How to overcome a contrary wind
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series V, Cycle A
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--28 (C)
Joseph, who was given a long robe with sleeves as a sign of his father's favor, was deeply resented by his brothers. One day, Jacob sent Joseph out in the field to find his brothers and they seized the opportunity to get rid of him. They sold him to a caravan and informed their father that he had been killed by a wild beast.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9, 11--13 (RC); 1 Kings 19:9--18 (L)
Elijah quickly plummets from the precipice of victory to the pit of defeat. He defeats the prophets of Baal but quickly flees from the wrath of Queen Jezebel. Finding a cave in the wilderness he battles a deep depression. In the stillness, he hears God's voice of calm and assurance.
Lesson 1: Jonah 2:1--9 (E)
Jonah flees from the Lord's mandate to preach repentance to Nineveh, a heathen city, and is swallowed by a large fish. He prays to the Lord, who hears his plea. The fish vomited him up on the seashore.
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15 (C)
Salvation does not come through the law because nobody can live up to it (v. 5). We are redeemed through Christ when we accept him in our heart and confess him with our lips (v. 10). Salvation by grace through faith is available to all (vv. 12--13).
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5 (RC, E, L)
Paul experiences a profound anxiety in his soul because the Jews have not, by and large, accepted Christ. He feels so strongly that he would give up his own salvation if it would purchase the salvation of his people. He had hoped that they would accept the gospel because they had been given the law, the prophets and the covenants.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33 (C, RC, E, L)
Jesus sends the disciples to the other side of the lake, as he dismisses the crowd. He goes to a high place to pray, and then he observes the disciples' boat struggling against the wind. He walks on the water and the disciples are terrified, thinking that they are seeing a ghost. Impetuous Peter asks Christ to bid him come to him on the water. When he looks at the waves around him, he sinks in fear, calling to Jesus. Jesus saves him and when they enter the boat, there is a great calm, both on the sea and in the boat. Overcome with awe, the disciples confess that Jesus is the Christ.
262
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 105:1--6, 16--22, 45b (C) - ''Seek the Lord and his strength ...'' (v. 4a).
Psalm 85:8--13 (RC, L) - ''Righteousness and peace will kiss each other'' (v. 10b).
Psalm 29 (E) - ''The voice of the Lord is over the waters'' (v. 3).
Prayer Of The Day
Prince of Peace, when the storms of life assail us and the winds of opposition threaten to capsize our well--ordered existence, still the raging fear within us and bring us safely unto yourself. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--28
Murderous jealousy. Joseph's brothers were so jealous of Joseph they were ready to kill him. Jealousy is truly murderous. Yet who of us has not committed murder in our hearts? It is common for a brother or a sister to wish that the other one were dead or had never been born. This is often the case with the firstborn child; he or she monopolizes the parents' attention until a sibling pushes him from the throne. When I was a young child, my mother once prevented my father from taking me to the movies, I yelled at her: ''I hate you! I wish you were dead!'' I felt terrible about it afterward and sobbed to sleep. Yet the dark side of my soul had unexpectedly reared its ugly head. We cannot stand in judgment of Joseph's brothers while most of us have desired, perhaps for an instant, the destruction of one who vies for what we cherish.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9--18
Knowing when to throw in the towel. When does a person quit? When do you say, ''Enough!''? Elijah was going to quit out of fear. That's the wrong time to throw in the towel. A person should quit when the job is completed or when others are in place to take over where he left off. God reminded Elijah of the jobs he needed to complete (vv. 15--16). If God has given us a task, he will also give the wherewithal to complete it.
Listening to the whispers of God. Sometimes God may speak through cataclysmic events or in a booming voice that demands recognition. However, most times he speaks in a whisper, in a 'still, small voice,'' as he did with Elijah. Praying effectively means being a good listener.
Lesson 1: Jonah 2:1--9
Crying for help. Jonah cried out to the Lord for help from the belly of the fish and the Lord heard his plea for mercy. He experiences anew the glorious fact that deliverance comes from the Lord (v. 9). Jonah was swallowed by a God that was too big for him; he is the Lord of all nations. In our day, millions are swallowed whole, not by God, but by forces at play in the world. Government, business and technology tend to swallow the individual whole. God is still the only one who can save us from the belly of these whoppers. We are still important to him, as is each and every person.
