8/11/02
What did you/ do we expect? - Matthew 14:22-33
(view lectionary notes for this text)
In one of American culture's movie classics, Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, we find a scenario the reminds me somewhat of our gospel lesson today. Do you remember the film? Indiana Jones is trying to find and save his father, who has been seeking after the Holy Grail, the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. Indy's father is a man of faith, but Indiana himself is a realist, and has no use for what he considers his father's superstitious beliefs. However, his father is severly hurt near the end of their journey, and Indiana's only hope is that water sipped from the Holy Grail will heal his father. Indy must travel through many obstacles to get to the grail, which he handles well. But there comes a point when Indiana has to literally take a leap of faith. Upon coming to a deep wide chasm, Indiana must simply step out over the void, trusting that something will stop him from falling into the pit. He has a choice to make: take a step of faith, and get a chance to save his father, or stick with what he knows to be real, turn back, and watch his father die. When pushed to the edge, literally and figuratively, Indiana takes the step, despite his fears, and finds himself supported across the hole. He takes a leap of faith, and finds he doesn't fall after all.
Our gospel lesson today brings us a similar story, though without the glam of big screen drama. In our passage from Matthew's gospel today, we hear the story of Jesus walking on water, a miracle indeed. The disciples have just experienced Jesus' miracle in feeding the thousands, and now they are travelling by boat to the other side of the sea, leaving Jesus with some time to pray and to regroup. Out on the sea, the winds begin to blow, rocking the boat to and fro. he disciples are nervous and scared. And then, through the raging strorm, they see a figure. Someone appears to be walking across the sea! Who is it? A ghost? Who could it be? They don't recognize Jesus at first, not expecting to see anyone walking on water. The image takes them so by surprise that they don't recognize their master coming toward them. But Jesus speaks to them: "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." These precious words give Peter some courage, and he tries to join Jesus on the water, a show of his faith, the Indiana Jones of the disciples in his own right. Soon, however, he is overcome with fear of the storm raging around him. He realizes just what he is doing - trying to walk on water, crazy enough in itself, but doing so in the middle of a terrible storm. It's too much for Peter to handle. He begins to sink, and cries out, "save me!" Jesus catches him, and with disappointment you can hear in his voice, says, "you of little faith, why did you doubt?" When the winds finally cease, the disciples worship him, calling him the Son of God.
Reading through this story, I can't help but sympathize with Peter, even admire Peter. He took a risk - he saw Jesus, walking on water, through a storm, in the dark, enough to make anyone shake with fear - but at a word from Jesus, he walked out on the water himself. Yes, he soon let his fears overtake him, but he did take that first step, which is more than I think I might do in the same situation. And yet, Jesus is disappointed, and calls Peter one of little faith. I find myself asking, what does Jesus expect from us, anyway? Does he expect us to walk on water? Does he expect us to do so without fear, without sinking, without doubts? Today, it seems faith is more something that is equated with naïveté, ignorance, or even stupidity, when held up against reasoning, rationale, and reality. We've learned to be practical people. We take risks, sometimes, but they are measured risks, calculated risks. We hope for good things, for miracles to happen, sometimes, but they are cautious hopes, balanced with a strong measure of skepticism, hopes countered with a strong hold on reality, that tells us not to expect the unexpected, not to expect a miracle, not to take too big a risk.
