"Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing at all."

Last Sunday's Sermon in a Nutshell:
Helen Keller once said, "Life is either a daring adventure, or it is nothing at all." These words ring true no matter who said them, but coming from someone who lived a life like Helen’s, they merit special consideration. Born blind, deaf and unable to speak, she somehow found a way out of the darkness and into the world around her. Her story is one of the great miracles of the twentieth century and millions of people have drawn inspiration from her example.

Just as life is a "daring adventure," so too is one's spiritual life, because the life of faith is inherently a life of risk. Look at all the notable men and women of the Bible who did great things for God. Almost without exception, they were risk-takers who weren’t afraid to lay it all on the line for God. Consider these examples . . .

• Noah built a massive ark in the middle of a desert
• Abraham left the comfort of his homeland to travel to a far-off Promised Land
• He also was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac until an angel of the Lord stopped him
• Moses saw a burning bush, climbed Mount Saini, and talked with God
• Later he led the Hebrew people out of Egypt and into the wilderness on a 40-year journey
• Joshua marched around the walls of Jericho
• David stood up to and defeated mighty Goliath
• Elijah faced down the prophets of Baal at a contest on Mt. Carmel
• Esther risked everything to save her people
• Daniel refused to defile himself with the king's food and survived the lion’s den
• Joseph risked everything to bring the Christ Child to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath
• The apostles left behind their livelihood to follow Jesus
• And Peter risked getting out of a boat during a tremendous storm to walk to Christ!

Peter had to leave the ship and risk his life on the storm-tossed sea in order to learn both his own weakness and the almighty power of his Lord. If Peter had not taken such a risk, he would never have learned the meaning of faith; and if we don’t take such risks from time to time, neither will we!

The Apostle Peter obviously had his faults and didn't always follow through with his word – even abandoning Christ and denying that he knew him! Yet even though he had equal measure of faith and flaw, he still possessed the courage to try!

Fr. John