The Rev. Richard W. Budd, Ph.D., Rector

The Church of the Good Shepherd, Richmond, VA

12th Sunday of Pentecost, 8-7-05, Proper 14, Year A 

 

Jonah 2:1-9; Psalm 29; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33 

 

 

Take Heart; Be Not Afraid 

 

A few years ago when I decided to move on to the priesthood after 18 years of serving as an ordained deacon in the church, the powers at be decided that it might be a good idea for me to take the General Ordination Exams—notwithstanding that I had been so examined prior to that ordination. Granted the exams had evolved over time—now a 32-hour, four-day ordeal. And while I generally enjoyed the challenge and the experience, I want to briefly focus on one small point in the exam and to one examiner’s response to my answer. 

 

Let me quickly set the scene. After 30 hours of writing, the last part of the last question is what is called the “coffee hour.” These are sort of off the cuff questions that a priest might get tossed his way during a coffee hour. There are 16 of them. They require only brief answers—four or five sentences, five minutes per question. So here’s the one that after all this time still haunts me—it was the very last question, No. 16. 

 

The question: 

 

A member of the young adult group asks: “Do you believe Christ actually walked on water? What does that mean to you?” 

 

My answer: 

 

Do I believe Christ walked on water! Absolutely! No doubt about it. Matthew, Mark and John all report the incident in their Gospels. The accounts are quite descriptive and don’t leave much room for reinterpretation. But then, we do believe that Jesus was the Son of God, both man and God, and we if believe that God created the universe, the earth and you and me, then we have to believe that walking on water was something that he could do. Remember, he did it to teach his disciples a lesson about faith. 

 

The evaluator’s response: 

 

The answer to 16 offers an unsatisfactory response. The answer indicates that passages of scripture don’t leave much room for reinterpretation. This suggests an inhibiting form of biblical literalism.”  

 

I have often prayed for that particular evaluator in hope of his or her conversion—I continue to stand my ground on that issue. 

 

There are many people whose objection not only to belief in God but also to his demands is mostly cerebral fluff, and there are those whose commitment to God may look impressive but, when put to the test, proves to be a house built on foam. 

 

When a great need or crisis arises in the lives of either of these persons, those whose objections are based on specious arguments as well as whose commitment has no sticking power may suddenly find a primal and desperate need for God. Today's Gospel presents us with several directions which we might pursue, but I want us to think about today is the way in which we see Jesus as the giver of power to those who, as a part of his church - are willing to take a chance. 

 

Think with me on the whole episode of Peter and his trip out upon the water. Think with me of how he was willing to risk all on the word of his master. 

 

We hear in the gospel story that the disciples have been commanded by Jesus to take a boat and go before him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee while Jesus stays behind to dismiss the crowds that had gathered to listen to him. 

 

By evening Jesus was alone - praying - and the disciples were far from shore, being battered by wind and waves. They struggle almost all night against the storm that is crashing down against them, and they struggle successfully, until near dawn they see an apparition - they see someone or something - walking across the water towards them - and they are terrified and quite naturally given the circumstances, they cry out in fear. 

 

Immediately Jesus, for it is he who is walking upon the water, responds to the disciple's fear with the words - "Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid." 

 

Peter answers Jesus first - saying  

"Lord - if it is you - command me to come to you on the water." 

 

And Jesus answers by saying "Come". And Peter climbs over the edge of the boat and puts his feet upon the water, and begins to walk towards Jesus. 

 

Now some people, like my exam evaluator, dismiss the miracles recorded in the Bible as simply anecdotes to make a point. They claim that the stories of healing and of resurrection and of walking on water are but symbols for other things. 

 

I don't agree with these people at all - I don't agree that these things never happened because I know that miracles occur, I know that that people do get healed and that many other marvelous, unexplainable things occur when people call upon the Lord. There are people right here at Good Shepherd who can tell you such stories—stories of God acting with great power—making dramatic changes in their own lives. 

 

Even so--most of the miracle stories in the bible are powerful events that teach us things about life and about faith even as they tell us about the miraculous things that Jesus and the disciples did. 

 

And the story of Peter walking upon the water towards Jesus is one of these. 

 

It shows us what can happen when we respond to the call of Jesus, it shows us how we can triumph over the forces of chaos and meaninglessness, it shows us how, when we take chance on the word of Jesus, his power lifts us up and allows us to weather the storms of life and do something new. 

 

Think about it - Peter did not need to get out of the boat. He did not need to venture forth upon the stormy waters. He could have simply stayed where he was and waited for the Lord to come to him. He could have sheltered himself in the safety of the boat in the knowledge that everything would be okay now that the Lord was coming to him and the other disciples  

 

But he did not. Instead Peter took a chance. He asked the Lord to bid him to come to him, He asked the Lord for the power to meet him in the middle of the sea. 

 

Here is courage indeed -the courage to venture forth into danger and to do what the Lord has said can be done; the courage to risk taking a step that does not really need to be taken, simply because the Lord tells him it can be taken. 

 

Given the choice between continuing in a situation where, despite the burdens and the dangers that are all around, there is a reasonable degree of safety, and venturing out into a new and unknown situation, where the dangers seem even greater and where there is no apparent safety net, most people will elect to stay put - to stay where they are. 

 

What have we been afraid to do?

What have we postponed because we dreaded the possible consequences?

Who have we have avoided because we did not know what to say to them?

Where have we refused to go because we feared what might happen there?

What goal have we hid from because we have felt inadequate?

What dream have we let wither and die? 

Sometime we need to get out of the safety of boat. We need to

say to the Lord, "Lord, if it is you - bid me come to you." 

Well, to finish the story, here is Peter, walking on the water toward Jesus. Everything is fine, but then he takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to look around. And what he sees are big waves and a driving wind, and there he is in the middle of it, unprotected, without a life jacket.  

Peter sinks - but as he sinks Peter remembers from whence his help comes - and he cries out - "Lord! Save me!" 

And Jesus reaches out his hand and catches him. 

That is what the Lord does when we risk as well; it is what he does when he bids us come to him over the dangerous waters. We do not need to doubt the outcome. We do not need to fear the adversity we encounter on the way. 

As I hear God speaking to us this morning through the Scriptures, what I hear is the Lord saying to Peter and the disciples and to all of us: 

Life is full of adventures and encounters and accidents and experiences that remind us over and over again - if our eyes are open to see it - that God alone is God, and we are totally dependent upon the Lord as our source of life and hope and strength.

And even when we are certain that God is leading us and we are acting according to God's will, we dare never think that therefore we can go it alone, relying solely upon our own resources and abilities. 

Jesus told us, "Without me, you can do nothing....but with God, all things

are possible." 

As a congregation of God's people, we often are faced with opportunities

to let go and let God's will be done in our midst. 

 

· Every time we bring a little baby to the waters of Holy Baptism,

· Every time we share communion around the altar of the Lord,

· Every time we adopt a budget and pray that God will provide from what he has

entrusted to us,

· Every time we face a new challenge, a new opportunity for ministry,

· Every time we gather at a funeral to mark the passing of one of God's faithful servants, we face again the temptation to doubt and falter, to focus on the storms that rage around us, or to focus instead upon Jesus, the Lord of life, the Master of the winds and the waves, the one who has bid us to come forth. 

We do know that Christ is calling us forth as his people, and God invites us to trust him, to let go and let God. And so we go from here, seeking to be God's faithful people, trusting and depending on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, always keeping our eyes focused on the One who is our source of life, hope, and salvation. 

Let us pray: Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the endings, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, Not knowing where we go, But only that your hand is leading us, And your love supporting us; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen