Pray for Ukraine

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy .’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew 5:43-48

The eyes of the world are on Ukraine. As I write (2150 GMT, 3rd March 2014), it appears that Russia have issued the an ultimatum to the Ukrainian military. Either they surrender by dawn tomorrow (0300 GMT, 4th March 2014), or the Russians will launch a full assault against the region. The thought of war is always horrifying, but the prospect of worsening relations between Russia and the west should concern us all.

This is not a time for words, however, but a time for prayer. Christian leaders in Crimea have called on the Church to support the region in prayer, and this week has already been declared to be a week of prayer for Ukraine and Crimea. This is doubly important with the tension notching up a gear, hour by hour and minute by minute.

I find the passage above to be particularly helpful. We are reminded that hatred was not something that Jesus condoned. Instead, he called on all his followers to pray for those who persecuted them, to love those who hated them, and to strive for perfect love. Jesus made it clear that God loves all people: “he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” As hard as this may seem, particularly when a peaceful region is threatened with violent assault, it is important that we understand these words and act on Jesus’ commands.

Let’s pray for the people in Ukraine, and particularly Crimea. Let’s pray for Ukrainian leaders, especially the interim President, Olexander Turchynov (a committed Christian and Baptist pastor), and the Ukrainian military. Let’s pray also for Putin, the leaders of Russia and the Russian military. And let’s pray for God’s Spirit of peace to move throughout the region, to bring an end to hostilities and threats of hostilities, and to bring peace to a troubled area of God’s world.

You are my child, whom I love

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1:9-15

What follows is the text of a sermon I preached on 26th February 2012 at Southwater Community Methodist Church, West Sussex.

Have you ever been told by someone that they love you?  Isn’t it a wonderful, magical experience.  There’s something really affirming about hearing from another human being that they love you.  We all crave love, whether it’s the love of a partner, or a parent, or a friend or a child.  Life without love can seem bleak.  If we feel as if no one loves us, we can feel disconnected from the world.  Love gives us the assurance that we are good people, that we are not alone, and that we have value in the eyes of our friends and family.

Have you ever told someone that you love them?  It sounds like the easiest thing to do, and we’re all aware of the impact our words can have on someone.  Sadly, saying “I love you” is something that many people struggle with.  Men, in particular, often struggle to say those three words, perhaps because they perceive feelings as something very feminine, perhaps because they were rarely told by their fathers that they loved them.  I think women, in general terms, are much better at declaring their love, whether it is to their parents, to their children, or to their friends.

Whether or not you’ve ever told someone you love them, whether or not you’ve ever been told by someone that they love you, there is an incredible verse in our reading today in which God declares his love for his son, saying “you are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

This verse is incredibly powerful, and we’ll spend some time this morning reflecting on this verse and the significance it has for us today.

That, in fact, is our first point; God is not just pleased with Jesus, he is pleased with us too.

In our Gospel reading this morning, Mark introduces us for the first time to Jesus.  In verse nine we see Jesus coming from that most unlikely of places, Nazareth in Galilee, to be baptised by John the Baptist.  His baptism represents the start of his earthly ministry.  Just us for Christians baptism represents a commitment to loving and serving God, for Jesus baptism signifies that he is beginning the journey that will ultimately lead him to the cross.

Jesus’ baptism also represents his equipping for the role he has in front of him.  Mark describes how as Jesus was coming out of the water, he saw heaven being torn upon and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  It is interesting that the Spirit should take the form of a dove, a bird which symbolises peace.  Jesus was not going to be some militaristic leader.  Jesus will conquer, he will save, he will lead his people to freedom, but not in the manner which was commonly understood.  Jesus was the servant king who conquered not through violence but through love.  It was his love for God and for all God’s people that meant that he defeated death and brought hope to all who believe, across time and space.

Jesus’ baptism also represented a moment of approval.  As the dove descended, Mark tells us that a voice came from heaven, proclaiming “you are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  Here we see God’s unconditional love flowing out of heaven towards his son Jesus.  At this point Jesus has not started his ministry.  He was yet to preach, to heal, to drive out demons, and to teach.  He has yet to conduct miracles.  He certainly has not gone to the cross by this stage.  Jesus had probably lived a relatively normal life in Nazareth with his family, perhaps working with Joseph, his adopted father, in his carpentry workshop, maybe alongside his brothers.  Yet despite this, God still proclaims his love for his son.  He still tells him that he loves him.  This is true unconditional love; love for love’s sake, love for who Jesus is rather than what he has done.

It is this verse that really stands out for me, for two reasons.  It shows the love that God has for us, but it also gives us a model as to how we should love.

Verse eleven shows the love that God has for us, and the kind of love that this is.

If we are baptised, believing Christians who seek to follow God, then God regards us as his children, as his sons and daughters.  This proclamation from heaven is directed not just as Jesus, but also at us.

God says to us, “you are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

And just as God loves Jesus for who he is, not for what he has done, he loves us for who we are.  He unconditionally proclaims his love for us.  He does not love us for what we have done.  He loves us for who we are.  He knows everything about us, the good stuff and the bad stuff, and yet he still loves us.  Even when we disobey him or turn from him, he still loves us.  There is nothing that we can do that will separate us from the love that God has for us.

What’s more, he is well pleased with us.  When we serve him effectively, follow his commands faithfully, and display his love always, he is pleased with us.  But even when we let him down, when we neglect and reject him, when we disobey him and dishonour him, he is still well pleased with us.  Why?  Because his love for us is unconditional.  It is not dependent on anything we do or say, anything we refrain from doing.  He loves us because of who we are.

This should be a cause for celebration for all of us, that the creator God knows and loves us all, regardless of what we do or do not do.  For the many who have not experienced the unconditional love of a parent, though, this is particular cause for celebration.

Perhaps you did not have the love of an earthly father.  Perhaps you grew up without knowing your father.  Maybe your father was distant and seemed unloving.  These are particular challenges for our society.  Yet through all these challenges we can be assured that we have a father in heaven who is desperate to shower unconditional love on us.  We do not need to earn his love or seek to please him.  He already loves us.

Verse eleven also provides us with a model of how we should love.

If God loves us unconditionally, we too should love unconditionally, and, perhaps more importantly, not be afraid or worried to show our love, or tell people that we love them.

If we allow our friends and families to think that we only love them because of their accomplishments, then we devalue that love and could end up harming those that we love.  This is conditional love, not unconditional love.  It’s also worth remembering that accomplishments, positions of prestige and honour are not always permanent.

