You Can’t Walk On Water! You’ve Got To Stay In The Boat! Matthew 14:22-33 Pastor Barry Kerner
You Can’t Walk On Water! You’ve Got To Stay In The Boat!
Matthew 14:22-33
Pastor Barry Kerner
If you have your Bibles open we’ll be looking at Matthew 14:22-33 this morning.
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
We live in a world where so much of American Christianity is screaming at us weekly to step out in faith. “You’ve got to get out of the boat like Peter did!!!” they say, If we’re not doing that, then we’re “failing” at being a “true believer” in this life. They say, “If you don’t get out of the boat then you don’t trust Jesus, you don’t have faith.” But I will come right out and tell you point blank, “You can’t walk on water! You’ve got to stay in the boat!”
Our story starts out with Jesus sending his disciples on ahead of him. It is the kind of comment you hear in any shopping mall: ‘You go on ahead: I’ll catch up with you later.’ But in this case it was different. These were the words of Jesus and he was sending his disciples off across the Sea of Galilee in a boat. ‘You go on ahead: I’ll catch up with you later.’ They did what he said, but there must have been questions running through their minds: Exactly how and when was Jesus going to catch up with them later? After all it was getting late, and a storm seemed to be brewing over the horizon. It was a strange experience for those disciples that night: crowded together in a flimsy boat, in the dark with an adverse wind that defied all their straining efforts. It was a kind of time of pointless human effort, of chaos, when that combination of water and wind was raging at its most.
In contrast to their exertions, Jesus, like Moses on Mount Sinai, had gone up the mountain by himself to pray. He was on his own, praying to God, his Heavenly Father, all through the night into the early hours of the morning. The evangelist Matthew only mentions Jesus praying at really critical moments: here on this stormy night and in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his death. It is at moments such as these that Jesus draws strength from God, sheltering in the divine intimacy of the Father’s love.
With the storm raging the disciples were afraid. Fear is an unpleasant emotion. It is caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous. Fear is caused from the anticipation that something will cause pain to an individual and potentially put an end to the individual resulting in death.
More specifically, there are indeed a lot of things that can cause fear to you and me. Terrorist attacks, spiders, death, being a failure, or being alone, Fear of the future, of flying, of heights, of clowns, snakes, public speaking, hospitals, and funerals are several examples that most certainly create fear in some lives.
When fear happens though, we may get an Adrenaline rush. Our breathing rate accelerates, our heart rate increases, our muscles constrict, goose bumps may form; there is also an increase in our alertness and our tolerance to pain is increased. And don’t forget that fear can bring about screaming, that is, loud shrieking cries.
This fear may then visibly manifest itself by you and me adapting to fearful things or running away from fearful things. We may also have anxiety attacks or we can pretend that the danger does not exist. Some use drug treatments to eliminate fear or go to psychologists for cognitive behavioral therapy in order to process their fears.
Regardless of the tactics one uses to respond to fearful things and the emotion of fear itself, the fact remains that there are things in life that are dangerous and bring about calamity in our lives. No matter how much therapy, no matter how much avoidance, and no matter how much adaptation we implement, there are things in our lives that indeed threaten us and will most certainly destroy us and may even kill us. It frightens us because last time I checked, no one had found a medical cure for death; death that is a result of this world tainted and perverted by sin; death that is birthed from your sin and my sin. Yes, when it all comes down to it, beneath the fear of terrorist attacks, spiders, flying, snakes, and possibly clowns is the sting of death and the finality of life as we know it. Yes, death, which is birthed from sin, drives us to fear because it is a grave threat that is out of our control.
But back to that stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples in our narrative were in a boat while a storm raged on in the Sea of Galilee. There is no doubt that they were battling the wind, the waves, and the rain; however, it was not primarily these things that incited the greatest fear among the disciples.
Exactly what happens next is lost in the mists of time, but we know that something remarkable happened. As the disciples’ boat is buffeted by the wind, in the early hours of the morning, that is between 3am and 6am, the disciples see Jesus walking on the water towards them. ‘He came towards them walking on the sea.’ Human beings can perform many extraordinary feats in, on, and under water. You may be an excellent swimmer; in these summer months you may revel in the pleasures of water-skiing; you might even find yourself on a beach and have the nerve and skill to catch a huge wave and surf it. You may dive from a great height and plunge into the water far below; you can snorkel or go scuba-diving under water. But you can’t walk on water. Your body weight and the law of gravity make walking on water a physical impossibility. Human beings know this.
