This
morning in my personal study time in God’s Word, I came upon one of my all-time
favorite stories. The story of Peter and Jesus walking on water, as found in
Matthew 14:22-32, is a story filled with encouragement that we must hold dearly
to. It is a story we need to commit to memory and we ought to refer to often as
the storms of life rock our own boats. Take a few minutes this morning to dust
off that Bible and take a look. If you don’t have a Bible, fire up Google, we
are blessed in this age to have the Word of God with us wherever we go. Look
now at the great lessons within this reading.
Jesus
had just ministered to the people who had followed Him as He sought some solitude.
Jesus often went off alone to pray with His Father. Lesson one for us? We need
time alone with God. We need personal prayer time.
Matthew 14:22-24
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Sometimes
we will feel left alone by Jesus and in those times the winds of the troubles
of life will beat against our boat. This can be scary. But take heart; Jesus
has not abandoned you. He knows right where you are.
Matthew 14:25-27
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
If we are going to be disciples of Jesus
and follow Him, sometimes we simply have to get out of the boat. This is what
is called taking a step of faith. Following Jesus is not for the faint-hearted.
Jesus challenges us to not be afraid to go where He is, even if that journey
looks dark, stormy, and sometimes, impossible by the world’s standards. Like
Peter, we must come to Jesus, not sit in a boat and wait.
Matthew 14:28-29
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
What
happened when Peter stepped out in faith? He did the physically impossible. He
walked on water. But then the story takes a sudden turn.
Matthew 14:30
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Whoa.
What happened? Peter steps out on faith in response to the command of Jesus and
he begins to sink. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you did what Jesus said but now
you are sinking and are desperately afraid. We need to see two points in this
verse. First of all, Peter was fine until He took his eyes off Jesus and
instead, looked at the storm. The answer to living for Jesus is to never, ever
look at the storm. Forget the waves. Don’t worry about the wind. Keep your eyes
only on Jesus. In Matthew
6:33 Jesus tells us that we must “seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
But all of us fail. Our faith is not
yet perfected, and God knows we are but dust. The second thing to remember is
that when you fail in your faith, simply cry out to Jesus as Peter did.
Matthew 14:31
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
If you are moving out towards Jesus,
He will not let you drown. He will ask you why you had doubt. He will ask you
that because He wants you to know that you can trust in Him.
I love the end of the story.
Matthew 14:32-33
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Once Jesus decides to get in the
boat, the winds stop. Jesus is God. God controls the storms, they come and go
at His very command.
The lesson? Have faith in God and
worship Him. Whatever storm you face or whatever storm you know is on the
horizon, cry out to Him. The words you need to say are very simple. They are as
the words of a helpless child. Lord, save me.
Romans 10:13
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
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