Showing Support (Esther)

 If you aren’t familiar with the story of Esther, here’s a little background: the king is King Ahasuerus [a-HA-sore-us], also known as Xerxes I. 

His queen—Queen Vashti—displeased him, so he disposed of her, and began a search for a new queen.

And that search ended with Esther. ***** Esther became the new queen.

King Ahasuerus had an advisor named Haman. Haman hated the Jews. And Haman devised a plan to get rid of all the Jews in the kingdom.

Esther herself was a Jew, along with her cousin Mordecai, although Esther kept her Jewish identity a secret. Yet if Haman’s plan were to proceed, she very likely would be found out, and she, along with all the other Jews, would be in great danger. 

Just because she was the queen did not mean she was safe. Just look what happened to the previous queen!

But, being the queen did give Esther access to the king. Perhaps, if she did it right, she could convince the king to stop Haman’s plan to destroy all the Jews.

Would the king be displeased by her boldness and audacity? Would he get rid of her just as he had gotten rid of his previous queen?

This is the big, scary, intimidating task that was set before Esther.

But the first thing Esther did is that she had all the Jews fast on her behalf. She called on them to fast and to pray. She called on them to lend her some of their strength. 

She knew that her own strength was not enough. She needed the strength and the help of her people, in order to have the courage to do what she knew needed to be done.

I think it’s far too easy for us to miss the point of this part of the story. 

Because we live in a highly individualistic society.

In fact, no society in human history, past or present, is as individualistic as ours.

In many traditional cultures, there is a more communal sense to things. It’s more about relations and connections.

When you meet someone, you immediately start asking about their family. Their parents. Their grandparents. And you start telling them about your family.

Family bonds and connections are important. Community connections are important.

But we’ve moved away from that. For us, it’s all about the individual.

*****

You may have heard the story about an anthropologist visiting Africa, who once proposed a game to children in an African tribe. He put a basket of fruit near a tree and told the children whoever got there first could have the basket. 

When he told them to run they all took each other's hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. He was surprised. He asked them why they had run together like that, since one of them could have had all the fruit for themself. They said: “How can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?”

Those children taught him the concept of ubuntu. Ubuntu means “I am because you are.” And ubuntu is something many in our own society just don’t understand.

Even now, when we read the story of Esther and preach on it and look to it for lessons for our lives, we often look just to Esther, and lift her up as “the hero,” and give her all the attention, as if she acted all alone; as if it was all her strength, and her strength alone, that enabled her to do what needed to be done.

That’s how we read and interpret the story.

And we miss that important detail, that before she did anything, Esther sought the strength of her community, her people, by asking them to fast and pray on her behalf.

We in the Disciples of Christ practice believer’s baptism. That means that we normally wait until an individual is old enough to affirm for themselves faith in Jesus Christ; we wait until they are old enough to respond to the presence of God’s love and grace in their lives.

Yet last month, on Easter, we baptized an individual who really wasn’t capable of making that affirmation for himself.

*****

In thinking about this, I was reminded of a story in scripture in which four men bring to Jesus their paralyzed friend. They try to carry him into the house where Jesus is, but there is a crowd and they can’t get through, so they go up on the roof and dig a hole in the roof and lower their friend down to Jesus from above.

And Jesus “saw their faith… and said to the paralytic, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

This story appears in both Mark 2 and Luke 5, and both times, that declaration of forgiveness is given when Jesus sees the faith of the friends. 

That paralyzed man couldn’t get to Jesus on his own. Physically, there was no way he could have entered that building. But I think that spiritually, as well—he didn’t have the faith, or the courage to ask, or the ability to believe. 

In this story, the paralyzed man never speaks, he never acts; he is a completely passive character.

But his friends do act, and because of their faith, the paralyzed man encounters grace and forgiveness.

This story convinced me that baptizing Max was the right thing to do. 

Now, here in Esther, we have something similar.

*****

Esther cannot do what she needs to do on her own. She needs the strength and the prayers of her people.

The only thing Esther can do, at first, is ask for their help.

And, by their strength, and by their prayers and their fasting, Esther is then able to do what she needs to do.

