THE BATTLE BETWEEN FEAR – AND FAITH AS TRUST
Matthew 8:23-27
Rev. Paul Wrightman 5/26/24
JESUS WAS WELL-AWARE
OF THE HIGH LEVEL OF WORRY, FEAR, AND ABSENCE OF TRUST
PRESENT IN HIS DISCIPLES.
JESUS WAS CALLING HIS DISCIPLES -- INCLUDING US --
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR -- AND OUR --
LACK OF FAITH.
AS USUAL, JESUS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZES THE ROOT CAUSE
OF FEAR AND WORRY, NAMELY LACK OF FAITH OR TRUST.
OUR SCRIPTURE TEXT THIS MORNING TELLS US THAT
JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE OUT ON THE SEA OF GALILEE
WHEN A VICIOUS STORM THREATENED TO SWAMP THEIR BOAT.
JESUS, ASLEEP WHEN THE STORM BROKE, REMAINS ASLEEP.
THE DISCIPLES, FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES,
CAN CONTAIN THEIR FEAR NO LONGER, WAKE JESUS UP,
AND PLEAD MASTER, SAVE US! WE’RE GOING DOWN!
JESUS WAKES UP, CONFRONTS HIS DISCIPLES WITH THE QUESTION
WHY ARE YOU SUCH COWARDS, SUCH FAINT-HEARTS!,
THEN GETS UP AND COMMANDS
THE HOWLING WIND AND THE RAGING SEA TO CALM DOWN.
THIS LEAVES THE DISCIPLES WITH A QUESTION OF THEIR OWN:
WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
WIND AND SEA COME TO HEEL AT HIS COMMAND!
A WELL-ESTABLISHED SPIRITUAL LAW -- A LAW RECOGNIZED
BY ALL THE MAJOR FAITH TRADITIONS ON OUR PLANET --
IS THAT ONE CANNOT FIGHT NEGATIVE REALITIES LIKE
WORRY AND FEAR DIRECTLY, OR STRAIGHT ON.
THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME FEAR AND WORRY
IS TO COUNTER THEM WITH THEIR CORRESPONDING
POSITIVE ANTIDOTES.
JESUS TELLS US HIMSELF IN TODAY'S TEXT
THAT THE OPPOSITE OF FEAR IS FAITH, OR TRUST.
CONTAINED IN HIS QUESTION TO THE DISCIPLES
WHY ARE YOU SUCH COWARDS, SUCH FAINT-HEARTS!?
IS THE IMPLIED ANSWER TO HIS OWN QUESTION:
FEAR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD
IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF ROBUST FAITH, OR TRUST.
SO THE REAL QUESTION WE'RE FACING THIS MORNING
IS THE QUESTION OF HOW TO GROW IN FAITH AND TRUST.
HOW DOES ONE ACTUALLY DO THIS --
GROW IN TRUST AND FAITH --
WHEN ONE IS CAUGHT UP IN A VIOLENT STORM
AND ACTUALLY FEARS FOR ONE'S LIFE?
THE BEST PLACE TO BEGIN TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION
IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BEING CAUGHT UP IN A RAGING STORM
IS DEFINITELY NOT THE BEST CONTEXT IN WHICH
TO START GROWING IN TRUST AND FAITH.
NO, IN ORDER TO PASS THIS TEST OF FAITH
THAT JESUS WAS THROWING AT THEM,
THE DISCIPLES WOULD HAVE HAD TO FIRST
MAKE AN IN-DEPTH COMMITMENT AS TO
WHAT OR WHOM TO PLACE THEIR FAITH AND TRUST IN.
IF THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN MORE SETTLED IN THEIR FAITH --
SO SETTLED THAT THE STORM CAUSED THEM NO MORE ANXIETY
THAN IT DID JESUS --
THEY WOULD HAVE PASSED THIS TEST WITH FLYING COLORS.
