MAJESTIC І 2013 CONVOCATION ADDRESS
Storms and Seminary Education [ Mark 4:35-41 ]
GOD IN THE STORM The first lesson that the disciples needed to learn is that “Storms in our lives are PROFESSOR OF certainly providential.” The reason that the NEW TESTAMENT disciples were in the boat and going across the Sea of Galilee was that they were doing what Jesus told them to do. Thus they were THE STORMS OF LIFE in the middle of a storm not One thing that I can assure “The reason that the because they had disobeyed all seminary students as God but particularly because disciples were in the they start or continue they had obeyed him. We boat...was that they their journey is that they must never think that the will have problems. They were doing what Jesus only reason that we have may be family, financial, problems or storms in our life told them to do.” academic, or physical, is because of disobedience. but all of them will have Sometimes it is obeying the problems. If so, where should the student Lord that brings those problems to us. turn during these times of trial? They must The second lesson that the storms teach turn to the Scriptures, and particularly stories us is that “Storms in our lives are seemingly of the trials of others. inescapable.” The description of the storm This passage at the end of Mark 4, the is that of a “great wind.” The waves were story of a storm in the life of the disciples, is threatening to sink the boat in the middle a valuable lesson for modern-day disciples of the sea. The boats used at this time were who are engaging in ministry training. Too small wooden boats that were not meant to often in Christianity there is an underlying be out in this kind of weather. When trapped assumption that all problems go away when in a storm, those on board were in severe one puts faith in Christ. The Bible assures us danger. Simply because we are Christians that this is not true, but that we have a rock does not mean that we will not be brought upon which we can depend when troubles to those times when we face real danger, just come. like the apostles before us.
By Dr. Samuel Lamerson
6 KNOX NOW | FALL 2013
SLEEP WELL The third lesson that is learned from this passage is that “Storms in our lives are obviously educational.” Note that the disciples, some of whom were fisherman, turned to a carpenter during times of storm. They find Jesus asleep in the boat (much like Jonah) and call upon him to wake up. An interesting fact is that this is the only story in the Gospels that tells us about Jesus sleeping. Being fully human, Jesus certainly needed sleep like the rest of us, but only in this situation does the Holy Spirit bring it into the text. This may be to remind us that the Lord is not worried, He is in control. Since Jesus can sleep in the midst of a storm, we should be able to as well. And so the disciples, and the readers of Mark, learn some valuable lessons from this story of the storm. We are reminded of God’s providence, of the reality of evil, and of our education through difficult times. I reminded the students of this during Knox’s convocation, and I remind the readers now, that we must go through our lives not denying the presence of evil, but knowing that our Lord controls it all. Sleep well in the midst of a storm. †