15 Pentecost (Proper 18A) 2026

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Saunders III

Greeneville, TN 

Ezekiel 33:7-11
Psalm 119:33-40
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20

Have you ever noticed how quickly a disagreement can become something much bigger than the original problem? Especially in the Church. A simple misunderstanding becomes a hurt feeling... A hurt feeling becomes a conversation we avoid... The conversation we avoid starts to become built-up resentment. And before long, we are no longer arguing about what happened; we are arguing about what we think the other person meant, what we think they always do, and what we think they will never change. And if you have ever been part of a church, you know that even people who love Jesus can be incredibly good at this.

Today’s Gospel is what I like to call Jesus’ quick tips for resolving Church conflict. Because, Lord knows, the Church has plenty of conflict. And I suspect that if Jesus were giving this advice today, he might begin by saying… “Before you send that email, post that comment, or forward that message to three other people, stop… stop and take a breath.” Because we live in a world where disagreement is everywhere.

We see it in our politics, in our communities, and increasingly in the ways we speak to one another. A difference of opinion can easily become a personal attack. A disagreement about an issue can become a judgment about someone’s character. And sometimes, the folks who claim to be defending Christian values seem to have forgotten the “Christian” part.

We have all seen how quickly a conversation can turn into a contest… not simply about who’s right or wrong, but about who gets to win. And that is not an entirely new idea. I spent a few of my younger years on the debate team in High School, and I dabbled a bit in collegiate debate when I was in college. Through those experiences, I learned that there is a distinct difference between disagreement and disrespect. 

Debate, at its best, is about listening... Listening, thinking, and then making a case… Treating each other with respect during any civil discourse can help us discover what we believe and why we believe it. Healthy debate can lead to progress and change. But even when disagreement is healthy, it can still be difficult. 

It’s difficult because we are human. And as reasonable human beings, we have a need to be understood… we want to be respected… We want validation that our concerns matter. And sometimes, if we are honest with ourselves, we want to win. The problem is that we can begin to tie our sense of worth to being right. And when that happens, someone else’s disagreement can feel like a personal attack and a threat to our identity. That is when the conversation becomes a conflict. And that is why today’s Gospel lesson matters.

Jesus does not pretend that his followers will always agree. He doesn’t promise that the church will be a place where everyone thinks alike, votes alike, or sees every issue in exactly the same way. Instead, Jesus acknowledges something that we already know... That we are going to disagree. The question is not whether conflict will happen. The question is what we will do when it does. And Jesus gives us a way forward.

The first step is simple, but it may be the hardest... “If another member of the church sins against you, he says, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.” In other words, talk TO and WITH the person. He doesn’t say talk about the person or around the person. He definitely doesn’t say, "Talk to everyone else first." He says, go and talk TO the person.

Now, I know that sounds obvious. But how often do we actually do that? How often do we have the difficult conversation in our heads, rehearse all the things we want to say, and then decide that it would be easier just to avoid the person altogether? Or worse yet, disparage the person rather than have a conversation with them.  

I had a mentor once who, when talking about difficult tasks, would say, “If you have to swallow a frog, make sure that you swallow the big ugly one first.” I have never been entirely sure where that saying came from, but I have found it useful over the years. Because sometimes the big, ugly frog is the conversation we have been putting off. And sometimes, when we finally have that conversation, we discover that what we thought was happening was not what was happening at all.

A tone of voice was misunderstood. A comment was taken the wrong way. Someone was having a difficult day. Someone else was carrying a burden we knew nothing about. And sometimes, of course, the hurt is real. But even then, a direct conversation can be the beginning of healing.

Jesus is not telling us to ignore conflict. He is telling us to face it honestly, directly, and with the hope of reconciliation. And notice that Jesus says, “when the two of you are alone.” There is wisdom in that. Because when we bring an audience into a disagreement, we often bring our pride along with it.

The second step, Jesus says, is to invite one or two others to help. In other words, if you cannot work it out on your own, ask for help. That is not a sign of failure. It is a sign of maturity. Sometimes we need someone who can listen to both sides, help us see what we are missing, and remind us that the goal is not to win an argument but to restore a relationship. That’s important because there are times when we are so determined to prove that we are right that we forget to ask whether the relationship is worth saving.

