The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

A Sermon on Matthew 14:22-33 by Pastor Timothy Eichler, STS

Matthew 10:34-42 English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles

22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

“It’s a ghost.”

It is the fourth watch or roughly sometime between 3:00 to 6:00 am. The disciples who have been sent ahead of Jesus are in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee. They are tired from the previous day’s events of Jesus feeding the 5,000, though experienced sailors the boat they are in is being knocked about by the waves because the wind is against them. As they battle their fatigue, the sea state of Galilee, and are without Jesus looking out over the horizon they see something moving towards them.

It’s a ghost … an apparition … a supernatural phenomena that lacks explanation. The event occurs at a time, particularly 3:00am, that is considered by many to be spiritually significant. Three (3) am is often called the “witching hour” or “spiritual hour.” A time associated with heightened spiritual activity and divine connection. In biblical tradition, 3am is associated with prayer and spiritual attention. A time when the veil between heaven and earth thins so there is a greater connection with the divine.

At this time the disciples exclaim they see a ghost walking on the waters towards them. We like the disciples in hearing this event ask “what in the world is going on?” I am sure it was in the disciples hearts and souls as they try and figure out all the events that have witnessed prior to seeing a ghost. They have witnessed and we have read or heard of Jesus’ preaching and teaching that the Kingdom of heaven is near. There is also Jesus’ healing and casting out of demons in people’s lives. This all seems to culminate in Matthew thirteen (13) with the beheading of John the Baptist and the feeding of the 5,000.

This is a pivotal point in the gospel of Matthew, a pivotal point in the lives of the disciples, and a pivotal point in our own lives as followers of Jesus Christ. It is a time when along with the disciples we say: “Truly you are the Son of God.”

“Truly you are the Son of God.” When we follow Jesus’ command to get into The Boat. The disciples are in the boat because Jesus commanded them. He said, get in the boat a head of me. There was no option. No discussion. The Boat the fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ. Being in the Boat means that we sail the Sea of Galilee  We are told to get into the boat. To be with the fellowship of believers. We sail in the boat on the sea of our own secular society.

Sailing on the The Sea. The sea, which in Matthew would be known as the Roman Sea to hearers and readers of the gospel. The disciples are sailing upon secular or Roman culture … Roman society known as the sea. We sail in the boat on the sea of our own secular society and world. The sea is turbulent at times. All one needs to do is read the headlines: wildfires in Idaho; hungry people; homeless people; enslaved people: sexual slavery, human trafficking, working in sweat shops, child labor, domestic violence, etc.; There are our own issues ranging from our own health concerns to the economy and our payment of bills, etc. The sea we sail on can be overwhelming at times. So like the disciples we cry out to Jesus: “Truly you are the Son of God.”

“Truly you are the Son of God” as you teach us how to walk on water. We learn to walk on water by following Jesus up on the The Mountain to pray. Up on the mountain like Elijah in our reading from 1 Kings 19:9-18 we learn that the LORD God is not in great and powerful winds nor earthquakes nor fire. The LORD God our incarnate savior Jesus Christ is in a gentle whisper. We encounter in the midst of sailing on The Sea when we return to God daily in Prayer, Scripture reading, and fellowship. In the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:7 Jesus teaches: “Ask, and it will given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This is to walk on water. To have faith. To return to God. To trust God. To live life in the way of the LORD — To Walk on Water.

To God be the glory now and forever. Amen