Mathew 14:22-33 Jesus walked on the water
Prayer: O Lord ,again and again when the winds and waves of this life cause us to doubt Your love and care, we fear and begin to sink to destruction. Oh please, do not forsake us or turn from us in danger, but come to us on the water, grasp us with Your loving hand and strengthen us to continue on the way through Your means of grace. Amen.
Introduction:
It is a very fun and exciting experience going out on a boat ride on the water! Several days ago I had the chance to ride on the sea around Coranado island in San Diego, with Pastor Werner and his son Daniel, elder Dean. We drove through all the famous spots on the sea that afternoon, Midway Museum, statues of Navy solder was kissing a nurse, Navy base, downtown San Diego.
When we were starting the our journey, the water was peaceful and gentle , there was no strong wind or waves on the sea, and everyone on the boat was enjoying the sunshine, blue clean waters, cool wind, birds were flying in the sky. But at the end of our journey, the wind was getting stronger and the waves were getting bigger, and sometimes we were felt the boat really begin to shake because of big waves, which made me so scared that almost I cried out. I can’t even control myself.
That was like what happened in today’s story, Peter and other disciples cried out for help during the storm on the lake. And our Lord Jesus stretched out his hands and holding Peter’s hands and also holding others. just like “He is holding our hands all the time.”
This story happened shortly after Jesus feeding of the 5,000 with the five barley loaves and the two small fish. When Jesus fed the five thousand, this miracle so astounded people that they wanted to force him to become a political king for their political intention on this world. However, Jesus dismissed the crowd immediately and asked his disciples get in the boat and let them go to the other side of the lake, and Jesus by himself alone, went up to the top of the mountain and started to pray. (Mat :verse 22-23)
Where was Jesus when the disciples needed Him most? Our text says, “He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray. To be sure, Jesus was no mere human being who wasn’t aware of the serious circumstances of His friends. This was the incarnate Second Person of the Trinity, the Almighty God, who has all power in heaven and on earth. In His mind eye as He prayed, He saw the disciples struggle and fighting with the wind and the waves.
And during the 3 to 6 AM the morning time, after Jesus was finished his prayer on the mountain top, he was trying to get back to his disciples, walking on the water.
But when he was walking close to his disciples in the darkness and waves, his disciples were terrified and they thought there was a ghost coming to them, they were cried out in fear “It’s a ghost!” (verse 25-26). What frightened disciples was not the storm or waves--as experience fisherman, they were used to that. What really frightened them was that during the darkness on the water at stormy night, they saw someone was walking on water and coming towards them, they thought they were seeing a ghost.
In this situation Jesus “immediately” calms their fear by his words “Take courage! It is me, Don’t be afraid!”
After Peter was realized that it was Jesus walking on the water, He had an idea appeared in his mind and he asked Jesus “Lord, if it’s you” “tell me to come to you on the water.”
And Lord said “Come!”
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. Yes! Peter did walk on the water! With Jesus word!
But when he saw the wind, he became afraid and began to sink!
(Law:) When many believers are reading through this story, it is easy to point out our fingers to Peter and say “what a little faith he had, he just walked on the water, why did he doubt? Why didn’t he continue walk with Jesus? ”
But the truth is we are like Peter. We probably wish we weren’t, but actually we are. What I mean is this: sometimes my faith is strong and I trust that the Lord is working everything which I’m going through for my good (Romans 8:28)and I’m confident that no matter what I’m facing, God is bigger and stronger than it.
But other time, sometimes barely a moment later, my faith is absent and I’m afraid and I’m doubting that God can possibly make this situation work out for my good. I’m wondering why God doesn’t use all his power now to intervene to help me. And this happens to me in situations not nearly as dire as what Peter faced, situations where I’m not sinking beneath the water, literally at risk of drowning.
Especially in this pandemic period of time, racial tensions, economic difficulties, we don’t know when things getting better, People around us are losing their jobs, the media is reporting the bad news all the time, the violence and riots were spreading out to the whole country. Whenever we are opened up our TV or Internet, cellphones ,the “doom scrolling ” is going on everywhere. We are starting to doubt and wonder about our faith, and are starting to ask “why” questions, why these terrible things in our lives, did God really say He loved the whole world, why did He allow these things happened in us today? Why is he not helping or intervene people’s lives, a lot of “why” questions show up in our mind.
