"All Welcome Aboard"
The ship of Christ is powered by the wind of the Holy Spirit - climb aboard!
Sermon Preached by
The Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling
Sunday, June 4, 2006
Text: Matthew 14:22-33
I saw a sticker on a telephone pole last week that said: “I'm looking for a summer job, please help. Here is my number.” As I looked at the sign, I remembered when I was a student desperate for summer employment. I began reminiscing about some of my summer jobs, particularly during my latter high school and early university days. One particular job has always stood out in my mind; I have never forgotten it, for it is somewhat unique. I was hired with a group of three other guitarists and singers to play aboard a cruise ship in Bermuda. When people boarded the cruise ship (I remember it well - it was called “the Sea Venture”), they would come up the gangplank be greeted by us singing and playing calypso songs and various other melodies.
It was tremendous. We met all kinds of people - no tips, mind you, but we met a lot of great people. That job was one of the joys of my life. But, being students, we always had a little bit of fun with the people who were boarding. Just after they had raised the gangplank, we always broke into a rendition of “Will Your Anchor Hold in the Storms of Life?” People would then wonder whether they should continue for the rest of the voyage! Did we know something they didn't? I would always think of this song whenever we encountered rough waters or storms would come up, because even sailing in the summer between Bermuda and New York, we could still meet up with some terrible storms. How frightening it is to be out of control on a boat and to be tossed by the winds and the waves of the sea! It's an awesome experience before an awesome power. Therefore, when I read this morning's text of the disciples on board a boat on the Sea of Galilee, I can identify with their fears. It is terrible to feel at the mercy of the forces of nature.
Now, we read in this passage that Jesus himself had just quietly gone up on a mountaintop and had a moment of prayer as was his custom, as I mentioned last week. He went up onto a mountaintop and prayed and meditated. Meanwhile, the disciples were on a boat, being tossed and turned in a storm. I think the life we live is analogous to the life of the disciples. When we are in storms of uncertainty, when we feel tossed and turned by the vicissitudes of life, we need to do what the disciples did: to invoke Jesus' presence and to ask him to come aboard.
The Sea of Galilee could be very unpredictable. It lies 690 feet below sea level surrounded by hills and mountains as high as Mount Herman, at 9,200 feet. And so the Sea of Galilee was like a fishbowl. When the winds started to rage, like a fishbowl the Sea of Galilee would have horrendous storms, and because it was below sea level, they were exacerbated. In the midst of this storm the disciples didn't know what to do. They cried out and Jesus, after having had his time of quiet and prayer, came down and went to them.
I think it is fair to say that everyone in this church today or listening this morning must feel just a little bit like our world has been rocked. I think that when we heard about people right here in the Toronto area who have allegedly been plotting acts of terrorism, we realize that there are people in our society who want to kill us and our fellow Canadians. This is not something that we take lightly. This is serious, and we are going to have to live with it. If we are not at least a little bit frightened and a little bit concerned, then I think our heads are in the sand. This is a time when there is uncertainty, not only here, but in the world at large. It is a turbulent life and world that our young confirmands are going to grow up in. It's going to be a time and a world of uncertainties, just as the history of the world always is.
In the midst of this, we need to bring Christ on board. I say so not because Christ is always going to just calm everything down and make the world a tranquil place overnight like magic, but because he will be with us and if he is with us, then we have the peace and the assurance of his presence.
I know there are people who look at the story we've read this morning with incredulity. They look at the report that Jesus walked on water as he came over to the boat through the storm and they dismiss it as a silly idea written by people of faith, who are imposing this faith on the text. Well, I think it's true that the people who wrote the gospels were people of faith, but I would ask the question that N.T. Wright asked, “Would you want to read a book about Beethoven written by someone who is tone deaf?” No. You would expect that the writer would understand the quality of the events, would have the insight into what was occurring.
So it is with faith. It was the faith of those who witnessed this event that informed their view of what was taking place. But I would say it was what took place that also informed their faith. For what the disciples saw when Jesus came over to them was clearly something unique, but it was something in keeping with their whole view of God.
