then we are likely to be afraid, too. You have to be a strong person to keep faith if those around you are ruled by fear.
Fear is our natural defense mechanism. It tells us we care about what happens. But fear can be overpowering. When fear masters our emotions and our rational ability, it is immobilizing. When fear becomes our master, a lot of things happen to us: we lose our ability to function rationally; we get all up-tight; our blood pressure shoots up; our heart beats faster; an excess amount of adrenalin shoots into our bloodstream. All of this is exhausting.
John Running Wolf had an old rooster that would fight a grizzly bear if he came into the yard; so most of the time he kept him penned when children were around. When my daughter was about four we went to visit and my friend forgot to put the rooster in the pen, Tina Jo just had to go outside so my wife took her out and I went with John to check out a new horse he bought. While we were down at the barn I heard a blood-curdling scream
up towards the house so I ran in that direction as fast as I could go. You probably have already figured out where I’m going with this so I will hurry along. My daughter was screaming and covered in blood, my wife was screaming and covered in blood, I wasn't sure which one was hurt until I saw the rooster coming back for the kill, and he was headed straight for
Tina, as I got there I could see blood gushing out of my baby's neck, so
I kicked the rooster and grabbed her; he had stuck her in the juggler vein
and she was bleeding down fast. My wife had completely lost it, and was totally frozen. Fear had caused her to panic and rendered her useless!
The disciples woke him, shouting, "Master, don't you care that we're drowning?" Jesus replied, "Why are You so frightened? What has happened to your faith?"
And the story ends with a pair of rebukes from the lips of Jesus. The first rebuke is delivered to the waves: "Peace! Be still." The second rebuke is delivered to the disciples: "What happened to your faith?"
It is a relatively simple story. But not all that simple. To really "get" this story, you have got to do several things. And the first thing you have got to do is get in the boat. You need to see yourself as being in the same fix as the disciples. You need to see yourselves as friends of Jesus, followers of Jesus ... faithful to the calling of Jesus ... in the very same boat with Jesus ... but still scared to death.
Which is exactly what we should do. It is the way we need to interpret this passage. We are in the boat with Jesus, faithful but frightened. There is no immunity for any of us. We are caught up in the same fix. I suspect most of us would rather be numbered with the exceptions. We would like to believe that storms will never strike us or that faith will never fail us. But storms will strike us...because that's the way life is.
Some years ago I had a doctor-friend I went to for a physical. He gave
me his part of the exam and then sent me to other people to do various
things. About a week later, I got a phone call from his nurse telling me that he wanted to see me. I walked into his office and the nurse took me to an exam. room, I sat on the side of the exam. table. And he sat on a little stool. He opened the folder, looked at me and said, "Hmmm"...and then "Uhhuh." Then he hesitates on one page, looked at me with a longer look this time, and finally, much to my relief, turns it over and says, "hmm" And so it goes, all the way through, until at last he closes the folder. Then he says, "You are in fine shape. But you are too heavy. you need to lose fifteen lbs. he told me all about what the carrying of those extra pounds means to your heart, lungs and blood vessels. It all sounds rather scary. He told me to lay off the Mexican food, Chinese food, and Italian food, knowing I grew up on Tex-Mex cooking, and it is my fav. He was Mexican himself. And then I looked at him. He is about 5'5" and he weighs over 200 pounds....He thinks his body knows that he is a doctor. And that makes him immune. His body doesn't know he's a doctor. His body doesn't know anything more than my body knows...His body is in the
same boat as my body...Four years later he had a massive heart attack.
He was not immune...None of us are...Immunity is hard to come by. We
cannot exempt ourselves from storms ... or fright....Just because we are Christians.....So we must paint ourselves into the boat.
Now there is a second thing you have got to do if you want to "get"
this story. You have got to understand what the boat means. The boat
is a symbol for the church. It has been that way from the beginning.
The ship has always been a symbol for the church. The logo for the
ecumenical movement in our day is the symbol of a ship upon the sea.
And as we sit in church, we are in the boat with the disciples.
