Proper 14(A): Jesus Loves You
By: The Rev. Jacob E. Pierce
There’s a man in Charlotte known as the “Jesus Saves Guy.” Before the pandemic, he would stand on the corner of Trade and Tryon streets in center city and bellow with all of his might, “Jesus saves! Jesus Christ loves you! Jesus saves!” He now drives a rickshaw through my neighborhood of South End, loudly proclaiming the same message, “Jesus saves! Jesus loves you!”
As of late, I’ve been feeling quite overwhelmed due to the demands of parish ministry and the challenge of working from home. My daily life feels as if it’s on repeat like the movie Groundhog Day. Coupled with the news of rising Coronavirus deaths, the lack of political leadership at the federal level, and a nation coming to terms with the evils of White Supremacy, it’s enough to wear on all of us.
Earlier this summer, as I sat at my dining room table, deep in sermon-writing procrastination, I felt like I had nothing to offer; no words to say. I felt hopeless and humbled by events outside of my control. And then I heard the rickshaw. “Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Jesus Christ loves you!”
In the gospel appointed for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, the disciples find themselves caught in a storm. Battered by the waves with the wind against them, Jesus arrives walking on the water. The gospel tells us they were terrified, and they cried out in fear. But Jesus says to them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
“Do not be afraid” is one of the most frequent commands in scripture. It is spoken to Abram as God promises to make him a great nation. It is spoken to Hagar just after she and her son are cast out and discarded. It is spoken to Moses as he leads the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. It is spoken by the prophet Isaiah as Israel is held captive in Babylon. It is spoken to the Blessed Virgin Mary when she is told she will conceive a son. It is spoke to Saint Joseph in a dream. It is spoken to the shepherds in the fields. It is spoken by Jesus to his disciples.
I have heard many sermons about what happens next in this story. Most have focused on Peter’s lack of faith and perhaps that is where we should focus. After all Jesus says to Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” But from my reading of the text I am not certain if Peter’s lack of faith is from fear of the waves or from his certainty that he could walk on water too.
Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman, professor of Biblical Studies at United Lutheran Seminary, contends that the gospel writer might be trying to demonstrate Peter’s over confidence, his lack of faith in Jesus, who alone can walk on water and calm the seas. [1]
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a much more reasonable invitation. Quite honestly, I don’t want to walk on water. I’d rather trust the One who can.
Perhaps, preachers, Jesus is calling us to embrace our helplessness in this moment, to trust that he alone can calm the storm around us. Perhaps, Jesus is reminding us that no matter what happens in the world around us, or in our own lives, we belong to him. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “So, then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s possession.”
This is the promise of our baptism. Through the waters of baptism, we are marked as Christ’s own forever. Jesus will never abandon us, and we belong to him. We don’t need to learn how to walk on water or beat ourselves up when we get overwhelmed by the waves around us, because even if we look away for a moment Jesus will catch us.
Many of our parishioners are overwhelmed. Many are facing the loss of a job or the death of a loved one. They might be behind on their bills and uncertain of the future. They don’t need to hear a message that promises if they simply keep their eye on Jesus, they can do the impossible like walk on water. Perhaps, the message they need to hear is that they belong to Jesus, he has them, especially when they’re sinking.
We don’t have to walk on water. Trust the One who can. Do not be afraid because Jesus saves.
The Rev. Jacob Pierce is Rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. He served as Curate at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church and as Associate Rector at St. Peter’s before his call to become Rector there this spring. He lives in South End with his husband, Adam Santalla Pierce, and their dog Hamlet.
[1] Mark G. Vitalis Hoffman | 5 Comments, “Commentary on Matthew 14:22-33” – Working Preacher – Preaching This Week (RCL), http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=985.
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