Jesus Walks On The Water

Speaker: Archbishop Loren Thomas Hines

July 25, 2021

in Spritual Growth

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8th Sunday of Ordinary Time:
Readings: 2 Kings 2:1-15
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16
Mark 6: 45-52

The collect today speaks of the need to listen to Jesus’ teachings that we may not lose the things that are eternal. Too often we choose the things which are contrary.

We learned last Sunday regarding the feeding of the five thousand and how the people were satisfied. After this incident, Jesus immediately asked the disciples to return to the boat and leave the vicinity. Jesus did this because He sensed that the people were wanting Him to become king and it wasn’t time yet. So after sending the disciples away, He went up to the mountains by Himself to pray. He had many burdens and concerns and needed wisdom from the Father. He spent quite sometime in prayer.

In the meantime, the disciples are on the boat and journeying. In the midst there came a storm again. The night watch is 6PM to 6AM. During the 4th watch, Christ saw with His spiritual eyes that the disciples were having trouble and struggling in the storm. He did not go to their aid immediately. He had to first test their faith. He wanted to know if they learned from the experiences of the calming of the storm and feeding of the five thousand.

In our lives, are we paying attention to His teachings? If we don’t have problems and conflicts how can we overcome them?

Psalm 93:3 Sea storms are up, God, sea storms wild and roaring, sea storms with thunderous breakers. Stronger than wild sea storms, mightier than sea storm breakers, mighty God rules from high heaven.

Matthew 11:15 Whoever has ears let him hear.

Examine what Peter did when Jesus called Him out as He walked on the water. He was about to step out of the boat but got scared wheh he “saw” the wind. We know that we cannot actually see the wind. This was his mind talking. And fear overcame him. Jesus then said, “O ye of little faith, why are you doubting?”

Psalm 40:6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have opened…

Revelation 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Mark 4:24 Consider carefully what you hear, He continued, with the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more.

If we only understand His ways, there is no reason for fear, anxiety and doubt because we know that Christ is with us. Christ came to their aid. The disciples who were in the midst of the storm, they were encountering this incident twice – same sea, same problems. When Christ comes to our aid, our storms are calmed, the tumults are gone.

Collect of the day:
O God, the protector of all that trust in Thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy. Increase and multiply upon us Thy mercy that, Thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

God knew what we would be facing today. He gives us encouragement and confidence in His teachings and lessons during Ordinary Time for us to face the wind and storm and walk above the water. We tend to see the problem as a “ghost,” just like when Peter saw Jesus approaching him the first time when He was walking on the water. We should be listening to Jesus and following Him at all times.