(CFRA broadcast date: Sunday, May 27th, 2012)
_________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Broadcast Notes:
********************************************************************
‘Walking by Faith’
Allen: This program is sponsored by the Good News
Christian Ministries, Box 184, Rideau Ferry, ON K0G 1W0. This is Allen
Churchill speaking. If you were listening last week, you will remember that the
Rev. Brian Wilkie was here with me, as the first of our new team of 4 preachers
who will be carrying on these broadcasts while our good friend, the Rev. Don
Crisp continues to regain his strength. I’m happy to say that Brian is here
with me again today, and he will be delivering the message this morning.
Welcome Brian, and thanks for being here.
Brian: Good Morning, Allen.
Allen: Brian, what is your theme for today?
Brian: Today I want to speak about walking by faith: that
is following Jesus in spite of the distractions around us.
Allen: Sounds good, Brian. I look forward to hearing
what you have to say to us on this topic. Now here is the singing group Glad performing an upbeat
version of “Lead on O King Eternal”
Allen: Brian, may God be with you as you minister the
Word to us.
Brian: Day by day we seek to follow Jesus, but when we
do, there are times when even his clear commands, like forgiving one another,
seem complicated. We can feel insecure when Jesus calls us to be generous, but
we are not sure that we can afford to be obedient. Sometimes even praying is a
challenge when God seems distant, and troubles seem very close. Here’s a familiar event from the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-35. This takes place just
after Jesus had miraculously fed five thousand people:
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. When evening came, he was there
alone,
24 but the boat was already a considerable
distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the
night 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.”
34 When they had crossed over, they
landed at Gennesaret.
35 And when the men of that place
recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought
all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of
his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
There
are many reactions to Peter’s part in this story. I’ve heard snickering that he
sunk into the waves, that his faith wavered; and yet John Ortberg notes that
Peter is the only one who steps out of the boat. In the book “if you want to
walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat” Mr. Ortberg points to the
qualities of Peter’s response: when Peter saw Jesus, he was afraid, and yet he
said ,”if you ask me to, I will come out on the water to you,” When Jesus said,
“come,” Peter, obeyed. There is much to be commended about Peter’s
faith, and yet we are drawn to his fallibility.
In fact I am prone to be amazed at Peter’s
stumble. Think about it, Peter was walking on water. Sure there was a storm
around, but Peter was WALKING ON WATER! I’d like to think that if I actually
got as far as walking on water, that nothing on earth could shake me.
But is
that true?
Peter’s stroll on the ocean is certainly an
exceptional moment, but his reaction is all too ordinary. Did you ever think
about why Matthew recorded this event in this way? Wasn’t it to teach Christian
disciples about what to expect in their Christian walk? Now I don’t think he
was telling us to expect water walking. But the thing we all experience is
getting distracted, frightened and overwhelmed as we follow Jesus in a world of
storms.
Sometimes we think that the problem is that God
isn’t near enough, or doesn’t show us enough of his power. But Matthew puts an end to that excuse. When we see Peter sinking into the waves we
understand that doubt can come even when Jesus is right in front of us, even
when we are in the middle of a miracle. So let’s not pretend that it’s God’s
fault.
God has given us the capacity to doubt, but that’s
a good thing. Change and repentance are possible through doubt.
God has also given us an innate capacity for
faith. We always walk by a sort of faith even outside of the specific Christian
content of the term: we act on what we know even when what we see contradicts
our confidence. – walking in darkness, trusting a schedule, or a friend.
I’ve heard that over 70% of the information
entering our minds is from our eyes, much of the rest is from our ears and our
touch. And yet when our eyes deceive us
we can continue to function by holding onto what we know. – i.e.; Crazy Kitchen.
WE are walking on water, miraculously borne up by
the message of Jesus, hopeful in crisis, loving in persecution, self controlled
in a relentless world of impulse. The fact that we still believe and obey is a
miracle. So why do we still get distracted by the wind and the waves? Lord
increase our faith!
But as God continues to teach us, we can take
heart in how he treated Peter, who stepped out, then wavered and began to sink.
Jesus still reached out to this man of little faith, still pulled him out of
the mire. Still continued in faithfulness to a drowning man.
Matthew’s gospel assures us that God will do the
same for you and me. That we can step out in faith and obedience, counting on
him to be faithful, even if we should fall. With that kind of confidence
perhaps we can dare to begin, and dare to continue one more step toward our
Saviour.`
Will you Join me in Prayer?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the forgiveness which you so readily give
when we are distracted from faith and obedience. Help us to trust you, so that
we might stand in the day of trouble. Help us to trust you should we stumble,
knowing that you are ever ready to help and restore us. We pray that the word
of your faithfulness will go out into all the world, so that people everywhere
may put their trust in you, to your glory, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our
Saviour. Amen
Allen: Thank you so much, Brian. And thank you,
listeners, for your encouragement, prayer and financial support. You keep us on
the air week by week. If you can, please
make out a cheque payable to Good News Christian Ministries, and send it
to Box
184, Rideau Ferry, ON K0G 1W0. We will send you a receipt at income tax time.
Please also tell others about this program, and don’t forget to visit our
website. You will find several of our programs available on podcasts.
But most of all, we encourage you to worship in a
church where the gospel is soundly proclaimed and lived out with compassion,
integrity, and resolve.
Now to conclude our program here is the Chancel Choir of Grace Presbyterian
Church in Houston, Texas, singing “O worship the King” .
May you know Jesus Christ personally and
profoundly. May the Holy Spirit reside
deep within your heart. And may the heavenly Father surround you with his
constant and abiding and accompanying love.
To listen to the above broadcast, click on the
following link:
---------------------------------------
Rev. Brian Wilkie’s Bio:
No comments:
Post a Comment