Sermon for September 9th, 2018
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Miracles: Walking On Water
What you're looking at is one of the oldest images of Jesus from one of the oldest churches in the world. This is a fragment of a wall painting from a house-church in the ancient town of Dura-Europa in modern day Syria. It dates to about the year 240--about five generations after the gospel of Matthew was written (and it was probably written in Syria!).
Growing up, Joe had always heard the stories about how his father, his grand-father, and his great-grandfather, had walked across the lake, when each one had come of age, on their 21st birthdays. Determined that he, too, was capable of this miraculous feat, on Joe's 21st birthday he headed out to the lake with a friend. They rented a boat and paddled out to the middle of the lake. Joe, with confidence, pride, and faith in his family tree, stepped out of the boat...and nearly drowned in the lake. After his friend helped him back into the boat and they paddled back ashore, Joe went back to the family farm and sought out his wise old grandmother. He asked her, "Grandmother, why can I not walk on the lake like my father, his father, and his father before him? Patiently, grandmother took Joe by his hands and explained, "Your father, your grandfather, and your great-grandfather were all born in January. You were born in July, my dear."
