Sermon for 9-5-10 "God's Overflowing Hospitality" (Favorite Things Summer Series)

Sermon for 9/5/10

Favorite Things Summer Series

Psalm 23; Matthew 25:31-46

"God's Overflowing Hospitality"

This morning our "A Few of Our Favorite Things" summer sermon series comes to a close with two passages you all chose that are likely familiar in some way or another to many of us.  Matthew's parable of judgment and Psalm 23's images of the shepherd are ones that come up in our lectionary readings from time to time.  Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture, and we often hear it's comforting words in the midst of our grief or journeys through the valley of the shadow death.   As I have examined these two passages and reflected on this summer, perhaps there is another message there to add to a layer of understanding to these passages.

[Communion "Hospitality" Table from May 2nd]

If you remember back with me to May 2nd--for those of you who were here that first Sunday of Craig's Sabbatical--I started our Favorite Things Summer Worship Series with my favorite passage from Scripture--Luke 24's telling of the disciples on the road to Emmaus on the evening of the Resurrection. We were invited to consider the hospitality that Christ offers to the disciples who are journeying along life's road, and at the same time the hospitality the disciples offer to the stranger by welcoming him to their table for a meal. The stranger turns out to be Christ.  As we reexamined Luke's text in light of our upcoming Sabbatical Summer, we were invited to be open to where we might see Christ in our midst?  Where might we share Christ's love and Christ's welcome with those whom we encounter this summer--whether it was in worship here together or in our daily journeys beyond these doors? 

[In Luke 24, Christ was revealed in the breaking of the bread.]

The text nudged us to think about Hospitality--both God's gracious hospitality to us and our hospitality to each other and those we encounter.  As I look back at the summer from today's 20/20 hindsight, I can affirm that hospitality was truly a theme for us this summer. 

Today we find ourselves at the end of this Sabbatical Summer.  And like May 2nd, our texts today invite us to examine Hospitality.  As I look at the passages that we heard this morning, I hear hospitality ring out in them in ways I had not heard before.  The passage from Matthew was chosen for today before the Sabbatical began.  Coincidence--I think not.  Whether you have been around Raleigh Moravian this summer or not, there is an invitation for us in these texts, so let's take a look at these passages.

Psalm 23 is certainly heard in memorial services, and we often focus on our journeys through the valleys of darkness.  It is comforting and reassuring when times are tough!  But think with me for a minute about another setting where this Psalm is also appropriate--a setting at least that I hadn't thought about before, but I really resonate with now.  It is possible that this Psalm was a type of prayer used around the thanksgiving table in worship for all God has provided. [1] Its a Psalm that celebrates God's hospitality toward God's people... people who have survived the journey through the desert, escaped their enemies, and found that God truly does provide all of their basic needs.  The book of Exodus recounts how manna and quail appeared when they were hungry, water overflowed when they were thirsty, and how a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day lead them to the land that was promised.  This Psalm expresses their thanksgiving for God's provisions and food they received--God's hospitality led them through the dark places and welcomed them safely to the promised land. "⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  ⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long." (Psalm 23:5-6)

For the author, to dwell in the house of the Lord means they are part of the community of faith.  It takes this psalm from the purely personal to the greater community--a holy community.  God is a gracious host, and we have much to give thanks for!  As we pray this Psalm together, we claim the same hospitality from God--the hospitality of food and drink, shelter and security.  And God follows us each day of our lives--or pursues us, as the text can be translated, with goodness and loving kindness that only God can give. [2] 

The Psalm proclaims our cup overflows.  We have more than enough to go around.  Not only does God provide, but we are given more than we expect or need.  It reminds me of the saying about our outlook on life--is the cup half full or half empty?  Psalm 23 reminds us that not only is our cup half-full... it's full to overflowing.  When we see our lives as full to overflowing with God's love, we are able to share more freely.  We are more likely to offer the hospitality that has been modeled for us by God, because we recognize we have more than we could possibly need.

Taking a look at Matthew 25, it is easy to see the story of judgment on the surface.  But if we look a bit deeper, we see other things going on here too.  The passage is instruction on ways to inherit the kingdom of God.  These verses are instructions on ways to live today that are life-giving and show God's love and care--God's hospitality--to the people we encounter throughout our lives.  The part I find remarkable, as I think about this passage, is the acts of hospitality that are mentioned.  They are small things.  I think sometimes we get bogged down in how to share our faith or live as God calls us to with our neighbors around us.  We think it takes BIG gestures.  BIG events.  BIG whatever--or it doesn't count or isn't important.  Our culture teaches us that it's "GO BIG, or GO HOME".  Matthew's passage reminds us that God is interested in the details-- small things that matter a lot.  In sharing the small things with those around us, we are sharing God's hospitable love.  We are living out God's kingdom in the details of our lives.  We experience God's Kingdom in the details--the small things--as well.

In preparing for today's final sermon of the summer, and in beginning to catch up with Craig about this summer, I've had the opportunity to reflect back on many of the events that have gone on since May 2nd.  It's also provided me the chance to begin looking for where Christ has shown up in often-unexpected places, or where we've both experienced God's hospitality and shown God's hospitality to others.  I truly hope we will continue together to reflect on our Sabbatical summer experiences together, as I am sure there are many examples that I am unaware of where you have seen Christ present or God's kingdom at work.  I look forward to hearing all about it!  There are truly too many to list here, but here are a few. 

Many of these involved us gathering together, sharing in food and fellowship, living into the small things of our lives that together show us at least a glimpse of God's hospitality.  We supported the Komen Race for the Cure; won Best Team Spirit for our efforts in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life; and hosted a Bodacious BBQ that quite possibly was our best ever!  We engaged in worship while learning about our liturgies and prayers; told stories about the life of this community of faith; and served in mission with communities Tennessee and our mountains.  We had over 30 people gather for dinner to celebrate our friendships with our sister church in Costa Rica and greet our friends before they had to unexpectedly fly home early.  Our table literally overflowed that evening as we ate, laughed, and formed memories that will remind us of God's kingdom for years to come. 

As I thought about hospitality this summer, there was one other event that occurred that was much smaller and much less planned.  Some are probably not aware it even happened at all.  And yet, for me, it serves as a gigantic example of God's kingdom of hospitality at work in our midst.  One Sunday in June, Joan Burri and I was here getting ready for worship.  A few minutes after Joan arrived, I heard the main door open and the sound of a baby stroller and footsteps in the hall.  Then a family of 4 appeared in my office.  Father, mother, a 3 year-old son, and a less-than-month-old daughter--they looked as though they had spent the night in the ER, and as it was, they had.  They had wandered into our church from Rex Hospital, and were hoping to find somewhere cool to rest and something to eat as well.  Their food and shelter situation was in limbo, and they weren't quite sure what that Sunday held for them. 