The third step is to bring the matter before the church. Now, to me, that sounds a little intimidating. But remember, this is advice given to a Christian community. Jesus is not describing a public spectacle or a church-wide gossip session. He is describing a community that takes responsibility for the well-being of its members.

The church is not simply a place where we come together because we agree. It is a place where we learn how to live together when we don’t agree. That is part of what makes Christian community so challenging, and so beautiful at the same time. We are not all the same. We don’t have the same experiences, or the same backgrounds... the same opinions, or the same ways of seeing the world. But we are called to love one another. And that means we have to learn how to disagree without destroying one another.

Now, the Gospel does speak of a final step, when someone refuses to listen to the community... And that can be a pretty serious matter. And we should be careful not to use this passage to justify shunning or banning anyone who disagrees with us. Jesus is not giving us permission to turn the church into a place where only the people who think like us belong.

In fact, the very next words remind us of the heart of the Gospel... “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Jesus is present not ONLY when we agree, but also when we are trying to find our way through our disagreement. Jesus is present when we listen to one another… and when we ask for forgiveness. Jesus is present when we try to understand someone whose experiences differ from our own. Jesus is present when we are struggling to find a way forward... and when we are trying to decide what it means to love our neighbor in a world that seems increasingly divided.

Because the goal of Christian community is not to create a place where everyone agrees with everyone else. The goal is to create a place where everyone is loved, everyone is valued, and everyone is invited to grow into the likeness of Christ. That doesn’t mean we will never hurt one another. Or never misunderstand one another. Or never have difficult conversations. What it means is that when those things happen, we do not have to face them alone. We have one another. And we have Jesus.

So perhaps the next time we find ourselves in a disagreement, we might remember a few things from today’s Gospel. First, talk openly to the person. Second, ask for help when you need it. Third, remember that the goal is reconciliation, not victory. And finally, remember that Jesus is there with us.

He is there in our difficult conversations... He is there in the awkward silence... He is there in the apology. He is there in the work of forgiveness. And Jesus is even there in the moments when we are still trying to figure out how to live together. Because that is what it means to be church. Not a community of people who always agree, but a community of people who are learning, day by day, how to love one another as Christ has loves us.

14 Pentecost (Proper 17A) 2026

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Saunders III
Greeneville, TN

Jeremiah 15:15-21
Psalm 26:1-8
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 16:21-28

I think one of the hardest things for us to do is admit that we don’t always know what is best. We do because we want to fix things. We want to protect the people we love... We want to make things right. And when the world gets to the point where it feels chaotic and out of control, we want someone to take charge, to do something and make everything better. We want a Messiah who can solve the problem. Peter certainly did. 

Just moments before today’s Gospel (the part that we heard last week), Peter had correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus even blessed him for recognizing it. But in today’s lesson from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins to explain what it means to be the Messiah.

He tells the disciples that he is going to Jerusalem, where he will suffer, be rejected, and be killed, but on the third day he will be raised. Peter cannot stand it. He says, “God forbid it, Lord!” In other words, Peter is saying… That’s not how this is supposed to work. Peter had a different idea of what the Messiah should be... And it wasn’t suffering, it wasn’t vulnerability, and it definitely didn’t involve a Roman cross. Peter wanted Jesus to have a crown. And I think the Church has been tempted by that same idea ever since. 

We live in a world where power is often measured by who wins, who controls the conversation, who can silence the opposition, who can make the strongest argument, or who can force the outcome they want. And, as Christians, we are not immune to that temptation. We can begin to believe that the Church’s job is to win arguments, gain influence, protect ourselves… or we think our job is to make the world look more like how we think it ought to look.

But Jesus says something very different. He says to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” That’s strong language. Peter doesn’t understand yet what Jesus is trying to teach him… He tells Peter not to give in to the temptations of this world, not to be consumed by how the world sees power.

The way of God is not the way of domination. The way of God is the way of the Cross. And then Jesus turns to all of them, not just Peter, and says, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” 

That sounds like a beautiful saying, especially when we sterilize it, glamourize it, and put it on a banner, a readerboard sign, or a stained-glass window. It becomes much harder when we actually have to live it. Because taking up our Cross is NOT about putting up with life’s difficulties. 

