Trial - Psalm 91 KJV

 

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany - 2026 - Previously Recorded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itvIjlt_n2I

Epiphany 5 2026

 

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany - 2026.

The Hymn #392                    Blest Is the Man - Watts
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Worship Him, all ye His angels: Zion heard and was glad.

The daughters of Judah rejoiced: because of Thy judgments, O Lord.

Psalm. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Colossians 3:12-17

Gradual

The heathen shall fear the name of the Lord: and all the kings of the earth Thy glory.

V. When the Lord shall build up Zion: He shall appear in His glory. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Hallelujah!

The Gospel Matthew 13:24-30
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #449         My Soul Be On Thy Guard

TARES

The Hymn #314         Lord Jesus Christ We Humbly Pray - Jacobs
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #50                            Lord Dismiss Us

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee, that Thou hast sown the good seed, Thy holy word, in our hearts: We pray Thee that by Thy Holy Spirit Thou wilt cause this seed to grow and bring forth fruit, and defend us from the enemy, that he may not sow tares therein. Keep us from carnal security, help us in all temptations, and give us at last eternal salvation; through Thy beloved Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Announcements

In our prayers - Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader; Sarah Buck; Kermit Way; Lito Cruz family.

                                       TARES

Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good [excellent, kalos] seed in his field:

So many gems are in this introduction to a parable. As they say, "A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning." The kingdom of heaven includes our daily lives and God's divine work. So this is a simple, plain story about the Word of God. Throughout the New Testament are references to seed and growth. The seed seems dormant, asleep, or even dead. It lives for a long time and comes to life when the conditions are good.

Gardeners talk about their plants coming up according to conditions and what is alive deep in the earth. In Northwest Arkansas the daffodils are already green and shooting up their stems, making way for the flower or flowers already formed. My helper said last autumn, "You have enough daffodils," but no one is weary or bored with the orange, white, yellow, and reddish blooms. Insects and birds leave them alone. Neighbors long for some flowers to be delivered.

The merchants of autumn do not show up the daffodil bulbs but they picture the bulbs as they emerge in the spring. Each one started as seed, turned into bulbs, and bloomed to form seed again.

Excellent seed (kalos) - like the Good Shepherd (kalos) - will always produce divine energy and results. This concise parable emphasizes the tares or weeds that grow in the midst of the excellent seed.

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

Sleep is not a crime, so the enemy takes a chance to spread their seeds among the good, productive wheat seeds. Tares for the future will grow up useless or choking the good wheat seeds and cause great frustration. The glory of weeds - if we can say so - is their productive style, which holds down soil, enriches soil (through soil creatures), and has thousands of children seeds. 

Worst of all, the tares start out well, fooling most people, until they grow and reveal their true nature, with the roots draining energy from the wheat seeds. As this concise story tells us, the wheat production looks great until the tares choke the valuable wheat seeds just as they reach their greatest bounty. The kernels will be smaller or missing while the tares glory in their ability to draw up water, collect sunshine, and share in the infinite value of the soil.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good [excellent, kalos] seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

This parallel emphasizes people being puzzled and upset about the results of the householder. Something is wrong when the tares are trying to take over.

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

This is the turning point in a brief story. The ordinary people suggest that the tares (non believers) be taken away completely. However, God commands that the helpers should not try to gather up the tares while the wheat is growing. That would damage what is good in the hopes of removing all the tares.

This is the religion of shunning, perhaps the greatest force today. Any individual who does not conform to the perfect style is ignored, punished, mocked, disliked, given the silent treatment, etc. 

If we look at others with disdain, we miss the opportunity to offer the Gospel and its fruits.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The opportunity continues with the tares, who grow along with the believers. I have known many clergy who signed up to be the tares. Two moved up from Church Growth experts to be public atheists - and proud of it. Christina and I were talking to Richard J. Neuhaus at the Ad Fontes conference, just before he became a Roman Catholic priest. I told him how we attended the Easter Sunday service in Ontario, the conservative pastor there - his father. (He was startled about this.) The LCA president (at the same conference) asked me about my leaving the LCA and joining WELS (from tares to tares - they worked together and still do).

