Peter Walks on Water … For a Moment

Jesus does the unthinkable. Walking out to his disciples, on the water of the sea of Galilee, he stuns them with his majesty and well, ability to walk on water. Like the disciples, we would want the same validation and confirmation of identity … I mean, is that really you, Jesus? Comforting, Jesus affirms who he is. Jesus greets us with a word of peace and calmness (14:27). Here we see Peter’s yearning for Jesus, as he suggests to Jesus that if he called him, Peter would walk out to him. And when Jesus said, “Come,” Peter climbed over the side of the boat. When he got out there, for at least a few moments, Peter walked on the surface of the water himself. With his attention fixed on Christ, he participated in the glorious miracle (of walking on water) too. But then the wind hit his face. He became overwhelmed and his faith in Jesus was challenged by fear of circumstance (the wind). When he prioritized the storm over attention on Jesus, he sank like a rock. Thrusting his hand upward, Peter cried out “Save me.” And Jesus did.

But he also rebuked Peter for his “little faith,” oligopistos. Pointedly, Jesus asked Peter, “Why did you doubt?” When Peter stepped out of the boat, he took a risk. It was only by taking a risk that he was able to walk on water at all, if even only for a moment. We don’t often think of our faith as being about risk-taking. We live in a country that makes it seem easy, without risk, to be a Christian — but that is an appealing lie. Being a Christian is risk free only so long as we don’t take it too seriously, don’t let our faith truly shape our priorities and agendas. Once we step forward to admit and to proclaim that Jesus is Lord of all creation, much less our own lives, we embark on a journey that is all about taking risks, about stepping out of the boat ourselves.

• Dr. Scott Engle | 04/23/2023 | 9:30 Traditional

• Rev. Kim Meyers | 04/23/2023 | 11:00 Contemporary