Two Sermons in Two Formats on Jesus' "Walk on the Water"

Pastor Humphreys: “Hang In There!” +2 Songs

February 11, 2016 David Braswell 

Produce destined for customers of the Berean Food Pantry, courtesy of a grocery store that is closing it’s doors. In the foreground, rutabagas and apples.

A GODSEND IN THE FORM OF SHOPPING CARTS GALORE!

The Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church Food Pantry is normally very fast-paced on Wednesdays. Food is constantly being shuttled from storage areas, to distribution area, and ultimately to people’s vehicles (should they be fortunate enough to possess one). Historically, the Achilles’ heel of the workflow has been a shortage of shopping carts. A “Food Giant” supermarket at 2176 Bankhead Highway has just closed it’s doors, and has generously bequeathed a dozen or so shopping carts to Berean. The produce they also donated is very nice, but the carts are an acquisition of such importance that the fruits and vegetables are dwarfed by comparison.

Tuesday’s trip to the Atlanta Food Bank was a mixed affair. There were bins of upscale bakery items available in the “free room,” but there were no containers (bags or boxes) available to transport them in. The Bereans present managed to balance about thirty packages atop some other acquisitions (the patrons are limited to two trolley-loads of goods). For want of few lawn-sized trash bags, hundreds more had to be left behind. It is a minor tragedy, a tale of “the one that got away.” A sagacious lady who accompanied the usual crew suggested that a roll of big plastic bags be placed, in the future, inside the truck.

This advice was partially taken to heart for the Wednesday morning pickup, one that occurred at the early hour of 8:30 a.m. I took five trash bags with me, and filled four of them with bread. A fellow shopper stated her regrets that she had not shared my foresight, as she had nothing carry bread in. I gave her the fifth bag. The lesson of this morning: take a whole box of bags; some to keep, and some to share. It was  a long day, as it did not end until the “War Room” shut down around 8 p.m.

The iconic view of “Fallingwater,” the most illustrious creek-side house ever built. The client, Edgar Kaufmann, could not relax on the terrace. A slight droop in it drove him nuts!

IN THE WAR ROOM:  PASTOR RUSSELL,  PASTOR HUMPHREYS

The “War Room” at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta, was fully staffed for a third installment. All three primary pastors were present, and the room was filled to capacity with soldiers.
After the introductory music, Lead Pastor Fredrick Russell made some introductory remarks. He had recently visited a fellow pastor’s (a former Navy Chaplain) home, one located on “Calming Water Trail” in Dallas, Georgia. The street is aptly named, as it is nestled between two creeks (Possum, and Little Pumpkinvine). Pastor Russell, upon experiencing the tranquility of a creek-side balcony, said this to his host: “I bet this is where you go to pray!” The host confirmed Pastor Russell’s perception.
Pastor Russell spoke of the “power of having a place to pray in your home.” Inquiring as to how many “prayer warriors” in attendance possessed such a spot, a respectable percentage raised their hands. The pastor noted our reliance upon prayer, and related it to our current location, the “War Room.” “When you walk in this place, you can clear your mind,” he said. “You can swim in the word of God.”

As Pastor Russell prayed, the worshipers repeated a procedure from the week previous. It was a mechanism designed to facilitate “intercessory prayer.” Cards were filled out by everyone, briefly stating urgent needs. The deck was then shuffled and redistributed. The card I received requested me to pray for the health and welfare of the petitioner and his/her family. This is a pretty universal need, so I feel obliged to request this for everyone, everywhere. I am still full of last Sabbath’s sermon on overcoming inertia, so I requested intercessory prayer to get me out of the doldrums.

Folks of a certain age cannot hear the term “Hang In There” without thinking of this 70’s poster. Millions must have been printed. I had a copy on my wall.

PASTOR AUSTIN HUMPHREYS’ SERMON ON JESUS’ WALK ON THE WATER, “HANG IN THERE!”

Pastor Humphreys began his talk by quoting Mark 6:46: “And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.” The “War Room” emphasis on prayer inspired the pastor to introduce his topic with the interlude between Christ’s feeding of the 5,000 and His “walking on the water.” A link was forged between “prayer” and “cheer,” as the pastor followed his initial quote with a part of Mark 6:50: “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” The pastor said that when Jesus “departed to the mountain” to pray, He was creating His own War Room.

Pastor Humphreys, a great sports fan, made reference to the recent Superbowl (briefly alluding to the defeat of Pastor Russell’s favored Panthers), and provided the remarkable statistic that 114.8 million people watched the game in its entirety. All were expecting a great game, but were treated, instead, to a mediocre game. This statement had some relationship to the topic of the sermon, as the pastor noted that the misadventure of the disciples, tossed about on the Sea of Galilee in a storm, was probably the last thing that they were expecting. They had just witnessed the triumphant miracle of the feeding of 5,000 people with only five loaves and two fishes. Being caught in a storm, while harrowing, was also anticlimactic (like the Superbowl).