Claire, my wife, is a doctor.  I am very proud of her success in her chosen career, but if I allowed her to think, even subconsciously, that I only loved her because she was a successful doctor, then this could be very damaging for our relationship.  Claire might worry about what might happen to our relationship if she was made redundant.  Would I still love her?  What if she decided to take a career change, and decided to become, say, a biology teacher.  Would I still love her?

The answer to these questions is, of course I would.  But if she felt that I would love her less because of her change in position, my love is not truly unconditional.  If Claire felt that she had to continue in her career because it was the basis for my love for her, she could well end up getting hurt.

The same is true for our children.

I realise I speak with no experience of parenting myself here, so if you are a parent, feel free to tell me I’m completely wrong at the end of the service if you wish, but if parents allow their children to think that their love for them is based solely on their achievements, then our children could potentially be harmed by their perception that our love for them is conditional.

If we place too much emphasis on a child’s success at school, how will our child feel if they fail an important exam?

Or if our child is accomplished on the sports field, will they feel that our love for them will be diminished if they lose a game?

Or if we seem too excited by the prospect that our child may become a successful lawyer, or brain surgeon, will they feel that our love for them will be lessened if they decide that they want to be a hairdresser?

We put all kinds of pressure on each other in our society today.  It is a tremendous risk that others think we love them only for what they do, their accomplishments, and not for who they are.

We need to reflect on the love that God displays to Jesus in this passage – true, unconditional love based on who Jesus is, not what he has done.

God is not afraid to declare his love for his son, and neither should we be afraid to declare our love – to our children, to our families, to our friends.

God is delighted to be able to tell his son that he is well pleased with him, even before Jesus began his ministry.  We should take the time to display our pleasure in our family and friends, just for who they are, no matter what they have or have not done.

Remember that statement in verse eleven as Jesus is baptised.

“You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Draw comfort from these words in the days and weeks ahead.

The second point I want to consider today is Jesus’ stay in the desert, particularly pertinent to us today, on the first Sunday in Lent.

No sooner does God proclaim his love for Jesus enters the desert for forty days and nights.

Interestingly, if we look at verse twelve, it is the Holy Spirit that sent Jesus into the desert, the same Holy Spirit that descended on him like a dove when he was baptised.

I’m sure there are many of us here today who feel that we have spent time in the desert.  Probably most of us have had times in our life when we’ve felt alone and neglected.  I know I have.  It may be difficult to comprehend as we go through the difficult patches in our lives, but it may well be that just as the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert, God has sent us into the dark valleys of our lives.  Jesus left the desert stronger, with a renewed sense of his mission and a heightened love for his father, due to the reliance he had to have on him.  The same is true for us; God does not send us into the desert to destroy us, but to build us up, to draw us to him, and to improve our lives when we leave the desert.

The truth is, of course, that whilst there will be moments in our lives when we feel stuck in a particularly dry, bleak desert, our entire lives are being lived in the desert, the spiritual desert of twenty-first century Britain.

Every day it seems that Britain becomes a drier desert, with the nourishing, living water of Jesus being scorched all around us.  People are laughed at for their beliefs.  Some find themselves facing difficulties at work because they choose to wear a cross.  Prayers are banned in council meetings.  There’s much talk of militant secularism sweeping our land.

We find ourselves in a spiritual desert just as Jesus found himself in a physical desert.

Just as the Holy Spirit sent him into the desert, we too are sent by God into this desert.

We are not alone, however.  Through all the devil’s temptations, during the danger Jesus felt from wild animals, God’s angels were with him.  Mark records how they “attended” him which suggests that not only were they with him, but they supported him and cared for him through his trials.

As they were with him, so too they are with us.  We may not recognise them as angels, but I’m sure we’ve all been in a situation in which we’ve needed support or help, and it has been given.

We may find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness.  We may find ourselves at different points in our lives feeling as if we are in a personal wilderness.  Throughout it all, though, God never forgets us.  What we should not forget as we confront difficulties in our own life is that remarkable statement from God in verse eleven, “you are my child whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Also worth remembering is the remarkable truth of the good news that Jesus came to bring all people, and it is this that we will look at in our third point today.

We’ve already seen that this passage comes right at the very start of Jesus’ministry, which started after John the Baptist was put in prison.  The very first words that Mark records Jesus saying, at the start of his ministry, are, “the time has come, the Kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!”

Some people think that the call to repentance, to turn from our sins, is bad news.  Some would have you believe that it is the “bad” things that make life enjoyable, and that living a Christian life is a dull business.  Yet Jesus calls on people to repent and believe the good news.

One writer has summarised the good news that Jesus brings into six key points:

It is good news of truth, because in Jesus we can see what God is like.

It is good news of hope.  Jesus brings hope where there seems to be none.

It is the good news of peace because the sin that wars within us has been conquered by Christ.

It is the good news of God’s promise, because he is a God who is ready to give more than we are to ask.

It is good news of immortality, because we are on the way to life rather than death.

It is good news of salvation, the power to live victoriously and to conquer sin.

Never let anyone tell you that the Christian life is somehow lacking, because being a Christian means having life to the full as we look forward to eternity in heaven with our God.

Never let anyone tell you that Christianity is something other than a force for good, because there is nothing at the root of our faith other than goodness.  Anyone who sees anything other than God’s goodness is not seeing authentic Christianity, but a warped version of it, distorted by those who claim to believe.

Jesus does, however, make a demand on our lives, and we see this here in his first statement.

He calls on Christians to repent.

Jesus calls on us not just to say sorry for the wrong things that we do but to turn away from wrong doing, to turn our backs on sinfulness.  At times this may be difficult.  Sometimes it may seem almost impossible.  But the promise of goodness that lies before us if we truly repent far outweighs anything that sin may offer us.

As we strive to truly repent we need to hold on to that amazing statement:

“You are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

We may struggle.  At times we may fail.  Regardless, God still loves us unconditionally.

Jesus also calls on us to believe.

This demand is simple, yet at the same time difficult.

At its most simple, we are asked to believe that Jesus is who he says he is, and that the claims he makes are true.

Yet in a society that in which secularism and atheism seem to be getting stronger by the day, in which Christians are portrayed as fantasists who cling on to fairy tales, in which religions are blamed for all the wrongs in the world, it can be hard to cling on to our faith and to believe there is anything other than what we see before us, let alone that there is a God who loves us so much he sent his son to die for us.

