The following is a church service I led at St. John´s German Lutheran Parish in Springvale on February the 9th 2025 about the Gospel of Mark 4
There Is a Storm: A Reflection on Faith in the Midst of Chaos
There is a storm. A storm on the outside, and a storm on the inside.
When something happens in the world beyond our control—a crisis, a disaster, a moment of chaos—our minds, emotions, and even bodies react. Fear. Anxiety. Stress. Paralysis. Rage. Despair.
Have you ever felt this? When life suddenly shifts, when uncertainty throws you into turmoil?
Today, in our service, we explore this reality together.
Prayer of the Day (Opening Prayer)
Almighty and merciful God,
You are the calm in our chaos, the anchor in our storms.
When the winds of fear rise and the waves of uncertainty crash around us, remind us that You are near.
Like the disciples, we cry out in our distress, forgetting that You are already in the boat with us.
Forgive our restless hearts, our anxious minds, our faltering trust.
Teach us to rest in You, as Jesus did, to find peace not in perfect circumstances but in Your unshakable presence.
Open our hearts today to Your Word, that we may learn to trust, to stand firm, and to walk in faith, even when the storms rage around us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, who calms the storm, we pray. Amen.
Sermon: When the Storm Rages
A storm on the outside creates a storm on the inside. I have experienced this many times in my life—some of you have heard the stories:
- A storm in the youth group when someone dislocated their knee cap—panic, confusion, “What do we do?”
- A storm in the hospital when my sons, David and Samuel, were born—excitement, fear, everything happening at once.
- A storm while skiing in Gerlitzen—losing control, feeling the ground slip away.
In those moments, our instincts take over. Adrenaline floods the body, our hearts race, and we either freeze in fear or act impulsively. We might panic, try to take control, or collapse into despair. But one thing we would never do is take a peaceful nap.
Yet, that is exactly what Jesus did.
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
The disciples were experienced fishermen. When the first gusts of wind hit, they likely thought, “We’ve handled worse.” But then, the waves grew higher, the wind roared, and panic set in. This wasn’t just any storm; it was the kind that makes seasoned sailors believe they are about to DIE.
And where was Jesus?
Asleep in the back of the boat.
Overcome by fear, the disciples shook Him awake: “Jesus! Do you not care that we are perishing?!”
It wasn’t just a plea—it was an accusation. How can You be so indifferent?
But Jesus, calm and unshaken, did not panic. He did not scramble for safety. He simply stood and spoke to the storm:
“Peace. Be still.”
And the wind ceased. The waves settled. The chaos gave way to silence.
Then, Jesus turned to them and asked:
“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
The Real Storm
From our perspective, the disciples’ fear was justified. The storm was real! But Jesus wasn’t just addressing the storm outside—He was pointing to the storm inside.
The greatest danger wasn’t the waves; it was the fear that took hold of them. Jesus was showing them that peace does not come from a storm-free life but from trust in God’s presence, even in the storm.
That is the challenge for us today. Life will bring storms—loss, uncertainty, suffering. But what if, like Jesus, our peace didn’t depend on circumstances? What if faith meant standing firm, unshaken, even in chaos?
Jesus—our peace didn’t have to depend on our circumstances?
What if faith meant learning to be unshakable, even in the middle of the storm?
“Unshakeable is not that you’ll never have a problem. It means that no matter what happens, you will remain at peace. “
This fits perfectly into our message. Jesus wasn’t “unshakeable” because there was no storm—he was “unshakeable” because the storm didn’t control him. His peace wasn’t based on circumstances; it was rooted in trust.
And that’s the challenge for us: Can we reach a place where, no matter what life throws at us, we don’t suffer over it—because we trust that even in the storm, God is still in control?
Trusting him when the waves are high and the wind is howling.
That’s the kind of peace Jesus had. And that’s the kind of peace he offers us.
Finding Peace: Lessons from Peanuts and Bonhoeffer
Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, struggled with anxiety and depression throughout his life. Yet, he found a way to navigate his storms—through his art. Charlie Brown kept getting knocked down but always got back up. Linus clung to his security blanket in the middle of chaos. Schulz found peace not in avoiding fear but in processing it creatively. Schulz passed away 25 years ago, on February 12, 2000.
Now compare that to Jesus in Mark 4. The storm raged. The disciples panicked. But Jesus? He slept. His peace wasn’t rooted in a blanket, but in God.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer preached on this very passage in January 1933, just before Hitler rose to power. Germany was gripped by fear. People sought safety in politics, ideology, or control. Bonhoeffer warned: Fear was in the ship, and it made people chase illusions and despair.
But he reminded them: faith does not remove the storm; it carries us through it. And he lived that truth, standing firm against the storm of Nazi Germany, even when it cost him his life.
Faith in the Storm
Bonhoeffer, Schulz, and Jesus all teach us the same lesson: The storm outside does not have to become the storm inside. If we know who is in the boat with us—if we know that God is in control—then even in the worst moments, we can stand firm.
Because in the end, life is not about avoiding storms. It is about learning how to sail through them with faith.
The next time fear grips you, the next time the waves rise—remember: You are not alone in the boat.
Intercessory Prayer with Confession and Forgiveness
Lord Jesus Christ,
You have promised to be with us in every storm, but too often we let fear take hold.
We confess that we have doubted Your presence, placed our trust in fleeting things, and allowed anxiety to rule our hearts instead of faith.
Forgive us. Still the storms within us.
Speak Your word of peace over our troubled souls, and help us to trust You, even when the waters rise.
(Moment of silent confession)
Hear the good news:
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. To all who turn to Him, He says:
“Peace, be still.”
Your sins are forgiven. You are made new.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Peter Demuth 