There is an amazing passage in the Book of Psalms that talks about how God can control the waters of life. This is what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 107:
Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
They have seen the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.
They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And were at their wits' end.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
Those who witnessed that moment when the storm was quieted by the presence of Jesus believed that God was present in the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, that God was calming the waters through Christ. It is not then beyond our imagination or beyond our faith to believe that God can do things that are beyond our ability to understand. And if you believe that, then the presence of Christ on that boat was a sign of God's activity and presence on their behalf.
And so my friends, and particularly the confirmands: When the storms of life are tossing you and when the challenges of life and history are before you, remember that it was God in Christ who was able to calm the waters, who was able to still the waves, who was able to save the disciples in their dilemma. What better reason, then, it to bring God aboard our own lives.
A friend of mine visited a church some time ago where the sexton had been washing the floors in one of the hallways and had put up a great, big sign: “Please don't walk on the water!” Then in the corner, “Matthew 14, verses 22-33.” Well, I would say to you, no, perhaps we're not going to be walking on the water, but we don't need to if Christ is present - he's already come on board. I want you to think today, when you're coming forward and making your confession, that you're inviting Christ to board your life.
There is also a sense on this day that Christ invites us aboard his ship. I remember that when the people stepped on the gangplank to board our ship, there was a person who took their tickets and checked their identity. There were some people who were turned away. There would be locals who would dress up as tourists. They would wear tacky, bright clothing and have cameras around their necks, just so they could get a free sail to New York. So, whoever was checking had to be very, very clear. It was interesting because after a while we could identify who the frauds were. It was amazing. You could always tell - their knees were already a nice, dark brown! And so, checking how you got on board was necessary.
How do we get on board Christ's ship? How do we enter into the great voyage with Christ? Well, the symbol is very simple and it has lasted thousands of years. It is called “baptism and the laying on of hands.” What you are having done here this morning in this place goes back thousands of years. It goes back to the anointing of the heads of the kings of Israel as a sign of God's blessing. It goes back to the early church and the earliest Christians, who had the laying on of hands and the blessing of Christ. So you will have, in a sense, your ticket to enter the boat. But you will also be asked to dine at the captain's table.
At the end of the last voyage of the summer on the Sea Venture, the great treat was that those of us who sang and played could dine with the captain - this was a great honour. The only problem is that as 17- and 18-year-old young men, we had nothing to wear. We had jeans and shorts and Hawaiian shirts, we looked tacky as anything. All we could do was sit at the captain's table dressed as we were, but you know, it didn't matter. The captain was pleased to honour us with his presence and was grateful that we had been part of his crew.
Today, you dine at Christ's table, at the Captain's table, at the head table. And Christ serves you himself, and you dine with him, and you take what he offers you. It is the gift of life, and it is the gift of forgiveness, and it is the gift of peace, and it is the gift of courage, and it is the gift of hope. In response, you do what we're all doing now… you worship.
The famous theologian Karl Barth said that for the Christian, worship is one of the most momentous, urgent and glorious actions in the whole of life. It is something to be enjoyed, something to be cherished. When the disciples finally were saved on the boat, they got on their knees and worshipped him. There's only one response to Christ that is really worthy of what he has done for us: to worship.
Today, you are part of a great and glorious tradition. Throughout the world this day, according to the latest census, more than two billion people call themselves Christian. You are amongst that two billion, but you are still surrounded by their faith and by their belief. You are part of something greater than you can ever imagine. And when you're confirmed, you're coming on board a ship that is carrying millions and millions of people from every continent, with every skin colour, every language. You are joining them on board that ship. Isn't that an awesome thought? This day, throughout the world, we all celebrate the very power that moves that ship - it is the wind of the Holy Spirit. My prayer for you and for all of us today, is that we will be touched and moved by the power of the Holy Spirit and that we, as people on board Christ's ship, will move gloriously forward knowing that no matter what the waters do around us we are his and he is ours and the Holy Spirit is our power. It's a great day. Amen.
This is a verbatim transcription of the original sermon.