I talked with the family for a few minutes, as they shared with me about their current predicament. Then I talked with Joan about what to do. Joan and I shared what was for both of us a moment of grace as we decided that our only option was to show them God's hospitality.  Minutes later others began arriving for worship, and we were able to invite others into the conversation.  While some folks were preparing coffee and finding whatever food we had around, someone else made sure they had enough formula for the baby.  I watched as one by one people began welcoming them to the table, so to speak.  They then joined us for worship.  As more people entered the conversation, it was decided that we would be sure they had lunch afterward.  A group often gathers at the Subway Restaurant after worship, so we pulled up extra tables and shared subs and chips together in a sacramental moment.  As people learned about what was going on, I had a few people stick cash into my hand that morning.  After lunch a group of us helped them get back to the place where they had been staying.  As we were standing at the motel waiting to get them situated, I realized that the cash that people had pushed into my hand was exactly the amount we needed to cover their room--to the penny.  And at some point during that morning, I remember pausing for a breath and wondering, "OK, God--what are you up to here?  Are You the one who is present here, just like you were in the stranger on the road to Emmaus?  I believe I'm in the presence of Christ right now."  After we dropped them off at the motel and made sure they were situated for the night, the group who had gathered to help scattered on to their normal Sunday afternoon routines.  This was such a small thing.  And yet, I believe it is exactly what Matthew is talking about.  We all witnessed God's hospitality overflowing that Sunday morning! 

God's hospitality runs as a theme throughout Scripture. But it doesn't stop there.  We all have the call from God to extend the same fit-another-chair-around-the-table, grab-another-plate and cup, sure---there-is-plenty-to-go-around, overflowing hospitality.  God calls us to recognize the hospitality we receive, and then to pay it forward to those around us.  In sharing it, not only is the table in front of us prepared and our cups overflow, but we have the opportunity to welcome more people to join us in experiencing God's overflowing hospitality.  Who do we have the chance to welcome to the table that might not be there?  Who welcomes us and prepares a place for us to gather?  Where can we offer the small things that can make such a difference? God's generous, overflowing hospitality invites us all.  May we reach out in small ways to share this gift from God with everyone we meet!  Amen.

[1] J. Clinton McCann, Jr.  Psalms.  New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 769.

[2] J. Clinton McCann, Jr.  Psalms.  New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. IV (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 768, 770.

Sermon for 6/6/10 "The Blessed Kingdom of Heaven": Favorite Things Worship Series

Sermon for 6/6/10 

Matthew 5:1-12, Micah 6:6-8

"The Blessed Kingdom of Heaven"

Favorite Passages Sermon Series

As we are exploring our Favorite Passage this summer during the Sabbatical, I have found one of the most fun things about this to be the opportunity to explore passages that are not often read in church during the Liturgical Church year.  Some of the passages people choose that I will be preaching later in the summer never appear in our Lectionary.  The Lectionary is a set of Scripture passages that many churches use to help us live into the church year.  It runs in a 3 year cycle--labeled A, B, and C, and begins each year on the First Sunday in Advent.  Each Sunday we indicate in the bulletin what that Day's designation is for the Church Year, with Sunday being the Second Sunday After Pentecost, and it's Year C.  I believe there is real value in living into this Church year cycle with Scripture in worship, as many Christians from around the world are sharing the same texts on the same weeks.  But I also find it good to veer everyone once in a while to explore a text that doesn't appear in the Lectionary, or appears very infrequently.    

Our Luke 6 text from last week and this week's Micah and Matthew texts are just such texts to explore closer.  Though they do technically appear in the lectionary, none of them have occurred in the rotation since 2007 due to Epiphany changing lengths each year. [1] Easter moves based on the lunar calendar, so therefore the length of the Epiphany season moves as well.  The beatitudes are a well-known passage, so it is fun and good to look at them during this special summer.

Matthew's list of Beatitudes includes nine statements that Jesus taught during the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon is the first one mentioned in Matthew and serves as his Inaugural Sermon [2].  Jesus heads up a mountain to teach his disciples.  Anyone listening in Jesus' day would have automatically associated this image with Moses when he went up on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah--the Law which makes up the first 5 books of the Old Testament. [3] The Gospel of Matthew was written for a Jewish audience, so these images are familiar from within the Old Testament's law and prophets. 

At first glance these statements appear formulaic and repetitive, but upon further investigation, I believe there is value and depth found in the formula for the 9 Beatitudes.  They should be studied both individually and as a whole, but have no fear--due to time constraints today, I've chosen to look at them as a whole group ONLY. (If you are interested in reading more about each individual statement, see the footnote for a list of good resources to check out![4])  I believe a key to understanding these comes in the phrases that are repeated over and over.  

When we take a look more closely, we see one phrase that is repeated twice.  "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven" in verses 3 and 10.  The Kingdom of Heaven as Matthew describes, or the Kingdom of God as other Gospels reference, is what Jesus is ushering in through his life and ministry.  The Kingdom of Heaven is what God is working to bring about on Earth through God's followers.  The Prophets promised it, and Jesus began his life by fulfilling the promises the Prophets had made.  But it doesn't stop there.  Jesus' ministry was about bringing Heaven to Earth--creating the Kingdom of Heaven in the daily lives of his followers to continue ushering in God's Kingdom. 

But it doesn't stop with Jesus either.  Through Christ's life, death, and resurrection, we enter into this covenant of Grace, and become Children of God--Children of the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God--the Kin-dom of God--the Family of God.  As followers of Jesus, we place our citizenship in this family, and we do it together.  The Family of God is not an individual pursuit--it is, rather, a communal activity.  A place, a community, a family we strive to live in and a Kingdom we live out together. [5]

It's often referred to as the "Already-Not Yet Kingdom of God" because Jesus Christ has "Already" started it-- ushered it in, gave the Inaugural Sermon on a hilltop overlooking the land, held Inaugural Feasts, and the left his followers in charge to continue the game plan. But it's "Not Yet" because it will not be complete until an unknown time in the future when Christ reigns supreme.  We recognize this reality and pray for it's completion every time we pray the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." [6] Everything in the Beatitudes list between these "Kingdom of heaven" phrases and even that after too is related to these. The Kingdom of heaven phrase is implicit in each of these 9 phrases. [7]

