Proper 28 C Stepping Out in Faith

Proper 28 C Stepping Out in Faith

November 15, 1998  

By Rev. Ernest F. Campbell

My wife and I have enjoyed our season tickets to the Whitman College Harper Joy Theater for the past
30 years. The most recent play we saw was titled, “Stepping Out” by Richard Harris. It was about an odd collection of characters who aspired to learn how to tap dance. The tap-dancing classes took place in the basement of a church. (I thought to myself: here we have a hodgepodge of people attempting to do something very challenging and not especially popular in our society. Interesting!)

You could, with a little imagination, see them as members of any typical church congregation. There was a wide range of personalities, basic talent, personal histories, and levels of commitment.

Their beginning efforts were anything but beautiful. In fact, they were pathetic. As the story unfolds the audience learns that each individual member of the class has a story to tell… or to hide.

There is the tall attractive woman who shows up each week with a new and different leotard; some beyond outlandish. Her husband is “traveling” with their teen-age daughter. She is hurting and as a result… hurting comes out of her mouth. She says to another slightly chubby member of the class… “I used to be fat.”

• There is the woman married to an abusive man. She remains painfully withdrawn.
• There is the only man in the class whose wife had died of cancer. He keeps to himself and is reluctant to even start a new relationship.
• There is the prima donna accompanist who blows up if she is not in on every decision. 
• There is the instructor who we discover is a beautiful, talented, and professional dancer who because of personal problems had to give up her career.

It was a tap-dancing class in the basement of a church but we were all there. The two things that seem to hold the class together are the instructor’s vision of what the dance can be and the groups gradual acceptance of one another.

The class is invited to perform in a show for charity. Under pressure they almost fall apart. When the instructor suggests that they add hats to their routine the class insists that it can’t be done. The audience at this point is inclined to agree. 

But, watch now, for what comes out of a church basement can be a wonderous thing to behold.

Haven’t we all been discouraged by our klutziness as Kingdom Builders? How would you rate yourself as an effective disciple? Isn’t our congregation a hodgepodge of personalities, talents, personal histories, and levels of commitment? If our job is the slow sanctification of the world… beginning with ourselves; some would have to say, you’ve got to be kidding.

But, watch now, the tap-dancing class keeps working and living and loving. They rent some costumes; somewhat stretched and dulled by many alterations and the sweat of other performers, and they dance…. together. they prove to themselves that they can do it. And they discover the power and joy of audience appreciation. 

In the play’s final scene, they are back a year later for their encore performance in the charity show. Now, their costumes are like new, every foot and hand movement is done with precision and confidence. (If you saw “Chorus Line” that is what I am talking about.)

Those of us in the audience who at first saw these lost souls as a bunch of pitiful wannabes, realize that we have witnessed an inspiring transformation. From hesitant, fearful, klutzy, broken people… to a team performance that made some of the problems of the world look solvable. In the face of all the handicaps and doubts, something beautiful had been born.

You don’t have to be a member of the church for long before you discover that we are a lot like that tap dancing class. We are an odd collection, a hodgepodge of differences, yet all looking for a way to be a part of something worthwhile. Yet, in the process we sometimes discover that we are our own worst enemies. For all of our good intentions, we have to admit that we are a long way from being the Lord’s disciple.

One of the things that impressed me about the play is the fact that the author did not allow anyone to quit. They worked things out. They became a dance team. Even more, they became a community. From that dingy church basement there arose a light to lighten our hearts.

In today’s Gospel, Our Lord urges his disciples on with this thought: He said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!' and, `The time is near!' Do not go after them.” 

No matter what you see crashing down around you, don’t quit! Don’t jump to something else! 

He also said, “You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls." Endurance comes as a result of a consistent regiment of exercise and practice. The tap-dancers stayed with the task…of tap dancing.

Example) It’s a lot harder than it looks. I tried it. After only two hours…I gave up.

In today’s Epistle, Paul writes: “Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.” We all know that there are times when doing the loving thing makes us feel foolish. Why try when so many “takers” not only don’t try but call you a sucker behind your back. I firmly believe that the feeling of being “taken” lights the fire that leads to “burnout.” 

The title of the play was “Stepping Out.” I titled this sermon, “Stepping Out in Faith,” no one can guarantee that in the process of doing good that we won’t get stung…but by faith…. we do good anyway! God’s grace lightens the load and heals the hurts.

We live in a cynical world. our enthusiasms tend to get mired down in our pessimisms and mistrust. Why try when we hear….

Our society is going to hell!

The world is going to hell!

The church is going to hell!

Have a nice day…. go to hell!

It’s possible, I believe, that the world’s cynicism is our opportunity.