Matthew 14:32-36 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Peter did quite well walking on water until the wind came up. 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!” (Matthew 14:29-30) Because the disciples were terrified by this figure that was walking toward them on top of the water, thinking it might be a ghost, Jesus calls out to them, Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid. To verify the words of Jesus, Peter asks him to call for him to walk on the water. Jesus replies, Come. (See verses 28-29) In this narrative, we see Peter accomplishing a task: he walks on water. However, the wind distracts him from walking to Jesus. When he realized how much the wind was kicking up the waves, he began to sink. Jesus tells Peter he has little faith. The terror of the wind hindered Peter in his efforts to reach Jesus. He lacked confidence that God could handle the wind in this situation. He knew strong winds capsize boats of all sizes, and they surely could bring down a man walking on just two feet. Knowing the danger of the wind over water and what it can do with boats, Peter’s faith diminishes. He sinks into the water. Jesus did not let him go under, nor did he teach him how to walk on water. He came to Peter, helped him into the boat. Jesus also gets into the boat. Quite interesting is that Jesus did not take Peter’s hand and continue walking on the water to the shore. No, that is not what Jesus does with Peter. He climbs into the boat with Peter, into the safety of this watercraft. Then the wind ceases, with no further distraction for Peter. Jesus could have given Peter instructions on how to strengthen his faith or how to walk on water. But he doesn’t. Walking on water would not be passed down from generation to generation. The next time we see Peter going to Jesus from a boat, we see him jumping into the water to meet Jesus. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. (John 21:7-8) This activity of walking on top of the water stopped the day Peter sank because of little faith. A lack of faith is a human condition; if not so, we would all fly around or all be healed or all have continuous supernatural events in our lives. Faith can cause things to supersede reality, but faith is more than just generating new things. Faith is a strong belief that God is real and that He intends to make us his children. Earthly miracles are wonderful, hoped for, believed for; but the eternal miracle of humans being made into the image of the eternal Jesus Christ stretches the credulity of the human mind, something beyond our imaginations. Jesus said that greater things than what He did, we would do. Why should we not all walk on water who believe that Jesus has said to us, “Come”? Why do Christians need floating devices to stay above the water? Notice, Peter and Jesus climbed into the boat and THEN THE WIND CALMED DOWN. In our lives we need Jesus in the boat with us. We do not exist on earth as supernatural beings, not subject to the laws of nature. We are but finite flesh, destined to die; but IN CHRIST, WITH HIM IN OUR BOAT, we are eternal beings, kept safe by his presence through the works of the Holy Spirit. Our faith is for an eternal purpose, not to walk on water, but to get to the shore on the other side to do the will of the Father God.
The disciples were not amazed that Peter could walk on water; they were amazed that the wind that brought so much fear in their lives was controlled by the Lord. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” When the wind was calmed by Jesus, and when they no longer feared for their lives, they worshiped Jesus as God. How often this happens in people’s lives. When the storm is over, when the possibility of reaching the other side of the lake safely becomes a reality, then worshipping begins. But often, this kind of spirit lasts only for a short while. The disciples had seen Jesus do many miracles, but they would soon fall back into their daily routines and into the vicissitudes of life. After they had seen Jesus feed thousands of people with little bread, they argued over not having enough bread on their journey across the lake. Their faith was transitory and often weak. They ran away from Jesus when He was captured, forgetting He was the one who said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) He was not the Son of God to them then. He was just a man who had fallen into the hands of the mighty elite of the community. When Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers, He was but a hopeless prisoner in the hands of Caesar’s power, no Son of God envisioned then. When He was on the cross dying, He was but a man spilling his blood on the ground. To them in their weak faith, the Son of God was not the Master of the wind at these times, but merely a frail man riding on a colt to Jerusalem. Peter’s faith was transitory; we do not know how long he stayed on top of the water. But he eventually sank into the water to the point he feared for his life. These disciples in the boat experienced many things that were miraculous. They saw healing(s) even that day. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. They saw many wonderful things that only God could do, but when the wind kicked up in their lives, they are found camped out with the unbelievers. After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” (Matthew 26:73-74) Their faith as Jesus said was very weak. But he told them as He tells us, with our little faith, Don’t be afraid. It is I. Come. We do not walk on water. We do not fly around, but we know the One who can do all things, and our faith rests in him.
Children around this breakfast table, hear the voice of the Lord. He is speaking to you, his children, and He says, “Come.” Habakkuk describes a Chrisrian’s walk with God very accurately. Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. (Habakkuk 3:17-19) When the wind kicks up in our lives, when the waves are high and turbulent and our boat seems about to flounder, when the crops fail to provide food, when there are no cattle in the stalls or on the hills, Habakkuk proclaims, the Sovereign Lord is MY STRENGTH. He enables me to tread on the heights. He allows me to walk on water regardless of the adversity. We hear Job say, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. (Job 13:15 KJV) Peter obeyed the voice of the Lord. He walked toward Jesus even though it was a scary venture. We need to walk toward God even when the storm is raging. A supernatural deliverance? No, probably not, but it is a hand outstretched to lift your body and place you in the boat of life secure and safe with your Captain in control. If Jesus is in the boat, we are secure. In the confines of this life, He will feed us with manna, nourish us daily so that we might survive the attacks of this secular world, an unbelieving world that demands a sign from God. This cry for a sign was present with the Pharisees, who demanded that Jesus perform a sign for them so that they might know that He had been sent by God. But Jesus calls them adulterous, sinful, for they were commanding the God of the universe to come under their authority and produce a miraculous sign for their benefit. Jesus would not do that, only God is the authority. God does miracles in his timing, not theirs. Habakkuk and Job are telling us, we who live by faith do not need a sign. We will believe in the I AM regardless of what is happening in our lives, for God is real and his love and mercy extend to us with plentifulness. He controls the universe, the wind, and everything else. We walk on water in heavenly places. We know the God of the universe. We trust that He will make us his own children. No wind or adverse circumstance will change that faith in our lives. Together we proclaim: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 KJV)
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