Rough Seas

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Walk on the ocean
Step on the stones
Flesh becomes water
Wood becomes bone

"Walk on the Ocean" by Toad the Wet Sprocket from "Fear" (1991)

Jesus made the disciples, the twelve apostles along with other believers, go to the other side of the sea, shipping them off in a boat while he saw off the rest of the crowds. For the first time in Matthew’s gospel Jesus sent the disciples off on their own.

For the disciples, it must have been like kids being sent off to camp for the first time. For Jesus, it must have been like being the parent of a kid being sent off to camp for the first time. No wonder Jesus went off to pray.

So later in the evening, early in the morning really, the boat was being buffeted by the waves. Headway was difficult and the sea was dangerous. Jesus didn't promise them an easy journey, he just told them to get going.

The sea holds a special meaning for these Jewish disciples. To them, the sea was a place of danger. Not only did they know the dangers of the sea fishermen knew first hand; they also knew from the creation story that the waters were the place of chaos. The waters were a place of danger and death. Their worst known and unknown fears were before their very eyes in the pre-dawn darkness.

Without Jesus their lives were in chaos, and they feared dying without him.

In their rain soaked wind battered vessel, suddenly, they see their Lord, Jesus Christ, walking toward them on the water.

“Is it a ghost?” “Nope” Jesus responds, “it’s just little ole me.” That’s the way it reads in English, but the people heard him say “I AM,” not “It’s me.” They heard him invoke the holiest of holy names for himself. That might have been even scarier than thinking they saw a ghost.

Jesus tells the disciples not to be afraid. Jesus tells them He is who he is, as the Lord God told Moses I AM WHO I AM. So Peter, the rock (and with a nickname like that shouldn't we have seen what’s coming next), he says, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus says, “Come” and Peter does.

It’s all good for a couple of steps; but when pummeled by the wind and the rain and the waves; the chaos of water and life overwhelm Peter and he begins sink. He cries again, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reaches out to Peter saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

The traditional reading of these last words of Jesus on the water is taken to tell the world that with a little more faith, Peter would have made it to Jesus. Imagine my surprise to find this is not what the commentaries say. The commentaries say this passage is about the church, the church represented by the ship.

Jesus sends the church onto the chaotic sea of creation. As then, we are called to do the work the Lord has sent us to do. We are to faithfully live our vocation as the people of Christ. This has been the call of the church since the days of Moses, since the days of Jesus, and this is the call we are still called to fulfill today.

But as usual, Peter has his own ideas. He sees the Lord on the sea and says, “If it is you, then command me to come to you,” and the Lord replies “Come.” People see Peter’s subsequent sinking as a sign that his faith isn't strong enough. With just a little more faith, Peter could have made it to Jesus and they could have walked together in victory to the boat. Well, that’s not it.

First of all, this command to come is not a case of Jesus testing Peter’s faith. This is Peter testing Jesus. “If it is you, then command me to come to you.” Jesus won’t tell a lie. He’s Lord, it is he, and he is who he is. Jesus is answering Peter’s question, “is it you?” the way he asked it be answered, “Command me to come!”

You gotta give it to Jesus; he answers our prayers even when it makes us look foolish.

So Peter leaves the relative safety of the boat and tries to get to Jesus on his own. And when Peter does, the treacherous world drops on his head and he begins to sink. Only to be plucked out of chaos by Jesus, the gracious Lord who takes Peter by the hand and returns him to the boat.

In the allegory, Peter not only leaves the boat, he leaves the church and tries to get to Jesus on his own. When we try to get to God on our own, inevitably chaos overwhelms us and we sink. When we leave the church, the church as the body of Christ, to find God on our own, we ultimately find ourselves sinking in the morass of chaos.

Peter’s little faith is not that he couldn't get to Jesus. His little faith was that he thought leaving the boat, the church, was the way to get to Jesus.

Walk on the ocean
Step on the stones
Flesh becomes water
Wood becomes bone

It's a lovely song, but God became flesh, water became wine, and we are to stay in the boat and wait for Jesus to come. Thanks be to God, this is the promise he gives us, he will come.

Tongues

1Corinthians 14:1-5

Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church. Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oye como va mi ritmo
Bueno pa gosar mulata

"Oye Como Va" written and performed by Tito Puente (While Carlos Santana took this song to a whole new place, it was written and originally performed by Tito Puente.)

The gift of tongues, perhaps the most misunderstood gift God has given the church. Some think that tongues is a "sealing of the Holy Spirit" and "you are not saved with demonstrating the gift of tongues." Others think it's "no longer a true gift of the church." The most skeptical opinion is probably "Sure, all of God's gifts are active in the church, but since tongues can be counterfeited and manipulated by anyone who can shriek and babble how can we trust anyone who claims to have it?"

Paul gives us two indications, the first is that the tongue must be interpreted to be of use to the church. If there is no interpretation the tongue would fall on figuratively deaf ears. The second is that the gift of tongues, as well as all gifts, are to build the body of Christ. That's central to what Paul is trying to get across to the church in 1Corinthians 14.