This sermon shared a concern about “transitions” with last Sabbath’s sermon by Pastor Russell. Both Jesus and his disciples were “in transit.” Jesus’ interlude of prayer represents a productive use of time, communicating with His father, and refreshing Himself for the next step. The “neutral zone,” described in Pastor Russell’s Sabbath sermon on transition, is a non-productive place to be stuck in. To attain a desired end, one must move beyond “the neutral zone.” The brief absence of Jesus from His disciples was described in Pastor Humphrey’s Wednesday sermon as a deliberate test of their faith. Jesus did not intend to leave them in peril for too long.

“Jesus and Peter On the Water” by Alexandre Bida. This occurrence is found in Matthew, but not in Mark or John. Luke omits the story in its entirety.

He “transitions” back into their presence in a remarkable manner. When He finally touches base with them, a remedy of their dilemma is effected instantaneously. Pastor Humphreys described the temporary separation of Christ and His followers as a necessary antecedent to their reunion. “The problem is here,” Pastor Humphreys stated, indicating one direction, “while the solution is here,” indicating the opposite direction.This relates to last Wednesday’s “War Room” address by Pastor Russell, one where he cited tribulation as a device God uses to bring us closer to Him. The disciples were definitely suffering tribulation.

The disciples were “distressed in rowing,” toiling for their life. The pastor assured us that, even though He was not physically present with the disciples, Jesus was nevertheless aware of the difficulty they were in, and created a “hedge of protection” about them. When Jesus approaches, and then boards the vessel of the disciples, they are no longer alone. All difficulty ceases. The pastor drew a lesson from this narrative. “When you are in a mess, be of good cheer. God is with you.” By the act of “walking” on the water (I could not help but think of the scripturally significant synonym, “treading”), Jesus displayed His mastery of forces that can cause you harm (His “dominance over nature” is how the Wikipedia link on “walking on water”describes this). Chaos has been conquered.

Arturo Toscanini became a household name due to his stint as conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra (1937-1954)

A personal experience of the pastor was related. When younger, he would deliver MLK speeches. He was to present one in Nashville. It was to be followed by orchestral music. The organizers of the program informed Pastor Humphreys that the conductor of the orchestra would not be present, so he must fill in for the missing person. The pastor nervously commenced this unexpected duty. What he had assumed would be chaotic, instead turned out to be beautiful music. Unbeknown to both the pastor and the audience was the fact that the real conductor was seated in the balcony, and was providing proper direction to the musicians throughout the performance. This reminiscence furnished a suitable metaphor for our relationship with God.

“God the Father is in the balcony,” Pastor Humphreys assured us, “and is controlling the situation. All you have to do is HANG IN THERE!” A prayer ended the sermon, and an evocative statement ended the prayer: “We pray that you will never leave us stranded on the sea.”

CONCLUSION
Pastor Russell finished up the “War Room” session with various appeals for prayer for those who stand desperately in need of it. Berean member Arnett Johnson merited special attention. He recently suffered a major stroke, and is in ICU at Atlanta Medical Center. No one is sure how he got to the hospital. Pastor Russell offered a conjecture. He felt that it just may be the work of angels. He asserted that unseen forces are at work in our lives. Furthermore, these forces operate in a rational manner (I have always had faith that competence must exist in spiritual realms, as it so noticeably absent from the earth). The guardians that shepherded Brother Johnson to the hospital are representatives of an omnipotent power, one for whom nothing is impossible. The pastor’s prayer for Arnett Johnson ended with a statement that featured the inspirational word “all.” He prayed that God would bring him “all the way back, for, with you, all things are possible.”

Detail of “The Angel” by Gustave Dore, an engraving made to illustrate Dante’s “Inferno”

SAVING THE LEAST FOR LAST: SONGS “CURSES” AND “JOHN 3”

The first song, from a small backlog of material accumulating on my coffee table, is one originally titled “Plea to the Profane.” If you are not a churchgoing type, then curses are a standard way of communicating in my neighborhood. They hold no information, as they serve as either placeholders for more proper nouns, or colorful punctuation marks. When they are directed at me, I can only pray that the speaker runs out of things to say as quickly as possible. Eighteenth century English novels like “Tom Jones” are heavily laden with irreligious imprecations. The Devil is frequently invoked. Here is a LINK to the video version of the song “Curses” set to a 1914 Charlie Chaplin fight scene.
The second song uses a snippet of a public domain version of a Lutheran Hymn (#277). It is concerned with the night meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus. Two people talking is not too exciting visually. I used, instead, some footage of Jesus walking around in the desert for the YouTube video found at this LINK, featuring the song “John 3.” It is not all that exciting, either. The title was modified for YouTube to “John 3 (Nicodemus),” but the parentheses seem to have disappeared.

