One of the many memorable stops on my tour of the Holy Land was the Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter. The church is situated along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where a small beach meets the tree line. The most conspicuous feature of this otherwise unremarkable little church is its foundation. The church rests upon a large, exposed formation of limestone. The outcropping of rock, sometimes called "the Place of the Coals," is held by church tradition to be the spot where the resurrected Jesus appeared to Peter and some other disciples while they were fishing and made them breakfast over a fire. You can read about it in the last chapter of John's gospel, which you can find here.
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| Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter Tabgha, Israel |
"In our Grace Church in Millersville, just after the Second World War, the returning veterans got together and dug out, by hand, a much needed basement room under the red brick church - a real testimony to their faith and devotion. But when the minimum basement area had been achieved, enthusiasm waned. Some argued that the project should be completed, and the entire area under the church building should be excavated. Others said, "No," citing their increased encounters with rock as they had dug in a easterly direction. Ultimately, the naysayers carried the day, and the project was brought to a close.
Over the years that followed, the tale about the rock grew and grew until the lore was that the church was sitting upon a veritable Rock of Gibraltar. Finally, during my time there [in the 1970's], we reached the point where additional basement space was much needed for our programs. The few naysayers who were there objected on the basis of money, on the basis of need, but most especially on the basis of the huge vein of Lancaster County limestone that everyone knew was there. But the faith that this basement project was the will of God for Grace Church prevailed. The venerable old sanctuary was shored-up for construction, and a mini-bulldozer was sent underneath it to dig out our new basement. And do you know, there was virtually no rock found under that building?
Over the years that followed, the tale about the rock grew and grew until the lore was that the church was sitting upon a veritable Rock of Gibraltar. Finally, during my time there [in the 1970's], we reached the point where additional basement space was much needed for our programs. The few naysayers who were there objected on the basis of money, on the basis of need, but most especially on the basis of the huge vein of Lancaster County limestone that everyone knew was there. But the faith that this basement project was the will of God for Grace Church prevailed. The venerable old sanctuary was shored-up for construction, and a mini-bulldozer was sent underneath it to dig out our new basement. And do you know, there was virtually no rock found under that building?
From that point on, enthusiasm for the project multiplied. Needed funds were quickly raised. These and other confirmations came, reassuring us that what we were doing was God's will. The project was finished with a great crescendo of praise to God.
Ever since, I have taken this as more than just a real-life experience. For me, it is a parable that points beyond itself to the question of whether or not we have the courage to answer God's call to do the impossible. Some of our fears are well-founded, based on real rocks; other are not. But in neither case can we afford to let our fears make our decision for us, if that decision is to avoid doing the new thing God is calling us to do.
Does God want it done? Does God want you to do it? If the answer to both of those questions is, "Yes," then you can do it, no matter how impossible it seems on the surface. The promise we are given in Scripture is that with God all things are possible. Believing this, we come to see that when we doubt our ability to accomplish something that is within God's will, we are not really doubting ourselves; we are doubting the power of God."
As Peter approached the resurrected Jesus, who had prepared breakfast for his disciples on the rocky shore on the Sea of Galilee, Peter must had felt both exhilarated and mortified. Here was Peter's Lord, who was very much alive! But here too was a dear friend, whom Peter had abandoned. On the night of Jesus's arrest, Peter had denied three times that he even knew Jesus. The next day, the Romans executed Jesus.
Peter no doubt figured God was through with him at that point. Fishing seemed like the only thing Peter still was good for. Anything more was impossible. But God wanted something done, and God wanted Peter to do it.
After their fire-side breakfast on the rocky shore of the Sea of Galilee, the resurrected Jesus asked Peter three times whether Peter loved him. Peter responded, thrice professing his love for Jesus. Then Jesus said to Peter, "Follow me!" - just as Jesus had done when he first called Peter to be his disciple. With that renewed call to action, Jesus made the impossible possible again. Peter was back in the business of partnering with God to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.
What is God calling you to do in the New Year ahead? Do you think it's impossible? Think again.
From: "Doing The Impossible"
Scripture: Mark 9:14-29
Preached January 1, 1978
Calvary United Methodist Church
Easton, PA
Does God want it done? Does God want you to do it? If the answer to both of those questions is, "Yes," then you can do it, no matter how impossible it seems on the surface. The promise we are given in Scripture is that with God all things are possible. Believing this, we come to see that when we doubt our ability to accomplish something that is within God's will, we are not really doubting ourselves; we are doubting the power of God."
As Peter approached the resurrected Jesus, who had prepared breakfast for his disciples on the rocky shore on the Sea of Galilee, Peter must had felt both exhilarated and mortified. Here was Peter's Lord, who was very much alive! But here too was a dear friend, whom Peter had abandoned. On the night of Jesus's arrest, Peter had denied three times that he even knew Jesus. The next day, the Romans executed Jesus.
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| A sign in Jerusalem pointing to the place where Peter denied Jesus |
After their fire-side breakfast on the rocky shore of the Sea of Galilee, the resurrected Jesus asked Peter three times whether Peter loved him. Peter responded, thrice professing his love for Jesus. Then Jesus said to Peter, "Follow me!" - just as Jesus had done when he first called Peter to be his disciple. With that renewed call to action, Jesus made the impossible possible again. Peter was back in the business of partnering with God to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.
What is God calling you to do in the New Year ahead? Do you think it's impossible? Think again.
From: "Doing The Impossible"
Scripture: Mark 9:14-29
Preached January 1, 1978
Calvary United Methodist Church
Easton, PA
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