+ 11th Sunday after Pentecost – August 9th, 2026 +
Series A: Job 38:4-18; Romans 10:5-17; Matthew 14:22-33
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Milton, WA
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Never meet your heroes, it’s said, for you will soon be disappointed. The fame and façade often fades away when you come face to face with your heroes from the world of sports or movies.
What Hollywood or the internet tries so hard to hide, Scripture puts on full display. When it comes to the faithful people of God in the story of God’s Word, God’s people wear their faults and foibles on their sleeves for all of us to see.
Abraham throws his wife under the bus…twice. Jacob is a schemer and trickster. Moses is afraid of public speaking. Elijah throws a pity party in a cave. Peter doubts and disbelieves, along with the other disciples time and time again.
And this is good news for us. Far from painting an airbrushed version of God’s people, we see the reality of their lives as sinners and saints in high definition, warts and all.
No wonder Martin Luther once said, Christ dwells only among sinners.
And again, this is good news. For when Jesus calls his disciples, and builds his church, he does so, not with the best and brightest around, not with people who have all their ducks in a row, but with sinner-saints like Peter, James, John and the rest. Sinner-saints like us, who like the disciples are a mixed bag where faith and doubt, disbelief and trust wage a daily war within us.
And that’s why, if there’s an example of faith in Matthew 14 when Jesus comes walking on the water, it’s not going to be the one you expect.
We’ve all heard that version of the story before. You know, the one in which Peter bravely, courageously, steps out of the boat in faith. Unlike those scaredy-cats back in the boat. The moral of the story, some would say, is that if you want to walk on water, you have to get outta the boat. Be like Peter. Step out in faith.
But that’s not how the story goes.
Nighttime was falling. The waves and wind rising. Fear in the disciples swelling. Jesus treads on the water and terror overwhelms them. It’s a ghost!
Not until Jesus speaks his word do they begin to calm down. Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.
And that should’ve been the end of the story. But it’s not. Peter wants something more than Jesus’ word.
Peter steps out of the boat not because he’s brave, but because he’s afraid. He’s not stepping out in faith, but in disbelief. He’s not brimming with confidence, but drowning in doubt.
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Jesus has heard these words before. In the wilderness. In the garden. If you are the Son of God. If God really said. If. If. If. It’s one of the devil’s favorite detours around God’s word and promise. And he uses it to fan the flames of doubt and disbelief in us just as he did for Peter
You see, the cry of faith isn’t, “Lord, if it’s you.”
No, the cry of faith comes, not when Peter is at his strongest and bravest, but when he’s weak and afraid.
The cry of faith is what Peter says when he’s sinking, sputtering, and drowning.
When he has no hope in anything or anyone save Jesus.
So Peter cries out the cry of faith, “Lord, save me.”
And what does Jesus do? Tell Peter to just keep swimming? Kick those legs. Move your arms. Swim a little harder? No. Jesus loves Peter too much to let him try and rescue himself.
No. Immediately. No hesitation. Jesus reaches down into the water. Grabs ahold of Peter. Hauls him up out of the drink.
And then he speaks to Peter again. A gentle rebuke, but still a rebuke. O, you little-faith-one, why did you doubt?
Notice what Jesus doesn’t do in this moment though.
There’s Peter, trembling, soaked, he’s been a colossal fool, doubted, disbelieved, deserving nothing from Jesus. But Jesus doesn’t let go of Peter. Jesus doesn’t leave Peter to drown in doubts and disbelief. Jesus doesn’t throw Peter overboard.
Jesus answers Peter’s fears with his faithfulness. Peter’s doubts and disbelief are no match for the determined dauntless grace of Jesus.
Christ Jesus dwells only among sinners. That’s good news for Peter. Good news for you and me too.
When we have days like Peter. When we’re full of doubts and disbelief will Jesus renounce us and throw us overboard? What about all those times when my faith waivers, flickers, seems to be drowning. Will he save me then? When I am the little-faith-one, what will he do? Will he let me sink? No. Not ever. Not yesterday. Today. Or tomorrow.
Whenever those thoughts creep into your heart and mind like a storm on the sea. When doubts and fears billow and roll. When life tosses you about in the wind and the waves. When you cry out those same words, Lord, save me.
Jesus’ answer is the same. Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid. For not only the wind and the waves obey me, but the cross and the grave are no match for me. I have tread on the serpent and death for you as easily as I walked on the water. And I’m never letting you go.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
