²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ²⁸ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ²⁹ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ ³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ Mat 14:33

What would you do? You’re in the boat with your friends and Jesus brings out a new one that you haven’t seen before. He comes out walking on water and identifies himself to you. Would you be as daring as Peter and to ask him to invite you out? You know that’s a dangerous thing to say right? Because Jesus is likely to say “come”. And when he does, would you step out of the boat?

Or let me put it this way. You’re sitting in a church building with your friends and Jesus brings out a new one that you haven’t seen before. You realise that he’s at work in business, the arts, politics, education, medicine, philanthropy. Jesus is reaching out to the world in unconventional ways. You really want to get involved but it will look odd to other Christians; no one has ever done it that way before. Would you be daring enough to say, “Jesus if that’s really you, please invite me to come and work with you in changing the world that way“? And you know what his response will be right? Will you step out of the boat when he calls you to come?

There’s something very attractive about safe and cosy Christianity. It’s comfortable. It’s what we know. It’s our boat. Our security. We don’t have to be vulnerable. We don’t have to take any risks. We never have to look stupid when we’ve tried the unknown and we start sinking.

But that’s not how Jesus works. He is unconventional. He calls us to attempt the impossible. He walks right there with us. He takes us by the hand when we start to sink. He catches us when we fall. He makes it possible for us to walk on water. He makes it possible for us to achieve the impossible. It is possible and you can do it. All you’ve got to do is take that first step. Get out of the boat!

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