July 10 - Something Crazy

Time to Do Something Crazy

All of Hiccup’s best hopes have been destroyed. Instead of leaving behind their enmity with the dragons and learning from Hiccup how to communicate and befriend the dragons, Hiccup’s father has enslaved Toothless and forced the dragon to reveal the nest-island of all the dragons. When Stoic and the Vikings find the island, they are intent on killing all the dragons. In addition to this debacle, Hiccup knows that beside all the regular dragons, his father and his village will meet the monster-dragon they cannot defeat. It will destroy them all. What is Hiccup to do?

                That is exactly the question Astrid asks Hiccup. Amazingly, she sees hope in Hiccup even when he cannot. After discussing why he couldn’t or wouldn’t be kill Toothless, he remarks that he is the first Viking ever who won’t kill a dragon. “But you’re the first ever to ride one,” she tells him. Then she asks him what he’s going to do. “Probably something stupid,” Hiccup replies. “You’ve already done that,” retorts Astrid. “Then something crazy,” proclaims Hiccup.

                There is no reason for Hiccup to assume he can do anything further. Some in the village would say that he’s done enough harm already. The something stupid Hiccup did what to try to do it on his own. The something crazy is to invite others on the quest. He can’t save Toothless on his own. He can’t save his people on his own. He can’t change the Vikings’ attitude toward dragons on his own. Those (who have not always been his best friends) who have seen Hiccup’s ability with the dragons decide to trust him. They become the next Vikings to ride dragons. And in the end, they save their people from destruction.

Acts 10:34-48

 Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to God. You know the divine message sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

                The scripture from Acts describes a time when the Followers of the Way are trying to figure who’s in and who’s not.  The something crazy that Peter does is to invite the gentiles to be full participants in the Way of Jesus. Some of the early Christians would probably have been quite comfortable with a kind of ecclesiastical “Jim Crow.” The Gentiles could worship and hear the preaching and give to the poor, but not be baptized into full fellowship. Peter sees the destructive division in that way of thinking and asks the crazy question, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And so today you and I are Christians, because Peter did something crazy.

A few years ago SCUCC embarked on a couple of crazy missions. First the Studio was created from scratch and dreams. Then came the Walk. These seemed crazy at the time, cutting edge, avant garde. But today they are yesterday’s news. We are not facing the utter destruction of our people in the same way that Hiccup did, but we are faced with the same choice that he and Peter faced: In what crazy way will we invite others on our adventure? Maybe we first have to be crazy enough to learn to ride dragons again, but we need others to take part too. The time for playing it safe, for sticking with what we know and makes us comfortable is past. It is time to teach others to ride dragons. It is time to do something crazy.