The miracle of walking on the water came after the feeding of the large crowd. There is also one place in which we do not encounter God and that is through vanity. Commenting on this passage, Rabanus, the ninth-century archbishop of Mayence, writes, “The Lord looked back upon him, and brought him to repentance He stretched forth His hand, and forgave him, and thus the disciple found salvation, which is not of him that wills or desires it, but of God who shows mercy” (cf. Peter’s faith moved him to request that Jesus bid him come, but his lack of faith caused him to sink and cry out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus’ mercy moved Him to immediately stretch out his hand and catch Peter. The third encounter is through the mercy of God. Think of that boat as the Church, and the stormy sea as this world.” Augustine, like many Church Fathers, recognised that the boat in which the disciples entered with Peter as head, is symbolic of the Church, “While Christ prays on high, the boat is tossed with great waves in the deep and for as much as the waves rise, that boat can be tossed but because Christ prays, it cannot be sunk. The second encounter is the experience of community within the Church. Picking up on this point, Saint Jerome comments, “These words show that the disciples left the Lord unwillingly, not desiring through their love for their teacher to be separated from Him even for a moment.” The Greek word used is “α’ναγκάζω” which means to force, compel, constrain, or urge. Matthew tells us that Jesus “made” the disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side.

The first encounter is in the very desire for closeness with Jesus. The Gospel follows this theme and shows us moments when Jesus revealed the love of the Father and invites us to a transformative encounter that can lead us to say with the disciples, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

This time, however, God chose to show Himself in “a tiny whisper” and Elijah knew it and immediately “hid his face in his cloak.” In the first reading, Elijah was searching for the Lord and thought that He would reveal Himself in the fire, wind and earthquake, similar to how God had manifested himself on Mount Sinai to Moses (cf. The readings this Sunday remind us of the many ways that God reveals Himself.

Learn to trust in the goodness and faithfulness of God and His purposes for your life.We are disciples because God has revealed His love for us.

Be encouraged to wait on God's good work in your heart and mind, even in seasons when you feel like no one sees.

Understand the value of seasons of growth and testing in your spiritual maturity.

Articles to enhance your study and application of the content.

Seven enriching teaching videos, approximately 30-40 minutes per session, available for purchase or rent.

Personal study segments to complete between 7 weeks of group sessions.

Leader guide to help with questions and discussions within small groups.

And how the emboldened, fiery faith you desire is being fashioned by God in your life right now. Join Priscilla Shirer on this 7-session journey through the life and times of the prophet Elijah to discover how the fire on Mount Carmel was forged in the valley of famine. Those who patiently wait on God in the darkness emerge with their holy loyalty cemented, their courage emblazoned, and their confident belief in Him set afire.

Strength of faith, character, and boldness can only be shaped in the hidden fires of silence, sameness, solitude, and adversity.

Yet few are willing to go through the process required to get them there. Every serious believer longs to summon up the kind of boldness and faith that can stand firm on Mount Carmel and pray down heaven into impossible situations. Blinded by the remarkable narratives of our biblical heroes, we can forget they each had a backstory-months and years of development, even difficulty, which fortified their spiritual muscle and prepared them for the tasks that made their lives unforgettable. And Elijah-calling down fire on Mount Carmel. Old Testament heroes are best known for their most celebrated moments: Moses dividing the Red Sea David slaying Goliath Gideon routing an insurmountable army Joshua marching around the defiant walls of Jericho.

Faith and fire elijah