July 22, 2007

Attitude Adjustments: Hope

Sigmund Freud was Wrong!

Matthew 14:22-33

Opening Words: Austrian psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor Victor Frankl said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: To choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.” He knew what we often forget, our attitudes about life are extremely important. They affect the way that we experience life. It is for this reason that I decided to dedicate this section of the year to examining our attitudes. I have called this fourteen week sermon series, Attitude Adjustments. Today, we look at our attitude about hope. Do you consider yourself a positive person? Let me call this weekend’s message, Sigmund Freud was Wrong!

Matthew 14:22-33   ²²Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

    ²⁵During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

    ²⁷But 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. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

    ³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

    ³²And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Victor Frankl spent four long years in a Nazi concentration camp. Those long years highly influenced his entire life. It was during those days that he made an observation that changed his field of study. He noticed the people who survived those camps were not always the ones you’d expect. Many who were physically strong wasted away and while others who were physically weak survived. Why? What is the greatest motivating force in a person’s life?

Frankl reflected on the theories that dominated his field of expertise. Sigmund Freud believed pleasure was the motivating force in people’s lives. However, there was no pleasure in those camps. It was not even in their vocabulary. Pleasure could not be the motivating force in people’s lives. Alfred Adler believed the great motivating force in life was power but the Jews had no power within those camps. They were powerless. They had no power and no prospect of power. Power is not the motivating force in people’s lives. Victor Frankl came up with his own theory. He said the greatest motivating force in a person’s life was hope. Those who survived never gave up their belief that their lives had meaning, that despite everything going on around them it would one day end and they would live meaningful, purposeful lives. This weekend I want to looking at hope, the greatest motivating force in our world today.

This weekend I want to look at our attitude about hope. It plays a larger role in your life then you even known. In the next few minutes I am going to ask you three questions. The first question will expose some of the hopeless situations you have experienced in your life. The second question is going to reveal how that hopeless situation altered your relationship with God. Did you question God’s existence or did you find yourself forging a deeper relationship with Him? The third question will reveal how you respond to others in their time of need. Peter’s famous walk on the water in Matthew 14 will act as our Biblical model. So if you are ready to explore your attitude on hope say, “Amen!” Remember, Sigmund Freud was wrong! The greatest motivator in the world is hope.

Where are the storms in your life?

In the scripture lesson Jesus has just fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. The text says it was 5,000 men, plus women and children. He is both physically and spiritually spent. The crowd is sent away but the disciples are put into a boat to sail to the other side. According to Mark’s version of this story they are headed to Bethsaida. Jesus, himself, stays behind to pray on the mountainside. It is while the disciples and Jesus are separated that a strong wind begins to blows. It is a significant wind so significant that the disciples, according to Mark, begin to row against it. It is at this point that Jesus breaks the laws of nature. He walks on the water toward the twelve. They see him but they do not recognize him. At first, they think he is a ghost, which in their culture means they are about to die. They are in a wooden boat, fighting the wind in a storm, afraid they are going to die. Can you imagine that scene using your sanctified imagination? However, it isn’t just a story of twelve men who lived two thousand years ago. It is our story as well. How many people do you know that are facing a storm in their life? This is a more personal question.

Where are the storms on your life? There are all kinds of storms. Maybe the storm in your life is financial in nature. Life is expensive and you trying to live on a fixed income. Or maybe you are underemployed? There are many in this area that are underemployed. They take any job just to pay the bills. However, that job does not come close to your skill and expertise. The only reason you stay here is family. Maybe the storm in your life is medical. Does anyone here feel like they are in the middle of a storm because they are trying to reclaim their health? Maybe you are in the middle of a storm because a loved in is trying to reclaim their health? The treatments and the medicine are confusing. The forms are complex. Do you know anyone in the middle of a medical storm? Maybe the storm in your life is relational in nature? Are you concerned about your aging parents? Are they safe to live alone? Are they safe giving themselves their own pills? Is their neighborhood still safe? Maybe you are concerned about your children? Their grades are poor. Their friends are questionable. Have you ever wondered if the children in your life are taking drugs? The world they are inheriting doesn’t seem so bright? Maybe the storm in your life is spiritual? Maybe the storm in your life is psychological? Where is the storm in your life? A storm occurs anytime your resources aren’t large enough to handle your problem. When we face the storms we also face hopelessness. Does anyone here feel like they are facing more then one storm? Question number one is where are the storms in your life? And all of God’s hopeful people said, “Amen!” Never forget! Sigmund Freud was wrong! The greatest motivator in the world today is hope.

Are you ready to experience God in unexpected ways?

Go back to the text with me. The disciples are in the boat in the middle of a storm. They see what they believe is a ghost coming their way. They are afraid. They think they are going to die. They think it is over but then they experience Jesus in an unexpected way. He is walking on the water! They had just seen Jesus feed those 5,000 men with just five loaves and two fish but they were still amazed. They never expected Jesus to come to them that way. Let us be honest. Sometimes Jesus comes to us in surprising ways. Sometimes God comes to us in daily life.