Many of us started along the path where we were unknowingly led by false prophets, so the approach should be - for us and for others - the truth of the Scriptures and the Luther-Melanchthon-Chemnitz Reformation. That is why we do not covet a building or a synod or a series of institutions. The Gospel is fruitful, both in the spiritual sense and also in the subsequent life the congregation leads.

In the Beginning Was the Word - The Ultimate Gospel

 Water into wine!

 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

+++

    I fell into the quagmire of Koine Greek, the first day of college. All of us men were expected to learn Greek as a requirement for becoming a pastor. We were almost delighted at how easy the lessons were, simple words often repeated, yet filled with meaning, 60 years ago.

    I had my Paine New Testament text and soon took on the kidding from every corner - family, friends, freshmen. I was not expected to start Greek as a freshman, but that encouraged me even more. I met Christina and she spotted the meaning of that red Greek textbook - seminary!

    English, Greek, or any language. The Gospel of John is the simplest and most profound of all the Biblical works, no matter what language is used. As I have said before, Roland Bainton (Here I Stand) used his Greek New Testament to learn new languages for Yale historical books. 

    The opening paragraph of John's Gospel draws us into the infinity of Jesus speaking to us from the origin of Time. The opening is the ultimate, the three-fold expression of the Word. When we read or hear that Word, in any language, we are directly in connection with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

    Most of all, we are constantly in touch with the Spirit at work in the Word as we spend out time on. We even have the most humble Biblical events, whether pouring wine or drawing water, filled so impossible that the great modern scholars spend their time ignoring, mocking, and repudiating the text. John's Gospel is timeless because the Johannine books are unequaled, from the Fourth Gospel to Revelation.

John 4:46 - 52

46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

The miraculous water into wine at Cana is especially important, because the wedding yielded many witnesses of the event. That had to draw hope in a miracle, which many of us have urged.

47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Not only did the nobleman note the exact moment of his son starting to heal but the distance added to Jesus' the miracle.

Energy!

 

Butterfly Nebula - God's Creation

We have no way to fathom the energy of this cloud (nebula) and the galaxies are beyond comprehension. The Star of Bethlehem is so impressive and real that some sour-puss astronomers resent the popularity of the Star at Christmas.

How much more personal is the energy of the Scriptures and its message across the Ages! Jesus stopped at a famous well and let a Samaritan woman listen to the truth. He displayed the power of God Himself - opening up the wall between the paganism of the woman and the truth of eternity.

No one should be surprised about energy, a Greek word we use so often - whether good or bad at the moment. The Word of God is energy, always at hand. For those who disparage and reject, the Gospel is annoyance and worse. For those who pursue and hold onto the Divine, nothing is greater, more powerful and gentle.

When ELCA voted against the truth of the Scriptures, a powerful wind almost tore the cross off the steeple, where the blaspheme was praised. Very effective! ELCA reduced itself from 5.3 million to 2 million members.

John 4:27-45 - Part 3

 

4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

This encounter began with the historic well and quickly touched upon non-believers, having the power of the Son of God. Thus the least important of all drew from the Faith of Jesus, startled the disciples, and that spread outward in teaching the world.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

From the small to the mighty, from the few to world-wide: Jesus took the least of all (the woman) and gathered her new faith into a message for the disciples and the future of us all.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

The woman believed and confessed her sins, an evangelist because of the Savior's faith and compassion.

40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

41 And many more believed because of his own word;

42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Readers should note that the Gospel of John clarified Jesus' calendar  by writing out the three-year history. The Fourth Gospel is especially helpful for those who honor the Disciple Jesus Loved - John, John 1, 2, 3 - and John's Revelation.

Oh My! - Computers Are Good at Saving Everything - See Left Column - Starting at Year 2007

 

The ancients built bridges and aqueducts without glue.

I was looking for something in the dark recesses of my computer when I found all the Ichabod posts carefully gathered orderly in years, in months, each month and daily. 

