4th Sunday after Trinity 2024 St Andrew’s Milngavie
Today we celebrated the fourth Sunday after Trinity accompanied by Alison.
This Week
Tuesday 10am – Prayer Group in the Garden Room.
Thursday 10am – Said Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House
Saturday 29th June St Mary’s Cathedral 11am Farewell Eucharist for Bishop Kevin – all invited
Readings for next Sunday – 5th Sunday after Trinity – Lamentations 3:22-33 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43
Today’s readings – Mark 4:35-end Job 38:1-11 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
I saw recently a film called the Guardian. It’s about a man called Jake who was a brilliantly strong swimmer. He decided to become a rescue simmer with the United States Coast guard based in Alaska. His brief was to be helicoptered out to sea and then be dropped into the ocean and swim to rescue those trapped on boats, cliffs or in strong currents. The film was based on his experiences and was very interesting and exciting. It’s called The Guardian because apparently there is an ancient legend which tells the story of an old man who lives beneath the sea. Many survivors claim to have felt his gripping hands beneath them, pushing them up to the surface, whispering strength until help could arrive.
They have found help and strength when they have most needed it.
Today’s readings, in different ways all convey a message of trust in the face of adversity.
In the OT we have a reading from the book of Job. This book focuses on the story of Job who in many chapters describes the calamities which have befallen him and his wives and children and servants. He complains bitterly to God to give him an explanation for his misfortune. In the text this morning Job finally receives an answer from God, but it is not as clear as he would have liked, God doesn’t really give him a straight answer, he just assures him that as the creator of all things he must simply trust him.
In the epistle Paul is encouraging the people of Corinth that despite the challenges and difficulties of ministry Christ is our advocate bringing salvation to us.
“At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on the day of salvation I have helped you” 2 Corinthians 6:2
In today’s gospel we hear the wonderful story of the calming of the storm. The first few chapters of Mark’s gospel tell of the whirlwind ministry that Jesus had been exercising. The crowds were now following him everywhere. So, Jesus suggests to his disciples that they take a boat across the lake that evening to find some peace and quiet. He then seems totally unconcerned when the gale gets up.
While the disciples struggle to save their very lives Jesus sleeps either unaware or unconcerned by the situation. The disciples are not surprisingly frightened and very perturbed and ask “teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” Mark 4:38
Seemingly not, but Jesus’ apparent lack of concern for the disciple’s distress comes not from indifference or even from weariness, but from an absolute trust and confidence in the power of God. Such is his intimacy with God that he never once doubted his love for him.
This is the faith which the disciples seem to lack and perhaps if we are honest, we do too at times. But it was this love which Christ himself came to manifest, to make known to his disciples. And Christ is the one who makes this saving and trusting relationship with God a real possibility for us, his present-day disciples.
As church and as individuals we face many storms in life. Many things threaten to overwhelm us. The news is invariably worrying and concerning, in addition we have the usual trials and tribulations which make up everyday lives.
The message of today’s gospel is not that we should meet these problems with a naïve complacency or indifference or indeed a blatant toughness rather as Christians we are called to develop such a deep and intimate and personal relationship with God that we are never truly threatened by any outside force or interior emotion.
Our faith – our total trust in the power of God to save is all we need.
Of course this does not insulate us against pain and loss, the cross is a reality in every Christian’s life. However, St Paul says it is the love of Christ which overwhelms us, and only that. Once we belong to him nothing can come between us and the love of God. Nothing else can touch us because we are a new creation. Not immune to the sufferings of this world but secure in the knowledge that we have as our saviour a God who is able to calm every evil which threatens to overcome us.
Paul affirms this in his letter to the Romans.
“ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Romans 8:38-39
The love and power of Christ – it almost sounds too good to be true, too remarkable! Unbelievable even! It was the same for the disciples.
“They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:41