Jesus Calms the Storm by Cheri Holdridge (with an assist by Patti Lusher)

Last November, Pastor Amanda Garber got the phone call that many of us progressive United Methodist pastors know we could get. Her District Superintendent called and said something like this, “Amanda, I’ve had a complaint that you officiated at the wedding of two women. You know that this is against the rules of our Book of Discipline. I need you to come into my office so we can talk about it.”

Of course Amanda had done the wedding. She is a pastor of a church that includes all people: including both heterosexual and homosexual couples. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church also says that we pastors are supposed to offer pastoral care, baptism, weddings and funerals to all the people in our care. So when two women in her congregation came to her ready to make a commitment to spend the rest of their lives together, I’m sure Amanda did what any pastor would do. She scheduled a wedding.

I am not sure how Amanda felt that first night after her District Superintendent called and said she was in trouble. It’s possible she had some doubts. She might have cried out to Jesus in prayer and said, “How did you let me get into this mess? I gave my life to you as a pastor, and now you are going to let my career be destroyed? How can you let this happen? I don’t understand. I’m afraid I’m going to lose my job. And what about my family? How will we live without my salary? And what about my calling? I’m called to be a pastor, and now because I did my job, I’m going to lose my job? How can this be? This just isn’t right.” Her response might have been something like that. Amanda was in the middle of a big storm.

Amanda’s response might have been just like Jesus’ disciples in our scripture for today.  It was late in the day and they took their boats to the other side of the Sea. A storm came up. Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat. The storm was a big one and the disciples got frightened. They woke him up and said, “Are you not concerned that we are sinking?”

Jesus calmed the storm and then scolded them saying, “Don’t you have any faith at all?” They were amazed at his ability to calm the storm.  Did they not know who Jesus was?

You see, the disciples were supposed to be in this work with Jesus. They were supposed to put their trust in him. But when one little storm comes along, they freak out. They could not handle it. They could not put their trust in God to save them from a thunder storm. And by the way, these storms come up on the Sea of Galilee all the time.

They were not ready. They were not mature enough in their faith to trust Jesus. They were fearful so the slightest little thing would throw them off their course, and off their calling. That day in the boat, they got off course. They forgot to put their trust in Jesus.

Well let me tell you a bit more about Amanda. It’s possible that she could have been like the disciples. When that call came from her District Superintendent, telling her that she was in trouble for doing a wedding of two women, she could have panicked. She could have cried out to Jesus and said, “Don’t you care that I am in trouble?” But I asked her this week, “Did you have any second thoughts when you did that wedding?” And do you know what she said?”

“Never, not once.” She said, “I never regretted it. It was a beautiful privilege to marry them. A holy privilege.” You see, Amanda Garber is a mature disciple. So she did not give in to fear. She did not waver. She stood in her truth. She is a pastor. And pastors preside at weddings for their parishoners. All of them.

This week she received her punishment. Her bishop announced that she would be given one month’s leave from her church without pay. A fund was set up to cover her salary and it has already been covered by supportive friends. Facebook is abuzz with progressive pastors and laity who are weary from these battles. How can we beat up our pastors who are simply doing what they are called to do? And now Amanda is at the center of a storm. She could have been put on a church trial for her actions. Thankfully this time it did not come to this. What a storm that would be. But Amanda did not waver. She held on to Jesus. She held on to her principles. She held on to her call to be a pastor to all people.

What about you? What do you do when the storms of life come along? Have you ever felt like those disciples?

Have you ever imagined that your problems were so big, it felt like you were on a boat that was about to sink? I can imagine what those disciples felt like that night. Here they had given their lives to Jesus. He seemed to have some pretty good ideas. But really, what did they know about this man? What do we know about him? He talked about loving our enemies and being generous and forgiving. But then he did things like bring them out in a leaky boat in the middle of a storm. Did Jesus really have their best interests at heart? They got scared.

Don’t we feel like this sometimes? We are trying to follow Jesus. We are trying to do the right things. Make good choices. Be kind and generous. And we just get kicked in the teeth by the world. One bad day after another. It feels like our boat is sinking. Where is Jesus?

I’ll tell you where he is. Right here with us. Calming the storm.

Ready to love us even though we feel unlovable. Ready to show us a way out of a storm.

Jesus was there with Amanda Garber when her District Superintendent called and said, “You are in trouble.” Yes, our broken church gave her a slap on the wrist for presiding at the wedding of two women. It’s not fair. But Amanda stands strong because she was faithful. She did the right thing. She put her trust in God. She was not swept up by the storm.

That is what Jesus asks of us. Our trust. When the storms of life are raging, Jesus asks us to put our trust in him. Don’t give up. Don’t give in to fear. Put your trust in Jesus. Hold on. Hold on to the one you can always trust. Trust Jesus. Amen.