Time after Penteost- Lectionary 19
Matthew 14:22-33

I. Introduction
Our summer of focus on God’s abundance continues. We have an abundant God that provides abundantly. A few I’ve talked about: Provision, Word, mercy, protection, rest, seed, and kingdom. Today’s lesson, Jesus walks to the disciples in the midst of a storm on the water, and is then joined by Peter. Today I want to focus on God’s Abundant presence. God is abundantly present in distress, doubt, and fear.

II. Body
A. God’s abundant Presence in Distress
Jesus needed some alone time. He dismissed the crowds, even sent on the disciples ahead across the Sea of Galilee. Went up mountain to pray. It was evening. But, storm came up. The disciples in the boat were in trouble. Wind was against them, battered by the waves. Amazing how strong wind can be, make no progress, feel like sinking. Figuratively, that’s exactly how life can feel.
What happens in the story? Jesus goes to them. He sees their distress, comes down off the mountain, doesn’t bother looking for a boat, and walks to them on the sea. And we see this presence in distress at other key points in scripture.
When the Israelites were suffering in slavery at the hands of the Egyptians, God came to Moses and called him to go back to Egypt and free the people. In today’s First Lesson we heard about Elijah’s flight to a cave in a wilderness because he was afraid of Queen Jezebel. In Elijah’s distress, his depression, really, God comes to him quietly. After the resurrection, two disciples were on their way to Emmaus and were despondent because they had hoped that Jesus would have redeemed the nation. Jesus came to them and revealed himself in the breaking of bread. God loves his people and when they are in trouble or need of any kind, he comes to them.
Isn’t this the way it is with those who love others? If a friend is in need, we go immediately to see if there is anything we can do to help out. When a child is sick, a mother hovers over her child. When a wife has a car accident, a husband races to the scene to see if his wife is okay. When a member of the family has an operation, the hospital room is usually occupied by a member of the family to express love and concern. If there is a death in the family, relatives drop everything to be on hand to comfort. This is done out of love and compassion. In the same way, we believe in God’s abundant presence in our distress. Pray for this. Trust this.
B. God’s Abundant presence in Doubt
Peter, not sure if this was Jesus. Did not hold back. Said what was on his mind. Sometimes portrayed as a hero, for bravely leaving the boat. But, here, he’s not sure, doubting. Challenges Jesus “if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Reminds me of Satan’s temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. “If you are the son of God, turn these stones to bread.” Here Jesus responds. He’s present in Peter’s doubts. He doesn’t rebuke, rather says come.”
Doubt- somewhere between unbelief and faith. It can be bad, if it leads to unbelief. But doesn’t have to be. It might also lead to a stronger faith.
I think every human being, even the strongest Christian, if they’re truly honest, will have doubts and questions along the way. Mystery in life. Not everything is so clear. 35W bridge collapse victim. She said, she has to believe she had an angel watching over her, to survive such a thing. But then she asks herself, why me, why did I live, and not that other people. Where was their angel? These are good questions, may lead to a more mature sense of life and death.
Jesus responded to Peter in his doubts. “come.” And to his credit, Peter had the guts to go. He took a risk. It is in risking, that we most grow.
As author Kent Crockett has said, "God places many of His blessings outside of our comfort zones, then asks us to come get them. If we ever want to receive some things we've never had before, we've got to do some things we've never done before."
Or as Marv Levy, the former coach of the Buffalo Bills football team once said, "You have to take some chances. If Michelangelo wanted to play it safe, he would have painted the FLOOR of the Sistine Chapel.”
Peter got out of the boat, and took a few amazing steps on top of the water. When he was focused on Jesus, he was brave. He moved forward. But as soon as he lost that focus, and started looking at the waves, he sunk.
