Contagious Faith

0:01 So I have the pleasure of bringing the word today, and we will be in Acts chapter 27, verses 33 through 44, if you have your Bibles with you. And more in the spirit of Father's Day, I have a story that the guys will probably connect with more than the ladies, so I'll apologize ahead of time. Back in 1999, I was 16 years old, watching the New York Knicks face the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals at my Uncle Andy's house in New York. Yes, it was an unusual season that year.

0:48 Michael Jordan had temporarily retired. And due to a clash over salary caps, maximum player salaries, and revenue sharing, the season was shortened from the standard 82 games down to 50. And instead of a seven-game final series, they played five. The San Antonio Spurs were the favorite, with David Robinson and Tim Duncan, known as the Twin Towers. The Knicks had played with a lot of heart that season, battling from the eight seed all the way to the championship. However, Patrick Ewing was getting older and suffered an injury. Larry Johnson was out, too. Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell did all they could, but the

1:37 Spurs won the series three to two. The last Knicks championship was won in 1973, featuring Clyde Frazier, Willis Reed, and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. So suffice it to say that New York Knicks fans have been longing for a championship for quite some time. This year offered hope as the Knicks had managed to put together an excellent roster led by 6'2" point guard Jalen Brunson. He is the most notable Knick of the modern era. Jalen Brunson's dad, Rick-- I think we have a picture of father and son here.

2:23 The father was on the 1999 Knicks, who lost the championship, and he was mostly a bench player who would travel from city to city with his family when he was traded from team to team in the NBA. He averaged zero points in the 1999 finals. But his son, little Jalen Brunson, was a toddler at the time, hanging out with his favorite players. By the time Jalen was eight years old, he was serious about being a basketball player, and his father took this calling very seriously, training Jalen and teaching him everything that he knew. Jalen Brunson would go on to lead his high school team to a state

3:09 championship. He went to college at Villanova, where he won two NCAA championships, and among his teammates were Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. However, when it came to the NBA draft, a small guard like Jalen Brunson was not desirable. He was passed over in the first round and picked up by the Dallas Mavericks with the 33rd pick in the draft. The Mavs also picked up a young man named Luka Dončić in the first round that year. What a haul. Surely, their future was bright. As Dallas fans know, Brunson was fumbled and went to the Knicks in 2022. And somehow,

3:56 I don't know what they were smoking, but the Mavs traded generational talent Luka Dončić last year to the Lakers. Sorry, Mavs fans. Jalen Brunson brought a fundamental change to the Knicks. He would now be coached by his father, Rick Brunson, in New York. He sacrificed $113 million in salary in order to give the team more money to pursue other players. Yet he was particular about the players he wanted to pursue. The Knicks picked up his college roommate, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, the same players that he won a championship with in college. The team has made the playoffs every year since Brunson joined the

4:43 team. Last year, they made it to the conference finals before being eliminated by the Pacers. This year, the Knicks made it all the way to the championship. It was time to party like it was 1999 as they once again faced the San Antonio Spurs. If you don't follow basketball, San Antonio has a 7'5" or 6" center from France, Victor Wembanyama. Here is a picture of the Knicks star Jalen Brunson facing Wemby. It is like last week's Torah portion where the scouts see the giants in the land and seem like grasshoppers in their eyes.

5:30 And although the Knicks had won 13 straight playoff games, taking out three other teams, I must admit I wasn't too confident about facing Wemby and the Spurs. Yet at the end of nearly every game, Jalen Brunson, the Brunson Burner, would come alive and carry the Knicks to victory in the most dramatic fashion. This year, instead of San Antonio winning in five games, it was the Knicks in five, winning their first championship since 1973. New Yorkers are still swinging from the light posts as we speak. We witnessed a modern-day David versus Goliath story with Jalen Brunson crowned as the finals MVP and the King

