Fear And Faith
Children's sermon
Illustration
Preaching
Sermon
Worship
Object:
When the news came of a bombing in the heart of downtown Oslo, many people's first reaction was to assume that it was the dreadful work of some shadowy Islamic terrorist group, intent on exacting revenge for the Norwegian government's support of various military operations in the Arab world. And when it was accompanied by word of a horrific slaughter of more than 75 innocent children at a remote island youth camp, it seemed almost impossible to wrap our minds around how someone could plan and execute such a twisted, evil vision. As it turned out, initial suspicions were inaccurate and (in echoes of the bombing in Oklahoma City) these savage murders were the handiwork of a homegrown terrorist bent on publicizing his extreme nationalist and anti-Muslim views and inspiring copycat attacks elsewhere. However, while terrorists may differ in their individual aims and worldviews of terrorists, their purpose is always the same: to generate fear among the populace... and it's almost impossible to think of something that generates more fear (particularly for parents) than attacks on defenseless children.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer notes that a sense of deep, abject fear is almost endemic to modern existence -- and so trying to protect ourselves to whatever degree possible seems to be the only rational response. Whether it's personal security or national security, we're simply trying to take steps to deal with our fears by attempting to insulate ourselves from events that are often completely beyond our control. As Dean points out, that sense of terror is also at the heart of this week's gospel text about Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Peter and the other disciples think they're doing all right in the relative security of a boat -- but when a storm threatens to overwhelm them and they see a ghostly apparition as well, they become paralyzed by fear. Jesus tries to calm them and calls Peter to come to him. Walking across the water in faith, Dean suggests, is surely not an instinctive response when we are in the firm grasp of fear -- and when Peter takes stock of his surroundings, he predictably begins sinking beneath the surface of the waves. Dean reminds us that the same exact thing happens to us when we let our fears control our reactions... yet Jesus is out on the stormy sea of life with us, calling us to come across the waves to him -- even waves as senseless and overwhelming as those recently generated by a homicidal madman in Norway.
Team member Roger Lovette shares a brief meditation on this week's Psalm text and the comforting word it offers to a world gripped by fear and feeling overwhelmed by an unceasing tide of bad news. Roger notes that this passage is an affirmation that, just as Jesus was with Peter and the other disciples in the midst of a storm, God is always with us and never abandons us -- even in the worst circumstances that life can put in front of us.
Fear and Faith
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 14:22-33
Several years ago on the television drama The West Wing, two characters were taking about things that scare them -- or, in their words, "creep them out."
"Bridges!" says Josh, "those great big ones. Every time I drive over one I think about it falling and all of us plummeting to our deaths and how horrible that would be. Don't you ever think of that when you cross a bridge?"
Leo's brow wrinkles in thought. "Well, not until now!"
Fear is like a virus that infects and spreads and reinfects. It can cause blindness, paralysis, even death. It is contagious and spreads from person to person, group to group. And it sometimes brings about reactions that are worse than the disease itself.
The gospel calls Christians to respond to fears in a different and more authentic way, but not necessarily an easier one.
THE WORLD
Sixteen-year-old Julie Bremnes huddled beneath a rock with three of her friends and listened to the gunfire and the screams. As she hid, she sent a frantic text message to her mother: "We are in fear for our lives".
How her mother Marianne's hands must have trembled as she texted back: "I understand. Stay hidden."
We can only imagine the terror that this child and her friends felt as they hid and waited for help to come and the profound and terrible fear that must have gripped her mother as she sat helplessly in her home, counting the 90 long minutes until her daughter was rescued.
In the end we learned that the perpetrator of this horror was not a Muslim extremist, as many of us assumed it must be, but a native Norwegian, Anders Breivik, a right-wing extremist whose own fear of Islam was so great that it had somehow twisted his mind to the point where he thought that killing Norwegian teenagers at a summer camp, and absolute strangers in downtown Oslo, was going to make him less afraid.
Now we are left with our fears of extremists of every stripe. What will our response be?
Here in the United States we can empathize with our Norwegian brothers and sisters. The wounds left ten years ago this September 11 are still tender and our anxieties are still real. We know the grief and the fear that they are feeling.
We applaud their Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, when he says that this horrible act will not keep Norway from being a kind, tolerant, and gentle country. But we also realize that neither can it be business as usual. Security will tighten. Barriers will go up. Trust will be eroded.
That's what fear does.
It is not just international terrorism that we fear. Senseless crime and violence invade our sense of security. In Columbus, Ohio, a young man is shot and killed over a baseball cap. In New York City, a child walking home from school is abducted and murdered by a person from whom he asked directions.
What's the solution?
Shall we give up? Shall we arm ourselves and turn the whole world into Tombstone, Arizona, circa 1881, every parking lot the OK Corral? Shall we look upon every stranger as a potential enemy and surrender to the notion that we are all nothing but potential victims waiting to be brutalized? Shall we teach our children to fear and hate because that is the only sane, rational, and prudent alternative in a world gone mad?
THE WORD
Immediately after the miracle of loaves and fishes (the feeding of the 5,000), Jesus sends his disciples across the Sea of Galilee and -- needing some personal/private time -- arranges to meet them on the other side. As they are crossing the lake, however, a storm comes up making their journey both difficult and frightening.
As if the blowing wind and rain aren't scary enough when you are stuck in a boat in the middle of the lake, they look up and see an apparition that looks like nothing so much as a ghost coming toward them, walking on the water.
These men are not fools. Their response to all of this is what we might expect: fear. No, not just fear: terror. The prospect of drowning and/or being confronted with a ghost that walks on water will do that to you. It is the sane, rational, and prudent response.
