Valerie Rae Hanneman
Matthew 14: 25-30 “During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's You," Peter replied, "tell me to come to You on the water." "Come," He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Every once in awhile the Fiscal team at work takes a look at one or more of our policies and procedures to see if it is still effective and still meets the needs of our company. It is important to me that our team work as efficiently as possible and maximizes our resources. During these reviews there are 7 words that are guaranteed to get a reaction from me. Those 7 words are “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” I am good with that phrase if it is used as the explanation for why we are doing what we are doing. But I start getting a little peeved if it is used as a justification to continue doing what we are doing.
If you have read much of my writings you know that Peter is my favorite disciple. He was just an out there type of guy, impulsive, brash, always leaping before he looked.. This passage in Matthew tells one of my favorite Peter stories. I have heard a number of sermons, teachings, Bible studies, etc that talk about how Peter’s lack of faith caused him to sink. They talk about how Peter was fine on those waves until he took his eyes off of Jesus. And I can agree with what these teachings say. But I also think that we focus so much on Peter’s failing faith that we forget something even more important -
There were 11 other disciples on that boat. What were they doing while Peter was swinging his legs over the side?
I can imagine that the trip across the lake started out pretty normal. The disciples were still talking about taking fish after fish out of the baskets until the 5,000 were fed. Then the storm arose and things started getting shaky. Immediately the disciples swung into action - particularly the fishermen who had done this before. Andrew & John were set to hold the rudder steady - Matthew and Nathaniel were bailing out water just as fast as they could. Peter and James were trying to direct the sail, the rest were rowing their hearts out. When trouble rose, they handled it in the way that they always had. The storm got worse and even though they were doing it the way they always had - the boat was in trouble. Then to make it even worse - a ghost was walking on top of the water towards them. They cried out in terror at this apparition. Then Jesus spoke to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” After seeing Him out there on the water eleven disciples continued to do what they had always done. One disciple - Peter - saw an opportunity to make a change. “LORD,” he cried out to Jesus, “If it is You, tell me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said only one word, “Come.” and Peter jumped over the side of that boat and started walking towards Jesus. In the meantime - there were 11 disciples still on that boat, watching Jesus, watching Peter, but doing what they had always done because that was the way they had always done it.
Jesus didn’t say, “Come to me, Peter.” He just said, “Come.” Nothing prevented all of the disciples from joining Jesus on top of the waves. I wonder what would have happened if they had gotten out of the boat and walked to Jesus. Maybe Jesus would have taken them back to the boat - maybe He would have let the boat sink and then lead the disciples to shore in a parade. We will never know because 11 of the disciples chose to stay in their comfort zone and continue to do what they had always done.
The Church (big C) is in a storm - and every day it seems to get worse. We are under attack by the secularists who want to erase God from our society. There are those who want to accept and celebrate the diversity of every religion - except Christianity. Immorality is called acceptable in our society and has not only become prevalent but (Father, forgive us) even acceptable in our Church. The younger a person is the more likely it is that they don’t ever attend church. The storm is swirling around us.
Our first impulse is to do what we have always done when we have “done” church. The same pews, the same baptism, the same communion, the same Sonday school, the same preaching and the same music. The problem is that the world has changed around us and if we continue to do what we have always done - simply because that is what we have always done - then we will sink when the storm gets worse.
Just as the practices and policies of the Fiscal Team are regularly reviewed to make sure that they are effective at meeting the needs and goals of our organization - the practices, policies, and ministries of the church need to be regularly reviewed to make sure that they are effectively meeting the needs and goals of the Church. And the goals of the Church are to worship Jesus, reach the unsaved, and build the Church. If what we are doing - just because we have always done it - is ineffective in reaching the goals of the Church - then it needs to change
The hardest part comes when people have to have a mind-set change from “But that’s the way we have always done it” to “I am willing to try something new”
Peter saw where Jesus was and he wanted to be where Jesus was. He was willing to try something new and he got out of the boat. Eleven disciples chose to stay in the boat and continue to do what they had always done. Peter’s faith failed and he sunk like a rock until Jesus grabbed him by the hair and pulled him back up. Peter couldn’t make the change by himself. His faith wasn’t strong enough. But if more of the disciples would have been willing to go with him in making the change from what they had always done - they all would have made it to Jesus because they would have had each other to support and encourage as they continued to walk across the water to Him. When Jesus said to Peter, “Ye of little faith - why did you doubt?” I don’t think He was talking to just Peter - I think He was talking to all of them.
Some of the disciples would have never been willing to get out of the boat. When change comes to the church there are those who will never accept or support it. The Church cannot be stagnant in order to accommodate those who cry, “But that’s the way we have always done it!” And it must treat these people as gently as possible because they are valuable in our eyes. But the Church must change to reach an ever-changing world with the message of Jesus.
So the question that remains for us is simply this -
Are we going to stay in the boat and do what we have always done - or are we going to jump overboard with Peter and go find the new thing that Jesus is doing out there on the water.
I want to feel the waves on the bottom of my feet.
LORD Jesus, when I see You leading me in a new direction - I get frightened of the change. But I choose to follow You out on the waves - if for no other reason than because that is where You are.
Posted by Valerie at April 29, 2005 06:43 PM