Yes, pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, pursue all of the gifts--every single solitary one of them, but especially the gift of prophesy. Prophecy is a word directly to the church. Prophecy is directly for upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation. Prophecy builds the whole body of Christ. Tongues can build the church too, but when the speaker uses a tongue to manipulate; God is not glorified.

Paul ends saying, "One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up." Paul teaches that it is better for the body to rise than just a single member. It is important for us each to "increase our walk in Christ." Each of us individually is to be obedient, to seek God, and to follow where the Lord leads. But even if every member rises in faith individually, it is better for the entire body to rise together.

God isn't looking for spiritual divas. Our God is a God of the rising tide that lifts the whole boat of the church. This is more important than everyone in their individual lifeboat, or worse, their individual yacht.

There were several reasons behind the choice of "Oye Como Va" for today's devotional. Particularly, among Anglos over the age of 45, this may be the only Spanish we know and we don't really know what it means. But we can sure sing along, even if we don't know the words.

A very loose translation (particularly with my lack of knowledge of Spanish, especially Spanish slang from 1963) could be "Check out my good enjoyable rhythm, my mixed-race friends!" A question about my interpretation of this tongue: Is Tito singing to a group of people who are mixed race Spanish-Native Mexican (the most common Mexican mulatto) or is he crying out to all peoples everywhere to come and dance?

I like to think he's calling people from all nations to come, enjoy the rhythm, let the music move you, and enjoy. Frankly, that would be a very good way of lifting the body of Christ, coming together and dancing to the music of Tito Puente. That might just be a good interpretation of this tongue.

Truly I tell you, far worse things have been done in the name of the Lord.

See Feel Touch Heal

James 5:14-16

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See me
Feel me
Touch me
Heal me

"See Me, Feel Me/Listening to You" from Tommy by Pete Towneshend recorded by The Who. This version recorded at Woodstock

There are times when some of the liturgy of worship may seem like so much voodoo. Healing is one of them. We ask ourselves just what can oil do? What kind of oil should be used in this anointing? Prayer as healthcare?

Tommy screams these words as a prayer to the world, a world he can hardly sense at all. The deaf, dumb, and blind kid has few senses left. He has little way to communicate. Language must be very difficult for someone who cannot process it by any sense. I can't know. But in The Who's rock opera, Tommy screams for contact. See me! Feel me! Touch me! Heal me!

James reminds the elders to anoint with oil. Olive oil, the oil of the day, does help sooth and clean wounds. Burns would be salved by this oil. The feel of the oil would be cool to the touch helping to heal a wound.

Prayer is surely a communication with the Almighty, but in this case it is also a communication with the afflicted. The person who is ill has someone or a whole crew of someones caring for them. Seeing, feeling, touching, and healing. There is care in contact that is lost when we keep our distance. Being close helps heal. Even when our touch does not have the skill of the surgeon, being close helps heal.

And when we have hurt one another, whether physical, psychological, or emotional, confession makes healing begin. So as James directs, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. Only when we acknowledge our pain, and the pain we have caused can healing begin.

Prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Looking Good, Feeling...

Genesis 37:3-4

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You gotta look sharp
You gotta look sharp
And you gotta have no illusions
Just keep going your way looking over your shoulder

"Look Sharp" by Joe Jackson

Leave it to Joseph, leave it to the one called "The Dreamer" that he would have illusions. Actually, come to think of it, he didn't have illusions. His brothers, his brothers who imagined that they could get him out of their lives--now they had illusions. Still, Joseph would have been served well to look over his shoulder.

Joseph was the eleventh of twelve sons of Jacob, who was also called Israel. He was the first son of his favorite wife Rachel. He was also "the son of Jacob's old age." Is it no wonder that Joseph got all the good stuff?

And is there any better way to tick off your brothers than stealing the love of your father?  You always knew your mother wasn't the favorite but now it's about you, not just the grown ups?  Little Joe had better keep looking over his shoulder.

Maybe this is a warning to parents: The kids know what's going on in the life of the grown ups.  They know something is going on.  It may be like the elephant in the room, and the kids don't know it's an elephant.  They may just think it's a big gray wall, but they know it's there and when they figure it out they'll be able to see it for what it is.

Joseph had illusions.  He had no idea the depth of his brother's hatred.  His brothers had some illusions, they thought they could be done with Joseph and his coat and his dreams.  Both Joseph and his brothers had to keep looking ove their shoulders.  But one thing we know from scripture is Jacob kept these things in the back of his mind.  In his own way, he was looking back as he looked forward.  The gospel says that's no way to live as a disciple of the Lord, but somehow it worked for Jacob.

Hearing the Silence

1Kings 19:11-13

The Lord said [to Elijah], “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

"The Sounds of Silence" written by Paul Simon recorded by Simon and Garfunkel from the album of the same name.

Elijah was running scared. He had just killed about 450 prophets of Baal and Asherah and his death at the hands of Jezebel was on the table. Time to run. A day out though, it was time to sleep. He slept and when he awoke there was a loaf of bread, some water, and a message from the Lord that it was time to get a move on. After forty days and forty nights, Elijah found a cave. This is where we come to this passage. The Lord told Elijah to go out of the cave and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord because the Lord was about to pass by.