Jesus tries to allay their fears by identifying himself: "Don't be afraid. It's me, Jesus."
Peter, however, knows that that is exactly what a ghost would say, especially if he is trying to trick them. So he tests the situation to see if his fear is appropriate: "Oh yeah? Well, if it's really you, command me to come to you and walk on the water too."
Much to everyone's surprise, the response comes back over the sound of the howling wind and the creaking boat and the splashing waves. One word: "Come."
Peter decides to lay his life on the line to complete the test. He gets out of the boat -- and lo and behold, he walks on the water. That is, he walks on the water until he realizes just how big this storm is. He takes his eyes off of Jesus and begins to look around him -- and in that moment he sinks, calling out to Jesus as he goes down, "Lord, help me!"
Jesus reaches out to him, saves him, helps him into the boat, and then admonishes (or maybe kids) him: "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Ignore the storm. Get out of the boat and walk on the waves.
That's just crazy! Okay, maybe not crazy, but it sure is counterintuitive. It isn't the sane, rational, prudent thing to do -- is it?
Yet, that is exactly what Jesus bids us do in this story. That's how faith works. As the bluegrass gospel song says:
You gotta get out of the boat
If you wanna walk on the water.
You gotta get out of the boat
If you wanna tread where Jesus trod.
You gotta put your fears behind you
And stand up just like Peter.
You gotta keep your eye on the Savior
And put your faith in God.
A sermon that covers the topic of dealing faithfully with our fears may be a good time for some appropriate self-disclosure from the preacher. Sharing some of our fears tells our listeners that we are not offering advice that we don't often need to hear ourselves.
Humor can help ease the tension, as with the story cited above from The West Wing. Begin with some personal fears, maybe small ones -- spiders, bees, heights -- whatever "creeps you out." Then move to the ones we all suffer: fear that some tragedy will befall those we love or that we will ourselves be made dysfunctional by age or happenstance and become a burden to our family. By acknowledging that we all share these fears, we realize that we are not alone and it is not the fear itself but paralysis and overreaction that the gospel writer is trying to save us from.
Find whatever metaphor we may for that boat and that storm, and the sane, rational, prudent response will always be fear. Jesus offers a response that is not an alternative to fear but goes through and beyond fear to faith.
He doesn't stand safely on the shore and call us to walk on the water. He is out there in the midst of the storm walking, and he calls us to walk with him. Should we for a moment lose our focus, he is there to offer his hand, to lift us up, to help us into the boat with a word of encouragement -- or a little friendly ribbing.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Roger Lovette
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
The Carmelite nun Jessica Powers wrote a moving poem that shines light on this week's scripture. One phrase stands out: "I come upon earth's most amazing knowledge: Someone is hidden in this dark with me." This thread that tells us God is with us in all circumstances runs through all of our texts this week. Some weeks we wonder what the church had in mind when they put these varying texts together. Not this week. >From Joseph sold by his brothers to the words of praise found in Psalm 105, we are reminded that someone is in this dark with us. Romans and Matthew pick up this thread and remind us that we are not alone. No matter how rocky the boat, we are not abandoned.
Psalm 105 is a community psalm. We are not sure when it was written. The Interpreter's Bible says that these words were inspired by the contemplation of their nation's history. "Possibly," the theologian writes, "the times in which the author lived were such as to warrant a review" that in the twisting, winding history of God's people God was there. The commentary states that the words of this Psalm were written to steady and encourage the writer's contemporaries.
What age does not need a word from the Lord? When times are hard we all need reminding that we are not left to our own resources. Some Sundays we really are to "comfort, comfort our people." Nothing really does separate us from the love of God. So Psalm 105 reminded the community that they could give proper thanks for the wonderful deeds God had shown his people. The Psalmist reminded them that the Lord gives strength when needed. He recounted the story of Joseph that we read about this week. Despite the ups and downs of his life, God blessed Joseph.
In our time, with the constant blare of media titillating us with "breaking news" -- translated mostly doom and gloom -- it is hard to keep our perspective. We are an anxious and burdened people. Wars go on. The economy is shaky. The family around the corner is in foreclosure. Your friend has just received a bad lab report. And in this setting, Psalm 105 reminds us that just as God was with his people long ago, God is still here.
Alex Haley of Roots fame said that when he was a little boy he would get depressed. His grandmother picked up on those moods and would always say, "Alex, we don't know when Jesus is going to come -- but he always comes on time." Read Psalm 105 to your people. It is a good word for a hard time.
ILLUSTRATIONS
It was when Peter became afraid that he began to sink into the water. (One might wonder if this was what moved Jesus to give Simon the nickname "the Rock.") Fear led to panic. Peter lost sight of Jesus and all he could see were the waves engulfing him. Fear distorts everything. Phobias are distorted reality. When a person is afraid of snakes, every stick on the shadowy path begins wiggling. A fear of heights makes even the four feet down a stepladder look like a deep canyon. When fear snares a person, it is as though one has been thrown into a hall of mirrors and nothing appears as it should. Fat becomes thin; tall becomes short. The straight becomes wavy. Fear interferes with clear perception, straight thinking, and coping with even simple problems.
An Arab tale relates that Pestilence once met a caravan on the road to Baghdad. "Why," asked the caravan leader, "must you go to Baghdad?"
"To take 5,000 lives," was the response.
Later, the caravan met Pestilence again. The leader angrily challenged Pestilence, "You deceived me. Instead of 5,000 lives, you took 50,000."
