Focus on Jesus
Listen.August 10th, 2008
Rev. Dr. Craig A. Wagner
Introduction
When I was in high school I obtained a summer job working in a cemetery. After joining the cemetery workers’ union, I was given the job of mowing the grass. This consisted of walking behind a gas lawn mower and trimming around headstones and under trees and shrubs. Normally, I would be mowing for four hours non-stop except to refill the gas tank.
Being in a cemetery and basically alone for four hours at a stretch, gave me time to think and to focus on what I was doing and where I had mown. One day, as I was mowing in a rather remote section of the cemetery totally focused on what I was doing and as I was pushing the lawn mower under a bush, all of a sudden someone tapped me on the shoulder.
My heart leaped, I jumped and as I turned around I realized it was a co-worker who had run out of gas telling me he was going back to the maintenance building to get some more fuel. It was a good thing I was young and my heart was healthy!
There are times when we are so focused that we fail to notice anyone around us or anything that might strive for out attention. In our passage for this morning, we begin to understand that focusing on Jesus brings life, salvation and the presence of God into our lives. No storm is too great or struggle too immense that the presence of Jesus brings help and calmness.
Peter loses focus
The text for this morning comes immediately following last week’s gospel with its magnificent miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 men plus women and children. We realize as we look back at that story that the crowd needed Jesus’ care and healing ministry. This week, we find out that eventually Jesus did send the crowd away, he sends his disciples out in a boat and he proceeds to go up the hill in order to pray. Jesus gets his chance for quiet and for prayer and for contemplation in his mourning for his friend John.
The crowds needed Jesus’ care and his healing ministry, but the disciples needed something, too. They needed to learn about fear, trust and reliance upon God. As they pushed away from shore a storm gathered and unleashed terrible winds upon the boat. The Sea of Galilee is known for having terrible wind storms roaring out of the hills and careening through the valleys. The winds ripped at the boat, torturing it as it bobbed in the water. Fear was spreading in the lives of disciples. Then another fear gripped them as they saw a figure walking toward them on the water. They believed it was a ghost until Jesus spoke to them and said, “It is I.” This sentence is reminiscent of the words, “I AM” which God used to identify himself. Jesus was easing their fears simply by his presence. The winds still howled!
Peter saw and heard Jesus and then made a startling request about walking on the water as Jesus was doing. A one-word reply brought Peter jumping out of the boat and walking toward Jesus. Initially, Peter was extremely focused on Jesus. However, once he lost his focus and noticed the wind and the waves, he began to sink. Immediately he called for Jesus to save him.
Interestingly, there is a close parallel to this story in Buddhism. The tale is about a Buddhist brother walking to visit a master when he came upon a river. “Driven by joyful thoughts of the Buddha, he began to walk across the river. In the middle his thoughts began to waver and his feet began to sink. As he was sinking he evoked stronger thoughts of Buddha and continued on the surface of the water.” This story shows the transcendent help is not in the form of another person, but in awakening life within one’s self (Luz, Matthew 8-20.).
Our text reminds us that in Jesus there is hope and life and salvation as Jesus reaches out and save Peter from drowning. God saves us rather than having it in our own ability to save ourselves and bring our own salvation through meditation or self-enlightenment.
Another interesting fact in our story is that it is only after everyone is in the boat, including Peter and Jesus that the wind subsides. There is a calming influence in the presence of Jesus.
Jesus came to the aid of the disciples in the midst of their fear and struggle in the storm. Jesus didn’t simply calm the storms but rather came to them in the midst of the storms. They would learn to trust God and focus on his presence in life – all of life. Even in the midst of storms that threaten life itself, Jesus is in control. The disciples would learn about trusting Jesus even when they are fearful of the consequences of problems, illnesses, hunger, and other storms that threaten the tranquility of their life; all this, not because they were so strong in their faith, but because of God’s love for them in Jesus Christ.
The focus in our life
There are several options for our consideration as we read this familiar story of Jesus walking on the water. Perhaps the first one is that we can recognize ourselves in Peter. We begin with a strong focus on Jesus – command us to get out of the boat and come to you. We hear the call and take the challenge and we step out in faith. But then we encounter some of the rough issues of life and we begin to lose our focus on the Lord. We discover that simply following Jesus does not mean that everything will be wonderful in life. There is death, insecurity, hostility, doubt, unbelief, sickness and even guilt. There are waters of turmoil that rage around us. We are in danger of drowning when we fail to realize and focus on Jesus presence in our life. As with Peter, Jesus didn’t remove the danger or stop the waves or the wind prior to reaching out and saving him. We shouldn’t expect that our waters in life be always calm and easy, there will be those times of difficulty.
Secondly, we can sense ourselves in the boat, as were the other disciples. These folks were also in danger, although they were in a boat. Sitting in a boat during high winds and stormy weather, one would perhaps be fearful of the boat capsizing. And so the people in the boat would hunker down and attempt to ride out the storm. Are we like that when it comes to living our faith? Are we afraid of what is surrounding us – out there in the world, in the great unknown? Are we in danger of capsizing due to inactivity and challenge? Perhaps the boat is like the church being buffeted by wind. When the church loses the focus on Jesus and on his presence, it is a fearful thing. But when Jesus climbs in, calm ensues and we are saved.
We can also look at this passage and consider the question of discipleship. Following Jesus and responding to his call often challenges us to get out of the boat and follow him. Focused upon him great and amazing things can happen. Our fall emphasis “Living the Mission” is designed to challenge us to move deeper into lives of faithfulness. We will come to grips in what it means to live as a Christ follower in today’s world.
It might mean for many of us to take the risk to climb out of our safety zone and to allow the spirit to work within us. The challenge is for the entire congregation to move into this tremendous opportunity.
The presence of Christ
The bottom line is that our passage is more about the saving love of Jesus than about anything else. It is a grace-filled passage. In our desperate situations, Jesus comes and reaches out his hand lifts us and loves us and renews us. Of course, for many of us we tend to focus on the wrong things thinking that somehow there are other things, other people, or even ourselves that will make everything right – we want control – we want the power and our focus is away from Jesus.
The call this morning is to focus on the Lord – to step out of the boat into lives of discipleship constantly focusing on Christ. The grace of our Lord will uphold us as we realize our need on his presence and as we experience his power within us. It’s too bad that so many of us want to wait in the boat until the water subsides, or the circumstances are just right to live out our faith.
It’s not that easy, sometimes faith is messy, but Jesus calls us to step out in faith and to allow him to guide and direct us into lives that are full and exciting. Seize the moment, jump overboard focus on the Lord and experience the fullness of abundant life.
Living in the presence of the Lord great things are possible! I keep thinking of our strategic goals: Expand outreach activities, enhance facilities, increase congregation involvement beyond worship, increase worship attendance and enhance the small group experience. These goals require each one of us to step out of the boat and walk with Jesus.
These goals will be reached as we focus on Jesus; and only on him. It does require taking a risk, a leap of faith.
Conclusion
Do any of you water ski? If so do you remember the when you learned how to ski? Part of the instruction was to put on the skis, lean back in the water as though you were sitting on the water and then when the boat began to move swiftly ahead, just stand up on top of the water. Remember when you did it just right and there you were skiing along, skimming over the water. But then all of a sudden you realized where you were and you began to fear falling, and as you became more and more aware of your surroundings, your focus wavered and down you went – hopefully remembering to let go of the tow rope!
Peter momentarily lost focus and faith, but Jesus picked him up and he continued to live faithfully. Step out of the boat and allow Jesus’ presence to sustain you and move you deeper into lives of discipleship in Jesus name. Amen.