"STAY IN THE BOAT AND BELIEVE"

There is a website – and a book derived from the site – called the "Darwin Awards." The Darwin Awards commemorate "those individuals who ensure the long-term survival of our species by removing themselves from the gene pool in a sublimely idiotic fashion." Darwin Awards go to stories that are "known or suspected to be true" about accidental blunders that have cost people their lives because – well, frankly – they were being stupid!

Let me give you an example. Here's a story that came out of California in 1999. "One sect of Christians attempted to follow in Jesus' footsteps more literally than most. They worked to master the secret of walking on water. Diligently, day after day, the group tried to be closer to God by making a sincere effort to walk on water. These Christians continued their unorthodox practices until the leader of the small group unexpectedly died while practicing in his bathtub. His wife said James spent many hours trying to perfect the technique of walking on water but had not yet mastered the ability. He apparently drowned after slipping on a bar of soap, proving that walking on water does bring one closer to God."

The phrase "walk on water" is part of our every day language. It's generally used in reference to people who are really incredible...or who think they are. You know: "Wow! That guy's great! I'll bet he could walk on water!" Or, "She must think she can walk on water! Humpf!"

The whole idea comes to us, obviously, via the story we heard from the Gospel of Matthew. Many an artist has painted their rendition of Jesus standing on the wavy sea, reaching down to grab a sinking Peter as astonished disciples look on from the safety of their boat.

This is probably one of the most well known "miracle" stories in the Bible, but perhaps – like poor James from California – folks have focused too much on the "miracle" and not enough on the meaning. Much is made in Christianity about following in the footsteps of Jesus – about "imitating" Him in our lives. But I ran across something that I think is much closer to what is expected of us. This is from the writings of Rev. Malcolm Boyd. This was published about 21 years ago, so the technological references are a little dated, but the idea still holds.

"Do you want me to imitate you, Jesus? I'm not at all sure that you do. I feel that you probably want me to become fully myself. "But if I wanted to imitate you, Jesus, how could I do it? You were raised in the Jewish religious tradition of your time, I in the Christian religious tradition of my time and place. You lived in a rural, primitive society, while I live in an urban and sophisticated one. You dwelt under Roman occupation, while I live in the Rome of today as a full citizen. You died on the cross, but today there are only gas chambers, electric chairs, and hangmen's nooses. You lived in a world of limited communication between people, while I am surrounded by television, jet planes and teletypes. (Never mind our satellites, computers and cell phones!)

"But I realize that imitating you, Jesus, doesn't have very much to do with such things as these. It really means imitating your love, your honesty and your commitment, doesn't it?

"Even when [other people seem] remote and cold, I feel that you are very close to me, Jesus. You are not a distant savior. You are here with me, transforming emptiness into fullness, nothingness into meaning, impersonality into identity.

"I want to imitate you, Jesus. Help me."

"Help me!" That was certainly Peter's cry to Jesus when he began to sink beneath the waves. It's interesting. The traditional interpretation of this story is that faith took Peter out of the boat and doubt dropped him in the water. I think it's exactly opposite to that. When the disciples saw Jesus walking out to them, across the sea, on that stormy early morning, they didn't know what to think; they were freaking out! So Jesus spoke up and said, "It's me. Don't be afraid!" But what did Peter say? "IF it's really you, tell me to come to you across the water." Now this group of disciples had witnessed the healing of numerous people at Jesus' hand. And, in fact, just before this boating incident, they had been there for the miraculous feeding of the 5,000! It's not like they could not have known who Jesus was and what he could do!

Yet Peter speaks up -- and jumps up -- with doubt in his mind. "IF it's really you...." And he heads out across the water toward Jesus. Now you see, Jesus can walk on water because Jesus is God incarnate! Peter had pretty much the same buoyancy out there on the waves as poor James from California did in his bathtub. But when he started to sink, he immediately acted in faith; he called out to Jesus instinctively, knowing that Jesus does save! You see, I think it was doubt that pushed Peter out of the boat and faith that got him back in!

Now again...I think we need to look beyond the miracle in this story and understand the meaning of it all. In biblical language, remember, almost everything is metaphorical. Matthew wrote this account many, many years after Jesus was resurrected. Whether this incident happened verbatim or not is beside the point. The point is to get...well, the point!

All through the Bible, water – especially the sea, with its waves and storms – is representative of danger or chaos. The boat, where these disciples were all together, is not unlike a little church – a group of believers traveling with one another toward a sometimes unclear destination. Jesus knows their dilemma and comes to them even in the middle of a stormy sea.

The lesson that's usually derived from this text presents a misunderstanding of the nature of faith. The message about Peter is not, "if he had enough faith, he could have walked on water," just as the message to us is not, "if we had enough faith, we could overcome all our problems in spectacular ways." This interpretation is wrong in that it identifies faith with some kind of amazing control in our lives over the laws of physics and biology. When the realities of accidents, illnesses, death and unpleasant circumstances come into our lives, and we being to "sink," that kind of thinking encourages us to feel guilty because of our "lack of faith."

What if the message about Peter were, "If he had had enough faith, he would have believed the word of Jesus that came to him in the boat; he would have believed that Jesus was there as the presence and reality of God!" Faith is not being able to walk on water; only God can do that. Rather it's daring to believe that God is with us in the boat, as we make our way through the storm and battering waves.

When I think about this story, I can't help but think about this church. I wonder what will happen here in the months to come, after I am gone. You see, church, you are all "in the same boat" here. There may come a time when things feel frightening or chaotic. You may sometimes have the urge to "jump ship." But I urge you now to understand the message of today's Gospel: stay in the boat and believe!

Jesus Christ knows exactly where you are, what you need, how much you can bear and how best to help you out. Whether as individuals or as a church body, don't worry about trying to "walk on water." Being spectacular is not really the goal. Believing that Jesus can walk on water...and do anything else, for that matter...is the kind of faith we are called to. Even more so, we are called to believe in "Emmanuel" – God with us. God...present...in every moment, in every circumstance, in every challenge, in every need. A constant awareness and belief in that presence is what will get you through whatever comes.

Charles Leist, pastor of the United Methodist church on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, has witnessed first hand the appeal of the cult of "the king" and makes this distinction between faith in Christ and faith in Elvis. He says, "It's the difference between the story keeping the spirit alive and the spirit keeping the story alive. As long as the story of Elvis is promoted and marketed, as long as people remember, then the spirit of Elvis will continue. With Jesus it is the spirit which keeps the story alive. The story would not live without the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ is more than a memory. Christ is a living presence. Christ is a spirit presence with us. And as long as the Spirit is with us, the story will continue to live."

Folks, the story of Jesus walking on water continues to live because the presence of the living Christ walks among us. When storms come up and waves abound, stay in the boat and believe...for the Spirit will be here with you! Amen.

Amen and God Bless.

MCC St. Louis - Check Us Out!

This page hosted by Get your own, Free Homepage