The other thing we see clearly in each phrase is the opening "Blessed are..." [the poor in spirit, meek, the pure in heart, and so on...].  This is one of those places where English gets in the way of our understanding of the Biblical text because of translation differences that just don't show up well in English.  There are two words in both the Greek and Hebrew that get translated as "blessed" in English.  The only way to tell a difference in English is by accenting a different syllable, thus having Blessed, and Bless-ed.  I'd never thought about why the word is pronounced differently at different times until I began studying this passage.  Most often I have heard Bless-ed when the Beatitudes are read, and there is a reason for that.  "Bless-ed" --the adjective --is the more accurate translation.  It is a state-of being blessed or happy or joyful.  Whereas "blessed" is more of an imperative or command verb.  We often hear this other meaning in "God bless you" when someone sneezes.  Though this passage contains both ideas, most commentators agree that the Beatitudes explain that the people in the kingdom of heaven already possess these things mentioned.  They are already meek.  They are already peacemakers.  They already are pure in heart.  But having said that, there is still a sense of the not yet--we can strive to be more meek.  We can strive to be better peacemakers.  We can strive to be more pure in heart.  The quality already exists, but it is not yet fully realized because the kingdom is not yet fully realized.  Once the Kingdom of Heaven is fully realized, the children of the Kingdom will be fully and completely bless-ed. [8]

I feel it's probable, having read so many different stories about the disciples in the Gospels, that they might not have gotten all of this down completely correct at the first hearing of the sermon.  I can imagine that Jesus shared this message many times and had to clarify what he meant as he formed his followers into disciples.  A scene from a favorite movie of mine depicts it well, some might say.  It opens with the crowds heading up to the hills to catch a glimpse of this new teacher in town.  The captions read: "Judea 33AD, Saturday afternoon, about Tea Time..." and you hear Jesus off in the distance giving his famous sermon.  "How blessed are those..."  The scene cuts to the followers at the back of the crowd who can't hear every word he is saying, and are trying to piece together the message.  One lady asks for clarification, and another spectator remarks,

"Spectator I: I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers".

...Mrs. Gregory: Aha, what's so special about the cheesemakers?

Gregory: Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally; it refers to any manufacturers of dairy products." [9]  

My husband Steve wouldn't allow me to recommend seeing Monty Python's Life of Brian because it's rated R, but this movie and this scene in particular makes me laugh every time. 

But it also got me thinking.  Maybe under all the satire about politics and religion that Monty Python mocks, there is a gem of truth.  And this got me thinking about what the Beatitudes might look like if they were written in 2010.  And it got me thinking about where I have seen the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst recently. 

While I was eating lunch at the BBQ on Friday, I took a moment to stop and just look around.  I was there during peak lunch time, and my heart filled with such pride and joy as I watched the Family of God in our little part of the Kingdom of Heaven on Ridge Road working together, laughing together, and serving together.  There was so much support for the mission and ministry that God is calling us to do. I spoke to many different people who said this was a constant on their calendar, and they would NOT miss it!  

I was excited to see so many groupings of co-workers--one member of Raleigh Moravian with friends gathered around, all eating and enjoying one another's company and great food.  Neighbors stopped by and plates of food were passed down the line.  Cookers, servers, and drink-pourers all had smiles and hellos for everyone who came out to visit.  Laughter and conversations filled the air, just as the smell of fresh hush-puppies and hot BBQ filled the bellies. And there were plenty of offers for seconds for none should go hungry.

Later when Steve and I came back for dinner for Round 2, the same held true.  I was excited to see young and old, friends and families working along side one another to accomplish a task bigger than any one person.  I smiled with joy as I heard some of the college-students talk about this event being a highlight for them--something they wouldn't miss being a part of.  One youth even remarked how he had been promoted a few years ago to be on the overnight cooking team.  The disciples are teaching the traditions to the younger generations, and it was evident as I watched 3-year-old Bella not miss a beat as she followed instructions.   Including so many people as a worker and serving with joy made me so proud of the service everyone was doing together.

The Kingdom of Heaven is about community living together to enact God's mission in the world.  The Beatitudes both teach us about the Kingdom of Heaven and the community that is making it heaven on earth.  We see in Scripture how the Kingdom is compared to a banquet feast.[10]  Perhaps BBQ will even be on the menu... with Christ himself walking around to the tables serving his own special recipe of love puppies [hush-puppies coated in powdered sugar] for dessert!  

And perhaps those involved in cooking, serving, and helping are Bless-ed:

Bless-ed are the BBQ cookers, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Bless-ed are those with tired backs and sore feet, for they will be comforted.

Bless-ed are the hush-puppy fryers, for they will inherit the earth.

Bless-ed are the food servers, for they will be filled.

Bless-ed are the slaw mixers, for they will receive mercy.

Bless-ed are the dish washers, for they will be called children of God.

Bless-ed are the Church Families who serves together, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

And Bless-ed are the people we will serve with this summer beyond our doors, as the fruits of our BBQ labors will be the basis for our service together as we live our God's call to mission--to help those in need and share Christ's love, and together expand the Kingdom of Heaven a little more.   Amen.

 [The Big Boy, thanks to Joey Transou, which cooked all 1200lbs of Pork Shoulders for the BBQ. Thanks Joey!]

[1] In the Moravian Lectionary, Luke 6:17-36 appears in Epiphany 6C and Epiphany 7C. Matthew 5:1-12 appear in Epiphany 4A and All Saints Day A.  Micah 6:6-8 appears in Epiphany 4A.

[2] Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 33.

[3] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 34.

[4] Some of my favorites are: Kenneth Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 65-87. M. Eugene Boring, "The Gospel of Matthew" in New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VII (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995) 171-181.  Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 33-43.

[5] Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 69.

[6] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 37.

[7] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 37.

[8] Hare, Matthew.  Interpretation Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993) 35. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 67-68. The Greek word is makarioi. 

[9] Monty Python's Life of Brian, 1979. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/quotes?qt0471973

[10] Isaiah 25; Matthew 8; Matthew 25; Luke 14 to name a few examples of feasts in Scripture.

Festival of Homiletics: Thursday Morning Worship with Lillian Daniels

Lillian Daniels Sermon for Worship on Thursday Morning 5/20/10

"We and They"

 Matthew 7:1-5

Top 5 List:

1. What would our world look like if we followed Jesus' words and lived in generosity instead of judgment?  This passage from Matthew doesn't provide a scolding as much as it is a perspective for a better life.

2. As pastors, how do we refer to our congregations?  Do we use "we" or "they"? "We" is language of community, where as "they" is language of church consultants and the idea that the patient needs fixing by the pastor.   Move from "they" to "we" language.

3. Pastors--in interacting with our congregations, do we:

            *diagnose vs. belong?

            *critique vs. love?

            *consult from a distance vs. lead?

4. Sin = growing edges, areas of improvement

5. The festive banquet in heaven won't be perfect, but it will be a generous, reconciling banquet.  The Holy Spirit of hospitality is generous. (And "the other duck" will be served!)

"A Christmas Frame Of Mind" (1/4/09, Christmas 2B)

"A Christmas Frame of Mind"
Christmas 2B
Sermon from 1/4/2009
John 1:1-18; Ephesians 1:3-14

Christmas Day has come and gone again this year. The candy, cards, and gifts are 50 or 75% off. The 24-7 Christmas Music on the radio is over--the Christmas CD's and movies are packed away until next year. The returns have been returned, the decorations are likely down or will be coming down this afternoon. We're already though New Years Day as well, and Valentine's candy is already on the shelves in the local grocery store. The shepherds have visited the stable and returned home. The Magi arrive this Tuesday for Epiphany, and they will then return home as well. Christmas has come and gone for another year. Or has it?