Pastor Humphreys: “Jesus is Still Enough!”+ A Song

February 28, 2016 David Braswell Leave a comment Edit

Pastor Austin Humphreys, Speaker this Sabbath at Berean SDA Church. This image is from his Twitter territory, which can be entered by this  LINK.

PASTOR HUMPHREYS DEVELOPS A THEME RECENTLY INTRODUCED IN THE “WAR ROOM” ON MARK 6:45-51
Pastor Austin Humphreys, in the immediate aftermath of the Super Bowl, delivered a short sermon during the course of the February 10th “War Room” prayer meeting. This talk was entitled “Hang in There.” It was centered around Jesus’ “walk on the water” to catch up with His disciples after the feeding of the 5,000. They were foundering in a storm, straining to keep their boat from capsizing. When Jesus appeared, trouble disappeared. Seventeen days of reflection on this address revealed some new insights on this incident, one described in every Gospel but Luke. This Sabbath’s expanded and enhanced edition of the sermon was prefaced and concluded in the same manner as the original, but featured a more generous portion of “fresh meat” within the boundaries of it’s exegesis. Here is a fast way to access all of this juicy meat, a link to the ENTIRE SERVICE. Pastor Humphrey’s sermon, “Jesus is Still Enough,” begins at time marker1:44:28.
Today’s service continued the theme of “Black History Month” by featuring music that is representative of the African American tradition. The morning hymn was #627 in the Hymnal, “Jacob’s Ladder.” I can’t find a link to The Staple Singers version of this Spiritual that doesn’t try to monkey with your computer. I have an unsubstantiated theory that, based on the pauses in the vocal line, that this originated as a “call and response” work song. I am more often wrong that right in these matters, however.
David Trofort directed the Berean choir ensemble “Open Praise” (including a pair of outstanding soloists) in three selections that preceded the sermon. He provided minimal keyboard accompaniment to Diana Walker’s rendition of “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” at marker 1:29:25 (I think Ray Charles borrowed large chunks of this song to create “Hit the Road, Jack“). This “minimal” approach yielded to very “maximal” texture in the second of the three songs. The arrangement (probably one by Mr. Trofort himself) was so intricate that he could, as conductor, only imply it in an abstract manner. I suspect it took a fair amount of rehearsal to polish this one up. It commences at marker 1:34:10. The third song exhibited a “medium” texture, and featured the second soloist. It was “I’m Not the Same” (link is to a retro rendition by Walter Hawkins and company), and may be discovered at marker 1:39:00. David Trofort’s wife Terra was present today, leading the praise team, but my idol keyboardist Natalie Raggins was not. Maestro Luther Washington II seemed to be missing, as well.
I was sleepwalking when I made some inexpert notes regarding Pastor Humphrey’s initial presentation of subject matter that was refined and expanded for today’s sermon. I will mostly pretend that it never happened, and therefore touch upon this Sabbath’s  highlights in a new summary, one submerged a few fathoms below where we currently float.

Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., speaking to the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta (Georgia’s First!) in 2014.

BLACK HISTORY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREE  #1:    THOMAS W. DORTCH
Thomas W. Dortch was born in Taccoa, GA in 1950 (One of my last professional jobs found me taking aerial photos of Toccoa Falls College from an ancient Cessna, in preparation for a new master-plan of the campus). Toccoa boasts normally placid Toccoa Falls, but in 1977 a torrential downpour both bloated the falls and burst a dam upstream from the Christian college, killing 39 people (mostly students), and injuring 60 more. I recall the amazement of the normally jaded national media types who covered the disaster. They were surprised by the calm manner with which the devout student body dealt with the crises. Toccoa was a segregated locale at the time Mr. Dortch was child there, he noted in his remarks.
Thomas W. Dortch, an active Democrat, used to work with Georgia Senator Sam Nunn.  He was Chairman of both the Atlanta and the National Division of 100 Black Men of America. He married his wife, Carole, when he was 36 years old. He is founder of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. He is currently the operator of TWD Inc. (His initials, my fuddled brain eventually realized), a consulting firm, and Atlanta Transportation Systems, Inc. Here is a nice LINK about Thomas W. Dortch’s son, “Trey.” He is a 30 year old, and a real go-getter like his old man. Trey is on the board of Cornerstone Parking, “the largest minority owned parking company in the Southeast,” and I suspect a family business. It would not be too cynical of me to note that Mr. Dortch’s Democratic affiliation may have served him well in his relationships, as a parking lot baron, with the City of Atlanta.

An artistic shot by yours truly of the 13 foot high statue of Dominique Wilkins that sits outside Philips Arena. The indispensable Mr. Dortch helped make it happen, as this LINK reveals.