During the Korean War, a soldier got separated from his unit and was trapped behind enemy lines. The enemy knew he was there and he had little chance of escape. He found a cave and hid. He knew that it was just a matter of time before they found the cave, too. He prayed to God, “God if you can, please save me, but I trust your will. If I’m to die, let me die bravely, and take care of my family. Amen.” He lifted his head and saw a spider busily building a web over the opening of the cave. Back and forth she went. “Silly spider,” he thought. “We’re both going to be blasted to bits. I need a brick wall and I get a spider web?” He heard the crunch of boots and loud talking in a language he didn’t understand. But he did understand two words. “Spider web.” As the enemy soldiers walked away, he realized that because the mouth of the cave was covered with a spider web they thought no one was in the cave. The spider web had been as strong as a brick wall. Sometimes God surprises us by doing the truly miraculous. Sometimes God comes to us in less spectacular ways. I know that is true because that is how God works with me.

A week from tomorrow I head for Russia as part of this year’s volunteer in mission trip. This year we will be working with sixty severely handicapped orphans an hour north of Moscow. If we bring them a little joy and hope our trip will be a success. This is my fifth trip to the former Soviet Union. I am more then a little surprised I have been that many times. Let me tell you why. I went on the two trips because I wanted to support my wife and because I have always respected missionaries. The truth is I struggled on those trips. These trips are not vacations. They are emotionally exhausting. The truth is I didn’t handle that situation well. I considered myself a failure at every level. I told some of you I would never go back. (I don’t know why. Some love to throw that quote in my face.) I went back again because I didn’t want to live with that failure. It was when I returned again that God surprised me. In that defeated state God showed me my place on those trips. He showed me how to meet those people on their terms and that changed everything. God told me to stop looking at the big picture and look at the small.

Do you know why I am looking forward to this mission trip? I went into the ministry to help people. That does not always happen here. Here, I get involved in the systems, programs and committees. The larger we grow the more active we become, the less time I have for individuals. There I just get involved with people. There was a time when I was ready to close that door on my life but no longer. God surprised me and showed me something new. As you pastor, let me say something every so gently. Be prepared to experience God in every possible way. Sometimes God acts in truly special ways. Sometimes God acts in the normal routine of life but never forget God does act. And all of God’s hopeful people said, “Amen!” Never forget! Sigmund Freud was wrong! The greatest motivator in the world today is hope.

Are you ready to be a sign of hope to those who are hopeless?

Journey back to the text with me one more time, the twelve are in the boat. They are being thown around by the wind. They think they are going to die. They have no hope. Their lives are over and then Jesus suddenly appears and everything changes. Verse 27 says when they identified Jesus they were no longer afraid. Peter is so inspired by Jesus’ presence that he attempts to walk on the water. My last question is you ready to be like Jesus? Are you ready to be a sign of hope to those who are hopeless?

James P. Wind tells of visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. There amidst sculptures made of bubble gum and old doors, he came across a piece of art titled "America's Joyous Future." As contemporary artists often do, the artist Erika Rothenberg took a piece of everyday life, in this case a small church bulletin board, and turned it into a provocative work of art. In a manner familiar to clergy across the land, she spelled out life at one local congregation in simple white letters against a stark black background. This is what it said.

EVENINGS AT 7 IN THE PARISH HALL

Mon. Alcoholics Anonymous
Tues. Abused Spouses
Wed. Eating Disorders
Thurs. Say No To Drugs
Fri. Teen Suicide Watch
Sat. Soup Kitchen

Sunday Sermon 9 a.m.
"America's Joyous Future"

Wind admitted later that piece of art haunted him. Did the visitors to that art museum see it as an indictment of churches and synagogues that preach pie in the sky in their worship services while remaining oblivious to the real hurts and needs of people? Or did they see it as a sign that our congregations are deeply immersed in human suffering?

Emily Dickinson wrote in Without Feathers: We tend to think of hope as a "winged thing," flying serenely above the storms, untouched by the mundane earth. But the value of hope lies in its presence in our everyday lives.” Hope walks be our side. Are you ready to walk along the side of people who are hopeless? Are we willing to be a sign of hope? Or are just another example of indifference? And all of God’s hopeful people said,”Amen!” Never forget! Sigmund Freud was wrong! The greatest motivator in the world today is hope.

Some years ago, a 99-year-old Christian Ethiopian woman lived about two hours out of the capital, Addis Ababa. She was blind and illiterate. She lived in a little hut, where she kept two Bibles on her table - one in Amharic (the official language of Ethiopia), and one in English. Whenever someone came to visit her, she would ask the person to read. Over time, her favorite passages became so familiar that she could recite them from memory, and if her visitors couldn't read, she would recite as a kind of gift to them.

What makes her story so amazing was the great distance people would come to visit her. Why would they make the journey for an elderly, illiterate, blind widow? Because somehow in her presence, through her voice, the words "The Lord is my shepherd" ceased to be just words. People flocked to her hear to hear those words of hope. Never underestimate its power. Never forget! Sigmund Feud was wrong. Hope is the greatest motivator in the world! And all of God’s hopeful people said, “Amen!”