Pestilence responded, "I only took 5,000 and not one more. It was fear that killed the rest."
* * *
An African parable about a rope bridge spanning a huge chasm is instructive regarding the risks we face in life. It's a story about the members of a particular village who are facing severe famine. With no prospect of surviving on their land, the village elders decide that the only thing to do is to seek a new home across the river -- but the only way to get there is by walking across a rickety, swaying rope bridge.
With some trepidation, the villagers step out onto the planks... and the bridge begins to sway. As they reach the center of the bridge, the swaying becomes more intense. (This is simple physics -- the middle of the bridge is the most unstable point, for it's furthest from the two ends that are anchored in the earth.)
Some of the villagers give in to fear. They turn around and head back toward the only country they know -- a country where they are sure to die. Others, however, grit their teeth in determination and keep moving onward. They find that with each step they take the bridge feels more stable underfoot. Finally, as they approach the end, it feels like they're walking on solid ground -- though they are still suspended high over the gorge.
This story is a model of how to persevere through a crisis of faith. There comes a time when everything is swaying back and forth, when disaster seems inevitable, and yet the only thing to do is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that firmer ground lies ahead.
* * *
President George W. Bush has often been criticized for his slow response to the news of two planes flying into New York City's World Trade Center on 9/11. Instead of jumping to his feet, he sat quietly with a blank face in a Florida classroom, reading My Pet Goat to a class of second-graders. In an interview to be aired on the National Geographic Channel, Bush discussed the reason for his seemingly slow response.
It was a deliberate act not to overrespond. Bush's reasoning was that he did not want "to rattle the kids." But even more importantly, he noted that "I had been in enough crises to know that the first thing a leader has to do is to project calm." He said that watching the media personnel in the back of the room getting the news on their cell phones "was like watching a silent movie."
Jesus tried to convince Peter not to be afraid and to step out of the boat. Only the calm assurance of Jesus would give Peter the courage to take that first step. Leaders -- be they presidents, pastors, business executives, community service directors, or parents -- have as a first responsibility in a time of distress to remain calm and project that feeling onto others for whom they are responsible.
* * *
Anders Breivik wrote a 1,500-page manifesto railing against multiculturalism in general and Muslim immigration in particular. The day he went on his killing rampage he published his document on the internet, with the last comment being, "I believe this will be my last entry." This was his final correspondence, followed by his act of killing 77 people and wounding over 90. Even though his lawyer claims Breivik is insane, his malicious act is still beyond comprehension. It was callous, cold-hearted, and uncaring.
Callous, cold-hearted, and uncaring -- those are probably the same words that could be used to describe the brothers of Joseph after they threw him into the well, only to remove him to be sold into slavery. This was their "last entry" for which they will always be remembered.
Let us be sure to live our lives so that our "last entry" won't be described as callous, cold-hearted, or uncaring, but rather, as loving, accepting, and forgiving. We never know when the time will be called for our "last entry," so our "last entry" must always be written as our "first entry."
* * *
Rhode Island television station WPRI has offered its viewing audience an apology. Their reporter for the Ocean State Women's Golf Association championship showed up too late to record the winning putt -- so the reporter asked the winner, Samantha Morrell, to reenact her winning stroke so that he could then work what he called "some television magic". That evening the station showed the footage but offered it as a live shot of the winning putt rather than a reenactment. Morrell said she felt "weird" doing it but when she viewed herself on the news she was pleased with her acting ability.
In his time of desperation, Elijah needed to hear the truth of God spoken to him. The truth had to be real, not fabricated, so that is why he patiently waited through the wind and earthquake until he heard the still, small whisper of God. Just as WPRI tried to deceive its audience, many times Satan will try to misrepresent the truth to us. Therefore, we need the patience and discernment of Elijah.
* * *
Go out on a limb -- that's where the fruit is.
-- Will Rogers
* * *
The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far we can logically analyze our reasons for believing, but how far in practice we will stake our lives on our beliefs.
-- T.S. Eliot
* * *
The Flying Wallendas, the world-famous acrobatic troupe, were best-known for their "human pyramid." The pyramid was begun with two men on a tightrope holding a pole between them; atop that narrow pole were perched as many as ten other performers, members of the Wallenda family and friends. And all this without a safety net!
Every circus buff has heard the story of the day the human pyramid fell. The Wallendas were performing in a small Midwestern town. Two members of their troupe were killed and two others injured for life.
For several days, the Wallendas did not perform. Then the announcement went out that they would step out on the high wire again and the climax of their act would be the human pyramid!
It all went off without a hitch and that night a newspaper reporter cornered Karl Wallenda, the leader of the group, as he walked to his trailer. "Mr. Wallenda," he asked, "what made you go back after the accident?"
Wallenda seemed surprised by the question. But then he looked the reporter in the eye and said, "To be on the wire is life; all else is waiting."
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Let us give thanks to God and call on God's name.
People: We will make known God's deeds among the peoples.
Leader: Sing to God, sing God's praises;
People: we will tell of all God's wonderful works.
Leader: Glory in God's holy Name;
People: let the hearts of those who seek God rejoice.
OR
Leader: Come and rejoice in the presence of our God!
People: We rejoice that God is with us in our worship.
Leader: God is with us in all the days of our lives.
People: We rejoice in God's presence in our blessings.
Leader: God is with us even in the scary times of life.
