Don't Let Your Boat Rock

SERMON

St. Simon’s on the Sound

July 8, 2018

Mark 6:1-13

Two weeks ago, I was in Haiti, where our medical team spent five days in the remote areas of Bondeau and Martel. Let me stress the adjective “remote.” Bondeau and Martel are not towns or villages; there are no cars, buses, motorcycles or bicycles; there is no electricity; no TV, radio, or newspaper; and, of course no Internet. In Martel there is no water - none at all.

People live in one room dwellings. Frequently they have no beds, only the dirt floor to sleep on. For the most part, people have enough food for only one small meal each day. They walk miles whenever they need to access civilization and the meager services it offers in rural Haiti. The nearest resources such as a grocery store or medical clinic (that may, or may not be open), are 10-15 miles away. A long walk in 90 plus degree heat.

The people of Martel live in a world far different than ours. One that is literally impossible for us – or, at least for me - to comprehend.

It was in that world that I began the journey of writing this sermon.

We arrived in Haiti on Saturday afternoon, and on Sunday morning, bright and early – it was already 90+ degrees – we attended Bon Samaritain Church in Bondeau, where I acted as both deacon and preacher. Directly following the two plus hour church service we began preparing for our three days of clinic. We sat outside in a partially shaded area packing pills and sorting through medical supplies, such as surgical trays, bandages, etc.

After lunch, I spent my time on the guesthouse porch drinking water and cooling down. I had become very overheated during church and directly after as we began the clinic preparation process. Something inside me said - “take it easy…”

As I sat in a rocking chair contemplating the trees swaying ever so slightly in a most blessed breeze and watching small whitecaps bounce on the aqua green Caribbean Sea less than a mile beyond the tree tops, I began the work of reflecting on today’s Gospel reading. I felt guilty about not being with the rest of the group while they continued to prepare for the clinics. And, – me, being me, - I needed to work on something. So, why not begin to sort out my upcoming sermon.

Just that morning I had been given the honor of preaching, in French, at Bon Samaritain Church. The Gospel for the day was Mark’s story of Jesus falling asleep in the boat as his disciples rowed across the Sea of Galilee. If you remember the reading, you recall that when a storm suddenly blew in, as so frequently happens in that particular sea, the boat they were managing began to rock wildly. The disciples were terrified. They looked over at Jesus for help and could not believe that he remained sound asleep amidst the turbulence of the sea and the howling of the wind.

In a panic they cried out, “Jesus, don’t you care that we may die in this terrible storm?”

Once awakened Jesus calmed the sea and looked over at his disciples saying, “Why are you afraid – Do you not have faith?” The disciples looking out at the becalmed sea were stupefied – stupefied by the instant calming of the sea - stupefied by the power of Jesus.

The point that I made in my Haitian sermon was that when we have faith, the power of Jesus to light our way, to calm our rough seas is stupefying – absolutely stupefying. But, it is also stupefying how easily we lose sight of that power when, in the face of life’s challenges, our boat is rocking wildly. It is so easy to lose faith in the power of Jesus – so easy. And, when we lose faith, we lose the power that lights our way, that calms our rough seas. When we lose faith we enter darkness, uncertainty, anxiety, anger – we fall away from God.

So, it was there sitting on the porch, slowing rocking and cooling off, that I began to seriously reflect on the phrase - the stupefying power of Jesus.

Fast forwarding to today’s gospel reading, Jesus continues to astound – to stupefy.  Today, we find Jesus teaching in his local synagogue. The crowd is noisy and disrespectful. They shout comments of disbelief that this carpenter’s son – this common person - could possibly have the authority with which he speaks and the power to heal the sick that he has demonstrated.

They are stupefied by his wisdom and his healing powers. Yet, they take offense at him - and they are threatened by him - by his power and authority. They criticize him and belittle him. They reject him as a sham and a threat to their comfortable position of power and authority within both the synagogue and the community.

Looking around at villagers that he has known all his life, Jesus also was stupefied. He was amazed at their disbelief – at their lack of faith. After doing what little he could by healing the few who had opened their hearts to his power, he made the decision to move on. His mission from the Father clear – bring the Good News to all. Never looking back, he moved on to other towns, other places to seek out, to teach, and to heal those who would open their hearts and their minds to his message. To the love, forgiveness, and salvation of God.

Jesus’ campaign to spread the Good News – the Gospel – ramped up quickly. He entered many towns, teaching and healing all the way. Soon, he saw that it was time to send forth his disciples to augment his work – to reach as many people as possible. Jesus understood that his own time in the world was short and his message urgent. he needed to keep moving and he needed help - he needed the hearts, hands, and feet of his disciples to participate in this mission of spreading the Good News, the Gospel, far and wide.

Jesus gathered his disciples and instructed them in their new task, and ordered them to travel light - no frills, no extras - just the bare bones of a travel kit - nothing to slow them down. He sent them in pairs so that they could support each other in this perilous and uncomfortable journey. And, finally, he ordered them not to waste time with those who had hardened their hearts to God. He commanded, "If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

In other words, don't let your boat get rocked - stay calm, experience peace, and get on with your job of proclaiming the Good News.

The disciples obeyed. "...they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed many with oil who were sick and cured them.”

These brave souls, sent by Jesus with supplies barely sufficient for more than a day or two at a time - these brave souls, Christ’s first disciples - and Christ himself - are models - models for all of us who sit here in this church and in churches throughout the world.

We are here to follow in their footsteps - to take hold of the stupefying power of Jesus and to use it to calm the waters of a very troubled world. A world experiencing very rough seas. We are the ones to calm the sea, to bring love and peace, to support those who have no faith and those whose faith is troubled and staggering as their boat rocks wildly in turbulent times.

We are the missioners - the disciples - of the here and now.

Christian mission - the activity of sending and being sent in Christ - is grounded in the missionary nature of God as revealed in scripture. In creation, God reached out to create communities of life. With Israel and throughout history, God has moved to restore people to unity with God, with one another, and with all creation. In Christ, God is still on mission in the world through the Holy Spirit. Our call as disciples of Christ is to join God in that mission.

The central act in God’s mission is God’s self-sending in Jesus Christ, the word made flesh and dwelling among us in love. The reign of God that Jesus announced: this we are called to proclaim and enact in mission. The love of God that Jesus expressed in presence, compassion, healing and justice: this we are called to live in mission. The reconciliation that God offers a sinful and broken world in Jesus’ death and resurrection: this is the hope we offer to the world in mission.

Sitting on a rocking chair in the 100-degree heat, sipping a warm bottle of Culligan water, and looking out at a community of people who literally have nothing made it far easier for me to imagine Jesus and his disciples in the deserts of Israel.

Being with the people of this barren community as they worshipped in church earlier that day, singing and praying loudly and with such fervor. Listening each morning as our Haitian doctors together with their patients sang prayers praising Jesus prior to receiving medical care. All of this made if far easier to understand the concept of looking to Christ for calming one’s turbulent seas, for experiencing peace, and for maintaining faith that God is always present with us - always there to lean on, to be loved by, to give strength to those who suffer.

All this brings me to my final moment of contemplation as I sat on the guesthouse porch rocking and thinking about the uncomfortable heat and the myriad of hardships that we would all experience in the next few days. As I sat there, finally cooled and ready to rejoin our team, it struck me that Jesus never experienced the fears and anxieties of a rocking boat. And, I thought to myself - of course, that is what Jesus was asking of his disciples and is asking of us - don’t let your boat rock as you go into the world to spread the good news - be calm, have courage, experience peace, give and receive love, have faith.

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. BCP