Listen to the sermon Joel Russell-MacLean

Bulletin: February 2nd

Newsletter:  February 2020

Scriptures: Isaiah 29.13, 14, 18-21; Psalm 36; Matthew 14.6-33

Songs: 

• Join All the Glorious Names (Lyrics and background, Organ and lyrics, choir)
• Be Unto Your Name (lyrics, melody & video, background)
• How Good It Is (Gettys Live, with lyrics)

Joel Russell-MacLean

Apprenticeship can be the best school. Human beings seem made for working alongside a mentor, watching how they do things, and then doing it themselves. We learn by imitation. We also learn much better when we actually do what we are learning, instead of just reading about it.

When Peter famously stepped out of his boat to walk to Jesus on water, he was being a good student, a good disciple. He was there to learn his teacher’s way of life, and that required doing what the teacher did.

Jesus had compassion for the crowds of people in the midst of his own grief. He gathered them and taught them. Then he said to his disciples, “You give them something to eat.” When they were uncertain how to do this, Jesus provided the food, and showed them how.

Like them, we are not asked to anything more than be good disciples. We too are called to do what Jesus did, knowing that Jesus provides.

In this story, following also has a dark side as Jesus was following John the Baptist. This series of events began with the revolting story of the beheading of John the Baptist, executed as part of dinner entertainment for the king. While Jesus grieved for his cousin, a prophet he admired, he must also have considered that he would be next.