The title just about says it all, but a little extra general information:
My father is a Russian Orthodox priest, and these are the sermons he gives during Sunday Divine Liturgy.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Some comments on our Scripture readings for the 9th Sunday after Pentecost
1 Corinthians 3:9-17
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Paul calls himself "a wise masterbuilder"
A Mennonite once disputed with me: "If all you had was the Bible, you wouldn't invent the Orthodox Church." I agreed with him. If I ordered a truckload of lumber and set about to build a house, the result might be a house-like structure, but it wouldn't be a house. That is because I lack the knowledge and skills of the carpenter's trade, which cannot be learned from books alone, but must be acquired "hands on" via "tradition" (indeed there seems to be some etymological connection between "trade" and "tradition") . Last week I sat and watched two Amish carpenters build a storage shed at Cross Lake. They were like sculptors in wood. Yet they never went to trade school or read books on carpentry. It was all transmitted to them by tradition, from father to son. Likewise, the apostles, as "wise master builders" laid the foundation of the Church, upon which those to whom they passed on the trade--the bishops of the Church-- have built what is known today as the Orthodox Church.
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
As we said last week, the Church is built on Christ, not Peter, or Paul, or any man. As St Jerome warns:
"If ever you hear of any that are called Christians taking their name not from the Lord Jesus Christ, but from some other, for instance, Marcionites, Valentinians, Men of the mountain or the plain, you may be sure that you have there not the Church of Christ, but the synagogue of Antichrist"
"the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is"
This fire is not some created thing as the Latins teach, but it is God himself who is a consuming fire. Fr. Alexander Kalomiros explains in "The River of Fire":
"The very fire which purifies gold, also consumes wood. Precious metals shine in it like the sun, rubbish burns with black smoke. All are in the same fire of Love. Some shine and others become black and dark. In the same furnace steel shines like the sun, whereas clay turns dark and is hardened like stone. The difference is in man, not in God. The difference is conditioned by the free choice of man, which God respects absolutely. God's judgment is the revelation of the reality which is in man."
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Matthew 14:22-34
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
Today we read the account of Jesus walking on the water. In contrast to the earlier episode when the disciples were caught out in the storm on the sea and even though Jesus was with them, they despaired of life, in this instance they passed the test. Jesus was not even with them, but they toughed it out. That was because Jesus was on the mountain praying for them, and his prayers are always answered.
Perhaps we can see the whole history of the Church in this story. Jesus constrains his disciples to get into a ship and go before him to the other side while he goes up into a mountain apart to pray. The ship is the Church, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. Jesus commanded the apostles to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, then ascended to heaven where he ever lives to intercede for us. The Church sets sail over the sea, which signifies the world, but the wind is contrary. The opposition of the Prince of the Power of the Air is fierce. Then when all seems lost Jesus comes again and there is profound peace.
So this seems to indicate a pattern. Not only can it apply to the Church, but also to each of us as individuals. Whatever God's will is for our lives, know that we will be tested. We will encounter contrary winds that will make us doubt whether we heard God right in the first place. But if we stay the course, Jesus will come to us walking on the water and all will be well.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
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