In olden days I was given free reign of large public libraries since my mother was taking art classes. I was baby-sat at all kinds of libraries, from the grade school library (CS Lewis), Moline Carnegie Library, and large libraries. I went over the great photographic illustrations of WWII and many other feasts.

I was the one out of four who got to enjoy so many Jackson opportunities, and I enjoyed them all. Tests were quite literate then, in the 1950s, so I got bonus rewards for various academic blue ribbons. Christina lived in a parallel universe, where she worked on and memorized the South Bend Public Library. 

I have learned that there is a massive loss of college job opportunities, because so many have found the academic opportunities have evaporated. 

Many things are changing rapidly.

Almost 20 Years of Ichabod - The Glory Has Departed.

 

The software fooled me and scolded me to get the list of previous years, access to all the years.

The impervious software - or was that imperial? - wanted to delve into the years and days of yesteryears. 

The Beginning

Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year, Soldiers

These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Thomas Paine

How Conservatives Can Win by Losing, Through the Efficacy of the Word Alone

The Word of God (A Scripture Fragment) and the Book of Concord Editors

Christians have a weapon far more powerful than the combined crafts and assaults of the apostates: the Word of God. Conservatives should not aspire to take over the reigns of power. We end up accomplishing only what we concentrate upon (and often not even that).

When the Cloaca Maxima of Hell, Fuller Seminary, got ministers, members, and mission boards to think about numbers, all the energy and focus turned on "How do we increase our numbers each year?" Gone was any thought of being faithful to the Word of God and the Confessions. In a few years, Biblical and Confessional thinking became the enemy.

Nevertheless, the great power of the Word is revealed in the demonic hatred of the apostates toward any semblance of fidelity to the Scriptures. The wrath and vindictiveness of these people can be stunning. They are not nice people, as they pretend. They cry out "Slander!" when questioned about their false doctrine and run the crudest slander machines on the planet, making the secular politicians look tame.

Believers only have the Word and the Confessions. Satan cannot tolerate ordinary, weak, fallible humans having a weapon that will always defeat him, so he rages without mercy. He will tear apart pastor's families, divide friends, ruin people financially. All this is cloaked with sanctity, but there is no doubt about the malice behind it. That is why so many are afraid of synodical apostates. Pure poison is beneath the buttered words.

Therefore, believers will always seem to be in a weak and losing position. Faithful pastors will get the two-point calls to Forgotten Lutheran and Misbegotten Lutheran, in Buffalo Chip, Oklahoma. People will sneer at their misfortune, as they should. As Luther said, "What the world loves, God despises; what God loves, the world despises."

A faithful layman or pastor will fulfill the dream of Archimedes: "Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will move the whole world." The lever for the faithful pastor or layman is the Word of God. Archimedes' hyperbole is reality with the efficacy of the Word.

The Invocation of the Holy Trinity is calling upon the power of God. The Absolution is the Promise of God fulfilled. The Creed, the liturgical service, and genuine hymns all support the proclamation of the Gospel, justification by faith alone. The Votum is a prayer by Paul and by the pastor for all the worshipers in the Lutheran service. The Aaronic benediction is not a sign-off, a time for grabbing the coat, purse, and kids, but the blessing of God Himself: the Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Each time we hear those words we should think of the Trinity implicitly taught already in Numbers 6--The Lord, The Lord, The Lord.

Who can predict what one baptism will accomplish when accompanied by the nurture of the family (and even without it)? One believer marries another or converts the spouse. In a few years, that one baptism has turned into 100 family members as people gather for the funeral of a matriarch or patriarch. Some family members drift away from the Gospel, but others are converted by marriage or association. No one will write this up in Time, Newsweek, or the National Enquirer: Baptism in Steam Corners, Ohio lays foundation for 100 Christians.

Lutherans have forgotten the cross. The cross consists of those experiences directly related to being faithful to the Word. Cancer is not bearing the cross. Heart disease is not bearing the cross. Nor is homework, as one seminary student suggested.
When the synodical pope kicks congregations and pastors out for questioning his ambiguous political statements, that is bearing the cross. When the district popes remove pastors for questioning Church Growth doctrine and support known false teachers, that is bearing the cross.

