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| (Updated 06/11/2009)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 14:22-33
Please read the text before the sermon.
Sermon
Today’s Gospel reading takes place shortly after Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the crowds with five loaves of bread and two fish.
Disciples just experienced the incredible power of Jesus when he fed the thousands. They must have been really excited about what just happened and especially what will happen next. And Jesus tells them to get into the boat to go ahead of him to the other side of the lake.
Often times we experience in our lives the excitement of Christ’s presence. Just as the disciples we get excited when our needs are fulfilled, when our worries disappear. When we’re encouraged by the power of the Spirit as our faith is strengthen in the community of brothers and sisters in Christ. In the moments like that we tend to pause and ask ourselves what will happen next.
It is in the moments like that when Jesus sends us out as his disciples, as his messengers to prepare the way. Jesus told his disciples who were full of excitement, go ahead of me, you know what to do, I’ll catch up with you later. And so the disciples went. Not knowing what is ahead of them, trusting and believing that Christ knows where he’s sending them.
They got into the boat and sailed out. But what happened? It turned out not to be the most pleasant travel as we read about the wind picking up and the boat being battered by the waves.
But that’s the way it sometimes goes. To be sent out as the disciple of Christ doesn’t mean that it’s going to be smooth sailing the whole way. Sometimes the wind will pick up, sometime our lives get thrown around in the waves. Sometimes we’ll get carried away by strong winds to the places where we don’t want to be.
We can see the disciples starting to be worried. Jesus is nowhere near and they’re too far ahead. Will he find them? Does he know what is going on? And what is taking him so long? Do you remember a moment of your life when you were sailing away asking yourself the same questions? And maybe it is right now that you feel alone abandoned battered by the waves, whatever they might be. And maybe you’re asking yourself a question, where is Jesus? He promised to be there. To lead and guide me. But right now all I see is a storm that’s all around me.
And so the disciples probably asking themselves similar questions all the sudden see someone coming towards them. They are in the middle of a stormy lake so the chances that someone would just walk over to them are very small. And yet that’s exactly what is happening. Someone is walking toward them. In the place and the time where they would expect it the least. And so they think they see a ghost. And they’re all in fear. They were hoping for better but the situation is getting worse.
Have you experienced something similar? Thinking that you are in enough trouble and the situation takes a turn and everything seems to be even worse. We call it hitting rock bottom. When our fears seems more real then ever, when the ghost of our lives seem to haunt us. When we feel helpless and lost.
It is in these kinds of situations when we hear the words of Jesus: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” It is in the situations when we seem to hit the bottom when we can hear most clearly the sweetest voice of our Lord Jesus, who comes to every single one of us, just as he came to his disciples and says: Whatever the waves of your life are right now, whatever ghosts you are afraid of, take heart, it is I; do not fear.” I’m here with you, coming to save you.
When the disciples heard these words they were truly cheered up, especially Peter, who eagerly replied: Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Christ is present, all is made well, Peter forgets about the waves and wants to start walking toward Jesus. What an incredible leap of faith.
And what is Jesus’ reply: Come. Yes Jesus says come, for he wants all of us get out of our boats where we felt scared and without direction and he wants us to start walking toward him. He calls us to make that leap of faith, and says Come. Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Come to me make that leap of faith put your trust in my hands and I will make things better, I will give your life a new meaning and a new direction. Whether you’re struggling in your marriage, in your family, in your work, take heart, do not be afraid and come to me. These are the words that Jesus speaks to all of us today he’s calling us to make a step forward, closer to him.
Peter got out of the boat and started the most exciting journey of his life. His eyes were set on Jesus as he was getting closer and closer to him. And then all the sudden, he noticed the strong wind, he again became frightened, and began to sink. As he was sinking he cried out: Lord save me! Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him.
Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” And immediately, not in couple minutes, not in couple days or weeks, but immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Yes Peter doubted, he had a weak moment not trusting Jesus, but as soon as he called on Jesus, he was saved.
Sometimes when we doubt, when we walk away from God, when we do something we’re not proud of we tend to think, that the road back to God is going to be long and painful. That we’ll have to work hard to deserve God’s grace and mercy, to win his favor back.
And yet in today’s Gospel reading we see Peter called for the Lord and he was saved. The Apostle Paul in the letter to Romans says: For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Just like Peter, every single one of us, no matter how strong the wind is and how big the waves are, every single one of us can be saved. For Jesus is there right by our side to reach out to us immediately to pull us up and save us.
Jesus says to every single one of us today: Do not doubt and do not be afraid, but take heart, for it is I who is here to save you.
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