All of these diverse enterprises appear to be headquartered at 230 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 530, Atlanta.  This address is half a block from the Atlanta HQ of “100 Black Men.” It is in the same John Portman designed building that is being partially remade into an extremely upscale boutique hotel, the Hotel Indigo. The salient feature of this hotel will be a lobby staircase that will cost more than most people’s houses. The exterior of this building is completely undistinguished. A picket line was stationed outside of this building for a very long time, protesting one of the hotel contractors. As a staunch Democrat, I am quite sure that Thomas W. Dortch’s sympathies lay with the workers, and not the developers.
When Mr. Dortch was presented with his award, Pastor Fredrick Russell said that the recipient had one of the “fullest bios I have ever seen.” Mr. Dortch is a cancer survivor, and has irons in many fires. His brief remarks to the assembly included a topical criticism of the racism and segregationist attitudes displayed by the current crop of Presidential candidates (not the ones from my party, mind you).  He informed us that he returned a third of his income for charitable works, and as a token of his credentials as a “man of the people” stated that he used to live in Southwest Atlanta. Many of us still do.

A 1969 Topps “4-in-!” card from 1969, Solomon Brannan Jr. is featured in the lower right corner. He was playing for the Cincinnati Bengals at the time.

BLACK HISTORY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD HONOREE #2:             SOLOMON BRANNAN JR.
The second honoree this Sabbath was Solomon Brannan, Jr. He played College football at Morris Brown, and went on to play for the Chiefs and Jets, etc. in the AFL. He has also served as Head Football Coach at Morris Brown, as described in this LINK. My most recent brush with noteworthy Pro Football alumni was the day of Berean Calvin Lawson’s funeral, when I ran across Jake Scott in Buckhead. He was a Super Bowl VII MVP when he played for the Dolphins, and is buddies with my sister. They just attended this year’s Super Bowl together, where he was recognized. Jake is very down-to-earth for a celebrity.  Solomon Brannan Jr. just happened to play in the first Super Bowl ever, a match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. Here is a LINK to a nice article about Mr. Brannan that summarizes his football career. It features a comment posted by Carlton M. Byrd, not to be confused with former Berean Pastor Carlton P. Byrd.

A 16th Century depiction of the Holy Ghost descending upon the Apostles by Alessandro Filipepi Botticelli.

SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS:       “THE GREAT CONTROVERSY AND THE EARLY CHURCH”
After this week’s course of study, the remaining four weeks of this quarter will respectively focus on Paul, Peter, John, and the concluding theme of “Redemption.” David Tasker, in his Sabbath introduction to this week’s lessons (focusing on some occurancess from Acts) promised to illustrate examples of both external and internal manifestations of the “great controversy.” The work in the Conflict of the Ages series, by Ellen G. White, that best illuminates this week’s study is Acts of the Apostles. All relevant material is to be found in the first 14 chapters.
Sunday’s lesson, “The Beginning of a New Beginning,” is concerned with the 40 day period that Jesus spent with His followers after His resurrection, but prior to His ascension from the Mount of Olives. Ellen White writes of this time in Chapter 3 of “Acts of the Apostles,” one called “The Great Commission.” David Tasker relates that, while the disciples were still exhibiting their petty narrow-mindedness before the Lord, Jesus was engaged in an effort to prepare them for an event of universal consequence: the arrival of the Holy Spirit. This occured on the next page of our lesson book. The ascent of Jesus was attended by two men, divine emissaries I presume. They assured the disciples, and us as well, that Jesus would return “in like manner.” My “Message Bible” style interpretation of the two men’s first words to the disciples would go something like this, “Just what do you bunch of slack-jawed yokels think you’re looking at?” Here is a LINK to the song “Returning,” which mentions “a mount called Olivet,” It features the vain singer-songwriter trying to sing like a normal person, and is thus entirely unsuccessful. He should stick closer to his Nashville heritage.

“The Ascension of Jesus” by an unnamed artist. This image comes from the website of a Canadian outpost of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ellen G. White writes that, in regard to the “Great Commission,” Christ taught that the disciples (she mentions that we, too, are disciples) were not to wait for people to come to them. They were to go to the people with the message. I own a copy of a book that Billy Graham strongly endorses. It was first copyrighted in 1963 (the same year that Berean’s old church was constructed). It  was written by an associate of Graham, Robert E. Coleman, and is titled “The Master Plan of Evangelism.” Three and a half million people have read this book. It’s eight “Guiding Principles” are worth summarizing:

• SELECTION: Start with a small, teachable group of average people. Jesus primarily concerned himself with just twelve.
• ASSOCIATION: Jesus lived very closely with those He sought to have the greatest impact on. He shared their lifestyle.
• CONSECRATION: Dedication, loyalty, and obedience are much more important than intelligence in followers.
• IMPARTATION: This category urges self-denial and sanctification. Love for one’s fellow man is uppermost.
• DEMONSTRATION: Like Pastor Russell in regard to his Capital Campaign, Jesus never asked his people to do anything that He did not do Himself.
• DELEGATION: (I know some people that have a serious problem with this! I say no more!) Last week David Tasker noted that apostolos means “sent.” Jesus knew when He could “cut the apron strings.”
• SUPERVISION: This seemingly contradicts the preceding category. A subtitle in the book clarifies things in a casual way: “He kept check on them.” Jesus stayed in touch with His salesmen.
• REPRODUCTION: The title of this “Principle” is self-explanatory. The phrase “each one teach one” comes to mind.

