Pastor’s Message 3/1/2020

I think it’s safe to say that Jesus himself found temptation unpleasant. After all, he authored and taught The Lord’s Prayer which clearly states, “Lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil/ the evil one.” In Genesis, the first couple was tempted and failed. In the gospel, Jesus was tempted and prevailed.

Tuesday morning, a pastor said, “These readings are all about sin.” Tuesday night, the Halifax Historical Society showed a movie called, “The Last Raft, Courage and Tragedy Along the Susquehanna.” Afterward, I decided that the readings weren’t necessarily all about sin, but the story about the raft helped float the idea.

You see, temptation begins with an idea. One that conjures up what it’ll be like to obtain or do something new. Temptation recognizes an opportunity to relive a fond memory. It can be an occasion that prompts you to invite others to join in. You see, there were men who had spent years on the river, years handling felled trees, piloting rafts and navigating currents. Each one of them remembered the excitement of being challenged. Adrenaline rose in their veins at the thought of facing both an external force of nature, and an internal force called fear. Not unlike the woman in the garden.

Eve felt hunger mixed with anxiety. She desired more of something she considered worthy: Wisdom. She saw something naturally beautiful hanging within reach, then heard a tempting voice. More and more ordinary people accepted the invitation to, “Come ride the raft.” And then just like Eve, they extended the invitation to a friend or family member.

The speaker at the movie showing was both a witness to the last raft and one who spent decades piloting rivers. I asked him, “Do you think they knew their lives were at risk?” He said, “Well, you know there’s risk, but you think of the adventure.” That describes the set-up to many a sin, doesn’t it?

Satan tried to set Jesus up by appealing to human appetites: for food, conquering the odds, and obtaining power. When you think about it, Satan himself couldn’t resist the temptation to dare Jesus.

A reporter famous for capturing the Hindenburg disaster chose to document the last raft trip in photographs. The film in his camera survived, but he didn’t. Real life and the Bible serve to prove that legacies form both because of tragedy and in spite of tragedy. Through many senseless tragedies, God works after-the-fact to help us gain sense.

Another parallel to the Last Raft and sin is this: When it’s clearly visible and comes near to where folks live, they’re gonna draw spectators. There is an entertainment factor centered on risk. Before gladiators there was something like the WWF. And I’m not talking the World Wildlife Fund. Anybody here not watched Evil Knievel or somebody else attempt to defy death? Watching someone risk getting hurt is okay if they’re paid big bucks and do so willingly. But, what about when we watch the news? And watch people suffer out of curiosity?

We say they made their choices. They engaged in risky behavior. They knew someone might get hurt, all thoughts that apply to both sinners and adventure seekers. As mere spectators, we feel removed from thinking that we contribute to their hardship. We participate and are involved as much as we encourage any industry to profit from people’s failings.

The raft, like people, successfully traveled many lengths safely. Spurred on by the idea of profit, and filled with hope of a big sale, the crew underestimated challenges between them and their goal. Hope for the best became fueled with false optimism. How many of us know of lives lost to that temptation? We’d have to start by counting everyone who ever left home with an idea to gain something and sadly, never returned.

You’ve heard of peace like a river. Well, sin is like a river, too. It holds unforeseen dangers. It causes collateral damage and doesn’t quickly give up its dead.

A river’s current, dams and bridge columns, are like sin in that even taken with care and approached with caution, there will be aspects that remain uncontrollable. No matter how well you calculate the risk or try to steer your path, the time will come when they will knock you down, knock you off and maybe cost your life.

So where’s the gospel, you say? The Last Raft wasn’t just about people who chose to ride or watch the raft. Some spectators became rescuers, carrying, swaddling and warming strangers. Employers closed businesses so folks could search the water and surrounding banks. The movie revealed what the Navy, Coast Guard, and other officials couldn’t do. What only God and time could. Several things: Recover lost items, make good use of them, and finally, raise the dead. It took weeks. Items and bodies journeyed miles, unseen. Like many a sin they were hidden out of sight until they blew up and surfaced.

Sin, like a river tragedy, can produce heroes. It can teach people courage. Turn witnesses into wiser, more grateful souls. That’s why the readings are about something more than sin. They show us that life’s all about choices.People never know what they’re made of until they make them.

God forewarns and explains the cause-and-effect nature of things. Even with God at the helm, the best steering doesn’t prevent every upset. What God did insure was that raft didn’t break completely apart. People and the stuff they built on top of it, like many a civilization, fell and disappeared among the surrounding elements. But, some portion of the raft held up. It was in good enough shape to eventually steer to its final destination once new pilots and engineers got on board.

As the story goes, God kicked the first couple out of the garden, but didn’t destroy the raft. He let a whole bunch of other people sail it until Jesus came along. He was the only one able to both navigate the current, steer the vessel, guide the participants and bring us home. In the end, the last raft was sold. Jesus was killed. But, his death inspired others to keep felling trees, keep building, keep afloat, keep steering, keep hope alive.

In the garden, there were many voices, but only one with authority to hand out commandments, God’s. Jesus reenforced this notion by saying, “Only one thing matters, what God says.” God is the last raft. The last hope we have as individuals, families and a nation.

The weirdest thing about what stayed attached and survived the raft’s crash was its privy. Located on a rear corner’s edge, it was far from where people stood eating, talking and having fun. I think it pretty well symbolizes religion in our culture. Relegated to the outer edge, the church is a built in necessity. It tries to answer needs when people show up. If only it could only get folks lined up waiting their turn to spend time inside.

One last point that Freud would really have fun with. But first, let me ask if anyone read the pastor’s message in the March newsletter. I talk about the importance of confession.

The privy on the last raft was necessary. It functioned like confession in that it provided a safe space to let go of something that would otherwise harm. It was a place where people no longer had to hide what they worried would embarrass them. It was a place where yucky stuff would no longer be associated with them specifically. During confession, sin becomes anonymous waste. It disappears from sight.

God remains in sight when things hit hard and go out of control. God is there when you flip, crash down, break apart or feel like you are drowning. God remains useful, is there with you in public and waits for you in private.

Our God is un-wreckable. God continually preserves you from trouble whether you acknowledge it or not. God continually instructs and guides you in the way you should go like a gentle leader. Let’s turn a moment to today’s psalm.

I especially identify with verse nine. “Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near.” God has always known that I am prone to wander, prone to act like a wild Mustang, a spontaneous curious creature like Eve.

A local trainer of horses and I had a recent conversation about bridles. “Yup, they aren’t comfortable,” he said. “And I don’t use them if they aren’t necessary, but sometimes (he smiled) they just are.” God’s mercy is in the hands of a gentle leader like that gentleman. His name is Jesus.

Be glad and rejoice. Don’t lose your curious spontaneity Shout for joy at being on the raft. The ride’s not over yet. The choices you make will teach others who watch as spectators. Try to enjoy the ride even when tragedy strikes. God will recover what can be found, make use of your past experience, and finally, raise the dead.

Jesus knew facing temptation was tough, so he gave us company on the raft. He knew that rapid waters and threats would rise, so he made grace and peace ever flow like a river. He made sure that his love and forgiveness would ever float us, ever carry away our sin, and ever wash us clean until we safely arrive on shore. Amen.