Throughout it all, though, hold on to that statement from God:

“You are my child whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

So as I draw to a close this morning, let’s just reflect on the three points in this morning’s Gospel reading.

God loves us and is well pleased with us, not because of what we’ve done but because of who we are.  He loves us unconditionally.  Let’s accept that love and try to model it ourselves, loving the people in our lives unconditionally.

We live in a spiritual desert, and there will be times when that desert seems particularly bleak.  But God has sent us into the desert, not to harm us but to build us up.  He is always with us, and will protect us in the desert.

Finally, do not forget that incredible message from Jesus.  We are called to repent, and to turn away from our sin?  Why?  Because the kingdom of God is near.  We need to trust in Jesus, trust in the statements that he made and the actions he undertook, trust that there is a loving God who sent Jesus to die for us, and trust that we can have hope in a future far better than anything we’re currently experiencing.

Come, follow me

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22
Some years ago, I was (confession coming) fairly politically active. In fact, that’s something of an understatement. I helped run a couple of local general election campaigns and manned the phones in a national call centre cold-calling voters (sorry…). I even stood for election to my local council on a couple of occasions. During this period of my life I met a number of interesting people. One of these had worked in America supporting a congressional candidate. He told me about a rally that he once attended that was being addressed by Bill Clinton. My friend had a front row seat. Although my friend was not, by any means, a Clinton supporter, he found himself inexplicably drawn to the ex-president. Clinton was just so charismatic that he managed to get even his opponents out of their chairs, cheering him on. It was not until after the rally that my friend even became aware of the impact that Clinton had had on him.

I’m struck in the passage from Matthew above by the reaction to Jesus from the people that he met. Jesus was, presumably, unknown to Peter, Andrew, James and John. But look at the response that they have to Christ. Jesus saw Peter and Andrew fishing, and called to them to follow him. If a stranger walked past my classroom whilst I was teaching and said, ‘Simon. follow me!’ I would probably ignore them, deciding that they were pulling my leg or a little mad. Even if there was something that drew me to the stranger, I’m not sure that my boss would be very impressed if I just walked out! This was not how Peter and Andrew responded, however. They left their nets at once and followed Jesus. The same is true of James and John. They too were fishing, and when Jesus called them, they immediately downed tools and followed him. I wonder what it was about Jesus that led these four tough fishermen to stop what they were doing and follow him?

In contrast to the fishermen, we are deeply privileged. They knew nothing about Jesus when he called to them. We, though, have the Gospel accounts readily available that give us a real insight into the identity of Jesus. We also have the testimony of millions of Christians who have gone before us, and had their lives transformed as a result of a personal relationship with Christ. As a result we know his teaching and his miracles, and we know about his death and resurrection. Despite having so much more evidence about Jesus available to us I suspect that few of us respond to Jesus in the same way that the disciples did. Even if we profess to follow him, that enthusiasm is sadly rarely seen. Perhaps we need to take a leaf out of the fishermen’s book and be more enthusiastic and excitable our our relationship with Jesus!

I wonder if we jump to follow Jesus in the same way that the first disciples did? Is following Jesus the absolute priority of our lives? Do we turn to the Gospel accounts day after day, seeking to understand him better? Do we pray to him, to share our deepest thoughts with him? Can we really say that we have a relationship with him and follow him unconditionally? Are we as enthusiastic as Peter, Andrew, James and John? How do we respond to Jesus’ challenge to come, follow him?

Prepare the Way: Make Straight Your Paths

What follows is the text of a sermon I preached on 4th December 2011 at Cobham Methodist Church in Surrey. It is based on Isaiah 40:1-11, 2 Peter 3:8-15 and Mark 1:1-8.

I wonder if you were affected by the strikes this week? According to the TUC, two million people stayed away from work on Wednesday in protest at the government’s plans to make changes to public sector pensions. I have to say that, had it not been for the reports on the news and a few exchanges on Facebook, I wouldn’t have even noticed that the strikes took place.

The only effect the strikes had on me were the age old insults that are thrown at me because of my chosen profession. You see, I’m a teacher. Many of my friends believe I have it easy because they think I only work 9 to 3, and have long holidays. If only that were true, I tell them.

The life of a teacher is full of stresses and demands. Not only do we teach, but we have masses of marking to do, hundreds of hours of preparation to undertake, and at this very busy time of year, huge numbers of reports to write.

By far the most stressful time for a teacher, though, is when OFSTED visit for an inspection.

At my school we are currently awaiting the OFSTED inspectors with bated breath.

These days, we don’t get any advance warning. They could come anytime during the course of this year.

That puts a lot of pressure on us to ensure that everything is perfect all the time.  We have to make sure our buildings are safe and attractive. We must ensure we are following all necessary legislation.  Our lessons must be outstanding all year. And we must keep on top of marking.

We need to prepare the way for the inspectors.

We need to make everything right for them.

That idea of “preparing the way” is something that we reflect on at this time of year, during Advent.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the first arrival of our Messiah, our thoughts turn to the return of Jesus, not as a humble baby, but as the majestic defeater of death, the heroic bringer of new life.

That’s what we’re going to be thinking about today through our three readings. We’ll look first at ‘who is coming’? Then we’ll consider the coming of the Messiah and the response of ordinary people to this incredible news. Finally, we’ll reflect on the second coming of Jesus, and how we should prepare ourselves for this monumental event.

Let’s first turn to the question of ‘who is coming’?

Advent is a time of expectation. We all look forward to the coming festivities. Television in particular really builds the sense of expectation that many of us feel. One of the most famous adverts on television at this time of year is one for Coca Cola that has been shown for many years. It shows a phalanx of trucks passing through woods, towns and villages. Everywhere they go, they light up the way, all to a sound track which gently reminds us that “holidays are coming, holidays are coming.”

Then, of course, there’s the much-discussed John Lewis advert, which shows a small boy eagerly anticipating Christmas day. We’re all supposed to think that he is looking forward to opening his presents, but in fact, he is most looking forward to giving his parents a present.

The Old Testament is full to bursting with anticipation. Anticipation for what God is going to do with his people. Anticipation for the arrival of the messiah who is going to save God’s people once and for all. That sense of anticipation is particularly pronounced in our reading today from Isaiah. The prophet talks of “a voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert for our God.”