This summer, I took part in a chaplaincy program at Crouse hospital, where one of my assigned units was the neonatal intensive care unit. There I watched babies born 1, 2, 3 months early, struggle for their lives, struggle to eat, to breathe, to gain even an ounce. The mothers there, whether they considered themselves religious or not, suddenly found themselves having to rely on faith, suddenly found themselves believing in, hoping for, depending on miracles. It was hard for an outsider, even a chaplain, to understand the kind of faith required in this special nursery. At first I would look at some of the tiniest babies, some of the 1 lb. babies, and try to be realistic. To prepare myself for the grief I might experience, I tried to expect the real possibility that the smallest babies might not make it. I hoped for the best, but I tried to balance my hopes with realism, with the reality confronting me, so that I wouldn't be disappointed if a miracle didn't happen, so that I wouldn't be hurt if I did have to confront sorrow and loss. But the mothers there would tell you that my attitude wasn't what was needed there - they would tell you that no matter what the odds, they had to hope for a miracle, with all their heart, with all the faith they could muster. There was nothing practical about their faith, no consideration for realism in what they dreamed of happening. Perhaps this was the kind of faith Jesus was asking of Peter out on the sea that day. Unbounded faith, unrestrained, unmeasured, uncalculated. Perhaps this is the kind of faith Jesus is asking, demanding, expecting of us.
One pastor shares her insights into how Peter's actions connect to our own actions today: She says, "The fact that Peter eagerly volunteered to join Jesus on the sea suggests that we need not be bound by probability or predictability either. Lord, if it is really you, let me join you. Peter, through the eyes of faith, saw himself as an imitator of Christ - even in walking on the water. Later, Jesus would tell all of us that we would be able to do the works that he did and even greater works as we bring glory to God With God, the scriptures tell us, all things are possible, and by extension, with God's help, the people of God face no impossibility." We hear that if we have faith, we can move mountains. Our brains tell us that moving mountains isn't possible, that walking on water isn't something we can really do. We believe in miracles, but not that kind of miracle, not some supernatural miracle. But God tells us again and again that we can do anything, with faith. We can see miracles, we can walk on water, if we put our trust, our faith, our hope, our very lives, in God's hands.
Think of the things that are possible today: a one pound baby, born 3 months early, can grow into a healthy child, after a few months of special care. Isn't that a miracle? We can get into an airplane, and be lifted into the air, and travel great distances at great speeds - we can even travel to into space, and land on the moon. Isn't that a miracle? We can type on a computer, hit a button, and have instantaneous communication with someone half way around the world. How is it possible? All of these occurances can be explained away by science, technology, and practical reasoning. But the truth is, were it not for the faith and hope of some inventive people, these tools might not be available today. Someone had to believe that lives could be saved despite the odds. Someone had to believe that we could fly, even without wings. Someone had to believe that there was a way to communicate across continents. Jesus asks us to believe that in God we have the only resource we need for miracles to happen. Maybe we don't walk on water everyday - but surely you've all seen the water spiders, gliding across the surface of the lake, with an ease and grace that's remarkable. Perhaps the water spiders are just more faithful creatures than we humans are…
Jesus calls us to have faith, to step out of our boat, to walk on the water, and see what miracles can happen when we believe they are possible. Imagine, with boundless faith, what the world might look like - God's kingdom on earth, Jesus' vision fulfilled. A contemporary Christian band, Audio Adrenaline, shares a vision of faith with their song, walk on water. Listen to its call to us:
Walk on Water
"Simon Peter, won't you put those nets down
Follow Me I'll lead you out of this town
To a place where no boat has ever been
I will make you a fisher of men."
Jesus walked out on the water
Said, "Take courage, it is Me"
Peter trusted and he wanted to go farther
So he stepped out on the sea
Yeah, he stepped out onto the sea
If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water
If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water
If I keep my eyes on Him I can walk on water
Just like Peter, I want to go farther
Tread on the sea and walk on the water
Step where He steps and go where He goes
Side by side when the sea billows roll
I'll be all right when the wind comes
I'll be all right when the waves come crashing
I'm not afraid, no no
For this is my Father's world
If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water
If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water
If I keep my eyes on Him I can walk on water
If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk on water. Are you ready? It's time to step out of the boat. Amen. Benediction: Great is God's faithfulness. Let our faith be great too, let our trust be as deep as the sea on which God calls us to tread. The storms are raging, but God stands by us, reaching for our hand. Go now, and walk on water. Amen.