We’re going to be walking on water today!!

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowd. After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.”

“Come,” He said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught Him, “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Jumping right into the context of this passage, Jesus had just finished teaching and feeding over 5,000 people: remember the story? Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish!

A mighty miracle, with leftovers, had just happened and the disciples were sent on their way across the lake ahead of Christ while He cleaned up after the crowd and had some much-needed one-on-one time with God.

“The fourth watch” of the night means it was the end of the night between 3am and 6am. As a “retired” night shift worker, it was the darkest and coldest part of the night…it was the time of night where a person was most tired when they were working and the time when the night seemed the quietest.

Putting all that together, it was very late in the night after a very long, productive day.

Let’s read the passage again, but this time think of yourself in the role of Peter!

As Peter~

Did you see all those leftovers we had guys?? Man, I thought we were going to have go buy food for all those people – Jesus sure brings in a crowd, doesn’t He??? Thank goodness that kid had that fish and bread! But, DANG fella’s, did you SEE all those baskets just keep getting filled again and again and again? How on earth does Jesus DO that??

Incredible!

And we have breakfast for tomorrow all taken care of now too! Anyone else hungry??

What do you think Jesus is doing? It sure is getting late! Or should I say, “early”! Ha! Do you get that one, John?? It’s “late” but it’s also “early”…I crack myself up!

Man, it sure is getting windy and wavy out here boys…this is a little boat and we are rocking around in it pretty good out here in the water! Shoot, it’s so dark out if we sink no one would even SEE us go down! It’s so windy, I doubt anyone could HEAR us either!!

Holy cow guys….look over there!

What’s that??

Do you SEE that????

Is it something blowing in the wind over there?? Like a sail or something?

Wait…no…that is a SHAPE of something…like a body.

What the heck??

How can a BODY be out here on the water in the middle of the lake?!!

Holy cow, guys! Is that a ghost???

Oh geez….it’s a ghost -I just know it!

Where IS Jesus?????

Wait!

Jesus!

What did it…I mean HE say?? Did He just tell us to NOT BE AFRAID? Did He say, “It is I?”

Could it be…???

Do you think…???

It…I mean HE…is getting closer!

Hey John~ I’m gonna call out to it…I mean Him…Ok? What do you think? Think I should?

I’m gonna… I’m gonna do it guys. It’s Him, I KNOW it’s Him!

(Clears throat)

Lord, if it’s YOU then tell me to come to you on the water!

-I know what I’m doing John, hang on, it’s cool…It’s gonna be fine…-

Did He just tell me to COME?!

(Deep breath in)

I’m COMING.

(leaps over the side of the boat and lands ON the water)

Holy cow, guys, I’m doing it! Hey, Jesus! Look at me! I’m coming to You!! I’m coming!

(Feels the waves crashing over feet and looks down)

Holy cow, I’m walking on water. I’m ON the water. How am I on the water? Holy cow, I’m sinking!! I’m sinking!

Jesus! I’m sinking!!

LORD SAAAAAAAVE MEEEEEEE!!

I’m going to drown! This is it! I’m done for! Wait- is that a hand?? Grab it Peter!! Dang it, you got to reach for it man!

I got it! I got His hand! He has me!!

Look at His face looking at me. I am so embarrassed, but He doesn’t look mad or scared at all. He is as calm as He ever is…He was never worried something was going to happen to me, was He?

Is He smiling at me??

I think I just heard Him ask me “why did you doubt?”

As we climb back into the boat together, my brothers begin singing songs of praise as the water around us calms again. They cannot believe what they just saw!! Jesus was walking on the water and so did I! That’s awesome stuff!!!

Why did I doubt what was happening when it was happening?

Why did I take my eyes off of Him to see what was swirling around me?

Why did I get so scared when Jesus was right in front of me standing on the water Himself??

Why did it matter that what I was doing seemed impossible or improbable when I was staring into the face of the One who does MIRACLES?

End scene.

When my eyes are on Christ, I am safe and able to do anything.

When my eyes are on Christ, I do not notice the things that threaten to harm me, crash over me, overwhelm me, or make me afraid.

When my eyes are on Christ, I am ABOVE the things that make me fearful.

When my eyes turn back to Christ, He hears my cry and saves me.

My friends, where are your eyes looking when you’re scared?

Lord,

Help me to see YOU in the dark.

Help me to have the faith to stand up when something is scaring me.

Help me to cry out to You and to grab on tightly to Your hand that is reached out to save me.

Help me to keep my eyes on You.

Amen.