Sometimes it feels like we’re living in a wilderness, in a desert where the love of God seems absent. We watch the news and see nothing but hatred and violence. We read the newspapers and see reports of our country teetering on the brink of economic meltdown. We see everywhere the consequences of trying to live our lives our own way, of pushing God out of our society. We see all around us the results of our own selfishness and lack of love. We see people starving. We see war and murder. We see young people taking their own lives because they are overwhelmed by a sense of despair, a bleakness that inhabits their hearts, their minds, and their souls.

Our world has become a wilderness, devoid of hope. Our lives have become deserts, devoid of love.

And yet there is hope.

There is hope because as the prophet foretells, the LORD is coming. Our God is coming. And he is going to transform our world.

He will raise up every valley.

He will make every mountain and every hill low.

Rough ground will be level.

Rugged places will become plains.

And there, in that world that has been turned upside down, back to front and inside out, the glory of the LORD will be revealed.

All people will see the glory of the Lord.

This is hope that is worth holding onto. This is anticipation that is valid.

This isn’t anticipation of a holiday, or a fizzy drink. This isn’t anticipation of a special episode of a favourite television programme. This is anticipation of a truly world changing event, the arrival of the messiah, of God himself.

It is not just the world itself that will be transformed by the arrival of the Messiah; lives, too, will be changed. The prophet promises us that the coming LORD “tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

He will take all his people along the way for the LORD. He will not leave the weak behind, because he cares for each and every one of his people. He will carry those who need carrying, and lead those who need to be led.

Despite his tremendous power, he loves his people, cares for them, and will take them with him.

Our passage in Isaiah is a really useful introduction to the arrival of the Messiah. It vividly shows us the power he will have, and the glory the he will possess. It also shows us how much he cares for his people, the love he has for them, and the willingness with which he will lead us to his kingdom. But what the prophet does not do is put either a name or a face to this rather conceptual introduction.

To put a name and a face to the Messiah, we need to turn to the New Testament.

And that brings us onto our second point, which is the first coming of the Messiah and the response of ordinary people to his arrival.

I was lucky enough to begin my teaching career in quite a prestigious school. Once or twice each year, members of staff were invited to a rather special dinner. I love a free meal and the chance to dress up in my finery, so whenever I was invited, I jumped at the chance to go and cleared my diary. For some reason, these dinners also attracted the great and the good, and on several occasions I met members of foreign royal families who, for some reason, had turned up. Perhaps because of the presence of royalty, when we arrived at the venue, we were announced by a herald and the assembled throng would slow hand clap us as we entered. I always felt a little inadequate being announced as plain ordinary Simon Lucas, esquire, when others were introduced as the Right Honourable, or His Lordship, or Her Royal Highness! It was certainly an interesting experience nevertheless!

In our gospel reading, we witness two heralds announcing the arrival of the Messiah, as prophesied by Isaiah. Mark, the writer of the Gospel, and John the Baptist, leave us in doubt as to who is arriving on the scene, nor what his credentials are.

The very first words that we read as we pick up Mark’s gospel are, “the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” If we were in any doubt at all as to the identity of Jesus, Mark makes it explicit. As far as he is concerned, this Jesus of whom he writes is the Messiah, the anointed one, the Son of God.

This is the Christ who has been foretold throughout the Old Testament.

This is the Messiah who Isaiah introduced us to.

Now, though, we have a name for him.

The Messiah is Jesus.

And whilst Isaiah built up a sense of anticipation but did not suggest when the Messiah might arrive, Mark makes it plain that the Messiah is here. He’s come. He’s waiting in the wings, poised and ready to start his incredible work.

The Messiah is Jesus.

Just to make doubly sure that we are clear on this point, Mark quotes a verse from Malachi, “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way,” and also from the passage in Isaiah that we have just looked, at “prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”

We are then immediately introduced to John the Baptist who Mark fundamentally believes is the herald of the arrival of the Messiah.

The sense of anticipation really builds at this point. John the Baptist drew an enormous following, all eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Lord God himself, who will save his people. Mark tells us that thewhole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to John the Baptist.

During advent we anticipate Christmas. We anticipate the arrival of the baby Jesus.

At Christmas, people who do not normally go to Church attend their local services.

The sense of anticipation, however, is nowhere near the level that it was when John the Baptist announced the arrival of the adult Jesus.

In a survey published by YouGov this week it was revealed that 24% of British people expected to attend a Church service this Christmas. This is well up on the usual figure of 6% of people who usually attend Church at least once a month, but is nowhere near the level that Mark records turning out to see John the Baptist.

I wonder what it was about John the Baptist that attracted so many people?

Perhaps it was his unusual clothing.

Maybe it was news of his unusual diet of locusts and wild honey.

Was it because of his preaching of, as Mark records, “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Why did so many people turn out to hear this peculiar man speak? And what led them to confess their sins and be baptised?

There are no easy answers to these questions, but they are nevertheless worth asking. In the spiritual wilderness of the United Kingdom in the twenty first century, how do we point people to Jesus and his teaching, as John the Baptist did? How do we attract whole towns and cities to listen to the word of God and to repent of their sins? How do we heighten anticipation for the return of the Messiah?

Perhaps we might find some answers in our final point. Rather than looking at others and pondering why they do not respond to the gospel, perhaps we need to look first at ourselves, and to reflect on our own response. How does it bear up against the instructions we read about in Isaiah, or the attitude of John the Baptist.

My parents came to visit us recently. They were due to arrive on Sunday morning in time for church. Claire, my wife, and I got up early and set to work cleaning and tidying our flat. We thought we would have plenty of time, because my parents usually ring or text or ring as they’re leaving, which gives us a warning of at least two hours.

Apart from on this particular occasion when they rang to tell us they were ten minutes away.

A mad dash ensued as we tried to hide washing up, stuffed clutter into cupboards, and showered and dressed for their imminent arrival.

Of course, if we’d been more sensible, or less busy people, we would have readied the flat for their arrival the day before, if not earlier.

In the passage from Peter’s letter that we read this morning, he reminds us that Jesus will come again. He won’t give us a warning of his return, not even a ten minute warning. He will come “like a thief,” totally unannounced. We must, therefore, be ready for his return.

This is the unifying theme that runs through all of our readings today.

In Isaiah we heard that we must prepare a way for the Lord in the wilderness of our Godless world.

We also heard that we must make straight a highway in the desert of our own sinful lives.

We had a similar instruction in Mark’s gospel, in which we were told to “prepare the way for the Lord and make straight paths for him.”

We also read how John the Baptist preached a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Peter offers more advice, advice that we need to take on board as we await the return of the Messiah. Since the day of the return of Jesus is coming, we must always be ready, he says. He tells us that we must live “holy and godly lives.”

