Today’s Gospel is very familiar to us all. We all love to hear of Jesus walking on the water, and Peter’s feeble attempt to walk to Jesus, from which Jesus saved him. And if you’re like me, you’re probably thinking that you know exactly what today’s sermon will be about, because every time this Gospel comes up we hear another sermon that Jesus Saves Us From Our Storms. Well, guess what? Today’s sermon title is “Another Jesus Saves Us from Our Storms Sermon.” And I prayed and prayed, and God said to me, “Why not?”
We still find ourselves in the midst of many storms. And Jesus still saves us from them. “Ancient words ever true, changing me and changing you…” Jesus hasn’t gotten out of the salvation business, and we still desperately need His touch in our lives.
If you recall, all the way back at the beginning of the year, we talked about two main themes from the beginning of the Gospel according to Matthew that weave throughout it. Do you remember? I’ll give you a hint, they were related to our Lord’s name. Jesus and Immanuel.
Immanuel. “‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’—which means, ‘God with us’” (Mt. 1:23). Immanuel means God with us, and throughout the Gospel, we again and again see Jesus being with people, not shutting them out when they seem too bad or too dirty or too sinful. Jesus is God with us throughout every moment, every trial and struggle.
Jesus. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21). The name Jesus means God saves. We’ve seen the billboards saying, “Jesus saves”—at least I did when I was younger. Abp. Sheen said in response to them, “Yes, indeed He does. But from what, and for what?” Throughout the Gospel, we must understand that the purpose of Jesus’ Incarnation was not to create a new social organization called the Church, but to save men and women and children from their sins.
So we come to today’s Gospel lesson and we see Jesus true to His name. Our Lord was with His disciples, even when they couldn’t see Him, and He came to save them. These two truths—that Jesus is God with us, and He saves us—are the ABCs of the Good News. The “Gospel in a nutshell” covers it: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16). Whatever else we chose to learn and know about our Lord, we all begin our life in Him because He saves us. Salvation through Jesus is the foundation of life. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus, because He alone can save us from our storms.
Jesus saves us out of situations that are too hard for us to take. The Gospel begins with Jesus forcing the disciples to leave Him. Jesus had just fed 5,000 men, all said, well over 20,000 people, and the disciples were part of the miracle. The people wanted to make Jesus king by force (Jn. 6:15), and the disciples were most likely caught up in the fervor. Why not make Jesus king? When Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say” (Mt. 27:11). But Jesus’ kingdom “is not of this world” (Jn. 18:36), and the sons of Adam could not make Jesus a king. Abp. Fulton Sheen wrote, “No unclean hands would put a crown on His head—except a crown of thorns” (LC, 136). So, instead of allowing the disciples’ weakness to harm them, Jesus sent them to the other side of the lake.
Sometimes our salvation is to be sent into another difficult situation: out of the frying pan and into the fire. Jesus sent the disciples across the lake knowing that a storm was brewing. Why would God let that happen? Back with the crowds, the peril was too perilous, but was a squall any safer? But the disciples were fishermen and, despite the difficulty, they knew how to handle the boat in a storm. And even if they didn’t, if they died in obedience of the Lord of all, isn’t that a good way to go?
But we all get frustrated when it seems that God answers one prayer, only to allow another problem just as bad or worse to take it’s place. I don’t like when I ask God for relief from work, and I get just the forced rest I need by having my retina detach. But I was overworking myself and not taking time to stop and simply be. And then I prayed for God to heal me and give me strength for work, and I go back and immediately feel overwhelmed by it again. These are my struggles; you have your own. We all struggle. Sometimes we have periods of relief and rest, when we can offer encouragement and consolation to our brethren; and other times we are the ones needing to be encouraged and consoled. This sharing of our lives makes life within the Body of Christ amazing and fruitful. And it allows us to endure the times of trial.
Jesus didn’t seem to be present to His disciples, but He kept them in view and prayed for them. Jesus had the perfect vantage point from the mountainside to see the disciples struggling against the wind. Jesus came to the disciples at just the right time, and they thought He was a ghost. We don’t always recognize Jesus’ appearance. When overwhelmed by troubles, our eyes can become foggy so that we mistake the real presence of Immanuel, God with us. Yet if we will, even in those moments, not close our ears but keep on listening, Jesus will speak and call out to us.
Jesus always bids us come to Him. Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water,” and Jesus said, “Come.” (Mt. 14:28,29). But we must ask Jesus if this is a good time and a good way. We cannot rashly presume to walk on the water—to go over impossible barriers and bounds—, as if it’s somehow our right. God is God, and He alone. And there are some things, some ways of walking, that are only His and we will never share—He is God, after all.
Peter sought Jesus’ salvation from his troubles. Peter was in the safety of the boat, but he regarded Jesus’ side safer still. Peter wanted to be with Jesus, despite being surrounded by the storm and without boat. That’s some faith! When I mediate on this passage, I can imagine myself in the boat, but I’ve never had the courage to leap over the gunwales and test the waters. How would you even place a foot onto the rolling sea from a rocking boat?
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Mt. 14:30). Peter regarded the storm more than Jesus, and sank. What was it that frightened him? “He saw the wind.” Peter saw the ripples piled up, one on the other. He saw the mists torn from the tops of the waves. He saw the sails, reefed down still loudly cracking. He saw the rains blown sideways. Peter saw all of this, and was unsure that Jesus had power over the storm. Jesus, who said, “Take courage. I AM.” The God of Sinai, who commands clouds and storms.
“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.” Jesus saves. Jesus didn’t calm the seas or still the wind, but lifted Peter up to stand again in their midst. We want Jesus to hit the “easy” button. But life isn’t like that. Jesus didn’t promise us life on Easy Street. He said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Mt. 5:11). “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues” (Mt. 10:17). “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor” (Mt. 13:57). Jesus promises us self-denial and a cross (Mt. 16:24), these are the terms of salvation—take it or leave it.
Had Peter made it to Jesus, he’d think he was ready for anything; but he wasn’t. Jesus first saved Peter, then he softly rebuked him. “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31). Peter’s faith was the real danger, not the storm. Peter still had to learn the depth of his need for Jesus, and the depth of Jesus’ love for him. Until Peter denied Jesus three times, and then three times confirmed his love for Jesus, he’d never be ready. It’s easy to want to be finished, mature and perfected. We all—from Garret to Miss Jeannie, all of us—are still growing closer to the Lord. The storms are times when we get to test our faith, and try to get another step closer to the Lord.
So where does this lead us? “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him” (Mt. 14:33). We’re saved to worship: that’s our best and highest goal in life. That’s it. In your current storm, or in the one that’s coming, call to Jesus and listen for His voice. Step out of the boat, and walk toward Him, regarding His power not the storm’s. And have faith that He’ll catch you if you sink.