Robert E, Coleman, author of the influential book “The Master Plan of Evangelism,” and former associate of Billy Graham.

These are all tools that actually work. I must drag the great controversy theme into this Master Plan. Satan himself is not a stranger to effective management techniques. I noticed a young man on the train reading  Dale Carnegie’s  “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” I took a picture of the book, and posted it on FaceBook. I noted in the caption that Charles Manson studied this book. It helped him to recruit followers. They were soon about their father’s business. Unfortunately, this father happened to be Satan. A person striving to become an effective evangelist would be negligent not to heed the directions that Robert Coleman provides in his book, as they actually work. They are Scriptural. But you must be aware that the enemy (as exhibited, for example, in the early  histories of fascism and communism) also has access to this playbook. But “use it or loose it.” I once heard a preacher say “we ought not let the Devil have all of the good music!” The same goes for organizational techniques.
Monday’s lesson is on “Pentecost.” Ellen G. White dedicates Chapters 4 and 5 of “Acts of the Apostles” to this seminal event. The chapters are called “Pentecost” and “The Gift of the Spirit.” I displayed the lyrics to my unrealized song about Pentecost in the course of looking into the modern phenomenon of “Pentecostalism,” opportunistically pasting them into the post residing on the far side of this LINK. I may finish this song, which promises to be unremarkable, by May 15. This happens to be Pentecost this year. In the song, I make the same Tower of Babel/Pentecost connection that David Tasker does. Ellen White sagely abstains from beating this dead horse in “Acts of the Apostles.” She was writing in the days before the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. I am curious as to what she would make of modern Pentecostals. As it is Scriptural, I cannot question the phenomena. But I don’t consider it an exclusive badge of sanctity.

“The Tower of Babel” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1563). This is my first opportunity to requisition this famous image! It leans to the left, for some reason.

Tuesday’s lesson is named “Facing the Sadducees.” Ellen G. White dedicates some attention to the subject matter in “Acts of the Apostles.”She relates the reaction of the Hebrew leadership to the healing of a cripple by Peter, as he and john were headed to the Temple (Acts 3 and 4, and the subject of this internal song  LINK). Ellen White’s chapter (6) about this is entitled “At the Temple Gate.” David Tasker quotes Ellen White to the effect that the power displayed by Peter posed a real threat to the Sadducces. Ellen White mentions the question put by the leaders to Peter, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” Names were an important matter in antiquity, as they invoked the prestige and authority of the person named. “…By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified…” Peter replied.
The astonished leaders took council among themselves, and then admonished the disciples to cease and desist. The reply to them by Peter was also cited 1,900 years later by Ellen G. White as an example of how we are to respond to authority when their requirements conflict with those commanded by God. Peter told the leaders (as written in Acts 4:19-20), “…Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

“Saint Peter and Saint John at the Beautiful Gate” by prolific Gustave Dore. This image came from John Hagee’s website.

 Wednesday’s lesson, “The Stoning of Stephen,” is treated in “Acts of the Apostles” in Chapter 10, “The First Christian Martyr.” It provoked the highly unorthodox song by myself titled “Stephen ,” which has justly merited two thumbs down (so far) on YouTube. Here, again, is a LINK to the video version of this number.
David Tasker contrasts the differing reactions that Peter and Stephen received in response to their improvised “sermons.” Peter’s Pentecost address (described in Acts 2) garnered three thousand baptisms. The reaction to Stephen was, by contrast, uniformly negative. The Wednesday lesson concludes with a quote from Ellen G. White that connects the fall of Stephen to the rise of Saul, and is principally an introduction to the advent of “the better angel” of Saul’s nature, “Paul.”

“The Conversion of Saul” by Michelangelo

Most of Chapter 10 of “Acts of the Apostles” is a straight relation of Stephen’s martyrdom. The crowd that rushed Stephen is described as “more like beasts of prey than human beings.” The man who watched the garments of these “beasts of prey” is the focus of next week’s Sabbath Schools studies. Here is the last sentence of Mrs. White’s “The First Christian Martyr,” writing of this soon to be exalted cloakroom attendant: “A Mightier than Satan had chosen Saul to take the place of the martyred Stephen, to preach and suffer for His name, and to spread far and wide the tidings of salvation through His blood.”
This week’s final lesson is “Changing Attitudes.” It cites the conversion of Cornelius (related in Acts 10:12-29) as an example of the transformation of the “attitude” of the disciples, and the church at large, from an exclusionary and insular Jewish franchise, into an inclusive and universal endeavor. The conversion, effected by Peter, of Cornelius “and his house” is described in Chapter 14 of “Acts of the Apostles,” one entitled “A Seeker for Truth.” David Tasker restates an “Adventist” message that struggles to overcome widespread misconceptions regarding Peter’s vision of unclean foods. It is not Scriptural permission to eat bacon. It is about the inclusion of gentiles into the fold, as the larger context of the story makes clear.

