Walking On Water (Matthew 14:22-33)
Life is full of struggles. Each and every day is filled with different
trials, anxieties, joys, sorrows, and challenges. It is easy to just
give up and turn to drugs, alcohol, pleasures, and a number of other
avenues to distract from having to confront these challenges.
Even though life throws all of these things at us, there is one who is
there if we would only seek him. God's word teaches us how to confront
these adversities.
Lets look at the scripture and behold what God is saying to those who
put their trust in him.
Our story starts after the miracle of feeding the five thousand. That
story is (Matthew 14:1-21) if you would like to review it.
Lets look at the passage now...
Matthew 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his
disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him
unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes
away.
Imagine the Lord Jesus trying to send thousands of folks away. Remember
that he had just healed many of them, as well as providing food for
five thousand men. This did not include women and children. Some bible
scholars estimate there could have been as many as twenty thousand
people there. How on earth would someone direct twenty thousand people
to depart? Well, this was no problem for our Lord Jesus. Note that Jesus
also sent the people away without the help of his disciples.
Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes
away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and
when the evening was come, he was there alone.
This verse has some incredible points.
1. Jesus went up into a mountain (a high place)
2. Jesus went there to PRAY
3. The time was towards the end of the day.
4. Jesus was alone.
When things get difficult we need to find a quiet place and hit our
knees. Again imagine the work involved with healing and feeding twenty
thousand people. We also need to be alone with God when praying. It is
also important to note that it took till later in the evening for the
multitudes to depart. Imagine the compassion the Lord Jesus had on all
the people as they were departing. One wonders what else might have
been going on as the masses made their way back home.
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of
the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was
contrary.
This verse represents the ups and downs of life. Things are calm and
then suddenly a violent storm (life's challenges) occurs. These trials
and tribulations can happen at our weakest times.
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night
Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Here we see Jesus "Walking On Water"
Jesus walks on the water to reach the ship. The fourth watch of the
night would have been about 3:00AM.
Remember that the Lord is aware of everything we are going through. He
is always there! The Lord is always on time! His time! Never lose sight
of the fact that whatever we are going through, there is a faithful God
that will deliver us in times of trouble.
Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking
on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a
spirit; and they cried out for fear.
It is unbelievable that the disciples still doubted the Son of God at
this point. Especially, in the light of the fact they just witnessed
the feeding of twenty thousand! The disciples had witnessed many
miracles and now they are witnessing the miracle of Jesus walking on
the sea.
Are we any different in our faith? When trouble comes sometimes we look
at the world and forget the God that created us. If only we would
automatically turn to the Lord God in times of need!
One other point on this verse is that the world can appear to be
something different than it actually is. This is commonplace with
unbelief. Rather than understanding things through the eyes of God, we
put the world into the equation. Thus, the fear the disciples had was
something other than what the knowledge of God has revealed to us.
Jesus clears things up with their thoughts with the next verse.
Matthew 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them,
saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Rest assured the Lord Jesus will be your comfort and help in times of
trouble. Be comforted with his words "Be of good cheer, it is I, and be
not afraid". Put your thoughts on the Lord and your fear will be pacified.
Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered him and said,
Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the
water.
Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was
come down out of the ship, he walked on the water,
to go to Jesus.
Jesus said "Come". This statement is amazing. We can come to him just as he
is, and where he is. Peter had a desire to be with Jesus. I think we all
have that desire. We want to be where safety and security is. There is no
safer place to be than with God. He is our strength and shelter in times
of trouble. The Psalms is filled with scripture enticing us to run to the
Lord in times of danger. Take the next verse from the Psalms for example...
Psalms 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress,
and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I
will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation,
and my high tower.
There is no doubt Peter knew that the Lord Jesus was the safest place to
be. But as we shall see in the next verse, there are some issues with Peter.
Matthew 14:30-31 But when he saw the wind boisterous,
he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried,
saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus
stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said
unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst
thou doubt?
Peter had his eyes on the Lord Jesus when he started to walk on the water,
but because he focused on the storm instead of the Lord he started to sink.
This is what happens to all of us when we think we can go it alone without
the Lord. We must keep our eyes on the Lord at all times!
Jesus hearing his cry saved him immediately. But, notice the reason Peter
failed miserably.
"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
What a lesson we can learn here!
1. Do not take your eyes off the Lord in times of trouble. (actually in
times of good too!)
2. All of our strength and safety comes from the Lord and nothing else!
3. The issue with failing miserably is our failure to believe (Faith in a
Great God)!
Taking our eyes off of the Lord in times of trouble can be a death sentence.
Remember Lot's wife?
(Genesis 19:26) is a situation when Lot's wife cared about the world rather
than about God!
Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind
him, and she became a pillar of salt.
It is best just to trust God and never take your eyes off of him! It really
is about unbelief is it not?
Matthew 14:32-33 And when they were come into the
ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the
ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth
thou art the Son of God.
It is pretty apparent at this point Jesus is not just a mere man. Yes, He was
in the form of a man, but there is more to be learned here.
1. Jesus calmed the storm. The wind ceased!
2. Those that were on the ship were quite aware of what just happened.
3. Knowing the truth, they gave God all the glory and worshipped him.
4. They acknowledged that Jesus indeed is the Son of God!
All throughout scripture there is plenty of proof that Jesus is the Son of God.
Faith is the issue that separates believers from unbelievers.
Lets summarize the key principle of Faith in scripture...
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.
Faith in what? Well God of course! Believest thou this???
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God.
Keep your eyes on the Lord!
written by Mark Dickens 05/02/2022