“I say to you, this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.
You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be, and one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls upon you to stand for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid.
You refuse to do it because you want to live longer. You’re afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you’re afraid that somebody will stab or shoot or bomb your house. So you refuse to take a stand.
Well, you may go on and live until you are ninety, but you are just as dead at 38 as you would be at ninety.
And the cessation of breathing in your life is but the belated announcement of an earlier death of the spirit.
You died when you refused to stand up for right.
You died when you refused to stand up for truth.
You died when you refused to stand up for justice.”
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From the sermon “But, If Not” delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church on November 5, 1967.
Below is a transcript of a recent message I gave at Project Church. I hope it encourages you.
I love the television show Deadliest Catch.
The allure of a show like this is the possibility, no probability, of danger and excitement. If the show was about fishermen on quiet waters, trust me, there would be no show. Each episode features rugged crab fishermen who are battling a furious sea in the hopes of scoring a boatload of crabs. There’s drama, tension, humor, adventure, action, and heartache. It makes for good television because it reflects real life.
We can relate because our life is like a ship a sea. Some of us stay close to the marina and others of us crank it up and head full blast into the unknown waters. There are days where the sun shines bright, the breeze kisses our skin, and the waters are gentle. Then there are times when the storms hit causing colossal waves to crash into our ship and often wrecking our lives.
I know for a fact that right now, many of you are here feeling the sting of the storm. Some of you feel lost at sea. You sense that all hope is lost. You’re out of work, your relationships are strained or falling apart at the seams, there’s more bills than money, you or a loved ones health has taken a turn for the worse, or your own messiness has finally caught up with you and now you’re dealing with the consequences.
Others of you are picking up the pieces after the storm with one eye on the reconstruction of your lives and one eyes on the clouds. But for now, you’re enjoying life and everything is cool.
Then there are the rest of you who never left the shore. (We’ll get to you in a bit).
Your life is like a ship.
Some days are smooth sailing.
But inevitably, a storm will hit.
What will you do then?
How will you make it through?
Jesus is no stranger to the storms of life as we will discover in this scene from Matthew 14.
Prior to this scene Jesus and his disciples had experienced two dramatic events. One was the beheading of John the Baptizer. He was a cousin of Jesus and a prophet who had a unique role in preparing the way for Jesus.
Shortly after Jesus heard the news he got in a boat (it seems) to have some time alone. Remember, Jesus at this time was fully human and fully God. Meaning, he experienced the pain of loss and the storms of life. Eventually, the crowds (a size of a sports stadium) caught up to him and we’re told he had compassion on them and healed them. It’s during this moment that he turned the fives loaves of bread and two fish and fed over 5,000 men plus the women and children. It was a miracle of biblical proportions. The disciples and the crowd just witnessed something unexplainable- unless of course, Jesus was the Son of God.
The scene then cuts to the perhaps the most infamous moment in the life of Jesus outside his crucifixion and resurrection. Let’s pick it up in verse 22 and look at the whole passage and then walk back through it together.
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And 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 and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Wow! That’s a powerful story. Yes, Jesus walked on water! But there’s so much more for us. Let’s look at the beginning of this scene.
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Notice who put the disciples into the boat. It was Jesus! He sent them into danger. It’s early evening and Jesus goes with the disciples and puts them in a boat doesn’t get in with them. I wonder what they were thinking? “So, are we just supposed to hang out in the boat?” “Anyone bring a deck of cards?”
Jesus went to pray until their ship was about 3-4 miles away. This was not by accident and something we can learn from.
First, this is a picture of what Jesus does for his people in Heaven. He is our mediator with God (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus knows the best teacher is experience and these 12 young men are about to experience something dramatic.
What Jesus wanted to teach them wasn’t on the safety of the shore but in the danger of the unknown waters.
He does the same with you and I. Have you ever felt like you were a ship a long way off from shore. Ever wondered if God was there? Ever felt alone? Hopeless? Confused? Ever think that perhaps God wants you to feel like that? To get to the end of yourself? To find yourself in situations that are uncomfortable and unsure?
Like the wind which was against the disciples, so it seems like everything is against you. Can you feel it? Fear creeps into the bottom of your gut and worry and anxiety fill your mind. WHERE IS JESUS NOW?!!!
I’ve been here. I’ve been here so many times in my life and I’ve shed angry tears wondering where God was. Whether it was the death of good friends or the heartbreak of love lost or the helpless feeling of being out of work. I have been there!
Storms are a great teacher and God uses them to teach us and to grow us. He’s like a parent who seeks to develop us into the people we’re meant to be. Sometimes, the storms are discipline, consequences of our actions. Other times, they are teachable moments in life that shape us. We often pray for God to get us around the storms but really he wants to get us through them. Growth comes by going through the storm, not by avoiding it.