The story is told of a small boy who was playing in the family yard when he discovered a house-painter's ladder leaning against the house. Of course, like any small boy would do, this little fellow began to climb, rung by rung, higher and higher. A little later, the painter, working at the top, glanced downward and saw the child more than half way up, the small face gleefully upturned toward him. He knew instantly that if the little fellow ever looked down he would be terrified, and would probably panic and fall from the ladder. So, with calm and cheerful voice, he spoke to the child: "Keep climbing, son," he said, "Look up here to me and keep coming." As the child climbed, the man kept talking, urging him upward, holding his attention. Then, as the child reached the man, having never realized how high above the ground he was, the man took him in his arms and carried him down the ladder to safety again.
Faith is having that focus. Do we always do that? Of course not. But sometimes we do, we trust, God leads. And even when we sink, when doubts creep in, Jesus lifts us up, if we give him the chance. Jesus is present in our distress. Jesus is present in our doubts.
C. God’s abundant presence in Fear
Lots of fear in this story. Disciples are afraid of sinking in the storm, afraid of Jesus on the water, Peter frightened by wind. God is there, in the middle of their fears.
Ever since Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit in Garden and tried to hide from God, because they were afraid, fear has been a part of life. It can paralyze us from living if we allow it.
In a Peanuts cartoon strip Charlie Brown goes to Lucy for a nickels worth of psychiatric help. She proceeds to pinpoint his particular fear. Perhaps, she says, you have hypengyophobia, which is the fear of responsibility. Charlie Brown says no. Well, perhaps you have ailurophobia, which is the fear of cats. No. Well, maybe you have climacophobia, which is the fear of staircases. No. Exasperated, Lucy says well, maybe you have pantophobia, which is the fear of everything. Yes, says Charles, that is the one!
Sometimes we feel like we are afraid of everything. We are afraid of ourselves. Did I really say that? Did I really act that way? We are afraid of other people. We are afraid something from the past. We are afraid of what might happen in the future. We are afraid of death.
But over and over again the message of the Bible is fear not. When Abram took his family to the Promised Land he feared that he was turning his back on everything he knew, his security for the unknown. God spoke to him: Fear not Abram, I am your shield and your reward will be great.
When the Jews stood at the Red Sea and could see Pharaoh’s chariots coming on the horizon, they cried out that they would all be slaughtered. Moses said to them: Stand still, fear not, and see the salvation of the Lord.
When the angel of the Lord came to Mary and said that she would bear a child, she trembled with fear. What would become of her? Said the angel: Fear not Mary, for you have found favor with God.
And in today’s lesson, when the disciples fear they may lose their lives at sea Jesus comes and says, “Take heart, it is I: do not be afraid.” Jesus is abundantly present in our fears. We just need to trust that he will guide us through.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn was the first author to alert the West to the horrible realities he experienced in Stalin's labor camps. Solzhenitsyn said that only once during his long imprisonment in a labor camp in the Soviet Union did he become so discouraged that he thought about suicide. He was outdoors, on a work detail, and he had reached a point where he no longer cared whether he lived or died. When he had a break, he sat down, and a stranger sat beside him, someone he had never seen before and would never see again. For no apparent reason, this stranger took a stick and drew a cross on the ground.
Solzhenitsyn sat and stared at that cross for a long while. He later wrote, "Staring at that cross, I realized that therein lies freedom." At that point – in the midst of a storm – he received new courage and the will to live. The storm didn’t end that day, but through the abundant presence of Jesus, Solzhenitsyn found the strength to ride it out.

III. Life can be tough. There are times when we can be fighting against the wind. But today we see God’s abundant presence. He is there in our distress. He is there in our doubt. He is there in our fear.
The story is told of old Bishop Warren, Chandler, after whom the school of theology at Emory University was named. As he lay on his deathbed, a friend inquired as to whether or not he was afraid.” Please tell me frankly,” he said, “Do you fear crossing the river of death?” “Why would I be,” replied Chandler, “I belong to a father who owns the land on both sides of the river.”
May we all be blessed with that kind of faith, fully confident of God’s presence in all situations, knowing that God is the owner of all the land in this life and the next. Amen