St. George's Episcopal Church
Roseburg, Oregon
The Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost, Proper 14A
7 August 2005
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Note: This sermon was delivered at Riverfork Park,
Roseburg, Oregon during the annual church picnic
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
The Collect of the Day
From the Revised Common Lectionary as Adapted for Use by the Episcopal Church
and Authorized by the 74 th General Convention of the ECUSA
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)
Stepping Out
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop, Rector
Just about a year ago, an unorthodox hot dog and fruit shake shop opened in the “catacombs” of Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA.[1] Its name is ‘Hot Dogma,’ and its creed is ‘Franks be to God!’ It was started by three young entrepreneurs who committed themselves as well as fifteen percent of their profits to a Christian cause. And that cause is the Three Nails Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh. Hot Dogma: Man does not live by bun alone.
If a hot dog restaurant in the basement of a cathedral seems unusual, the Three Nails Church is even more unconventional. Three Nails began in early 2003 as a young people’s house church. That is, a church that doesn’t have walls, or even a building. It is a cell church that presently has seven cell groups meeting in places all over Pittsburgh. Instead of buying a building, they rent a place where they can meet once a month or more. It is a place where there is no mortgage, no air conditioning bill, and no roof to repair.
In Colorado, a congregation bought a building that once housed a hardware store. They converted it into an eatery, open six days a week. The Lighthouse Café is a bridge between the congregation and the community that brings people into the building for breakfast, lunch, and community events. Relationships are built, barriers are broken down; it serves as the social conduit for people to come to church. Community within the congregation is built too. People who worship during one service eat during the other – much like the folks in our 8:00 am congregation who have breakfast together each Sunday while the 9:30 congregation worships.
Doing the unconventional, like turning a hardware store into a place of grace or abandoning the “build it and they will come” attitude to bring church to the people are examples of “blue ocean strategy.” According to W. Chan Kim and Rene Mauborgne, the authors of Blue Ocean Strategy, the business world is divided into red oceans and blue oceans.[2] In red oceans, companies try to outperform their rivals through head-to-head competition. They fight like sharks for the same limited profit pool, and their cutthroat strategies turn the ocean blood red. In blue oceans, companies expand beyond conventional territorial boundaries, exploring and opening new markets. Competition is eliminated because companies are always creating “blue oceans” or untapped market niches ripe for growth.
The Lighthouse Café used a whole new form of community outreach to make inroads into the community. Instead of engaging in competition with other churches, this congregation took its ministry beyond existing boundaries, and reached an entirely new group of people. This shouldn’t sound new to you. This is exactly what Jesus did when he turned away from the best practices of the Pharisees and scribes, and ate with tax collectors and women, embraced children and widowers, and protected adulterers. This is exactly what the early church did when it ministered to the Gentiles. This is what we are trying to do with our Hispanic ministry.
In the red ocean of the first century, the lines dividing society were numerous and very carefully protected. People lived in a red ocean world. It was a place where you loved your neighbor, and hated your enemy. In contrast, Jesus preached about a blue ocean where people were encouraged to love their enemies and pray for those who persecuted them.
Take the beatitudes for example from the fifth chapter of Matthew. Red ocean: Blessed are the strong. Blue ocean: Blessed are the weak. Red Ocean: Blessed are the rich. Blue Ocean: Blessed are the poor.
In the red ocean of conventional religious thinking, godly people did not pollute themselves by eating and drinking with certain people. But in the blue ocean of Jesus, it was considered a mark of distinction to be seen eating with tax collectors and sinners. In the red ocean of religious rules, on the Sabbath you couldn’t pick grain for food or carry certain sized bundles of sticks for firewood. But in Jesus’ blue ocean, the hungry disciples could forage for grain because the “Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:1-8). In the red ocean of human expectation, a hungry crowd of five thousand cannot be fed with five loaves and two fish, but in the blue ocean of the gospel, all of them were fed, and there was food left over (Mt 14:13-21).
