Water walkers all

I was looking through my sermons in my on-line file and came across this one. I was attracted by the title, 'Water walkers all', so I read it.

It's really just notes, not a written out sermon, but I liked the quotes so much I decided to share it. It's from 2014.

And where it says "tell story", I have no idea what story I told.

Preachers don't remember their sermons much. Sermons are 'in the moment' things and slip away rapidly. I always smile and nod when people talk about a sermon I gave 3 weeks ago, but I usually don't remember it. When I give a sermon without a text and Bea asks me to send it do her, I have to do it Sunday afternoon, or I'm clueless!

But I like all the quotes in this outline so much, I wanted to share it.

WATER WALKERS ALL

“The crisis of faith is the crisis of the imagination. If we can't imagine ourselves walking on the water with Jesus, how can we ever do it?” --Denise Levertov at a meeting of poets and theologians.

*Jesus calls us to be water walkers, to come to him on the water.

*tell story.

-Sea of Galilee is really a lake, but the Mediterranean Sea is only 50 miles away. Warm, wet air from the Mediterranean comes in contact with the high places and cold air of the Golan Heights to the East of Galilee and unexpected storms can occur without warning.

-that's what happens to the disciples.

-when they see Jesus walking toward them, they are terrified. But he says, “Do not fear, it is I, do not be afraid.”

What he said in Greek was “ego eimi” which means literally “I am, I am” just what Yahweh told Moses when he asked what God's name was. Those Jews in that boat knew that.

Peter goes for him and sinks.

Jesus asked “Why did you doubt?”

 But it wasn't 'doubt' that was the problem...it was FEAR.

FEAR is our worst enemy...always and every time. FEAR dismantles us, makes us weak and sinks us in the sea.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem: THERE IS A DRAGON BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BEWARE LEST HE DEVOUR YOU. WE JOURNEY TO THE LOVER OF SOULS, BUT WE MUST PASS BY OUR DRAGON.

Comforting our children after nightmares...do not fear, I'm here, don't be afraid

When we walk on the edge, of all the light we have

and step off into the unknown,

we must believe that one of two things will happen:

There will be something solid for us to stand on

or we will be taught how to fly.

Water walkers for Jesus, stepping into the unknown for God, trusting the Spirit will give us somewhere to stand or teach us to fly.

(The thoughts in all my posts are mine alone--having nothing to do with the 3 rural churches I serve part-time.)