Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. It is indeed a beautiful day that the Lord has made and we are here to rejoice and be glad in it. We are gathered here today, not by accident, but by divine appointment. Our Heavenly Father, in His infinite wisdom and boundless love, has orchestrated this moment for us to come together, to share in His word, and to grow in our understanding of His divine plan for our lives.

Today, we are going to focus on a theme that is central to our Christian walk: the pilgrimage of faith. This is not a new theme, but an age-old one, as ancient as our faith, and as timeless as the God we serve. It is a theme that resonates with every believer, from the newest convert to the most seasoned saint, for it speaks of a path that we all must tread.

Our Scripture for today is taken from the book of Proverbs and the book of Matthew. From Proverbs 3:5-6, we read, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." And from Matthew 4:18-22, we read about the calling of the first disciples, "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.' At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."

Both these passages speak to us about the pilgrimage of faith, about trusting God, submitting to His will, and following His lead. They speak of a path that is not always easy, but one that is always worth it.

Preparing for the Pilgrimage

As we look at the scriptures, we see a call to trust in God. This trust is an active engagement. It's about leaning not on our own understanding, but on God's wisdom and guidance.

This is the first step in preparing for our pilgrimage of faith: it's about acknowledging that we don't have all the answers. Our understanding is limited, and that we need God's wisdom to guide us. This is not always easy, especially in a world that values self-reliance and independence. But the scriptures remind us that our strength comes from God, and that by trusting in Him, we can navigate the challenges and obstacles that come our way.

In the book of Matthew, we see the calling of the first disciples. These were ordinary men, fishermen by trade, who were called by Jesus to follow Him. They didn't have any special qualifications or credentials. They were not theologians or scholars. They were just ordinary men, doing their ordinary jobs. But when Jesus called them, they left everything and followed Him. This is another aspect of preparing for our pilgrimage of faith. It's about being willing to leave behind our comfort zones, our familiar routines, and our preconceived notions, and follow Jesus wherever He leads us.

The disciples' response to Jesus' call was immediate. They didn't hesitate or delay. They didn't make excuses or ask for time to think it over. They left their nets and followed Jesus. This speaks to the urgency and immediacy of our response to God's call. In our pilgrimage of faith, we are not called to procrastinate or delay. We are called to act, to respond, to step out in faith. This requires a willingness to take risks and step into the unknown. But as we do so, we can trust that God will be with us, guiding us and leading us every step of the way.

The disciples were not called to follow Jesus in isolation. They were called to follow Him together, as a community of believers. They were called to support each other, to learn from each other, and to grow together in their faith. This is another important aspect of our pilgrimage of faith. It's not a solitary journey, but a communal one. We are called to walk this path together, to support each other, to encourage each other, and to hold each other accountable

Pursuing the Path of Purpose

As we continue to reflect on the words of Proverbs and Matthew, we find ourselves drawn to the idea of purpose ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO