We continue our series of “Escape” by looking at another area that keeps us from experiencing the freedom Jesus’ coming and rising offer us. The last few weeks we have spoken about escaping bad decisions, the shame/guilt that accompanies them and even trading religion for relationships. This week I’d like to explore how to escape the trap of spirituality.
Before I begin, I want to ask a couple of questions.
How many of those in the room know that Jesus' life, death and rising opens an opportunity for everyone to have a special relationship with God, where through our surrender, He will send us to others He longs for a relationship with?
How many of us believe our relationship with God means if He sends you, and you go, He will equip you?
Not that long ago, I heard someone saying religion is for those who are fearful of going to hell and spirituality is for those who have been there. I loved the contemporary idiom because it indirectly speaks to one of the biggest stumbling blocks to a relationship with God - fear.
We have all heard the stories of those who have sold everything and gone to the mission field for God.
What we don't hear are those who choose not to go for some reason - money, time, stage of life etc.
We also don't hear of those who sold everything, convinced themselves it was God but, in reality, were running to the mission field to escape the fear of dealing with life on life’s terms.
Spirituality is a place where fear and faith meet. A place where reaction and response are often confused. A place where rationalization and justification strike to keep people paralyzed or running under their own power.
Thankfully, we have the scriptures to look through to find solutions. This morning I’d like to open to Matt 14: 22 to look for the clues on to escape fear based spirituality for a faith based life. The background to our reading goes like this. Jesus has been enjoying a great response to his ministry. People are coming from all around to meet him. He was dealing with the highs and low of ministry life. A dear relative, friend and cohort in the ministry had been killed and he just fed 5000 performing a miracle with kids lunchable. It was an emotional week so He sent the entourage on a boat to the other side of the lake while he sought some alone time to pray. What should have been a three hour tour, turned into a “weather started getting rough” kind of voyage. Let’s dig in…
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
A few more insights:
The sea of Galilee is small, 13 miles long and 7 miles wide. In perspective, Lake Michigan is 321 miles long and 118 miles wide.
Many of the men in the boat were fishermen who knew how to sail and that the sea of galilee could go from glass to whitecaps in a heartbeat.
They also had experience of sailing at night with Jesus before. When the waves were rocking that time, Jesus had to be awakened to calm the storm.
The boys had been on the lake for probably 8 plus hours at this point in the story.
Let’s pick it up at verse 25
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
Scholars have spoken of Peter in all kinds of ways - from faithful to foolish. Personally, I want you to see how much faith he had. He walked on water because His faith in Jesus was greater than human fear. The others were terrified clinging to the sides of the boat or the security of what they knew. Peter walked on water. Everyone had a choice that evening and only Peter knew storms build faith when we were willing to lean on our faith. Let’s continue…
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
All of us will have storms in life. As mama says, “there will be days like these.” It’s in the storm we learn what we have faith in - God or ourselves. Or in the spiritual or the tangible. The God or the boat. The Savior or our self sufficiency.
The world sometimes will look at our actions in faith and say we’re crazy. But they don’t understand the notion of being called and sent by God. Peter does three things we all should consider as we look to follow God in faith:
He calls out to God
He asks for verification from (Jesus)
He waits until he knows it's time to respond
28 “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 Jesus says “Come,”
Faith requires an admission of our limitations while accepting God as unlimited.. We can’t just react to every stimulus. We must first have an understanding of who God is and then respond.
If you’re wondering how you know if God is directing you to do something or say something:
First, Check if the idea or calling that you are sending and make sure it lines up with God’s Word. God’s character remains consistent, even when the world's opinion changes. Is what you are being called or sent to do in line with the God of the universe?
Second, Listen. Take time to sit in the presence of God. Not just a five second. You may need to be in your boat or place of prayer all night or for hours to get a clear message or a confirming message. If you aren’t getting one. Do not do anything. Wait. keep trying. Get bored in the Lord. Wait. It’s in those moments when you are just about to get up when the answer comes. If you believe it is time to act, it's time to go to step three.
The third step is to go to people who really know God. Notice I didn’t say your friends. I said people who you know who lead a godly life. I often say take it to three trusted people. If the majority agree, it may be good to proceed. If all say yes, then don’t delay.
Please hear this. It’s okay to be afraid. Faith is not the absence of fear, it's the obedience to proceed despite the fear. In our culture, we lift this up as courage. With God, it’s a spiritual action leading to greater faith and trust. In the book of Hebrews, chapter 11 gives us a series of people who walked in faith in the trials of life. It’s often called the hall of fame of faith. It’s one of those great chapters of encouragement. Take a listen:
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Let me read that last line again. All the action in the hall of fame came before Jesus. They were pointing to his reign and offer an example for living in faith today. Spirituality is where fear and faith collide. Escaping the trap of spirituality means admitting our limitations, recognizing the call and walking in obedience in spite of our fear.
As Jesus said, 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Creative: Prison Uniform
References:
Unstuck By Larry Osborne, Quest Bible commentary p1434-35, 1377-78, Bible Gateway, Blue Letter Bible Commentaries