“The Vision of Peter,” a nice but unattributed image from a Jewish Messianic site. This Vision is almost always misinterpreted, and Adventists frequently are to be discovered trying to straighten people out as to it’s true meaning. It is a full-time job, this correction task.

Ellen White writes that “The time had come for an entirely new phase of work to be entered upon by the church of Christ.” The broader scope of Christ’s mission was broached, David Tasker notes, by the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Ellen White covers this encounter in “Desire of Ages,” Chapter 19, “At Jacob’s Well.” Another example of the extent of Jesus’ mission field is his healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman as described in Chapter 43 of “Desire of Ages,” one titled “Barriers Broken Down.” Berean Pastor Austin Humphreys offered a sermon on this subject that may be reviewed via this LINK. I am thankful that all of us “dogs” ultimately got fed by the Word.
David Tasker gamely mentions Fyodor Dostoyevsky in his conclusion to this weeks course of study. Dostoyevsky’s life story is well known. He was subject to a “mock-execution” by the Tsar for subversive activity. His death-sentence was commuted at the last second. He was shipped off to Siberia, where the only reading material that he was permitted was a copy of the New Testament. This “Jailhouse Religion” allusion ties in with the vain YouTube video of the day, which concerns itself, in a farfetched way, with the same topic. David Tasker references a chapter in Dostoyevsky’s “The Brother’s Karamazov” entitled “The Grand Inquisitor,” a parable about an imagined modern-day return of Christ, in the guise of a Russian Peasant. It furthers the greater plot of “The Brothers Karamazov,” as it serves to reinforce the Christ-like character of one of the brothers, Alyosha. His faith and good nature triumph over everything at the end of the novel. He is mentor to a group of boys, and I feel compelled to reproduce an exchange between saintly Alyosha and his following, one that appears at the very tail end of the book (page 701 in my edition):
“Karamazov,” cried Kolya, “can it be true what’s taught us in religion, that we shall all rise again from the dead and shall live and see each other again, all, Ilusha too?”
“Certainly we shall all rise again, certainly we shall see each other and shall tell each other with joy and gladness all that has happened!” Alyosha answered, half laughing, half enthusiastic.

A screen capture from a really great movie, “La Vie et la Passion de Jesus Christ,” made in France in 1903, and painstakingly hand-colored.

SABBATH SERMON “JESUS IS STILL ENOUGH”
The hidden mechanisms of the universe reveal themselves on occasion (well, actually pretty frequently if you are paying attention). Pastor Austin Humphrey’s initial offering of his commentary on Jesus’ walk on the water was immediately subsequent to the Super Bowl, and a timely reference to this was cited. A few weeks have passed, and the Super Bowl has faded a little from the forefront of people’s consciousness. But, when God closes a door, He opens a window. One of today’s Black Achievement honorees at Berean happened to be a member of the rare group of men that participated in the very first Super Bowl. This act of Providence made Pastor’s Humphrey’s reference as fresh today as it was back on February 10, the first iteration of this “work in progress.”
Pastor Humphreys prefaced his sermon by reading the relevant verses on Mark Chapter 6 (45-51), with special emphasis on the concluding words of verse 50: “be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” After an invocation, the pastor raised the topic of Super Bowl 50. He noted that 111 million viewers tuned in to the game, giddy with the excitement of witnessing a showdown between Bronco Peyton Manning and Panther Cam Newton. Despite the fact that the game proved to be a mediocre one, people’s eyes nevertheless remained glued to the tube. The attraction was not the teams themselves, so much as the “Superstars” of the game. The pastor stated that we still have a Jesus who is a “Superstar on and off the field.” He described Jesus as “the baddest man on and off the planet (this spin on the Super Bowl analogy was not evident in the February 10th “warm-up” sermon). The first sections of Mark 6 were mentioned (the adoring crowds that followed Jesus about) as and example of His “Superstar” appeal. “Thousands gathered to hear a word from the Lord,” the pastor remarked. The 5,000 auditors mentioned in verse 34 included just the men. The actual total was closer to 15,000, Pastor Humphreys informed us.

“The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” by Jacopo Tintoretto, from the mid-Sixteenth Century.

