| “Rock Like Living” – Matt. 7:21-29 – June 1, 2008
In the past few weeks the world has witnessed an earthquake in China, a cyclone in Myramar, and tornadoes in the Midwest. Mother nature didn’t discriminate. There were expensive homes that were destroyed as well as many modest dwellings. What about those who lost their homes? Some would say It’s because they weren’t religious. Had they built their home on a solid foundation they would have been spared.
For people to make such statements is utterly preposterous. In fact, it was “religious” people like that to whom Jesus was speaking here in Matthew. He said to the religious folk who went around boasting of their ability to prophesy and cast out demons, “I never knew you.”
A wise person builds his home on solid ground while a foolish person builds their home on sand. What did he mean? Jesus wasn’t talking about personal dwelling places nor was he talking about extreme weather conditions. He was talking about life, specifically how one enters the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus was addressing his disciples and potential disciples. Some were listening and heeding his teachings but others were hesitant, reluctant or holding back. To be a follower of Jesus is not just to go through the motions.
In today’s world there are folks who just pretend to be living on the rock. They follow the rules, they are moral and good citizens and they say the right words. But, their faith is superficial. I doubt if they can hear this teaching since they believe it applies to someone other than themselves. On the other hand there are some who are still learning, those who want to build their lives on a solid foundation but don’t know how.
Jesus’ words amazed them. They were shocked. Why? Because he told them what the Pharisees didn’t want to hear. Everyone looked to them as models of the faith because of their righteous living. But their lives were legalistic, following a prescribed pattern of rules and ritual. “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus said.
Some folks are awed by religious people, like the Pharisees, who appear to be very religious. Jesus is saying, “Don’t be. Forget them. They mislead you.” They have built their lives on the sand. They will not be able to survive the storms of life. You, on the other hand, can. Build your life on the rock and you can be assured that the kingdom of heaven waits for you.
I believe that to build our lives on solid ground is to do the following. First, it’s to be committed. Commitment to the faith requires sacrifice. It means it is not all about one’s self, it is all about others.
I was vacationing in Maryland last week. In Maryland there are thousands of people who commute to Washington D.C. every day. Some commute over two hours away. I noticed that there were a number of “Park and Ride” areas. Folks drive to a central location, park their car and then ride a bus to work for the remainder of their commute. Here in the Midwest we are used to driving to work solo. Ride sharing is scarce and we have no mass transit systems. Think of the resources that could be saved if we shared what we have. Or, who of us has ever thought about filling our neighbor’s gasoline can to make their life a bit easier?
Secondly, I believe that Jesus intended those who build their lives on the rock was to live by a true love ethic. Love is grace, not following rules. Love is giving, expecting nothing in return. Love is, “Laying down one’s life for his/her friends.” Love is non-judgment. Love is total acceptance. Love is striving for peace.
Finally, to live our lives on the rock is to believe that anything is possible. “With faith, anything is possible,” Jesus said. Too often we feel as though our efforts go unnoticed so we don’t even try. Or, we sense that a wrong can’t be righted or a problem can’t be solved and we become overwhelmed.
I was sailing last week with some very good friends. Our boat captain this year is the most experienced of all of us. We were heading out to the Chesapeake Bay from a channel that was narrow and shallow. The wind was strong and the seas were choppy. We drifted to the left and our sailboat went aground. My friend panicked, which is unusual for him. We backed off and he decided that we better go back in. We motored back to the dock and sat there. Now we were in a marina where hundreds of boats, many larger than ours, were docked. I thought to myself, “These boats navigate this channel every day. Surely, it is not impossible for us.”
I said to my friend who was overwhelmed with the situation that I had every confidence in his ability to take us out of the channel. I also suggested that he might stay to the right to avoid drift. Drift was something I was familiar with having been in the Navy. After a 30 minute waiting period we headed out again and this time we safely navigated our way through the channel.
There have been times when I too have needed a voice of reassurance to navigate my own life through some problem or circumstance. There are voices who reassure us but we don’t always listen. To build our lives on solid ground takes courage and faith. Nothing is impossible. By being committed and living by the ethic of love, we too will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Dr. Keith Wagner
"One Good Man, One Good Boat" - Gen. 6:9-22 - May 29, 2005
One evening my wife and I were dining out. We ate at a restaurant which has a reputation of serving generous portions of food. We decided to share one dinner between us, knowing that we would both go away full. When the waitress took our order you could see the displeasure in her facial expression. I’m sure she was thinking, "These people are cheap, there goes my tip."
