Trinity 14

ourselves as building blocks, but like all building blocks they have

to be maintained and made sure that they are strong enough to

withstand all weight that’s placed upon it and the various storms

that will confront it.

If you are new to reading the bible and you were to read the

gospels you could be forgiven for thinking that Peter was the fall

guy, he was the one who got it wrong, he was the one who didn’t

have enough of faith, he was the one who found himself with the

awkward questions. I believe that there is a bit of Peter in

everybody. It always seemed that Jesus was forever correcting

the disciples on the way they saw his messiahship. But after

Jesus ascended and the disciples went around the acts of the

apostles are full of instances where the disciples went round

healing and expanding Christ’s ministry. I wonder if the disciples

were here this morning, if Peter was right in front of us ( well he

is but that’s peter Holbrook, not saint peter) I wonder what we

would say to them, how would we question them, is that what you

really meant Peter? Wouldn’t it be so easy, but in doing that, that

would be my way of thinking. My will, not the will of God whom I

serve.

There’s a prayer I remember learning in Sunday school and in

recent years it’s been turned into a hymn, if you have a look in

your hymn books it’s hymn number 166. It goes

God be in my head

and in my understanding;

God be in mine eyes

and in my looking;

God be in my mouth

and in my speaking;

God be in my heart

and in my thinking

God be at mine end

and at my departing

And it sums up for me in the way in which we channel God in

to our lives. Most of us will probably never find ourselves in the

exact position that Peter did. But there will be countless times

when we will find ourselves asking my will or yours Lord? I wonder

how we will respond. We hope that we will make the right

decision.

Jesus showed the way forward by living and demonstrating

a way of life that most had never thought of let alone seen. The

challenge that Christ set the disciples becomes our challenge.

So today let that challenge become a reality for us. Amen