SERMON - August 7, 2011
Rev. Kevin E. Johnston
"In the Storm "
The Message
It had been a long day, beginning with the news of their friend John’s sudden death, and ending with feeding a huge crowd of people with little more than a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. And now – well, now their leader wanted to be alone for a while. So he sent the disciples off across to the other side of the lake, while he went up the mountain for a little retreat.
It must have still been daylight when his entourage sailed off into the sunset. Even though the meal they’d catered at the last minute also took place “when evening came”, the sun had not yet perhaps gone down. For we are told again that it was “when evening came…the boat” transporting them was “battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.” They found themselves in the midst of a storm.
The situation must have been a bit unnerving for the group – seemingly all by themselves, caught up in the midst of a tempest somewhere between where they’d been and where they were going to. Probably a bit frightened – even if one or two tried to put on a brave front – they may have even gone so far as to wonder and question why they were “going there” in the first place. If they’d just stayed back, on terra firma where they were at least safer, if not safe, their survival and vulnerability might not be threatened right now. Yes – they would have missed out on the journey they were on – between then and what lie ahead. But the “now” would be so much easier to bear and contend with, wouldn’t it?
In his book, Water Into Wine –An Empowering Vision of the Gospels, sometimes-controversial, contemporary theologian, Tom Harpur, notes that
in ancient scriptures the sea has multiple significance as a powerful metaphor. It is the mother – Latin mare, French la mer – of all life. … [In] addition, the sea, with its vast unruly powers, strange creatures and hidden depths, often in the Bible metaphorically signifies the deep, rolling, unruly passions of the unconscious within us, or the same powers of various antagonistic forces without.
Within the earliest mythologies, as well as the sacred stories we have inherited over thousands of years, the sea often represents life itself. Sometimes it’s calm, quiet, sunny, and peaceful, with big white fluffy clouds dancing overhead in the big blue sky – and merrily we roll along all the live-long day. And sometimes – perhaps more often for a good many of us – it’s anything but that. The waves, the wind, the rain, the cold, the storms – whatever it is that tosses us to and fro, that too-often threatens not only our quality of life, but our existence itself – becomes way too much for us to begin imagining making it through. We find ourselves swallowed up – overwhelmed – by what’s going on around us.
And it’s difficult, if not impossible, to keep focus on what’s really important, what brings or gives us meaning, where we are headed and why. We may even question “Why?” “Why me?” “Why us?” We might even question that One – that life-force, entity, or Spirit we call God – and demand to know “Why are you allowing this to happen to me? To us?” As if Spirit “allows” these situations at all! And we don’t need to look very far to find someone who might be in that place. Perhaps you, or me, or our neighbour in the pew beside us are “there” right now as we gather here today.
It not only our individual lives that are more-often-than-we’d-like-to-be storm chased either. Corporately, as community – as a congregation – believe it or not, we find ourselves in the midst of such circumstances as the disciple-community found themselves in that night.
Notice what happened when Jesus – the Holy-in-the-midst-of-the-people figure – was recognized as being present in the storm. He said, “Don’t worry, it’s me! Don’t be afraid!” And Peter replied “If it is really you, invite me to come to you across the water. If You’re truly are here among us, and we really are going the route you dream for us to go, then show us the money and prove it! Call me – tell me – invite me to join you”. And in response to the challenge he sought, “ Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water ,” we are told.
What was up with Peter? Was he trying to be a show-off or something? Or had he fallen as the boat was tossed about, hitting his head in the process, and was a bit disoriented? Maybe he felt that he ought to set an example for the others, or be the one to take charge. Or could it have been none of the above? From the stories we have within the gospels, we know that Peter was brash and outspoken, sometimes rash and impulsive, hotheaded and put-your-foot-in-your-mouth-one-more-time Peter. So maybe this was one of those times. Who really knows? I suppose that what’s important is that someone within the group made a decision – whether it was informed or not – to get out of his comfort zone, out of the boat, and take on whatever it was that the writer names as a storm.
