Let us cross over to the other side.........

That is how the story of Jesus calming the storm begins.  It is a journey to the other side.  There is no indication that the disciples are concerned about going to the other side of the lake, even though it means they will be going into non-Jewish territory.  No one raises an objection to this little trip to a place where they may not be welcomed.  You might contend that they were bold because they were traveling with Jesus in the boat. (We see how that plays out in just a few puffs of wind).


Let us cross over to the other side......

No one objected!  Let me suggest that my experience in the church counts this fact to be quite amazing. Rarely do worshiping communities set out to journey into unknown territory especially not when they might not be particularly welcome.  Rarely do worshiping communities step up and join the movement that will take them away from the familiar and send them into the even mildly hostile, even though we believe - or so we tell ourselves - that Jesus travels with us and we are not charting this course alone.  There are always objections.

Let us cross over to the other side.....

Time after time in the Gospels, Jesus shows the disciples that this kingdom of God he is talking about is not interested in being bound by the old ways.  God's promise to Israel is made manifest in Jesus, but God's plan for Israel also includes the entire cosmos.  Therefore, the path into God's future will not strictly follow the old ways but will branch out to Gentiles and sinners and publicans and well, you and me.  It will involve healing and sharing meals and welcoming women and children and the blind and the lame.  In order to get where God is leading us, we will all have to cross over to the other side.  Jesus is with us to make the path straight, to give us the courage to follow his example and to open the door to real life just beyond what we know and see.

We will not get to the other side - the place where the church is being called - without some storms on the way.  Some of the storms are going to scare the pants off us.  But Jesus travels with us, and like the disciples, it is to Jesus we must cling.

Of course, first we need to get in the boat.

We can stay on this shore.   We can avoid the storms.    We will die.