January 22 2017 “Baby Boats” Isaiah 9.1-4 *Matthew 4.12-23

January 22 2017 “Baby Boats” Isaiah 9.1-4 *Matthew 4.12-23 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

One of the most inspiring book titles I have seen is “If you want to walk on water, first you have to get out of the boat”. It fits this morning’s scripture.

As we begin this new year, most of us have big hopes and dreams in our hearts. We dream of good times, good days, and good results. When we are not dreaming, we, perhaps are dreading! We are worrying. Though we know, worry is worthless. It can’t change the past, the present or the future. It just wastes this moment in time. [slide# 1 worry is worthless…]

Isn’t it better to dream than to dread? Of course. There are days when we barely have our heads above water. [slide # 2 baby in water] We learn from many Bethel wise ones, to keep our eye on God, not on our circumstances. We learn to keep flowing in love and flowing in excellence, rather than stay stuck like a stick in the mud. We learn.

In our leadership training and visioning workshop yesterday, Ann Hoffman and Terrie McKinley opened the meeting with reflections on a training they and other members participated in a few months ago. The two of them reminded us that we need to stop and pray and ask God to tell us what to do in order to be the church.

Through the years, thanks to Sonia Kulp and countless others, Bethel has been a church with many missions. Even when Maggie Shick was treasurer and reported that the balance was 25 cents, even when Janet Long passed the hat at Council meeting in order to pay a fuel bill, Bethel was a mission church. What a legacy, what a witness to the power of God to live in our hearts so we did not give up, what a way to humble ourselves and offer ourselves as living sacrifices to our God.

With all that we have done, God is speaking to our hearts and asking us to listen. We are being called to new places. We may meet new faces, but there is no need to worry. God is with us as God has always been.

There may be nagging situations in our lives that we may see as too small to bring up in prayer. As this month’s sermon series indicates, we can ask God’s help even if we take baby steps, use our baby spiritual gifts and as we will hear this morning, get out of the baby boat. if something is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about! It is a good thing to put everything in God’s hands and watch God work!

God is calling us to get out of the boat so we can experience God’s power in our most desperate and deepest and insecure places. [slide # 3 Get out of the boat…]

It is a good day when we can do what two brothers, James and John did when Jesus called them. Verse 22 says “Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.” [slide # 4 immediately] That’s a good day.

Sometimes we hesitate, procrastinate, and pontificate for days, months. We may fear the worst when we get out of the boat. [slide #5 alligator]

It may be some time before we are able to sing sincerely that song:

I have decided to follow Jesus;

No turning back, no turning back.

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;

The world behind me, the cross before me;

Though none go with me, still I will follow;

No turning back, no turning back.

This song are the words spoken by a man who converted to Christianity in India in the late 1800’s.  After a revival in Wales England, English missionaries spread the gospel in his village in India. This was no easy mission since the Indians were deep into the ungodly culture of things like head hunting.

No matter what culture we are a part of, there are likely some ungodly traditions and unholy ways that have, at some point, captured our hearts and our imaginations. [slide #6 boys on capsized boat] Following the footsteps of Jesus, we are led away from evil to a place where we are saved from our sins. [slide# 7 Jesus grabbing hand of one sinking]

No matter what you are worried about today, you can get out of that boat. Whether your worries are big or whether they are small, do not think about how deep or treacherous the waters may be. Keep your eyes on God [slide# 8 glasses]

This week one of my devotions told about a couple who had planted a beautiful flower garden and the blossoms were absolutely gorgeous .[slide#9 flowers] The husband said, “Let’s take a picture.” “Oh we can do it after lunch,” said the wife. As they were eating, a flash storm came through and the garden was decimated except one or two blossoms that reminded them of how beautiful the garden was.

This incident shows time can run out. We do not have forever to do something good. When God calls us to serve, we need to listen because we do not want to miss being a blessing or getting a blessing.

As always, God has great things in store for our church, our family, our community and even, believe it or not, our country. But, if we want to walk on water, and to follow in the footsteps of the one who can take us to a better place, a holy place, a kinder, gentler nation, if we want God’s power in our most desperate and deepest and insecure places, we just may have to get out of the boat. [slide # 10 boat], it’s time to listen and to move when God says “move”. Amen. [slide#11 Jesus walking on water]