That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down… And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
Up until this point in the story of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is pictured preaching in synagogues. In the verses written above, Jesus steps out of the church building and onto the beach. He steps out into nature and into the world of those who need to hear. Moving forward in Matthew, this usage of nature as a cathedral increases.* Jesus moves from the four walls of a building to the front lines of ministry.
The Word of God and the story of the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven must be taught and represented in churches today. The impacts of failing to do so ripple through our soul and into our society like a stone dropped into water. However, as an example to His disciples (and to us) Jesus takes the news of the Kingdom further by expanding it into the world of those who need to hear but may never step into a synagogue.
The Lord has called my wife and I to step onto some beaches and to bring the Kingdom of Heaven with us. He has called us to take the message from the synagogue and bring it alongside the stones and the sand and the clouds and the waves who daily sing of His glory. The mission is messy. The waves are loud, the sand is sticky, the stones are heavy, but the weight is glory.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to join in the chorus of glory by stepping out of what is comfortable, safe, and dry. Perhaps God wants you to answer His call to speak His truth to those who need to hear for His glory.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 333–334, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 13:1-2) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).