Jesus was “moved with compassion toward them,” as verse 34 notes. Pastor Humphreys alluded to a “boy from the hood whose mama had packed him a lunch.” This was a person who “nobody really counted in the first place” (an historical character, but akin to the mythical “little drummer boy.” I have to cite First Corinthians 1:27: “…God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty). Everyone was fed, and verse 43 notes that there were twelve baskets of fragments left over from this repast. Pastor Humphreys hypothesized, at this point, that the disciples carried some of these leftovers with them when they departed to board ship. This hypothesis would be restated at a significant place, later in the sermon.
Jesus, after a long and exhausting day, needed some “me time” to talk to the Father (in the sermon’s prequel, in the context of the “War Room,” slightly more emphasis was placed by Pastor Humphreys on this instance of prayer by Jesus, but not too much more). The pastor said that “corporate worship was fine,” but that sometimes it was more important to consult with God on an individual basis (just for kicks, here again is the link to Soren Kierkegaard’s “The Crowd is Untruth,” which seems to insinuate that corporate worship is not such a great thing, after all).
While Jesus is praying, the disciples are on the sea. A storm arises. They are “toiling” (verse 38) to save themselves. A memory of sermon One had prepared me for the next concept, one which highlighted the “separation” of Jesus (the solution) at that moment, from the scene of the disciples’ peril (the Problem). There existed a gap between “problem” and “solution” that Jesus needed to bridge. This mental image set the stage for the pending citation by Pastor Humphreys of the  remarkable manner by which Jesus bridged this gap, by “walking on the water.”

“Jesus Walks on Water” by Alexandre Bida.

A physical separation was not indicative of a spiritual separation between Christ and His disciples, however. Jesus knew at all times what  they were experiencing. Pastor Humphreys stated, “I’m so glad that Jesus knows exactly where I am at all times, even when I cannot see Him, even when I cannot feel Him… His eye is always on me!” The disciples, being pro fishermen, may have thought that they could resolve their current dilemma by “leaning upon their own understanding.” The pastor repeated the reference to “toiling” in verse 48, stating that the word literally means “fighting for their lives.” Here is a lazy paste from biblehub.com about the original Greek, complete with a crazy font: “The word βασανιξομένους means more than “toiling;” it means literally, tormented. It is well rendered in the Revised Version by distressed. It was only by painful effort that they could make head against the driving storm…”
Here the Pastor described the walk on the water by Jesus. The water was the very substance that the disciples were afraid was going to kill them. Assiduous Adventists should revisit, at this time, the Tuesday, February 16 Sabbath School lesson “Jesus Dominion Over Nature,” which has a bearing on the pastor’s imagery (even though it describes the “other” calming of a tempest by Jesus). Inventive lesson author David Tasker relates that Jesus “just stands up, raises his hands, and tells the wind and waves to just settle down and be quiet, as if they were merely rowdy children” (I hope that next quarter’s lesson book author, Andy Nash, proves to be as good a comedian as David Tasker has been). Pastor assured us that Jesus has the power to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (from Ephesians 3:20).

“Jesus Walking on Water” by Gustave Dore

Time as a factor relating to the topic was introduced, in addition to the concept of distance. Pastor Humphreys noted (also from verse 48) that it was the “fourth watch” (between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.). The “form” that Jesus assumes before the disciples provided a short, but meaningful digression by the pastor. Verse 49 (in the KJV) describes this form as that of a “spirit.” Pastor Humphreys warned us that Jesus was not always going to manifest Himself in whatever manner we may have grown accustomed to. He emphasized the importance, therefore, of “walking in faith, and not by sight.” Here the digression ended, but it left me speculating just what kind of potential forms Christ might choose to assume.
While the storm yet rage raged, Jesus admonished His followers to “be of good cheer.” It was the simple fact of the presence of Jesus that should cheer the disciples, whatever the external circumstances may have been. The hour of the “fourth watch” now came under scrutiny. “The fourth watch is the time when the sun always rises,” Pastor Humphreys stated (another dab of exegeses not broached during the February 10th “trial balloon”). The disciples should take heart from the fact that they had “already gone through the worst part of the night” (the unrelentingly dark “third watch”). “Don’t worry, because the sun (Son?) is coming!” This last statement by the pastor was probably intended to provoke multiple interpretations. I feel the need to poke my nose into the discussion by providing a link to the peppy song by Les Paul and Mary Ford entitled “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise” (Bing Crosby played matchmaker for this “power couple.” Les Paul and Leo Fender simultaneously invented the electric guitar. Les Paul pioneered multi-track recording).

“His Master’s Voice”