6:18 of New York. Brunson demonstrated three qualities that I also find in this week's passage. First, when the Knicks were down 27 points with seven minutes left in game four, I did not expect the Knicks to win the game. In fact, they looked pathetic. However, on the sideline, against all common sense, Brunson told his teammates to keep fighting. Rick Brunson told his son, "We're winning this game." And Jalen replied, "All right." They had faith in a circumstance that seemed to be without hope. Next, I want to consider sacrifice. The sacrifice began years before, when Brunson

7:06 sacrificed $113 million in order to build a championship team around him. Brunson is willing to sacrifice financially if it leads to a championship or even a chance at a championship. He plays unselfishly, distributing the ball to his teammates so that they can shine. However, when the team needs him the most, he shoulders the greatest burden and performs the impossible, playing through pain and excelling under pressure, earning him the nickname Captain Clutch. Lastly, Brunson has found unlikely allies on his journey. Unlike many NBA superstars who might pursue as many women as possible,

7:51 Brunson married his high school sweetheart, Ali Marks, a Jewish woman who now works as a physical therapist. When the Knicks got a new coach this year, a head coach, Mike Brown, Brunson submitted himself completely to the system and whatever changes were necessary. Part of this was the decision to make the offense flow through Brunson's teammate, Karl-Anthony Towns. And rather than being jealous like Korach, Brunson submitted to the process and saw even more success as this new strategy baffled their opponents. As Brunson set the example, his teammates also put their egos aside. They did not celebrate

8:36 when they won the Eastern Conference Championship, as their counterparts did. While the young giant, Wembanyama, got emotional and tried to injure Knicks key players, the Knicks remained composed. When the Knicks defeated the Spurs, Brunson immediately shook hands with the Spurs coach. Wemby, the defeated giant, stormed off the court, failing to even congratulate the new champions. As Wemby is the team leader, the rest of his team followed his example, leaving the court without showing respect. One Spurs player, however, Luke Kornet, had the decency to shake hands with his opponents. The title of my message today is Contagious Faith.

9:25 It comes from Acts 27:33-44. I would like to ask you three practical questions as we consider this passage. First, where do you need to step out in faith? Second, what sacrificial steps will lead you to your next goal? And lastly, what unlikely allies has the Lord given you? Following Yeshua requires faith, sacrifice, and unlikely allies. I will read from the TLV. My notes can be found on the YouVersion app. There is a worksheet also available to those in the room who raise their hands. Acts chapter 27,

10:12 verses 33 through 37 read as follows. "As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, 'Today is the 14th day that you have kept waiting and going without food, having taken nothing. Therefore, I urge you to take some food, for this is for your survival, since not one of you will lose a hair from his head.' And when he had said these things, he took bread, gave thanks to God before them all, broke it, and began to eat. Then all were encouraged and took some food themselves. In all, we were 276 persons

11:00 on the ship." Where do you need to step out in faith? Paul breaking bread with the men on the ship might not seem like a radical act of faith. Eating is a routine and necessary act of survival. Most of you have already eaten this morning, and many have lunch plans after service. Perhaps you're even thinking about what's on the menu. If you're streaming the service today, you may even be eating right now. So what's the big deal about this meal? As Paul notes, the men on board had not been eating. What have they been doing? They've been getting tossed on the sea.

11:48 They've been caught in storms and darkness for a long time. They did not know how this voyage would end. Perhaps they have been nauseous and weak. Perhaps they have been preserving the food, not knowing whether it would need to sustain them for another week or for another month. Perhaps they had withdrawn entirely and were just waiting to die They were traumatized. They had endured a harsh reality for an extended period of time. Some of the crew had tried to save themselves on a lifeboat, and Paul called them out. The ropes to the lifeboat were cut, and their hope was washed

12:35 away into the sea. A lot of drama had transpired on the ship, and people were going mad. It is in this context that Paul, a prisoner, demonstrates an act of leadership. With the storms that they have endured, they have been in darkness for a long time. Yet Paul has stayed aware of the passage of time. He knew that they had gone without food for 14 days, even though they hadn't seen sunlight many of those days. They hadn't seen land in weeks. For all they know, they could be lost at sea and facing the end

13:21 of their lives. Yet Paul remains alert and aware of his surroundings. He had already survived three shipwrecks at this point. He had also received a prophetic word that they would survive. They would find an island, and he would testify before Caesar. Paul was taking a courageous step of faith and bringing the others along with him. However, most of the men on board were probably sleeping, and it was still dark outside with no land in sight. There's an account in the Gospels where Yeshua is on the Sea of Galilee with his disciples.