Have you been there? Are you there right now? Do you feel like a small ship overwhelmed by a giant raging sea?
In moments like this, our view of Jesus is critical. If he is merely a good teacher or a prophet of old, then what good is he right now? The teacher and prophet is up in the safety of a mountain, probably under shelter, away from the fury of the storm.
But if you believe Jesus is who says he is. God become man who loves you and promises to never leave you. If you can hear his voice in Isaiah 43:1-2 where he says, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, YOU ARE MINE. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Is this your Jesus? Only this Jesus, the real Jesus, can rescue you and I. Not just from the circumstances of our life but from the depravity of our own soul. Jesus cares about both your life and eternity. Without Jesus, your heart is a ship at sea and it will tip over and wreck unless you believe that Jesus indeed is God who came to rescue you from your sins. The good news is Jesus has come like a rescue-diver to save us. He never lets go. Check out this clip from the film, “The Guardian.”
Can you see Jesus in that? I hope so.
Jesus has left the comfort of heaven to the messiness of earth to save you. He is the Great Rescuer.
Let’s continue.
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
The fourth watch is between 3am-6am. This storm has come at the darkest time of the night and the disciples have spent about 9 hours battling this storm. At sea, that feels like forever. But Jesus walks on water to them and he rose from death for us. He does the impossible and THIS IS FREAKY to the disciples in the boat!
The disciples try to use their limited human description to describe the indescribable. How would you feel if you saw what they’re seeing? Their fear has kicked into high gear and Jesus calms the sea of their heart by saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
As the storms rage in our lives, he says the same thing to us. “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” He’s calling you to a furious faith.
And 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 and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Don’t you think Peter is being foolish here? Jesus is calling him to a furious faith. A faith so explosive it sees not the storms, but Jesus. Peter is walking on water! The same dude who will later deny Jesus three times when it mattered most. God has a habit of calling unlikely people to do unlikely things. This is one of them. Imagine the thrill.
For a moment in time, Peter experience something none of us will. He walked on water. To do that, he had to leave the boat of safety. What’s your boat? What’s your source for safety and security besides God? If you don’t know just look at what you’re afraid of. Your fears will tell you what your boat is.
The story takes a turn.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Peter saw the wind. To see the wind he had to take his eyes off Jesus. Peter doesn’t sink and become afraid. He becomes afraid and then sinks. There’s a big difference.
We could focus on Peter’s failure but perhaps there are 11 bigger failures sitting in the boat. Peter’s the only one with the guts to get out of the boat.
Some of you are sitting in the boat but Jesus is calling you outto him. Peter didn’t ask for a guarantee, just a chance. A chance to come after Jesus and get a taste for the life in full. God’s calling is not to survive- it’s to be faithful.
This is why some of us don’t even leave the shore. We’re scared.
Fear prevents many of us from doing what God has called us to do. I’ve heard it said that fear and faith cannot reside in the same heart. it’s true. We must choose to trust God or see the wind.
Is there anything in your life that you’re doing that you could not do without God? If not, dream bigger. God calls his people out of the boat.
Faith calls us into some crazy places I know. The Spirit of God leads us beyond what is normal. A raging storm in the middle of the night. Living on less so you can give more to those in need. Taking a new job. Staying where you’re at. Teaching in a dangerous place. Beginning a new business. Going back to school. Starting a church.
Why not put your faith in the one who can make the winds cease. The one who is not only above all, but in all. He’s right there with us calling us to a better story. Hope got Peter out of the boat and hope is calling you out too.
This is why he gave us the church. We need each other because together we’re called to do something far greater than any one of us can do alone. To bring good news and be good news to this world.
Churches are not called to safety, they are called to be far from shore. For churches, storms are not unusual, but expected. Jesus commands his church to leave the boat of safety and walk on water to him. He’s on a rescue mission in this world and has called us to join him in a journey of faith, hope, and love.
Are you a part of a church community? If not, let encourage you to connect with one that’s centered on Jesus, guided by scripture, driven by the gospel, and rooted in love.
Finally, if you’re in the midst of a storm, let me leave you with this: God’s love for you is more furious than the storm. He has promised to be with you. Nothing is beyond him. He is greater than we can ever imagine, better than we realize, and bigger than your storms.
All around us are shattered hearts, broken lives, and fractured stories.
Clearly, this world is not as it should be.
Have you ever felt like there was more you could do?
Me too.
As a human being, I want to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
As a recovering hypocrite, my aim is to decrease the gap between what I believe and how I live my life.
As a communicator of the gospel of grace, my desire is to follow the example of Jesus and not just proclaim good news but also be good news.
During a recent teaching at my church we came across Matthew 25:35-40 where Jesus talks about the least of these.
How when we feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, take in a stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those behind bars, we’re essentially doing it for Jesus.
Or as my 7-year-old daughter puts it, “When we give people a hug, we give God a hug.”
