Righteous Surrender

Matthew 14:22-33

A sermon preached by the Very Rev. Bernard J Owens at Trinity Cathedral on Sunday, August 13, 2023.

The disciples are afraid because they storm could send them to the bottom of the sea. Yet Jesus hears them and walks towards them – coming to meet them exactly where they are. In this passage, by the way, Jesus doesn’t calm the sea, he simply comes to be with them, and he says, It’s me, do not be afraid. Jesus is here, do not be afraid.

“Righteousness” means having faith that we don’t have to prove, even by walking on water.
It’s faith that sees God coming to be with us in the boat, amid the storms, and knows that that is enough

We don’t need to go looking for Christ to bring him into our hearts, or to bring him back to church, or to prove his existence to those who haven’t met him yet: Christ is already in all these places, coming to us, saying, it is “I, do not be afraid,” and calming the storm.