He continues that we must “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”

In all three of these passages it is clear that as we wait for the Messiah, for Jesus, we are called to action. We are called to transform our own lives and to transform the world.

We need to begin with ourselves. We must ensure that we are right before God, that we repent our sins and that we strive to live lives that are holy and godly. We are fortunate that we live between the first and second comings of the Messiah, because we have Jesus as a guide for how to live our lives. We need to strive to be spotless and blameless, just as he was. We need to try our hardest to live lives free from sin, to sacrifice all that we have to serve Christ, and to put the needs of others before ourselves. Above everything else, we need to ensure that we love; that we love God, that we love ourselves, and that we love others.

Before we can make make paths through the wilderness we first need to deal with the deserts of our own lives.

Perhaps this is why John the Baptist attracted whole communities out to see him.

Maybe this is why Jesus was followed by thousands of people wherever he went.

Because there was something that set them apart from the rest of us, that made them different.

They were living the gospel that they preached, whereas so often we fall short and fail to do so.

Maybe our churches are not full to bursting at Christmas because we fail in our quest to live holy and godly lives, to be spotless, blameless and at peace with God. Maybe when people look at us they don’t see anything that marks us out as different in our sinful, fallen world.

Perhaps we don’t recognise the significance of the message that we have to proclaim and fail in the instruction that we read about in Isaiah, to shout the good news from mountain tops, to lift up our voices with shouts proclaiming, “Here is the Lord!” Maybe that cry isn’t loud and clear, but muffled and hidden.

If we fail to live in this way we fail God, but we also fail our society. The crowds following John the Baptist and Jesus reveal something about ordinary people that perhaps we might have forgotten. Everyone longs for a sense of greater good, for belief in something better than themselves and for hope in the future. Everyone longs for forgiveness, the opportunity to say sorry and to start their lives afresh. If we do not demonstrate that through Jesus Christ these opportunities are freely available for all, we have failed in our ultimate calling.

So as Christmas approaches lets stand firm against the commercialism and nonsense of the modern festival and reclaim it for Jesus.

Let’s use this time of advent to reflect on how we live in the light, not of the first coming, but the second coming.

Are we ready for Jesus’ return?

Are our lives worthy of him?

Are we distinctive and different because of our beliefs?

And let’s ensure that we embrace every opportunity to present the gospel to others.

Do we proclaim the gospel at every opportunity, shouting it from the hilltops?

Do we offer people an opportunity to find hope in future resurrection through Jesus Christ?

Do we offer an opportunity for repentance, for a fresh start, and for the love and support not just of God, but the whole of our Christian family?

Let’s ensure that this Christmas we seize every opportunity to point the world to Jesus Christ. Not just the baby Jesus in the stable, though, but to the Jesus who conquered death and will return in glory to lead us to his new creation.

Who do you say I am?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:13-16

In a couple of weeks time I start a new job teaching History and RE in a prep school. I’ll be teaching children in years 6, 7 and 8. Whilst I have enjoyed teaching these year groups before, it’s always been in the context of a secondary school, where I have taught pupils of these ages as part of a more balanced diet that has included GCSE, A Level and International Baccalaureate students. What has always set these younger students apart for me in the past is their tendency to ask questions, pretty much non-stop. Questions have ranged from the highly admirable, such as, “but surely Harold Godwinson should have left some of his troops in the south?” to the practical, “how much detail should I put in my answer?” to the just downright infuriating, “should I start a new page, Sir?”

One of the joys of teaching pupils at this age is spending all day answering the many questions that are thrown at me. I do find, though, that answering questions all day does take its toll. By the time the evening comes and my friends ask me even the simplest questions, my answers tend to come out as grunts.

In today’s verses, Jesus asks his disciples probably the most important question that they will ever answer: who do you say I am?

By this point the disciples had witnessed Jesus do plenty of amazing miracles and heard him teach and preach. They had spent time with him and would have begun to form a view on who this man was. Was he a teacher or a prophet? Was he a good man or a deluded fool? Was he nuts? Or was he the Son of God?

Many of the people in the area had come to the conclusion that Jesus was a prophet, but Simon Peter went considerably further in his view; Jesus was the messiah, the son of the living God. At this point he hadn’t fully grasped the implications of that statement, but he nevertheless recognised that Jesus was not simply a prophet, but the person who had been the focus of prophecy for generations.

The question that Jesus asks his disciples in this passage, “who do you say I am?”, is not just the most important question the disciples ever had to answer, but is probably the most important question in the world. Most of us have an opinion on that question, even if we might not have given it a great deal of thought. The people who do not follow Christ have decided that, whatever Jesus was, he was not the son of the living God. Christians have usually decided that the answer to that question is much the same as Peter gave.

Having answered the question, though, we need to consider whether we’re in a similar position to Peter in today’s verse; we know who Jesus is, but we have yet to grasp the full implications of our answer, and don’t allow our understanding of Jesus’ identity to shape our lives. Others may have fully grasped those implications, and strive to follow Jesus closer and closer day by day.

Why not reflect on that simple question today and over the weekend: who do you say Jesus is? How does your answer to that question impact on your life?

You have great faith

A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Matthew 15:22,28

A couple of years ago, I visited the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, which at that time was the world’s tallest building. In fact, I managed to visit twice in the space of a month, with a quick visit to Sussex in between! On my first visit, with my friend Clive, we took the lift to the top, where there is a glass floor, through which one can see the enormous drop down to the ground below. It was quite terrifying. Eventually, I plucked up the courage to step onto the glass and lived to tell the tale. As I stepped across, I had to have complete faith that the glass would not break under my weight. Luckily it didn’t!

In today’s reading, a non-Jewish, pagan woman from Canaan, approached Jesus. Even though Jesus had primarily ministered to the Jewish community, news of his amazing abilities had clearly reached her. Her poor daughter was possessed by a demon and was suffering terribly, but she believed completely that, if Jesus wanted to, he could save her daughter from the demon. She had complete faith in this man she’d heard all about, and was wiling to risk making a fool of herself in front of the assembled throng if it meant saving her daughter.

Jesus clearly admired the woman’s faith. He remarked on her great faith, and rewarded her by answering her request. He told her that her request was granted, and her daughter was saved from the demon straight away.

Jesus looks for faith in all people. If we have complete faith and put our trust wholly in him, he will grant our requests and answer our prayers. We must have the same “great faith” of the Canaanite woman, however, and be willing to step out in faith and approach Jesus. He knows our heart, and he knows whether we really have faith or not. Let’s pray today that God will help us to have total faith in Christ, and total confidence in his promises.