But it started by asking for help.

Now Esther is a great hero from the Bible! There’s no doubt about that!

Yet sometimes the greatest act of the greatest hero… is to ask for help.

And sometimes, asking for help is also one of the hardest things we can do.

Let’s think back to last week’s scripture, which was about Jesus inviting Peter to walk on the water with him.

Peter stepped out onto the water, but when he saw the wind and the waves, he began to sink.

Maybe one reason he began to sink is that he thought he had to perform that task—walking on water—on his own, all by himself. 

What if, before he stepped out of the boat, called back to the other disciples, and said: “Hey, guys: I’m kinda nervous about this. Can you pray for me?”

Would that have made a difference?

And what if he had ignored the wind and waves, but instead kept his eyes focused on Jesus the whole time? When he took his eyes off Jesus and noticed the wind and the waves, he must have felt that it was just him, by himself, against the elements. 

And maybe for a moment he fought against the wind and the waves; and then, as he began to sink, he fought even harder, forgetting all about Jesus, giving in to the fear that he was about to drown.

But then Jesus reached out, and took Peter by the hand. Peter was not alone, after all; And he did not drown, but was brought safely back into the boat.

So: do you think it would have made a difference if Peter had asked the other disciples for support, to pray for him, first, before stepping out of the boat? Maybe they could have given him the faith and the courage and the spiritual strength he needed to stay above water, and not sink down into the waves.

Yet sometimes it is just so hard to ask for help.

*****

Esther asked for help. She asked her people to fast and pray for her. She knew she couldn’t do what needed to be done on her own. She didn’t have the strength, the courage, or the faith that was required.

But by the strength of her people, and the fasting and prayers they undertook on her behalf, she was able to go to the king, and put  a stop to Haman’s evil plan to rid the kingdom of her people.

Even though we do live in an individualistic age, we do know a little about the power of receiving strength from the community.

I was reminded of this the other day in a message that was sent out by our regional minister, William Crowder. 

A week ago, William Crowder and his wife Stephanie Crowder lost their son, Sollomon, who was found dead just one week before he was to graduate from Howard University.

In the message he sent out, he said: “We give thanks for a community of faith that has surrounded… our entire family with compassion, prayer, and unwavering care. In fact, your prayers have carried us when words have failed and have reminded us that we do not grieve alone.”

I think many of us have, in our lives, received this type of support from our community of faith; and many of us have shared in offering this type of support to others going through difficult times.

Last week, we celebrated the 189th anniversary of First Christian Church. And throughout our 189-year history, we have learned that ministry is done better when we do it together.

We do ministry together; with one another. 

We do ministry in partnership with a dozen other organizations in our community, who share with us the goal of bringing wholeness to our fragmented world.

We do ministry with ecumenical and interfaith partners in our community, which is a way of recognizing that we ourselves do not have an exclusive claim on God’s truth, and that we cannot possibly do what God is calling us to do on our own, but only when we work together.

We do ministry with nearly 3,000 other congregations with whom we are in covenant through the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Through all these partnerships, we help one another do the task that God is calling us to do.

And now we are taking part in the New Beginnings process. Over 1,000 congregations have already taken part in New Beginnings, and we are drawing upon their wisdom and their strength.

And helping us through this process are our assessor, and our consultant, and our associate regional minister Alex Ruth.

We are not doing this alone, by ourselves. We are drawing on the strength of others, and we are drawing on the strength of the Holy Spirit, to follow the path God is calling us to.

The same is true for each of us. 

Yes, the path God calls you to is not always easy. Like Esther, you may be challenged, to do some difficult, scary, and even dangerous tasks, leaving behind the comfort, the security, or the familiarity of the past.

But whatever God is calling you to, you are not alone. The strength and the encouragement and the support of God’s people is with you. 

You can depend on them, just as they can depend on you, to provide the strength and the encouragement that is needed.

Come (Matthew 14:20-33)

 When I used to substitute teach on Catalina Island, I had to take a 70 minute ferry ride across the ocean to get there. It was normally a smooth and gentle ride on a ferry boat that could carry 400 passengers scattered across three levels, with most of the seating indoors, but some outside seating as well.