(Gospel:) however, through the story today , actually it is the bible teaching all the time. The truth is: Jesus is always there, whenever we are facing difficulties and starting to wondering, he is always ready for helping us and being with us, just like he did “immediately” for Peter when he was stuck in troubles, he is taking actions for helping us and providing our needs. And He is still speaking to us, Take heart! It is Me. Don’t be afraid! Our Christians some time just have little faith like Peter had in our story. And Jesus is asking the same question to us like he asked Peter:
“Why do you doubt me? Why do you not trust me ? Why do you concentrate on this storms and water, winds, instead of focusing on me and why do you take your eyes off from me?”
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, In what way does Jesus ask this question? Is he scolding Peter? Or is he more like a loving parent, trying to calm his child who wakes up afraid in the middle of night? Yes , it is second one, isn’t it ?He is like a loving parent ,trying to calm his child. Jesus is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15),for sure he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.When we are in trouble or emergency situations like Peter, he will always with us and trying to help us immediately. Please remember that we have Jesus as our Lord Who wants us to cry out to him and to save us always.
Furthermore, some people might think like this way “ if peter could trust more in that moment, he would not sink. And even for us, if only I could trust more, I wouldn’t sink so often, like Peter does.” but the point we pray the Holy Spirit teaches us today is what our service theme noted, that we learn ,A Lesson on How God’s Kingdom Depends On the Strength of Our Savior, Not the Size of Our Faith. We constantly need to be remind of this: Jesus is strong enough to keep his promises. The Kingdom and our being in it depends not on us, not on our faith, but the strength of our Savior. Our Savior is all the time upholding our little faith for us, praying for us, and ready to rescue us from all the emergency situations.
He is not only using his hands upholding us in prayer and in difficulties time. Actually He is all the time at work saving you now. Through His Word He is leading you to repent of your little faith, leading you to rely on Him rather than yourself or something else.
He is at work in saving you now, even before you were starting to believe in Him, he had suffered for you, crucified on the cross to paid for your sin, and the third day he arose from the death, so that you and me can also arise on the last day! And he is still speaking to us right now “Come to me, my children, Take courage! It’s me, who suffered for you, who love you, who cares you, Don’t be afraid! I am truly son of God. I am the one control the world.”
Indeed He is working and saving you now, through His Sacraments strengthening you to doubt less and live for him more because you know he cares for you, and even more, he is providing all the needs for our goods, as Pastor Werner has been teaching and showing us in Bible class on Vocation. Through family, through church, through people in government and society, through all the His people in their jobs and works. He is upholding all there means to take care of your every need of body and soul.
As the disciples of Christ, it doesn’t mean that we won’t have troubles in this world, we will have troubles just as Jesus warned us. Sometimes, like Peter, we get ourselves into trouble. Other times it is the sinful world around us that bother us. Sometimes, the Lord allows things to happen into our lives which we don’t understand and expect, like the coronavirus.
However, he promises that he will use these things to teach us, to lead us to turn to him and more draw us closer to him in every trouble. To pray to him, to call upon him, and to give him thanks for he lovingly works it out.
Conclusion: My brothers and sisters in Christ, although our lives sometimes feel like we’ve seen a ghost and storm and strong waves are happening around us, however, please remember that God’s Kingdom Depends On the Strength of Our Savior, Not Size of Our Faith. Jesus is still stretching out his hands to saving us, and upholding us during the time of danger and emergency, speaking to us “Come to me, Don’t be afraid! Take courage! It’s me.” And he will also grasp you and each one of us until we arrive at our heavenly home . So that now and then our confession to Him will be like the disciples in this story: “ Truly you are the Son of God.” (Verse 33)and our prayer for now is:
“Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand; I am tired, I am weak, I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light. Take my hand, precious Lord; Lead me home”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit! Amen!
