Stepping Out

I wonder if you've heard the story of the woman who came as the new Lutheran pastor to a small Michigan town where they'd never had a woman clergy person. She had worked hard at trying to gain the approval of the other local clergy, a Catholic priest and a Methodist minister. But somehow, no matter how hard she tried or how wonderful she did with something, those guys found something wrong with it. After a year of performing as super pastor, she thought she'd finally arrived. The priest and the minister invited her on one of their fishing trips. Of course right away something goes wrong. But, thank God, this time it isn't her fault. About fifty yards from shore the guys discover they left their lunches in the car. Ever helpful, the Lutheran pastor says simply, "That's OK. I'll get them." She steps over the side of the boat and walks across the water to the car. The Roman Catholic priest turns to the Methodist minister and says, "Would you look at that! She can't even swim!"

Accepting someone or something new and different can be a real challenge. As we all well know. So often change like that calls us out of our comfort zones, like it did for the Catholic priest and the Methodist minister, not to mention the Lutheran pastor in the story we just heard. A pastor named John Ortberg has written a book about today's Gospel reading that says that stepping out of our comfort zones is, in fact, what this story of walking on water is all about. The name of the book is a give away. It's called If You Want to Walk On Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat.

For Matthew's church, for which Matthew's Gospel was written, this story was quite appropriate. Jesus had never returned to establish the full reign of God, like they were expecting him to do. Their faith was wavering. They were weary. They were afraid of death. They probably felt like sailors who have fought a storm all night. Chances are they were losing their ability to recognize Christ coming to them. It could be that their savior was approaching them through people and ideas that they found terrifying. As terrifying as a ghost walking upon a raging sea.

So in the story Matthew tells his brothers and sisters, Jesus calls to the disciples from the sea, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." And Peter's response probably speaks for the whole community. He's skeptical. "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Peter's no dummy. He doesn't automatically assume that this figure on the sea is Jesus. Peter wants a sign, a clear word from Jesus that will settle the matter. He wants to know. So does Matthew's community. They're not alone. When the storms of your life and mine begin to rage about us, we want to know too. We're not going to trust any ghost-like premonition that comes along.

Jesus answers Peter with a simple command: "Come." And that's all the impetuous Peter needs. (I really identify with this part of Peter's personality." He jumps out of the boat, and, as long as his focus is on Jesus, he walks on water too! When his focus turns away from Jesus and toward the storm, what happens? He begins to sink. That's all part of the deal, Matthew is telling them and us. Failure comes with the territory ? but so does the strong hand of Jesus, pulling you up when the bottom drops out.

And so here we are today, along with Matthew's community, says John Ortberg, here we are being called out of our comfort zones. Jesus is inviting us to "Come" too. That's where we'll meet him, Ortberg says: where the sea is high and the footing impossible. Walking on water means facing your fears and choosing not to let fear have the last word. Walking on water means discovering and embracing the unique calling of God on your life. Walking on water means experiencing the power of God in your life to do something you would not be capable of doing on your own. And so the question for you and for me becomes, "What boat am I in? What's the comfortable situation where I'm hiding? What's my comfort zone? What keeps me from steeping out so I am fully relying on God?"

A few years ago we took a family trip through the maritime provinces of Canada. While I attended a conference in Montreal, Barry and the boys played. One day they were on a subway returning from a tour of Montreal's hockey stadium. They happened to be in the front subway car when someone leaped off the platform into the path of the train. You can imagine the trauma and the chaos that ensued. After three years it still haunts us. I can't help but contrast that leap of despair with Peter's leap of faith. We don't know, of course, if the person survived. Some were saying someone was alive under the train. We were later told this happens once a week in Montreal, and it's never publicized, for fear that publicity will give others the idea. But we can only pray that somehow those who know such despair might also hear that voice that bids them "Come." We can only pray that the strong hand that pulls Peter and you and me up when the bottom drops out might also grasp them. It may be that we ? as individuals and as a congregation -- are being called to leave the comfort zone of our boats to spread that word.

Today we welcome Reagan Elizabeth Hockenberry into our family of faith through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. Next Sunday we welcome Ethan Scott Russell. They each begin journeys in faith that won't always be comfortable. As we witness that rebirth, we extend to them the strong hand of Jesus through our pledge that we will do all in our power to support them in their lives in faith and in their witness in the world. That's what it means to welcome them into the Lord's family, to receive them as fellow members of the body of Christ, children of the same heavenly Father, and workers with us in the kingdom of God. Welcome, Reagan! Welcome, Ethan! Don't be afraid to step out of the boat! AMEN

Pastor Dana Runestad
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Livonia Michigan
Year A PR. 14 Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
7 August, 2005
Matthew 14:22-33

Back to home page