We talk about ‘walking on air’ as a metaphor of triumph and success; and when we see a ballerina like the Russian Natalia Osipova, move through the air with such graceful, extraordinary beauty, we glimpse possibilities of human movement that we never thought possible. But as for walking on water, we know that that is beyond us–beyond our human capabilities. The disciples, most of whom were experienced fishermen, knew this too. Little wonder that they were terrified at what they saw and cried out in fear. The sea, after all, in their culture could be a place of demons and diabolical monsters–like a screaming nightmare that wakes you up, trembling and fearful.
As Jesus came closer to them though, the disciples were deeply troubled. As scripture tells us, they spoke a weird mystical response. “It is a ghost!” they whispered. They also cried out in fear. They assumed that whatever being was hovering over the water and coming closer to them could not be bringing good news for them. They realized that they were in the presence of something beyond their understanding, and they were afraid of such power and mystery. They did not know who or what it was.
Although today’s Gospel reading is certainly not a parable, but a real historical event, we can still identify with the disciple’s fear. In other words, it is worth noting in today’s Gospel reading that it was Jesus walking on water who was responsible for inciting fear in the disciples. Sure they were battling the wind, waves, and rain, but it was Jesus that drove them to utter fear as He walked towards them on the water. Therefore, what do we do when it is the Lord that brings about fear in us? Sure death, the devil, the world, and sin all have a way of inciting fear in us, but what happens when the Lord himself insights fear in us?
Because we are simultaneously sinners and saints, our sinful nature is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; truly, it cannot. In fact, when we encounter God’s perfect Holiness, we confess like Isaiah, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Because we are sinners, the presence of God is a terrifying thing. In other words, according to our sinful nature, when we encounter the Lord in His Word, we come to realize that we are not the Lord who walks on the water, we come to realize that we are not the Lord who is in control, and we come to realize that we are not the Lord who is authoritative. We operate in a completely different paradigm than the Lord? Surely, as we encounter the Lord of the Holy Scriptures we quickly come to learn that He does not operate according to our rules of nature and according to the way we believe things need to be. Yes, when things do not happen according to our strategies and when things happen out of our control, it can most certainly incite fear in us, especially when we have set certain expectations on the Lord. In a word, when our expectations of the Lord are not met and when it appears that the Lord does not function according to our agendas, according to our rules, and according to our ideas, it can actually inflame terror in us.
Christ Jesus in our Gospel reading certainly shatters the expectations and worldview of the disciples by walking on water. But, He quickly grants them comfort. Jesus Christ is indeed ‘Lord’ and not some sissy savior. He does bring about a Holy awe, as He should. Yet, in our Gospel reading, He didn’t leave the disciples in their fear, but immediately spoke to them the sure and comforting words, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Because they were troubled, Jesus calmed them with the words, “Take heart.” Because they did not know who He was, Jesus responded with the words, “It is I.” Because they were fearful, Jesus responded with the words, “Do not be afraid.” In these reassuring words, He reveals Himself to them giving them all that they need for blessed assurance.
Is it any different for you and me today? In the midst of our fears of: terrorist attacks, spiders, death, being a failure, the future, the devil, or whatever it may be including the Holy-Righteous Lord Himself—the words of Christ are spoken into our ears, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Yes, these words are true and should bring us comfort, for Jesus Christ certainly came to mankind by being born into the crashing waves of this world. He walked through the midst of the blowing winds of sin, temptation, and the devil towards the cross where all the calamity of life was conquered. The Christ conquered death, sin, the devil and satisfied the wrath of God—for you. Through His death on a wooden cross you were saved.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit called you by the Gospel, sanctified you, and has placed you in a holy boat, the ark of the church. You have been baptized into the name of Jesus and placed in the church where you are daily and richly forgiven of all your sins and kept in the true faith. The church, Christ’s church, is a safe haven and a place of salvation and certainty in the midst of a world of chaos and uncertainty. Here in the Lord’s holy church you are in the living presence of Christ where you are clothed, fed, sustained, and given peace with the words, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
It is not helpful at this point to try to figure out how Jesus walked on water. Nor is it useful to dismiss this incident as a fabrication or illusion on the part of the disciples. What the evangelist Matthew is inviting us to do is to ask the question: Who is it that can walk on water particularly during a raging storm? This invites us to turn to scripture and there some answers begin to emerge. In scripture, it is God who commands the sea and stills the storm. It is God alone who can walk on water. Psalm 77 is a psalm pleading for help from God which calls to mind the awesome power of God in the crossing of the Israelites through the Sea of Reeds.
‘When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled…Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.’
So on this storm tossed night on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus reveals himself uniquely as the one endowed with the power of the creator God, the one to whom he has prayed all night, and in whose strength he now walks on water. This is none other than the divine power of God who overcomes the chaos of the deep, turbulent waters and is totally unafraid of the raging of the sea. The disciples find themselves in the divine presence, encountering the divine power in all its strength and protection.
