shadowed beneath thy hand

may we forever stand

A sermon on the Feeding of the 5,000 plus, & Jesus Walking on the Water:

Now I KNOW this scripture is just what someone needs to hear today.

It’s for you who are here wondering if you’ve got enough in the tank, tormented by the storms of life, and just trying to get a foothold.

Is that you?

>Are you worried? Worried you don’t have enough. Worried you aren’t enough?

•If you are, Jesus tells you to bring what you have; because he has a special blessing for humble offerings like ours!

>Are you worn out? Have the winds of life been against you?

•If you are, then Jesus comes, saying, “Take Heart. I am. Do not be Afraid!”

>Did you take a step out in faith this week, and try to follow Jesus? Only to realize it was harder, scarier than you thought, and now you feel like you’re sinking?
•If you are, Jesus reaches out his hand to you!

This scripture is just for someone here today. Someone needs to hear this!

…But, and here’s the rub, when we run short, when the winds are against us, when it feels like we’re sinking; it’s hard to hear anything, much less what Jesus has to say. Isn’t it? 

The paradox, though, is that it is precisely this place where it is so hard to hear Jesus, that Jesus promises to come speaking his word!

So, if you’re in the thick of it this week; you are right where you need to be, to be where Jesus promises to come. 

So listen up! Jesus has a Word for you! “Take Heart. I Am. Do NOT Be Afraid!”

It’s hard not to worry, though. Isn’t it? 

Especially when we worry there’s not enough, when the waves of life batter us, when we’re sinking!

Oh yes, sometimes when we look back, we get what Jesus called “eyes to see.” And in hindsight we can say,” I couldn’t see it then, but Jesus was there for me.”

But in the moment, it just feels like our stock’s going to run short, that our ship’s going to sink, that the water’s going to go over our heads. 

It’s as if we’re all alone. That we have to fend for ourselves.

So if that’s where you’re coming from today, and it’s a miserable place to be; but if it is, you ought to know, you’re right where Jesus promises to come, speaking his Word!

Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be Afraid!

Did you hear that? Because I know how a hard is is to hear anything other than your fears when you’re in the thick of it! 

So I’m going to say it again! Jesus says to you, “Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be Afraid.”

In fact, this is so hard to hear when the winds of life blow, I want to hear you say it! 

What does Jesus say to you? (Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be Afraid.)

Amen!

Here’s what we’re going to do; we’re going to practice this throughout the sermon. 

That way, next time you’re running low, next time you’re battered by the waves of life, next time you feel like you’re sinking; you can take a breath, and repeat the Word Jesus comes to speak amidst our storms!

Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be Afraid.

Because even if this scripture isn’t for you today, it will be. 

None of us get through life unscathed.

So whenever I say, “what does Jesus say to you,” I want you to reply, “Take heart. I am. Do not be afraid.” 

Let’s try, What does Jesus say to you? 

(“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be Afraid.”)

One more time. What does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

Okay.

When you’re worried there isn’t enough; what does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

When you’re worried you’re not enough; what does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

When you’re tormented by the storms of life; what does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

When the rest of the world is against you; what does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

When you take a step out in faith, but you start to sink under the cares of the world; what does Jesus say to you?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

Amen! 

Yes. Take heart. Jesus is God. And so, you have nothing to fear! 

Jesus means, Emmanuel. God with us! 

That means, even if you’re worried there’s not enough, the storms of life rage, you feel like you’re sinking, when you feel like you’re all alone; you’re not! For Jesus is Emmanuel.

And he’s not afraid of those storms that give us grief! In fact, he walks upon them! our storms, what does he say to you there?

“Take Heart. I AM. Do NOT Be afraid.”

Because, and here’s the thing: 

-> Jesus doesn’t spare you from the storms, he saves you in the midst of them!

Amen?

Doesn’t that ring true to life? 

We haven’t been spared from the storms. Have we? 

But, we HAVE been saved in the midst of them! Haven’t we?

Those times it feels like we’re alone; we’re really being enrolled in the school of the cross!

Isn’t that why we sing, “Sing a song full of faith that the dark past has taught us”?

Isn’t that why Pastor Dial takes us to these altar rails worn smooth in prayer? To remind us of the faithful who have gone before us. Who have weathered the storms of life, and been lifted by the One who comes to save us!.

Those dark places in your past, when you worried there wasn’t going to be enough. When the wind, and the rest of the world, was against you. When you were sinking.

It was there, and there alone, where Jesus met you!

And what did Jesus say to you there?

“Take heart. I am. Do not be afraid.”

When we’re in those places, it’s hard not to sink under the weight of everything; but they’re where we learn faith. Where we learn to say, like Peter, “Lord, save me.” 

Because before that, Peter called out to Jesus saying, “Lord if it’s you. “If!

But when he’s sinking, there are no more ‘if’s.’ Are there? No! Now it’s a matter of death and life! In that word. It’s a matter of salvation! 

And in that moment, Peter, and us too, learn to cry, “Lord, save me!” 

And whenever Jesus hears those cries, he proves why we call him Emmanuel! God WITH us!

The trouble is, it doesn’t feel like God is with us when we’re in those places. Does it? When we worry there’s not enough, when the storms torment us, when we’re sinking, it feels like we’re all alone!

But what Faith teaches us is, it is those places —and them alone— where Jesus promises to meet us! 

And what does Jesus come, saying in those places?

“Take heart. I am. Do not be afraid.”

Because those places are the ones Jesus’ cross is meant just for!

This scripture is just for someone today. You’re right there in the thick of it. Don’t be ashamed. We all go through them. 

As Jesus himself says, “No servant is greater than their master.”

If Jesus had to suffer we will, too. 

But, here’s the Good News; Jesus promises to take our suffering upon himself! Do something with it that we could not in the poverty of our spirit!

Transforms it! Transform it into the place of his calvary! 

If that’s where you’re coming from today, lift up your head! Salvation is neigh! This scripture is just for you! And so is Jesus!

If you’ve been battered by the waves, hold tight. Jesus has something to say to you! 

And what does Jesus say?

“Take heart. I am. Do not be afraid.” 

And, if that’s not you today, it will be…

Being baptized into Jesus doesn’t mean you’re spared from the storms, it promises you’ll be saved in the midst of them!

We will all share Jesus’ fate. And that’s the Good News! Because it didn’t end on the cross. Did it?

No! God transformed that place of the skull into the hill of salvation!

And God can do as much with your cross, too!

Blessing your poverty with his abundant mercy. Quieting your storms with his peace that passes all understanding. Turning the waters you would sink under, into the waters of his baptism! 

Making your death into means whereby he lifts you up into eternal life!

This promise is just for someone here today!

You’re worried, wondering why everything is happening all at once. It feels like too much. But, here in the ship of the church, Jesus comes to you.

And what does Jesus say to you?

“Take heart. I am. Do not be afraid.”

This message is just for someone here…