Sunday, 6-23-2019   2^nd Sunday after Pentecost

Charles Monaghan, Guest Preacher

Sermon:   “Jesus, the Calmer of Chaos”

Good Morning, the peace of Jesus the Christ, the one who calms chaos, be with each of you and with those you hold dear both near and far away as we gather here today as members, guests and friends in this Sacred Space as a Community of Faith.

Sarah Henrich, a retired New Testament Scholar from Luther Seminary in St Pau; Minnesota suggests two important leads in to today’ gospel reading’

First in Luke 8:21; Jesus redefines family by stating that His family consists of the those who; Hear my word and do it”.

It is then clear at the end of today’s Gospel reading that the demoniac has become part of Jesus’ family.

Second she continues to telling of the disciples succumbing to fear in a raging storm where Jesus ask “Where is your faith?” We will see in our gospel story that fear is displayed by the demons, by the community that has lost their pigs and yet, regained one of their people. Faith will be displayed not the frightened apostles but by the healed demoniac who hears the word of God and does it.

Lucy Lind Hogan Professor of Preaching an Worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC reveals that today’s gospel presents a most interesting contrast.

The gospel reading this morning starts where Jesus and the Apostles are doing a simple crossing of the Sea of Tiberius, also known as the “Sea of Galilee”, which is actually a lake by definition. To give you point of reference; the lake about 92 percent the size Winnipesauke, which is the largest lake in state of New Hampshire.

The rivers that feed the lake and at the bottom of the lake itself are the sources of many mineral deposits. And, because of those deposits and the strong evaporation, the lake’s waters are relatively salty, thus folks of the biblical times consider it a Sea.

So now my geography lesson is over, lets gets back to today’s Gospel; before Jesus and the apostle’s boat reach Gerasa on the other side of the lake and suddenly a violent  storm arises.

The apostles are frightened to death by the force and suddenness of the storm, and fear for that they will all perish by drowning!

They are a rag tag bunch, and still really not sure who Jesus is; even when the winds and waves of chaos are calmed by His command.

Yet, they ultimately are the best example of what Mark Hoffman, Professor of Biblical Studies at

United Lutheran Seminary informs us that God through Jesus has chosen the apostles, an unqualified rag-tag bunch of simple fishermen.

He goes on to explain the blessed mystery that God does not choose the qualified, he qualifies those who are chosen.

Let me repeat that again; God does not choose the qualified but qualifies those who are chosen.  The apostles are just beginning their stumble and fall qualification “boot Camp with Jesus.

The apostles still don’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God, but it is the demons with in the wild, naked and crazy man who lives in the tombs who immediately recognize to who Jesus is saying: “What do I have to do with You, the Son Of the Most High God?  I beg of you, do not torment me”

Jesus had come over to the land of the gentile people, to the place call Gerasa

To the observant Jew, Gerasa was a place seen as unclean, where unclean pigs are raised and slaughtered to provide meet for the Roman Legions of Occupation, whose banners are carry the image of a the wild boar.

The tombs where the crazed, naked and wild demoniac lived were unclean and a place of utter chaos,

The supposed freedom that the demons give the possessed man is a false freedom, however, because it only worsens the man’s dehumanization and isolation. He runs naked and unrestrained, and uncontrollable and a frightening presence that lives among the dead rather that the living.

Today we see a similar phenomenon among people whose addictions destroy them physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.  Like the demoniac they live in marginal surroundings, on the streets, or under bridges like trolls found in fairy tales, isolated from the community.

These people are free from nine to five jobs, dress codes, mortgage payments, car repairs, and free from obedience to cultural norms. But in ways that matter the most, they are the least free among us. These poor unfortunate folks perhaps can never go home again?

The people of Gerasa were right to be afraid of the demoniac, and would have done whatever possible to avoid him.

Yet Jesus, dealt with his demons without hesitation. He gave the wretched man the help he needed. The man is freed of his tormenting demons and now he can go home again; as instructed by Jesus: “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you”

This passage has a subtle and hidden meaning where yes the miracles performed by Jesus do reveal his power, his position as the Son of God and the one who calms chaos.

But perhaps the first hidden within today’s Gospel passage is that Peace and the Power of God as revealed in Jesus the Christ, the one who calms chaos is available to all peoples: even the possessed, living in unclean places where chaos and disorder are rampant.

And there is a second hidden challenge in this passage, for us as a community of faith: How do we return to our homes and declare how much God has done for us by ministering to the people living on the margins due to poverty, disability or the curse of addition?

The Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Zen Master and Peace Activist, Thict Nhat Hanh in his book “The Art of Living says;  “I often tell the story from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 24, about two disciples traveling to Emmaus after Jesus has thought to have died on the cross.

The two disciples meet a man along the road and begin to talk and walk with them. It is late in the day, and they invite the man to join them for the evening meal.

It is only when they observe Jesus breaking the bread and pouring the wine for the meal do they realize they are in the presence of Jesus the Christ the one who calms chaos.

Ticht Nhat Hahn continues saying that the story teaches that Jesus is not to be found only in his physical body. Jesus is fully present in the way the bread is broken and in the way the wine is poured. That is the Living Christ. And that is why Christ can say; “Where ever two or three gather in my name, there I am among them.

Perhaps many of us and I include myself, are like the men walking to Emmaus, when Jesus the Christ is in our actual physical presence we are so distracted  by our rush run hurry lives that we fail to see him as Lord and the Christ, the one who calms chaos.

Professor Mark Hoffman, of United Lutheran Seminary says: “ the important question keeps coming around to; “Who do you as the listener of today’s Gospel, say that Jesus is”?  Do you honor Jesus as prophet or more that prophet, and who does that make you?

Professor Hoffman suggest as we answer those questions, that this gospel is leading us into a confession of own faith ultimately finding Jesus the Christ as our Lord and Savior the one who calms chaos.

My prayer for each of you gathered now, in this community of faith, when this week follows and in the days to come, when you are outside of this Sacred Space, in the often un-Godly, cruel and selfish world is that each of you accept God’s choice of us, although unqualified to follow; Jesus the Christ’s imperative:

To bring peace and comfort,

To calm chaos in our lives and others

To bring hope into this world we find ourselves living in.

May The Peace of Jesus, the risen Christ the one who calms chaos be with each of you and with those you hold dear who both are near and far away.

Amen.