14:08 You know the story. The boat is being tossed about and Yeshua is sleeping. The disciples can't believe it. In that case, as you know, Yeshua calms the sea. However, for most of us who find ourselves in rough waters, there is little that we can do to change it. Sleep might be the most beneficial activity as it restores our strength, allows us rest from our stressful surroundings, and distracts us from our anxiety when we're not having nightmares. Plus, sleeping is much more fun than vomiting off the side of a ship. Yet Paul is awake,

14:55 and although he is not the captain, but a prisoner, he has already gained some credibility with the people on board. Remember, he was the one who pleaded that the journey was not safe and that they were heading into great danger. So the men were now ready to listen to Paul. Additionally, Paul had good timing. He had already encouraged those on board that he had received a word from the Lord. Who knows whether they took that seriously or not. However, he didn't make them answer that question. Rather, he waited until just before sunrise. Have you ever got up just before sunrise? On my first trip to Israel, I used to leave the hotel just

15:43 before sunrise. Part of it was I was jet lagged, and I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake everyone up around me. However, I also knew when we needed to eat breakfast, and that I had limited time to go out and have an adventure before everyone woke up. Plus, I knew that the sun would gradually arise and light my way. Wandering the streets of Jerusalem were some of the best hours of my trip. I say this because it seems Paul had a sense that there was a great deal to accomplish this day, and he didn't want to wait any longer. If they awoke while it was still dark and ate together, the sun would be coming up by the time they needed to make

16:31 their heroic effort. Paul understood that getting up early was the best way to accomplish a gargantuan task. He also understood that the men would be at their best having rest and nourishment for the day ahead. Additionally, I think he understood the psychological effect of sunlight when they had been in darkness for an extended period of time, and the hope that his prophetic word may have given them. Paul was able to see a reality that the others could not see. Yet he didn't use this to elevate himself for a special status. Rather, he strategized as to how he could bring

17:18 those with him into this hopeful reality. He reasoned with them. He reminded them how long it had been since they had eaten. I imagine many of them had lost count of the days due to the darkness of the storm. You can imagine why the men weren't eating. In addition to nausea, they did not know how long they would need to be sustained on the sea. It would be an act of self-preservation to eat as little as possible. However, Paul had good news. Notice what Paul doesn't do. He doesn't tell them that they are going to die, but they can go to heaven if they believe in Yeshua.

18:04 Rather, he brings them good news in response to their predicament. He mentions their suffering in going without food. He encourages them to eat. He tells them they're going to make it. He responds to their earthly problem with good news and encouragement. It is practical help, and they receive it. After giving them this good news, he disciples them. What does this mean? Does he teach them Hebrew? Well, yes and no. He demonstrates eating. Again, understand what he is doing. If they have some food that they have been preserving, keeping aside, and then they eat the food, they have no more food.

18:52 It could be very foolish to eat the food, as it represented the hope of their survival. I recently read an article about how many people keep nice things aside for the right moment. Does anyone do that? But this article says that people end up dying without ever using these nice things. However, psychologically, having the nice things stored away gives them the idea that they will have another day to use them. We are complicated creatures, aren't we? In any case, today Paul is pulling out the fine china. Today is the special day. Paul takes bread, gives thanks to God publicly, breaks it,