As I opened my stocking on Christmas Day with my in-laws and family in Pennsylvania, I took out a magnet that said, "Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind." A frame of mind... I like that. It's a great phrase. A Christmas frame of mind. Christmas in the church is a season in fact--12 days long that begins on Christmas Day and carries us through to Epiphany on January 6th. These are the true 12 Days of Christmas, but somehow it seems we have forgotten to tell the rest of the world about them. Christmas is over according to our culture. Is it over this year for us too? Christmas as a frame of mind--what if it was actually true? What would it look like in our daily lives?

As I have spent the past week or so preparing for today's message, I must confess I have been confronted with more questions than answers. As a pastor knowing I get to stand up and dialog with you on Sunday morning, more questions than answers has led to little comfort and much frustration in my preparation process. I have thought back often to what my college thesis adviser told me when I got to the end of my paper and had multiple pages of questions for further study--I was frustrated that it wasn't going to end with neatly answered questions, but in fact my topic of research led to more questions. She said that more questions were a good thing because it meant I was thinking and engaging the topic.

I also have had to wrestle with the fact that as a trained pastor, I feel like I should somehow KNOW the answers... but I confess that just as I think I have an answer, more wrestling with the questions and answers is required. These questions are not easily or neatly wrapped up in a box and placed under our Christmas trees. So I would like to invite you all to journey with me through some of the big questions of Christmas that I have found myself mulling over this week. Maybe some of these are also your questions? Maybe some of my questions raise new questions within you? I am excited about the possibility of wrestling with these together, because I believe these are questions that can likely best be answered in community.

For starters, what does Christmas mean? There is the easy answer--the word is from "Christ's Mass" celebrating the birth of the Christ child, the promised savior or Messiah--Jesus of Nazareth. The story is told in Luke 2 and Matthew 2, which many of us can quote at least in part. It's a cozy story that takes place in a stable in Bethlehem with shepherds, angels, magi, and a young couple who have an unexpected baby. But is it also so much more than this?

As I have wrestled, I have keep thinking about how we are often so busy and hurried in December and everything is focused on Christmas' arrival and being ready for the BIG DAY. In fact, shoppers take note--there are only 355 shopping days till next year's Big Day! Our preparation time is a blur of shopping, activities, parties, food, and craziness. Then it's here and over in a flash. Lovefeast buns have been consumed, our coffee's cold, and the smell of smoke fills this room as the candles are all blown out. It's all over and yet, how is life different? Yes, there is the stack of new DVDs to watch and clothes to wear, but how is life truly different? Or is it different at all? Why is Christmas even important to begin with? I kept coming back to the question of "So what does Christmas mean?" How does Christmas really affect our lives the other 364 days of the year? And if it doesn't, how might it be different this year to extend Christmas to make it a frame of mind or a way we view our world?

When we hear the story of Christmas, it is often from Luke or Matthew's story about the baby Jesus. But today, we are looking at John's telling of the Christmas Story. There are no shepherds; no angels; no Mary and Joseph; no overcrowded inn; no magi mentioned anywhere. Jesus isn't even named until 17 verses into the story. The writer in John takes us back to the beginning--literally-- by opening the Gospel's Prologue with the phrase "In the beginning." This phrase likely took your mind back to the beginning. We heard these passages paralleled in the reflective reading that opened worship this morning.

One phrase truly sums up the story of Christmas, I believe, but might need some unpacking to make more sense is in John 1:14. "And the Word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory, the glory of a father's only son, full of grace and truth." The WORD, from the phrase “And the Word became flesh,” is a translation of logos in Greek, and is a term the Greek Philosophers used for logic or wisdom, and is even where our word logic comes from. The ideas of logos along with light and life were common terms used at that time by philosophers. But here the writer of John is taking these words and using them to show the world is forever changed. For the writer of John and for us, these words are not just philosophical ideas anymore; they live and breathe in the person of Jesus Christ. The God of the universe has become flesh and blood in human form--both fully God and fully human. Not only did this God-person exist, but lived in and among them. Because of Christmas, God now lives or tents or tabernacles or dwells among us. The tent and tabernacle images in John recall the Israelite image of the mobile tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant from the time of the desert wanderings in Exodus. As the Message translation explains, "The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood." This is the point... this is what Christmas is all about--the Incarnation where God becomes human and moves into our neighborhood.

So why did God become human (incarnate) and move into our neighborhood? John writes that it is to show us God's glory in grace and truth. The ideas of grace and truth also hearken back to the Exodus and Moses when God created a covenant with the Israelites. This phrase “grace and truth” can also be translated as mercy and truth, or love. Jesus came to earth, moved into our neighborhood and showed us what LOVE looked like, smelled like, tasted like, felt like, and acted like. Jesus modeled love with his every breath so we could do the same--maybe that is a Christmas frame of mind? As one of my favorite authors, Shane Claiborne, puts it, "In the baby refugee Jesus, God becomes Emmanuel ("God with us"), crashing in the manger. And it is in the life of Jesus that God puts skin on to show us what love looks like." [Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006) 324]

This understanding of Christmas leads me to reflect on the other magnet I found in my stocking on Christmas Day--"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." A conspiracy of love--maybe that is what Christmas is all about. Christmas is God's cosmic conspiracy of love, and we've been invited to join in on the love-fest. Poet Ann Weems wrote a very short poem that I think brings these two magnet's saying together. She writes:

"When the Holy Child is born into our hearts
there is a rain of stars
a rush of angels
a blaze of candles
this God burst into our lives.
Love is running through the streets."
[Ann Weems, "Godburst" from Kneeling in Bethlehem (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1987) 27]

God has moved into the neighborhood, and, now, Love is running through the streets. Have you seen God's RV or Motor home parked in your front yard or at the next desk over from your cubicle? Was God standing next to you in the check-out lane at REI or Target as you made returns? Has God served you coffee and bagels or wine and bread recently? One writer I encountered this week asks, "Where then do we confront the divine, where do we touch the eternal living God, where do we experience the inner light?" Ahh--More great questions with no easy answers.

The Prologue tells us that John the Baptizer came to testify that Emmanuel, "God with us," was coming into the world, giving power to people to become children of God. So then, how do we TESTIFY to the presence of love running through the streets of our neighborhoods? Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love. It's not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it." Maybe that is a Christmas frame of mind. What small things can we do this year that will show God's great love to those around us--our families, our friends, our co-workers, and schoolmates? How can we love the stranger on the street corner or beside us in the check out line? Maybe its spending time with an elderly neighbor who needs to be reassured that someone really does care about them or holding a patient's hand as he or she awaits test results or treatment. Maybe we can demonstrate God's love running down the soccer field in Costa Rica as we help build a youth center and school. Maybe we participate in the conspiracy of love as we volunteer or take more time to show love to our family members who might be difficult at times to love. Hopefully we keep wrestling together with how we can see God's moving van in our neighborhood and join in with the conspiracy of love that Jesus modeled. Hopefully we can share the love of God with one another--those we love and those we have trouble loving.

