What Mark 4:35-41 tells us about fear and how to respond to it

This week’s readings have discussed the overriding importance of staying close to God. We’ve seen how vital it is to not let fear, preoccupation with worldly things, and even otherwise legitimate things get between us and what God desires of us. Today’s reading, Mark 4:35-41, gives additional insights into one of those potentially distracting things—fear—and illustrates several encouraging things about it.

One is that even godly, faithful, folks experience fear and that it does not disqualify them from relationship with God. Here we see that the disciples—people who literally dedicated their lives to following Jesus—experienced great fear. We see that elsewhere in the gospels, during other storms and in connection with Jesus' passion.  But Jesus did not give up on them; He still loved and used them. So do not despair when you experience fear; fear does not equal failure and doubt does not equal disqualification.  

Another thing this reading shows us is to bring our fears to God; prayer is a powerful response to fear. Here, the disciples brought their fears to Jesus, prayer in its most direct form, and received peace. That is consistent with what we see in Philippians 4:6-7  and  1 Peter 5:7; those verses tell us that we receive peace when we bring our fears to God. So go to God when you are scared, you will experience peace from the very process of sharing your fear with Him. The fear causing circumstances may not be immediately changed, but your ability to deal with them will be. 

 Finally, this reading shows that we do not have to be shy about bringing our fears to God; we can express our fear without inhibition.  The Greek word translated in a very understated way as “said” in verse 38 actually connotes a much stronger communication. It describes commanding, exhorting, speaking emphatically. Jesus didn’t reject the disciples or their plea because of that. In fact, he later instructed them to be bold in presenting their concerns to God. Luke 11:5-8, Luke 18:1-8. We see that elsewhere in scripture, God’s faithful servants presented raw emotion to Him and did so with great intensity, but God was not offended. 1 Samuel 1:4-28, Psalm 55:1-8, Psalm 42:2-4.   Relatedly, Romans 8:26-27 assures us that we can bring our raw emotions to God even if we are so upset that we cannot clearly articulate them. So do not pull your punches with God, pour your heart out to Him.

 

Prayer:

Lord, draw us to you when we are afraid. Do not let our fear separate us from you, but help us boldly cast our cares on you. 

 

Fear does not equal Failure and Doubt does not equal Disqualification

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

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16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:5-10, 16-20 (emphasis added)

Woven into the great good news of the resurrection is the sub-theme that Jesus uses us despite our fears and doubts. We see that in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ response to the women who first discovered His resurrection and some of His disciples’ doubts.

To fully appreciate what’s going on there we must consider what preceded it.  The women and the disciples had been with Jesus for three years, immersed in His powerful teaching and witnessing His great miracles, including several instances where raised the dead. Indeed, they had participated in and were direct beneficiaries  of  some of His miracles. Further, and of particular importance here, Jesus had repeatedly told told them that He would be murdered and resurrected. They therefore should have known that His death would not be the end of things. 

Yet, being human, they were overwhelmed by the traumatic circumstances of Jesus' death and the apparent failure of all they had lived for. They lost sight of Jesus’ plan and experienced fear and doubt, even in the face of powerful evidence that what Jesus said was going to happen was actually happening.  In short, they didn’t “get it,” their perception was clouded.

But rather than giving up on or condemning them, Jesus understood their frailty and continued to use them. He gave them immediate missions (to tell the others about the resurrection, to meet Jesus at a particular place), and that lead to their being restored to very fruitful service.

         So what does that meant to us, 21 centuries later? At least two things.

First, it shows us that God uses us in spite of fears and doubts, that our human failings do not disqualify us from effective service.  Jesus’ patience with the women’s fear and the disciples' doubts are part of a broader pattern of God getting us past our initial fears/doubts and using us in spite of them.  Abraham, Moses,  Gideon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Mary, Peter, and Ananias each had initial doubts about what God called them to do, and God used them in spite of those, and even later, doubts.

Second, it shows us how we should respond to those fears and doubts: by taking the immediate next step God asks of us. The women did that by relaying the message Jesus gave them, in spite of their own fear. The doubting disciples showed up where Jesus told them to meet Him. Neither were huge tasks, but both got those folks past their fears/doubts and back into the pattern of productive service.

Readings for August 9,2020 annotated, lectionary 115

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations, other relevant scriptures, or meditations on similar principles. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.

Reading 1 

1 Kings 19:3-4, 10, 14

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.

Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. 

After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 

After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

This reading is part from a larger context: Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, his ending a drought, evil leaders’ hostile response to Elijah’s actions, and Elijah’s fleeing those leaders. See1 Kings 18 & 19. That broader context helps us see several parallels between this reading and today’s gospel.

There is a factual/sequential/chronological parallel between this reading and today’s gospel:

-      In both, faithful servants of God first experience/are part of mighty acts of God. See 1 Kings 18,  Matthew 14:13-21.

-      In both, those servants experience difficulty shortly after those mighty acts of God. 1 Kings 19:1-2, Matthew 14:24.

-      In both, God comes to them in the midst of their difficulties. 

Another parallel is that in both this reading and today’s gospel the faithful servants have a temporary lapse of faith. See 1 Kings 19:3-4, 10, 14,  Matthew 14:29-32.

A third parallel is that God does not abandon or punish the servants for their lapses, but instead keeps using them. See 1 Kings 19:15-21, Matthew 14:34-36. We see that patience and grace throughout the gospels and scripture generally. SeeFear does not equal Failure and Doubt does not equal Disqualificationand Wisdom Principles—God Loves and Calls Us to Him, In Spite of our Sin.

Responsorial Psalm 

PS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 

Romans 9:1-5

I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.  They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Alleluia 

Psalm 130:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

Matthew 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  

We know from Matthew 14:34-36 that Jesus had a reason for getting the disciples to move on; He wanted to minister to another set of folks.

Jesus requires us to keep moving forward in His service; He wants more than our simply reveling in/savoring His blessings.

After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.  When it was evening he was there alone. 

Jesus is practicing here what he preached in Matthew 6:5-6. 

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.  

.

Those who serve Jesus will have to deal with hard things. Jesus and scripture are frank about that. SeeMatthew 16:33,  Sirach 2:1.

During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward themwalking on the sea.  When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.  “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Jesus comes to us in the midst of the difficulties that we encounter in His service.

Jesus does not want us to be afraid, but instead to focus on Him. See Matthew 6:25-34,  John 14:1 & 27,Matthew 16:33.

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 

He said, “Come.”

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his handand caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

This illustrates why God does not want us to be afraid: it hinders our ability to utilize the helps/powers/gifts He gives us.

After they got into the boat, the wind died down.  Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Additional materials on today’s gospel are set out in Readings for August 3, 2020 annotated, lectionary 407/408. 

Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.”
your kindness

your salvation.
he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him

dwelling in our land

your kindness

your salvation.

your kindness

your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits
Justice shall walk before him

your kindness

your salvation.

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side

he went up on the mountain by himself to pray

he was there alone. 

he came toward them

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his handcaught Peter

After they got into the boat, the wind died down

Truly, you are the Son of God

hear what God proclaims

fear him

wait for the Lord

waits for his word.Take courage

he cried out, “Lord, save me

did him homage

do not be afraid

But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened

doubt