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15
Moving faith from the private to the public. Many Christians emphasize the importance of believing from the heart without stressing the necessity of confessing Christ with our lips and our lives. Encasing Christ in the private domain makes him available when needed without the discomfort of having our faith challenged in the public arena. Yet, according to scripture, authentic faith always becomes a matter of public record. Believing with the heart always leads to profession with the lips (v. 9) and our lives. Christian faith is never purely a private matter.
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5
The witness of conscience. Paul uses an interesting statement when he is trying to establish the credibility of his concern for the spiritual well--being of his people. He states: ''My conscience
263
confirms it in the Holy Spirit'' (v. 1). Paul connects his conscience to the Holy Spirit, which informs it. If conscience is to point to that which is good and true, it must be informed by the Word of God and the Spirit.
Salvation is for sharing. Paul was less concerned about his own salvation than that of his fellow Israelites. He passionately affirms that he would forfeit his own salvation if it would mean that they would accept the Lord. The church contains many people who are interested in their own salvation and spiritual growth but have no sorrow in their hearts for those who are lost. They have not learned that salvation is for sharing.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33
Alone in good company. Many people avoid aloneness. If they are by themselves, they turn on the radio or television. To be alone, for them, is to be in doubtful company. The person who has made peace with God and herself, when alone, is in good company. After ministering to the crowds all day, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, to be alone in good company. It's ironic that the basis of Christian community rests on commitment to regularly encounter God in the aloneness of prayer.
From a distance. While Jesus occupied his mountain of prayer, he viewed the distress of the boatload of disciples in the distance (v. 24). Prayer gave Jesus a unique vantage point from which to view the problems of the world and their solutions. To truly see things, we need to put a little distance between ourselves and our lives. Prayer affords us the spiritual perspective and space to see things from God's viewpoint, close, yet from a distance.
The wind was against them. Vicious storms quickly boil up the waves of Lake Galilee, without warning, as in our text. The disciples were being overcome by the wind and the waves. Jesus came to their aid. We all experience such storms in our lives. Jesus watches out for his own and is already there, even before we cry out to him. He may or may not quell the storm without but will always subdue the storm of fear within.
Keep looking up. There was a minister on a Chicago radio station every night for many years who always ended his meditation: ''Keep looking up.'' That's good advice. Peter got into deep water (pardon the pun) when he got out of the boat and proceeded to walk to Jesus on the waves; instead of focusing on the calm face of Jesus, he was distracted by the winds and waves, and his heart flooded with fear.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--18
Sermon Title: Sibling Rivalry
Sermon Angle: Jacob loved his youngest son better than the rest. Predictably, this led to jealousy and hatred on the part of the other brothers. There is bound to be a certain amount of rivalry for parents' attention, but when parents clearly favor one child, it is a prescription for disaster. Though the brothers did an evil thing to Joseph, the father must also share some of the blame. Though parents can't help their feelings, they can shun obvious favoritism. A sermon on this ever--timely topic might prove healing for many.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9--18
Sermon Title: Buried Alive
Sermon Angle: Elijah, a great man of faith, fell into a pit of depression, every bit as real as the pit that Joseph was tossed into by his brothers. His faith had faded, his spine had melted and he was overcome by a black cloud of self--pity and failure. Elijah was depressed! It's comforting that even the giants of God's kingdom are immobilized by such spiritual forces. Elijah was in a cave, symbolic of his state of mind; he was truly buried alive. The Lord raised him from his grave and can do the same for us.
264
Sermon Title: Jail Break!
Sermon Angle: Elijah had confined himself to a prison. The bars of fear and failure robbed him of freedom. When you're in the slammer, it's very difficult to break out by yourself. You need some outside help. In Elijah's case, that help came from the Lord who spoke to him in a voice of calm. God's presence made him realize that he was not alone: God was with him. God showed him that things were not as bleak as he imagined, 7,000 had not bowed to Baal, and that he still had a job to do (vv. 15--16).