I invite you to spend a few moments now quietly thinking about how you might enact a Christmas frame of mind throughout this year. Jot down ideas you have or questions that have been raised--maybe on the back of your watchword card or bulletin, and let's keep wrestling with our questions together. Email me, join me for coffee, pull aside a friend to chat as we all keep looking for God in our neighborhood and testify to the conspiracy of love... after all, Jesus came into the community to show us how to love, and here is probably the best place to practice our questioning, wrestling, and loving one another, so we can live the Christmas frame of mind in our world throughout 2009. Take a few moments now to reflect, and I will close us in prayer at the end.


God who's bigger than our questions,
thank you for moving into our neighborhood to give us Jesus as the model example of how to love and live. Give us the strength and insight needed as we wrestle with tough questions of faith and understand what it means that you took on flesh and blood. Empower us to testify to where we see you in our daily lives and show us where we can participate in your conspiracy of love. In Jesus' holy name, we pray. Amen.

"Risky Business" (11/16/08, Proper 28A/Pentecost +27)

"Risky Business"
Proper 28A (Pentecost +27A)
Sermon from 11-16-08
Matthew 25:14-30; Psalm 90:1-8, 12


Please join me in praying the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: The Lord's Prayer (found on page 4 in the Blue Book of Worship if you need to read along).

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, power and glory forever and ever. Amen."


This week sitting in my office was risky as I was tempted, oh SO tempted by the smells wafting through the hallway-it was RISKY being in the building with hundreds of pans of fresh-baked sugar cake. It was sugar-cake-baking-week here and BOY DID IT SMELL GOOD. All those ooey, gooey pans of dough, cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter--what's not to LOVE! I walked through the fellowship hall once or twice and it was all I could do to resist snatching a fresh baked, still-hot-from-the-oven sugar cake square.

Our scripture passage this morning from Matthew's Gospel is often referred to as the Parable of the Talents. I would guess it is difficult passage to understand for most of us, and there are so many different parts to examine and look at to try to interpret what Jesus is saying here. I often find it helpful to look at other translations to gain insight and would like to share another version of this story with you from The Message. Eugene Peterson, the translator, entitles it "A Story about Investment". We pick up the story when the master meets back with the third servant in verse 24.

24-25"The servant given one said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'

26-27"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

28-30"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'

Strong words for sure--Living safe, cautious lives is a "terrible way to live." There are so many different angles we can take with this story--this parable--this fable to teach us a lesson that is important for us to learn. These statements about not living cautiously are what really jumped out at me this week. To follow Jesus means not living cautiously--Christianity is risky business.

The three servants were given talents from the master. Then the master left. A talent in those days was an amount of money. One talent was equal to the money a day laborer would earn after working 15-20 years. ONE TALENT took 15-20 years to earn--that's a huge amount of money--about a half million dollars or more in today's terms. And it's interesting that our contemporary word talent as a gift or ability comes from this parable. As I looked at this story over, I kept wondering what was the difference in the master's reaction to the first two servants and the third servant. In order for the two servants to double their money, they must have done something where that money was used and thus its value doubled. This gain could not have come without risk. The servants likely doubled their money with wise investments, not foolish wagering.

Steve and I were watching TV the other evening when the silly game show "Cash Cab" came on the Discovery Channel. The contestants answered trivia questions while riding in a cab through New York City, and at the end of their trip they had a video bonus question where they risked their whole winnings in order to have a chance to answer the final question. IF they got it right, their money doubled. If they got it wrong, they lost everything. I'm not sure how Jesus would feel about comparing the parable to a TV game show, but the contestants did remind me of the servants. Two of the groups risked everything and ended up doubling their money. One group decided that what they had won was enough and did not risk what they had been given. Double or nothing is high stakes, but the winners felt that risky business was worth it. I'll leave it up to you to decide whether you think game show investing is really a good risk or not.

This Parable of the Talents is sometimes referred to as a "kingdom parable" because it is dealing with the way we are to live in this world in order to help bring about God's kingdom here on earth. Christians, I believe, are called to be kingdom-workers in our world. We are to be agents of change to make our world a better place for everyone--"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." Jesus empowers his disciples in the church to do his work here, and His work often involves risk. I might even venture to say it always involves risk. How many of you thought it was risky to show up here this morning? Who thinks it is risky to be a Christian or walk through the doors of the church? In some parts of the world, showing up for church and being Christian is more risky, literally, than it is here today because of persecutions of Christians, burning of church buildings, or having to worship underground to survive.

But there is risk here too. We are called to be in relationship with one another. Relationships are tough sometimes--friendships are tough sometimes--families sometimes DO NOT make life easier. When we open ourselves up to be vulnerable with one another in community, there is always the risk of being hurt or rejected. We are called to care, share, and love... befriend the friend-less, lift-up the hope-less, and love the unlovable. None of these activities is easy, and none comes without risk: risking ourselves, our talents, our gifts, and our money to make the world more like a little piece of heaven here on earth.

Even from our earliest days, we must risk to survive. We watch children striving to walk, knowing that they will learn some day, and watch them risk one step then the next, finally letting go of our hands and seeing their risk pay off. Risks are part of life, and are certainly part of life in the church. Ralph Winter, a researcher, said, "Risks are not to be evaluated by the probability of success, but by the value of the goal." ["Risk" in McHenry's Quips, Quotes, & Other Notes, compiled by Raymond McHenry (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishing, 1998) 215.] Our goal, as I see it, is to create a culture of stewardship where everyone is willing to risk whatever it takes to accomplish the mission and ministry that God has called Raleigh Moravian to do.

It may be very hard to hear about risks right now for most of us. Having just come through a fierce election season with much fear-based advertising, many of us are probably still weary. Turning on the news is almost sure to cause some anxiety. With the state of the economy where it is right now and knowing that so many have lost so much in the stock market, or wherever else, risk might be the farthest thing on your mind. You would rather play it safe, because risk seems too risky. We know from the parable that the fear of failure or loss was the thing that caused the third servant to bury his money in the ground. He was paralyzed with fear. The risk was too great, he thought, and wasn't worth it. Sometimes the risk isn't worth it. I believe many of us would agree that there are good risks and not-so-good risks and our lists might differ. It is important in any situation like we are in today to evaluate what is worth the risk while looking at the greater picture of God's kingdom.