“Be of good cheer. I am here,” Jesus states (verse 50). Although His form is ambiguous, the disciples recognize the voice. They know this voice because they have a “personal relationship” with Jesus. Pastor Humphreys cited John 10:4-5: “…and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow…” The pastor described taking his dog for some “higher level training” (I had already determined to purloin an image of the RCA Dalmatian, even before the pastor introduced dogs into the sermon. Now it was mandatory). “Your dog will honor your voice in private,” the pastor was told, “but we need to bring him into some chaos training.” In a crowded and chaotic context, the pastor was directed to step away, out of his dog’s sightline. Having done so, Pastor Humphreys then issued a command to the dog. “Having heard the voice of his provider,” pastor said, “my dog began to sit, like a good boy.”
“Is there anybody in here that is so glad, when you know the Lord, on a personal level, He will call on your name, even in the midnight hour? Be of good cheer! It is I!” Punctuation by Hammond Organ.
The final statements of Pastor Austin Humphreys’ sermon were unified  by a common preface, one both evocative and colloquial.
“Bible Says: Jesus steps into the boat, and the wind ceases.” The pastor referred to the “other” calming of a storm by Jesus (the “peace! Be still!! version), and observed that, in the current episode, Jesus is not obliged to rebuke the storm. “This storm was not some random storm. This was a storm provided by the Lord in His controlled environment,” pastor informed us. “The storm was never designed to swallow them up. The storm was designed to grow their faith.” I thought that I had traced the source of this interpretation directly to Ellen G. White during the course of summarizing the 2/10/2016 sermon, but could not discover any traces of this in my post. A passage from Chapter 40 of “Desire of Ages” has some relevance to earlier statements by Pastor Humphreys, from page 381: “Not for a moment did He lose sight of His disciples.” A quote from page 380 is ambiguous: “They were in the midst of troubled waters. Their thoughts were stormy and unreasonable, and the Lord gave them something else to afflict their souls and occupy their minds.” At this point, I am only partially certain that Ellen White was the source of Pastor Humphrey’s insight. It may be am Austin Humphreys original.

We were now reminded of the bag of “leftovers” from the feeding of the 5,000 that was in the possession of the disciples. Jesus’ approach to the boat was likened to that of a passerby, as the fisherman had everything that was needful.  The “leftovers” served as a memorial of the Lord’s capabilities. The disciples had just seen Jesus “do the impossible.” But as Ellen White notes (again on page 380): “Those were hours of large blessing to the disciples, but they had forgotten it all.” Pastor Humphrey chastened unnamed Bereans for arriving at church to seek “new manna” when they “already had a bag of leftovers in the car.” I will get lazy at this point. The “new meat” of the pastor’s sermon has been consumed, if not entirely digested (an E.G. White statement in regard to the intentional provision of the storm as a “test of faith” continues to elude me; it may be a Humphreys  insight after all). The bottom slice of bread of this Sabbath Sermon was identical to the concluding anecdote from 2/10/2016, which I shall reproduce here:
A personal experience of the pastor was related. When younger, he would deliver MLK speeches. He was to present one in Nashville. It was to be followed by orchestral music. The organizers of the program informed Pastor Humphreys that the conductor of the orchestra would not be present, so he must fill in for the missing person. The pastor nervously commenced this unexpected duty. What he had assumed would be chaotic, instead turned out to be beautiful music. Unbeknown to both the pastor and the audience was the fact that the real conductor was seated in the balcony, and was providing proper direction to the musicians throughout the performance. This reminiscence furnished a suitable metaphor for our relationship with God.
Original instructions to beneficiaries of God’s oversight were, on 2/10/2016, were to just “Hang In There” (the title of that sermon). Auditors on 2/27/2016 were advised that they need to simply “go through the motions,” a statement more descriptive of  an act of mock orchestral conducting.

Concluding remarks by Pastor Austin Humphreys to the members of Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta 2/27/2016

Psalm 30:5 was quoted: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Punctuation by Hammond Organ.
Psalm 121:1 was quoted: ” I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  Punctuation by Hammond Organ.
“He needs you to go the through the motions, but He will never leave you, nor forsake you!” The punctuation by the organ transformed itself into a sort of continuous underlining, as Pastor Humphreys vehemently thanked Jesus. “Won’t He fight your battles? Won’t He make your enemies your footstool? Won’t He give you joy in [the midst of] sorrow? Won’t He give you hope for the morrow? Won’t He? Won’t He? Won’t He? Won’t He?” The dynamic nature of some of Pastor Humphreys’ utterances blurs the line between speech and music. It was now time for the last word.
“I only came here today to let you know that JESUS IS STILL ENOUGH.” (In musical terminology, this would constitute the “coda”)
A COMPOSITION WITH FEW REDEEMING ATTRIBUTES
The song du jour is one not destined for semi-permanent residence on the “big board” that heads this site. It looks like a transient type. It is called “The Path.” A video version, illustrated by footage from a 1932 prison movie called “The Last Mile,” may be cautiously examined through this YouTube LINK. The lyrics are on the song page. My hard copy is spangled by tears of bitter frustration over my many shortcomings, with a particular emphasis on Wednesday’s failure to deliver a 100% return on Food Bank acquisitions. I will paste in a line from 4 inches above here, to cheer me up: Psalm 30:5 was quoted: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Punctuation by Hammond Organ.

Who will help me load my food? (David Hubbard) Who will help me unload my food? (Debbie Barnes) Who will help me take it inside? What! Nobody?

The Atlanta Community Food Bank operates on an industrial scale. They own a small fleet of tractor-trailers like this one.