Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri

Morning Worship · November 12, 2006

Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost

Prayer of the Day

Gracious and loving God, we come to you today thankful that you give our lives meaning.  We are reminded that we are called to follow you and share our faith with others.  As we believe in you, let us also remember that you believe in us.  Through Christ we pray together.  Amen.

Scripture

Matthew 14:25-31

And early in the morning, Jesus came walking toward them on the sea.  But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost,” and they cried out in fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart!  It is I.  Do not be afraid.”

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

He said, “Come.”

Then Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he noticed the strong waves, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith.  Why did you doubt?”

Message

Believing Is Seeing

Jacob Thorne

A little more than a month ago, I preached on our text for this morning.  You may remember how I focused on the passage that dealt with the word “ghost.”  I briefly reflected on my fear of scary movies and other activities associated with Halloween.  I’m happy to report I survived the Halloween season, and I’m still eating large amounts of candy corn.  I really enjoy the candy corn.  So, you may ask, “Why are we returning to this same text again today?”  I have three answers.

1)     I find this text particularly challenging and, at the same time, comforting.  One of the joys of the Bible is that you can read a Scripture passage one morning, and then the next day, read it again and see it in an entirely different light.

2)     I have to confess to you that even though I grew up in Missouri, I have only been on a boat a few times and easily get seasick.  I have this strange, strange obsession with boats and the sea.  I’m not a very good fan of television, but there is one show I rarely miss.  Perhaps you have seen it before.  It is produced by the Discovery Channel, called “Deadliest Catch.”  This program follows the lives of Alaska fishermen in their boats as they fish for crab.  I find this documentary extremely fascinating.  The sea, the boats: it all seems so mystical to me.  My wife, Paulette, tried watching this show with me one time and proclaimed after a few minutes, “This is the most boring show I’ve ever seen.”

3)     This is an answer I use to justify answer number 2.  The sea and the boats are all very biblical and spiritual in nature. 

Several years ago I visited a church in a small fishing village near Biloxi, Mississippi.  When I went inside, I was surprised by what I saw.  The sanctuary, designed in the shape of a boat, was surrounded by stained-glass windows that depicted our text from this morning, the story of Jonah and the whale, and other biblical stories that deal with the sea.  Later I learned the word “nave,” which represents the main part of the church, the section where the pews are located, comes from the Latin word, “navis,” which means “ship.”  In the third century, some claim the architectural design of churches, such as the one in Biloxi, should be oblong, like the design of the ship.  So, how does all of this information relate to us today?

Our story this morning involves Peter walking on water towards Jesus.  But why does Peter do this?  Why on earth would a person get out of his/her boat and walk toward somebody?  If I were Peter, I would think, and perhaps you would as well, that it is strange enough Jesus is walking on water.  The text indicates that Peter, indeed, found it troubling that Jesus is walking on water.  Matthew says that Peter was terrified.  So why does Peter get out of the boat?  In order to answer this question and to think about its meaning for us today, it’s helpful to reflect on a relationship between a rabbi, Jesus, and a student, Peter. 

At this point, I should share with you the other night in youth group, we watched a short video produced by a company named Pneuma that deals with our text this morning.  I want to share with you some of the insights we gained in youth group as we discussed this text.

Jesus was raised in the Jewish tradition near the region of Galilee, a religious focal point of the time.  Most children that went to school during this time, started at the age of five or six.  In the first stage of education, it was called Beit-Sefer, and it lasted for five years.  If you have your Bible, you might want to get it.  During this time, the first five years of education, students would memorize word for word the first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – word for word. 

For most of the children, if they were lucky enough to be in school to begin with, this is the end of the education road after five years.  Around the age of ten, children were expected to conclude their studies and return to their families and learn the family trade or enter into some type of apprenticeship.  But a select few, the brightest students of the class, would be invited to continue their studies.  This stage of education was called Beit-Talmud.  During this time, the students would spend the next four years memorizing the rest of the Jewish Scriptures, all the way to the book of Malachi.  This is impressive. 

Then only a few, the best of the best, the brightest of these students, would apply for a lifetime of study with a rabbi, the teachers of Israel.  This stage of education was called Beit-Midrash.  Each rabbi would have his own method of studies, his own method of interpretations, and his own way of doing things.  The rabbis of early Israel did not have a uniform system of education like we do today.  If a student was chosen to study with a rabbi, he was expected to learn and do every single thing the rabbi did.  The students were, in effect, disciples of a rabbi.  A decision to become a disciple meant a lifetime of learning and observing. 

Jesus describes the relationship, in the gospel of Luke, when he says, “A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher.”  Now most rabbis, during the time of Jesus, began their teaching and inviting students around the age of 30.  We know from our text this morning, from the gospel of Matthew, that along the seaside of Galilee, it takes place when Jesus is close to the age of 30.  So far, everything seems to make sense. 

But when Jesus walks along the water and sees two of his future disciples, Peter and Andrew, the gospel tells us they were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  Hum?  If Peter and Andrew were casting a net into the lake, they were seasoned fishermen.  They were adults.  They were men.  They weren’t young students hoping to become followers of a rabbi.  Peter and Andrew weren’t the best of the best.  Peter and Andrew hadn’t spent most of their lives memorizing the Hebrew Scriptures.  Peter and Andrew were common people.  Isn’t it interesting that Jesus, raised in the Jewish faith – a great tradition – breaks tradition and chooses the most common of individuals to change the world.

