![]() If we find healing in this life, it won’t be because we went it alone, but because by God’s grace we found good company, and by that same grace we bound ourselves to Christ and to others in affection and accountability. If there is any safety to be had in this life, it does not come through self-sufficiency, but by discovering the companionship of God, and by sailing through thick and thin with other companion disciples. Because human sin and woundedness require compassion and healing and forgiveness, but we are unlikely to grant ourselves such gifts, such is the depth of our confusion and shame. Because we do not save ourselves and we cannot be saved alone. Because evil is real and you’re easy prey if you think you can confront it alone or depend on your own virtue to avoid it. Because life is treacherous and hard and it’s easy to get picked off by its cares if you go it alone. And because that’s where your sisters and brothers are, and you want to be with them too. Why in the boat? Because he’s getting in it, and you want to be with him. Trust him enough not to tempt him, not to try to be him, not to walk on water, but to leave that to him and stay in the boat. For them, the best thing you can do is trust Jesus’ promise that he is either already always with us or that he is always on his way to us. But the early Christians who handed this story down to us saw it differently. Faith climbs over the side, faith walks out to Jesus. If you’re going to do something bold for God, you can’t just sit there. We like people who strike out on their own and take risks. We think it took guts and faith to get out of the boat. We make fun of Peter for sinking, but we admire his courage and impetuosity. Now, I know we often hear this story differently. Jesus calls him “little faith” not so much because he gets scared and starts to sink, but because he didn’t sit down when the others did, he couldn’t wait like they waited, he wouldn’t stay in the boat. The minute Peter says, “If it’s you, command that I walk to you on water,” he joins the company of the tempters, and that’s not good. “If it’s really you, show me the nail marks your hands.” That’s Thomas tempting Jesus after the resurrection. “If you are the Son of God, let’s see you come down off that cross and save yourself.” That’s the mockers tempting Jesus as he was dying. Where have we heard this before? “If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread, or better yet, jump off the temple pinnacle and see if the angels will catch you.” That’s Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness. Like, tell me to walk to you on the water. Do a trick, a miracle, something cool and spectacular. But Peter says, “If it is you…” If you are who you say you are. ![]() All the other disciples take Jesus as his word. His doubt begins before he even leaves the boat. But it’s doubt that gets him onto the water in the first place. We know that he sinks, and that he cries out, “Lord, save me!” We know that Jesus grabs him in the nick of time, and that Jesus asks him, “Why did you doubt?” Now, when we hear that bit about doubting, we think Jesus is scolding Peter for noticing the waves and the wind. He challenges Jesus, and Jesus challenges him back. And at that, everybody sits down and waits for him to get there and climb in. But it’s out here, in the wind and waves, in the wee hours, just when they’re most exhausted and aren’t making any headway at all. They sit right back down and they grin at each other with those goofy grins you can’t help grinning when things that should have turned out really really bad turn out really really good. It’s me.” I imagine they are so relieved they sit right back down in the boat. So when the disciples see someone walking on the water, when they all stand up in the boat and lean way out to get a good look, they’re not thinking, “Oh, that’s Jesus.” They’re thinking, ”Oh, Jesus, that’s a ghost.” And so you can also imagine how relieved they are when that familiar voice calls out and says something they’ve heard before: “Don’t be afraid. You don’t think he’ll walk to you on water. Now, if someone says, “You go ahead in the boat, I’ll meet you later,” you think, okay, he’s going to go on foot around the lake, or maybe take another boat across. It’s late, but he wants to pray, so he tells the disciples to take the boat back across the lake. ![]() ![]() Matthew 14:22-33 After Jesus has fed thousands of hungry people with five loaves and two fish, he sends the people home.
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