19:41 and eats. Imagine this context where Paul had to demonstrate eating as an act of faith. Perhaps some of them also decided to give thanks to the Lord that morning for sustaining them, bringing them to that day, and allowing them to partake of this food. My favorite verse in the Torah might be Exodus 24:11. "They beheld God, and ate and drank." There is something supernatural about breaking bread together. We get to know each other. It's hard to look cool when you have a mouthful of food. It is a shared act of humanity that shows us what we have in common. It doesn't matter what your politics or theology is, we

20:29 all need food to survive. Obviously, bread was something that everyone on board could partake of, and they did. If you can imagine this scene in your mind, 276 men on a ship eating together at sunrise. It's a pleasant picture. It not only gave the men physical strength, but spiritual nourishment. It was an act of bonding with one another in the presence of the Lord. If that's not pleasant, I don't know what is. Do you realize that your faith or lack of faith is contagious? The word contagious has a bad reputation, as we tend to

21:16 only associate it with sickness, and if you have a contagious sickness, the most merciful thing you can do is stay away from everyone. However, it is not only sickness that's contagious. Hope is contagious. Faith is contagious. C.S. Lewis called it the good infection. What is the context of the world we live in? Is it hopeful? What is our country like? Is it a place of joy? How is our neighborhood? Is it a place of kindness? What is our family like? Is it a place of encouragement? What is the context of our home life? Is it a place of faith?

22:02 What is the state of your mind and heart? Is it a place of shalom or a place of turmoil? I understand that life deals all of us chaos as well as peace. However, in the midst of the chaos of being tossed at sea, Paul found the Lord. Yet he didn't hoard the Lord to himself, even when he was bored out of his gourd. He shared the goodness with others. He elevated their experience and gave them courage and strength. When the Knicks were down 27 points with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, I lost hope concerning the likelihood of a championship.

22:50 Perhaps the past success was just a facade, and now their weakness was being exposed. Perhaps they just weren't good enough. However, one man had the ridiculous idea that hope was not lost. I'm not sure if anyone else on the team even felt it, but little by little, they moved closer and gained momentum until the entirety of Madison Square Garden was on their feet and the building was shaking with energy. The faith of one man had spread to thousands in the arena and millions of us viewers who couldn't afford tickets. At some point, even though the Knicks were still losing, you could see that even the Spurs knew that the tides had turned

23:37 and the ruach was no longer with them. You could see Goliath beginning to stumble and the underdogs emerging with radical faith. Perhaps you're like everyone else in my house and you don't care about basketball or the Knicks' first championship in 53 years. It's okay. God still loves you. But what do you care about? In what sphere of life do you have the ability to exercise faith and bring about change? For some of you, the workplace is where you can inspire others to see beyond their circumstance. For others, you can act as an agent of change in your family.

24:23 Each of us must face the battle within. Paul had been encouraged, in spite of his dire circumstances, that they would survive and even thrive However, it required that they moved in faith together. This act of faith was not accomplished by the angel or even by Paul. Rather, it would be a collective act of God involving every inhabitant of the ship. Where do you need to step out in faith? Acts 27:38-41 read as follows: "When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship, throwing the wheat into the

25:10 sea. Then when daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach where they planned to run the ship aground if they could. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea while loosening the ropes of the rudders at the same time. Then hoisting the forward sail to the wind, they made for the beach. But they struck a sandbar between the seas and ran the ship aground. The bow stuck fast and remained immovable, and the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves." What sacrificial steps will lead you to your next goal? Faith is necessary,

25:57 but faith without works is? Dead. That's right. Paul getting the men to eat was not enough. It was only the first step in their process of salvation. And when I say salvation, of course, I'm not talking about going to heaven, but rather being saved from the imminent storm that threatened their lives. The act of eating and being encouraged was only the beginning of the process. In order to access their salvation, the men would then need to take steps that would abandon their hope of financial gain. What do we do when we face decisions that involve financial sacrifice?