I’ve heard some folks say, “That’s just my cross to bear.” Maybe they’re talking about a difficult job, a difficult relationship, an illness... or maybe some disappointment. We need to realize that Jesus isn’t telling us to passively endure whatever life throws at us. And taking up our Cross certainly doesn’t mean remaining in an abusive situation or accepting injustice as God’s will. The Cross is NOT about seeking suffering. The Cross is about choosing love... choosing love when love costs us something. 

Paul gives us a glimpse of what that sacrificial love looks like in his letter to the Romans. Love one another, he says. Don’t think you are better than others... Don’t repay evil with evil... Care for people who are hurting... Show hospitality, especially to strangers. Bless those who persecute you. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. And, perhaps hardest of all, don’t seek revenge. 

That sounds a bit countercultural to our society right now. We are living through a moment of extraordinary division. Public life around us has become hostile, angry, and distrustful. Around the globe, violence continues to take the lives of innocent people. And even some within the Christian faith seem more interested in proving who is right about this or that than showing people what the love of Christ actually looks like. 

But there are also signs of another way… There have been recent appeals from Christian leaders for dialogue, mercy, and peace, but they have faced backlash and ridicule. These leaders are trying to use their prophetic voice to remind us that the Gospel calls us toward something different from the violence and division.

There are generous expressions of unifying faith out there… If we look around us, we can see it… We see churches rebuilding homes after disaster... We see congregations opening their buildings to people in need. We see Christians working across denominational and even political lines to feed hungry people, house families, and care for communities.

Here in Tennessee, churches and church groups continue to help communities that are still recovering from Hurricane Helene almost 2 years later. I even heard the story of another congregation the other day that is turning a portion of its property into affordable housing. 

That is what taking up the Cross looks like. It’s not always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like showing up & listening… Sometimes it looks like forgiving someone who we think doesn’t deserve it. It means standing beside someone who has been pushed to the margins of society. It means giving up our need to be right so that we can remain in relationship with others. Or, it could even mean choosing peace when anger would be so much easier.

The Cross is where Jesus shows us that sacrificial love is much stronger than earthly power. And that is why Jesus asks us to take up our Cross. He isn’t asking us to save the world; he’s already done that. He’s just asking us to follow him... He’s asking us to become people whose lives look more and more like his. People who love and forgive... People who serve... People who stand with the vulnerable... People who refuse to answer hatred with hatred. And people who believe that even in a divided and wounded world, God’s love is still at work.

Because when Jesus asks us to pick up our Cross and follow, the question he asks isn’t, “What do you believe?” The question is: What are you willing to live for? What are you willing to give yourself to? What will matter enough to you that you are willing to sacrifice for it?... That you’re willing to die for it?

This week, Tennessee lost one of its most beloved daughters, Dolly Parton. Dolly was a songwriter, performer, businesswoman, and entertainer. But I think what makes her death feel like a loss to so many people is that she seemed to understand that a life is about more than what you accomplish.

She gave herself away. She used her success to give children books through the Imagination Library. She gave generously to people recovering from disasters. She invested in her hometown and in the people of Tennessee. And she did it all with a combination of humility, humor, and joy.

Dolly's life reminds us of something Jesus is saying in today's Gospel. What are we going to do with the life God has given us? We can spend our lives accumulating more money, more stuff, more recognition, more influence, more security. Or we can give ourselves away. Like our Bishop said just a month ago... Our true power is shown through giving ourselves away.

That's what Jesus means when he says, "Take up your cross and follow me." The cross isn't about seeking suffering. It's about giving ourselves away in love. And perhaps that is part of the reason so many people are grieving Dolly Parton this week. Whatever our politics, our background, or our generation…

People saw in Dolly something that transcended all of that. She made all people feel welcome. She made people laugh. She told stories about ordinary people. And she used what she had been given to make life better for someone else. That is a pretty good way to spend a life. And it is remarkably close to what Jesus asks of us.

He doesn't want us to become Dolly Parton or become famous or successful. But to ask ourselves, What has God given me… and how can I give it away in love? Because in the economy of God's kingdom, the life we give away is never wasted. It becomes a blessing. It becomes a legacy. It becomes our witness to the love of Christ. And ultimately, it becomes life.

Jesus says that if we spend our lives trying to preserve ourselves… our comfort, our reputation, our power, and our certainty… we may actually lose ourselves. But when we give ourselves away in love, we discover who we really are. That’s the mystery of the Cross. 

