This Sunday’s refersh is gotten from the books of: Jeremiah 30:1-2,12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102; Matthew 14:22-36
Our First Reading of today has two parts. In the first part, the Lord described how irredeemable the situation of the Israelites was. He said that their wound was incurable, their injury was past healing,
their pain could not be treated, and no medicine would make them well again.
Then in the second part, the Lord said that He would do the impossible. He would show them mercy, He would restore, increase and rebuild them. They would come again with joy and thanksgiving.
The message of today is that no matter how hard and impossible a situation may seem, God is able to change it. He does whatever He wills and no situation is hopeless when He chooses to change it (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17, 27).
In the Gospel, we have an account of the distress of the disciples. They were battling with a deadly wind. Jesus came to them, walking on the lake.
Who walks on the lake? Only the One who is Almighty.
He made Peter do the impossible – at His command, Peter also walked on the lake. While at Gennesaret, the sick who touched the fringe of His cloak was cured.
I want to make the message of today simple. The Lord is saying to someone today, I can and I will make the impossible possible; prepare for a manifestation of my power in your life and situation.
He is saying to someone today that if you trust me and obey what I ask you to do, like Peter you will do the impossible, you will walk on the lake. If you keep focusing on me and you are not distracted, you will go far, you will surprise everyone. You will be surprised what I will do through you.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on August 2, 2022