Pentecost 12, 2011
Matthew 14:22-33
“You of Little Faith”
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Already in their call to be Disciples the Twelve have seen Jesus turn water into wine, heal a man that was lowered into the building Jesus was at, calm a storm that tossed their boat about, cast out demons from a man in a graveyard, heal Jairus’ daughter, heal a woman in a crowd, and many other miracles. Most recently…as recent as earlier in the day or perhaps the day before our text Jesus fed 5000 people. These weren’t just little stunts or illusions…these were amazing miracles! What an effect this must have had! Or did it?
The feeding of 5000…it was a wondrous event for the Disciples and the people that Jesus fed. From two fish and three loaves of bread to feeding over 5000…WOW! Saint John records in his Gospel that it was so wondrous…the people tried to make Jesus a king by force. At the same time Mark records in his Gospel that the Disciples were also in danger because of their lack of faith. Yes, the Disciples marveled at the wondrous miracle…but they still didn’t quite get who Jesus was; God in flesh. Jesus had to act at once.
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” (Matthew 14:22-24)
How could the people not understand? How could the Disciples have such little faith? Jesus did such miraculous things! Then again…why don’t we understand? As we look at the people in our text and the very Disciples themselves we need to realize we are looking in the mirror.
Think of all the miracles God has blessed you with in your own life. Some might think it’s a short list and others may realize that it would be impossible to list them all. Regardless, we take them all for granted. We all share in the miracle of having a Sun that rises every morning and yet we come to expect that as if it were nothing more than turning the light bulb on as we enter a room. We have the miracle of the earth itself to live on and yet we give in to those that leave the earth to existing out of chance; a big boom. We have the miracle of life and yet we don’t understand how precious it is; what a miracle it is until life is lost. We have the miracle of family…of moms and dads, sisters and brothers…and yet we fight with them, despise them, are jealous of them, and seek ways to be far from them. Every day is a miracle. Every second of every minute is a miracle. It is a miracle because life would end the second our Heavenly Father willed it…yet life goes on…a miracle…because our Heavenly Father loves us. And thus…the miracle of love.
There was a reason Jesus sent His Disciples on ahead of Him…to teach them. “During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:25-33)
This is a wonderful section about Jesus and His Disciples and yet it focuses on Peter…it focuses on us. Peter had so many ups and downs during his discipleship. Jesus would call him the devil and later praise his confession of faith. Peter would rise to defend Jesus and later deny him three times. Peter would be staunch in his confession and then be rebuked by Paul for his sins.
This too is our life. Our lives as Christians have ups and downs too. One minute we are worshipping our Lord and Savior and the next we are rejecting Him with our sinful lives. We go back and forth in this life…struggling between the good we know we should do and the evil that we do. We have our highs as forgiven children of God and our lows of being poor miserable sinners. We need a loving Savior who is our help in time of need. That’s what Peter needed too.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:28-30)
Our lives in this world are like a man walking along a narrow ledge on a mountain. There is only one chance of safety on that ledge. He must not look at his feet or at the yawning gulf beneath into which his dizziness will hurl him if he gazes down. He must look onward and upward at Christ and not at the waves, as Peter did. If you turn your eyes away from Him and fasten them on your troubles and afflictions, down you will be sure to go.
As we know…we are like Peter…and we have fallen. There are many times we call out “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30) But we think nobody hears us. We think we are ignored, despised, or even forgotten by God. And yet God does not ignore us. God does not despise us. God never forgets us. Even as we suffer tragedy and heartache we have a God that knows our pains. Look to the cross. Look to Jesus that suffered for all our sins…Look to Jesus who died on the cross that we may be forgiven. Look to God who loves you to death…the death of His own Son…that you would have life free from sin; free from tragedy and heartache.
God is a God of love…see the miracle of God’s love for Peter; for you in the text: “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:31-33)
In your time of need Jesus acts immediately! Maybe Jesus acts in a way you don’t expect. Maybe Jesus acts in a different way than you want. Yet the fact remains that Jesus acts! He acts for your good. How do we know? Look to the cross. In the cross you see the miracle of Jesus love for you. In the cross you see your Heavenly Father’s love for you. In the cross is the miracle of love that led to the miracle of the Resurrection. You of little faith…don’t doubt Christ…see His love for you as he pulls you out of the water of sin, tragedy, death, and despair and lifts you up to heaven with all the saints. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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