How right she is.
I reflected on that passage, looked at myself, and thought, “There’s gotta be more I can do.”
I looked at myself even more and thought, “I’m fat and need to get in shape.”
So I started thinking through this idea:
What if I set a goal to lose weight and get in shape in the next 3 months, and during that time, encouraged others to donate a dollar for every pound I lose directly to a cause relating to Hunger, Water, Shelter, Clothing, Sickness, and the Enslaved?
So this is my mere attempt to be what I believe.
I know we can’t change every story but together, we can help make some better.
When two become one flesh and express their love through intimacy it may be the most harmonious and wondrous acts we humans can experience.
It’s profoundly beautiful.
It’s a gracious gift from the Creator to his beloved creation to be enjoyed.
The tragedy is how scandalously we’ve treated the gift of sexuality.
Religion has stained it with stigmas, limits, and regulations.
Self-centeredness has emptied it of its potential for meaning, beauty, and love.
What if we embraced the gift as it should be?
Two becoming one.
Naked and unashamed.
Hearts in harmony, bodies in rhythm, eyes in ecstasy.
Seeking to please one another, enjoy one another, for one another.
Marriage is the canvas in which we paint exotic portraits of passion.
We have liberty to explore new colors, try new shapes, or use familiar strokes.
Free from the shallow waters of self-interest and the nasty skid marks of religiosity.
Like heat is an expression of the sun, sexuality, like all of life, is to be an expression of the gospel.
The gospel calls us to live not for ourselves, but for others, beginning in our relationships.
We love recklessly knowing we drink from the endless fountain of God’s love.
Gospeling one another in everyday moments leads to gospeling one another in our intimate moments- and this produces magical moments.
The essence of gospel sex is this: Love first.
We love first because Christ first loved us.
The raging waterfall of gospel sex comes from the rushing river of God’s love.
Our capacity to love one another is deeper than we can dream, more vivid than we can envision, and more exciting than we can imagine.
Our challenge as husbands and wives is to be selfless, passionate lovers who desires our beloved, cares for our beloved, and continually pursues our beloved for the rest of our lives.
I can not prevent a broken heart, for in doing so, I would prevent you from experiencing love.
I can not prevent a scraped knee, for in doing so, I would prevent you from climbing new heights.
I can not prevent a wounded ego, for in doing so, I would prevent you from becoming a humble leader.
I can not prevent a fear of the unknown, for in doing so, I would prevent you from overcoming fear and living life one step at a time into the unknown.
I can not prevent an uncomfortable silence, for in doing so, I would prevent you from seeing the danger of comfort.
I can not prevent a hurtful insult, for in doing so, I would prevent you from finding your identity is not rooted in what others say.
I can not prevent a few wrong turns, for in doing so, I would prevent you from discovering a better way.
I can not prevent an awkward moment, for in doing so, I would prevent you from realizing you are wonderfully, and utterly, human.
I can not prevent an embarrassing situation, for in doing so, I would prevent you from learning to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously.
I can not prevent occasions of doubt, for in doing so, I would prevent you from unlocking what it means to have faith.
There are days when my heart is as “Cold as Ice” as 80’s artists Hall & Oates would say. This has bothered me because the things that should break my heart didn’t. Real Jesus-like, I know.
My prayer over the last several years is that God would thaw my heart. That He would break my heart for the people around me and for my city.
The ice is melting.
It’s like God has given me new eyes to see. And there are days that it crushes me. I can see hurt in others much clearer now. I see needs that I overlooked before. I can’t even read the local newspaper anymore without being broken-hearted about what’s going on around me.
My wife and I were engaged in a conversation with a young couple recently. The gal had gone to church most of her life. She knew lots about God. But when the topic of God’s grace came up- she broke down. She had some pretty crummy things done to her and things she had done to herself. And in all her years of going to church, she had never grasped God’s grace. The single greatest message we have and somehow- week after week- she didn’t hear this good news at church. She could however tell us the “to do’s” and “not to do’s” of being a Christian.
My heart broke for her. What makes me sadder is I can tell she wants to believe it- but thinks its too good to be true. In reality, nothing can be more true than grace. God can not love her any more or less than he does right now. He loves her as she is and not as she should be. And He has a life of meaning for her beyond the “do’s” and “don’ts”. She fully comprehends how much she’s blown it. Now all she needs is to believe how much God loves her. I’m praying for her to believe what she so desperately wants to believe.
On this relational journey, I hope my heart will remain soft and break often for people. That I not somehow end up jaded, religious, self-righteous, self-centered, judgmental, and frozen.
I’m discovering that the best way to keep the ice from forming on my heart is to do what Jesus said: Love God and people.
For the record, the thoughts expressed here do not necessarily represent my family, my friends, my church, my employer, my dog, or the human race in general.
Thank you
