Daredevil Duck, Part 4

This is part of a series of posts that are a sermon I preached at Milton United Methodist Church on July 25.  The sermon was based on Ephesians 3:14-21 and John 6: 1-21.  

In the story of the feeding of the 5000, after everyone was fed, Jesus sends the disciples out to gather the leftovers – 12 baskets full.  Jesus says to his disciples, and he says to us, “You have a call to feed God’s children.  You have each other. You have me. You have everything you need.  See the evidence? 12 baskets of leftovers.  You will not run out.  You do not need to be afraid.”

In the John passage, the people saw even more signs in what happened – who wouldn’t? – and Jesus realized that they were going to come and take him to make him a king, so he stepped away and withdrew to the mountain by himself.  The disciples went down to the sea and got on a boat, and started across the sea.  Darkness fell, and storm rose up.  They were afraid, and Jesus wasn’t with them – but they looked out across the sea, and they saw him walking on the water toward them.  At this point, they were terrified, but Jesus said, “It is I – do not be afraid.”

That was more than just Jesus telling them who was walking on the water.  This was more than him saying, “No worries – it’s me!”  What he said was an I AM statement.  Jesus was using the name of God.  Jesus was telling them that God was with them.  Do not be afraid.  

Part of what Jeff and I do at the Foundation is to meet with donors and help to match their call to give with the best way to make the gift.  One day a few years ago, we met with a woman who had been abused as a child and as a young person and has continued to suffer from mental illness.  I think she lives her life in fear.  She joined a United Methodist church in West Virginia – and there she has found acceptance.  Family.  After she retired, she met with her pastor to talk about what she wanted to do – create a way that she can help people who have had experiences similar to hers.  Her pastor arranged for Jeff and I to meet with her.  She decided to create an endowment to benefit her church.  The income is to be used to fund ministry from the church to help those who are experiencing mental illness.  Each month, she sends what I consider a large gift from her retirement income to the Foundation to add to the endowment.  She lives in fear, but she knows the love of the church and the love of God, so she can’t help but see the abundance of what she has and to be generous.  She might be the bravest woman I know, even in the midst of fear.

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