What is worth taking a risk? What is the goal? Why do we put ourselves out on a limb? Is it because Jesus promises that the reward is great--to hear "Well done, Good and trustworthy servant." To know that there will be reward thought we might not see it in this life--to risk is tough, but it is the only thing we can do. The call of Jesus to risk it all was followed by his example of his own life. He suffered death on the cross for the risks he took, and he knew that going in. His reward was eternal, and our reward is the same.

As a child on Thursday evenings I was allowed to watch The Cosby Show. Cliff Huxtable, aka Bill Cosby, was notorious for sneaking frosting, slices of cake, potato chips, or whatever he could while the family wasn't watching. I almost felt like Cliff this past week with all the sugar cakes sitting on the counters. In a very small way, Cliff Huxtable risked when he took a piece of cake from whatever goodie was on the counter. The Cosby show was good and won numerous awards over the 8 seasons it ran from 1984-1992. Looking back on the successful show today, I doubt any of us would understand the risk that was involved in NBC deciding to air the show back in 1984. The network ABC rejected The Cosby Show before NBC finally decided to air it. In a bigger way, NBC took a risk and reaped much benefit from airing the show that had been previously rejected. They went out on a limb, so to speak, and were glad they did. How can we go out on a limb for God?

It is my hope that we can all support one another to be risk-takers. It is not always the easy road. There can be difficulties along the way. But I believe we can start small and take the baby steps together to learn to walk without holding on to the furniture.
So what are you willing to do?
Which type of servant are you?
Are we willing to be risk-takers together?
What might that look like here at Raleigh Moravian?

The risks differ for everyone, just as our comfort zones differ. They can involve our time, talents, and treasures.

For some people, risk might mean joining the band or choir or singing a solo of Morning Star for Christmas Eve lovefeast.

Risk might be joining the youth at the homeless shelter one Sunday morning to hand out clothing and sing with them.

Or risk might mean going on a mission trip for the first time this spring or summer. For those who have gone to Mississippi or Laurel Ridge, risk might mean taking another trip this year to serve in a different capacity.

For others risk might mean inviting a visitor to lunch after church or a church member you barely know over to dinner one evening.

Risk might include inviting a friend from school to come to MYF one week or asking that neighbor you see across the fence to the Candle Tea on December 6th or congregational lovefeast on December 21st as an introduction to Raleigh Moravian.

Still others might see a risk as increasing their pledge to the church this year despite the looming economy, or pledging for the first time to help out the ministry and mission of the church in the world.

And still others might think about risk in terms of participating in a small bible study or prayer group as we look to forming those in the near future.

As one of my favorite authors, Shane Claiborne, writes in The Irresistible Revolution, quoting his college professor, "'Being a Christian is about choosing Jesus and deciding to do something incredibly daring with your life.' [Shane says,] I decided to take him up on that challenge." (The Irresistible Revolution, page 18) Are you up to the challenge? After all, it's Risky Business. Let's go do something daring together! Amen.

Please pray with me:
Lord, help us to daily choose You and risk wisely to help bring about your kingdom here on earth. Amen. So be it.

"Being Holy" (10/26/08, Proper 25A)

"Being Holy"
Proper 25A/24th Sunday after Pentecost
Sermon from October 26, 2008
Leviticus 19:1-3, 15-18; Matthew 22:34-46


What word or phrase do you think of when you hear the word Holy? Holy, hummmm... as I thought about that word this week, many different phrases or ideas came to mind. For me, holy might involve having a heavenly choir singing backup to my singing, wearing a halo and angel wings, or remind me of the Holy Grail from Monty Python or Indiana Jones fame.

Or maybe the:
Holy Roman Empire;
a Holy Alliance from 19th century Europe;
the Holy War Crusades.

What about:
Holy Communion or Last Supper;
the Holy Family from Christmas;
the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit;
the Holy Father or Holy See--aka the Pope;
the Holy Trinity-Father, Son and HOLY Spirit.

How about:
the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem;
Holy Water to be sprinkled on folks;
Holy Week-the week between Palm Sunday and Easter;
or Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.

Then there is our culture's use of Holy:
Holy Cow;
Holy Hell;
Holy Terror;
Holy Mackerel;
Holy Smokes;
and being Holier-than-thou. Just to name a few...

We hear this word a lot. But what in the world does it mean? And how do we apply it to ourselves? Or can we?

Our Scripture reading this morning from Leviticus 19 provides much guidance for us along the ideas of what it means to be holy. The writer of Leviticus recorded the command from God to the gathered community to "Be holy, for I the Lord you God am holy." That is NO SMALL TASK. When we go to the dictionary, or dictionary.com in today's world, and look up the word HOLY, we get lots of different meanings. "To be specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated; as in holy ground." Another definition said: "living according to a strict or highly moral religious or spiritual system; saintly; a holy person." I think this is often what we think of, but I would like to challenge that idea this morning. I think of it in more simple terms--holy means being "set apart", "different", or "not like the rest".

Our Gospel lesson this morning from Matthew 22 is probably a very familiar passage for many of us. The lawyers are asking questions AGAIN, and Jesus answers them, but His answer is probably not how the lawyers and Pharisees expect. Growing up, I remember hearing these words and thinking to myself, "Wow, Jesus was this great thinker who just came up with these thoughtful and tough answers out of thin air all the time." Well, Jesus was a great thinker and did have great answers, but what I've come to realize is that Jesus was often reminding the Pharisees and his other listeners about things that were already written in Scripture. He was able to reinterpret the sayings and laws that were recorded in the Scrolls of the Torah--the law--to make them easier for us to understand and follow. He was able to basically summarize the teachings of the whole Torah--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy-- into two commands: "Love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength" and "love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself."

The first commandment is Jesus' restatement of Deuteronomy 6, and we spent some time a few weeks back looking at this passage. [See "What's on your Doorpost? Sermon from 9/14/08 posted below.] The second commandment is from the passage we heard this morning from the 19th chapter of Leviticus. The Jews and followers of Jesus during His day would have heard these commandments from Jesus and automatically associated them with these two passages in the Torah. They often had the Torah memorized. They knew the Scriptures inside and out. All it would take is a reminder of these phrases or chapters for the followers of Jesus to associate the two commands with the greater ideas they encapsulate. These two commands served as Memory Triggers for the hearers. Hearing a snip-it of Leviticus 19 would remind them of the whole 19th chapter. Hearing Leviticus 19 would remind them of all of the Torah. A Rabbi who lived a few years before Jesus was challenged to teach the whole Torah while standing on one foot. He quickly responded: "What is hateful to you do not do to others. The rest is commentary. Go learn." Sounds vaguely familiar--like The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…Love your neighbor as yourself and thus live a holy life.

