Ok, here's the plan!

Gospel

Saint Matthew. (14.22-33)

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by him- self to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ 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, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

The account of the ‘miraculous feeding of the multitude’ with a few loaves and fishes is found in three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and John. However, Peter walking on the water is only found in the account we heard this morning from Matthew.

The event has been expanded here by Matthew to tell us something about Peter’s faith.

The disciples were ‘made’ to go to the other side of the lake immediately after he finishes talking to the crowds. The word in the Greek EUTHEOS means ‘forces’. No doubt they would have wanted to stay around, but Jesus needed to pray and he went up the mountain on his own to pray in silence.

The disciples are sent away - I’d understand why they didn’t want to get into the boat, in the Gospels almost every waterborne voyage is accompanied by disaster of some kind, and this voyage was no exception. Besides the storms, this account seems to have been an opportunity for the Disciples to be questioned on their ‘little faith’ because of their terrified cries for help ‘Lord save us’ they cry.

The other reason they might not have been happy to get into the boat and cross the lake was because they were leaving their own land and travelling to the land of the ‘Gentiles’. He is sending them to the

unclean/unknown side of life to maybe find ‘faith’?

In Chapter 8, the Disciples had crossed the lake through a storm, they landed on the Gentile side. In Mark’s account they were sent to Bethsaida, which is the Gentile side of the Jordan, but they don’t make it and land in Gennesaret, on the Jewish side of lake Galilee.

It seems that storms at sea and storms of little faith keep the disciples from reaching the destinations where Jesus has sent them.

I’m not quite sure how much attention we are supposed to pay to these stories of the sea, I could be making much too much of them. There are things that make me think, and they seem to speak to me in a particular way.

To be told by Jesus that you have ‘little faith’ is quite a charge, especially when he doesn’t say where they can get more faith. What’s the cure for ‘little faith’? Can you get ‘miracle grow’ for faith? The disciples must have felt thoroughly dejected.

Throughout these enforced voyages, the disciples have missed the lessons. Jesus is sending them to the Gentile, the unclean, the unknown, to learn about faith. To grow their faith and to be challenged, but they can’t see it. Consciously or by accident they keep coming back to what they know. He is giving them opportunities to grow their faith, but they are too uncomfortable.

Finally, in this miraculous act, Christ is walking on the water and he invites Peter to follow. For a time he does, then just like the journeys he fails. If only he could have kept his eyes on Jesus. If only he could, he would have possessed extraordinary gifts and a strong faith.

I don’t know whether it’s just me preaching about this in this way this morning, But it’s clear as day to me that this lesson is a challenge for us today. For you and for me.

Jesus is putting us on the boat and forcing us out to the uncomfortable places, to meet people we might not understand, to learn about our faith and grow. If we can keep our eyes on Christ, we won’t sink, but even if we do, he’ll save us, and send us out again.

Finally, Matthew, understood this I think. He gives a positive picture of the disciples, and has them "bowing to the ground and worshiping" (the meanings of PROSKUNEO) and confessing, "Truly you are the Son of God." Bowing at the feet of Christ, praying to God in silence, and being sent out to the dark places of the world to take his light.

This is a short sermon today, because there is little else to say.

May God be with you, may Christ send you, and may the Holy Spirit guide you.