“Things We Learn at Camp”
July 28, 2024 – Northwood United – Rev. G. Scott Turnbrook – John 6: 16-21 & Eph. 3: 14-21
Jesus... Jesus... where are you? Come out for we can't see you. We have waited and waited for your return… And so we wait, and still we wait. It’s always fun to pour over the clippings and printings of news items and ads we save over the years, isn’t it. I saved this one over 30 years ago. The following ad was published in the Vancouver Sun a few decades ago with an invitation to come to gather at Burnaby Lake in worship: “Dear Jesus Christ of the West, Our wait at the airport at noon on July the 5th was concluded by your absence. Both God and your family members and disciples of 2000 years ago can understand the bitterness and obstacles you have encountered in your mind. I will be at the nature house beside Burnaby lake at 12:00 AM through 8:00 PM from the 10th of July to the 13th. I will wait for you at the lakeside every day during that. When the 4th day ends, if you do not appear, the God the heavenly father will be very disappointed and sad. All of your great magic power and heavenly occupation will disappear. Please think sincerely about how many Christians look forward to your reappearance”. During our time together, I would like to suggest that the message for us in the gospel text this morning is that Jesus is that…search and wait as we may, Jesus is right in front of us. Jesus is just waiting for us to invite him into our boat and into our lives. Jesus is here!
I'd like to begin by looking way back to the early 1st century when this passage in John's gospel was first written down. From the outset, John makes the agenda for his gospel very clear. He starts his gospel “in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God”. John, more than any other gospel, presents Jesus as the Incarnate word of God. This means that Jesus is the living, breathing expression of God! Compared to any gospel, this view of Jesus is the highest Christological status assigned. And as we will see, it informs John's entire gospel.
As you read through John's gospel, we find this morning’s text. The miraculous story of Jesus walking on the water that Deborah just read. When we look at this story, you likely know that a similar version is also found in both Matthew and Mark. While we notice many similarities to these two sources, it quickly appears that John's account contains more differences than similarities. First, John’s is very short and gets directly to the point by omitting many of the details from the other two accounts. In our version, the disciples are in trouble and simply invite Jesus into their boat; Jesus answers; and they arrive safely on the other side. The end. In this passage John knew what he wanted to say, and he went directly for it. Secondly, this version reverses the perspective of the reader. While the other two versions are presented from the perspective of Jesus viewing the disciples, John offers the perspective of the disciples viewing Jesus in this drama. This is an important distinction because as Jesus is being viewed by the disciples, we are invited to share in this experience and experience Jesus through their own eyes. Third, the overall feeling of this story is not one of fear of Jesus, as in Matthew and Mark's, who described the disciples as viewing Jesus as a ghost and being afraid. Rather, in John's account they are awestruck. It is awesome! They immediately recognized him as their friend and are confused by his action of walking on the water. So in this short miracle story, we are invited inside the minds of disciples to view who Jesus is, to be struck by awe and not by fear.
So as you look over this lesson, we can see that John is very strategic in how he wrote the story. He forces us to adopt the perspective of Jesus’ disciples as we view both the majesty and humility of Jesus. Then, he highlights the personal choice we must make to be willing to take Jesus into the boat, to invite, to welcome him into our life.
At the beginning, I shared with you my fascination with the advertisement that I read. Please understand that I do not mean any irreverence for this denomination. Quite the opposite. Exploring the differences between their tradition and ours serve to help us understand ourselves on a deeper level. The visit of this church and Jesus of the east certainly has got people talking, and if I had not been working, i would have gone out to Burnaby Lake to worship. I think what intrigues me the most about this event is that it reveals the inability that many of us have to sense that Jesus is among and within us every day of our lives. Much like the story of the disciples, this group is waiting for a specific person, who will be born in a specific day, who will look a specific way... however, sometimes Jesus will be present in the words and actions of those around us we just need to be sensitive to feel the presence of our risen lord. And this is one of the things I learned at camp. This surprise happened to me as I think back to my experience of camps and day camps and church settings. Please allow me to share.
