Mark 4:40 “Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
This is the tail end of a scene where the disciples and Jesus are sailing across the lake and a huge storm comes up on them and Jesus decides to take a nap. The disciples are afraid and freaking out. Jesus gets up and silences the storm but He also exposes the lack of faith on the part of the disciples. Its as if Jesus is saying, “how much more do I have to show you; haven’t I shown you enough to know that I am greater then any storm and you do not have to fear any storm because I am here.” It is like Jesus is showing that fear and faith stand opposite each other and the two can’t exist in the same place. Why is that? Why is fear opposite to faith? What makes faith the opposite of fear? Why is fear such a controlling emotion? Why is fear so central to the human dilemma? How is fear related to sin? Is fear sin? How does fear separate us from God? How is faith not sin? How does faith re-connect us with God? What about faith is terrifying? What about fear is security? Does Jesus want to know why I am still afraid? Does Jesus want to know why I still have no faith? This verse exposes so much of the disciples struggle throughout Jesus ministry; it points to fear as being one of the central obstacles that keep them from acting in faith. Perhaps it shows their inability to conquer fear on their own and the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to live as people of faith which can only come after resurrection. The issue then remains; what’s my excuse as I live in a post-resurrection world.
This verse cuts me to my core today; I can’t help but feel the conviction of allowing fear to control so much of my life. Its as if I’m living in a pre-resurrection world. This is the world that evil wants me to live in, because if I continue to live in a pre-resurrection world then fear will always rule over faith. However, there is a more excellent way. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit I can live in the truest reality, which is a post-resurrection world. In this world, faith rules over fear every single time. Perhaps I’m not the only one that struggles with fear; perhaps the real issue is which world are followers of Jesus Christ living in. My hunch is that most of us get sucked into living the pre-resurrection life where fear is always trumping over our faith. We make secure decisions, we never take risk, we constantly try to build a bubble around us, etc. What would it mean for a community of faith to stop being a community of fear and begin living into the call to dwell in the reality of the resurrection. I desire to live in this truest reality; I desire to live in a place today where the resurrection is the most real thing known in the world. I desire to live a life that is shaped by the resurrection. I desire to live a life today where faith is greater then fear.
Lord Jesus, thank you for using scripture to expose my brokenness. Thank you for teaching me that when fear is controlling my life that I am living as if the resurrection didn’t happen. Give me the strength to depend upon your grace to shape my life in a way of faith that as I live I am living in the reality of your resurrection. I pray that you would use me as an instrument of faith today that others might see what a life looks like in the reality of the resurrection. Give me the grace to live this life of faith. I love you. Amen!!!
In a post-resurrection world, faith should be the dominating force of my life.
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