AND HERE IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT JESUS IN NOT OUT
TO EMBARRASS HIS DISCIPLES, BUT TO EDUCATE THEM
IN THE OPPOSING WAYS OF FEAR AND FAITH.
C. S. LEWIS DEFINES FAITH AS
"THE ART OF HOLDING ON TO THINGS
YOUR REASON HAS ONCE ACCEPTED,
IN SPITE OF YOUR CHANGING MOODS."
(C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 109)
ALTHOUGH I WOULD EXPAND THIS DEFINITION
TO INCLUDE ONE'S HEART AS WELL AS ONE'S REASON,
I REALLY LIKE LEWIS'S EMPHASIS ON HOLDING ON
IN SPITE OF YOUR CHANGING MOODS.
LET'S APPLY THIS INSIGHT TO THE DISCIPLES
IN TODAY'S SCRIPTURE READING.
WE KNOW FROM WHAT HAS COME BEFORE THIS STORY
IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL,
THAT THE DISCIPLES HAVE ALREADY HEARD
JESUS' BREATHTAKING SERMON ON THE MOUNT,
AND HAVE ALREADY WITNESSED JESUS' HEALING A LEPER,
JESUS HEALING THE CENTURION'S SERVANT,
AND JESUS' HEALING NUMEROUS PEOPLE
AT PETER'S HOUSE IN CAPERNAUM.
THE DISCIPLES, THEN, ALREADY KNEW
THAT JESUS POSSESSED EXTRAORDINARY POWER TO HEAL.
IT'S EASY FOR US TO SAY, WITH THE WISDOM OF HINDSIGHT,
THAT THE DISCIPLES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO EXTRAPOLATE FROM JESUS' ABILITY TO HEAL THE SICK
TO JESUS' ABILITY TO CALM THE FORCES OF NATURE.
BUT THE DISCIPLES ARE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN A FRIGHTENING STORM,
IMMEDIATELY FORGET WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW,
TOTALLY FREAK OUT, AND SCREAM AT HIM:
MASTER, SAVE US! WE’RE GOING DOWN!
JESUS, MASTER TEACHER THAT HE IS,
USES THIS OCCASION OF THE DISCIPLES' FORGETTING
TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION BY ASKING HIS FAMOUS QUESTION:
WHY ARE YOU SUCH COWARDS, SUCH FAINT-HEARTS?
THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS QUESTION
IS TO REMIND THEM OF WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW,
ALTHOUGH AS YET IN A VERY PRELIMINARY WAY:
JESUS IS FULLY IN CHARGE OF ANY AND EVERY SITUATION
THAT LIFE HAS TO THROW AT ONE.
THOMAS LANE BUTTS WRITES:
"SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WAS A WELL-KNOWN
TELEVISION CIRCUS SHOW THAT DEVELOPED A BENGAL TIGER ACT.
LIKE THE REST OF THE SHOW, IT WAS DONE 'LIVE'
BEFORE A LARGE AUDIENCE.
ONE EVENING, THE TIGER TRAINER WENT INTO THE CAGE
WITH SEVERAL TIGERS TO DO A ROUTINE PERFORMANCE.
THE DOOR WAS LOCKED BEHIND HIM.
THE SPOTLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTED THE CAGE,
THE TELEVISION CAMERAS MOVED IN CLOSE,
AND THE AUDIENCE WATCHED IN SUSPENSE
AS THE TRAINER SKILLFULLY PUT THE TIGERS THROUGH THEIR PACES.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PERFORMANCE,
THE WORST POSSIBLE FATE BEFELL THE ACT:
THE LIGHTS WENT OUT!
FOR [WAY TOO MANY] LONG, DARK SECONDS
THE TRAINER WAS LOCKED IN WITH THE TIGERS.
IN THE DARKNESS, THEY COULD SEE HIM,
BUT HE COULD NOT SEE THEM.