People: Sometimes we forget that. We rejoice that God is with us even when we forget.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"
found in:
UMH: 127
H82: 690
PH: 281
AAHH: 138/139/140
NNBH: 232
NCH: 18/19
CH: 622
LBW: 343
ELA: 618
"Give to the Winds Thy Fears"
found in:
UMH: 129
PH: 286
"The King of Love My Shepherd Is"
found in:
UMH: 138
H82: 645/646
PH: 171
NCH: 248
LBW: 456
ELA: 502
Renew: 106
"God Will Take Care of You"
found in:
UMH: 130
AAHH: 137
NNBH: 52
NCH: 460
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
found in:
UMH: 140
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
ELA: 733
Renew: 249
"Children of the Heavenly Father"
found in:
UMH: 141
NCH: 487
LBW: 474
ELA: 781
"On Eagle's Wings"
found in:
UMH: 143
CH: 77
ELA: 787
CCB: 97
Renew: 112
"Come, Ye Disconsolate"
found in:
UMH: 510
AAHH: 421
NNBH: 264
CH: 502
ELA: 607
"Give Thanks"
found in:
CCB: 92
Renew: 266
"Cares Chorus"
found in:
CCB: 53
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is always closer to us than our own breath: Grant us the faith to know that you are always with us even when the things around us seem so dreadful; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come together this day, O God, to acknowledge that we are in your presence. During this act of worship, we celebrate your presence among us so that we might remember that you are always with us. Banish our doubt and help us to face our fears that we might trust in you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially the ways in which we allow our fears to blind us to your presence.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We often speak of your constant presence and we even talk of your omnipresence. Yet when things get scary, we often forget our beliefs and let our fear rule over us. It is so much easier to believe you are with us when things are going well. It is so easy for us to assure others in their fear when we are untouched by their plight. Forgive us our self-centered ways that call our fears real and dismiss the fears of others. Forgive us our quickness to forget that you are always with us. By the power of your Spirit, fill us again with the courage to face our fears and thereby find you are always with us. Amen.
Leader: God knows our fears and our frailty. God loves us as we are and comes to comfort and confront us. God's love and forgiveness are always ours!
Prayer for Illumination
Send, O God, the light of your Spirit into our midst that we may perceive you in your continual presence as your word is proclaimed to us this day. Amen.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, O God, in the awesomeness of your glory. Greater than all creation, you come and reside with, among, and within your children.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We often speak of your constant presence and we even talk of your omnipresence. Yet when things get scary, we often forget our beliefs and let our fear rule over us. It is so much easier to believe you are with us when things are going well. It is so easy for us to assure others in their fear when we are untouched by their plight. Forgive us our self-centered ways that call our fears real and dismiss the fears of others. Forgive us our quickness to forget that you are always with us. By the power of your Spirit, fill us again with the courage to face our fears and thereby find you are always with us.
We give you thanks for all the signs of your loving presence among us. The beauty of our earth with all its colors, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells, reminds us that you care for us more than we can imagine. The care we have received from your people as they have held us in love and care, during the good times and the bad, remind us you are with us. The quiet calm that settles over us as your Spirit holds us reassures us of the worth with which you esteem us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We know that many are facing times in their lives that frighten them. Issues of health, relationships, the economy, and a myriad of other things sweep over your children and bring fear to their hearts. As you move to reveal your caring presence to them, help us to make that care visible in the things we do and say.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children's Sermon Starter
Tell about some way in which you were assured that help was close to you. When I was a child, I was often afraid. I knew my parents were in the room right beside mine but I was still afraid. They learned to leave a light on in the hall so that I knew I could find my way to them if I needed them. Even when I was afraid, the light would calm me because I knew help was near. God gives us signs that God is always near us. God gives us parents, friends, Sunday school teachers, pastors, and other church members who are signs that God and God's love are always near us.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Taking a Deep Breath
Matthew 14:22-33
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever been afraid? (let the children answer) Tell me about a time recently when you were afraid. (let them answer)
Fear is not a bad thing. Sometimes it keeps us from getting into trouble. For instance, I am afraid of fire -- and when I am around a fire I am very careful. All of us have fears.
How do you handle your fear? (let them answer) When I am afraid, I take a very deep breath. (take a deep breath) Let me hear you take a deep breath. (let them take several deep breaths) We feel a lot better after we have breathed deeply.
One night, the disciples were in a boat and they thought they saw someone walking on the water. It looked like a ghost and they were paralyzed with fear. On top of that, it was storming and the waves were coming into the boat. That's pretty scary, isn't it? (let them answer) The Bible says that the disciples screamed because they were afraid.
Then they heard a soft but strong voice. The voice said, "Calm down. It's me. Don't be afraid." Peter thought this was Jesus and he called out to Jesus to give him courage. The other disciples were still afraid but they were taking deep breaths. (have the children all interact with deep breaths) Peter was afraid, so he asked Jesus to command him to get out of the boat and walk toward him.
Jesus invited him to do so with a simple invitation, "Come!" Peter stepped over the side of the boat and began to walk toward Jesus. Just then a wave smacked Peter right in the face and he became afraid again and he immediately sank into the water. Then the disciples saw Jesus reach out and save Peter from the deep sea. All of the disciples, including Peter, took a deep breath and calmed down.
Within moments they were all back in the boat and the wind stopped blowing. It was time for another deep breath. (take deep breaths) Now everything was calm and they finished their trip across the sea. It was a scary night and it was filled with deep breaths.
The next time you are afraid, perhaps you will remember the night Jesus walked on the water and saved Peter from his fear. Then you will think about taking a big, deep breath and you will calm down.
