Walking on Water

Mt. 14:22-32

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.”  (Mt. 14:22-32)

This happened right after the feeding of the 5000, which was actually closer to the feeding of the 10000 when you count the women and children there. The disciples were pumped up with faith! Then Jesus told them to take a boat and sail over the Galilee to the town of Bethsaida where He would meet them. Jesus said goodbye to the crowds (or more likely extricated himself) and went into the mountains to pray to the Father.

Meanwhile the disciples got in a boat and started for Bethsaida. They were sailing when a storm blew up a couple of hours before dawn. Several of these men were fishermen and had grown up around boats and the sudden storms on Galilee all their lives. This particular storm wasn’t any different than anything else they had gone through. I can’t say the same for Matthew the former tax collector, who might have been tossing his cookies over the side. The fishermen Peter, Andrew, James and John probably handled it fine. But then something happened – they saw a glimmering spirit approaching them over the water.

I know I’d be scared if I saw something like that. But what did these 1st century Jews think about ghosts? At death man becomes a rephaim, i.e., a ‘ghost,’ ‘shade,’ or ‘disembodied spirit’ according to Job 26:5; Ps 88:10; Prov 2:18; 9:18; 21:16; Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19. The rephaim dwell in Sheol (Greek Hades). Sheol was thought to be a hollow place located deep within the earth. For a ghost to come back was profoundly disturbing since Sheol was barred from within to keep the ghosts from escaping. It meant there was something terribly wrong. (By the way, the New Testament tells us that Jesus descended into Sheol. 1 Peter 3:18-20, Ephesians 4:9-10, and Matthew 12:40.)

So Jesus tells them he is NOT a ghost. This would not be the last time this happened; after his Resurrection the disciples thought he was a ghost then too. He assured them that He was quite physical and to look at and touch His hands and feet. “A ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” (Luke 24:39)

Back at the Sea of Galilee Jesus told them the same thing as he called out over the waves: “Take courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.”

Then Peter does something very Peter-like. He asks Jesus to invite him to walk on the water and Jesus does. Things go well at first but then he noticed the strong wind. He was afraid and started to sink down in the water. “Save me, Lord!” he cried. Jesus grabbed him up out of the water and scolded him. “What little faith you have! Why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31)

Is this you? Is this us? Noticing the strong wind and sinking down, crying out for Jesus’ help. Peter was sinking and he was right to call out for Jesus’ help. We do the same thing and Jesus reaches down to save us. But think about this: do we have to sink in the first place? Can we keep our eyes on Him and not be afraid? It is better for us to focus on Jesus, His nature and His promises than to concentrate at our problems and be afraid. This is the same message in Mark 4:39-40? “Peace, be still!… Why are you frightened? Do you still have no faith?”

When something is big to me it sure as heck isn’t big to God. If I keep my attention on Him and Him alone, then I can walk on the water too.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21