There’s a big difference between good advice and good news.
One is a suggestion for you to do something. The other is an announcement of something already done.
The Bible is full of things that might be useful as good advice. In fact, in our Gospel for today from Matthew about Peter walking on the water, there are some nuggets of good advice often cited in when interpreting the meaning of this story. “You’ve got to get out of the boat!” That can be helpful advice for someone stuck in a rut or afraid to venture into something new. “Keep your eyes on Jesus!” Again, very good advice supported by Scripture.
But the heart of this story is not about these well-intentioned and perhaps useful bits of advice. It’s about Good news. And that’s what we need today. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t need any advice about things I can’t do or don’t want to do. I am . . . right along with you, I’m guessing . . . someone who sometimes feels like I’m sinking with Peter. And the last thing a drowning person needs are thoughtful suggestions. They need a rescue. They need to be saved. That’s what we need. And the Gospel of Jesus is good news for us, not just good advice.
Peter’s problem in our Gospel for today is not that he took his eyes off Jesus. His problem was that there was a big storm on the lake and he was afraid! With good reason!
The storm was powerful enough to sink a boat, so it certainly had the power to sink Peter!
So let’s not get down on Peter here. He doesn’t need anyone saying, “You gotta just step out of the boat, Peter.” “Just believe you can do it, Peter.” “Come on, Peter! Focus!” He doesn’t need that. His fear is justified. He is not imagining the waves and the wind. He can feel them! He’s getting wet! It’s real! He has, in other words, a perfectly good reason to be afraid.
And so do we. 2020 has given us more than enough to spook us and make us fearful. We’ve got a pandemic on our hands. And big problems to deal with. We have personal issues as well that we have to juggle along with these global crises. Whether it’s a fear of the return of illness, or the stability of a fragile relationship, or loneliness or not being loved and accepted by those closest to us. It might be fear of a new chapter in our lives or the what the future holds for us as a church or the direction of our country…. You name it, there is a lot in our individual, congregational, and corporate lives that can make us afraid. And that fear is debilitating. It sneaks up on us, paralyzes us, and makes it difficult to move forward at all, let alone with confidence. Fear, in short, is one of the things that robs the children of God of the abundant life God intends for us.
Fear is a powerful force in our lives. I don’t know how your mind works, but I have the amazing mental ability in any situation to imagine the worst case scenario. Within seconds. And the fear of anticipating that scenario can cripple any steps forward. Now we can deny this fear and push it back in our minds. We can even put on a brave face and pretend that we are afraid of nothing.
I wonder if Peter threw on a little bravado before he took his first steps out of the boat. You know, show off for the other guys. I wouldn’t put it past him. He knew how to mask his fears just like we all do.
But fear is real. And Jesus knows it. And he knows that sometimes just getting out of bed and facing the day takes more courage than we can muster.
In response to Peter’s fear, Jesus doesn’t dismiss it. Jesus does not encourage him to be brave and to keep his eyes on him. He grabs him. He saves him. He rescues him. He does what Peter could not do for himself. He lifts Peter up and restores him to being a disciple.
And he does the same with us! Jesus is with us. Jesus will not let us go. Jesus will not give up on us. Jesus will grab hold of us when we falter and restore us to where we can be of service. He will do what we are unable to do. He does this even in the darkest storm . . . even when we are not feeling courageous . . .even when we take our eyes off of him. He is there right where we need him to be.
That’s good news. We are not alone in our fear. We are not consumed by our fear. With God’s love supporting us we can TRANSCEND fear, even if we cannot completely eliminate it or defeat it. The good news is that our fears will never have the last word. They do not disqualify us from God’s love and acceptance and they will never place us out of reach of his strong arm. The good news is that without even asking him – he will save you. The good news for you is that he IS here — making his way towards you across the raging water. He is reaching out to you with the undeniable power of his love that is stronger than any storm.
He is grabbing you right now. Not just to pull you up but to wrap you in his arms.
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