This week's Matthew 14 story, where Jesus walks on the water, is no exception. Pastor Emillie preached on this story that continues after the feeding of the crowd of 5,000+. She highlighted details in the text starting with Jesus and reminders this is not the first time that Matthew tells us about Jesus and the disciples on the sea, in a storm.
The similarities are striking but the differences even more so. This time Jesus is not in the boat with them. The situation the disciples find themselves in is much more representative of the church today. Jesus makes the disciples get into the boat and move on ahead of him. Pastor Emillie reminded us that people who were listening to this story in ancient times would have had different associations than we do with a storm on the sea appearing in a story. Troubled waters, for them, represented chaos in the world. We can read n example of this in Genesis.
The disciples are not making much progress in the chaos that surrounds them. Jesus then appears to them, above the the waves and chaos that they are fighting, walking on the water. He appears like a ghost, unworldly in their eyes. She observes that Peter constantly puts himself "out there" and this story proves to be no exception.
He identifies himself by declaring ειμι, that is "I am." and sends a message with the same answer God gave Moses at the burning bush, that God is more powerful than that which is unruly. Peter understands Jesus enough through this to request "“Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” and he does walk on the water when Jesus says, "Come".
Yet Peter, Pastor Emillie points out, like us (because we are human and cannot remain in this state). The Hymn of the Day Matt chose, My Life Flows On In Endless Song, expresses this idea beautifully. "No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I'm clinging..."
"While to that rock I'm clinging." We can't, by our nature and life around us, constantly cling to that rock. Still, armed with the knowledge that Christ is Lord of heaven and Earth, how can we keep from singing?"
Once again I am reminded that when Jesus says things like “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” he is not speaking out of his judgement and disappointment in us but out of deep understanding of who we are and asking Peter to reflect on what he can learn from his experience. Why do you want to defy nature and walk on the water when Jesus can be with you as you live your life? Why are we tempted to test both God and ourselves with something hard and challenging? How does this affect our faith?
Today I am also thinking about the memorial service for San Tse, held at Creator six years ago, and his swim to freedom in the China Sea. His is an inspiring story. The Gospel lesson for that Sunday happened to be the same. As disciples I suppose one question is up to us. Can we get out of our boat; the boat of a complacent church, knowing that, if we do, Jesus will hold out his hand and we will walk. Or should we patiently wait for Jesus to return to the boat, confident that when he does the wind will cease. Below is a link to the blog entry written six years ago:
Both the story of the disciples and Sam's story can end and be confirmed by the last verse of this Gospel,
"When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
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