“What would we do if we weren’t afraid?”

11th Sunday after Penecost, August 13, 23

Matthew 13: 22-33 and 1 Kings 19:9-13

Pastor Deb Birkeland - BRCC

On September 11th, 2001, I was in the first few weeks of a new call as an associate pastor to a congregation named Zion, in Chisago City, MN. I was starting a women’s Bible Study that morning; preparing materials and setting up a circle of chairs when the church secretary came running in to tell me to come immediately. Something terrible was happening. I ran to the office to find everyone in the church gathering around a TV set watching in horror as the scene of a plane plowing into the towers in New York played over and over again. It was surreal to be standing there in a new community of people I was just getting to know, sharing a very real fear that the United States was under attack and life as we knew it would be forever changed.

As that day evolved, and more and more realization and danger unfolded, Pastor Ron and I realized we needed to draw the flock in our church together for prayer and mutual support. And so like many churches, we spread the word that we would gather that very evening for a service of prayer and comfort. I remember vividly how challenged I was to embrace this NEW flock, when my heart was pulled back toward the flock I had served for seven years in Shoreview, Shepherd of the Hills. The congregation I had left to begin a new ministry here. But this was where God had planted me in this moment, so Pastor Ron and I both took the pulpit to speak words of assurance; read scripture and lead prayers that would strengthen faith and courage in a time of chaos and great fear.

September 11th, 2001 is a day none of us will ever forget. Like the day President Kennedy was shot, or when Pearl Harbor was bombed, there are DEFINING moments of history in every generation that shift the conscious awareness of every informed person in the world at the same time, and reveal a basic shared fear. What IF there is no GOD? What if we are in this world where CHAOS can and does reign without help? What if we as a human species are truly all ALONE?

The texts before us this morning seek to answer these fearful questions in a resounding way. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples are often portrayed as people of “little faith.” Perhaps it is because Matthew’s gospel was written specifically for the Jews. A people whose history was shaped by the Old Testament, and filled with stories of struggle and human faithlessness amid prophecies that called for courageous hope against huge odds. Whatever the reason, this story of the disciples tossed in a boat on a raging sea of chaos is compelling. Let’s revisit the story:

Jesus had just fed the 5000 (which with women and children was probably more like 20,000) with five loaves and two fish. One would think that witnessing that incredible miracle and watching Jesus comfort and impact such a crowd would have cemented the message that He was the Messiah..the Christ, the Son of God. But…perhaps the disciples couldn’t muster such faith yet. In any case, Jesus was tired. He chose to retreat to the mountain top to rest and pray, and sent his disciples ahead to cross the sea on their own.

A storm comes up…a huge storm. People in Jesus’ day didn’t learn to swim. The sea was a place to fish, to wash…not to conquer. And this was no small storm. We are told that the wind prevailed against them far from land, battering them beyond hope, and they were terrified. But even more terrifying was the sight of Jesus, walking to them on the water…walking over the CHAOS…and despite the CHAOS. “It’s a ghost!” they cried out in fear. The one they knew so well, in the grip of fear, is now a ghost…beyond their understanding, so this must be an aberration. And so, into their fear, Jesus speaks, and what does he say? “Take Heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Take heart…..In other words…LISTEN to your heart, not your fear! You know me…you have heard me, witnessed my love and grace; your eyes have beheld my power and authority. Have faith. And then Jesus says, it is I. Now in Greek, that phrase also means I Am, I AM was the way that God had revealed God’s self to Moses and the Israelites in their enslavement and journey through the wilderness. It means literally…I AM GOD!

I’ve got this! Says Jesus. Don’t you get it? You need not be afraid, because I AM GOD….and I have your back! But Peter has to test it. Human will HAS to have proof. And so Peter says, “IF IT IS YOU…in other words, IF YOU ARE GOD…command me to come to you on the water!” And Jesus says…”COME!”

There is a wonderful book by John Ortberg entitled: “If you want to walk on water, you need to get out of the boat!” His premise is that God doesn’t just save us so that we can bob merrily through life on a boat of safety and comfort. God calls us to step out of the boats of our insecurity and trembling faith and JOIN our will with God’s Will for the sake of a world being tossed around by chaos and fear. “Come,” says Jesus to Peter, and so Peter steps out of the boat and walks on the crashing waves. As long as his eyes are on Jesus, he does the impossible. But…the human in him looks down. He notices just how scary and precarious this walk of faith really is and immediately, he begins to sink. Yet, just as quickly, Jesus grabs him, and exhorts him…

“You of little faith, WHY did you doubt?” And as Jesus and Peter got into the boat, the winds ceased. Chaos was gone! And the entire boat of disciples…the community of believers in that moment, worshiped him declaring, “Truly, you ARE the SON of GOD!”

Now we could see this text as a personal challenge to face our individual times of chaos and fear, and feel God’s call in the midst of our struggles to grow in faith. A call to step out of our personal boats and take heart because God is truly there for each and every one of us. And that is true. Many of us have loved ones we carry in prayer and worry as they battle cancer; face times of loss and defeat; struggle to find a griphold of faith and peace in the midst of life’s storms. We cling to the promise that Jesus is walking with us, catching us when we are overwhelmed and bringing calm and peace, and ultimately eternal peace. But I’d like to suggest today that the disciples in the boat, and especially Peter, also represent the church. ALL of US…who know Jesus, believe in Jesus, and journey together to be a witness to his presence.. Those of us today who are called to step into the role of representing Jesus into a world often thrown into chaos. Jesus didn’t just call Peter…he called a boatload of disciples. And each of those disciples declared, “Truly, you are the Son of God!”

Do you know where else in scripture these words are found in Matthew? At the cross following the moment of his death, when a centurion…a non believer who had perhaps pounded the very nails into his hands and feet also SAW GOD within the heart of Christ and declared, “Truly, this man is the Son of God!”

So…how do we get ourselves as a church, out of the boat? What would we do if we weren’t afraid to walk on the waters of human chaos because we kept our eyes on Jesus and truly believed HE is GOD?

I can’t answer that, only the Holy Spirit can…but I can point to where we might find GOD and hear his voice. Remember the first lesson today, the story of Elijah who retreats from the chaos of his time by going to Mount Horeb? The place where Moses encountered God’s presence in the burning bush and received the 10 commandments? Elijah was afraid, for God’s prophets were being killed, and now the waves of destruction were coming for him. He kept hearing the voice of God saying, “What are you doing here Elijah? (In other words….where is your faith?) Go…stand before the Lord for the Lord ( I AM) is about to pass by.

And so he came to the mountain and waited in a cave, and there came a mighty wind; but God was not in the wind. Then a terrible earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. And a fire; yet God was not in the fire. And finally…there was only SHEER SILENCE! Imagine the experience of sheer silence. Those 911 planes stopped in mid-air; people falling, and then caught and held; eyes raised to the sky as the presence of GOD is revealed, and every tongue, every heart, every nation saying in awe…”Truly, this is GOD!”

As Christians, we believe that someday God’s presence will be fully revealed. And in the meantime, we people of little faith…faith even as small as a mustard seed, are being met in the gentle, still voice of Jesus, who walks over the top of all human chaos, fear, sin and rebellion, and says COME…join me out of the boat…Take HEART…HAVE FAITH…BELIEVE. Be the beautiful feet that bring this troubled world the GOOD NEWS. For I AM. What WOULD we do if we weren’t afraid? Amen.