Also you need to understand what the storm means. You need to know there is something significant going on when the writer talks about Jesus sailing out into the sea. In those days, it was believed that the sea was the home of demonic powers ... that all of the enemies of life had their headquarters in the sea. So when Jesus sails into the sea, he is sailing into the middle of enemy territory. And don't let this slip away without taking it seriously. In one early creation account, creation is described as a confrontation between God and the sea, with the sea representing chaos in the world. God separates the sea so that creation can come out. And then, in Luke God separates the sea one more time. Only the second separation is done so that God's people can come out. A stormy sea, you see, represents chaos and confusion and evil. The sea and the wind is not something the disciples have to battle. The sea is something that God must, and will confront.... If you are in the boat!
In order to make the Bible make sense, I have heard teachers and many preachers try to explain away many of the things in the Bible that sounds irrational. Now I suppose the idea of a man standing in a boat and talking to waves of that magnitude borders on the irrational. And some are fond of saying: "Jesus was not talking to the waves. When Jesus said, 'Peace, be still,' Jesus was talking to the disciples. He was calming his men. And once calmed, they on their own could face the storm without the need of any supernatural intervention." I have heard it taught that way. Now that's a good explanation for a carnal minded person whether in a ministry or not. Except for one small fact. The story doesn't read that way. In Mark's rendition, Jesus speaks to the waves. He does not speak to his men. What's more, this is one of those stories where some translations come up short. When Jesus calms the storm, he is not gentle about it. He doesn't say: "Peace, be still." It would be nice if he did. But it would be far too mild. A better translation would have Jesus saying to the waves "Hey! Be silent! Better yet might be, "Shut up! I am trying to get sleep here!"
The entire purpose of the story, you see, is not to show Jesus as some
heroic figure who gives us an example of how to be courageous when the
waves start to swamp our boat.... ("Now remember children, if you are
ever caught in a storm, try to be a little more like Jesus.").... The purpose of this story is altogether different. The purpose is to identify Jesus as one who will master the chaotic and unruly forces of life and hold them at bay. Mark says he'll be there... He will be right in the boat with you... But you may not know it until the storm comes...You may not know it until it looks, for all the world, as if your boat is going under... And if you don't know Jesus ... I mean if you really don't know Jesus ... maybe it is because you have yet to really be caught in a storm.
Way back yonder there was an old movie, 'The Desperate Hours'. It was
about escaped convicts who take over a middle-class home in Ohio. And
a mother, father and two children are held hostage for several hours. In the final scene, a 12-year-old boy is being used as a body shield by one of the convicts who has stuck a gun in the little boy's back. But there is a vital truth about his situation that the boy doesn't know. At some earlier time in this ordeal, the father has managed to gain temporary possession of the two guns of the convicts. He has unloaded one and kept the other. Now, in the final scene, the father is on one side of the room in secret possession of the loaded gun. The convict is holding the boy captive, on the other side of the room, with an unloaded gun. But neither the convict nor the boy have any knowledge of that. "Son," cries the father to his son. "Son, listen to me. Come over to me. The man is not going to hurt you." To which the convict says: “try it, kid, and you'll find out." "Son," the father says, "Have I ever lied to you? I tell you, do exactly as I say, because that gun is not loaded." In response, the convict simply sticks the gun more forcefully into the boy's back. "It has no bullets, Son. You understand? Now do as I say.” Then, after a long pause, the father shouts "Run." And in a rush of faith, the boy runs across the room in the direction of his father, as the gun of the convict clicks repeatedly and uselessly.
You see, this is a story that tells us Who Jesus is ... He is one who even wind and sea obey...and where we meet him..when the storms of life are raging...And how much we ought to trust him.
Listen to me Beloved! Jesus unloaded the guns of hell 2000 yrs. ago.
He is the Lord Almighty, Omnipotent King, Rock of Ages, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Exalted One, Devine Deliverer, Provider, Protector, Ruling Lord, and Reigning King of all the universe. He is the Author of Holiness, the Teacher of Righteousness, the Instigator of Justice and the Instructor of Goodness. He is the Perfection of Life, the Father of Wisdom, the Living Water and Bread of Life. He is the way, the truth and the life, the bright morning star, the everlasting Father and the Light of Man. He is your Provider, your Sanctification, your Banner, your Shepherd, your Healer, your Peace and your Righteousness.
