Rev Christine preached this sermon for the 3rd Sunday of Creationtide, 20 September 2026.
Today, in Creationtide, our theme is hope from faith and action. And each of our readings speaks into that theme in a powerful way.
Hope is something we all understand. We hope for all sorts of things: a big win, good exam results, a career we long for—or, more simply, that it will not rain once the washing is on the line.
But is hope the same as faith? I think faith carries us deeper. In Genesis, we meet Noah: a man who was close to God, who listened for God’s voice, and who trusted what he heard. Without that trust, would he really have built such an enormous ship—especially while his neighbours laughed and mocked? Noah believed God. If a flood was coming, he would be ready, whatever anyone else thought.
And, of course, the flood came. Noah’s faith saved his family, and it saved many of the animals too. God did not forget Noah’s faith. Instead, God honoured it with a covenant: a promise never again to flood the whole world. And as the sign of that promise, God placed a bow in the sky—the rainbow. It remains for us a visible reminder of God’s promise, God’s protection, and the hope of renewal after destruction.
So here, right at the beginning, we see faith and action working together: Noah’s faith, and then Noah’s action—building the ark and preserving life within God’s creation.
The covenant between God and Noah reminds us of God’s mercy and faithfulness. It shows us a God who is compassionate, who is committed to preserving life, and who moves from judgement towards mercy. And this covenant is not only for Noah. It is for all humanity, and for every living creature. It shows us just how deeply God cares for the whole of creation.
That gives us plenty to reflect on: reconciliation, forgiveness, and especially our stewardship of the earth. In the light of climate change, Noah’s story calls us to care for God’s creation, and to hold fast to God’s promises.
Hope in Romans
The theme continues in Romans. Paul reminds the Church—and reminds us—that suffering is not the end of the story. We are called to endure with hope, trusting that God is still at work. Paul knew suffering well. He was beaten, imprisoned and shipwrecked. And yet he continued to share the Gospel, speaking of creation itself waiting for the revealing of the children of God.
Waiting is not always easy, is it? We spend so much of life waiting: waiting for news, waiting for change, waiting for healing, waiting for something we long for. Sometimes we wait patiently. At other times, we are like an excited child, impatient for what is coming. But Paul is speaking about something very special: our adoption as children of God. That is the hope he speaks of—the hope in which we are saved. As he says, “Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
So Paul’s hope is not vague optimism. It is hope rooted in faith, and lived out in action: the hope that all may become children of God.
And then we come to Peter. Who better, among Jesus’ disciples, to show us faith in action? I have a real fondness for Peter. He is matter-of-fact, impulsive, and often says what he thinks before he has quite thought it through. But he is also wonderfully down to earth. Perhaps that is why so many of us can relate to him.
The Gospel reading is familiar to many of us. But familiar though it may be, it still asks a searching question: what does faith look like when the wind is strong and the water is deep?
The boat is far from land when Jesus begins walking towards the disciples. At first, they think he is a ghost—and perhaps we can understand that, through the mist and rain. Then Jesus speaks: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” His voice calms them. His words steady them. They know him, they trust him, and they have faith in him.
Peter is the first to speak: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus says, “Come.” And Peter steps out of the boat. Just think about that for a moment. The boat is security. The boat is safety. The boat is the sensible place to stay. And yet Peter leaves it, because Jesus has called him. As one book title puts it, “If you want to walk on water, you first have to get out of the boat.” Faith and transformation often begin when we take that first risky step in response to Christ’s invitation.
Peter’s experience gives us some simple, practical lessons:
- step out in faith;
- keep our eyes on Christ;
- acknowledge fear without letting it rule us;
- trust God through the storm;
- and accept rescue when we need it.
At first, Peter’s faith holds him up because his eyes are fixed on Jesus. But then he looks away. He feels the wind. He sees the waves. Doubt creeps in, and he begins to sink. So, he cries out. And Jesus reaches out his hand. Peter is rescued as he turns his attention back to the one who can save him.
Fear is a very human response when life suddenly changes, or when the storm feels too strong. Peter does not fail simply because he is afraid. The danger comes when fear makes him look away from Jesus. And perhaps that is true for us too. Naming our fears can help us face them, and it can help us bring them to God in prayer.
Trusting God through the storm does not always mean the storm stops at once. Following God’s call does not mean life will always be easy. We all face rough waters. But how we respond, where we look, and whom we trust—these things shape us as children of God.
When Peter begins to sink, he doesn’t turn back to the boat, and he doesn’t try to manage alone. He calls to the one he knows can save him: “Lord, save me!” And Jesus does not delay. He reaches out his hand immediately and catches him. Peter’s rescue leads to a confession of faith: “Truly you are the Son of God.”
And so we return to our theme: hope from faith and action. We have faith in God’s works and in God’s creation. We trust that the sun will rise in the morning. We trust that God hears our prayers. And we trust that hope is not passive—it calls us to act.
We see that action here in this church. We support charities. We care for one another. We share Lent lunches, retreats, Lent and Advent courses. We support Porch Boxes. We care for the place where we live.
And we should not underestimate those actions. Not every act of faith makes the news. Not every act of love is noticed by many people. But small acts of care, faithfulness and service can carry great hope. They express our faith. They bless our community. And they help us live as people of hope.
Loving God, strengthen our faith, renew our hope, and guide our actions. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, to care faithfully for your creation, and to bring your love and hope into the lives of those around us. Amen.
