The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 7, 2005 Proper 14
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
The Rev. M. Anthony Seel, Jr.
Matthew 14:22-33
"Jesus Power"
There has been resurgence in America that might just go unnoticed if it weren’t for Hollywood. This summer’s blockbuster movie Fantastic Four joins Spiderman and The X-Men as recent comics turned cinema. The popularity of these movies mirrors the revival of interest in comic books.
The recent “Comic-Con International trade show in San Diego that drew nearly 100,000 participants is another indication. “Comics are on a comeback,” declares World Magazine (6/6/05, 15). Matt Lechner, a Wisconsin comic-book store owner says that it wasn’t’ that long ago when “you couldn’t give them away” (p. 17). He believes that it all changed with Harry Potter. Not only are kids reading, but they are now more open to the fantasy genre of most comic books.
The best selling comic books are and have been superheroes. There is a love and fascination for heroes with super powers. But, why do we need superheroes when we have a real God? While Jesus doesn’t display x-ray vision or superhuman strength, there is another power that Jesus does display that is available to us lesser human beings.
Our gospel lesson today begins,
v. 22 Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
This morning’s gospel lesson follows Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand. After directing His followers into a boat with instructions to go to the other side of the lake, Jesus sends the crowds away. He has healed their sick, fed them, and now He bids them goodbye.
vv. 23-24 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
After sending everyone away, Jesus climbs the mountain to find a place of solitude for prayer. He had been in prayer earlier, after he had heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, and that time for prayer had been interrupted by the crowds who had followed Him. This time, He is able to find a quiet place alone.
If you will read through the gospels with an eye toward the life pattern of Jesus, you will see that He regularly sought out solitude for prayer. In fact, we cannot understand the life of Jesus apart from prayer. As Anglican nun Margaret Magdalen says in her work, Jesus, Man of Prayer, "He had a deep need to be alone, silent and still, simply because he was human" (p. 39).
Think about what we know about the last three years of Jesus’ life. First, He was constantly with people. He was with His disciples all day long. He worked with great crowds often. During the day, He had no personal space in which to retreat. People with their constant demands were always seeking something from Jesus.
Even apart from the demands that others placed upon Him, Jesus needed time alone to get His bearings. It is all too easy to get into a rut of doing without reflecting. In the final analysis, what is it that our production serves? Is there any purpose behind our lives or are we merely making it through each day? Jesus found His answers to these kinds of questions in solitude. We will too, by the way.
For the disciples, theirs was not an easy trip across the lake. The boat was beaten by the waves and buffeted by the wind. It was a struggle to make progress toward their destination. But, as they worked their way across the water, something extraordinary happened.
vv. 25-27 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
Their trip was not made any easier by the sight of Jesus approaching them by walking of the water. The disciples were gripped with fear. The power of God can be a fearful thing. Of course, if you don’t believe in the power of God or miracles, you have to do something else with this story. However, as Anglican bishop N.T. Wright points out about miracles:
The problem is that miracle … is not a biblical category. The God of
the Bible is not a normally absent God who sometimes intervenes. This
God is always present and active, often surprisingly so. [Borg/Wright, p. 171]
If you start with the premise that God is present, powerful and active, then so-called miracles present no problem whatsoever. Or, if you start from the premise that God created all things, including the laws of nature and that God has the ability to work contrary to the laws that He set up, again, supernatural occurrences present no problems. It is true that God works in ways that we would never have imagined, and that’s a scary thing. Anglican luminary Michael Green writes,
Authentic Christianity has always been powerful. Powerful to change
the lives of men and women. Powerful to change the attitudes of whole
societies, powerful enough to confront and outlast political system after
political system, And the source of that power is Jesus of Nazareth.
[Jesus and Power, p. 9]
We see what effect Jesus’ walking on water had on His closest followers in the remaining verses of our reading.
vv. 28-30 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he cried out, "Lord, save me."
Jesus had the power not only to walk on water, but to empower Peter to walk on water.
Peter was out there, duplicating what His Lord was doing, but then he lost it. He saw the wind, and lost sight of Jesus. The power of the wind disturbed Peter so much that He cried out to Jesus for help. Al least Peter understood where to get help.
When I was a young boy, about the age of my son, a package wrapped in brown paper came in the mail for me. I opened it up to discover a pile of comic books. My dad’s uncle worked for D.C. Comics, and he had sent me a package of comics including Superman, Batman, Superwoman, Supergirl, Superboy, and other D.C. Comics superheroes. Every few months, another package would arrive.
While I realize today that there were better things that I could have been reading as a boy, I do remember that I enjoyed those comic books. I still enjoy stories about when good triumphs over evil. I still believe that there is a supernatural force for good in this world, and the exciting fact about this supernatural force is that it doesn’t reside in Superman or Superwoman or Supergirl or Superboy. This power is the Holy Spirit that lives in every follower of Jesus Christ.
Remember the wind and the waves that were fighting the disciples as they proceeded across the lake? Those forces were still against them when Peter stepped out of the boat. But impetuous Peter believed that if Jesus could walk on water, Jesus could empower him to do so also. And it happened; he was out there. What a rush that must have been until he faltered. But let’s give Peter proper credit – he got out of the boat.
Peter didn’t want to be just a spectator; he wanted to be in on the action. He got out of the boat. He left the safety and security of that buoyant vessel and moved across the surface of the water. For a moment at least, he defied gravity. And then reality set in.
Peter saw the wind and he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
vv. 31-32 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ’O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Peter was walking on the water just like Jesus. Why did he doubt? Jesus asks just that question, but no answer is provided.
There are so many risks that we can take in life. There’s sky diving, bungee jumping, hang-gliding, cliff diving, motorcycles… There are also all kinds of extreme sports these days. If you want a rush, there’s one out there for you. But, how about taking a risk for God? Have you ever considered that? I’ve taken a few in my life, and I can say that it is exhilarating to see God work when we step out in faith.
Faith is what activates the power of God’s Spirit within us. Notice that Peter didn’t just jump out of the boat to meet Jesus. First, He asked Jesus if He could come to Him on the water. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus responded with one word: "come." Principle #1 is first ask God whether or not He wants you to take a particular risk. Principle #2 is once God has given you direction, step out in faith. It is when we step out in faith that we grow in faith. Faith that never steps outside our comfort zones is the kind of little faith that Jesus chastises in our gospel lesson.
What we see in Peter is the kind of faith that activates Jesus power. It is rooted in prayer and absolute trust in God. Jesus power does the will of God in sometimes startling ways. If you’d like a real rush, try stepping out as God leads you with bold faith. God is calling all of us to get out of the boat and face the wind and waves of life. It may be safer in the boat, but Jesus has not called us to Himself to be idle spectators.
What are the wind and waves that face us? Believe me, they will become evident to us soon enough. Right now, let’s commit ourselves to Jesus and to the kind of exercise of faith that fully trusts in His care. Are we willing to trust in Jesus and get out of the boat?
Let us pray.
Lord of all power and might, grant us to trust in you with all our hearts. Mercifully receive the prayers of your people, and grant that we may know and understand what things we ought to do, and also may have grace and power to faithfully accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