We all have fears, and some of them are for good reasons -- but when it is over we need to calm down by taking a deep breath and asking Jesus to come and be with us through our fears and our calm.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, August 7, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
In this installment of The Immediate Word, team member Dean Feldmeyer notes that a sense of deep, abject fear is almost endemic to modern existence -- and so trying to protect ourselves to whatever degree possible seems to be the only rational response. Whether it's personal security or national security, we're simply trying to take steps to deal with our fears by attempting to insulate ourselves from events that are often completely beyond our control. As Dean points out, that sense of terror is also at the heart of this week's gospel text about Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Peter and the other disciples think they're doing all right in the relative security of a boat -- but when a storm threatens to overwhelm them and they see a ghostly apparition as well, they become paralyzed by fear. Jesus tries to calm them and calls Peter to come to him. Walking across the water in faith, Dean suggests, is surely not an instinctive response when we are in the firm grasp of fear -- and when Peter takes stock of his surroundings, he predictably begins sinking beneath the surface of the waves. Dean reminds us that the same exact thing happens to us when we let our fears control our reactions... yet Jesus is out on the stormy sea of life with us, calling us to come across the waves to him -- even waves as senseless and overwhelming as those recently generated by a homicidal madman in Norway.
Team member Roger Lovette shares a brief meditation on this week's Psalm text and the comforting word it offers to a world gripped by fear and feeling overwhelmed by an unceasing tide of bad news. Roger notes that this passage is an affirmation that, just as Jesus was with Peter and the other disciples in the midst of a storm, God is always with us and never abandons us -- even in the worst circumstances that life can put in front of us.
Fear and Faith
by Dean Feldmeyer
Matthew 14:22-33
Several years ago on the television drama The West Wing, two characters were taking about things that scare them -- or, in their words, "creep them out."
"Bridges!" says Josh, "those great big ones. Every time I drive over one I think about it falling and all of us plummeting to our deaths and how horrible that would be. Don't you ever think of that when you cross a bridge?"
Leo's brow wrinkles in thought. "Well, not until now!"
Fear is like a virus that infects and spreads and reinfects. It can cause blindness, paralysis, even death. It is contagious and spreads from person to person, group to group. And it sometimes brings about reactions that are worse than the disease itself.
The gospel calls Christians to respond to fears in a different and more authentic way, but not necessarily an easier one.
THE WORLD
Sixteen-year-old Julie Bremnes huddled beneath a rock with three of her friends and listened to the gunfire and the screams. As she hid, she sent a frantic text message to her mother: "We are in fear for our lives".
How her mother Marianne's hands must have trembled as she texted back: "I understand. Stay hidden."
We can only imagine the terror that this child and her friends felt as they hid and waited for help to come and the profound and terrible fear that must have gripped her mother as she sat helplessly in her home, counting the 90 long minutes until her daughter was rescued.
In the end we learned that the perpetrator of this horror was not a Muslim extremist, as many of us assumed it must be, but a native Norwegian, Anders Breivik, a right-wing extremist whose own fear of Islam was so great that it had somehow twisted his mind to the point where he thought that killing Norwegian teenagers at a summer camp, and absolute strangers in downtown Oslo, was going to make him less afraid.
Now we are left with our fears of extremists of every stripe. What will our response be?
Here in the United States we can empathize with our Norwegian brothers and sisters. The wounds left ten years ago this September 11 are still tender and our anxieties are still real. We know the grief and the fear that they are feeling.
We applaud their Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, when he says that this horrible act will not keep Norway from being a kind, tolerant, and gentle country. But we also realize that neither can it be business as usual. Security will tighten. Barriers will go up. Trust will be eroded.
That's what fear does.
It is not just international terrorism that we fear. Senseless crime and violence invade our sense of security. In Columbus, Ohio, a young man is shot and killed over a baseball cap. In New York City, a child walking home from school is abducted and murdered by a person from whom he asked directions.
What's the solution?
Shall we give up? Shall we arm ourselves and turn the whole world into Tombstone, Arizona, circa 1881, every parking lot the OK Corral? Shall we look upon every stranger as a potential enemy and surrender to the notion that we are all nothing but potential victims waiting to be brutalized? Shall we teach our children to fear and hate because that is the only sane, rational, and prudent alternative in a world gone mad?
THE WORD
Immediately after the miracle of loaves and fishes (the feeding of the 5,000), Jesus sends his disciples across the Sea of Galilee and -- needing some personal/private time -- arranges to meet them on the other side. As they are crossing the lake, however, a storm comes up making their journey both difficult and frightening.
As if the blowing wind and rain aren't scary enough when you are stuck in a boat in the middle of the lake, they look up and see an apparition that looks like nothing so much as a ghost coming toward them, walking on the water.
These men are not fools. Their response to all of this is what we might expect: fear. No, not just fear: terror. The prospect of drowning and/or being confronted with a ghost that walks on water will do that to you. It is the sane, rational, and prudent response.
Jesus tries to allay their fears by identifying himself: "Don't be afraid. It's me, Jesus."
Peter, however, knows that that is exactly what a ghost would say, especially if he is trying to trick them. So he tests the situation to see if his fear is appropriate: "Oh yeah? Well, if it's really you, command me to come to you and walk on the water too."
Much to everyone's surprise, the response comes back over the sound of the howling wind and the creaking boat and the splashing waves. One word: "Come."
Peter decides to lay his life on the line to complete the test. He gets out of the boat -- and lo and behold, he walks on the water. That is, he walks on the water until he realizes just how big this storm is. He takes his eyes off of Jesus and begins to look around him -- and in that moment he sinks, calling out to Jesus as he goes down, "Lord, help me!"