However, a few times each year, windy conditions would lead to cancellations. So when I was asked if I was available to work over on the island, I always checked the weather forecast first. 

I didn’t want to get over there, teach all day, then get stuck because the boat ride home was cancelled. Especially since the school district paid for the boat ride, but wouldn’t pay for a hotel if I needed to spend the night.

There was one time, though, when the boat left Catalina on a sunny, but breezy afternoon, and as soon as we made it out of the harbor, the doors to the indoor cabin flung open, and people who had been sitting outside came rushing in, screaming. Because away from the sheltered cove, the wind started whipping the waves into the air and onto the deck, soaking those passengers.

They were, no doubt, tourists. Most of the commuters knew that it was always better to find a seat inside.

As we made our way further out to sea, the usually smooth boat ride began rocking rather violently. Several people even got seasick, and crew members began distributing sickness bags. That was quite a ride!

Now, imagine a much smaller boat carrying just a dozen disciples: how much more vulnerable to the wind and the waves that would be. 

********This is not the first storm in Matthew’s gospel. There is another storm, back a few pages, in chapter 8. In that storm, the disciples are in a boat, and Jesus is in the boat with them, when a great windstorm comes upon them, so great that it threatens to sink their boat. 

And Jesus (this time) is blissfully unaware of it all, for he is sound asleep.

How can Jesus sleep so peacefully in the midst of the storm, with the waves all around, threatening to overwhelm them?

Perhaps Jesus remembered that, in Psalm 65:7, it says that God calms the roaring seas, the roaring waves, and the noise of the nations.

Perhaps Jesuis remembered that, in Psalm 89.9, it says that God rules over the surging sea; and when the waves mount up, God stills them. 

Perhaps Jesus remembered that, in Job 9.8, it says that God is the one who tramples the waves of the sea.

Perhaps the disciples do not remember these things, or they at least have their doubts, for their fear overwhelms them, and they wake Jesus up and scream:  “Save us! We’re about to die!”

And Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves, and suddenly all is calm.

And we see in the disciples a mix of faith and doubt. They have faith; they know that Jesus can save them. 

Yet they also have doubts, and they are afraid.

********That’s Matthew 8. This time, in Matthew 14, Jesus is NOT in the boat with them. They are on their own. 

A wind comes up and pushes against them, so that they are making absolutely no progress on their journey across the lake. 

And what’s really weird this time, is that the scripture doesn’t say that the disciples are afraid, UNTIL they see Jesus. Once they see Jesus walking on the water toward them, in the predawn darkness, coming through the wind and waves, then they become afraid, for they think he is a ghost.

But Jesus says “It is I; take heart. Do not be afraid.” 

That SHOULD reassure them. Right? And maybe it does. But is that enough to calm their fear? The scripture doesn’t say.

But the scripture DOES say that Peter speaks up, and shouts through the wind: “Lord, if it IS you, command me to come to you on the water!”

Peter wants proof. 

And his demand—does it sound familiar?

In Matthew chapter 4, it is the devil who speaks these words. Peter says “if it is you, command me…” The devil says almost the same thing: “If you are the son of God, (If it is you…) command these stones to become bread.… If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the top of the temple… If you are the Son of God, prove it!”

Jesus decides, OK, if Peter is going to put me to the test, I’m going to put HIM to the test. Jesus turns things around… as he so often does. In many places, Jesus answers a question with a question; here, he answers a challenge with a challenge.

Jesus says to Peter: “Come.”

The ball is back in Peter’s court.  

I wonder if Peter’s reaction is to think to himself: “Wait; what?” He called my bluff?

I wonder if he has second thoughts. I wonder if he regrets speaking so hastily.

But there’s no backing down now.

Peter steps out of the boat… and starts to walk on the water…

But then he notices the wind.

And he begins to sink.

And Jesus reaches down, lifts him up, and brings him safely into the boat.

And Peter is reminded that HE himself is not Jesus; he is not the one who controls the wind and the waves. Only Jesus is Jesus.

And it is JESUS who has the power to calm the storms in life, and to bring us safely to the other side.

