The name Jesus means “He who saves” or “Yahweh saves” or “He will save.”
Jesus is our Savior.
And in our Gospel text for this afternoon, Jesus clearly reaches out his hand and quite literally saves Peter.
It is an amazing text.
It is not about Peter.
It is not about walking on water…
It is rather about “the power of our God”…who reaches out to save and to rescue each and every one of us.
I love this text.
I love its simplicity.
I love its honesty.
Peter is fearful, as are all of the disciples.
Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus.
Peter becomes distracted.
Peter is filled with his doubts.
Peter is oh-so-human. Again, as are all the disciples! As are we!
Jesus comes to his disciples in their times of trial and tribulation…
When they are the most vulnerable…
When they are distraught…
When they are scared out of their wits…here comes Jesus to save and to rescue them…
When the waters rise and fall, when the winds blow against them and cause them to be afraid and alarmed…here comes Jesus.
When they are in trouble – way over their heads, Jesus comes to them and for them.
When the waters of sea splash all around them…
When they are terrified…
When they are slipping and sliding and falling over one another…
When they are fearful for their very lives…
Jesus comes to them…
In our reading from Romans, chapter 10 verse 13 – it says emphatically, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
You have to love that!
You have to believe that!
You have to do that!
When we get in over our heads, when we are afraid, when we are scared, we have to remember to “call on the name of the Lord!”
Call upon him out loud…
Call upon his silently…
Call upon him in your mind…
Call upon him in prayer…
Let his name be in your hearts and on your lips…
We have this loving caring God who comes to save us…
He comes to reach out his hand for us…
To help us, to guide us, to deliver us…to give us a hand up, to save us…
He comes to rescue us…
I love this gospel account from Matthew’s gospel!
Even the turbulent, twisting, eruptive seas do not stop Jesus.
The storm does not stop Jesus.
The waves do not stop Jesus.
The high winds do not stop of Jesus.
Jesus is not going to be deterred.
He comes…
When they got into the boat…the scripture says, the wind ceased, the chaotic waves calmed down and the sea returned to its normal state…
Who has power and control over nature?
Who walks on water?
Who can calm the storms of this life?
Who can rescue and save?
Who is there for us 24/7?
It is our God.
It is our God who loves us and cares for us.
What a wonderful resource we have at our disposal…
Let us continue to call upon our God, now in prayer…