A WHIP AND A SMALL KITCHEN CHAIR
SEEMED MEAGER PROTECTION UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
BUT HE SURVIVED,
AND WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON,
HE CALMLY FINISHED THE PERFORMANCE.
IN AN INTERVIEW AFTERWARD,
HE WAS ASKED HOW HE FELT
KNOWING THAT THE TIGERS COULD SEE HIM
BUT THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THEM.
HE FIRST ADMITED THE CHILLING FEAR OF THE SITUATION,
BUT POINTED OUT THAT THE TIGERS DID NOT KNOW
THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THEM.
HE SAID, 'I JUST KEPT CRACKING MY WHIP
AND TALKING TO THEM UNTIL THE LIGHTS CAME ON."
(End Quote)
THIS STORY FLESHES OUT C. S. LEWIS'S DEFINITION OF FAITH AS:
"THE ART OF HOLDING ON TO THINGS YOUR REASON
HAS ONCE ACCEPTED, IN SPITE OF YOUR CHANGING MOODS."
WHAT DID THE TIGER TRAINER DO?
HE HELD ON TO HIS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF TIGER BEHAVIOR
IN SPITE OF HIS FEAR.
THIS GIVES US A FIRST INSIGHT INTO HOW
WE CAN CALL ON OUR FAITH TO OVERCOME OUR FEAR:
WE NEED TO HOLD ON TO OUR FAITH
IN SPITE OF OUR FEAR.
THE SHARER OF THIS STORY, THOMAS LANE BUTTS,
CAN'T RESIST MAKING THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION:
"THIS EXPERIENCE GIVES US A VIVID PARABLE OF HUMAN LIFE.
AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES,
ALL OF US FACE THE TERRIFYING TASK
OF FIGHTING TIGERS IN THE DARK." ( End Quote)
THE FIRST THING WE CAN DO
IN FACING OUR OWN TERRIFYING TIGERS
IS TO HOLD ON TO OUR FAITH
IN SPITE OF OUR FEAR.
HENRI NOUWEN BRILLIANTLY SUMMARIZES THIS FIRST MOVEMENT
OF HOLDING ON AND INTRODUCES US TO THE SECOND MOVEMENT
OF LETTING GO.
NOT LONG BEFORE HIS DEATH,
HENRI NOUWEN WROTE A BOOK CALLED SABBATICAL JOURNEYS.
HE WRITES ABOUT SOME FRIENDS OF HIS
WHO WERE TRAPESE ARTISTS, CALLED THE FLYING ROUDELLAS.
THEY TOLD NOUWEN THERE'S A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN FLYER AND CATCHER ON THE TRAPEZE.
THE FLYER IS THE ONE THAT LETS GO,
AND THE CATCHER IS THE ONE THAT CATCHES.
AS THE FLYER SWINGS HIGH ABOVE THE CROWD ON THE TRAPEZE,
THE MOMENT COMES WHEN HE MUST LET GO.
HE ARCS OUT INTO THE AIR.
HIS JOB IS TO REMAIN AS STILL AS POSSIBLE
AND WAIT FOR THE STRONG HANDS OF THE CATCHER
TO PLUCK HIM FROM THE AIR.
ONE OF THE FLYING ROUDELLAS TOLD NOUWEN,
"THE FLYER MUST NEVER TRY TO CATCH THE CATCHER."
THE FLYER, IN OTHER WORDS, MUST WAIT IN ABSOLUTE TRUST.
THE CATCHER WILL CATCH HIM, BUT HE MUST WAIT.
(PAUSE)
TO SUMMARIZE THUS FAR:
FOR FAITH TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE
ANTIDOTE TO FEAR IN OUR LIVES,
THE FIRST THING WE MUST DO
IS TO HOLD ON TO OUR FAITH IN SPITE OF OUR FEAR.
THE SECOND THING WE MUST DO
IS TO MAKE THE CHOICE TO LET GO OF OUR FEAR.