The blind leading the blind

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 15:13-14

Last weekend, my wife, Claire, and I visited Belfast, Claire’s hometown. Whilst we we out for a walk on Saturday afternoon, a car pulled up alongside us, and the driver asked us for directions to Malone House. I was very glad that Claire was with me. I knew roughly where Malone House is, since we considered having our wedding reception there. Not knowing Belfast that well, however, I would have felt rather uncomfortable giving the driver directions; it would have been a bit like the blind leading the blind. Thankfully, Claire, as a native of Belfast City, was able to give the driver precise instructions to his destination.

In today’s passage, Jesus warns his disciples about the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders who not only had a poor understanding of God’s message, but had actively corrupted it. Jesus warns that the Pharisees are ‘blind guides’. Just as I have only a fuzzy understanding of the geography of Belfast, they had at best a fuzzy understanding of God’s plan for the salvation of mankind. Whilst I was reluctant to give advice to the driver, though, they continued to teach people about God. What’s more, they actively misled people to their own personal advantage, to gain money and power. Jesus has stern words for the Pharisees, describing them as a plant that God has not planted, which will be pulled up by the roots. They will be punished for their misleading teaching.

In the twenty-first century it is very easy to access teachings on the Christian gospel. There are Christian magazines, newspapers and television channels, radio stations, podcasts, websites, Facebook and Twitter accounts. This is fantastic, but whilst we’re using these amazing resources, it is important that we are careful to ensure we are not being led by the blind. Can we be confident that the websites we visit or television channels we watch are teaching faithfully, or are they plants not planted by our heavenly Father? A great way to tell is to examine if they have a “statement of faith” that embraces the Gospel, and by reflecting on their use of scripture. Is the Bible at the heart of what they do, or is it sidelined? If they have sidelined the Word of God, it might be worth asking why!

Give thanks today for the abundance of teaching materials we have access to at the beginning of the twenty-first century, but pray that God’s message will be taught faithfully, and that we won’t be misled by false teaching.

What do your words say about you?

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Matthew 15:10-11

What is it, do you think, that marks someone out as a “good person,” and more particularly, a “good, Godly person”?  Those people that we see at church every week – are they all good, Godly people?  In Jesus’ time this was a major issue.  The Pharisees and other religious leaders judged people by how closely they followed the rules of scripture, of which a large number concerned what they could and couldn’t eat.  Woe betide anyone who was seen eating something considered unclean by the Old Testament!  This even remained a concern for the early Christian church for sometime as they sought to follow Jesus.

Jesus was clear, however, that what you eat is no indication of Godliness.  In fact, as he states in today’s passage, it’s not what you put in your mouth that makes you Godly or defiles you, but what comes out of your mouth.  What you say, after all, is a far better guide of the kind of person you are and the way that you live your life.  The words you say can demonstrate if you’re really a Godly person.  If you attend church every Sunday but constantly criticise other people, seek to bring them down, upset them and make them feel inadequate or unworthy, are you really a Christian?  Are you really loving your neighbour as yourself?

If you seek to follow Christ, it should be clear to all those whom you meet and speak to.  If your words mark you out as a caring, considerate and compassionate person, it’s a good indication that you are indeed seeking to love others, just as Christ did.

Why not reflect today on the words that you use?  The things that you say can hurt or build up.  Try today to be positive and loving with all that you say, whilst also striving to refrain from using harsh words that could hurt or offend.  And remember – your words demonstrate the attitude of your heart.  Do your words serve as a witness to Christ?  Or do they merely demonstrate that you are a fallen individual?

Called to do the impossible

Posted on  by Simon

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “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!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:25-31

It seems that the worst of the disturbances that have blighted British cities over the last few nights have come to an end.  We can give thanks that order seems to have been restored to our country, and that the authorities are once again in control, rather than the rampaging looters.

Perhaps you’ve considered over the last few days how you, as a Christian, could get involved in your community to try to prevent such a scenario developing again.  Maybe you were even inspired by yesterday’s reflection to take action, to love the looters, and to support our young people as they grow up in situations which are often far from loving.

But perhaps you also find yourself thinking, how can I make a difference?  There’s no way that anything I can do could have any impact on the world.  I’m just one person.  It would be impossible for me to make a difference.

And yet Jesus calls to do the impossible.

In today’s reading, the disciples see Jesus walking on the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee.  They’re initially petrified, assuming that the figure they can see is a ghost.  Then, however, Jesus calls out to them, and reassures them that it is he.

Peter’s response is to call on Jesus to tell him to come across the water to him.  Jesus answers with just a single word: come.

Two amazing things happen next.  Firstly, Peter actually steps out onto the water.  Secondly, just for a brief while, he succeeds in walking on the water!

Jesus calls Peter to do the impossible, and, through his faith in Jesus, he succeeds in doing it!

It is only when Peter takes his eyes off Christ and looks around him at the stormy waters that he loses his faith.  When he loses his faith, he begins to sink.

Jesus reacts instantly to Peter’s sinking.  He immediately reached out his hand and grabbed him, thereby saving his life.

Just as Jesus called Peter to do the impossible, there are times when he calls us to do things that we believe are impossible too.  Perhaps working to shape our communities, and supporting the young people who have been rioting and looting, falls into that category.  These things might seem like impossible tasks, but if we have faith in Jesus, and keep our eyes focused on him, then we can achieve anything.

If we should find ourselves losing faith, losing confidence, and taking our eyes off Christ, all we need to do is call out “Lord, save me!” as Peter did, and we can be confident, certain even, that Jesus will rescue us.

So as we come towards what has been a difficult week for the UK, don’t underestimate the impact that you can have on your community.  Don’t withdraw, believing that it would be impossible for you to have any impact, but trust in Christ, keep your eyes fixed on him, and stride out in faith.

When we keep our eyes on Jesus, there is no limit to what we can do.

Called to do the Impossible

Posted on  by Simon

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “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?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Matthew 14:22-23

What follows is the text of a sermon I preached on 7th August 2011 at Southwater Community Methodist Church in West Sussex.