Once we have the background of the story, our earlier question, “Why does Peter walk on water?” begins to make sense.  When Peter sees Jesus walking on water, Peter thinks that he, too, should be able to walk on water.  Peter knows that, as a disciple, as a student of a rabbi, he is expected to do every single action that his teacher does.  So Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking toward Jesus.  For a while, Peter even manages not to sink.  Matthew says Peter got down and out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus.  But then it happened.  Peter begins to sink.

I have often heard, maybe you have as well, that Peter begins to sink because he loses faith in Jesus.  Or maybe Peter begins to sink, because his faith becomes distracted.  After all, the text says, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid.”

We all have distractions that challenge our faith.  Life is full of challenges and demands.  It is easy to put our faith on the back burner.

But this morning I want to offer a different interpretation.  What if Peter begins to sink because he loses faith in himself?  What if Peter fails to realize that Jesus has faith in him?  I think many of us have heard, probably since a very young age, “You have to have faith.  You have to believe in God.”

Yes, this is true.  We have to have faith.  We have to believe in God.  But we must also have faith in ourselves.  I think Jesus even says this to Peter when he asks, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

We can almost guarantee that Peter had never before tried to walk on water.  But when he remembers that Jesus chose him, that Jesus believed he could be like him, Peter takes the challenge and steps out of the boat. 

The good news of this message… The good news of the gospel is that you and I are just like Peter.  Jesus has chosen us to be his disciples.  Jesus has chosen us to be like him.  Jesus has faith in us – faith that we can get up and get out of the boat. 

Our life is plagued with insecurities.  We all, maybe even daily, are full of doubt.  We often wonder if we can fulfill what God has called us to do.  Sometimes it might seem like the easiest option is to quit, to give up, to lose faith in ourselves.  But the message of the gospel is not one of easy outs.  Jesus calls ordinary people, like you, me, and Peter to change the course and the history of the world.

Let me share with you some powerful words from the apostle Paul that relates to our message today.  Writing to the people of Corinth, people who had begun to lose faith in themselves, Paul said,

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters.  Not many of you were wise by human standards.  Not many were powerful.  Not many were of noble birth.  For God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.  God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.  God chose what the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all to destroy what the world considers important.”

How is God calling you today to believe in yourself? 

I want to share with you two stories – one humorous, and one a little more serious.

Last week the youth group, as you may have read, took a mystery trip.  With the exception that the bus driver quit the morning of our trip and failed to tell anyone, causing us to leave an hour and a half later than planned, we had a wonderful time. 

Eventually we ended up at a place called the City Museum, an old building in downtown St. Louis where, I quote: “The imagination runs wild.”  One option at the City Museum is to climb through tunnels made of rebar and other heavy-duty metal that sit way, way, way above the ground.  While it is somewhat difficult to describe in words, let me just say that if you are afraid of heights, this is not the place for you to be. 

Nonetheless, last Saturday I convinced Keller Ryan to follow me on this incredibly high tunnel through which, in order to get to the top, you climb through an abandoned airplane.  It sounds a little strange, but once we were half way up, gazing through the windows of some loft apartments next door, Keller suddenly told me he has a fear of heights.  Now I know being the son of a minister, Keller is often used as an example during sermons.  So I feel a little guilty, but not too guilty. 

Keller, becoming somewhat frantic, demonstrated exactly what our text this morning is describing.  For a moment, Keller, like Peter, panicked.  But then, unlike Peter, Keller said, “I’m going to make it through this.”  I think he meant to say that to himself, but I heard him say it out loud.  “I’m going to make it through this!  I’m going to make it through this!” 

You know what?  Once Keller made it through the first time, he went through three more times taking with him others who were hesitant to go.  By the fourth time, Keller, acted like he spends all of his free time climbing at extreme heights with no fear at all.  “No problem.  No problem!  You can do it.  You can do it!”

My second story involves another of our youth named Jeff.  You may not know Jeff.  Jeff is somewhat new to our church, but you may have seen his writing before in “Broadway Life.”  Last year, when individuals were asked to write for the church newsletter in 100 words or less, “What the Church Means to Me,” Jeff took this task to heart.  In exactly 100 words, Jeff described his experience and understanding of Broadway.  Some of the words were “spiritual, helpful, singing, laughing, community, friendship, prayer, and worship.”  If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to go back and look at the article. 

What impresses me most about Jeff, as anyone who knows him well will tell you, is his determination.  When Jeff gets a goal in mind, especially if it deals with running, he is going to accomplish his goal no matter what it takes.  Jeff is a fine runner.  

For most people, myself included, seeing is believing.  In order for some things to be true, we must first see it.  But Jeff has taught me, as well as our text this morning, that believing is seeing.  Before Jeff ever accomplishes a goal, he believes he will succeed long, long before he sees the results.

My friends, I still think Peter was a little crazy to step out of that boat.  But he did take those first few steps.  Peter knew that Jesus believed in him. 

So, this morning as we go forth to serve God and serve one another, we, too, are called to step out of the boat.  We are called, like our youth, to believe before we see.  We are called to imitate Christ.  We are called to believe, not only in God, but also in ourselves as well.

Through Christ we say together… “Amen.”

Benediction

Creator God, you believe in us, your ordinary, common people.  Help us to believe in you so that our vision is perfect.  In believing in you we will truly see and have the courage to step out of the safety of our boat.  Amen.