Walk on Water - a Sermon for Kids Camp Sunday September 17 2023

READING: Matthew 14:22-33

The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fourteenth chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." 28 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, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 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."

The Gospel of the Lord!

Praise to you, O Christ!

Why did Peter sink?

Is it because he took his eyes off Jesus?

Maybe.

Is it because he was afraid of the storm?

Maybe.

Is it because he couldn’t believe

that Jesus could walk on water?

I don’t think so.

Peter says, “Lord, if it is you,

command me to come to you on the water.”

This should sound familiar:

at least in the ancient Greek,

it sounds a lot like

the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.

The tempter says to Jesus,

“If you are the Son of God,

command these stones to become bread.”

Peter’s words echo the tempter’s words:

If it is you,

then command me to come to you.

We don’t get to set the terms

upon which God will operate.

It didn’t work out well for the tempter.

It didn’t work out well for Peter.

It wont work out well for you and me.

When we have trouble with our faith,

setting terms with God just wont work.

We are not in control.

Jesus sets the terms

for how the Kingdom of Heaven comes in our midst,

and how we are invited into it.

But unlike the tempter in the wilderness,

Jesus hears Peter’s words

and says “Come.”

Go for it,

You got this,

Walk on water.

Why?

Why would Jesus give into this test?

After all, it is written;

you shall not put the Lord, your God to the test.

Jesus doesn’t need to prove

that he is who he says he is.

And it is not so much about Peter’s faith in Jesus,

rather Jesus had faith in Peter:

Come.

Walk on the water.

Peter sees the storm,

and becomes afraid,

and sinks like a rock.

When Peter sinks, Jesus says

“You of little faith - why did you doubt?”

Peter didn’t doubt Jesus;

he had already seen him walking on the water.

He was certain that it was happening,

he saw it.

Peter was afraid

of the wind and the chaotic waters,

but he didn’t doubt them,

he could feel them, no doubt.

He had already experienced them on the boat.

Peter saw himself walking on the water;

and then he doubted himself.

That’s when the rock began to sink.

“Save me!” Are the words from Peter.

Peter needs to be saved from the chaos of the seas,

saved from the moving of the winds,

saved from drowning

in the weight of the waters

and saved from himself.

We are like Peter on the water:

As Bishop Tel proclaimed for us just a month ago,

we are surrounded by storms,

storms in nature,

in nations,

in our families,

in our very own selves.

We are surrounded by chaotic waters

in which we can easily sink;

waters that weigh us down

like the burdens we carry,

faced with winds that move us around

from one direction to another,

and when the waters overwhelm,

it becomes impossible to breath

as we sink down.

Amidst the storm,

even with Jesus’ invitation “come”

even with Jesus right there with him

in the storm,

Peter sank when he doubted himself.

Perhaps we too find ourselves sinking in life

when we, like Peter,

doubt ourselves,

even with Jesus at our side.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

says the bible verse most taken out of context

from Philippians.

Amidst the storms of life,

Christ is with us,

so we can weather the storm.

Do not doubt, only believe.

The faith that if gifted to you,

is Christ’s faith.

Christ’s faith in us

strengthens us in the storm.

Put another way,

as much as we talk about our faith in Christ,

Christ has faith in you.

Do not doubt, only believe.

By Christ’s faith,

we can step outside of the security of the boat

and walk.

The storms need not win.

Maybe it happens when we take our eyes of Jesus,

or maybe it happens when we put God to the test,

or maybe it’s when we are afraid

and doubt our God,

or doubt ourselves,

however it is,

we might just find ourselves sinking.

Christ’s hand is extended,

take hold,

and walk.

My family in Christ,

There is no scarcity of grace.

There is an abundance.

There is no scarcity of God’s providing.

There is an abundance.

God’s grace is enough for you,

and God’s grace is abundant for you.

You might remember Simon,

Cephas,

is named Petros - Peter, Rock.

He is the rock who sinks in the water,

but also makes the declaration,

the confession,

the rock upon which

the church of Jesus Christ is built.

That’s how much faith Jesus has in Peter;

that even the one who sinks

because he fears and doubts,

even the one to whom Jesus says

“Get behind me, Satan”

even the one who will deny Christ

as he endures suffering and cross,

is called: Come.

Peter had nothing to offer;

a mediocre student,

a mediocre fisherman…

But that’s the kind of stuff Jesus can work with.

Through the proclamation of the church,

by saying again and again

“Truly Jesus is the Son of God”

God changed the world through Peter

and the nothing he had to offer.

We who gather at this table,

we don’t have much to offer.

A little bread and a little wine.

It’s not much,

it’s really nothing,

but this is what our God works best with.

Like Peter and his nothing,

Christ has faith in you too.