Jesus reaches out to him, saves him, helps him into the boat, and then admonishes (or maybe kids) him: "You of little faith. Why did you doubt?"
CRAFTING THE SERMON
Ignore the storm. Get out of the boat and walk on the waves.
That's just crazy! Okay, maybe not crazy, but it sure is counterintuitive. It isn't the sane, rational, prudent thing to do -- is it?
Yet, that is exactly what Jesus bids us do in this story. That's how faith works. As the bluegrass gospel song says:
You gotta get out of the boat
If you wanna walk on the water.
You gotta get out of the boat
If you wanna tread where Jesus trod.
You gotta put your fears behind you
And stand up just like Peter.
You gotta keep your eye on the Savior
And put your faith in God.
A sermon that covers the topic of dealing faithfully with our fears may be a good time for some appropriate self-disclosure from the preacher. Sharing some of our fears tells our listeners that we are not offering advice that we don't often need to hear ourselves.
Humor can help ease the tension, as with the story cited above from The West Wing. Begin with some personal fears, maybe small ones -- spiders, bees, heights -- whatever "creeps you out." Then move to the ones we all suffer: fear that some tragedy will befall those we love or that we will ourselves be made dysfunctional by age or happenstance and become a burden to our family. By acknowledging that we all share these fears, we realize that we are not alone and it is not the fear itself but paralysis and overreaction that the gospel writer is trying to save us from.
Find whatever metaphor we may for that boat and that storm, and the sane, rational, prudent response will always be fear. Jesus offers a response that is not an alternative to fear but goes through and beyond fear to faith.
He doesn't stand safely on the shore and call us to walk on the water. He is out there in the midst of the storm walking, and he calls us to walk with him. Should we for a moment lose our focus, he is there to offer his hand, to lift us up, to help us into the boat with a word of encouragement -- or a little friendly ribbing.
SECOND THOUGHTS
by Roger Lovette
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
The Carmelite nun Jessica Powers wrote a moving poem that shines light on this week's scripture. One phrase stands out: "I come upon earth's most amazing knowledge: Someone is hidden in this dark with me." This thread that tells us God is with us in all circumstances runs through all of our texts this week. Some weeks we wonder what the church had in mind when they put these varying texts together. Not this week. >From Joseph sold by his brothers to the words of praise found in Psalm 105, we are reminded that someone is in this dark with us. Romans and Matthew pick up this thread and remind us that we are not alone. No matter how rocky the boat, we are not abandoned.
Psalm 105 is a community psalm. We are not sure when it was written. The Interpreter's Bible says that these words were inspired by the contemplation of their nation's history. "Possibly," the theologian writes, "the times in which the author lived were such as to warrant a review" that in the twisting, winding history of God's people God was there. The commentary states that the words of this Psalm were written to steady and encourage the writer's contemporaries.
What age does not need a word from the Lord? When times are hard we all need reminding that we are not left to our own resources. Some Sundays we really are to "comfort, comfort our people." Nothing really does separate us from the love of God. So Psalm 105 reminded the community that they could give proper thanks for the wonderful deeds God had shown his people. The Psalmist reminded them that the Lord gives strength when needed. He recounted the story of Joseph that we read about this week. Despite the ups and downs of his life, God blessed Joseph.
In our time, with the constant blare of media titillating us with "breaking news" -- translated mostly doom and gloom -- it is hard to keep our perspective. We are an anxious and burdened people. Wars go on. The economy is shaky. The family around the corner is in foreclosure. Your friend has just received a bad lab report. And in this setting, Psalm 105 reminds us that just as God was with his people long ago, God is still here.
Alex Haley of Roots fame said that when he was a little boy he would get depressed. His grandmother picked up on those moods and would always say, "Alex, we don't know when Jesus is going to come -- but he always comes on time." Read Psalm 105 to your people. It is a good word for a hard time.
ILLUSTRATIONS
It was when Peter became afraid that he began to sink into the water. (One might wonder if this was what moved Jesus to give Simon the nickname "the Rock.") Fear led to panic. Peter lost sight of Jesus and all he could see were the waves engulfing him. Fear distorts everything. Phobias are distorted reality. When a person is afraid of snakes, every stick on the shadowy path begins wiggling. A fear of heights makes even the four feet down a stepladder look like a deep canyon. When fear snares a person, it is as though one has been thrown into a hall of mirrors and nothing appears as it should. Fat becomes thin; tall becomes short. The straight becomes wavy. Fear interferes with clear perception, straight thinking, and coping with even simple problems.
An Arab tale relates that Pestilence once met a caravan on the road to Baghdad. "Why," asked the caravan leader, "must you go to Baghdad?"
"To take 5,000 lives," was the response.
Later, the caravan met Pestilence again. The leader angrily challenged Pestilence, "You deceived me. Instead of 5,000 lives, you took 50,000."
Pestilence responded, "I only took 5,000 and not one more. It was fear that killed the rest."
* * *
An African parable about a rope bridge spanning a huge chasm is instructive regarding the risks we face in life. It's a story about the members of a particular village who are facing severe famine. With no prospect of surviving on their land, the village elders decide that the only thing to do is to seek a new home across the river -- but the only way to get there is by walking across a rickety, swaying rope bridge.
With some trepidation, the villagers step out onto the planks... and the bridge begins to sway. As they reach the center of the bridge, the swaying becomes more intense. (This is simple physics -- the middle of the bridge is the most unstable point, for it's furthest from the two ends that are anchored in the earth.)
