"Do not be afraid … " Have you even noticed than when an extraordinary act of faith is going to occur it is often prefaced with those words … "do not be afraid." As Abraham prepared to journey towards the promised land God began with those words. Mary, Joseph and the shepherds all heard the angels appear to them with those words. As Paul sat in prison the angel said do not be afraid. And here today Jesus calms the disciples as he approaches them in the midst of the storm, and … oh, by the way he's walking on the waves towards them … with the same words: "Do not be afraid."

In the movie "Uptown Girls" the main character finds that for the first time in her life she'll actually have to work for a living. Her best friend tells Mollie she'll have to downsize and go on a budget. To downsize she holds a yard sale. However, Mollie finds herself having a hard time parting with her stuff because it all has some kind of sentimental value. Ingrid, the best friend comes over to find Mollie in a heated battle trying to get back an item that someone had just bought for her. Ingrid tries to intervene as Mollie goes on and on about how she simply can't part with her things no matter how much she needs the money, but Ingrid can't get a word in … .she finally resorts to grabbing Mollie and making her look at her and then snaps both her fingers and says: "Mollie, focus!" I imagine that phrase, "Do not be afraid." which is found over a hundred times in the Bible has the same effect. It is the settling phrase that stills the protests that arise as those drawn into the stories of our faith begin to utter when they are confronted by what faces them. Those words snap them into focusing on the love and claim of God upon their lives. With those words, they can focus … Abraham is ready to set out on his journeys, Mary becomes "theotokos – God-bearer," Joseph takes her to be his wife, the shepherds witness the new born king, Paul keeps the faith in prison … and Peter takes a giant step onto the peril of the sea.

We find Peter and the others just where we left them last week. They are still regrouping and grieving the death of John the Baptist, still looking for some time apart … they just participated in the picnic of all picnics as the 5,000 men, plus the woman and children shared a meal together … Jesus has gone up the mountain alone, while the disciples head across the lake. During the night the winds rise against the disciples, driving their boat from the land. In the midst of their struggles, Jesus walks towards them.

As we hear this story, a reminder that much of Matthew's gospel is concerned with the discipleship of the early church and how the early church community should function in the midst of persecution. For this community the sea with its unpredictability represented all the terrors and persecutions they would face in their discipleship. Peter's venture on the water with Jesus as his focus is their call to constant focus on the way of Jesus – for that is their way through the storms of life. Just as the persecuted church community needed this story to guide them through their fears, so do we. For our faith journey is wrapped up in Peter's journey.

For Peter and the other disciples the night is fear-filled. Fear is a powerful motivator for human behavior. We'll trade in a lot to feel as if we are safe and secure. Just think for a moment how much our lives have changed since 9/11 … how much of that change has been driven by knee-jerk reactions to wanting to feel safe again. Sixty three years ago the first atomic bombs were dropped as weapons in a world in which fear reigned. Still today there are people who live daily with the aftermath of that fear filled action. They are known as the Hibakusha … literally in Japanese "the explosion-affected people." The Japanese government lists 243,692 people as certified Hibakusha. To this day, many hide their status in Japan, for fear reigns that they may be able to contaminate others.

Fear gets in the way of a lot. Fear exposes us … we're not quite the sophisticated beings we like to think we are. It is public, and it is private: am I good enough? If I speak up will people still like me? What difference is my life's work making? We whip ourselves into a frenzy trying to make everything all right, saving the world, and we find we are buffeted by the winds and waves of the world. We are barely able to keep afloat, convinced that the little boat we have constructed will keep the terrors and fears of our world at bay. We become like the ant in this prayer:

A Refuge Amid Distraction

Like an ant on a stick both ends of which are burning,
I go to and from without knowing what to do,
and in great despair.
Like the inescapable shadow that haunts me,
the dead weight of sin haunts me.
Graciously look upon me.
Thy love is my refuge. Amen.
(UM Hymnal #535)

In the midst of our fears, Jesus finds us, just as he found his frightened disciples working against the wind and the waves. "Do not be afraid," he called to them, "I am here, with you. Just keep your focus on me and it will be ok." It is then we can do the extraordinary. Peter stepped out of the boat that seemed to be the only thing keeping them from sinking into the depths. What "boat" are you being called out of by Jesus? If part of faith is the willingness to take risks, what are you being called to do? Are you willing to step outside your boat and walk with Jesus?

Peter is also our example when we falter. I have often thought of Peter's experience as being akin to the oft seen cartoon moment: You know the one – where the character is running and running and running and running until there is no more space. The cliff is reached, but the character keeps running anyway, not really noticing there is no more ground beneath him. And all is well; in the cartoon the character is running on air, until it occurs to him to look down. As soon as our cartoon character realizes that they are running on air, that is it, and soon he is plummeting down to the ground. Again, all is well until he looks down. For a moment, Peter loses focus and begins to sink. It will happen to us as we struggle with being faithful to God's claim upon our lives and the realities of living in the world. As we begin to flounder will we have the courage of Peter that allowed him to cry out: "Lord, save me!" For it is in that cry that we will be snapped back into focus and trust that Jesus will lead us to the shores of safety, knowing that will be kept secure from the rising winds and tides of life.

"Do not be afraid … I am here …" Jesus IS in our midst, calling to us, reaching out to keep and guide us, his love a gracious refuge.

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