My story occurred when I worked as a day camp leader with children. Our goal was to teach basic community values such as respect, inclusivity, and trust to children through games, activities and field trips. At the beginning of the week, we would meet a new group of children filled (like the disciples) with energy, hopes, and fears. After getting to know each other, we collaboratively would create a set of rules which would govern our group. We would generate the rules together. Children would propose rules such as ‘no killing or hurting each other’. (And, I was very excited to see this child's familiarity with the 10 commandments). Another rule…mandatory trips to playland at least twice during the week. (We will do our best on that one) Others such as including everyone in our activities, showing respect for others were the ones we were really looking for. Once we had defined the rules, we would all sign them and post them on the wall with the hope that everyone will remember and abide by them. Well let me share an insight with you... this does not always happen!
It was a beautiful sunny Wednesday, and we had gone on all day hike into the north shore mountains. We arrived at a good place to have lunch and do some fishing. My day camp partner and I set up a central meeting place and told the children that they could have some freedom to go off and fish on the lake for the next while. I decided to make my rounds and found that at age 9 or 10, boys don't want to be anywhere near the girls! I came upon a little island, which was no more than 40 feet in diameter. It was separated from the shore by about 10 feet of icy cold lake water. Access to the island was quite simple. A system of wooden planks placed upon rocks which were just beneath the water. However, what I found was that access had been cut off by some enterprising young boys who wanted to claim the island for their own! Once on the island, they pulled the planks back to the island thereby cutting off hope of dry access. When they first noticed me, they were proud and arrogant. They said ‘this is our island and no one else is welcome!’ After reminding them of the rules we had agreed upon, they begrudgingly began to float the planks to the people on the shore. 10 minutes later, I thought I should check up on the status of our inclusive society that was quickly diminishing. There before me was the most pathetic assembly of planks leading to an island which was now inhabited by boys AND sopping wet girls. But what was happening at the particular moment was even more moving. Our most timid and shy girl, let's call her Farah who was visiting with her parents from Saudi Arabia, was walking across the planks and being assisted by Jacob the most popular boy. A very unlikely combo indeed! Jacob was submerged in the water up to his waist and was helping Farrah balance on the planks as she made her journey over to the island. Jacob's smiling lips were offering encouraging words to Farah. ‘You can do it... just a little further’... and she proceeded all the way across.
And as I was viewing all of this, I thought about Jesus. I thought a lot about Jesus. Jesus the man who was humble and yet magnificent. The man who taught us to love and be loved. The man who was always creating community and modeling inclusivity. The man who healed the lepers and ate with tax collectors. All of a sudden, I sensed Jesus’ presence in little Jacob. This little boy was acting as Jesus would have us to act. His actions were revealing Jesus’ presence to me, just as Jesus identity had been revealed to his disciples in John's gospel.
How often do we see Jesus in the words and actions of our neighbors? Is it found in the caring touch of a partner the kindness of a stranger? Or is it in our own actions? To be clear…it is our choice! We must, as the lesson says invite Jesus into the boat. It is then, and only then when we do this that we offer the presence of Jesus Christ into the world. It is through our hearts and our minds and our actions that we offer the world the renewed presence of Christ. Perhaps Jesus will come very soon to the world. Perhaps not, however, Jesus’ spirit is alive and well in the world whenever we allow it to be present through us!
Getting back to this ad for the Jesus of the West, if given the opportunity, I would rewrite the ad as follows: “A letter to Jesus Christ, Dear Jesus, your presence has been spotted everywhere. Each day in the love shown by friends, partners, and parents, the healing touch of medical professionals, the work of first responders, the justice created by individuals and the random acts of kindness shown by strangers in our hurting world. While we may wait for your return to earth, we are presently nourished by the strength which you provide us as we offer ourselves to be channels of your grace and love. Signed, a patient follower and Walker in your way”.
Amen