About ten years ago, my wife invited a co-worker and her family to join us on our boat for a summer boat ride. There were twelve of us on board and everybody was excited about swimming and playing in the water. We anchored off shore and had a wonderful lunch. Our guests sun bathed and kept a watchful eye on their children and grandchildren playing in the water.
As we played, I watched a thin black line on the horizon grow broader. Soon I began to hear radio conversations about bad weather. Finally, the marine weather channel issued a small craft advisory for the water and the island immediately south of us. I turned the radio down, and quietly asked folks to end their lunch, and put the dishes in the galley below. It was time to head in to the safety of the harbor.
By the time we got ready to pull up the bow anchor, we were in a 40 knot sustained wind. White knuckled, I began piloting the boat toward shore with dangerous 6-9 foot following seas trying to twist the helm from my hands. Coast Guard helicopters, heading for safety themselves, flew overhead broadcasting small craft advisories. The Grandfather on board stood behind me and whispered, “You know, son, all three generations of my family are on this boat.” No pressure there!
Just as we and dozens of other boats were within eyesight of the channel that led to safe harbor, a sailboat became swamped and sank right in the mouth of the channel! Propelled by the storm, all the boats moved closer together and were caught in a dangerous kind of dance as we waited in the pelting rain for the sheriff water patrol and coast Guard to clear the wreck.
As we finally crossed into the channel, the water was instantly calm; it was almost windless. It was as if we passed through an invisible barrier. I was stunned and very relieved. Looking astern, it was impossible to believe that back there the bay was possessed, and here it was as calm as a bath tub.
When the disciples fought the storm, they were terrified. Jesus remained ashore while they moved toward safety. And then Jesus suddenly appeared, walking on the water. It was an unexpected surprise, and the disciples cried out in disbelief. Was this an hallucination? A ghost? A god? They were tired and afraid. But Jesus said to them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Jesus invited Peter to walk on the water and join him. I imagine Peter looked right into Jesus’ eyes as he stepped out of the boat, but when the storm kicked up again, he was startled, lost eye contact, and began to sink. Jesus then reached toward Peter and pulled him up.
Jesus offered Peter a blue ocean strategy, but he fell into red ocean thinking when the going got tough. To succeed with a blue ocean strategy we must believe in the power of God.
In 1999, a church in Lancaster, California was at a low point. Membership had dropped. The congregation was desperate. As the church discussed its future, a 92-year old member challenged the church to become mission-minded. In 2000 the congregation went on a mission trip to Asia. To date 70% of the congregation has been on one or more overseas church planting trips, and their work abroad has revitalized their home church. They moved from red ocean to blue ocean by trusting the power of God. They stepped out into the water to meet the one who said to them “Come.”
How might we climb out of our boat, and into the wind and waves? How might we dance in the fury trusting in the power of Jesus to hold us up?
We are engaged in several programs to increase the ministry of St. George’s, but we need to find more. Maybe we should open a café. Maybe not. Maybe we should start meeting in cell churches or take mission trips. Or maybe not.
The first step is to recognize that a blue ocean is out there. Somewhere. And the next step is to take that step out of the boat, confident that Jesus is already there, extending a hand toward us. He is anxious to feed our spiritual hunger with food that will last forever. He is hoping to connect with people who may never hear the Gospel story until they see it and hear it in our words and actions.
All this begins with our response to his call to “Come.” It comes alive as we tap into God’s power and trust Jesus to lead us across the deep blue sea. And then we can be the church that walks on water.
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Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. He came to Shechem, and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” – that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
16 When he summoned famine against the land,
and broke every staff of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters,
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the LORD kept testing him.
20 The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all his possessions,
22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure,
and to teach his elders wisdom.
45b Praise the LORD!
Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. “ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[1] Bob Batz Jr. “Hot Dogma: Man does not live by bun alone.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, October 28, 2004. Accessed 4 August 2005 at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04302/402845.stm.
[2]“ Blue Ocean Strategy. Homiletics.17(4):52-56, 2005. The description of the red and blue oceans herein is adapted from this source.
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