If Jesus was using the “Love your neighbor as yourself” part of verse 18 from Leviticus 19 to help us remember the whole chapter, and thus the whole Torah law, then maybe Jesus was reminding us to "Be Holy because God is Holy." One big part of being holy is loving our neighbors as ourselves. I believe these two ideas “being holy” and “loving our neighbor as ourselves” are integrally related and apply to today as much as they did in Jesus' time. Being holy--being set apart--being different than the world around us. As Christians we are called to be set apart. We are to live in the world but not of the world as we sometimes hear. We are to be kind and generous to those around us. We are to show compassion, treat each other fairly, vote wisely, and act justly. We are to play fair on the soccer or football field, drive without road-rage, and share our lunches in the school cafeteria with those who don’t have enough to eat. Jesus commands us to love our neighbors and also love ourselves, while we ultimately love God with our hearts, minds and spirits. That is the small yet big idea of being holy.

There has been a lot in the news lately about plumbers. I must say I missed that debate, but all I hear on TV involves plumbers. Plumbers, especially Plumber Joe, have received a lot of publicity. So I will not pick on plumbers and use an electrician instead, but this can apply to most any daily situation. Say you have a light switch that is not working properly and need to call Joe's Electrical Services to come work on the switch in your house. Joe arrives, finds the short circuit, and fixes the problem. You then go to pay Joe for his hard work and give him a fair wage for his time and service. You're grateful that someone has the know-how to fix the problem and thank Joe for his work. Was that a holy moment?

Jewish thinking for this situation, as I understand it, would say this was a holy moment. Jesus, I believe, would say this was a holy moment. Thus we can also say this was a holy moment, whether we were aware of it at the time or not. The person receiving the services of the electrician paid fair wages for fair work. Joe was treated as the person would like to have been treated. If much grumbling about the price took place, or Joe charged a huge, unfair price, then the situation would have been very different, but that wasn't the case. Being holy, according to Leviticus 19, doesn't have to involve heavenly angels singing in the background or feeling extremely spiritual. It means being set apart and unlike the rest of society--treating others as you would like to be treated--loving your neighbor as yourself. And as we pay attention to our lives and actions more, we will likely begin to see even more regular moments in our lives in holy and set-apart ways.

So where does it leave us? How do we live out these ideas of being a good neighbor to those around us? How might we understand Jesus' words today and find them helpful in our 21st century world?

We spent time this morning in the Inquirer's Class discussing two documents from our Moravian tradition that help articulate what we believe and how we are called to live in the world. As I've thought more about the “Ground of the Unity,” which describes what we believe very succinctly, and the “Moravian Covenant for Christian Living,” which helps us see how we can live in this world, it struck me how closely the Covenant for Christian Living reflects this whole idea of how to be holy and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Both Leviticus 19 and The Covenant for Christian Living were written for a community to help the members to both live together and live in the world. I am even willing to go as far as saying we could rename the "Covenant for Christian Living" to be the "Covenant for how to live Holy, set-apart lives in community", but I guess that doesn't have as nice of a ring to it.

As I've re-read the Covenant again, one paragraph stuck out to me in light of Leviticus 19's command to “be holy” and “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Paragraph 29 reads: "We will not hate, despise, slander, or otherwise injure anyone. We will ever strive to manifest love towards all people, to treat them in a kind and friendly manner, and in our dealings with them to approve ourselves upright, honest, and conscientious, as becomes children o God. Together with the universal Christian Church, we have a concern for this world, opening our heart and hand to our neighbors with the message of the love of God, and being ever ready to minister of our substance to their necessities."

If you haven't read the whole Moravian Covenant for Christian Living, or haven't read it lately, there are copies available here up front for you to take home today. Spend some time this week looking over the Covenant for Christian Living and Leviticus 19. I hope sometime in the near future we can continue conversations about how we can encourage one another to live holy lives in this community and world, as I believe we can always be challenged to keep growing and learning as Children of God. And next time you need to call a plumber, shop in a store, or go vote, think about where those holy moments are in your daily life. You just might be surprised where you find opportunities and experiences to be holy-set apart as followers of Jesus. "Love God with all you have" and "love your neighbor as yourself." Words to live by... Words to encourage us to “be holy because The Lord our God is holy.”

Please pray with me:
Holy God,
We ask you today to help us be aware of the holy moments in our lives. We strive to do you work in our world and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Give us the strength and courage to live lives that are set apart and holy. Help us to help each other see the holy moments, name them, and use them as encouragement to keep being holy, set-apart followers of Jesus Christ. In Christ’s name, Amen.

"If You Want To Walk On Water..." (8/10/08, Proper 14A/Ordinary 19A/Pentecost +13)

“If you want to walk on water…”
Proper 14A/Ordinary 19A/Pentecost +13
Matthew 14:22-33
Sermon from 8/10/08
RMC Installation Sunday


Do you remember watching Saturday morning cartoons or seeing cartoon clips at the movie theater? Since the 1940s Looney Tunes have been making people laugh on screen and Television. My personal favorites of the Looney Tunes were the Roadrunner clips where the Roadrunner seemed to always be able to escape whatever crazy plot Wile E. Coyote was able to cook up. With his kits from the ACME Corporation, the coyote would try to trap the Roadrunner for his dinner, but somehow it never seemed to go as planned. It always seemed to happen that the Roadrunner would somehow escape and then Wile E. Coyote would end up with the swirlies going around his head dizzy from whatever befell him. The best part, I thought, was when Wile E. Coyote would take off running, come to the edge of a cliff of some sort, keep running, and then, in mid air, realize there was no longer ground below him. It wasn’t until he realized he was in mid-air that he would go crashing to the ground.

These Roadrunner cartoons remind me of today’s Gospel reading, or should I say, the Gospel lesson reminds me of the cartoons. In today’s passage from Matthew’s Gospel that tells about Jesus’ life, we heard about a particular boat trip that occurs immediately after the 5000 men (and don’t forget the women and children that were there too) were fed by Jesus and the disciples. They finish the meal, and Jesus sent them off to the boat to cross the Sea of Galilee.

When I picture this scene in my head, I often envision calm seas, a nice evening’s boat ride across crystal seas with winds enough to keep them moving. But this was not a night of calm seas and a cool, light breeze. No, this night, the seas were rough. The text mentions they were battered by the wind. Battered is one word… another way to see it might be to say they were in a storm of all storms—hurricane-force in nature. Many of these disciples were fishermen by trade, so spending time on the water was a normal part of life. They had experience on the sea. But that night, it might be something like taking fisherman from Jordan Lake near here and placing them on a fishing vessel hunting King Crab in Alaska like is feature on the Discovery Channel’s “The Deadliest Catch.” If you haven’t seen the show, it chronicles a number of different captains, their ships, and crews as they head out to the Bering Sea to bring back crab---lots of crab. But, as the show’s website notes, they are often dealing with 40 foot waves, freezing temperatures, and a nearly 100% injury rate for the crew. Not exactly an easy, calm boat cruise. We’re talking life or death here.

