August 10 - a Story of Faith and Discipleship

Today’s gospel is a story about faith and discipleship in which the

main character is not Jesus, but Peter.

Peter becomes a symbol for a disciple, who is called to take a step in faith, to venture out into the troubled waters and to trust in Jesus as our only hope. The boat can be a symbol for whatever gives us security. And maybe that expression “walking on water” could simply represent something we’re afraid to try - that we won’t undertake because we’re convinced we’ll fail.

Now Jesus comes and says: “Get out of the boat” - venture forth in faith, trusting simply that he’ll be there for us.

Peter was Jesus’ disciple. A disciple is a student and Peter had listened to Jesus teaching. He wanted to learn what his master knew. But more than that, a disciple wants to do what his teacher did. A disciple wanted to talk like his teacher – and walk the walk of his teacher. Thus a disciple devoted his life to being just like his teacher.

So Peter is just being a good disciple when he asks to walk on water with Jesus – to do what his teacher is doing. He wants to be just like Jesus, walking on the whitecaps.

But Peter just doesn’t jump out of the boat and start walking. He knows that if he’s going to do something impossible, it will be because Jesus calls him. He’s learned that Jesus can make the impossible possible when He calls you to do something. But Peter also realizes that if he just hops out on his own initiative, he’ll sink like a rock.

Lord if it is you, please call me to come to you on the water. Call me to do what you are doing. Let me be like you.

Jesus calls Peter. Come.

It’s not the first time Jesus has called his disciples to do something impossible. We’ve heard him say Turn the other cheek if someone slaps your face. And if someone asks you to walk a mile with them, walk two miles instead – do more than they ask. He’s told his disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them – to overcome hate with love. Disciples are called to follow Jesus wherever he goes, even to the cross. So again Jesus calls a disciple to do the impossible. Okay Peter, come to me, Walk on water.

Peter is a model of faith. He’s willing to take a risk, jump out of the boat and try the impossible at Jesus’ command. He wants to be like Jesus even if that means jumping out into the unknown.

He’s bold, hops out of boat and takes a couple of steps, and then the wind blows. He looks down at the waves breaking over his feet, and loses his nerve. He was overwhelmed by doubts and became afraid. Momentarily paralyzed, he began to sink.

Even men and women of faith may at times become discouraged. At times our faith may seem to fail us - doubt creeps in.

· Doubts and fears that causes us to sink - fear of the unknown, fear of vulnerability, fear of failure - that causes us to sink - that cuts us off from faith.

· Doubts and fears that hold us back - that keep us from venturing out - from even taking that first step down a new path. I won’t try, because I’m afraid I might fail.

· I don’t want to try going back to school - It’s been too long since I’ve had to study.

· I won’t try to find a better job - a different career - I’ll play if safe and stick with what I’ve got.

· I can’t change . . . whatever it is we’re afraid to attempt.

Like Elijah, we’ll just stay in our cave. Or like the disciples, we’ll remain in the boat.

We won’t take the risk, because we’re not sure - we’re not willing to try.

But the Lord calls out to us: “Don’t be afraid, you can do it. Step out the boat, and walk on water with me.”

“Lord, I can’t walk on water - I’ve never done that. What if I fail, I’ll sink.”

“Take heart, don’t be afraid, try” the Lord replies. “If you feel you are beginning to sink, reach out and take my hand - I won’t let you down.”

Remember those impossible demands of Jesus. How can we possibly accomplish them? The same way Peter walked on water. When the Lord calls us to do something, he gives us the power to do it. Even if we falter or slip, He’s there with us, to reach out his hand and pull us up if we begin to sink.

Lord save me! And Jesus reaches down, catches his hand, and pulls him up.

Safely in the boat, Jesus scolds Peter. You of little faith. Why did you doubt?

Maybe Peter didn’t doubt Jesus, but doubted himself. Peter was just an ordinary person and Jesus was calling him to do something extraordinary. Maybe Jesus is calling you to do something impossible, but the wind has picked up and doubt has crept in. Maybe you’ve stepped out into the unknown and now you feel like you’re in way over you head. Or perhaps you hear the call of Jesus to do something, but you’re too afraid to get out the boat.

Remember Jesus said, You did not choose me, I chose you. He wouldn’t have called you here if he didn’t have faith in you. Yes, you should have faith in Jesus, but you should also remember: Jesus has faith in you.

The label on the back of a bottle of salad dressing says: “Shake well before using”

You’ve probably read that hundreds of times on containers of various sorts: “Shake well before using” Shaking and usefulness seem to go together. As you read the Bible, you sometimes get the impression that from the Lord’s perspective, we humans have a label: “Shake well before using” God doesn’t forewarn - he doesn’t explain - he just shakes

· God shook Job - he lost everything for a while

· God shook Paul - knocked him off his horse, flat on his back,

And Jesus kept shaking those disciples - and today’s gospel is just another example. The Lord restores his people - prods them to growth - by shaking them up. Where his shaking leads, God only knows - he doesn’t seem to explain in advance.

Shaking can be a sign of God’s involvement in our lives. God doesn’t just shake for the sake of shaking. there is a reason, which is not apparent at the time. The stuff of life is being rearranged, and we are going to be affected.

In today’s gospel, when Jesus invites Peter to step out of the boat and walk to Him – to walk on water, he doesn’t explain to Peter what will keep him from sinking.

We’d prefer to know where we’re going before we start following.

What we want is to say: “God, you show me where following You will lead me - your plan and purpose for my life, and if I like it, I’ll do it.”

But that’s not the way the Lord does things.

He expects us to make the commitment first.

He wants you to say, like the first disciples, I am ready to follow where ever you lead. I want to fulfill the purpose that You made me for.

Only after you’ve made that commitment, does the Lord begin to reveal His plan and purpose to you.

Why does He do it like that?

Why does He want you to first commit yourself to following Him before He’s told you where you’ll be going? Because he wants you to trust Him... to have faith.

The kind of faith Jesus expects is based on trust – Entrusting the direction of your life to Him.

It is more than simply saying I believe in Jesus Christ. It is putting that belief that Jesus is Lord into action in your life – Actually letting Jesus be the Lord of your life.

“The road to faith passes through obedience to the call of Jesus. Unless a definite step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air. If people imagine they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves.”

“Peter had to leave the boat and risk his life on the water, in order to learn both his own weakness and the almighty power of His Lord. If Peter had not taken the risk, he would have never learned the meaning of faith. “Faith” is not only an inner belief about Christ, but rather a faithful way of living, which involves obedience to God’s will.

Peter has learned from his personal experience that whatever Jesus commands, Jesus makes possible. Jesus will be there for Him if he ventures forth in faith and then finds himself in difficulty.

The commands of Jesus, taken seriously, create miracles; they open an incredible reservoir of divine resources. Apart from such commands, not much unusual is going to happen.

Jesus comes to us, as he came to his disciples, and invites us to leave the security of our boat.

In anticipation of our fears, in response to our anxieties, Jesus calls out:

“Take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

and he extends his hand to us, to uphold us.