Outline:
1. There are many kinds of prisons (physical and spiritual)
2. When we are in an emotional/spiritual jail we must
- admit to that which imprisons us (fears)
- seek help
- remember that the Lord is with us and can free us
- focus not on failures but on God's future
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15
Sermon Title: Beautiful Feet
Sermon Angle: Not many cultures pay much attention to the feet as an object of beauty. Yes, the Chinese traditionally bound the feet of women to keep them small, which was considered comely, but, all in all, feet aren't given much press. How many feet have you ever seen on the cover of a glamour magazine? Verse 15b lifts up for our consideration the ideal of beautiful feet. What makes these feet so beautiful? They are mobile feet. They are merciful and loving feet. They are feet that carry the good news of God's love to the places of human need, discouragement and darkness. How beautiful are your feet?
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5
Sermon Title: Do You Give A Damn?
Sermon Angle: In the next to the last scene of the movie, Gone With The Wind, Scarlet O'Hara begs Rhett Butler, her ex--husband, to come back to her. She had treated him like dirt and now she wanted him back. His response is a classic: ''Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'' What Rhett was trying to communicate was that he didn't care for Scarlet any more. Rhett might have more accurately stated, ''I won't receive a damn for you. I won't let you take advantage of me any more.'' Christ was willing to be damned on the cross for our sins, that we might rise with him to newness of life. Some people may be offended by such strong language, but do we give a damn? Would we be willing, like Paul, to be damned for the sake of others? Do we really passionately care about the spiritual well--being of others? Would we, like Paul, be willing to receive a damn, rather than dish out a damn?
Sermon Title: Legacy Lost
Sermon Angle: Paul recites the rich spiritual legacy of his nation (vv. 4--5). God had established his covenant with the Jews out of love and grace but this had been turned into a tedious system of rules and regulations. The legacy of an immediate relationship with the Lord had been lost in the maze of laws and tradition. Many Christians seem to have lost touch with their spiritual legacy as well. Tradition can point a way but it cannot save us, only Christ can. Faith is the way to get in touch with our spiritual legacy.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33
Sermon Title: Heart Of Darkness
Sermon Angle: The disciples encountered the storm during the fourth watch (3:00 to 6:00 A.M.), the darkest part of the night. Christ's watchful eyes pierce the heart of darkness. He sees and he responds to our distress.
265
Sermon Title: Countering A Contrary Wind
Sermon Angle: Matthew comments that the wind was against the boatload of disciples (v. 24). Nature sometimes dishes out a contrary wind and sometimes society is to blame. The source of the contrary wind does not matter so much. How we handle the contrary wind does. Do we see the contrary wind as a challenge or a rout?
Outline:
1. The experience of contrary winds is universal
2. What contrary winds do you fear?
3. God may not still the winds without but will bring peace within
4. Faith in Christ will enable us to overcome the contrary wind
Sermon Title: A Study Of Hands
Sermon Angle: We can imagine that the hands of the disciples trembled in dread as they tossed on turbulent seas and especially when they thought the form of Jesus was a ghost. They must have been relieved when they realized that it was the Lord. Then Peter asked if he could come to the Lord on the water. Jesus may well have beckoned him with a wave of his hand. When Peter started to sink, he shot up pleading hands, begging: ''Lord, save me!'' (v. 30). Christ reached down immediately with a helping hand.
Outline:
1. The disciples cried out to heaven with trembling hands
2. Jesus responded to Peter with a beckoning wave of his hand
3. As Peter sank, he cried out with pleading hands
4. Jesus reached down with a helping hand to save him
Sermon Title: Focus And Fear And Faith
Sermon Angle: Whether we are driven by fear or faith depends on our focus. Peter focused on Jesus and walked on the water. Then he focused on the storm and he was overwhelmed by fear, sinking into the sea.
Outline:
1. Faith is a matter of focus
2. The disciples and Peter focused on the storm and were overwhelmed by fear
3. When Peter focused on Jesus (faith) he could walk on water
4. Keep your eyes on Jesus
Franklin D. Roosevelt's oft--quoted attempt to calm the nerves of the citizens of the United States in a time of war, ''we have nothing to fear but fear itself,'' may not be entirely accurate. Yet, it is extremely insightful. Usually, the fear of that which we dread is more painful and destructive than the thing itself. Fear can literally kill us. The Pulpit Resource (July, August, September 1992) reports the apparently true story of a Russian railroad employee who accidentally locked himself inside a refrigerator car. Without success he attempted to attract outside attention. Since he knew of no way that he could extricate himself, he came to accept his fate. As his life ebbed away, he scribbled notations on the wall of the car such as: ''I'm becoming colder.'' Then he wrote: ''I'm becoming still colder ... I'm freezing to death ... I'm so numb I can barely write ... I'm getting sleepy, these may be my last words.''
