How to Walk on Water
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Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
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 toward 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 worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
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Overcoming Adversity
Walking on Water
As a hospital chaplain, I have seen people crumbling under the harrowing news of a life limiting diagnosis and prognosis of months rather than years.
I have witnessed stoic confidence in self give way and shift to trusting in God, needing God, longing for God whatever the outcome and as that weight of self-reliance shifted to faith in God they were able to receive healing in many forms.
God responds to desperate people who cry out, like Peter in our reading today, ‘Lord Save me,’ God customises and personalises the supernatural to show that he is trustworthy and He is good. In this dramatic story, Jesus walking on the water, the disciples needed such a dramatic event to shock them into the reality of the supernatural. Up to this point, even after three years full time with Jesus, the disciples considered Jesus ‘almost God.’
When Jesus walks on the water in the dark of a windy night they moved from diminished belief to being worshippers of Jesus, king of kings, Lord of Lords.
There is something unusual about this miracle, they didn’t need it and they didn’t seek it! They weren’t in trouble, there were no demons, they weren’t in need of food, they didn’t need healing, Jesus walking on water, is a miracle that showed his almighty power over nature, gravity, over the sea, purely for their benefit.
Most miracles are “rescues,” in which someone is in great need (demons, hunger, sickness, storms (see Matthew 8:24).
In this ‘walk-on-water’ miracle, the disciples were not in danger, yes it was windy but no real danger…they were
“buffeted by the waves because the wind was against them” —Matthew 14:24
Three questions come to mind:
Why did Jesus do it?
How did he do it?
How can we do it? – Walk on water!
Why did he do it?
Having been with Jesus full time for three years they still do not apply their knowledge of who he is and what he can do in them and through them in their own situation. The kindest thing he can do for them and us is show us and remind us of who he really is and the difference that knowing Jesus should make in our lives.
Why did he do it?
To reveal who he really is.
This is revelation time for the disciples and for us. This miracle is a sign of Jesus’ enormous power, purely for their benefit. He is our Lord God and our personal Saviour
How did he do it?
Jesus Christ walks on water to clearly reveal that he is the Lord God himself. Notice when they saw him (thinking ghost) he reveals who he is by saying …….
“Ego eimi” (ἐγώ εἰμι)
‘I am’ or ‘It is I” — Matthew 14:27
Jesus gives the divine name as his own name, just the same as God revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Yahweh (Exodus 3:11). ‘I am’ is personal yet transcendent. He reveals he is not a life force or higher power he is both personal friend and absolute power simultaneously. How did he do it? Answer; He is almighty, all-powerful, there is nothing he cannot do. He is omnipotent, Jesus is Lord.
How can we do it?
Peter showed more courage than I would have when he said “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water”.
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 toward 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?”
— Matthew 14:28-31
Peter trusting Jesus stepped out and it wasn’t until Peter felt the strength of the wind that he started to sink. What a metaphor for you and I! How can we do it — Walk through adversity and storms? The simple answer is trust in Jesus.
‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ — Philippians 4:13
The Peter miracle also comforts us when we fail and look away from the Lord at the wind and trials and yield to temptations. Peter cried out Lord Save me. Sometimes the storms of life bring us to the point, like Peter, where we cry out, “Lord, save me” — Matthew 14:30. The good news is when we are faithless, God is still faithful — 2 Timothy 2:13.
Our security is not based on the strength of our faith but on the object of our faith (Jesus). Our faith may waver in the storm, Jesus who is all-powerful is also personal and reaches out to us in our time of need.
The surprise in this passage is in Matthew 14:33 — ‘the disciples worshipped Jesus!’
As they declared that Jesus is truly the Son of God their worship finally reveals the purpose of the miracle and shows that the penny had dropped, they were fully convinced of His divinity and they worshipped him.
The same can be asked of us do you know Jesus is your Lord and saviour, through the storms, through life, Lord of all?
Your worship flows from this revelation and God calls us to show a watching world our trust is in Jesus, a personal and powerful saviour in difficult circumstances.
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine‘Oceans’ — Hillsong
