Writings: "We're in up to our necks!"

By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal

When I was a child I used to get horribly seasick. Being on a boat, with its weird, harsh, irregular motions could nauseate me faster than nearly anything else. Even on a body of water as calm as a river, the sharp, bobbing, jerky motions were sure to make me sick. As the years passed, and I grew up, this problem faded … especially when I discovered the miracles of modern medicine in the form of scopolamine and meclizine! With these drugs I was able to take to the high seas aboard huge cruise ships, enjoying voyages all over the world. However, the memory of my childhood fear of the open water has always stuck with me, and has helped me to understand why the Disciples were so afraid when on a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.

“It was a dark and stormy night,” as the saying goes, and the Disciples were caught on the middle of the sea with the wind against them and the waves building up. Now, keep in mind, several of these Disciples had been fishermen – they knew how to handle boats on the water – but they were still afraid. And, in the midst of their fear, they see a strange figure walking toward them over the surface of the waters. Yes, it’s Jesus, but they don’t realize it.

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:26-27)

I love Peter’s reply … and it’s perfectly in character for Peter:

Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” (Matthew 14:28-29a)

If you really are Jesus, order me to get out of this boat and walk to you across the waters! It’s like Peter double-dog dared him to do it … and Jesus did it! One has to wonder what went through Peter’s mind when Jesus ordered him to come to him. And let’s not be confused here: in English it might be a bit ambiguous, but in Greek Jesus uses the imperative case. This is an order, not a suggestion. And Peter obeys.

So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:29b)

You really have to hand it to Peter: he did what Jesus told him to do, which is more than could be said for many of us. Jesus orders us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and even to love one another, and we have trouble doing even that! Here, Peter is walking on the water!

Good for you, Peter! There are several times he gets himself into trouble with his impetuousness, and there are some commentators who have suggested that this was one of them, but it’s really not. Peter tested the situation, Jesus gave him an order, and now he’s obeying! It’s really Jesus! Things should be all right … right!?

But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)

It’s not as if the weather got bad, the seas got worse, or the conditions changed. It had already been bad: the winds had been whipping up the waves long before they’d seen Jesus walking toward them on the water. No, it’s that Peter’s focus went from following Jesus to the conditions around him. Peter’s focus switched from faith in Jesus to the absurdity of what he was actually doing, walking on water. And, when his focus switched, he began to sink.

This is what happens to us. When we’re walking in faith, following Jesus, we’re ok. When our focus gets off of Christ and onto ourselves, or onto others, or onto the conditions around us, we too begin to sink. Like Peter, we have to turn our focus back to Christ.

“Lord, save me!”

We’re in it up to our necks, friends. The winds of life are blowing, the waves of this world are raging tall, it’s a rough ride right now: the COVID pandemic, violence in the streets, massive explosions, political conflict, fights and arguments … 2020 has been a wild ride! It’s easy to get our focus off of Jesus and onto the wind and the waves around us. Jesus has ordered us to follow him, to come to him, to be with him … and he’s walking on water!

And, what’s more, we’ve asked to follow him, to come to him, to be with him! Frankly, I can’t think of any place I’d rather be than with Jesus: especially in the midst of the wind and the waves of this life.

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:31-33)

This is an echo of Peter’s confession from back in chapter 16. Now, they all see and know it to be true: “Truly you are the Son of God!” And truly, Jesus is. Remember: no matter how harsh the waves of life get, and no matter how deep you've sunk, Jesus is always there to take your hand!

© 2020, Dr. Gregory S. Neal
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