August 7, 2005 At Saint Mark Church in Norman, OK
1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 + Romans 9:1-5 + Matthew 14:22-33
We do not hear anything to indicate that the storm is what frightened the disciples.
These are fishermen.
They are on the lake every day and every night.
They know it well.
They know its moods and its weather.
They know how to handle the boat.
There is no hint of fear in this story until they see Jesus walking on the water.
They thought they were seeing a ghost, and it scared them.
They were a people simpler than we are.
If we saw someone walking on the water, we would start to wonder how they did that.
We would suspect some techno – hologram at work, and the curious would get interested. The rest of us would just go back to work.
But, what if we saw someone we knew was dead walking toward us?
Now remember, this story is being told by a people who have experienced the death and resurrection of Jesus.
More than anything, this story at this point of Matthew’s Gospel is theophany story
in which the divinity of Jesus is revealed.
The evidence of that comes when Jesus speaks and says:
Get hold of yourselves. It is I.
In the original language of this Gospel, these are words straight out of the Book of Exodus – I AM WHO I AM says the voice from the burning bush.
So the first thing we get on an August Sunday from Matthew’s Gospel is an affirmation about the identity of Jesus Christ.
The next thing we get is a description of his function – what he is here to do.
This Divine Messiah is here to save humankind.
In chapter eight there is another boat story
about a sleeping Jesus and a violent storm that is sinking the boat.
In that story, no one gets out of the boat, while Jesus calms the storm.
It concludes with the apostles wondering:
What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”
In this boat story, they get their answer.
He is none other than the “I AM” who spoke to Moses
and called for obedience.
In that story, staying in the boat even if it’s battered by storms
is the way to get to the other side.
It is a church – story about getting from here to there:
from here to the other side.
In both stories, the “little faith” of the disciples is the issue,
but the second story has it’s roots in the resurrection experience,
and so Peter is willing to step out when called.
Had he not taken that first step, he would never have learned the meaning of faith.
Thank God for Peter!
Bounding out of the boat, onto the water.
What an act of faith, and then the sinking, and the panic, and the cry or desperation.
And then the hand extended in a powerful combination,
a kind of incarnation blending of friendship
and salvation,
and encouragement
and life itself.
And then those wonderful words.
I’ve never thought they were spoken in rebuke or aloof scolding.
I prefer to think that they were spoken with admiration and tenderness.
I think they were whispered, intimate encouragement:
“Oh Little-Faith-One. Why did you doubt?
Little faith is a marvelous thing.
Just a little will get you out of the boat and onto the water;
and that’s the first step sometimes.
It’s what Elijah learned at that cave.
It’s not the big wind,
the earthquake,
nor the big fire that matters.
It’s the tiny whispering voice.
In a world that thinks bigger is better,
might is right, and that being tough and unbending is virtue,
this is a hard thing to get right.
God loves faith in every form, big and little,
and little faith grows into great faith.