Some of the villagers give in to fear. They turn around and head back toward the only country they know -- a country where they are sure to die. Others, however, grit their teeth in determination and keep moving onward. They find that with each step they take the bridge feels more stable underfoot. Finally, as they approach the end, it feels like they're walking on solid ground -- though they are still suspended high over the gorge.
This story is a model of how to persevere through a crisis of faith. There comes a time when everything is swaying back and forth, when disaster seems inevitable, and yet the only thing to do is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that firmer ground lies ahead.
* * *
President George W. Bush has often been criticized for his slow response to the news of two planes flying into New York City's World Trade Center on 9/11. Instead of jumping to his feet, he sat quietly with a blank face in a Florida classroom, reading My Pet Goat to a class of second-graders. In an interview to be aired on the National Geographic Channel, Bush discussed the reason for his seemingly slow response.
It was a deliberate act not to overrespond. Bush's reasoning was that he did not want "to rattle the kids." But even more importantly, he noted that "I had been in enough crises to know that the first thing a leader has to do is to project calm." He said that watching the media personnel in the back of the room getting the news on their cell phones "was like watching a silent movie."
Jesus tried to convince Peter not to be afraid and to step out of the boat. Only the calm assurance of Jesus would give Peter the courage to take that first step. Leaders -- be they presidents, pastors, business executives, community service directors, or parents -- have as a first responsibility in a time of distress to remain calm and project that feeling onto others for whom they are responsible.
* * *
Anders Breivik wrote a 1,500-page manifesto railing against multiculturalism in general and Muslim immigration in particular. The day he went on his killing rampage he published his document on the internet, with the last comment being, "I believe this will be my last entry." This was his final correspondence, followed by his act of killing 77 people and wounding over 90. Even though his lawyer claims Breivik is insane, his malicious act is still beyond comprehension. It was callous, cold-hearted, and uncaring.
Callous, cold-hearted, and uncaring -- those are probably the same words that could be used to describe the brothers of Joseph after they threw him into the well, only to remove him to be sold into slavery. This was their "last entry" for which they will always be remembered.
Let us be sure to live our lives so that our "last entry" won't be described as callous, cold-hearted, or uncaring, but rather, as loving, accepting, and forgiving. We never know when the time will be called for our "last entry," so our "last entry" must always be written as our "first entry."
* * *
Rhode Island television station WPRI has offered its viewing audience an apology. Their reporter for the Ocean State Women's Golf Association championship showed up too late to record the winning putt -- so the reporter asked the winner, Samantha Morrell, to reenact her winning stroke so that he could then work what he called "some television magic". That evening the station showed the footage but offered it as a live shot of the winning putt rather than a reenactment. Morrell said she felt "weird" doing it but when she viewed herself on the news she was pleased with her acting ability.
In his time of desperation, Elijah needed to hear the truth of God spoken to him. The truth had to be real, not fabricated, so that is why he patiently waited through the wind and earthquake until he heard the still, small whisper of God. Just as WPRI tried to deceive its audience, many times Satan will try to misrepresent the truth to us. Therefore, we need the patience and discernment of Elijah.
* * *
Go out on a limb -- that's where the fruit is.
-- Will Rogers
* * *
The greatest proof of Christianity for others is not how far we can logically analyze our reasons for believing, but how far in practice we will stake our lives on our beliefs.
-- T.S. Eliot
* * *
The Flying Wallendas, the world-famous acrobatic troupe, were best-known for their "human pyramid." The pyramid was begun with two men on a tightrope holding a pole between them; atop that narrow pole were perched as many as ten other performers, members of the Wallenda family and friends. And all this without a safety net!
Every circus buff has heard the story of the day the human pyramid fell. The Wallendas were performing in a small Midwestern town. Two members of their troupe were killed and two others injured for life.
For several days, the Wallendas did not perform. Then the announcement went out that they would step out on the high wire again and the climax of their act would be the human pyramid!
It all went off without a hitch and that night a newspaper reporter cornered Karl Wallenda, the leader of the group, as he walked to his trailer. "Mr. Wallenda," he asked, "what made you go back after the accident?"
Wallenda seemed surprised by the question. But then he looked the reporter in the eye and said, "To be on the wire is life; all else is waiting."
WORSHIP RESOURCES
by George Reed
Call to Worship
Leader: Let us give thanks to God and call on God's name.
People: We will make known God's deeds among the peoples.
Leader: Sing to God, sing God's praises;
People: we will tell of all God's wonderful works.
Leader: Glory in God's holy Name;
People: let the hearts of those who seek God rejoice.
OR
Leader: Come and rejoice in the presence of our God!
People: We rejoice that God is with us in our worship.
Leader: God is with us in all the days of our lives.
People: We rejoice in God's presence in our blessings.
Leader: God is with us even in the scary times of life.
People: Sometimes we forget that. We rejoice that God is with us even when we forget.
