Here's my sermon, based on Matthew 14 verses 21-32. I'll be saying it this morning. Be sure and scroll down to my previous post. Meagan's rodeo wasn't that great, but I received some disturbing news about Dan.
Stepping Out
By Dale Pringle
Matthew is a gifted story teller. He really paints some vivid images, doesn’t
he? The gospel story begins with Jesus and his disciples on the shore of the
Sea of Galilee. Jesus had been preaching to a crowd and when He was done, He asked the disciples to climb into their little boat and row back across the lake while He dismissed the crowd. So the disciples left their master there and jumped in the boat and started back across the lake. (Now here’s where the story gets exciting.)
Soon there came a storm. A fierce storm. The boat, the scriptures tell us, was “battered by the waves, far from the land. For the wind was against them.”
It was late in the evening and getting dark. The twelve men spent the entire night in that little boat, tossed about like a cork on the inky black, and taking turns, I suppose, pulling for dear Life on the long, wooden oars. They were whipped by the wind and soaked to the skin by the rain and the waves. They would have been blind in the darkness for there would have been no bright moon to light their way. It must have been terrifying. I can imagine they called out to each other, offering and receiving encouragement. They may have held each other. Some may have wept in despair. And they probably prayed to God for deliverance from their horrible predicament.
Early in the morning, just as the sun was struggling to appear through the thick clouds and heavy rain, Jesus came walking toward them on the sea. The frantic disciples thought at first they had seen a ghost and they were more terrified than ever. They’d spent all night doing battle with the wind and waves, and with their own fears, and now with the faint hope of dawn, came Death itself, walking slowly toward them on the frothy seas. And they cried out in fear.
Jesus said, “It’s OK, guys. Don’t be afraid. It’s me!”
But Peter wasn’t ready to believe yet. After all, he’d had a pretty rough night. So he called out to Him.
“Yeah right. If it’s really you, Lord, then command me to come to you on the water.”
Command me, he said. Order me. Make me do it. Make me step out of this boat. Clearly, Peter wasn’t too sure of himself. He doubted not only Jesus, but also himself. His own faith. He wanted Jesus to force him to act. Perhaps he knew he wasn’t brave enough to do it alone.
Now Jesus could have told his friend to stay in the boat. He would have reached the boat himself in a minute or two. Or He could simply have calmed the storm right then. But He didn’t. Matthew tells us Jesus spoke but one word to Peter.
Come.
That’s it. That’s all He said. Come. I can’t imagine a more sincere invitation.
Maybe He extended His arms out in front of Him, much like a mother might do to encourage a baby’s first steps.
“Come,” He said.
So Peter came. Peter climbed over the side of that wooden boat and without another thought, set out toward Jesus. On foot. Through the howling wind. Across the waves. He was doing just fine until it occurred to him that he was doing the impossible. He lost faith. And he started sinking like a stone.
“Lord! Save me!” he shouted.
And Jesus reached down and pulled him up out of the water and set him back in the boat, just as nice as you please. Then Jesus asked him that question – that important, yet I suspect rhetorical question.
“You of little faith. Why did you doubt?”
Why did you doubt? Why did you doubt you could do what I asked of you? Why did you doubt I would help you? Why did you doubt that I am the Son of God?
Jesus stepped into the boat with his disciples and suddenly, the storm was gone. The seas were calm. Just like that. The wind was quiet and the early morning sun cast its radiant glow across the smooth water. Just like sunrise at the cottage. And those in the boat worshipped Him saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God!”
Don’t you just love a happy ending? Me too.
You know what part of this story excites me the most, though? It’s not the rescue of the hapless disciples, or the calming of the storm, or even the walking on water, although I’ll admit that’s pretty impressive.. The part I like best is when Jesus invites Peter to step out of the boat.
“Come,” He says.
I mean, can’t you just see Jesus standing there on the water, robe whipping about in the gale? Arms outstretched? Hair blowing straight back? Rain and waves crashing all around Him. Lightning flashing. Thunder crashing. Wow! It must have been an awesome spectacle.
And poor Peter, wet, frightened, totally freaked out by the storm, puts his trust in this apparent apparition and steps out. The Lord invites him, commands him, to step out of the relative safety of that little boat into the churning froth of the sea, and Peter obeys. Surely Jesus must have known what would happen.
As soon as Peter realizes he’s out of his element, he panics. He loses faith. He started out bravely enough, but when the going got tough, Peter couldn’t handle it. He assumed all was lost and his despair pulled him down.
That’s an interesting word, despair. It comes to us from the French and it translates quite literally as out of, or away from hope.
Peter lost hope, didn’t he? He lost faith and trust. And he sank. But Jesus was there. All Peter had to do was ask for help and he was rescued. Saved. Jesus saves. No problem. The hand of God was there, extended to help. There was no lecture. No admonishment. And in the end, no reason to doubt.
Friends, every time we find ourselves in trouble, every time we suffer the storms of Life, God invites us to step out of the boat and face that storm. He’ll be there to help us. He’s always been there to help us. This is the good news. This is the promise of God, made and kept. Again and again. Think of a time when you, like Peter, were in the depths of despair. It ended happily didn’t it? And if you’re not happy, then it hasn’t ended yet.
Take heart. Be brave. And trust in God.
Would you like to meet that new neighbour? Step out of the boat!
Are you struggling with an apology, or perhaps forgiveness? Step out of the boat!
Do you need help with something, but you’re too proud to ask? Step out of the boat!
I fell and broke my leg last winter. Remember? I sure do. It was painful and debilitating. The most painful part was admitting that I couldn’t look after myself. I was dependent on the kindness and good will of others. I couldn’t drive. I couldn’t do laundry. And I couldn’t cook. I still can’t cook, but you get the idea.
The storms of Life? Oh yeah. I was right in the thick of it. My heart ached. My leg ached. And I felt I was all alone. But you see I wasn’t alone. Although I doubted initially, I did not doubt for long. Friends and neighbours phoned or dropped by nearly every day for three months to check on me. To see if I needed anything. To do my shopping, my laundry. To bring me food. To carry out my trash. One remarkable woman took me to physiotherapy three times a week. Faithfully and cheerfully.
I came to see the face of God not only in Joan, but in each and every person who offered help and on every single Get Well card I received. I stepped out of the pride boat and asked for help.
“Lord, save me!” I prayed. And it was so.
He reached down and pulled me up. But the most important thing was that I took the first step. I was called, like Peter, like all of us, to take that first, shaky step, out of the boat, into the storm, and eventually into the hands of God. And just like Peter, I felt God’s presence in my time of need.
“In Life, in death,
in Life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.”
Don’t you just love a happy ending? Me too.
Amen.
***
Michelle said...
