Gospel: Matthew 14.13-21
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So, Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
The daring and difficult faith.
I remember a fellow Theologian Student at the University in Aarhus who repeatedly defined faith as” stepping out of airplanes, knowing that God will catch you.” And I also vividly remember my professor’s response that surely God had better things to do than catch people stupid enough to step out of airplanes.
Faith is daring, comforting, challenging, and difficult, but it is never foolishness or blind fatalism.
Matthew’s story of Jesus walking on the water with Peter can truly make people make all kinds of foolish statements of bad theology. Peter’s daring walk on the water can become evidence that God asks us to demonstrate our faith by taking pointless risks – like trying to walk on deep waters, stepping out of an airplane or seeking out dangerous situation. But why would God ask us to demonstrate our faith by taking pointless and dangerous risks? We demonstrate our faith through good deeds.
Or to listen to Jesus’ rebuke of Peter and the Disciples: You of little faith, why did you doubt?... leading to a belief that if our faith is only strong enough, no harm will ever befall us.
A faith like that would make is afraid to admit our fears and doubts to other and God. Further, when bad thigs happen – and they will, bad things happen to good people too, - we may believe that our lack of faith caused this harm or that God isn’t powerful enough or compassionate enough to protect us.
So, faith is daring, comforting, changeling and difficult, but it is never foolishness or blind fatalism. Faith is that daring living thing as Martin Luther says. Faith is a living, daring confidence and trust in God's grace.
FAith is trust.
Sometimes having raised two sons, who have become sensible caring adults, was like they believed they could walk on the water. Trusting that somebody, mainly mom or dad, would be there to catch them if they fell or find them if they were lost. When they were learning to walk, they were eagerly stumbling along wobbling small legs with an excited and surprised grin on their faces, only suddenly to realize that nobody was holding their hans or walking behind them. Like Peter they fell and suddenly sat, as they lost confidence or trust. Later when they were climbing trees, climbing stairs and jumping from furniture, they realized the first time without any safety net of protecting mom hands or eyes… that next time better be more careful. Maybe I should not be jumping out of airplanes!
After hours of being afraid, Peter recognizes Jesus on the water and moves, for a moment, beyond his fear and anxiety … and his reason and knowledge or physics and gravity. When he realized that it is Jesus coming to him, walking on the water, Peter dares Jesus to dare him to join him on the water. And Peter steps out of the boat and onto the water.
But then reality kicks in the winds blowing, the waves splashing, the elements are surrounding him. Which reminds me of the cartoon of the coyote chasing the roadrunner off the cliff. The roadrunner always makes it across the gap, but every time the coyote, halfway across, becomes aware that there is nothing beneath his feet, he stops cold, then plummets down.
Just like our sons while learning to walk would make unsteady steps across the floor until suddenly realizing that nothing or nobody was holding them up and they would collapse in a heap!
“Why did you doubt?” Jesus asks… and I really want to defend Peter and say:” Well, why do you think! Waves and wind! Not to mention that it is simply not possible to walk on the water. It would be foolish!”
It is deeply human to be afraid and to doubt I the face of danger. Peter is afraid and maybe weak in his knees and faith. But he dares…….
So, maybe Jesus is not being a rebuking disappointed master, maybe he is being a good supporting friend. Perhaps Jesus knows and accepts Peters limitations and now he is simply saying: “You were doing it! You had it! You tried! Don’t lose that. Keep up that faith.” Faith is never settled once for all as something you can grasp and hold tight. Faith is constantly moving us, challenging us, confronting us, daring us, calling us.
It is in fact one of the most beautiful stories in the Gospel about friendship and deep divine relationships. Peters’ relationship with Jesus lets him step out of the boat and just as important, lets him call for help when needed. Jesus’ love and care for his friends, his disciples and followers sent him walking out into the storm, against the winds and on the water to find them. Jesus relations with Peter lets him encourage Peter to come out to him, then lets him chide Peter for wavering in his trust and most importantly, lets him take hold of Peter with an outstretching reaching compassionate hand.
Some time I fell as if I’m on my own in my boat on stormy seas. Sometimes there are days when We might feel like steering our boat against the wind and the waves, crashing along. Sometimes we might have felt the presence of God coming to us when the boat was at the tipping point and the waves to big. Sometimes we need to be called out of our comfort zone and safety to dare… step out of the boat and onto the water.
God does not demand us to step out of airplanes. God does not demand us to do stupid, reckless test of our faith or his presence. God demands us to have faith that moves us, changes us, transforms us, takes us out of our comfort zones, let us get our feet wet and our soul lifted….
Faith is daring and difficult. It is never easy. Peter found out, and we find out again.
Faith isn’t easy. But its very nature, faith isn’t easy. Faith is not something that we can rationalize or explain or even obtain with any measure of success or practice.
Faith is the bridge that is bult between opposites: it is hope in the face of despair, it is love in the face of hatred, it is peace in the face of violence, it is beauty in the face of ugliness, it is justice in the face of injustice, it is courage I the face of fear. Faith is always moving, dynamic, spirited winds that move us from places known to places we did not know or where we ought to be.
That is why faith is daring and difficult. Faith is supposed to move us. Faith is supposed to change us, comfort us, strengthen us. Faith is supposed to better us and mature us. And that is not easy… consistently stepping out of the safety of the boar into the wind and waves and the storm. And believe, trust.
This past week I have been listening to and singing the beautiful “Song of Good Hope.”
A Song by the Irish singer Glen Hansard who tragically died last week at the age of 56. His song Good Hope has moved me, and I heard it sung at his Funeral Service.
Song of Good Hope
Song by Glen Hansard
If we're gonna make it
Cross this river alive
You need to think like a boat
And go with the tide
And I known where you've been
Has really left you in doubt
Of ever finding a harbor
Of figuring this out
And you're gonna need,
all the help you can get
So, lift up your arms now, and reach for it
And reach for it
And take your time babe
It's not as bad as it seemed
You'll be fine babe
It's just some rivers and streams
In between, you and where you want to be
Watch the signs now
You'll know what they mean
You'll be fine now
Just stay close to me
And may good hope,
walk with you through everything
Take your time babe
It's not as bad as it seems
You'll be fine babe
It's just some rivers and streams
In between, you and where you want to be
And watch the signs now
You'll know what they mean
You'll be fine now
Just stay close to me
And may good hope,
walk with you through everything
May the song of good hope, walk with you through everything
May Good hope be with you through everything. Every river, every stream, every wave and wind.
That Good hope will steady us and steady the boat. Amen.