The Wisconsin Synod ministerium has an informal communication system (much like a prison) called the Grapevine. The pastors are deathly afraid of the Grapevine. The apostates feed excuses for their fellow-apostates into the Grapevine and pitch slander against the faithful in the same way. For example, the former seminary president was called senile by the Grapevine, because he opposed the NWC-DMLC Anschluss. While he was dying of a stroke, a highly respected pastor was called brain-damaged for writing against Church Growth. He published his article before the stroke, but the Grapevine does not care about facts.

We should be afraid of God, not the Grapevine.

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Isaiah 66:2 KJV

Benefits of Being a Faithful Pastor, Ascending Order
1. Frequents moves. The adulterous (whether spiritually or carnally, often both) cannot abide the Word of God. They keep pastors moving.
2. New friends. The political pastors will not associate with anyone tainted by dissent from apostasy.
3. Lasting friends. Those who love orthodox Lutheran doctrine are united across synodical lines.
4. Renewed friends. Some people turn away when the painful truths are made known, but return to say, "It's worse than anything you ever said or wrote."
5. Knowledge that God's will is accomplished through His Word alone and never apart from His Word.
6. Seeing God at work in the Means of Grace, pastoral visitation, and teaching.

There is an abundant supply of evil people in the visible church. As Rauschenbusch said, religion is powerful. When united with good, it is a powerful good. When united with evil, it is a powerful evil.

However, God is just. Time wounds all heels.

The temptation is great to compromise for a better position, a chance to leave the cares and concerns of a congregation. The warped and twisted nature of our world is revealed in that pastors long to leave the Means of Grace to sit around at synodical meetings dealing with everything except the Means of Grace - and for higher pay and benefits. The rich, black suits and oreo collars! The new model cars! Housing allowance! Trips around the world on the synod's budget! Hobnobbing with the nabobs of Wikiletics! Name-dropping: Maxwell, Sweet, McNeal, Warren--at a seminary reunion!

Unfortunately, ministers are not encouraged to think of their work as worthwhile. Even if no one else thinks so, each minister should realize the power of God's Word and the wisdom of the Confessions.

Reading small histories has always been a hobby. Booklets tell about one small group of Lutherans, a group of missionaries, a district, a synod that emerged from various trends and merged into a new one. My dissertation was about the Augustana Synod, which lasted 100 years. The puzzle is figuring out who those leaders were. Many mother churches are gone, due to demographic and doctrinal trends. I wonder, "What remains?" Those who liked to strut about because of their power are forgotten by everyone. The Word of God remains forever. When those leaders were faithful, the Gospel bore fruit one hundred-fold. The faithful of those years embarrass the mods of today. The faithful are forgotten but God's work and will remain. The faithful win by losing.

Apostates Win by Losing When Conservatives Are Weak

"Whoa! That's my job, Antichrist."

Yes, Having Fun and Discussing Doctrine - Fun and Edifying

I had one of the most delightful days at Sleepy Eye.

1. Several of us changed the gathering place downstairs into a larger and talkative group before we walked over to the cafeteria meeting room. Earlier only four would sit there downstairs and wait. I put men on one end of the comfortable chairs and let the women talk together. We went from four in that area to nine, and the ladies loved it. (Yes, men clog and stop conversation.)

2. The sheepshead group agreed that people could gather with the women talking in a group and a little more of the men separate. That was an instant success. That group had a 90 and 80's. 

3. A server wanted to give my close friend a double soup. I began with making my friend the head of the Captain's Table, which means the Captain is the boss. He did not get the Captain's prestige at once but someone got the server to be milder. The Captain was very pleased. The key is not being the boss, just being a side-kick for the boss. After the meal we talked an hour at that table, with everyone else gone.

4. One man is 99 years old and still dances. 

Large Responses for Ichabod - Sunday and Monday

 Yesterday's Sunday total reached 8,994 views.

Today's readers reached 13,827 views.