He is Sovereign and Sufficient, Merciful and Mighty, all-powerful and awesome. He is my Father, my Helper, my Guardian, and my God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End. He is the Keeper of Creation and the Creator of all He keeps. The Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times. He always was, always is, and always will be and never wasn't.
Because He is unmovable, unchangeable, undefeatable, & incorruptible. His character is flawless, His reputation is spotless, His love boundless, His word is priceless, His faithfulness is matchless, and His kingdom is endless. He was bruised and bought healing. He was pierced and eased pain. He was persecuted and bought freedom. He was dead and bought life. He is risen and brings power. He reigns and brings peace.
The world can't understand Him, the armies can't defeat Him, the devil couldn't tempt Him, the wicked can't stand him, Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, the New Age can't replace Him, the people couldn't get enough of Him, and the World can't ignore him.
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, the Sadducees couldn't trap Him, Pilate couldn't convict in Him, Herod couldn't kill him, the persecution couldn't scare Him, the beatings couldn't shake Him, the grave couldn't hold Him, Death couldn't master Him, and the Gates of Hell can't stand against Him.
He is a friend to the good hearted, a defender of widows, a father to the fatherless, an advocate of the persecuted, a guardian of the innocent, a light for the lost, and a hope for the hopeless. He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom. He is holy, holy, holy, worthy of the highest praise, the greatest glory, and the utmost honor. He is robed in majesty, armed with strength, dressed in righteousness, and has a crown of Glory like no other. He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, kindness, gentleness, and God. He is holy, righteous, mighty, powerful and pure.
His ways are right, His word is eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me! He is my redeemer, He is my Savior, He is my guide, He is my peace, He is my joy, He is my comfort, He is Lord and rules my life.
I was poor but He made me rich, I was a slave but now free, a sinner but now forgiven, a fool but now wise, dead but now alive, and blind but now I see. I serve Him because His bond is love, His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life. He will never leave me, never forsake me, never mislead me, never forget me, never overlook me, never fail me, and never disappoint me.
When I fall, He lifts me up. When I fail, He forgives. When I am weak, He is strong. When I am lost, He is the way. When afraid, He is my courage.
When I am vulnerable, He is my shield. When I am shaken, He is my rock.
When I wander, He finds me. When I stumble, He steadies me. When hurt, He heals me. When I am broken, He mends me. When I am blind, He leads me. When I am hungry, He feeds me. When I face trials, He is with me.
When I face persecution, He protects me. When I face problems, He comforts me. When I face loss, He provides for me. When I face death, He carries me home! I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, the power of the powerful, the ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, the leader of leaders, the overseer of the over comers, a consuming fire, and the sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come. He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omni-benevolent, everlasting incomprehensible.
Oh, I wish I could describe Him, but I can't, because there are no words that can define Him, no poems that can illuminate Him, no rods that can measure him, no canvas that can portray Him, no thought that can comprehend Him, no minds that can conceive him, no tongue that can explain Him, and no temples that can hold him. He is simply everything for everybody, everywhere, every time, and in every way. He is God, He is faithful, I am His, and He is mine, because He loves me, He said it, and He proves it over and over, He's everything to me!
A little boy and his father were with some passengers aboard a sailing
ship when a storm came up at sea. They were at the mercy of the waves.
Passengers were panicky, rushing here and there in dread and fear.
Only one little boy remained calm and cheerful. Someone commended the little boy for not being afraid. The little boy replied, "Why should I be afraid my father is at the helm?" That boy obviously had a trusting relationship with his dad. And dad had done a good job of training the boy to handle the fear of danger at sea.
Jesus means to communicate trust, trust in God, your Heavenly Father. Believe that God is in control of your life and universe. You'll have a matchless steadying influence that will bring you a lot of poise, a lot of serenity, and save you a lot of needless panic, worry and stress.
This is, "What manner of Man He Is"
God Bless You
Poppa
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