Lectionary resources Ordinary 19 A

Lectionary - Ordinary 19 Year A | DB Home | RCL Resources Index |

Genesis 37:1-4,12-28 How Joseph was sold into slavery
Psalm 105:1-6,16-22,45b O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name
Romans 10:5-15 The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.
Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus walking on the sea, saved Peter, a man of little faith

Possible Hymns
(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia.)
SA 28 Do not be afraid (The Lord in my light and help)
SA 38 God is our song, and every singer blest
53 The God of Abraham praise
54 God moves in mysterious way
74 Eternal father, strong to save/ whose arm has bound the restless wave
139 Jesu, lover of my soul
151 When morning gilds the skies
159 All hail the power of Jesus' name
179 Christ is the world's true light
270 When my love to Christ grows weak
345 Lord of our life and God of our salvation
349 O come let us sing to the Lord
464 Put thou thy trust in God
519 Dear Lord and Father of mankind
531 When we walk with the Lord
552 Have faith in God my heart

Sermon summary (Click here for complete sermon)

You of little faith, why do you doubt?

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

There is much in this that deserves serious thought. Peter was not saved because of his great faith, but it is by grace that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). Nor was Peter saved because of his doubts, though doubts might sometimes be a useful thing in a journey of faith. It is just as well that we have the example of Peter being saved in spite of his weakness. It should inspire us too, at least to call out to Jesus and say, "Lord save me."

Do you think perhaps that is the whole point of the story of Jesus walking on the water, not the miracle of his being able to do that, so much as the lesson about having faith? Jesus walking on water is something not to be ignored, but don't lose sight of what you can learn from the experience of Peter.

You could make it a sort of allegory, encouraging people when they are in deep water and buffeted by the challenges of life not to be afraid, but to trust God. It is useful to see how the story was interpreted in the early church according to well understood symbols. The boat was a symbol of the church.

Let us see if the fact that they saw Jesus walking on the sea had any special significance for Matthew. It is in his very clear conclusion:(Matthew 14:31-33). They had been afraid and now they worshipped him as the Son of God. The strangeness of what they saw was an essential part of the story.

If you insist upon a naturalistic explanation, you could, for example, look at John's account (John 6:21). It was night time, "very early in the morning" (Mark 6:48, cf .John 21:4-8). But Mark includes a little cryptic comment about their lack of understanding which makes much the same point as Matthew' reference to them worshipping him Mark 6:51-52) In all three gospels which record it, the story follows directly after the feeding of the five thousand. He who multiplied the loaves and fish to feed the multitude was the one who walked on the sea. [cf also temptations Matthew 4:3-6 and John 6:14-15; Mark 6:34,44-46].

Another sign in the detail is that when Jesus was telling them not be afraid, he said, "It is I", and the words recorded in the gospels for "It is I" also mean "I am".(Exodus 3:14 and parallels with Moses in Psalm 78:13-25 and Isaiah 51:10-11)

So, where do modern scientific believers go from here? The so called nature miracles are the most difficult for modern people with a scientific attitude to accept. For the Biblical witnesses to God there was no sense in thinking of God as foreign to what we call the natural world. Scientific understanding of physical processes is quite different from history which is a succession of unique events. Matters of human responsibility are much less predictable. It does call for an open mind, a mind open to more than we can at present imagine. It is a matter of faith to believe that the Lord of creation was active and was revealed there and then. William Cowper understood this and wrote from experience in his hymn, God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform. The Lord who reached out to Peter is and was part of both history and nature. His challenge is still there, the challenge he offered to Peter and the others, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?".... And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

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Order of Service - Ordinary 19 (Pentecost 11) Year A

The Gathering of the People of God

CALL TO WORSHIP
O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. [Psalm 105:1-3]

HYMN 74 Eternal father, strong to save/ whose arm has bound the restless wave

PRAYER OF ADORATION
CONFESSION
O God,
we confess the blindness that is not even aware of sinning;
the pride that dares not admit that it is wrong;
the selfishness that can see nothing but its own will;
the righteousness that knows no fault;
the callousness that has ceased to care;
the defiance that does not regret its own sins;
the evasion that always tries to make excuses;
the coldness of heart that is too hardened to repent.
God, we are sinners; be merciful to us.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
Hear then Christ's word of grace: Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God

DOXOLOGY: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER

Service of the Word

INTRODUCTION OF THEME:
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 37:1-4,12-28 How Joseph was sold into slavery
PSALM 105:1-6;16-22;45b
O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
When he summoned famine against the land,
and broke every staff of bread,
he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
His feet were hurt with fetters,
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the LORD kept testing him.
The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all his possessions,
to instruct his officials at his pleasure,
and to teach his elders wisdom.
Praise the LORD!

EPISTLE Romans 10:5-15 The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.
GOSPEL Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus walking on the sea, saved Peter, a man of little faith

HYMN SA 28 Do not be afraid (The Lord in my light and help)

SERMON

HYMN 54 God moves in mysterious way

OFFERING AND DEDICATION
SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
COLLECT FOR THE DAY
THE LORD'S PRAYER

The Sending Forth of the People of God

HYMN 345 Lord of our life and God of our salvation
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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