26:44 As glorious as the Knicks' championship was, and us Knicks fans will be talking about it far longer than you care to hear, there were also forces of darkness exposed. I'm not talking about the Spurs either. Sports betting brings in hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue from the pockets of us Americans. As much as I was enjoying watching my team pull together and win their first championship in my lifetime, there was an obvious fly in the ointment. The referees are able to influence the outcome of games, primarily through calling fouls or by ignoring them. When games are decided by a single point,

27:31 one call or non-call can dictate the outcome of the game. All teams and players and fans are naturally outraged when the calls do not agree with their desired outcome of winning. Both teams accuse the refs of being biased toward the other team. We see the Korach spirit. The refs are human too, and they make mistakes, which are sometimes corrected. And while it cannot be proven whether the refs favor one team or another, some truths are made evident. For instance, the longer a series goes, the more money the league makes. It's pretty plain logic. Also, fans tune in to see certain players.

28:18 So if a certain player who is seven foot five and is supposed to be the face of the league is called for too many fouls and is disqualified, the number of viewers and revenue will decrease. Sadly, these financial realities affect the sport more than we care to admit. What does this have to do with Paul and the 276 men on the ship? Not much, I'm just excited about the Knicks. No, it does have something to do. I'll stretch it and make it work. What does this have to do with our faith? Once the men eat and take courage, they somehow become aware of the mission at hand. They begin to throw the wheat into the sea.

29:07 Do you realize that their entire mission was to bring the wheat to Rome for a profit? However, it was clear at this point that the ship was not going to make it to Rome. Additionally, the wheat, though it represented the potential of profit, had actually become a liability. It weighed down the ship, and it could cause them to hit ground as they got closer to land. Furthermore, if the wheat would get wet and expand, it could further weigh down the boat or even cause the boat to expand and break. The very substance that the men were relying on to bring them profit had become a threat to their existence.

29:53 At what point do you decide to cut your losses and move on? Fear keeps us bound. Fear keeps us from acting in faith. Fear causes us to cling to what we have rather than releasing it. Fear keeps us from entering a new reality. In some sense, it probably would have been easier to continue sleeping in the hull of the ship. Maybe if they didn't eat or drink, they could have eventually drifted off and died. It takes faith and courage to accept that your plans were not successful. It takes faith and courage to let go of the things that you thought were

30:40 sustaining you. It takes faith and courage to fight for a better reality. It takes faith and courage to lay hold of the promises of God. However, it only takes one step, and then one more. The men listen to Paul and eat the food, not knowing where their next meal would come from. Next, they toss their plans into the sea. Imagine that. Tossing your precious product into the sea before sunrise. This is a bold act of faith. This is a statement. This is a declaration that their lives are worth more than being slaves to money.

31:26 Those on the Titanic sank with their treasures. However, those with Paul came to understand that their lives were more precious than gold. They were willing to toss their hopes of financial gain in order to redeem their lives. Just as an act of fear or greed can begin a chain of horrible events in our lives, one act of bold faith can build a path of redemption. They ate in faith. They cast off their precious cargo. The sun came up, and although they didn't know where they were in the world, they saw an island. The island of Malta is over 400 miles from

32:14 Rome, their destination. These men were very far from where they had planned to be. If they had not spotted this island or if they had slept a few more hours and drifted further south, their hope of survival would have been gone. This island would become their hope of salvation. Like the Knicks in the fourth quarter of game four, they began to see a glimmer of hope. This hope was able to transform their weakened bodies and minds in order to accomplish great things. What do you see on the horizon? Once these men had hope, they were willing to do whatever it took to

32:59 accomplish their goal. One bold step led to the next. In verse 40, they cut off their anchors, loosen the rudders, and hoist the forward sail to the wind. Any day that we can hoist something is a good day. What a glorious word. Can you feel the forward momentum in the passage? They had been using the anchors to slow themselves down from being blown around by the storm. They were in the state of what pilots call pucker factor. This is where you are so terrified that certain muscles tighten up.