We don’t find life by holding on to ourselves. We find life by following Jesus. So perhaps taking up our Cross means asking ourselves every morning, “Where is Jesus asking me to love today?” Who needs me to listen? Who needs forgiveness? Who needs compassion? Who needs someone to stand beside them? Where can I choose peace instead of winning? Where can I give myself away for the sake of someone else?

Because that is what it means to be disciples who take up the Cross of Christ… Not someone who seeks power... Not someone who has all the answers... Not someone who wins every argument. But someone who emulates Jesus... Someone who loves when it is difficult. And someone who serves when no one is watching. 

We should strive to be disciples who welcome the stranger, care for the hurting, seek justice, practice forgiveness… and refuse to give up on the possibility of reconciliation.

Jesus says, “Take up your cross and follow me.” It won’t always be easy. Jesus never said that it would be… But we don’t walk the way of the Cross alone... Christ goes before us, Christ walks beside us, and Christ promises us that the way of the Cross is the way of love, sacrifice, and grace... and that way ultimately leads to life. So let us take up our crosses and follow Jesus.

13 Pentecost (Proper 16A) 2026

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Saunders III
Greeneville, TN

The 13th Sunday after Pentecost 
August 23, 2026

Isaiah 51:1-6
Psalm 138
Romans 12:1-8
Matthew 16:13-20

There is a distinct difference between knowing what people say about you and knowing who you are. In today’s world, our reputation can seem almost as important as our identity. We wonder what people think of us, how they will perceive our decisions… whether they understand our intentions…  and, of course, whether we are living up to the expectations they have placed on us.

Sometimes we can be so focused on how we are perceived by others that we forget to ask the deeper question: Who are we, really? That’s the sort of question we hear today in our Gospel lesson. Jesus begins with the question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples have several answers. “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

The public has an opinion about Jesus. The public recognizes that Jesus is important. They recognize that he is a teacher, a prophet, someone who speaks with authority… and someone who seems to have this interesting and unique relationship with God.

But then Jesus makes the question personal to disciples… He turns to them and asks… “But you… who do YOU say that I am?” And that question changes things. Turning from a question about his public reputation, Jesus asks his disciples to look beyond the humble, dusty, itinerant preacher standing before them and recognize the divine mystery underneath.

He isn't asking any longer what the crowds think of him. He isn't asking what the religious authorities think. He isn't even asking what the disciples have heard. He is asking his small, close group of direct followers what they have come to believe because they have walked with him… they have learned from him… And then Simon answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Simon recognizes something deeper about Jesus. He recognizes the divine mystery within… And then Jesus tells him that this understanding has come from God.  Jesus gives Simon a new name: Peter – or Petros — the rock. A nickname… a term of endearment and love… A descriptive loving name that Jesus uses to describe Simon’s character.

Jesus says, you are Rock and “On this rock I will build my ecclesia...” (my community of ones who are called out for a specific purpose) … translated here as church. And then Jesus gives Peter the keys of the kingdom. I love that image because keys are meant to open doors. Jesus doesn't give Peter the keys so that he can decide who is worthy to enter. He gives him keys so that the doors can be opened.

And that is where Isaiah speaks so powerfully to us today. “Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn.” Look to the rock. Remember where you came from. Remember the faith that shaped you. Remember Abraham and Sarah. Remember that God's work often begins with something small, something seemingly insignificant, and then grows into something far greater than anyone could ask or imagine.

Isaiah is speaking to people who have every reason to be discouraged. Their circumstances make it difficult to imagine any kind of future. And then God says, Look back... Look back and remember. You have not come this far by yourselves. Your story began with God. And God is not finished with you yet.

That is important for us to hear again today. Because we can spend an enormous amount of energy worrying about ourselves or worrying about what other people think about us. We worry about all kinds of things… We worry about numbers... Budgets and Buildings... We worry about relevance, politics, attendance.

We worry about whether or not the church has a future… And then Isaiah says to us: “Look to the rock from which you were hewn.” Remember who you are... Remember to whom you belong... Remember the God who called you out... Remember the God who carries you... Remember the God who is still at work in you.