On one level, the words of Jesus, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid’ are the words of a leader taking command. But on another level, the words invoke the divine name of God, the great ‘I am’ creator of the heavens and earth. It is little wonder that the disciples, like the wise men at his birth, respond to Jesus, the one who walks on water, by worshiping him. Exhausted by the storm and overwhelmed by what they have witnessed, they make the first profession of faith in Matthew’s gospel: ‘You are the Son of God.’
These powerful words of Jesus were enough for most of the disciples; however, as is typical, they were not enough for the Apostle Peter. The Apostle Peter, not being sure that it was Jesus walking on water said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Yes, Peter doubted if it really was Jesus on the water and then he made this silly request of wanting to walk on the water towards Jesus. It was not enough for Peter to stay in the boat and worship Jesus with the other disciples. Peter required additional proof beyond Jesus’ comforting words.
This is where we see Jesus do something that is quite consistent with the actions of God throughout the Bible. Sometimes, when God’s people ask for something stupid, God gives it to them in order to give them a learning experience. Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter, being the impulsive guy he was, got out of the boat and began to walk to Jesus on the water.”
Now, instead of just standing there with Jesus, Peter began to look at his surroundings. The raging wind and waves were very threatening to him. He took his eyes off of Jesus and Peter sank into the water. The terror returned. Peter cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Thankfully though, Jesus ‘reached out’ His hand and took hold of Peter and brought him back to the boat.
I want you to understand, “Peter’s faith is not being held up as an example to emulate. His weakness is being showcased, in order that, in direct contrast, Jesus’ identity and power and grace might be seen more fully. There is nothing admirable in Peter’s example, nothing bold about his impetuous desire to get out of the boat.” It’s sad but many Christians, like Peter, are prone to leave the boat, the church, and venture off. The Lord indeed speaks words of comfort to us in the boat, that is, the church; however, like Peter we are often times not content with the simple word of God within the church and want some sort of personal sign and validation.
Tragically, we find ourselves wanting more than the clear and comforting Word of God within His church. We want bigger experiences, we want something spectacular, and we want to walk on water ourselves. And, like Peter, we are easily distracted by the waves, the winds, and the storms of life, thus becoming easily terrified resulting in us sinking below the water. Frankly, we don’t belong outside of the boat, for we cannot endure the waves and winds, and we most certainly can’t walk on water.
Thankfully though, the Lord is patient with us. When we do find ourselves sinking in these situations that we have created ourselves by leaving the boat, crying out in fear, “Lord save me!” the Lord indeed does save us by reaching out to us and dragging us back to the boat, the place where He graciously restores us and comforts us with His love.
If we flounder, help is at hand. As Jesus stretches out his hand to rescue Peter, we are reminded of God’s action as recorded in Psalm 18:16-19: ‘God reached down from on high and took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.’
There are times in your life when you may feel overwhelmed, when you have stepped out of where God wants you and you find yourself out of your depth. When you have strayed from God’s Word and now you feel you are drowning under a multitude of problems. Don’t lose heart. For it is at times like these that Christ will draw you out of your turbulence and calm the storms of your life. As we near the end of our lives, you and I will have to step out from family and friends and walk through the waters of death. It is then that we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, to trust in Him, and to know that he will draw us safely back home to our Heavenly Father.
The virtuoso pianist and composer, Franz Lizst, for the most part was not religious. But towards the end of his life, that changed. Lizst was particularly drawn to the story of St Francis of Paolo–a story which in turn was inspired by Jesus walking on the water. St Francis had hoped to get a boat across the Straits of Messina from the coast of Italy to Sicily. But he had no money, and the boatman refused to grant him any favors. Indeed he taunted him and told him to make his own way across the strait. And so as the story goes, Francis put his cloak on the water and stepping onto it, began to walk. In 1863, Lizst composed his piano piece, St Francis Walking on the Water–a piece of music that remains a great challenge to any emerging classical pianist. It is a profoundly spiritual work: a strong melodic hymn begins the piece; but then the whole piano is gradually and frighteningly caught up in a ferocious storm, through rushing scales and tremolos. Gradually, tentatively, the hymn of faith fights back, resolutely walking on the waters of this terrible storm and finally emerges in a glorious fortissimo of victory. Faith, justice and love have triumphed over the infernal elements unleashed against them.
Walking on water? A human impossibility. When the storms of life rage around us we must learn to stay in the boat, worship Jesus and trust the Word of God.
Let us pray. Help us, O Lord, when the storms of life assail us, to entrust ourselves to your mercy and your power. For the times when we strike out on our own and begin to flounder draw us out of the waters that engulf us, and place us in the safe harbor of your love, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.