And so, when the car was opened they found him dead, even though the temperature in the car was 56 degrees. The cooling coils in the car were inoperable. There was no physical reason why this poor soul should have died. The temperature was bearable and the air supply was ample. His fear was fatal.
266
This is the true story of some dear friends of ours. Ed, a childhood friend of my dad's, is married to a woman by the name of Marie. Marie is a sweet gal but a little on the nervous side. Marie was driving as they pulled to a stop in their driveway, so Ed could open the garage door. Had they not been a happily married couple, I might have had suspicions about what was soon to ensue. As Ed was opening the door, Marie's foot slipped from the brake to the accelerator. Ed found himself attached to the car like a giant hood ornament as the car proceeded to punch through the rear cement wall of the garage and into the back yard, where he was flung free of the vehicle. Unfortunately, he still wasn't out of harm's way. The accelerator pedal was still depressed and the car continued to careen wildly in the backyard, barely missing him as it shattered a fence. Mercifully, the car came to a sudden halt as it butted heads with a tree. Miraculously, Ed walked away with only a few bruises, while Marie was finally extricated from the driver's seat with only her pride injured. I think that this episode made more of an impression on Marie than it did on Ed. Every so often, she brings up this time of terror with the exclamation: ''Oh my gosh, I could have killed him!''
In thinking about that harrowing experience, I have often wondered: Why didn't Marie jam on the brake? Or, if the pedal was stuck, why didn't she put the transmission in neutral or turn off the ignition? Of course, such questions come from an armchair quarterback, far removed from the field of battle. She was obviously paralyzed with mind--numbing fear, much like that which the disciples felt in the storm--tossed Lake Galilee boat.
That kind of fear can make havoc of our lives too, if we lose our focus on the presence of Christ. Then, the terrors of the storms of life can take us for a harrowing ride.
267
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--28 (C)
Joseph, who was given a long robe with sleeves as a sign of his father's favor, was deeply resented by his brothers. One day, Jacob sent Joseph out in the field to find his brothers and they seized the opportunity to get rid of him. They sold him to a caravan and informed their father that he had been killed by a wild beast.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9, 11--13 (RC); 1 Kings 19:9--18 (L)
Elijah quickly plummets from the precipice of victory to the pit of defeat. He defeats the prophets of Baal but quickly flees from the wrath of Queen Jezebel. Finding a cave in the wilderness he battles a deep depression. In the stillness, he hears God's voice of calm and assurance.
Lesson 1: Jonah 2:1--9 (E)
Jonah flees from the Lord's mandate to preach repentance to Nineveh, a heathen city, and is swallowed by a large fish. He prays to the Lord, who hears his plea. The fish vomited him up on the seashore.
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15 (C)
Salvation does not come through the law because nobody can live up to it (v. 5). We are redeemed through Christ when we accept him in our heart and confess him with our lips (v. 10). Salvation by grace through faith is available to all (vv. 12--13).
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5 (RC, E, L)
Paul experiences a profound anxiety in his soul because the Jews have not, by and large, accepted Christ. He feels so strongly that he would give up his own salvation if it would purchase the salvation of his people. He had hoped that they would accept the gospel because they had been given the law, the prophets and the covenants.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33 (C, RC, E, L)
Jesus sends the disciples to the other side of the lake, as he dismisses the crowd. He goes to a high place to pray, and then he observes the disciples' boat struggling against the wind. He walks on the water and the disciples are terrified, thinking that they are seeing a ghost. Impetuous Peter asks Christ to bid him come to him on the water. When he looks at the waves around him, he sinks in fear, calling to Jesus. Jesus saves him and when they enter the boat, there is a great calm, both on the sea and in the boat. Overcome with awe, the disciples confess that Jesus is the Christ.
262
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 105:1--6, 16--22, 45b (C) - ''Seek the Lord and his strength ...'' (v. 4a).
Psalm 85:8--13 (RC, L) - ''Righteousness and peace will kiss each other'' (v. 10b).
Psalm 29 (E) - ''The voice of the Lord is over the waters'' (v. 3).
