Pentecost VIII - Lynn Campbell

Matthew 14: 22-33

Risky Business

How many of us are risk takers? Often taking risks is seen in a negative light. It is sometimes seen as irresponsible, as a sign of immaturity, or simply impractical. We don’t want to take risks for fear of what we might lose. We fear losing money, losing face, losing friends. But in this mornings Gospel reading we are reminded that to be a Christian, to be a follower of Christ, is to be a risk taker. And I want to be clear- I don’t mean pointless risks like jumping off the roof or out of a boat if you don’t know how to swim. The type of risks I’m talking about here are risks that will bring you closer to God, risks that allow you to participate in the in breaking of God’s kingdom.

Today’s gospel reading of Jesus and Peter walking on water can lead to all kinds of bad theology. I’ve heard it argued that if you simply have enough faith, God won’t let harm come to you. Or, if you believe strongly enough in Jesus, you will never know fear. This simply isn’t true. These false understandings of fear and faith are not of God. No life of faith is completely free of fear or doubt. Even the saints felt them. But, with just a little faith, we can do amazing things with and for God even if it is with some fear. Jesus tells us we can move mountains with faith the size of a mustard seed.

The disciples know fear. They are terrified of the figure they see walking on the water towards them. Can you blame them? Last weekend I was sitting with a friend on the Vineyard staring out at the waves in the ocean. We tried to imagine sitting in a boat in those waves and seeing a man approach. We agreed we would have joined the disciples as they cried out in fear! But Jesus sees their fear and calms them saying, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” It is I.

These are same words God speaks to Moses as he reveals his identity in the burning bush. These words signify the presence of God. These words, spoken in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, identify Jesus with the God of the Hebrew Scriptures. Here the disciples catch a glimpse of the one they are following.

So, with renewed courage, Peter challenges Jesus to command him to walk on the water. Jesus simply replies, “Come.” With these words, Peter steps out of the boat, eyes focused on Jesus, and begins to walk. We know that it isn’t long before Peter loses his focus and beings to sink.
But, as always, Jesus is ready to reach out and to save him.

Why did Peter take this risk? Why did he attempt to walk on water? I don’t know if he was trying to prove his faith in Jesus or to test him. Whatever the reason, he took a great risk in stepping out of the boat. And this risk might, at first glace, seem to have been a failure. But is it? Yes, Peter did take his eyes off Jesus and begin to sink. But this led to Jesus reaching out to save him. Because of Peter’s risk, the disciples and all of us see the saving power of Jesus. We have an illustration of Jesus reaching out to humanity to save us. Once Jesus and Peter were safely in the boat the disciples worship Jesus and pronounce that he truly is “the Son of God.” Peter’s risk leads to a confession of faith by all of the disciples. The disciples were different people after this encounter with Jesus, the Son of God. It is not that they never falter, fail, or fear again, but they know Jesus’ power and presence in their lives.

I am not a very brave person. It is easy for me to let fear get in the way of doing God’s work. The fact that I’ve been able to take any risks in my life is, for me, proof of the presence and power of God. When I was a sophomore in college I decided to travel to Mexico as part of an immersion trip sponsored by the campus ministry office. It was an opportunity to meet people in Mexico, to learn of their joys and their struggles and to gain a better understanding of the poverty and oppression experienced by so many in Latin America. I was scared. I didn’t know any Spanish and I had never really seen poverty. I had no idea what God had in store for me and my companions on this journey. What I experienced changed me.

I won’t forget the women and men I met in Mexico. They are the real risk takers of this story. I met women whose husbands have left them and their children. They had no money for food. No future to provide for them. So dozens of women came together to create a cooperative. They make beautiful handcrafts and sell them to tourists and to partners in the United States. Their risk brought them new life and new opportunities. And they told me that they knew God’s presence in their labors.

And I won’t forget Fernando, the man I met who traveled hours each day from his tiny hilltop village to sell the baskets he and his family weaved. Each morning before he left he prayed to God for protection and guidance. With the money earned he could buy food for his wife and kids. Witnessing God’s presence in the poor and seeing the effects of unjust systems ignited something in me. Stepping on the plane (even with all of my fear and doubt) changed the direction of my life. I experienced God in the love, courage and generosity of the people I encountered in Mexico. Their faithfulness, even as they walk in the troubled waters of this world, encouraged me to call out to Jesus and to seek to follow him more closely.

Sometimes it is only by looking back over our lives that we can see the value of taking a risk. Maybe it was the first time you volunteer at a homeless shelter or traveled to an unknown place. Perhaps it was when you first walked into this church or stepped up as a leader. It doesn’t have to involve leaving the country, but it does involve leaving your comfort zone. One step can lead to another and then another and before you know it God is using you in ways you couldn’t have even imagined. I’m sure many of you have stories to illustrate this. I’d encourage you to share these stories with one another. They are stories of God at work in the world. As you reflect on the risks you have taken, I also invite you to consider what risk God is calling you to make. What step will lead you and others into deeper knowledge of Jesus as the Son of God? What risk will further God’s work in the world?

Being a disciple is risky business. Stepping out of our comfort zones is not easy. Venturing into the troubled waters of the world is sometimes scary. But how else do we proclaim the love and mercy of God and participate in the building of God’s world of justice and peace? To be closer to Jesus, to see and share is his love, we sometimes have to venture out of the safety of the boat whether that boat be our homes, our circle of friends, or the pew you are sitting in right now. There will be times when we feel like we are sinking, but do not fear. Call out to Jesus. Let others help. Hear Jesus’ words to us this morning: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Amen.