As you may know, Claire and I moved house this week.  Claire’s job has taken her to Hastings, and I’m about to start a new job in Battersea, so we needed to move somewhere that would enable us both to be able to travel to work without too much difficulty.  Moving house is never an easy task, but we managed to make it harder for ourselves by going on holiday for two weeks just before the move!  We managed to get some of the packing done before we left, but as soon as we returned we had to get straight back into it.  We had a couple of very late nights and very early mornings, but somehow we had just about managed to cram all of our possessions into boxes as the removal van pulled up at 8am on Tuesday morning.  It seemed from the outset like a difficult task, but somehow we did it.

I’m sure that you’ve had similar experiences.  Perhaps, like us, you’ve had to move home.  Maybe you’ve found yourself up against a deadline at work that you thought you’d never manage to hit.  Perhaps you’ve struggled to complete an essay or dissertation by the deadline.  It’s amazing, isn’t it, how when we persevere, when we have faith in ourselves and confidence in our own abilities, we can achieve things that we thought would be difficult to do.

In today’s reading we will consider how Jesus calls us to action, and sometimes to tackle tasks that we might think are not just difficult, but impossible.  We’ll also look at how Jesus responds to our call, “lord, save me!” when things just seem too difficult.  First, though, we’ll consider how the power of Jesus can challenge, frighten and intimidate.

At the beginning of our reading, we saw how Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him in a boat whilst he dismissed the crowds and went up to the mountains to pray.  Soon the disciples found themselves caught up in a storm on the lake, battling against the wind and the waves.  Interestingly, Matthew, in his account of this incident, does not say that the disciples were afraid facing the storm.  Many of the disciples, of course, were fishermen who no doubt would have faced similar storms on this lake many times before.  Presumably they trusted their boat, and trusted in their own ability to ride the storm out.  This was their natural environment after all.

So why is it that one of the things we remember most about this passage is the fear of the disciples?

Well, the disciples were afraid, but it wasn’t the storm that scared them, but the ghostly figure they see striding out across the water towards them.

Sometime between 3am and 6am, Jesus began walking on the sea towards the disciples’ boat.  Seeing the figure of a man walking across the stormy waters, the disciples were absolutely petrified.  They saw something that they just did not understand, and couldn’t rationalise.  How can anyone walk across water?  They believed that what they were seeing was a ghost and were very frightened.

The disciples were challenged by the very existence of Jesus in this incident.  They had never seen anyone walk on water before, and why would they have?  They didn’t expect Jesus to be able to walk on water.  Despite all the amazing things that they had seen, Jesus confounded their expectations.

Many people still fear Jesus today.  There are times when I fear Jesus.  I wonder if you do too?

Sometimes, as I read my Bible, or listen to a sermon I am amazed and confounded by what Jesus has done, and what he continues to do.  Sometimes this can lead to doubts in my own mind.

How could Jesus heal a blind man?

How could he calm a storm?

How could he feed five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish?

Surely this is impossible?

Yet it is precisely through his actions that Jesus shows that he is God.  Jesus’ teaching was amazing, incredible and truly inspirational.  But it is through his actions that he demonstrates his sovereignty.  And that can be terrifying, particularly if we don’t understand that Jesus is the Son of God, indeed God himself.

Still today, when people see God at work, fear is a common response.  Healings still occur today, and these can shock and scare people if they don’t know where this healing power has come from.  Miracles still happen across the world, and can often leave people feeling fearful.

It’s that fear that afflicts the disciples as they see Jesus walking on the water towards them.

Jesus is quick to allay his disciples fears.  After they cry out in fear, Jesus immediately calls out to his disciples, “Take heart, it is I.  Do not be afraid.”  He reassures them that the figure they see walking on the stormy water before them is the same man, the same teacher that they have been following for the past few months.

Whether or not this statement calmed the disciples isn’t recorded in Matthew’s gospel.  What is is Peter’s response.  Peter called back to Jesus, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Quite why Peter responded in this way is open to much discussion and debate. What we can ascertain from the New Testament, however, is that Peter was a rather impetuous character, one of those people who acts first, and thinks later. People have debated as to whether this incident demonstrates that Peter had a great deal of faith in Jesus, or not very much at all. Those who believe that Peter’s challenge to Jesus demonstrates a lack of faith say that Peter was challenging Jesus to demonstrate his power, he was asking for a sign. I’m not entirely sure about this myself; after all, Peter had enough confidence in Jesus that if he stepped out onto the water in a raging storm, Jesus would ensure that he didn’t drown!

I wonder what Peter was hoping to achieve with his challenge to Christ?

Perhaps it was something very basic.  Perhaps he looked at Jesus and thought that walking on water was rather cool, and he’d like a go.

Perhaps it was something more spiritual; maybe he had in mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 10 when Jesus gave his disciples authority over unclean spirits and to heal every disease and affliction, and thought that Jesus’ delegation extended to everything that Jesus did.

Or perhaps it was something else. Maybe Peter was so passionate about Christ, so enthusiastic for everything he stood for, that he just wanted to be with Jesus, and to do the things that his master and teacher was doing.

Whatever the reason, Jesus’ response to Peter was simple; come, he said.

Just one simple command: come.

This echoes the first call that Jesus made to Peter and his brother Andrew at the beginning of his ministry when he called on them to follow him.

It also foreshadows Jesus’ commandment to all believers at the very end of his ministry, when he tells us to go and make disciples of all nations.

The ministry that Jesus calls us to is a ministry of action. Christianity isn’t a faith based solely on a set of beliefs or rituals. Our faith is one of action. Just as Jesus demonstrated who he was through his actions, we’re called to action, to follow Christ, to come to him, and to go and make disciples.

In today’s passage, Jesus calls Peter to him in extraordinary circumstances. He calls Peter to come to him over the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee.

In stepping out of the boat, Peter risked everything. It was quite rare for Palestinian fishermen to be able to swim; if their boat capsized or sank, they preferred the prospect of a rapid death rather than hours splashing around before eventually succumbing to the inevitable. If Peter had not managed to step onto the water, therefore, he would be doomed to death by drowning in the stormy waters of the lake. Even if he survived, he would forever face the ridicule of his friends for believing that he could walk on water.

The step of faith that Peter took in getting out of the boat, therefore, was enormous. He must have had complete and utter faith in Jesus to even attempt to walk on the water, yet that was just what he did. Jesus commanded him to come, and that’s exactly what Peter did.

A fishing boat is, of course, a perfectly sensible place for a fisherman to be. I’m sure that Peter and his companions felt safe, relaxed and at home in their boat.

Similarly, a Church is a perfectly sensible place for a Christian to be. I’m sure that many of us here this morning feel safe, relaxed and at home here in our Church.

