Why did the disciples cross the sea? No, it is not a prelude to the joke about why the chicken crossed the road, but the answer “to get to the other side” is still correct. How the disciples or the chicken gets there is immaterial, but many of us today might wish to focus our attention upon that boat. Perhaps we need to look carefully at the storm in our teacup and see what we can learn about ourselves.
Our reading today comes from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 14: and we will start reading from v22.
As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.
Jesus intentionally took time out to be with God. When we hear of Jesus going up a mountain, it may be Matthew linking back to the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament, of meeting God up a mountain, like Moses did, at a holy place. Where might our holy place be? There’s talk of a thin place where heaven and earth are so closely connected, akin to a lace cloth draped over the surface of the earth, touching some mountain tops, dipping down in the valleys – this might just describe a holy place. It need not be a place of worship, but where we may find God is so real, so close to us.
Up a nearby Munro, or, less arduously, in the garden, or our favourite chair?
Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared to death. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.”
Where are we?
The disciples have set sail on the Sea of Galilee. They’ve just fed about 5000 people on a hillside, so busy times. Now they are setting sail to Bethsaida on the eastern coastline of the Sea. Not much time for a cuppa now – storm beyond the teacup at the moment. The water can get deep and the weather can change quickly – much like Scotland. Deep water, in the Bible, can be seen as the waters of chaos from Genesis, from creation: somewhere where they may not expect to find God? Do we have areas where we might not expect to meet God? These areas are ones which we might describe as dark albeit God speaks to us from those dark places – from the depths of where Jesus was buried, as it says in Isaiah 9: 2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Why might we still struggle with this? What areas of our world is God not present?
Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshipped Jesus, saying, “This is it! You are God’s Son for sure!”
Gospel differences
It’s odd that this story is covered in both the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, but not Luke’s. Also that Mark doesn’t have any mention of Peter and his going overboard. Traditionally we might recall that this story speaks of Peter’s faith in Jesus, albeit that faith dwindles fast as his boots fill up with water. Just imagine the wind howling, the waves crashing on the side of the boat, our minds thinking of every negative thing – have we been there? And then this apparently ghostly image of Jesus appears walking alongside us. What might be our reaction, and our response? Would we be scared, petrified, confused or perplexed? Our reactions reflect our emotions, our innermost thoughts. The Bible is full of stories which help us to ‘know who we are’. We can reflect on how Jesus models for us how to live for we are all lovingly created in God’s image: Jesus is the one who broke societal patterns to eat with the marginalised and upset the ones with self-centred power, who importantly sets us free on a path to flourish.
Who are you in the boat?
Could we recognise ourselves as one of the characters in the Story? Are we one of the disciples, in the back of the boat, pulling hard on the oars, pulling up the sails, or pushing on the tiller to navigate the boat – and happy to watch what is going on? Or are we Peter, responding, willing to risk all, willing to have that capability, that willingness to learn more about ourselves?
Peter goes overboard – literally
As he walks towards Jesus, Jesus comes to him, and pulls him back into the boat.
Perhaps Peter should never have left the boat but then Peter wouldn’t have realised who he was.
It isn’t really a story about getting out of the boat, it’s not about the boat, but being with God. Jesus was with God at the start, up that hill. When we reflect back over the last week were there times when we couldn’t find God near to us? Is this story saying that we should possibly pause and take a longer look, even in the dark hours of the night when we can’t sleep?
Peter wanted to jump out of the boat when Jesus was already alongside. God was already on hand, perhaps it harks back to the Christmas hymn Emmanuel – God with us.
Somewhere in my chaotic life,
I remember God is here
Not always my first thought
Let me make that clear!
My negative thoughts are loud sometimes,
God’s voice can penetrate that.
It brings a calm, amidst the storm
Meets me where I’m at.
When I take time, to make a space
God’s words fill my mind.
I ask for guidance, strength and peace.
To enable me to unwind.
When I show up, God does too.
Reveals to me a way.
To live as me, yet follow God.
Each step, each and every day
(Poem by Nanna M)
Back to your cuppa
So today, as you perhaps sit drinking your cuppa, maybe in your holy place, note the reflection of the sun glinting or your bedside lamp flicking off the surface of your brew, recall that the water in the kettle a few minutes ago was boiling and chaotic. As we sit with God, we note that we can reflect on life’s problems, pause to know that God sits alongside us, wherever we are, and we aren’t in that hot water but are learning, day by day, to walk more closely with God.
I found the dialogue interesting and I enjoyed it