Prayer Of The Day
Prince of Peace, when the storms of life assail us and the winds of opposition threaten to capsize our well--ordered existence, still the raging fear within us and bring us safely unto yourself. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--28
Murderous jealousy. Joseph's brothers were so jealous of Joseph they were ready to kill him. Jealousy is truly murderous. Yet who of us has not committed murder in our hearts? It is common for a brother or a sister to wish that the other one were dead or had never been born. This is often the case with the firstborn child; he or she monopolizes the parents' attention until a sibling pushes him from the throne. When I was a young child, my mother once prevented my father from taking me to the movies, I yelled at her: ''I hate you! I wish you were dead!'' I felt terrible about it afterward and sobbed to sleep. Yet the dark side of my soul had unexpectedly reared its ugly head. We cannot stand in judgment of Joseph's brothers while most of us have desired, perhaps for an instant, the destruction of one who vies for what we cherish.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9--18
Knowing when to throw in the towel. When does a person quit? When do you say, ''Enough!''? Elijah was going to quit out of fear. That's the wrong time to throw in the towel. A person should quit when the job is completed or when others are in place to take over where he left off. God reminded Elijah of the jobs he needed to complete (vv. 15--16). If God has given us a task, he will also give the wherewithal to complete it.
Listening to the whispers of God. Sometimes God may speak through cataclysmic events or in a booming voice that demands recognition. However, most times he speaks in a whisper, in a 'still, small voice,'' as he did with Elijah. Praying effectively means being a good listener.
Lesson 1: Jonah 2:1--9
Crying for help. Jonah cried out to the Lord for help from the belly of the fish and the Lord heard his plea for mercy. He experiences anew the glorious fact that deliverance comes from the Lord (v. 9). Jonah was swallowed by a God that was too big for him; he is the Lord of all nations. In our day, millions are swallowed whole, not by God, but by forces at play in the world. Government, business and technology tend to swallow the individual whole. God is still the only one who can save us from the belly of these whoppers. We are still important to him, as is each and every person.
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15
Moving faith from the private to the public. Many Christians emphasize the importance of believing from the heart without stressing the necessity of confessing Christ with our lips and our lives. Encasing Christ in the private domain makes him available when needed without the discomfort of having our faith challenged in the public arena. Yet, according to scripture, authentic faith always becomes a matter of public record. Believing with the heart always leads to profession with the lips (v. 9) and our lives. Christian faith is never purely a private matter.
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5
The witness of conscience. Paul uses an interesting statement when he is trying to establish the credibility of his concern for the spiritual well--being of his people. He states: ''My conscience
263
confirms it in the Holy Spirit'' (v. 1). Paul connects his conscience to the Holy Spirit, which informs it. If conscience is to point to that which is good and true, it must be informed by the Word of God and the Spirit.
Salvation is for sharing. Paul was less concerned about his own salvation than that of his fellow Israelites. He passionately affirms that he would forfeit his own salvation if it would mean that they would accept the Lord. The church contains many people who are interested in their own salvation and spiritual growth but have no sorrow in their hearts for those who are lost. They have not learned that salvation is for sharing.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33
Alone in good company. Many people avoid aloneness. If they are by themselves, they turn on the radio or television. To be alone, for them, is to be in doubtful company. The person who has made peace with God and herself, when alone, is in good company. After ministering to the crowds all day, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, to be alone in good company. It's ironic that the basis of Christian community rests on commitment to regularly encounter God in the aloneness of prayer.
From a distance. While Jesus occupied his mountain of prayer, he viewed the distress of the boatload of disciples in the distance (v. 24). Prayer gave Jesus a unique vantage point from which to view the problems of the world and their solutions. To truly see things, we need to put a little distance between ourselves and our lives. Prayer affords us the spiritual perspective and space to see things from God's viewpoint, close, yet from a distance.
The wind was against them. Vicious storms quickly boil up the waves of Lake Galilee, without warning, as in our text. The disciples were being overcome by the wind and the waves. Jesus came to their aid. We all experience such storms in our lives. Jesus watches out for his own and is already there, even before we cry out to him. He may or may not quell the storm without but will always subdue the storm of fear within.
