When I was young, we lived for a few years in central Texas.  One of my favorite parts about living there were the big thunderstorms that used to come up every now and then.  I remember going to school and having tornado drills, though we never had a tornado where we were. But I also remember running outside on occasion when one of those big storms was coming.  To stand there and feel the thunder shake you down to your bones and the smell the rain coming in the dry air.  Once the storm came, I didn’t stay outside, but my brothers and I would watch it from the living room window, fascinated by the lightening and thunder, the wind and rain. 

In our Gospel reading, the disciples weren’t all that excited about a storm as I was as a child.  Many as fishermen knew the dangers of such wind and rain and waves while out on the Sea of Galilee.  It could sink boats and drown people.  They had a healthy and realistic fear of such things, which led them to wake Jesus up from sleeping through the storm.  “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” they cried out.  You can almost hear the panic.

And so Jesus wakes up and deals with the situation, both with the storm and the disciples.  It’s interesting, the storm shows a greater recognition of Jesus’ divine power than the disciples.  All it takes are some short words, “Peace! Be still!” and it was so.  It was instantaneous and complete.

The Disciples ask, “Who is this that the even the wind and the sea obey Him?”  This Jesus is not just a miracle worker. Not just the Christ.  But He is the Christ who works miracles upon creation because He is the Creator.  Just as God spoke, “Let there be” and there was, so He speaks “Peace! Be still!” and there was.

He still speaks these words today, both over His creation out there in the world, and in here in this building. He speaks this to us as well.  God’s Word does not simply describe something, but it performs it. It does what it says.  And yet, the storm still listens better than we do. We look around at the world, we feel as though we’re being tossed about, up to our neck in worry, in debt, in trouble, in fear.  Life doesn’t seem all that peaceful when we hear of shootings in churches. Life doesn’t seem all that peaceful when we hear of wars, famine, trouble on the horizon.  Look up, for your redemption is drawing near. The King of Peace comes into His creation to restore His creation.  He comes to give His life for you, and to take that life up again never to die again.  He has defeated the cause of strife and conflict and a creation groaning from the effects of sin.  His peace is yours, because you are His.  So be still, and know that Jesus is the Lord. 

This peace and stillness is what we need.  Stillness is hard for us.  We are uncomfortable with it.  Especially the younger generations have a hard time, but it affects us all.  In an age with radio and television, computers to ipads and smart phones, stillness is hard.  In fact, we don’t like stillness much.  It’s uncomfortable.  When was the last time you sat down in a chair or on your couch and were just still for more than 5 minutes without simply falling asleep?  I don’t know the last time I did that…

But this being still isn’t the same as turning off your mind or twiddling your thumbs.  To be still is only the first step, then to listen. The stillness of the storm came by hearing the Word of Christ proclaimed and responding to the will of God.  How much better if we were to regularly be still and listen carefully to hear God speak in His Word.  How much better if we were to hold our hearts still from fretfulness, hurt and fear so that we could be more receptive to God as His gives Himself to us in His Word and Sacraments.  How much better it is when we simply sit still and simply be the children of God who we are and let the Word of the Lord do what it says.

Peace, be still.  Listen not to the wild racing feelings of our own hearts, but to the sure and certain promises of God’s Word.  This is the greatest thing in worship and in relationship with our Lord.  Simply be still. Hear the Word of the Lord. Receive God’s peace that He gives in His Word and Sacraments.  After the Words of Institution, the pastor stands before congregation and says or chants, “The peace of the Lord be with you always.”  This isn’t just a greeting, not just a nice thing to say, it’s not a question, nor wishful thinking.  This is the same peace that Jesus spoke calming the storm. This is the peace that comes from the body and blood of Christ given and shed for you for your forgiveness.  This is the peace that surpasses all understanding and that which keeps your heart and mind on Christ Jesus.

These are stressful times for Christians.  Uncertainty is everywhere, sin and evil are rampant giving rise to storms and waves that threaten to sink the ark of the Christian Church.  But we need not fear.  For the Creator still works in His creation and our Lord promises that not even the gates of hell will prevail against His Church.  We as the Church look past the constant storms that come up in life. We look beyond the uncertainty, the fear and confusion of being tossed around and beaten up by a sin effected creation.  In Christ our Lord, we have in every age a hope and a future.   

Some of the info in this sermon, especially in regards to being still, is reworked from Harold Senkbeil, “Engaging Our Culture Faithfully”, Concordia Journal, 40:4. 311.