Matthew 14:22-36 NIV
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. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Shortly before dawn 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 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 with miraculous bread, He sent his disciples by boat ahead of Him while He went up the mountain to pray. That's a Moses kind of thing to do. Remember Matthew makes efforts to depict Jesus as the new Moses, mediator over a new covenant and the prophet to come promised by Moses.
Jesus' need to grieve the death of John the Baptist was put aside in order to tend to the needs of the crowd. After healing their sick, encouraging them with the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and feeding them, He finally got away for some alone time with God. This part of the story reveals Jesus the man, a tired mind and body in need of rest, a grieving spirit in need of consolation.
Jesus prayed well into the early hours of the morning. He renewed His spirit and then saw His disciples struggling against the wind and waves. So He walked out onto the sea to help them.
It's easy to jump to the application of this story to our own lives, but it's important to acknowledge the meaning of Jesus walking on water. This miraculous feat reveals Jesus as God.
Ancient myths from other nations, like Babylonia and Assyria, tell of their gods defeating the monsters of chaos. One such myth is of the god Marduk who defeats Tiamat the dragon. Tiamat represents the ocean of primordial chaos. Maduk killed the dragon and split her body in half. With one half he made the sky and with the other he made the earth.
Jesus walking on the sea may be a way to point to such myths and say that Jesus has mastery over chaos, that He is God. The disciples come to that conclusion as they worship Him.
One of my favorite Christian rock bands is Audio Adrenaline. They have a song called, Walk On Water. The chorus says repeatedly,
"If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water."
Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water for a short period. He turns his attention to the waves and loses heart. He becomes terrified and begins to sink, but he knows well enough who to call. He cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me."
Life is filled with chaotic events and sometimes a chaotic pace. The nature of chaos is disorder and disorientation. Chaos causes destruction and death. It diminishes life and community and is associated with darkness. Peter is above it all while he trusts in Jesus, the Son of God, but when he takes his eyes off of Jesus, that's when the chaos overtakes him.
Our lives can get pretty hectic and sometimes we lose sight of the goodness of life and God who is with us. We can feel overwhelmed as if sinking below the weight of it all. And sometimes life causes suffering. In our pain and grief we may feel as if we are about to drown in sorrow and anguish. It's at those times we must remember who to call upon. Jesus lifted Peter from his peril and He will do the same for you.
Jesus asked Peter why He doubted. The nature of doubt in this story is to give greater credence to the things that worry and frighten us than to the authority of the Son of God. We could also say that those things that anger, confuse us, or sadden us can claim our attention and we will lose sight of the fact that Jesus is with us and He has mastery over all things. He is Lord of heaven and earth. The demons recognize His authority and bow in submission. So too the wind and waves go silent when the disciples get Jesus into their boat. The closer you are in communion with Christ the less the clamour of chaos will bother you. When life gets overwhelming, get Jesus into the boat with you! Call upon Him and the peace that calms the storm will be yours.
Remember that Jesus went away to pray. Follow His example. Get away from the hustle and bustle and spend time alone with God. The more you are in the habit of prayer, the more quickly you will enjoy Christ's mastery over any challenge you face. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you can walk happily above it all.
I end with lyrics from Audio Adrenaline's Walk On Water.
Just like Peter I want to go farther
tread on the sea and walk on the water
step where he steps and go where he goes
side by side when the sea billows roll
I'll be alright when the wind comes
I'll be alright when the waves come crashing
I'm not afraid for this is my father's world
Give it a listen!
Shortly before dawn 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 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 with miraculous bread, He sent his disciples by boat ahead of Him while He went up the mountain to pray. That's a Moses kind of thing to do. Remember Matthew makes efforts to depict Jesus as the new Moses, mediator over a new covenant and the prophet to come promised by Moses.
Jesus' need to grieve the death of John the Baptist was put aside in order to tend to the needs of the crowd. After healing their sick, encouraging them with the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and feeding them, He finally got away for some alone time with God. This part of the story reveals Jesus the man, a tired mind and body in need of rest, a grieving spirit in need of consolation.
Jesus prayed well into the early hours of the morning. He renewed His spirit and then saw His disciples struggling against the wind and waves. So He walked out onto the sea to help them.
It's easy to jump to the application of this story to our own lives, but it's important to acknowledge the meaning of Jesus walking on water. This miraculous feat reveals Jesus as God.
Ancient myths from other nations, like Babylonia and Assyria, tell of their gods defeating the monsters of chaos. One such myth is of the god Marduk who defeats Tiamat the dragon. Tiamat represents the ocean of primordial chaos. Maduk killed the dragon and split her body in half. With one half he made the sky and with the other he made the earth.
Jesus walking on the sea may be a way to point to such myths and say that Jesus has mastery over chaos, that He is God. The disciples come to that conclusion as they worship Him.
One of my favorite Christian rock bands is Audio Adrenaline. They have a song called, Walk On Water. The chorus says repeatedly,
"If I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water."
Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water for a short period. He turns his attention to the waves and loses heart. He becomes terrified and begins to sink, but he knows well enough who to call. He cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me."
Life is filled with chaotic events and sometimes a chaotic pace. The nature of chaos is disorder and disorientation. Chaos causes destruction and death. It diminishes life and community and is associated with darkness. Peter is above it all while he trusts in Jesus, the Son of God, but when he takes his eyes off of Jesus, that's when the chaos overtakes him.
Our lives can get pretty hectic and sometimes we lose sight of the goodness of life and God who is with us. We can feel overwhelmed as if sinking below the weight of it all. And sometimes life causes suffering. In our pain and grief we may feel as if we are about to drown in sorrow and anguish. It's at those times we must remember who to call upon. Jesus lifted Peter from his peril and He will do the same for you.
Jesus asked Peter why He doubted. The nature of doubt in this story is to give greater credence to the things that worry and frighten us than to the authority of the Son of God. We could also say that those things that anger, confuse us, or sadden us can claim our attention and we will lose sight of the fact that Jesus is with us and He has mastery over all things. He is Lord of heaven and earth. The demons recognize His authority and bow in submission. So too the wind and waves go silent when the disciples get Jesus into their boat. The closer you are in communion with Christ the less the clamour of chaos will bother you. When life gets overwhelming, get Jesus into the boat with you! Call upon Him and the peace that calms the storm will be yours.
Remember that Jesus went away to pray. Follow His example. Get away from the hustle and bustle and spend time alone with God. The more you are in the habit of prayer, the more quickly you will enjoy Christ's mastery over any challenge you face. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you can walk happily above it all.
I end with lyrics from Audio Adrenaline's Walk On Water.
Just like Peter I want to go farther
tread on the sea and walk on the water
step where he steps and go where he goes
side by side when the sea billows roll
I'll be alright when the wind comes
I'll be alright when the waves come crashing
I'm not afraid for this is my father's world
Give it a listen!
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