Just as Peter was called out of the boat by Jesus, though, we too are called by Christ into the stormy world in which we live, a world that at times can be a dangerous place for a Christian to be, a world where in many places we could face death for our beliefs, a world in which we may be subject to the ridicule of our friends for our beliefs.

It’s easy being a Christian in Church.

It’s easy to be a Christian at a Christian event like Spring Harvest or Soul Survivor.

It’s much harder to be a Christian in the world outside the comfort of our church.

If we seek to live an active faith, however, a life of action, Jesus calls us all to step out of our place of comfort and into the world, to minister to the sick, to support the needy, to love our neighbours and ourselves.

Walking on water seemed like an impossibility to Peter, yet that’s what Jesus called him to do, and he did it. We can expect too that sometimes Jesus will ask us to take a step that seems completely impossible to us.

Perhaps Jesus might call us to minister as a Local Preacher, but we feel that we don’t know enough and hate speaking in public. How could I ever do that?

Maybe he calls us to serve in Junior Church, but we don’t have any experience of working with children and feel that we’d be rubbish.

Perhaps he calls us to work as a missionary in the inner city or in a foreign country. How could I give up my home and my job and uproot my family to serve in that way?

Maybe he calls us to befriend prisoners, or the homeless, or drug addicts. How could I possibly do that?

Jesus calls us all in some way or another, and at times the call he makes on us looks totally impossible.  What is clear in this passage is that we are called to action, to get out of the boat, away from our comfort zone.  We mustn’t fear, we must do!

If, like Peter, we keep our eyes on Jesus, he will work through us and ensure that  we can fulfil the impossible task that he sets us.

If we seek out the task to which Christ calls us, that stepping out of the boat, and we have confidence in Christ and maintain our focus on Christ, we can achieve anything, and we can transform the world.

In today’s reading there’s another important lesson for us.  Peter responded to Christ’s call, and stepped out of the boat.  Sure enough, he was able to walk on the water!  It wasn’t long, however, before Peter took his eyes off Jesus and looked instead at the effect of the wind and the waves all around him.  Despite the fact that he had proven that he could walk on water with Jesus’ help, he began to doubt.  As he doubted, he began to sink.

Similarly, there will be times when we begin to doubt. We look around at the storms of the world we live in and think there’s just no way we can bring the task we’re set to completion.

Every time I sit down to write a sermon, I think to myself, why am I even doing this?  There’s no way that I can preach.

I’m sure that you’ve felt the same thing once you have embarked on following your calling.

Perhaps the children start misbehaving at Junior Church and you lose confidence.

Perhaps you feel out of place and inadequate in the place to which you’ve been called.

It need not even be anything as radical as this, however.

Maybe you simply struggle to believe and you doubt the identity of Jesus, or doubt that he rose from the dead, or doubt that heaven even exists.

We can learn in our time of doubting from Peter.  When we’re called out in faith, it is absolutely vital that we keep our eyes on Jesus, and remove any doubts we might have from our mind.

Jesus is our constant companion, and if we retain our focus on him, we can achieve whatever it is we’re called to do.

When we follow our calling, our strength comes from him, not from within us.

A man cannot walk on water, and yet, with Jesus’ help, Peter managed to do that.

I cannot write a decent sermon, but with Jesus’ help, perhaps I might produce something that has some impact.

So if we’re called to be a local preacher, or help with the Junior Church, or to be a missionary, or to work with prisoners, the homeless or drug addicts, or even if we’re called simply to live out our faith in the world, we must trust that Jesus will not abandon us, that he will not let us fail, that he will not allow us to sink out of our depth.

But what if we do find ourselves sinking?  What if we do find ourselves flailing around because we have taken our eyes off Christ?

Well, it’s clear from today’s reading that there is still hope.

Note what happens to Peter in verses 30 and 31; he calls out to Jesus, “Lord, save me,” and Jesus immediately reached out and took his hand. He didn’t question him, he didn’t abandon him, he didn’t even stop to think about what to do. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed Peter, saving him from drowning in the stormy waters of the lake.

It’s exactly this call, of course, with which we all begin our spiritual journey.  It’s a recognition that we are weak, that we are sinners, and that without Jesus we are doomed.  When we call out, “Lord, save me!”, we move our trust from ourselves and onto him.  We have confidence that Jesus has the ability to save us, and that he has the inclination to do so.

We can be confident that Jesus saves when we find ourselves flailing too. Should we find ourselves out of our depth, or struggling with the circumstances we find ourselves in, or if we turn our eyes from Jesus, if we call out to Jesus, “Lord, save me,” he will do exactly that.

Without hesitation.

In our times of trouble, in our need, or even when we simply find it hard to live a Christian life, Jesus is there for us.  If we falter or if we fall, he will immediately grab us by the hand and pull us to safety.

I don’t know about you, but I find that immensely reassuring.

We all have times when we struggle with our faith, when we lose faith, and when we simply feel overwhelmed by life.  We would not be human if we did not have doubts, that’s only natural.

Peter went on to be one of the great figures of the early church, one of the most influential people in proclaiming the gospel to the world, and ensuring that Jesus’ message of love, hope and forgiveness has lasted to this day.  Here he is, though, struggling with his faith.  At exactly the moment that he needs to have faith, he doubts.  At the point at which his faith is a matter of life or death, between staying on the water and sinking under it, he doubts.  And yet Jesus immediately reaches out to him and saves him from drowning.

As we draw to a close, therefore, let’s just bring together everything that we’ve learnt from this powerful passage of scripture.

We’ve seen that the power of Jesus can be challenging.  If we do not understand who he is, or don’t recognise that he is the Son of God, indeed God himself, then the character and identity of Jesus can be very frightening indeed.  How can he do all the incredible things he has been recorded doing?  Yet if we recognise Jesus as the Son of God, the actions that he took, the healings, the miracles, the raising of the dead, all support Jesus’ divinity.

We’ve also seen that Christ calls us.  He tells us to “come.”  He calls us out into the world, away from our comfort zones, and to take radical action.  He sometimes calls us to do things that we believe to be impossible, that we cannot do.  Yet if we keep our eyes on him, if we focus on him, we can achieve anything.

Finally, we’ve seen that Jesus responds to our call when we cry out, “Lord, save me.”  As he saves us from death, he will also save us from drowning in the storms of the world.  If we lose faith, or begin to doubt, if we call on him to save us, he acts immediately to rescue us.

Listen to this sermon:

Called to do the Impossible
Called to do the Impossible
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