THERE'S A THIRD ELEMENT IN GROWING OUR FAITH,
AND IT'S NICELY CAPTURED IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN
TRADITION OF THE VISION QUEST.
THE FIRST CITIZENS OF THIS CONTINENT
HAD A UNIQUE PRACTICE OF TRAINING YOUNG BRAVES.
ON THE NIGHT OF A BOY'S THIRTEENTH BIRTHDAY,
AFTER LEARNING HUNTING, SCOUTING, AND FISHING SKILLS,
HE WAS PUT TO ONE FINAL TEST.
HE WAS PLACED IN A DENSE FOREST
TO SPEND THE ENTIRE NIGHT ALONE.
UNTIL THEN, HE HAD NEVER BEEN AWAY
FROM THE SECURITY OF THE FAMILY AND THE TRIBE.
BUT ON THIS NIGHT, HE WAS BLINDFOLDED
AND TAKEN SEVERAL MILES AWAY.
WHEN HE TOOK OFF THE BLINDFOLD,
HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THICK WOODS,
AND HE WAS JUSTIFIABLY TERRIFIED.
EVERY TIME A TWIG SNAPPED
HE VISUALIZED A WILD ANIMAL READY TO POUNCE.
AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY,
THE FIRST RAYS OF SUNLIGHT
ENTERED THE INTERIOR OF THE FOREST.
LOOKING AROUND, THE BOY SAW FLOWERS
AND THE OUTLINE OF A PATH.
THEN TO HIS UTTER ASTONISHMENT,
HE BEHELD THE FIGURE OF A MAN STANDING
JUST A FEW FEET AWAY, ARMED WITH BOW AND ARROW.
IT WAS HIS FATHER.
HE HAD BEEN THERE ALL NIGHT LONG.
(PAUSE)
LET'S GO BACK TO HENRI NOUWEN'S TRAPEZE ILLUSTRATION
FOR A MOMENT.
FOR A FLYER TO BE CAUGHT THERE HAS TO BE A CATCHER,
A CATCHER WHO REALLY KNOWS HIS OR HER STUFF,
AND IS TOTALLY TRUSTWORTHY AS A CATCHER.
THIS IS THE ROLE OF THE FATHER
IN OUR NATIVE AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION.
WE CAN NOW ADD A THIRD STEP TO OUR INVESTIGATION
OF HOW TO GROW OUR FAITH TO OVERCOME OUR FEAR:
FIND A TOTALLY TRUSTWORTHY PERSON TO BE OUR "CATCHER."
OTHER BIBLICAL WORDS FOR "CATCHER" WOULD BE
"SAVIOR," "REDEEMER," "FRIEND."
THIS BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL ILLUSTRATION.
IT'S NOT EASY TO FIND A TOTALLY TRUSTWORTHY PERSON
TO BE OUR "CATCHER."
MANY WOULD SAY THAT ONLY ONE SUCH PERSON
HAS EVER WALKED THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
TIM HANSEL, IN HIS BOOK HOLY SWEAT TALKS ABOUT
HIS OWN EXPERIENCE IN FINDING SUCH A PERSON. HE WRITES:
"AT FIRST, I SAW GOD AS MY OBSERVER, MY JUDGE,
KEEPING TRACK OF THE THINGS I DID WRONG,
SO AS TO KNOW WHETHER I MERITED HEAVEN OR HELL WHEN I DIE.
BUT LATER ON, WHEN I MET CHRIST,
IT SEEMED AS THOUGH LIFE WERE RATHER LIKE A BIKE RIDE,
BUT IT WAS A TANDEM BIKE,
AND I NOTICED THAT CHRIST WAS IN THE BACK HELPING ME PEDAL.
I DON'T KNOW JUST WHEN IT WAS
THAT HE SUGGESTED WE CHANGE PLACES,
BUT LIFE HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE.
WHEN I HAD CONTROL, I KNEW THE WAY.