And then Isaiah gives us this beautiful promise: “For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord.” Only God can transform wilderness into paradise. Only God can bring forth life out of places that seem deserted. Only God can take what looks like the end of the story and begin something brand new.

That is the kind of community (or ecclesia) Jesus is creating. A community that opens doors... A community that carries hope... A community that makes the love of God visible... And that brings us back to Jesus questioning the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”

I’ve got to admit, it is tempting to answer that question with words. Especially if we consider ourselves well informed… We can recite the creed... We can write a theological treatise on how we can say with confidence, “Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” But I think Jesus is asking for more than just the correct answer on a theology exam. He is asking for a life that reflects that answer.

Because if Jesus is who Peter says he is, then our lives should look different. Our lives should be different... If Jesus is the Messiah, we should be a community (a people) who bring hope and restoration. If Jesus is love, we should be people who love. If Jesus welcomes strangers, we should be people who make room for others. If Jesus forgives, we should be people who model and practice forgiveness. If Jesus serves, we should be people who serve others. If Jesus breaks down barriers, we should be people who build unifying connections and strive for justice and equity.

The world is constantly asking what Christianity is about. And sadly, sometimes the church doesn’t give very good answers… Because the answers they do give usually don’t look anything like the Jesus they claim to serve. Over the years, the church has sometimes become known more for what we oppose than for what we proclaim. The church has become associated with Judgment, fear, and exclusion... That ought to bother us. I know it bothers me...

It bothers me because Jesus gave Peter keys, not locks. He called the church to open doors, not build walls. He called us to be an ecclesia, a called-out community through which God's love enters the world.

My friend, Jonathan Tobias, reminded me, "Death imprisons. Christ liberates." Hades locks, but Christ opens. Christ only opens." And when Christ comes to open the doors to rescue those trapped in sin, even the gates of Hell cannot prevail.

So perhaps the question for us today is not only, “Who do you say Jesus is?” It is also, “What does the way you live tell the world about Jesus?” Isaiah says, “Look to the rock from which you were hewn.” Peter tells us that Christ is the foundation, and Jesus gives us the keys. We are here to open doors... To make God's love visible... To bring hope into places of despair... To bring life into places of death... To help make the wilderness bloom.

And perhaps most importantly, to remember who we are and to whom we belong… The world may tell us there is no hope. The world may tell us that division is inevitable. The world may even tell us that there isn't enough grace, enough forgiveness, enough love, or enough possibility to go around. But Isaiah reminds us, "Look to the rock."

Remember the God who brought you this far. Remember the God who can make a wilderness into a garden. Remember the God whose salvation reaches beyond our boundaries. And then hear Jesus ask once again, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” May that be our answer. But more importantly, may that be the answer our lives give. Because every day, in the way we love, forgive, serve, welcome, and care for one another, we are answering Jesus' question. Who do you say that I am?

May our lives say, "Jesus is the Christ; Jesus is the Son of the living God; Jesus is hope; Jesus is life; Jesus is Salvation, and Jesus is love. And may the world encounter the living Christ not simply because we tell people who Jesus is, but because they can see Jesus in the way we live.

12 Pentecost (Proper 15A) 2026

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Saunders III
Greeneville, TN 

The 12th Sunday after Pentecost

August 16, 2026

Isaiah 56:1,6-8
Psalm 67
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

It is remarkably easy to draw circles. We draw them around ourselves and around other people. We decide who belongs inside the circle and who belongs outside. We decide who is “one of us” and who is “one of them.” Sometimes the circles we draw are obvious... race, nationality, gender, sexuality, age, politics, or economics. Sometimes they are more subtle. 

We draw circles around the people we consider respectable and those we do not; around those who worship like we do and those who worship differently... We even draw circles around people whose opinions make us comfortable and those who make us angry. Sometimes we draw circles simply because someone is different. We look at someone and think, “They’re not like us because they don’t look like us.” 

Our Gospel this morning speaks directly to our temptation to draw circles. Jesus has crossed into Gentile territory, the region of Tyre and Sidon. And there, a Canaanite woman approaches him. Matthew deliberately calls her a Canaanite. That designation carries centuries of history. She is a foreigner, an outsider, someone whose ancestors had been enemies of Israel. 

