"DOUBTING PETER"
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14)
August 13, 2016
Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church
Glenshaw, Pennsylvania
TEXT:
Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of [Peter], saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Matthew 14:31 (ESV)
A little better than forty-nine years ago, a young man I knew announced to his parents that he wanted to become a pastor. While commending the nobility of his intentions, the young man's parents carefully and gently tried to persuade him to be more realistic about this, since there were so many factors that were not in his favor. The young man's father, for example, had just suffered a severe stroke, and was permanently disabled and unable to work, so the entire family was living on a small Social Security pension and an even smaller veteran's stipend. Aside from the obvious financial obstacles, there were academic ones as well. What the young man proposed to do required both college and graduate degrees--a total of eight years of school beyond high school. Now this young man was no academic wizard--he had just found out that he had failed the eighth grade and would have to repeat it. Consider the predicament of this young man and the turmoil within his soul, being torn between faith and reality--between optimism and pessimism--between enthusiasm and worry. It's not at all an easy thing to make the right decisions under those kinds of circumstances. I know, because that young man was me.
No doubt all of us have a story like that to tell--an example of how we were torn between going forward in faith and being hindered by the reality of our circumstances. This kind of tension is something that comes upon us whenever we try to translate our inner faith into outward actions that glorify God and serve our neighbor. We want to go ahead with the work because we know that it is the will of God and yet, at the same time, we see all around us all kinds of evidence that we cannot possibly succeed.
That's the problem that the apostle Peter was faced with when Jesus invited him to come to Him, walking on the water. Peter had every desire to go to his Lord in full confidence. He had even asked Jesus to invite him to walk on the water. And Peter trusted in Jesus. We know that he trusted because he jumped right out of that boat and onto the water just as soon as Jesus said the word. And yet there was so much that caused him to doubt. First, there was the absurdity of what he was doing. Human reason and experience tell us that people cannot walk on water. If that wasn't enough, Peter was also keenly aware of the storm raging all around him. All of this is enough to make anyone doubt. Using this example of a disciple who the Lord describes as a man of "little faith," Let's consider this morning our own "little faith" in doing the Lord's bidding. Let's also consider what the grace of God in Jesus Christ is able to do about it for us. In particular let's look at the commitment, the challenge, and the power of Christian discipleship.
The commitment in Peter's case and in ours is a commitment to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ. Peter wants to do something that shows others that he trusts in the Lord. It was a way of witnessing--a way of telling others, through his actions, that he loved the One who would redeem him from sin and death. That's not a bad thing to do. After all, actions do speak louder than words. So Peter asks Jesus for the opportunity to show his faith through his actions. We can do the same thing, thereby making the same commitment. We should all ask the Lord for the opportunity to put our faith into practice. And we should be looking for opportunities to serve Him by serving others. Peter showed his commitment by jumping out of the boat at the Lord's bidding. He trusted his Lord enough to take that risk. We also should be willing to take risks in order to show our commitment to the Lord. We might do that by joining a Christian church, thereby publicly associating ourselves with Jesus Christ and His claims. We could do it by serving as a congregational officer, with all of the responsibility and heartache that that entails. Some of us each year take a risk by pledging a portion of our time, talent, and treasure to the Lord's service in our congregation. These things aren't done for the sake of our ego or our congregation or our friends. These are our opportunities to make a personal commitment to the Savior who committed His entire life to us and to our salvation. Such commitment to Christ is certainly not a bad thing. Peter's example of faith and commitment here is one that we can put into practice in our lives.
The challenge that Peter faced as he walked on the water was everything that indicated to him that he could not do what he was attempting to do. For this reason he doubted. The same thing can happen to us as we seek to glorify our Savior in our lives. There are conditions all around us that seem to be telling us that we'll never be able to accomplish the things that we try to accomplish in Jesus' name. And when that happens to us, we, too, begin to doubt. It happens even among the strongest of Christians. We can see it in some of the things that we say and think so often. How often do we catch ourselves saying something like: "It's only a waste of time talking to So-and-So. He's never going to change" or: "There's not much of a point in planning for the future around here. After all, none of us are getting any younger." These kinds of statements are certainly silly and self-defeating, but they are born out of very real and very genuine fear--fear that is every bit as real and genuine as that storm that Peter had to contend with.
But take heart! There is power to meet this challenge. That power is Jesus Christ Himself. Peter recognized this, because even as his doubt caused him to sink into the water, he cried out to his Lord and Savior for help. That power of the slain and risen Christ is available to us too. In spite of our doubts, we look to Christ for the power to overcome those doubts--the power to meet those challenges. You know, faith is not some kind of illusion that we can go confidently through life without ever having any doubts at all. That's nonsense! Everybody has doubts, and to pretend that you don't isn't faith; it's fantasy! No, faith is knowing that Christ's power and Christ's love are with you even in times of doubt. Faith is knowing that Christ's power and love will work for you especially in times of doubt. And faith is calling out to your Lord for help when the conditions around you cause you to have some doubts.
Like the apostle Peter, we very often prove to be people "of little faith." That doesn't sound like a very commendable label for the Lord to give His disciples. But remember this: there's a world of difference between people "of little faith" and people of no faith. Cling dearly to that "little faith" that you have, and cherish it. It is not misplaced. It can lead you to make commitments to the Lord, to His glory, to His worship, and to His service. Let it lead you to call upon your Savior for help especially when doubts assail you. He knows us all. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows all of our limitations and weaknesses, all of our sins and shortcomings, all of our doubts and fears, and still He loves us. His love reaches out to us in times of doubt, just as it reached out to Peter, lifting us up, restoring us, and calming all of our fears with His mercy, wisdom, and power.
Amen.
May the Lord bless your hearing of His Word, using it to accomplish in you those things for which He gave it. May you be enriched and strengthened in faith that you may leave here today to go out into our world armed with the whole armor of God, prepared to be able ambassadors of your Savior Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Amen.