33:46 White-knuckling is another term for this. I've been there. However, now in this moment, you can begin to hear Christopher Cross, "Ride Like the Wind," coming on in the background. The men on board are excited and giving everything they have to make it to the border of Mexico. Sorry, to make it to the island of Malta. They had formerly tied the rudders to resist the storm, but now they ride like the wind. Hoist the forward sail and point towards the beach. Now the men were breaking out the sunscreen and umbrellas.

34:31 Not so fast. They struck a sandbar between the seas and ran the ship aground. I imagine that this was a sudden stop for those on board. The bow was stuck, and the stern of the ship was getting struck by waves and broken. Perhaps you can imagine the violence of the sea. As crazy as this sounds, it was actually good news, as they were now close enough to the land to strike the bottom of the ocean. However, they still remained at a distance from the island. What practical steps will lead you toward your next goal? What sacrifices are you willing to make?

35:16 Jalen Brunson sacrificed 113 million in order to build a better team around him. Paul and the men on the ship sacrificed their hope of financial gain in order to save their lives. What is God calling you to do, and what sacrificial steps are required to get there? We must be willing to let go of what holds us back in order to enter a new reality. Acts 27:42-44 read as follows: "The plan of the soldiers was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would escape by swimming away. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan.

36:03 He ordered those able to swim to throw themselves overboard first and get to land, and the rest to get there on boards and pieces of the ship. And in this way, all were brought safely to land." What unlikely allies has the Lord given you? Even in the midst of this hallmark moment where their lives were being saved, the dark realities of human existence emerged. Now that the soldiers transporting prisoners understood that they would live, they had a new concern. They had a new complaint. The ship was breaking They would need to get off and make for land. However,

36:48 the soldiers were responsible for transporting prisoners, and if the prisoners escaped, the soldiers would be held accountable and might even be killed. Now their lives were in jeopardy once again. So, if they killed the prisoners, at least they wouldn't escape, and society doesn't care much for prisoners anyway. Perhaps the centurion would be able to explain the situation, and the emperor would understand. However, something unusual had transpired between Paul and the centurion. He liked Paul. Perhaps he found him inspiring. Paul had shown kindness to the centurion.

37:33 Perhaps the centurion knew that Paul was set on doing good in the world. After all, look at all the support that he had from his friends, and all the encouragement that he had brought to those aboard the ship. They had been through a lot together. Whatever the case, the centurion saw a way to preserve Paul and to keep track of the prisoners. Those with the strength and ability to swim were sent ahead first. Pieces of the ship could be used like rafts to carry the others to shore. As he was in charge of the soldiers, he gave the order, they followed, and all were brought safely to land. Once again, the enemy becomes the friend, and in this case,

38:20 even the savior. The Roman centurion, Julius, had a successful career. We can even call him Dr. J. Hey. What unlikely allies has the Lord given you? Paul had the centurion. Josh Hart, Brunson's college teammate, hated Brunson when they first met and would bully the smaller player. He continues to tease Brunson about his big head, even today. However, these two have become like brothers, roommates in college, and now have a podcast called "Roommates." That's quite funny. If we are able to battle through adversity together, we can overcome our differences and learn to value one another.

39:05 Can you identify someone in your life who you once considered an enemy or opponent, but has become an unlikely ally? To the extent that we are willing to move with people who don't look, act, or think like us, we will find unlikely allies and become unlikely allies for others. When we cross the boundaries that society tries to impose upon us, we can make a tremendous impact in the lives of others and influence the minds and hearts of our opponents. In conclusion, following Yeshua requires faith, sacrifice, and unlikely allies.

39:51 Where do you need to step out in faith today? What sacrificial steps will lead you toward your next goal? And finally, what unlikely allies has the Lord given you? Shabbat shalom. Yevarechecha Adonai ve'yishmerecha. Ya'er Adonai panayv eylecha víchuneka. Yisa Adonai panayv

40:36 eylecha ve'yaseim lecha shalom. Yisa Adonai panayv eylecha ve'yaseim lecha shalom. Beshem Yeshua, meshiheinu. In the name of our Messiah, Yeshua, Shabbat shalom.