Walking on Water
Notes
Transcript
Boats were utilitarian - travel by boat to get you somewhere - 1950s the advent of airplane
Bad thing for ships? Good! Poor travelers to wealthy seeking entertainment; keep people on the boat longer, spend money; destination was secondary
Wealth as a means to luxury, job as a means to success - church is a place for it’s members - these are all means to get us where we need to go
Story is about 2 sets of choices we have to make to get off this boat:
go or stay
get out or stay in,
focus or sink.
Go or Stay
Alone time with God - to prepare for the storm, rest from ministry (burnout)
(sent into a storm, whether we anticipate it or not) remember who directed us there?
storms we go straight into or create -
confirmation church history, polarization (for or against, choose a side, no listening or understanding) politics, brokenness, negative thinking; (inside church? Get away from that?) apathy (inside the church? Church no different?)
Storms where we are sent - reconciliation / tox, Detroit (pictures of the good stuff) (drunk, abrasive, smell; ;dirty)
I would rather be sent to a storm, than deal with one I’ve created myself
we are sent to others Invited into the waves
Get out or stay in
Want to walk on water, get out of the boat (ortberg)
Good reasons to stay in - danger, hurt, inadequate, depression, rejection, shame
Bad reasons - apathy, country club mentality - church exists for the sake of its members, not the world, fear
Nothing miraculous happens until Peter gets out - God acts when we do;
miracles on the mission field
Stay safe, no miracles
Let go and let God - I see it: desperate, vulnerable, powerless
I don’t see that a whole lot in the Bible - listen, go, and let God
We see the storm, stay safe or get out? Risk in ministry, loss of comfort keep us in the boat?
Jesus is the only thing getting Peter out of the boat (listen)
Focus or sink
Peter - focus or sink
Political Labels - focus on political partisanship
Theological Labels - focus on denomination
Focus on the inside of the building - preferences, comfort, safety
Focus on Jesus!!!
Am I just saying read the Bible, come to church and pray? Foundational practices: corporate worship, Scripture and listening to God in prayer
Remember why we are….here?
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
What do I mean by focus on Jesus? : the least of these
Matthew 25...sheep and the goats...who gets praised, who gets judged
40 ...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
45 ...whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
The focus on Jesus means the focus on the least of these.
Invite the stranger (not wait for them) hospitality means wait? To not is to not invite Jesus
Clothing people - clothes are expensive, temporary, style (social?)
To ignore the least of these is to ignore Jesus;
When that happens, do we stay in the boat? Take a few steps out and sink, or focus on Jesus and keep walking