Sermon nuggets Thurs April 17, 2008
Verses John 6:19-20 When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." (NIV)
Matt 14:28-31 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
THE LORD SPEAKS IN OUR DISTRESS
The words of Jesus were take courage. “It is I, don’t be afraid.” Jesus word brought faith. “Courage is not the absence of fear,” someone has said, “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Being a Christian neither guarantees fortitude nor frees us of all anxious feelings but it does give us a message from God’s word, which is one of the most effective ways in which He speaks today.
People fear perhaps most often the unknown and it is easy to see that when they imagined a ghost that was the unknown in a dark and anxious moment. Isn’t it easy to see how our imagination gets away from us when we are scared? I am not so sure that watching all kinds of violence and murders on TV and movies doesn’t increase our fears and make us more paranoid than we ought to be.
One of the most comforting places to go in distress is to the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit use the words to speak to the needs of our hearts.
Henri Nouwen talks about the power of communion with Christ; perhaps we call it quiet time or personal devotions. Call it what you want, but whether it is pleading prayer, or quiet reflections on what Jesus tells us, listen to Him speak. The steady man in the faith is one who is able to be obedient to God and hear His voice. Jesus had just previously renewed his heart in communion with His Father. Now these words of comfort are for Peter.
Seeing the Lord come is comforting for He always sees us. Hearing his voice by His Spirit and through His word adds to steadying the unsettled waters of our spirit, to confidence that nothing will happen to us, as His child, outside of His ultimate will.
Looking at Matthew’s account of this story we see Peter also walking on the water at the bidding of Jesus. There is comfort in the knowledge the Lord is with us in our distress, but Peter exercizes great love and faith in his prayer. He asks that he too might come to Jesus by means of walking on the water. The words of Jesus were meant in answer to the prayer of Peter. "Come"
Jesus speaks to Him to draw upon the Lord's power to do the unthinkable. It was not all disciples that got out of the boat. Indeed, Jesus did not call them all out. It was an experience for Peter's faith. Yet all marveled. All worshiped.
The growing faith of the disciples happened as they spent more time with Him, understood His heart, realized His power, and experienced His love. I often think how much more life has meaning when it is grounded in our centering in Him. He desires we have ears to hear and eyes to see. He is waiting to meet with us, learn from Him, and draw from His presence.
Pastor Dale
