Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The votive ship hanging over the baptismal fount is a copy of the 1825 Restauration that brought the first Norwegian emigrants to America.  On July 4th, a replica of the original wooden sailing ship began its 98- day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the Restauration.  It is scheduled to arrive in New York harbor on October 9th. This past week the ship arrived on the island of Madeira off the coast of Spain, where the original Restauration harbored 200 years ago as well. After 30 days at sea already, the most challenging stretch for that small ship is still ahead, 60 days of open water on the Atlantic Ocean.

The story of Peter’s short walk across water one stormy night is well known. It has inspired a whole host of jokes involving golfers or hunters, priests or pastors walking on water (or at least knowing where the stones are).  The religious versions are usually told to the embarrassment of the local clergy.  In all the stories, the poor innocent Peters, are left floundering in the water.  And that’s too bad.  After all, Peter was not a man of little faith.  True, Peter failed miserably.  But he was the only one of the twelve disciples who dared to get out of the boat.

My friends, this morning I would like to share with you two convictions.  First, No matter how dark it seems, and no matter how alone you feel, Jesus never abandons his own.  You may be assured that Jesus will come to you amid the storms of life.  And second, remember that it takes the power of God to walk on water. You can’t do it on your own.

In the gospel readings over the last few Sundays, the evangelists have told the story of Jesus’ ministry along the Sea of Galilee. He had just finished feeding of 5,000 followers on a lonely hillside, when he sent his disciples by boat ahead of him to the other side of the sea. Meanwhile, Jesus went up a mountain alone to pray. When evening came, a great storm blew up.  The waves on Sea of Galilee battered the disciples’ boat and the winds pushed them further and further away from land. St. Matthew doesn’t say anything about them being afraid. Most of them were seasoned fishermen who spent their lives on this sea and who figured they’d be okay as long as their boat held together. So the disciples kept on rowing and bailing through the long, dark night, trying to outlast the storm.

Sooner or later, every one of us passes through one storm or another. It may be a storm that batters your marriage and you can’t seem to make any progress against it. Or it may be a storm that blows one your kids far away from where you want him or her to be.  It may be a dreaded disease that strikes you or someone you love.  It may be the storm of depression that threatens to drown you in its depths.  For some people, just opening the morning paper or turning on the evening news makes them want to hunker down as their skies grow dark and the winds start blowing. Maybe you think you’re tough enough to handle it. Or like these disciples, you’ve been through enough storms before and you’ve got yourself a pretty sturdy boat. You tell yourself you’ll be all right as long as you cling to that boat or whatever that sturdy vessel may be.

In the early hours of the morning the disciples saw Jesus coming toward them, walking on the water. Interestingly, that’s when they got scared.  It wasn’t the storm that terrified them, though they were certainly growing tired. They were frightened of what they couldn’t explain. They thought they were seeing a ghost.  Then Jesus said to them, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

That, my friends, is a powerful word of comfort and hope.  Jesus is out there in the storm, and he is always nearer than you think.  No, Jesus may not be in the boat, seated next to you, at least not yet anyway.   But he is out there – where the wind is raging and the waves are pounding.   Jesus, you see, isn’t simply found in places of safety and security, amidst the green pastures and beside the still waters.  Jesus is also to be found in the horrible blast of that terrible storm.  He is to be found in that dreaded worst-case scenario, in that one thing you and I most want to avoid.

And yet, sometimes, in the face of the most wonderful news, we simply doubt and question.  That’s what Peter did.  “Lord, if it’s really you, command me to come to you on the water.” And Jesus said, “Come.” And, bless his heart, Peter trusting in the adage, “It’s better to have tried and failed than never have tried at all”  took that first step out of the boat, and then another. Things were going great. But then Matthew writes “and Peter noticed the strong wind.” He took his eyes off Jesus and saw the next big wave headed for him. And it dawned on him: “I can’t do this! What was I thinking?”

Have you ever walked figuratively on water like Peter? I certainly have. To be perfectly honest, I feel like Peter when I leave the safety of my chair back there and step up into this pulpit to preach. Every Sunday morning is a bit of an exercise in walking on water for me.  After all these years, I find the first few steps aren’t very difficult. It’s about now, when I’m pretty well into the sermon, that I notice the strong winds.  Or in this case, I notice the stifled yawn, the glazed eyes, the blank expressions. And that’s when I become frightened, and I feel like I’m starting to sink.

No doubt, you have your own version of this story.  You too know the old adage, “”It’s better to have tried and failed than never have tried at all.”  So you stepped out into a new job, but the work wasn’t what you thought it would be. The move was harder on your family and your marriage than you imagined. It was hard on your own self-worth and pride. The wind and waves hit you, relentlessly, day after day, and you started to doubt, and you started to sink. 

And so we turn to the second truth. It takes the power of God to walk on water. You simply can’t do the impossible on your own.  In the small hours Jesus went out to his disciples, walking on the water. And Peter came out to Jesus.  Peter stepped down from the boat and did walk on the water. But when he saw the fury of the wind he panicked and began to sink, calling out, ‘Lord save me!’ At once Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying, “You of little-faith!” Peter failed spectacularly. His confidence and will power could not keep him afloat.  Not even his knowledge of the rocks could keep him above water.  He needed God’s strength to do the unthinkable and so do you.

My friends, if you don’t risk failure, you will never know success. If you don’t risk loss, you will never experience gain.  If you don’t risk heartache, you will never know love.  If you’re going to make any gains in life, you have to take some risks- and walk on water.  And when you start floundering, God will reach out his hand, and take you to himself and save you.

The first Norwegian emigrants who sailed to America aboard the Restauration faced significant fear and anxiety during their long and challenging journey.  As they left Madeira to cross the Atlantic, they knew the ship’s overcrowded and unsafe conditions. 45 passengers and 7 crew members were twice the legal capacity of the ship. The ship’s captain would eventually be arrested upon arrival in New York and the ship impounded.  The long and arduous journey covered 6,000 miles, undoubtedly with periods of rough seas, storms, and general hardships. The emigrants were facing uncertainty and danger leaving their homes and families behind for a new life in a foreign land. The potential for a shipwreck, disease, and other perils at sea were a constant source of anxiety, especially for the one, expectant mother on board. Despite these challenges, all the passengers survived the journey, and a baby girl was born during the crossing.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you can be assured that at some point in your life he will call you to step out.  He will invite you to step out of your comfort zone, and to walk on water. So be assured of his words, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”  No matter how dark life seems, and no matter how alone you feel, Jesus will never abandon his own.  Jesus will come to you amid the storms of life, and at the moment you need him most, he will be with you. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  Amen.