And yet she comes to Jesus. “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David.” Notice what she calls him: “Lord. Son of David.” She recognizes something about Jesus that many who were supposed to recognize him did not. And what do the disciples say? “Send her away.” There it is... The circle. Jesus and the disciples are inside the circle. And the Canaanite woman is outside.

So, to the disciples, the simplest solution is to make the outsider go away. But before we go too far unpacking the Gospel, we need to hear Isaiah. Centuries before Jesus, Isaiah spoke to people wrestling with the question: Who belongs to the people of God? And Isaiah gives us this remarkable word... “Maintain justice, and do what is right.” Then God speaks specifically about foreigners... people who might have been considered outsiders... “The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord… these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer.”

And then comes the line that changes everything... “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” ALL peoples... Not some peoples... Not people who look like us, worship like us, or have the right background, history, nationality, politics, sexuality, or credentials. ALL peoples.

And God goes even further... “I will gather others besides those already gathered.” God is not finished gathering God’s people. There are always more. There are always more people standing at the edges of the circle whom God is already inviting in toward the center.

That is the backdrop for today’s Gospel lesson. The Canaanite woman is not simply an individual asking for a miracle. She represents everyone standing outside the boundaries and barriers that society has drawn. The disciples see her as an outsider. God sees her as someone to be gathered. The disciples see a problem. Jesus eventually sees faith. The disciples want to close the circle, and God keeps widening it.

Now, this is not an easy story. Jesus does not immediately respond to the woman. When she becomes persistent, Jesus says something that sounds a bit shocking to our ears... “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” This is not a comfortable Jesus. But perhaps that is why this story has endured. Let’s unpack that a bit…

The woman will not leave… She will not accept the disciples’ judgment that she does not belong. She responds, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” And as she persistently claims her dignity and worth, something changes.

Jesus sees her... Jesus hears her... And Jesus recognizes her faith. Jesus says to her, “Woman, great is your faith!” And her daughter is immediately healed. She doesn’t have to become Jewish first. She doesn’t have to become somebody else. She doesn’t have to keep proving that she belongs. She comes to Jesus as she is.

And the person the disciples wanted to send away becomes the person through whom Jesus teaches them… and in turn teaches us something about the kingdom of God. Sometimes the person we want to keep outside the circle is the very person God is using to teach us about God's love. Isaiah tells us that this isn’t a new idea. God has always been pushing the boundaries outward... Widening the circle… “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL peoples.” Now, the Gospel is NOT about making our circle a little larger. The Gospel is about discovering that God's circle has ALWAYS been larger than ours. 

We live in a time and society when people are increasingly sorted into categories... Us and them... Red and blue... Christian and non-Christian... Citizen and immigrant... Conservative and liberal... Believer and unbeliever... American and foreigner. Once we place someone in the “them” category, it becomes remarkably easy for us to stop seeing them as a person.

We see the label instead of a human being. We see the immigration status instead of a mother or father. We see the religion instead of a neighbor. We see a political party instead of a child of God. We see an opinion instead of a person. But then the Gospel says to us, "Look again." 

Look at the person, not the label. Not the category or the political talking point... Not the immigration status or the religion... Not the mistake. Look at the human being standing right in front of you. Because that person bears the image of God... That person is loved by God... That person may have something to teach you about love and faith... And that person may be someone whom God is already gathering.

One of the great themes that runs through Scripture is that God keeps gathering people whom God's people thought did not belong. The early Church had to wrestle with the same question. Could Gentiles become Christians? Did they first have to become Jews? Did they have to conform before they could belong? 

Again and again, the Church discovered what God had already been showing them... that God's grace was bigger than their boundaries... The Gospel was bigger than their categories, and the love of Christ was bigger than their circle. And that still remains true.

It is true in our communities. It’s true in Greeneville, and in Tennessee. It is true in this country. And it is true here at St. James. The Church is not called to be a place where everybody is the same. The Church is called to be a place where people who are different can discover that they are all loved by the same God.

That doesn’t mean we will agree about everything. It doesn’t mean we will all vote the same way or share the same political opinions or even cultural preferences. It means none of those things is greater than the love of God. Perhaps that is one of the most important things the Church can say right now.

We don't have to become enemies simply because we disagree. We don't have to dehumanize one another. We don't have to turn our neighbors into political abstractions. We can disagree and still love. We can be wounded and still forgive. We can be afraid and still choose compassion. We can be uncertain and still choose faith.