As a congregation, you have been in the midst of many storms over the years, particularly as you have sensed Spirit leading and inviting you into something that took great courage – a lot of what I call chutzpah – to set out in the boat, of sorts, moving from where you once were to somewhere else on the other side. That’s one of the many drawing cards that drew me to you and excited me as I looked forward to joining you over the last few months.
In reaching out to the many non-church groups who share this building; in taking a public stand on social and theological issues and concerns-of-the-times – in ways many faith communities and congregations shy away from – you’ve helped countless hundreds, of not thousands, of folk both locally, and globally in supporting the M&S fund, as well as special situations in places where you’ve chosen to buoy up. As well, you’ve consciously and conscientiously undertaken ways to care for and live with respect in Creation, advertising pesticide-free gardens, creating and cultivating your own compost, and installing water-saving toilets in the restrooms. You’ve stepped out of your boat.
Sometimes we struggle with traditions or practices no longer working as well as they once did or could be; or long-held-to beliefs and principles that no longer make sense. There may be a new situation-at-hand that we aren’t able to be as “on board” as we’d like to be, or others appear to be; or another person so not like us we don’t know if we want him, or her, to be here. Or could Spirit be inviting us to something new and foreign and different and out of the box, and for the life of us, it’s just not something we want to entertain right now. Maybe some day. But not now, please-and-thank-you-very-much.
And I wonder this morning what it is that Spirit might next be calling us to step out of the boat – whatever that comfort zone, or place of safety might be for us at this time in our journey – and walk toward?
Perhaps it’s a new way of re-examining how our children and youth, let alone ourselves, might be invited and encouraged to explore and integrate our faith more intentionally into our life as we journey toward the other side – even if the water might get a bit raucous and the winds blow us around a bit.
Maybe we might need to re-consider what it is – what it means – to be church. In most mainline churches, attendance is not what it once was – not what some of us remember it to be at one time or another. Many are either facing, or even living in the midst of, difficult financial situations that are not what they could, or should, be. Communities lament the fact that there aren’t a lot of “younger” families – sometimes referred to as “the under 50’s” – in their midst. At least, not like there were twenty or thirty years ago. Sunday morning children’s attendance is not what it used to be – at least in our mind’s recollection. There were throngs of little people each week, and thriving youth groups upwards of twenty, thirty, or more active young folks. And for many congregations, it’s becoming more difficult to attract “new” committee, or as I like to call them, ministry group, members, and the folk that are participating in the various units may be wearing several other hats at the same time. And some of these people are tired, and just might want to retire. Unfortunately, though, that possibility isn’t an option.
Could we be invited and challenged to step out of our boat and risk doing more outreach within the larger community.
In the past two weeks, I have had at least seven families either call or come into the church seeking assistance. Sometimes they just want someone to listen to them, to feel their pain and frustration with Life, to see their tears. Sometimes they’re at the end of the rope and aren’t able to feed their family, and CoOp gift card helps them out if only for a few groceries. One woman was stranded trying to get back to Brooks, and needed some gas in her vehicle. A couple of families were seeking help with their damage deposits so they might move into a living space they haven’t had for a while.
I learned this week that, for whatever reason or reasons, “those people” – families and individuals trying to live on not much of anything, or who are struggling to cope raising special needs children – are hidden. They’re shoved aside by our society and culture. and yet, they are people still the same. They too have feelings, same as anyone else. From what I was told, the media doesn’t tell their stories. maybe they’re not important. maybe they are an embarrassment to what is called “a great city to live in”.
Is it possible that Spirit might need people like us – the United Churches in Medicine Hat – to “reach out and touch someone” as the ad says. Maybe the powers that be, that ‘run’ the city, need to have their doors knocked on – and not just once, either. Perhaps they need to be beaten down, and have “reality” thrown in their face, in order for all our residents to have enough, to be treated the same as most, to be able to access the resources needed in order to be able to live life, not just exist. I don’t know. Perhaps no one does. But then, perhaps as a community of Divine’s people in the world, we might be able to figure it out together.
