Teacher, Don’t You Care?

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee is the only known seascape painted by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rjin. It is dramatic in colouring and the stories behind it are even more awe-inspiring and thought provoking. I recently read Rembrandt Is In The Wind, a faith based look at many master artists and some of their well-known paintings. The book is titled after the way this painting of Christ and his disciples on the sea was stolen and its frame hangs empty , rough edged canvas bits hanging where a thief's utility knife slipped, in the Isabelle Stewart Gardner museum. The storm of chaos still rages for this painting.

As the weeks have gone by I listened to and read more anecdotes and sermons about this story from Mark 4:35-42 and it has gathered itself into this writing I put in my journal.

The Sea of Galilee is known for its storms caused by clean air turbulence. This is when cool air from the surrounding mountains displaces the warm air in the lake valley and quick violent storms come up. I suppose it must feel something like a tornado of wind if one is caught in it.

Jesus had spent the day teaching by the seaside. Such a great throng had gathered around Him that he sat in a ship and the crowd stood on the land. He told them stories about the Sower and the Seed, the mystery of the Kingdom of God , light set high on a candlestick and likened the grain of mustard seed to the Kingdom of God.

His disciples heard all these parables and it says in verse 34 that when they were alone He expounded more unto them.

That same day, in the evening, He told His disciples, "Let us go to the other side."

They sent away the multitude and set sail. These were the waters the disciples knew. Safe waters. Allistair Begg likens the boat to the church in his sermon, "Jesus Calms The Storm." Jesus is in the boat, let us not forget that, nor let us forget Who Jesus is.

Perhaps the men on the boat all talked a bit. General banter mixed with serious topics. They set their course to the other side of the sea. Jesus fell asleep in the stern of the boat.

Suddenly the picture changed. The wind began to whip the waves into a fury and fill the ship with water. The path the boat was on seemed to change every second as the vessel twisted and rose and slapped back down. The disciples were out of control of the rudder. Hands and ropes could not hold the sails. Fear paralyzed the men. They lost sight of their goal and perhaps caught greater fear from each other.

In Rembrandt's painting, he is said to be the figure clutching his hat while clinging to the rigging of the boat. He is either looking at Jesus or he is looking at us viewers and saying, "Don't you care?" His gaze is one of panic. Perhaps he's saying, "You too are in this storm?"

No way of escape from drowning is known to these skilled fishermen. Their reasoning is lost even as they fear the craft will break apart. Someone rouses Jesus from his slumber. All men look to him in shock. How could He sleep? "Master, don't You care that we're drowning?" they cry out in unison.

He arose and rebuked the wind and said unto the waters, "Peace, be still."

Then He spoke to the men, " Why are you so fearful? Why do you have so little faith?"

In the midst of the storm, the disciple's doubts were revealed. They doubted their safety and the craft they were in. They doubted the very Master of wind and waves Who was in the boat with them and would surely guide it as needed. They forgot all the words they'd heard Him say, the miracles they'd witnessed at His hands.

Yet Jesus had mercy on them and commanded peace and calm to reign. Then He asked them about their faith?

We encounter storms even with the Son of God within our boat. He is guiding this Vessel on the safe calm waters. "This is a blessed life," we sigh to ourselves. Perhaps we take a little credit for it, the sound craft we set foot in and chose to ride in. The beautiful Sea we grew up knowing as a friend. But then a weather change occurs without any warning sign. Clear air turbulence shocks us and frightens us out of our reasoning. In our humanity, we try to pull on the ropes, take down the sails, somehow change our course. We cry out with our doubts and confusion.

He arises and speaks. He has set our course to the other side of the sea. We forgot He was in charge. We even doubted He cares after all the love we've seen and experienced. In this story, we are Rembrandt. We are gazing out in misery at fellow humanity. "You too are experiencing the storm? Do you still care? How shall we survive?"

Perhaps others fail to find the right words for us. Perhaps there is nothing anyone human can do. All we need is to set our gaze on Jesus and listen to His words. How could we doubt Him? How could we be fearful?

I intend to try to praise Him in the storm. He is still doing miraculous works. The words of His parables are just as fresh and alive as when He spoke them on the far side of the sea when we were yet children in Christ.

The yellow light in Rembrandt's painting tells of the calm yet to come with Jesus' words. We must have faith, remind each other He is in the boat. He said we're going to the Other Side.

The disciples' words of of fear after Jesus spoke, "What manner of man is this?" remind me of the way C. S. Lewis describes Aslan in the Narnia series. Whenever a character is told that Aslan is a lion they are frightened. "Won't he eat me or tear me with his claws?" they ask. "Won't I be scared if I see Him?"

"Of course, you'll be scared," they are told. "He's not a tame lion, you know. But He is Good...very Good."

Fear and reverence are upon us. We can do nothing of ourselves and nothing to avail ourselves of His mercy. Yet He offers mercy and grace, He stays in the boat with us. He is our example.

C S Lewis says, "Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight. And at the sound of His roar, sorrows will be no more."

Here in the middle of our voyage we will encounter thieves who break in and steal, moths and rust will corrupt, but we can place our trust in heavenly treasures. Jesus can walk and calm the roughest sea. We can be born again into a new life with a promise of Heaven. We are not living out a fantastical work of fiction but a real story. God is the Author and only by trusting it all to Jesus we shall reach the Other Side.

"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more and exceeding weight of glory..." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 KJV)

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner man is renewed day by day. For our momentary,light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison..

(2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NASB)