Walk on Water #A
Reinbeck UMC
2/24/2010
Last Sunday we started talking about water walking and getting out of our boats. It occurs to me that it might be a little easier to get out of our boats if we understand the boats we in which we are sailing.
When my family lived in Michigan, I remember walking along the big marinas looking at the huge cabin cruisers. Perhaps you have seen big marinas in your travels. I always enjoyed reading the names of the boats. Some people get very creative. For instance, the boat named
A-Loan-Again
What College Fund?
How about the Never Sink II
One more- how about this one Anchor Management
Unfortunately, I don’t think any of our boats are going to have cute names like that. I cannot tell you for sure, but I suspect we may have names more like “too much pride,” “I serve my Job,” or “Money, money, money”
I can’t tell you what they name of your boat is. I suppose I am grateful for that. I have enough problems dealing with my own boat if you know what I mean.
I can’t tell you the name of your boat, but I want to try to think through the process and see if you can put a name on our boats together.
First, let’s take out attention off of Peter for a moment.
· Thinking about the story I read tonight, what was the rich young ruler’s boat? What did he want most of all to keep. (I think his possessions) Maybe his boat is called “Too much stuff”
· Or think of Paul on the road to Damascus
Ø Let’s think about the other 11 people in that boat that night so long ago. The 11 other than Peter. I can’t speak for all of them, but the gospels give us a pretty clear picture of some. Perhaps you will see yourself. . .
· Perhaps James and John- the fisher-brothers were in a boat called Pride—After all weren’t they the ones who wanted to sit at Jesus Right and left side? Look Around you to see if you share a boat with James and John. If yours has to be the biggest, best boat- and you like everyone to know it- maybe you are in a boat named “Look at me.”
· Perhaps your boat mate is Matthew, also called Levi. He was a tax collector. You might think money was his boat, but if that were the case, why would he ever follow Jesus? I think it is more likely that power is his boat. Power to take what he wants- power to make people do as he wishes. Power. Do you hang on to power? Like to wield power? Relish the attention and energy you get from being in charge? Maybe your in the boat called “More power”
· Perhaps your boat mate is Thomas. Not because you doubt, but because you depend on rational evidence, thinking, and your own intelligence. Though I don’t think this is my primary boat, I have to admit I have a foot in this one. When confronted with a problem, one of my first responses is to try to figure it out logically and somehow I believe that if I can figure it out in my head, the solution will also come from my head. I am usually disappointed in that expectation. How about you- does that sound familiar? The boat called “I can figure it out.”
· Perhaps your boat mate is the infamous Judas. I have done a lot of thinking about poor Judas, and I think we make him out to be too evil. I doubt that his intention was to see Jesus killed. I doubt that he wanted to be the one to be known as the betrayer. I suspect that he had a plan in mind. He had a vision of how this Kingdom Jesus kept talking about was going to happen. It had nothing to do with crosses and empty tombs. It certainly didn’t have anything to do with dusty donkeys. I think He had a plan and he thought if he backed Jesus into a corner, Jesus would have to emerge on his big white stallion and save the day, instituting the kingdom along the way. Dr Phil would ask him, “how’s that working for you Judas?” as he watched Jesus hang on the cross. How about you? Might your boat be called “the my way”
· With the exception of Peter the other 6 disciples are something of a mystery to us. But that’s OK because you can pick any one you want as your boat mate.
o Might your boat be called “bigger toys or more toys?” because you place a great value on your things?
o Might it be called “My Job” or “my time” or “My house” Maybe it is just called the mine!
o Do you place your faith in a human relationship, find your meaning in being successful- whatever that means to you?
o Or perhaps like me- Yes- I’ll tell you my main boat is security. I have been to the brink of thinking I was going to loose my house, my health, my mind, and my self esteem by declaring bankruptcy. Many years ago I was to the brink of thinking I was going to loose my family. We have had our house burglarized loosing the pictures of Amber’s first Christmas. .I have lost jobs and status, and hope, and retirement plans and a business, and self esteem and my greatest fear is not that I won’t have enough, I don’t need a lot, but I fear that someone will take away what I do have. My boat is named “stability” “safety.” or “security”,
If someone laid out in front of you- all your stuff, all your relationships, all your roles, all your dreams, all your strength, all of your gifts—all of anything you have both tangible and intangible. And you had to start giving things away. What would be the last thing you would give away--- the thing you would hang on to the longest? That just might be your boat.
Think about it--- pray about it--- I would like you to separate from whom ever you might be sitting with. Take some very private time in prayer- in your pew, at in the chancel, wherever you want to be. Then write the name of your boat on the paper- Nice and big like it is going to go on a boat. When you are ready, but not before, bring it up and put it in the boat face down so no one sees it. When you are ready to have communion come to me one at a time please to receive communion and a prayer. When you have had communion and a prayer, you may kneel again in prayer, return to your seat, or quietly leave. The service will continue and I will be here as long as anyone else is in the sanctuary.
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