Keep looking up. There was a minister on a Chicago radio station every night for many years who always ended his meditation: ''Keep looking up.'' That's good advice. Peter got into deep water (pardon the pun) when he got out of the boat and proceeded to walk to Jesus on the waves; instead of focusing on the calm face of Jesus, he was distracted by the winds and waves, and his heart flooded with fear.
PREACHING APPROACHES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
Lesson 1: Genesis 37:1--4, 12--18
Sermon Title: Sibling Rivalry
Sermon Angle: Jacob loved his youngest son better than the rest. Predictably, this led to jealousy and hatred on the part of the other brothers. There is bound to be a certain amount of rivalry for parents' attention, but when parents clearly favor one child, it is a prescription for disaster. Though the brothers did an evil thing to Joseph, the father must also share some of the blame. Though parents can't help their feelings, they can shun obvious favoritism. A sermon on this ever--timely topic might prove healing for many.
Lesson 1: 1 Kings 19:9--18
Sermon Title: Buried Alive
Sermon Angle: Elijah, a great man of faith, fell into a pit of depression, every bit as real as the pit that Joseph was tossed into by his brothers. His faith had faded, his spine had melted and he was overcome by a black cloud of self--pity and failure. Elijah was depressed! It's comforting that even the giants of God's kingdom are immobilized by such spiritual forces. Elijah was in a cave, symbolic of his state of mind; he was truly buried alive. The Lord raised him from his grave and can do the same for us.
264
Sermon Title: Jail Break!
Sermon Angle: Elijah had confined himself to a prison. The bars of fear and failure robbed him of freedom. When you're in the slammer, it's very difficult to break out by yourself. You need some outside help. In Elijah's case, that help came from the Lord who spoke to him in a voice of calm. God's presence made him realize that he was not alone: God was with him. God showed him that things were not as bleak as he imagined, 7,000 had not bowed to Baal, and that he still had a job to do (vv. 15--16).
Outline:
1. There are many kinds of prisons (physical and spiritual)
2. When we are in an emotional/spiritual jail we must
- admit to that which imprisons us (fears)
- seek help
- remember that the Lord is with us and can free us
- focus not on failures but on God's future
Lesson 2: Romans 10:5--15
Sermon Title: Beautiful Feet
Sermon Angle: Not many cultures pay much attention to the feet as an object of beauty. Yes, the Chinese traditionally bound the feet of women to keep them small, which was considered comely, but, all in all, feet aren't given much press. How many feet have you ever seen on the cover of a glamour magazine? Verse 15b lifts up for our consideration the ideal of beautiful feet. What makes these feet so beautiful? They are mobile feet. They are merciful and loving feet. They are feet that carry the good news of God's love to the places of human need, discouragement and darkness. How beautiful are your feet?
Lesson 2: Romans 9:1--5
Sermon Title: Do You Give A Damn?
Sermon Angle: In the next to the last scene of the movie, Gone With The Wind, Scarlet O'Hara begs Rhett Butler, her ex--husband, to come back to her. She had treated him like dirt and now she wanted him back. His response is a classic: ''Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.'' What Rhett was trying to communicate was that he didn't care for Scarlet any more. Rhett might have more accurately stated, ''I won't receive a damn for you. I won't let you take advantage of me any more.'' Christ was willing to be damned on the cross for our sins, that we might rise with him to newness of life. Some people may be offended by such strong language, but do we give a damn? Would we be willing, like Paul, to be damned for the sake of others? Do we really passionately care about the spiritual well--being of others? Would we, like Paul, be willing to receive a damn, rather than dish out a damn?
Sermon Title: Legacy Lost
Sermon Angle: Paul recites the rich spiritual legacy of his nation (vv. 4--5). God had established his covenant with the Jews out of love and grace but this had been turned into a tedious system of rules and regulations. The legacy of an immediate relationship with the Lord had been lost in the maze of laws and tradition. Many Christians seem to have lost touch with their spiritual legacy as well. Tradition can point a way but it cannot save us, only Christ can. Faith is the way to get in touch with our spiritual legacy.
Gospel: Matthew 14:22--33
Sermon Title: Heart Of Darkness
Sermon Angle: The disciples encountered the storm during the fourth watch (3:00 to 6:00 A.M.), the darkest part of the night. Christ's watchful eyes pierce the heart of darkness. He sees and he responds to our distress.