IT WAS RATHER BORING, BUT PREDICTABLE…
IT WAS THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS.
BUT WHEN HE TOOK THE LEAD,
HE KNEW DELIGHTFUL LONG CUTS,
UP MOUNTAINS AND THROUGH ROCKY PLACES
AT BREAKNECK SPEEDS, IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO HANG ON!
EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED LIKE MADNESS, HE SAID, 'PEDAL!'
I WORRIED AND WAS ANXIOUS AND ASKED,
'WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?'
HE LAUGHED AND DIDN'T ANSWER,
AND I STARTED TO LEARN TO TRUST.
I FORGOT MY BORING LIFE AND ENTERED INTO THE ADVENTURE.
AND WHEN I'D SAY, 'I'M SCARED,'
HE'D LEAN BACK AND TOUCH MY HAND.
HE TOOK ME TO PEOPLE WITH GIFTS THAT I NEEDED,
GIFTS OF HEALING, ACCEPTANCE AND JOY.
THEY GAVE ME GIFTS TO TAKE ON MY JOURNEY,
MY LORD'S AND MINE.
AND WE WERE OFF AGAIN.
HE SAID, 'GIVE THE GIFTS AWAY; THEY'RE EXTRA BAGGAGE,
TOO MUCH WEIGHT.'
SO I DID, TO THE PEOPLE WE MET,
AND I FOUND THAT IN GIVING I RECEIVED,
AND STILL OUR BURDEN WAS LIGHT.
I DID NOT TRUST HIM, AT FIRST, TO BE IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE.
I THOUGHT HE'D WRECK IT,
BUT HE KNOWS BIKE SECRETS,
KNOWS HOW TO MAKE IT BEND TO THE SHARP CORNERS,
KNOWS HOW TO JUMP TO CLEAR HIGH ROCKS,
KNOWS HOW TO FLY TO SHORTEN SCARY PASSAGES.
I AM LEARNING TO SHUT UP AND PEDAL
IN THE STRANGEST PLACES,
AND I'M BEGINNING TO ENJOY THE VIEW
AND THE COOL BREEZE ON MY FACE
WITH MY DELIGHTFUL CONSTANT COMPANION, JESUS CHRIST.
AND WHEN I'M SURE I JUST CAN'T DO ANY MORE,
HE JUST SMILES AND SAYS 'PEDAL.'
(End Quote)
TO SUMMARIZE, JESUS' QUESTION TO HIS DISCIPLES --
WHICH INCLUDES US JUST AS MUCH AS THE ORIGINAL TWELVE --
PUSHES US TO ASK OURSELVES HOW WE CAN GROW OUR FAITH
TO OVERCOME OUR FEAR.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE FOUR STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE
WHICH WILL MOVE US SOLIDLY IN THIS DIRECTION.
THE FIRST STEP IS TO HOLD ON TO OUR FAITH
IN SPITE OF OUR FEAR.
THE SECOND STEP IS TO CHOOSE TO LET GO OF OUR FEAR.
ECHOING NOUWEN'S TRAPEZE ILLUSTRATION,
THE THIRD STEP IS TO FIND A TOTALLY TRUSTWORTHY PERSON
TO BE OUR CATCHER.
THE FOURTH STEP IS TO INVITE JESUS TO BE OUR CATCHER,
AND GET READY TO ROLL!
IF WE ACTUALLY TAKE THESE FOUR STEPS,
OUR WORRIES AND FEARS WILL BE SWALLOWED UP
IN FAITH AND TRUST,
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO AFFIRM,
ALONG WITH GEORGE MACDONALD
WHEN HE WRITES ABOUT GOD
TOTALLY ACCEPTING AND LOVING HIM
IN SPITE OF ALL HIS IMPERFECTIONS:
"THOU ART MY REFUGE, BECAUSE THOU ART MY HOME."
"THOU ART MY REFUGE, BECAUSE THOU ART MY HOME."
AMEN.