Elijah leaves the cave and is met with enough natural disaster to impress an insurance adjuster and a Tornado Alley meteorologist. It begins with a wind tears mountains apart and shatters rock to pebbles. Then came the earthquake. Then fire burned. Of course these natural disasters came with their audio support. The rage of these disasters on the surroundings must have been impressive. But here's what Elijah knew. God wasn't in the noisy disasters.

As I read and contemplate and consider what I see on Facebook, I see that the Lord is not in the rage and the noise. God is in the quiet moments. The Lord wasn't in the storm, but in the silence that followed the storm.

In the anger and rage that consumes us, it's it's time to quit blowing like the wind that fell the mountains and shattered the rocks. It's time to quit shaking the earth. It's time to stop the scorched earth rhetoric. It's time to listen to the gentle whisper that comes after the fire. We'll never hear the Lord's whisper if we keep yelling.

I'm not going to tell you what the whisper says to you. The Lord is sovereign and will tell people what they are to hear I the silence. I'm going to tell you what it says in 1Kings 19:13, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Insert name here. What are you doing?

For You

Hebrews 9:11-15

But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

don't call for your surgeon,
even he say's it late,
it not your lungs this time
but your heart holds your fate
don't give me my money back,
don't want it anymore
it's not that nursery mouth I came back for
it's not the way you stretched out on the floor
I've broken all your windows
and I rammed through all your doors
and who am I to ask you to fight my wars
and you should know that’s true
(I came for you)
you should know that too
(I came for you)

I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
I came for you
I came for you, for you, I came for you

"For You" by Bruce Springsteen, this arrangement by Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Christ, the great high priest. He is God, yet came to life on earth not to take advantage of his divinity, but emptied himself taking human life humbling himself to death, even death on the cross. He did this so that every tongue would be able to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord for the glory of God the Father.

He did this for creation. He did this for us. He did this for you.

Christ the great high priest. He came as the high priest of the things to come, not the things that are today but the things to come. It used to be that to be made holy, acceptable to God, we would have to present a blood sacrifice. Some presented lambs, some presented rams, some presented bulls-each according to their ability to pay.

Christ presents himself. When the blood of the lamb of Christ is shed, what other blood could approach it? Our sacrifices of blood pale after the blood of the lamb.

Christ breaks down the barriers between the holy and the profane, making all holy again. Christ doesn't come to us because we are appealing, he doesn't come because we are worthy. He comes because we need him to come. It is Christ who has broken our windows, and crashed through our doors. Christ doesn't need us to fight his battles, because he has already won our battle.

Christ defeats death. Christ brings new life.

We should know that's true. He came for creation. He came for us. He came for you.

Angry at God

Exodus 34:6 (NRSV)

The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed,
“The LORD, the LORD,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I told the priest, Don't count on any second coming
God got his ass kicked the first time he came down here slumming
He had the balls to come, the gall to die and then forgive us
No, I don't wonder why, I wonder what he thought they'd get us
Hey, hey, good bye
Tomorrow Wendy's going to die

Tomorrow Wendy, Andy Prieboy

The video clip ends with this: "In the last four minutes, one more person has been infected with aids." I heard this song for the first time in the early 1990's. I don't know when this version was recorded or when that coda was added. One thing we do know is that people aren't "infected with aids," they are infected with HIV.

If there's one thing rock and roll has always been good at, it's anger. Andy Prieboy wrote this song about a friend named Wendy who was going to die, and die from AIDS. Wendy's death was all ready slow, and painful, and uncertain. In the early 90's AIDS was our leprosy. Wendy was cast away as unclean and Andy was angry. Rock and roll does angry very well.

We all have experience with anger, both giving and receiving. I can't imagine anyone not having been angry with God either. But it takes a special kind of daring to be so angry with God, so angry with impotence against this killer, so angry that intervention hasn't come despite prayers and works, so angry with God that we declare his ass kicked.

He had the balls to come, the gall to die and then forgive us-anger rings from these words. The singer sees God not only as impotent, but sees God as less than divine-and less than human. This anger has led to a fatigue, a fatigue that makes it so the singer doesn't even wonder why. This is truth. This was the '90's version of the '60's cry of "God is dead."

I just wonder what he thought it would get us? There is the old Bonhoeffer story of the two prisoners hung in the concentration camp. The guard asks Bonhoeffer "where is your God now?" His reply is that God is hanging right beside the two. Isn't that the way it has always been, God is hanging between the others who are set to be executed.

But even when we are angry-raging against God, the Lord is "abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Even when we are outcast by society, the Lord remains with us as the outcast. God's love does not overpower us, it builds us. And God is big enough to take the anger those God loves. God is confident of who God is and who we are.

We might wonder what it will get us, the answer God gives is new life in the face of certain death...whether death is pending or long off. New life is the promise and the gift we are to share, especially with Wendy.