265
Sermon Title: Countering A Contrary Wind
Sermon Angle: Matthew comments that the wind was against the boatload of disciples (v. 24). Nature sometimes dishes out a contrary wind and sometimes society is to blame. The source of the contrary wind does not matter so much. How we handle the contrary wind does. Do we see the contrary wind as a challenge or a rout?
Outline:
1. The experience of contrary winds is universal
2. What contrary winds do you fear?
3. God may not still the winds without but will bring peace within
4. Faith in Christ will enable us to overcome the contrary wind
Sermon Title: A Study Of Hands
Sermon Angle: We can imagine that the hands of the disciples trembled in dread as they tossed on turbulent seas and especially when they thought the form of Jesus was a ghost. They must have been relieved when they realized that it was the Lord. Then Peter asked if he could come to the Lord on the water. Jesus may well have beckoned him with a wave of his hand. When Peter started to sink, he shot up pleading hands, begging: ''Lord, save me!'' (v. 30). Christ reached down immediately with a helping hand.
Outline:
1. The disciples cried out to heaven with trembling hands
2. Jesus responded to Peter with a beckoning wave of his hand
3. As Peter sank, he cried out with pleading hands
4. Jesus reached down with a helping hand to save him
Sermon Title: Focus And Fear And Faith
Sermon Angle: Whether we are driven by fear or faith depends on our focus. Peter focused on Jesus and walked on the water. Then he focused on the storm and he was overwhelmed by fear, sinking into the sea.
Outline:
1. Faith is a matter of focus
2. The disciples and Peter focused on the storm and were overwhelmed by fear
3. When Peter focused on Jesus (faith) he could walk on water
4. Keep your eyes on Jesus
Franklin D. Roosevelt's oft--quoted attempt to calm the nerves of the citizens of the United States in a time of war, ''we have nothing to fear but fear itself,'' may not be entirely accurate. Yet, it is extremely insightful. Usually, the fear of that which we dread is more painful and destructive than the thing itself. Fear can literally kill us. The Pulpit Resource (July, August, September 1992) reports the apparently true story of a Russian railroad employee who accidentally locked himself inside a refrigerator car. Without success he attempted to attract outside attention. Since he knew of no way that he could extricate himself, he came to accept his fate. As his life ebbed away, he scribbled notations on the wall of the car such as: ''I'm becoming colder.'' Then he wrote: ''I'm becoming still colder ... I'm freezing to death ... I'm so numb I can barely write ... I'm getting sleepy, these may be my last words.''
And so, when the car was opened they found him dead, even though the temperature in the car was 56 degrees. The cooling coils in the car were inoperable. There was no physical reason why this poor soul should have died. The temperature was bearable and the air supply was ample. His fear was fatal.
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This is the true story of some dear friends of ours. Ed, a childhood friend of my dad's, is married to a woman by the name of Marie. Marie is a sweet gal but a little on the nervous side. Marie was driving as they pulled to a stop in their driveway, so Ed could open the garage door. Had they not been a happily married couple, I might have had suspicions about what was soon to ensue. As Ed was opening the door, Marie's foot slipped from the brake to the accelerator. Ed found himself attached to the car like a giant hood ornament as the car proceeded to punch through the rear cement wall of the garage and into the back yard, where he was flung free of the vehicle. Unfortunately, he still wasn't out of harm's way. The accelerator pedal was still depressed and the car continued to careen wildly in the backyard, barely missing him as it shattered a fence. Mercifully, the car came to a sudden halt as it butted heads with a tree. Miraculously, Ed walked away with only a few bruises, while Marie was finally extricated from the driver's seat with only her pride injured. I think that this episode made more of an impression on Marie than it did on Ed. Every so often, she brings up this time of terror with the exclamation: ''Oh my gosh, I could have killed him!''
In thinking about that harrowing experience, I have often wondered: Why didn't Marie jam on the brake? Or, if the pedal was stuck, why didn't she put the transmission in neutral or turn off the ignition? Of course, such questions come from an armchair quarterback, far removed from the field of battle. She was obviously paralyzed with mind--numbing fear, much like that which the disciples felt in the storm--tossed Lake Galilee boat.
That kind of fear can make havoc of our lives too, if we lose our focus on the presence of Christ. Then, the terrors of the storms of life can take us for a harrowing ride.
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