Matthew 14:22-33 - August 13, 2023
This is a familiar passage to many of us, and there is so much to focus on. And sometimes, those who write sermons tend to try and find some lesser-explored details of a text - particularly with such a familiar story - so as to make things fresh and new.
For example, Jesus made - compelled - the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. Or what about that Jesus knew he needed some quiet time, time to pray up on the mountaintop. Or the fact that when Jesus comes out on the water, the disciples are terrified when they see him.
While neat little tidbits, there’s a reason why this story is referred to as “walking on water” and not “mountain top prayer.” The whole Jesus and Peter thing, that’s kind of the point.
Ah, Peter. His reaction is kind of what we expect out of him, right? Going with his gut impulse? “Master, if it is you, call me to come to you on the water!” I like to think that Peter jumps out of the boat, hurdles over the edge with excitement. He is totally going to get to walk on water. His faith is strong, his confidence is high. And he does it! He is walking. On. Water! Unbelievable!
But then he notices what is happening around him. The giddiness is gone and, along with it, his faith. Waves take the wind out of Peter’s sails as he realizes he is about to be in over his head. Peter sinks like a rock. That doesn’t really surprise us either, does it? We know him pretty well.
The problem, as it is usually put, is that he takes his eyes off Jesus and his faith falters. So, the encouragement usually is to “keep your eye on Jesus.” Be courageous, get out of the boat, but keep your focus on Jesus. Of course, we should. I don’t disagree with that at all; it’s not bad advice. As a matter of fact, it is pretty good advice. And as far as morals go, that isn’t a bad one to live by.
Except, I already know that I should keep my eyes on Jesus. That isn’t anything new. I know that I should keep my eyes on Jesus. But, no matter how hard I try, sometimes things take my gaze away. I get stressed out or worried. Things are falling, flying, or tumbling in turmoil all around me. Economic, political, societal, inter-relational... things are not the picture of calm around me. Or around you. You know what is crashing at your feet. You know the thunderstorms you are caught in. You know what worries and fears and surprises are slowly causing you to sink.
And to be honest, me telling you to keep your eyes on Jesus isn’t going to help that much. Sure, it’s good advice. But good advice is not the Gospel message.
Good advice is not the Gospel message.
The Gospel message is that when Peter loses confidence and begins to sink, when he essentially “fails” the faith test and proves himself to be one of little faith, Jesus reaches out and grabs him. Jesus reaches out and grabs him, even when Peter can’t do it.
“Lord, save me,” he cries out. And Jesus brings him back to the boat.
I commend Peter for even trying. I’m not sure I would have the same gusto to try the impossible. But he tried, he had the courage to step out of the boat. But the hero of the story isn’t Peter; no one congratulates him on giving it his best shot. Instead, Jesus saves. Jesus brings him back. Jesus is worshiped as the Son of God. That is Gospel.
The Gospel message is that when you are sinking down, Jesus reaches out and snatches you up. The Gospel message is that when our eyes are diverted away from Jesus, he comes to us anyway, without hesitation. The Gospel message is that Jesus is the master of the waves and the wind, the king of life and of death, and he comes to us, for us, to pull us up to be safe with him.
Good advice tells us we should do something but doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen - kind of like “keep your eyes on Jesus.” The Gospel message tells us something, and then God makes it so. “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him.” What else could Peter do but fix his eyes on Jesus at that point?
We all should keep our eyes on Jesus, Peter included, but when we don’t and we’re in over our heads, Jesus is there to catch us, to grab us, to set us up straight, and give us another go.
And what that Gospel message does for me is, it gives me courage; courage to take on big challenges that seem impossible; challenges to step out of the safety of the boat; challenges that even if hard, even if I sink a little, Jesus will reach out and grab a hold of me, of you, of us. We won’t sink.
As a community of faith, we’ve had our “step of out the boat” moments. We’ve had to take that first step - building a community, looking forward, a capital campaign, always striving to be God’s hands and feet in new ways.
But even as we’ve stepped out, challenges remain. There is the ongoing need to include new people in ministry and community. The challenging call to welcome even better than we do. The challenge of maintaining excitement about capital campaign projects when the process is slow and the cost of things is only heading in one direction. It’s enough to cause us to take our eyes off Jesus.
And the advice is to just focus again, ignore everything else. But the Gospel says Jesus has us in it all. No matter the waves, no matter the howling winds, no matter the stress, the fear, the disease, the mistakes, the addictions, the mortality, the distraction, the tiny-minuscule-like faith - Jesus will lift us to be with him. Jesus saves us from sinking away.
And one of the cool things about walking on water is we’re going to get splashed; we’re going to get wet. And that’s a good reminder that God has already brought us through. God has brought us through baptism, through the waters, to be with God forever. So, even as we sink, the water reminds us of God’s promises, and that Jesus has already reached out and caught us.
So, while there is good advice hidden in this story about what to do if you’re caught in a storm or what to do if you want to walk on water, the real message is that God has you in Jesus Christ. And because God has us, we can dare to do great things in faith, trusting that Jesus will grab hold of us and will never let us go.