Our identity is NOT ultimately determined by the circle other people draw around us or even the circles we draw around ourselves. Our identity is determined by the God who created us, redeemed us, sustains us, and loves us. And that God says: “I will gather others besides those already gathered.”

That’s the promise... That God is still gathering us… God is still calling us… God is still widening the circle. And the Church's task is not to decide whom God is allowed to gather. Our call is to join God in the gathering.

So the question for us this morning is not simply, “Who is inside my circle?” I think the better question is, “Who have I placed outside God's circle?” Because, remember, God's circle is always wider than ours. There is always someone we have forgotten, dismissed, or judged. Along the way we have decided that someone is not quite one of us. And then, the Gospel invites us to look again.

Look at the Canaanite woman... Look at the stranger... Look at the foreigner... Look at the person whose politics make our blood boil... Look at the person who does not fit neatly into our expectations or norms... Look at the person we would rather send away, and then look at Christ. Because, be assured, Christ is already there. God has already made the circle bigger.

God's circle is wider than we think. It's wider than our fears, our politics, our history, or our differences. It's even wider than our failures, and it's definitely wider than our divisions. It's wide enough for every person whom God is calling home. Thanks be to God.

11 Pentecost (Proper 14A) 2026

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. Saunders III
Greeneville, TN 

1 Kings 19:9-18
Psalm 85:8-13
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33

When I was in my twenties, I worked as a Volunteer Firefighter and EMT for the Goose Creek Rural Volunteer Fire Department in Goose Creek, SC. One of the skills we had to master was climbing a tall extension ladder. Once we reached the height where we were supposed to work, we would secure ourselves, or lock in, by wrapping our non-dominant leg through a rung of the ladder. That way our hands were free to operate a hose, use extrication tools, or perform whatever task was needed.

I tell you this because it was one of the scariest things I have ever done. Even though I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, I don’t like heights. I don’t like that feeling when your stomach suddenly rises into your throat. I don’t like the weakness that creeps into your legs or how your mind seems to freeze. Standing thirty or forty feet in the air on nothing but a ladder is not my idea of a good time. 

In fact, my fear nearly prevented me from qualifying. Then my captain said something that has stayed with me ever since. He said, “Just climb. Keep your eyes on the horizon or whatever is directly in front of you. But whatever you do, don’t look down. If you look down, you’ll freeze. And if you freeze, you won’t be able to do your job or help anybody.” I’ve thought about those words many times over the years. When I was reading today’s Gospel, it seemed to me that Peter was climbing his own type of ladder. Except his ladder is water.

We know the story pretty well. Jesus went away again to try to find some peace and quiet. The disciples get in a boat to go to the other side of the lake, but have spent the night fighting against the wind. Their small fishing boat is being battered by waves. They’re exhausted, they’re frightened, and they’re completely alone or at least they think they are.

Then, just before dawn, they see someone walking toward them on the water. Naturally, they think they are seeing things and assume it’s a ghost. They know the storm is real, the waves are real. Their fear is definitely real. If you’ve ever been caught in a small boat when the wind suddenly comes up, you know exactly what they’re experiencing. Then Jesus speaks those wonderful words, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Peter, being Peter, doesn’t simply want reassurance. He wants to know for real that he’s not just seeing things. “Lord, if it is you,” he says, “command me to come to you on the water.” And Jesus simply says, “Come.” Jesus doesn’t offer a long explanation... No theological lecture... No detailed instructions... No training... No preconditions… Just one word, “Come.”

Peter steps out of the boat and, incredibly, begins walking across the water toward Jesus. For a few moments, Peter does what should be impossible. But then Matthew tells us something very important. “When Peter noticed the strong wind, he became frightened.”

He took his focus off of Jesus. He looked at the waves. He looked at the storm. He looked down. And that’s when Peter began to sink. Notice that the storm didn’t suddenly become stronger. The waves didn’t suddenly get higher. The circumstances hadn’t changed. What changed was Peter’s focus. Fear took over.

The funny thing is, Peter isn’t the first servant of God whose fear became greater than his faith. Elijah had been there long before him. Just before today’s Old Testament reading, Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and witnessed one of the greatest miracles in Scripture. 

