19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: 1Kings 19:9.11-13: Stand on the mountain before the Lord.

II Reading: Romans 9:1-5: I would willingly be condemned if it could help my brothers.

Gospel: Matthew 14:22-36: Tell me to come to you across the water.

The Messiah’s Power to Calm a Storm: The Power of His Presence

 

Jesus walks on the water and comforts his disciples in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves and storms. Jesus went to the mountain to be alone to pray, to escape from the crowd and to get some rest and he wanted to disperse the crowd to avoid a messianic uproar (John 6:15).

Jesus didn’t come to the disciples to trouble them or make them afraid but immediately he spoke to them these comforting words, “Courage! don’t be afraid. it is I.” Jesus revealed himself to his disciples as God answered to Moses, “I will be with you, and this shall be your proof that it is I who have sent you” (Exodus 3:6-12).

The Lord’s presence makes all the difference in the world. Jesus assured the disciples that he was no ghost. The passage ends with the disciples’ recognition of the divine Sonship of Jesus. Faith means to put our trust in the power of God and in His goodness.

1. Christ presence is assured by personal preparation (v.22-23)

a. He sent the disciples away

b. He dismissed the crowd

c. He got alone to pray

          1) On a mountain

          2) In the evening

          3) All alone

          4) In a storm

2. Christ’s presence conquers fear ( v.24-27)

a. A storm arose

b. Jesus went to them: He walked on the see

c. The disciples feared, thinking they saw a ghost

d. Jesus gave assurance-His presence

3. Christ’s presence stirs the hope of being saved (v.28-31)

a. Peter’s hope was stirred: He could be saved by Christ presence

b. Jesus’ command: come

c. Peter’s faith faltered

1) Glanced at storm

          2) Begin to sink

          3) Cried: Lord, save

d. Jesus saved, but rebuked faltering faith

4. Christ’s presence conquers nature (v.32)

5. Christ’s presence stirs confession and worship (v.33)

Thought: The Lord’s presence is the answer to the storms of life-to all distressed spirits (1Pet 1:5; 2Tim 5:18).

Elijah, Peter and Paul put their trust in God; they never repented of having done so.

The enemy of faith is self-reliance. We must be grateful to God for allowing trials to come to us; they help us get convinced of our powerlessness. Our trust in Christ grows day after day. Only Jesus Christ can steer the boat of our existence to the place where we go: heaven and we shall have eternal life.

Thought: A person must open his or her heart immediately when Jesus comes.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com