Hymns and Sacred Songs
"Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah"
found in:
UMH: 127
H82: 690
PH: 281
AAHH: 138/139/140
NNBH: 232
NCH: 18/19
CH: 622
LBW: 343
ELA: 618
"Give to the Winds Thy Fears"
found in:
UMH: 129
PH: 286
"The King of Love My Shepherd Is"
found in:
UMH: 138
H82: 645/646
PH: 171
NCH: 248
LBW: 456
ELA: 502
Renew: 106
"God Will Take Care of You"
found in:
UMH: 130
AAHH: 137
NNBH: 52
NCH: 460
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
found in:
UMH: 140
AAHH: 158
NNBH: 45
NCH: 423
CH: 86
ELA: 733
Renew: 249
"Children of the Heavenly Father"
found in:
UMH: 141
NCH: 487
LBW: 474
ELA: 781
"On Eagle's Wings"
found in:
UMH: 143
CH: 77
ELA: 787
CCB: 97
Renew: 112
"Come, Ye Disconsolate"
found in:
UMH: 510
AAHH: 421
NNBH: 264
CH: 502
ELA: 607
"Give Thanks"
found in:
CCB: 92
Renew: 266
"Cares Chorus"
found in:
CCB: 53
Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982 (The Episcopal Church)
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African-American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELA: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
Prayer for the Day / Collect
O God who is always closer to us than our own breath: Grant us the faith to know that you are always with us even when the things around us seem so dreadful; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
OR
We come together this day, O God, to acknowledge that we are in your presence. During this act of worship, we celebrate your presence among us so that we might remember that you are always with us. Banish our doubt and help us to face our fears that we might trust in you. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially the ways in which we allow our fears to blind us to your presence.
People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We often speak of your constant presence and we even talk of your omnipresence. Yet when things get scary, we often forget our beliefs and let our fear rule over us. It is so much easier to believe you are with us when things are going well. It is so easy for us to assure others in their fear when we are untouched by their plight. Forgive us our self-centered ways that call our fears real and dismiss the fears of others. Forgive us our quickness to forget that you are always with us. By the power of your Spirit, fill us again with the courage to face our fears and thereby find you are always with us. Amen.
Leader: God knows our fears and our frailty. God loves us as we are and comes to comfort and confront us. God's love and forgiveness are always ours!
Prayer for Illumination
Send, O God, the light of your Spirit into our midst that we may perceive you in your continual presence as your word is proclaimed to us this day. Amen.
Prayers of the People (and the Lord's Prayer)
We worship and adore you, O God, in the awesomeness of your glory. Greater than all creation, you come and reside with, among, and within your children.
(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)
We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We often speak of your constant presence and we even talk of your omnipresence. Yet when things get scary, we often forget our beliefs and let our fear rule over us. It is so much easier to believe you are with us when things are going well. It is so easy for us to assure others in their fear when we are untouched by their plight. Forgive us our self-centered ways that call our fears real and dismiss the fears of others. Forgive us our quickness to forget that you are always with us. By the power of your Spirit, fill us again with the courage to face our fears and thereby find you are always with us.
We give you thanks for all the signs of your loving presence among us. The beauty of our earth with all its colors, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells, reminds us that you care for us more than we can imagine. The care we have received from your people as they have held us in love and care, during the good times and the bad, remind us you are with us. The quiet calm that settles over us as your Spirit holds us reassures us of the worth with which you esteem us.
(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)
We know that many are facing times in their lives that frighten them. Issues of health, relationships, the economy, and a myriad of other things sweep over your children and bring fear to their hearts. As you move to reveal your caring presence to them, help us to make that care visible in the things we do and say.
(Other intercessions may be offered.)
All these things we ask in the Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together, saying:
Our Father... Amen.
(or if the Lord's Prayer is not used at this point in the service)
All this we ask in the Name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.
Children's Sermon Starter
Tell about some way in which you were assured that help was close to you. When I was a child, I was often afraid. I knew my parents were in the room right beside mine but I was still afraid. They learned to leave a light on in the hall so that I knew I could find my way to them if I needed them. Even when I was afraid, the light would calm me because I knew help was near. God gives us signs that God is always near us. God gives us parents, friends, Sunday school teachers, pastors, and other church members who are signs that God and God's love are always near us.
CHILDREN'S SERMON
Taking a Deep Breath
Matthew 14:22-33
Good morning, boys and girls! How many of you have ever been afraid? (let the children answer) Tell me about a time recently when you were afraid. (let them answer)
Fear is not a bad thing. Sometimes it keeps us from getting into trouble. For instance, I am afraid of fire -- and when I am around a fire I am very careful. All of us have fears.
How do you handle your fear? (let them answer) When I am afraid, I take a very deep breath. (take a deep breath) Let me hear you take a deep breath. (let them take several deep breaths) We feel a lot better after we have breathed deeply.
One night, the disciples were in a boat and they thought they saw someone walking on the water. It looked like a ghost and they were paralyzed with fear. On top of that, it was storming and the waves were coming into the boat. That's pretty scary, isn't it? (let them answer) The Bible says that the disciples screamed because they were afraid.
Then they heard a soft but strong voice. The voice said, "Calm down. It's me. Don't be afraid." Peter thought this was Jesus and he called out to Jesus to give him courage. The other disciples were still afraid but they were taking deep breaths. (have the children all interact with deep breaths) Peter was afraid, so he asked Jesus to command him to get out of the boat and walk toward him.
Jesus invited him to do so with a simple invitation, "Come!" Peter stepped over the side of the boat and began to walk toward Jesus. Just then a wave smacked Peter right in the face and he became afraid again and he immediately sank into the water. Then the disciples saw Jesus reach out and save Peter from the deep sea. All of the disciples, including Peter, took a deep breath and calmed down.
Within moments they were all back in the boat and the wind stopped blowing. It was time for another deep breath. (take deep breaths) Now everything was calm and they finished their trip across the sea. It was a scary night and it was filled with deep breaths.
The next time you are afraid, perhaps you will remember the night Jesus walked on the water and saved Peter from his fear. Then you will think about taking a big, deep breath and you will calm down.
We all have fears, and some of them are for good reasons -- but when it is over we need to calm down by taking a deep breath and asking Jesus to come and be with us through our fears and our calm.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Immediate Word, August 7, 2011, issue.
Copyright 2011 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