Like Peter, we—despite knowing better—often test Jesus in much the same way. “If it really IS you…” 

We insist that Jesus prove himself. We insist that God prove to us that God is who God says God is, and that God can do what God says God can do.

But God turns things around. Jesus turns things around. “You want a test? Here’s a test: 

Come.

I know that I have put Jesus to the test—put God to the test—in much the same way Peter did. My prayers, especially lately, often go something like:

Come on, God; don’t you see what’s happening in the world? Don’t you see how the vulnerable are being treated? Don’t you see the injustice? … Don’t you see how so many who use your name in vain, twisting your truth, are prospering, while so many who try so hard to walk the path of love and compassion and peace are struggling? 

If you really are God, DO something.

If you really are who you say you are, intervene, and restore justice, restore peace, and restore our love for one another.

That’s been my prayer a lot lately. And I suspect I’m not the only one.

And when I pray that prayer, I get the sense that God’s response is something like this: Yes, there is a lot of injustice, a lot of suffering, and a lack of love and compassion.

That’s why I’ve called YOU. That’s why I’ve called you, to be my people, to be the ones to restore love and justice and hope to the world.

So: COME. Walk the path of true faith. Sail your boat across the sea to where I am sending you, to carry out the mission of love I have entrusted to you.

********

189 years ago, First Christian Church began its ministry of love in the home of William T. Major. He, and I think a dozen or so others, met, worshiped, and organized themselves into a congregation.

They responded to that invitation: Come.

And in all the years since, there have been a lot of storms. A lot of strong winds and waves, pushing against this congregation’s ministry of love. 

The years leading up to the Civil War, when a group of people who didn’t agree with this congregation’s opposition to slavery left to form their own congregation. Perhaps they believed strongly in defending slavery; perhaps they just thought that speaking out against slavery was just too political. Either way, they left.

There were other wars; and epidemics like the Spanish Flu; arguments over prohibition, in society at least; I don’t know about within this congregation. Later, the civil rights movement and the turmoil of the 60s; the decision to become open and affirming; and the challenges we currently face in this world where so many are working against love and against justice, and doing it in Jesus’ name.

The waves are strong, and they are beating against us.

Yet still we press on. Because a ship isn’t meant to stay in one spot. A ship isn’t meant to stay in the harbor, where it’s safe. That’s not what a ship is for. A ship is to follow Jesus, even when he leads us across a stormy sea.

Our congregation’s vision statement, which I read earlier, says that we are a growing church. 

There are many types of growth, and many ways to grow. But growth does not occur if we stay in one spot, in a safe shelter, protected from the wind and the waves.

That’s true for you. That’s true for me. And that’s true for us as a congregation.

Our denomination’s identity statement says that we are a movement for wholeness. Obviously, that word movement also suggests that we are not called to stay in one spot.

The thing is, though: sometimes we like the spot where we’re at. Maybe we’ve been at that spot for a long time, to the point that it feels comfortable. Reassuring. Safe.

But are we ignoring Jesus’ call to get into the boat, and sail across to the other side? Are we ignoring his invitation to Come?

To where is Jesus calling you? What safe, comfortable, reassuring place is Jesus calling you to leave behind? What storms is he calling you to face, rather than hide from?

Each of us will have different answers to these questions. They are worth spending some time this week pondering.

And for us as a congregation: Well, these are exactly the sort of questions we are pondering through our New Beginnings process. 

And it would be dishonest of me to say that the answers to these questions won’t be a little scary. They might be!

What does Jesus have in store for us, for our future, as a church?

Jesus may be calling us to sail our boat across a stormy sea, to an unfamiliar place, or even to get out of that boat and walk with him on the water!

Jesus may be calling on us to leave the safety of the shore behind us, to leave the relative safety of the boat behind, and to venture into uncharted territory.

I don’t know about you, but that makes me nervous!

Yet I know that if we faithfully follow Jesus, wherever he leads us, that he will go with us. 

And no journey will be too much for us. 

And no wind or waves will overwhelm us. 

And no storm will cast us into the water.

Because Jesus is with us. Now, and forever.