The Unfamiliar

I was asked some questions from a friend about some thoughts I shared with our congregation concerning John 21... I'd like to hear your thoughts...

 

Can you give a little repreach of the sermon about "the unfamiliar"?

The idea of the unfamiliar came from the John 21 text... Simon Peter and the other disciples (that were fishermen) returned to their familiar trade.  They were fishing as they would normally fish... Jesus shows up on the beach... they didn't know it was him... he tells them to fish on the other side of the boat... they do and haul a ton of fish... 

            The idea of the unfamiliar is that often we replicate what we know and what we like... rarely do we we venture to far off the beaten path... 

Jesus' ridiculous suggestion that fish are on the other side of the boat is really fantastic... the fishermen probably got used to fishing on one side of the boat... they might have needed to swing all their gear (pulleys, cranes, etc) to the other side of the boat... they had to use their muscles differently, they had to see things from a different perspective... it's still fishing, the technique is the same, but the challenge would be huge... like learning to throw a ball with your opposite hand.  

           

What is the unfamiliar? How do live a faith that pushes us to those places?

            I believe that God shows up in the mundane, everyday, familiar moments, places, and spaces of our experience.  The everyday, familiar happenings in our lives might be where God meets us face to face... It seems like Jesus continues to invite people out of themselves, to come and follow... but that means looking at the world differently... looking at what we do and who we are differently.  The unfamiliar is simply the life we are used to living is redeemed by Jesus.

            So the unfamiliar is where God interrupts us from the mundane and invites us to participate in life differently.   

 

Are we supposed to live in the normal or seek the edges?

            I believe that we are called to be willing to follow Jesus... now I do believe that sometimes we deem the act of 'casting our nets to the other side of the boat' a ridiculous idea, therefore we dismiss the call of Jesus and inevitably miss out on what God would have for us... 

            I think at some point we give up on the idea that things change, somehow we resist (because of fear) event the idea of God showing up in our everyday... I believe that this is closely correlated with our creative self... at some point (usually in primary education) we become aware that other people criticize the art within us... that what we produce is subject to and compared with other people's art... The art of a child is a simple reflection of the world that they see... the world  as it is to them... what is important is relationships and how things feel... At some point we shelter ourselves from criticism and as a result, from the unfamiliar... the edges of our lives are the areas we protect, and in turn stifle because of fear... we fear the unknown within us... we fear the edges... 

            The unfamiliar is also a call away from competence, pride and self seeking... Jesus invites us into a new identity... we live in the present, but often we are drawn to nostalgia-ize the past (glorify it) or perceive a tumultuous uncertain future.  The edges of ourselves aren't on the fringes, I believe the edges of the unfamiliar are right at this moment... Peter followed Jesus' suggestion... he threw the net on the other side of the boat... it's the same water... same apparatus... just 4 feet and a movement away... not miles, not future... 4 feet and movement... 

            Art is participation... participation in the unfamiliar and the unknown.  we participate in being moved in different directions... Jesus demands participation from his followers... The beautiful image of God showing up in the everyday-ness of our lives is incredibly compelling... We are God's art...

 

does art help us stay comfortable or does it help us seek the unfamiliar, what art has helped you know this?

            Art is a 'stick in the spokes' of comfortable... I am drawn to ocean imagery because of my relationship with the ocean. I respect the power of the ocean I can appreciate the thoughts, images, sights, smells and sounds the ocean brings to me from terror to placidity (and the terror of placidity).  I don't believe that there is any such thing as bad art (just like I don't believe in failure).  Art is a connection to the unfamiliar and I believe that God meets us in the unfamiliar.