Epiphany 4 Video from Previous Broadcast - 10 AM Central

 

Click below for the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzTtLvjewts

Epiphany 4, 2026

 

Hymn #345         Jesus Lover of My Soul             

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual Romans 13:8-10
The Gospel Matthew 8:23-27
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Sermon Hymn #649     Jesus Savior Pilot Me

Even When Asleep

Hymn #307         Draw Nigh                 
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
Hymn #427    How Firm a Foundation                         

Prayers and Announcements 

• Medical care - Pastor Jim Shrader, Kermit Way, Sarah Buck.
• Avelin (Aby) Anderson was born January 24th three years ago.

KJV Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Lord God, heavenly Father, who in Thy divine wisdom and fatherly goodness makest Thy children to bear the cross, and sendest divers afflictions upon us to subdue the flesh, and quicken our hearts unto faith, hope and unceasing prayer: We beseech Thee to have mercy upon us, and graciously deliver us out of our trials and afflictions, so that we may perceive Thy grace and fatherly help, and with all saints forever praise and worship Thee; through Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.  

Even When Asleep

KJV Matthew 8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, [Mark 4:36 - just as He was] his disciples followed him.

The setting becomes quite dramatic. Jesus was tired getting into the large fishing boat. Mark's Gospel includes "just as He was," which is fitting for the next stage. Disciples were in the boat and following on the shore. The miracles were so great that people followed Him, listened to His divine sermons - He spoke with divine authority, "not like the Pharisees" which translates the Pharisees now as "scholars are divided."

That is all the more reason to know the depth of the Scriptures. As I tell students - "The Bible explains the textbooks, not the other way around." The authority is the Spirit at work in the Word of God.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

Even on large lakes in our country - the Great Lakes - horrific storms sink ships suddenly. The Edmund Fitzgerald was an ore ship that sank so fast (in 1975), no one could believe what the radar screen said. Jesus' ship was one of those steady, made-for storms ships. Given the violence, darkness, and sloshing waves, the men were wide awake and Jesus was asleep. No one can imagine that a person could sleep through the icy blowing and ship heaving. But Jesus was asleep - His two natures - divine and human.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 

[KJV Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 

Mark is known for having the most condensed version of the Gospels, but here is a detailed combination - asleep on a pillow, awakened by His disciples, accused of not caring and about to die]

These details are very important, because they have guided Bible readers from the beginning. The episode places us in that ship, in that terrifying storm, and angry with our Good Shepherd for seeming to be indifferent, even asleep, not caring!

Faith versus Fear

As soon as fear crops up, faith goes out the window (Luther). General Patton said, "Never take counsel of your fears," and he ordered the chaplain to pray away a violent storm that hindered the Army in one horrific episode. 

We are easily struck with the fear that drives away faith. That can be caused by work, threats of unemployment, rejection, relationships, bosses, threats far beyond our abilities to grasp or calm things down.

"Have faith!" is rather empty, unless we say or think, "Believe in Jesus Christ, have faith - have total trust in Him." All of Christianity is based upon this truth - the Son of God is our Good Shepherd, who watches over us and comes between everything bad and dangerous. Wolves growl and pace around, trying to devour and scatter the flock. 

Bad answers to these problems include - Threatening, anger, retaliating, buying someone's favor, earning special titles and honors. In other words, living by the Law - not the Gospel - and making things even. 

 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

There is a certain amount of humor in this and there is also sharpness. A little bit of faith is not adequate for the storms, and it only twists us up in worrying, fretting, and searching for answers apart from and against the Savior.

The greatest power on earth is Satan, but his time is drawing near, whether next year or centuries in the future. The Savior stands in the way of Satan and his many subordinates, who try to ridicule, avoid, and mock the Good Shepherd.

The Savior is far more powerful than Satan, because Jesus allowed Himself to be only the man. He was and is the Word of God who took on the sins of the world.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! 

Those who followed and believed were still overwhelmed by the calm power of their Master. No matter what they saw and believed before this happened, stilling the storm and rebuking it were His actions, His will, His demonstration of divine power. Many things had to happen to let them understand and trust in all this.

We have the benefit of what they experienced, essential for the life God gives us.