The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost - August 10

Trying to Be With Jesus
Matthew 14:22-33

The stories we are hearing these last few weeks in the Gospel readings come from the heart of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. Last week we heard how Jesus fed a multitude along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

This week’s reading follows immediately after. Jesus has dismissed the crowds. He then instructs his disciples to get into the boat and proceed across the lake while he goes up on the mountain alone to pray. As night falls a strong storm arises and wind and waves batter the boat. In the early hours of the morning as the storm rages, Jesus comes towards the disciples in the boat, walking across the stormy sea. The disciples are initially terrified, not knowing who he is. But he says, “It is I.” In the Greek, he actually just says “I am” using the same phrase that God used to identify himself to Moses when he spoke from the burning bush. Peter eagerly jumps up and says, “If it is you, Lord, command me to come to you.” Jesus says “come.” Peter steps out of the boat and initially walks across the stormy waves. But he becomes frightened by the storm. His faith and his focus waver and he begins to sink. Jesus immediately reaches out and saves him and brings him safely back into the boat. In awe the disciples worship Jesus as God’s Son.

I find Peter to be an endearing character throughout the stories we have about him in Scripture. He is so eager and well intentioned, but so often misguided. And here we have another “Peter messes up” story. It seems like most of the Peter stories are “Peter messes up” stories. He’s like that favorite adolescent nephew—a really good kid, but somehow just can't stay out of trouble.

I found myself wondering, at least in my imagination, how this story might have ended differently. What other trajectories might the plot have followed?

The story itself seems to invite us to consider the possibility that Peter might have made it all the way to Jesus. If he hadn’t become frightened; if his faith hadn’t faltered; he could have successfully walked across the waves to Jesus. But, in Peter’s life, that’s an impossible ending. It couldn’t have ended that way because Peter is never without fear or doubt or uncertainty. Peter’s faith is never perfect. It’s fruitless to imagine that it might have been. Peter’s faith is never perfectly clear and secure, unassaulted by doubt or fear.

As Matthew tells the story it seems like Peter initiates this event to test Jesus’ power and identity. “If you are who you say you are, Jesus, work your miracle in me, too.” But the “facts” of the story say that it is Peter’s faith that determines whether he makes it or not. Jesus’ power and identity are manifest in other ways. Jesus has just fed 5000 people with mere morsels of food. Jesus has come walking across the stormy water to the disciples. Jesus saves Peter from drowning. Jesus’ power and identity have been revealed. So if Peter had made it, it would not really have told us anything new about Jesus. It would have told us something we know to be pretty highly unlikely—that Peter had somehow acquired a full and perfect faith.

Another way the story might have played out: What if Peter stayed in the boat with the other disciples. Then, with them, he would have seen a very impressive miracle. He would have observed Jesus walking on water, once again seen a revelation of Jesus’ divinity and power. But he would have been just an observer, learning nothing new about himself or his personal relationship with Jesus.

One other possible scenario for this story: Peter might have missed the boat. Literally. That sounds like something that could happen to the Peter we know. Maybe he got sidetracked trying to figure out exactly how Jesus had fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Maybe he was helping clean up. Maybe it had just been a very busy day and he had one more thing to do before he got back to Jesus. So he missed Jesus’ instruction to get in the boat. He missed witnessing the miracle. He missed a personal interaction with Jesus in his life. Because he was busy or distracted, he could have missed the boat.

But the story didn’t go any of those ways. Peter was in the boat and when he saw Jesus, he jumped out into the waves. Because Peter was always trying to be with Jesus! Always, Peter was eagerly trying to be with Jesus, as close to his Lord as possible. Have you thought about that? Even the events we call Peter’s denial—the stage is set for that because Peter just couldn’t stay away. Yes, still assaulted by fear and doubt, but he was there, following as close as possible, trying to be near Jesus.

Then there’s the wonderful post-resurrection story that John tells in his Gospel. After Jesus crucifixion and resurrection some of the disciples, including Peter, are fishing in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. They have caught nothing until a figure on the shore tells them to cast their nets on the other side and they haul in a full catch. When Peter realizes it is Jesus, he jumps overboard to try to get to Jesus as quickly as possible. The boat isn’t fast enough. Peter urgently, eagerly, wants to be with Jesus.

And in this morning’s story, Peter is trying to get to Jesus. So I think the message of this story is: if you’re trying to get to Jesus, Jesus will save you. No matter what dangers threaten you, no matter how secure or not your faith is… if you are trying to get to Jesus, Jesus will save you. If you are working at coming to Jesus, Jesus will save you.

So the point of the story is not if Peter had just had more faith or a more perfect faith, things would have been better. Peter’s faith will never be perfect But he’s eagerly trying to get to Jesus and Jesus saves him.

It’s always better to try to get to Jesus. Even if it involves considerable risk. Peter jumped out of a boat into a stormy sea and was held, caught, and saved by Jesus. Our faith, like Peter’s, will never be perfect. But even in the midst of whatever fear or doubt or uncertainty threatens us, if we are trying to get to Jesus, Jesus will save us. Jesus will take hold of us and hold us close in his arms.