Whenever you do something that is contradictory to what our culture understands as the "norm," you are very likely to be criticized or ridiculed. Noah was building an ark on dry land. He was doing what he believed God told him to do, but building a boat on dry land to withstand a great flood was not logical. No doubt he was ridiculed by his neighbors since his actions went against the mainstream.
What kind of a man builds an ark and risks the approval of his neighbors? Noah was a righteous man who "walked with God." People of faith are those who listen to what God wants and then act. Their actions frequently clash with what society deems as "normal."
The popular thing to do on Sunday mornings in our society is to sleep in. Let’s be honest, worship does not have a high priority for the masses. This morning, you are doing something that the majority of people in our society are not doing. In that respect you are like Noah, living out your faith.
Noah was directed to build the ark because society was corrupt. The Hebrew word in Genesis was shachat, which means "ruined" or "spoiled." You could say that during the time of Noah, the world was spoiled rotten. God had no choice but to rinse the world which had been polluted by humankind’s arrogance and neglect. Fortunately, God found one good man, Noah. He was chosen because he saw what others did not see and heard what others did not hear. He took a risk, planned and acted in spite of what others thought or believed.
Noah had extraordinary faith. He really went out on a limb to be faithful to God’s command. He built a boat, not a luxury liner or a cruise ship, but a boat. It was an ark specifically designed as a floating sanctuary for his family and the creatures of the earth. The ark would protect them from the oncoming flood waters and eventually take them to a new place where civilization would have the opportunity to start afresh.
In Malibu, California people are buying mobile homes on the coastline because of the great view. These mobile homes are selling for about $1,000,000. People have a passion for the sea. Noah was preparing for sea, but his floating sanctuary had very few amenities.
Imagine Noah and his family, cooped up with all kinds of animals. There was no room for the beasts to roam. It surely must have been noisy and dangerous, not to mention stinky. Noah had no motor or sails. His ark had to go with the currents and the wind. He was totally dependent on the sea to take him to a new home. It was a long, arduous journey.
History has a tendency to make the Noah’s Ark story cute and cozy. But, it was anything buy cozy on that ark. It was hard work and Noah had no idea of his final destination. All God promised Noah was that he would make a covenant with him. No land, no ranch, no farm, just a covenant. He and his family remained on the ark for 1 year and 10 days. Finally the waters abated and Noah and his family were free to leave the ark.
Noah’s hope was in God. He had no idea where he would end up or what he would find when he arrived. Nor, did he know how long it would take. He trusted God totally. It amazes me that Noah and his family were the only living human beings left on the planet following the flood. Imagine the loneliness and feelings of isolation as they drifted helplessly for over a year. There are times when life is like drifting in a vast ocean with no land in sight. The only thing that keeps us going is faith.
On July 22, 1966, a Japanese teenager set out across the Pacific Ocean for a solo voyage on a 30 foot yacht. On September 13, 1966, 14 year old Subaru Takahashi sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge, the youngest person ever recorded to make the 4,600 mile journey.
Midway through his journey the motor on his yacht quit. Five days later his battery died. He had to make the last 2,790 miles of his journey under "sail" power alone. Like Noah, who spent years building the ark, Takahashi spent months training for his journey. During the journey he experienced isolation. He said that his faith in the creator is what kept him going. The solitude of the journey warmed his soul and strengthened his resolve.
The story of Noah and the ark is a remarkable example of extraordinary faith. One good man with one good boat survived the great flood. Noah went against the grain, resisting the urge to cave in to society’s whims. His only hope was in God, depending totally on God to guide him to a new land.
Is your life like a floating sanctuary or are you consumed with building a personal empire? Are you doing what God wants for your life or are you listening to the voices of a polluted society? God gave the world a second chance in the days of Noah and God continues to give us a second chance through the forgiveness of Christ. May we all be cleansed this day of the things that pollute our souls.
Dr. Keith Wagner | |