Fire fell from heaven. God’s power was unmistakable. And yet one threat from Queen Jezebel sends Elijah running for his life. Because of his fear, Elijah hides in a cave, convinced that he is alone, thinking that he has failed, convinced that the future is over. Then God comes... not in the wind, not in the earthquake, not in the fire... but in the sound of sheer silence.

Why? Because sometimes what frightened people need most is not another display of God’s power. They need the quiet assurance of God’s presence. Isn’t that exactly what happens in today’s Gospel? The disciples don’t need Jesus to stop the storm first. They just need to know he is there. Before he calms anything, Jesus says, “Take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid.” The miracle begins, not when the wind stops, but when they recognize the One who is standing in the middle of it.

Elijah teaches us that God’s presence is often quieter than our fears. Peter teaches us that our fears become louder when we stop focusing on Christ. Both stories remind us that faith is not the absence of storms. Faith is focusing on the fact that God is already present in them. So, in effect, both of these readings are about focus… and keeping your attention on what’s most important. And, isn’t that true for us?

Y’all know that I ride a motorcycle. When riding a motorcycle, you’re taught to keep your head up and your head and eyes focused on what’s in front of you. It’s said if you look down, you go down… It’s the oddest thing, really… If you see a pothole or an obstacle in front of you and you stare at it, the bike will go in that direction, and you’ll end up driving right into the pothole. 

I don’t have to tell you what it’s like to look down. We all know what it is like. We look at the medical diagnosis, we look at our bank accounts, and we look at our broken relationships. We look at all the challenges before us and the uncertainty of our future. We look at the divisions in our communities and our nation. We look at wars, disasters, violence, and suffering. And it’s not long before the fears begin to overwhelm us, and, like Peter, we begin to sink.

The interesting thing is that Peter’s greatest obstacle wasn’t the storm and it wasn’t even the water. It was actually the boat. The boat feels safe. It’s familiar. It’s what is comfortable. Yet, the boat is still being tossed about by the storm.

How often do we build boats of our own? How often do we place our trust in our possessions, our careers, our savings... our accomplishments and our reputations? Sometimes we even trust the certainty that we know what’s right; we think we know all the answers and have everything figured out. These become our boats... these become our places of false security that promise safety but can’t save us.

Jesus doesn’t call Peter to stay comfortable; he calls him to trust. In our lessons, I think that’s where Christ is inviting us today. What boat are we afraid to leave? What fears keep us from responding to God’s call? What has us fixated and frozen, looking down, instead of looking toward Christ? The good news is that Peter’s story doesn’t end with him sinking and drowning.

The moment Peter realizes he can’t save himself, he cries out, “Lord, save me!” It’s not a polished prayer or a carefully crafted speech. It’s just a simple prayer of three desperate words, “Lord, save me!” And immediately, Matthew says, Jesus reaches out his hand. That’s divine favor, that’s grace, that’s love. Before Peter can climb back into the boat, before he can explain himself, Jesus reaches out. That’s what Jesus always does.

And that’s where Paul’s words in Romans become a powerful complement to the Gospel lesson. “The word is near you,” Paul says, “on your lips and in your heart.” Reminding us that salvation isn’t something we earn by being fearless. It’s something we receive by trusting the One who reaches out for us. Paul says that if we confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. Faith doesn’t pretend that the storm doesn’t exist. Faith is trusting that Christ is present in the middle of it.

My fire captain taught me that if I kept looking down, I’d freeze. But Jesus teaches us something even deeper. If we keep looking only at the storm of our lives, our fears will overwhelm us. But if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we discover that he has been holding us all along. 

Every one of us is facing some kind of storm. Every one of us has a boat we would rather stay in. And every one of us will have moments when fear gets the better of us. The invitation today is not to become fearless. The invitation is to become faithful... To step out... To trust.

Elijah hears the quiet voice. Peter reaches for the outstretched hand. Paul tells us that “the word is near you, on your lips and in your heart.” The message is the same in every reading... God is nearer than we imagine.

We tend to look for God in dramatic displays of power in earthquakes, in miracles, in the wind and waves. But more often, we discover God in a whispered promise, “Take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid.” And when our fears finally overwhelm us, we pray the simplest, most humble prayer that we know. “Lord, save me.” And immediately… immediately... Christ reaches out his hand.