Revolutionary? Radical? Yes. But Spirit doesn’t call us to be comfortable in our pews and stay in the boat. Source is constantly inviting and dreaming God’s people to change, and move, and grow in order to continue becoming, in new ways we may never have imagined or considered before.
Interestingly, we call ourselves Resurrection people, not gravestones. And perhaps – just perhaps – it’s not about remaining where or who we are, or trying to go back to where we came from. Life in Spirit is about setting off into the open waters, encountering blowing winds and raging seas, and discovering new lands on the other side. It’s trusting that One to be with us even, and especially, in the midst of whatever those storms are that come about. And we’re guaranteed that storms will rise. Yet, even in the midst of the storm, that One, as we profess in A New Creed, is with us. “In life, in [what we understand and perceive as] death, and in life after death” – whatever that might be for us.
Remember what happened when Peter lost sight of his aspiration – that which had beckoned him and called him forward? “W hen he saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened, began to sink, and cried out, “Save me!”
That’s what happens when life – when the sea – when the storm – gets rough and nasty and overwhelms us. We become unfocused, lose our sense of where we are and where" we’re going. We might even lose sight of why we’re out on the lake in the first place. And more-often-than-I-care-to-admit, sometimes I’m first in line on that one. Maybe you are too.
And yet, that One – the same Holy-in-the-midst that was with Peter and the disciples – is with us too. Even, and especially, in the midst of our storms and struggles and proof seeking. That One is with us always, so we’re told, to the end of the age – however we might interpret “the age”. The storyteller notes that “Jesus immediately reached out…and caught [Peter]”. In the midst of what may have appeared to be all hell breaking loose, the Holy One was there to bring Peter back to reality and restore him again.
Luke’s Jesus tells us that “[the realm, the dream, the reality,] the kingdom of God is within you.” Wherever we are, whatever situation we find ourselves in, the Holy is already there – whether we’re aware of it or not. As with Peter – as with the boatful of disciples – that which symbolizes a gathering of God’s people in both a universal and particular place – that One is and always will be with us. Even, and especially, as we go on our way from where we’ve been toward the other side, particularly in the midst of the storms we will experience.
Like Peter, we’re invited – we’re called, in fact – to “come” – to get out of whatever it is that has been, or is, “boat” for us – and go to the other side, to something, to a place, that is new and resurrection. Maybe “we're not supposed to sit or stand around. Perhaps as for fully engaging God, maybe God is waiting for us to fully engage the world around us before God lends a helping hand. We were, after all, given dominion” , noted an online colleague this week.
Christian author, speaker, and senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California “has written a book entitled, “If You Want To Walk On Water You Have To Get Out Of The Boat”. In it he invites us to consider the incredible potential that awaits us outside of our comfort zone. Out on the risky waters of faith, Jesus is waiting to meet us in ways that will change us forever, deepening both our character and our trust in God. The experience is terrifying. It’s thrilling beyond belief. It’s everything you’d expect from someone worthy to be called Lord. But in the end, the choice is ours as to whether or not we are to align ourselves with Spirit’s purpose for our living in the process.”
According to hymnwriter, Gordon Light,
We’ll never walk on water if we’re not prepared to drown –
body and soul need a soaking from time to time.
And we’ll never move the gravestones if we’re not prepared to die
and realize there are worlds outside the lines.
And whatever the challenge and invitation to us may be, may we remember that we are not alone. For One is with us, even, and especially, in the storm. May it be so.
Harpur, Tom. Water Into Wine – An Empowering Vision of the Gospels. Thomas Allen Publishers, Toronto. 2007. Page 109
Janet Weiblen at midrash@joinhands.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ortberg
Wes Morgan at midrash@joinhands.com, edited
Light, G/Donaldson, A. My Love Colours Outside the Lines. Common Cup Company. 1995. As found in More Voices. The United Church of Canada. United Church Publishing House/Wood Lake Publishing. 2007. #38