Given these conditions, it is understandable that the disciples in that boat might be scared. The text does not mention them being scared, though, UNTIL they see what they think is a ghost walking toward them in these conditions. Who in his or her right mind would be out at that time of night –somewhere between three and six in the morning—coming toward them on the water? Some readings of this passage note they were very far out, around three miles from land. The fear has set in for the disciples. Who or what is that coming toward us? Is it a Ghost? It can’t be a person.

That’s when they hear the comforting words from Jesus, “Take heart, it is I. Don’t be afraid.” He’s saying, “Have courage. I am. Don’t be scared.” Jesus is reassuring them of who he is. He is God with us. The “I AM” would have reminded the disciples and listeners of when Moses received the Sacred name of God at the Burning Bush recorded in Exodus 3 “I am who I am” (Yahweh). God is present. Jesus is God incarnate—God in the flesh—a God who comes to them on the water to give them courage to face their fears and move beyond the fear to grow.

If that wasn’t enough of an exciting story, Peter, the disciple we often hear about it for his episodes of faith and doubt, asks this Jesus this water-walking-God-with –us to command him to walk on the water with him. Peter steps out in faith from the security of the safe, sturdy boat to walk on the 40-foot “Deadliest Catch” seas that Jesus has just crossed to reach the boat.

John Ortberg writes about this passage in his book, “If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat.” And it’s true. Peter could not be a water-walker and stay in his seat with the security of the boat around him. In order to walk on the water, you must get out of the boat. Ortberg describes two types of people—Water-Walkers—those who take the risk and step out to follow Jesus on the adventure of faith—and Boat Potatoes—those who’s fear keeps them seated in the safety of the boat (or on the couch at home) and watch what is going on but often doubt they can do it themselves. These folks are content as eyewitnesses to God’s work, but do not want to be involved for whatever reason. They stay in the boat with their life jackets fastened, big orange floaties on their arms, and don’t dare stick their toe in the water until the boat is safely on the shore.

I remember back three years ago when I wanted to be a Boat Potato and stay put in Raleigh. I was content here, happy in the area, had friends and family near by, and was in school— following God’s call at Duke’s Divinity School. I had taken a step of faith and started Seminary. I thought I knew what was best and was content with where God had me. But then I started to feel an unsettled feeling prodding from God pushing me to take the step out of my comfortable boat and become a Water-walker. I remember arguing with God over a couple of weeks that I did not want to go to Pennsylvania to finish school and things were great in the Raleigh/Durham boat. The winters are cold in Pennsylvania, and it’s so far away. I had spent a semester in Heidelberg, Germany in college, but some how Bethlehem, PA seemed so much farther away for so much longer of a time.

But, against my better judgment, I took a step out of the Raleigh/Durham boat, packed up the Uhaul, and headed to Pennsylvania. I heard Jesus’ call to come, but still didn’t know how it was all going to work out. Would I sink? Would I swim? Would I walk on water? Would I take one step and sink in, like Peter, or fall off the cliff like Wile E. Coyote is so famous for?

Hind-sight is 20/20 they say, and I believe it is true for my water-walking in Pennsylvania. I had a wonderful three years in Bethlehem and Emmaus, served two great churches there, made lots of friends and even gained a whole new family to add to my family here. I certainly did not plan on meeting Steve and getting married while in PA, but looking back I see how God’s hand was involved in my whole experience. I would not trade the time for anything, and even found myself sad to have to say goodbye and see you later to my family and friends there—which I would never have predicted three years earlier. I have seen myself grow in ways I could not have ever expected, and God taught me many things when I took a step outside the boat. You may be asking if I had a sinking experience like Peter did when he took the step out. Yes, there were times when I saw the wind and the storm and wasn’t sure how to stay afloat, but each time I eventually was able to reach for the Savior’s hand and be pulled to safety.

But what about all of us? How do we relate to this story? Are we sitting in the boat watching it all take place, amazed at all going on and declaring, “Truly Jesus is the Son of God” like those in the boat at the end of the passage. Though the disciples inside the boat might be called Boat Potatoes, they too were integral in the story as eyewitnesses and their worship of Jesus was enthusiastically noted in the Gospel. Maybe things in life have been crazy lately, and you need a break to just sit and worship and be in awe of God’s work in the world, and you are sitting in the boat taking it all in. You need to be built up in this community of faith to gain strength and courage to make the next life-move. Perhaps you are listening for Jesus’ command, “Come” to take your first steps on the water, but just haven’t heard the words or felt the nudges yet.

Or maybe you are tired of being in the boat of life and are tired of being an only eyewitness to the big events. Maybe it’s your time to step out and be a Water-Walker. You’ve made up your mind and the nudges from God must be followed. So you take the step out in faith and are keeping your eyes on Jesus. Maybe it’s time to make the career change you have been waiting for. Perhaps the new school year is going to be the opportunity you need to live your faith in the classroom and you’re ready to take that step.

Or maybe, like Peter, you have taken the step and now find yourself “seeing the wind and the storm” and doubts have crept into your mind. You feel your feet sinking down into the water and are in the midst of calling out to Jesus for help and safety. Or maybe doubts flood your mind and you can’t even call out to God yet. Life has gotten so hard that the step of faith you made seems so long ago. Don’t worry. Peter knew that feeling. Many of us know that scary feeling. Not that it makes it any easier now, but Jesus’ hand of safety is within reach.

One of the beautiful things I find is how Peter is in all three of these categories in the story. He is comfortable in the safe boat and asks for a COMMAND to get out, not just a typical request—there is force in the COMMAND that he needs to leave his Boat Potato world to become a Water-Walker. Then He doubts, sinks, and needs Jesus to save him. For most folks, these three situations are all part of the faith journey. I know I can relate to all three aspects of the disciples’ journey here.

It is my hope that we can all help each other listen for Jesus’ command of “Come Raleigh Moravian, Step out of the boat, we’ve got some water-walking to do.” We have the wonderful opportunity to take where we have been, listen and work together, and figure out when and where Jesus is leading us as we enter this new phase of Raleigh Moravian’s history. It’s a journey, and the water may not always be as smooth as glass, but our boat is here. Are you ready to have a seat, put on your life-jackets, and take the boat trip of a lifetime to become Water-Walkers together? If you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat. Come on, We’ve got some water-walking to do. I am excited to be here to join in the ride with you. ALL ABOARD!!

Please pray with me:
God who walks on the water to be with us,
We thank you for the assurance that even in the midst of the storms of life, you seek us out and call us to you. Help us to have the courage to get in the boat ride of faith, and push us to grow to be water-walkers with you. We come from so many different backgrounds and life experiences, and we ask you to help us love and support one another in this journey as we discern your voice and seek your will. Be with us, guide us, and help us to feel your amazing love as we head out from this place to show your love to this community and world.
In the name of the one Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.