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Walking on Water

Walking on Water. Matthew 14:22-33 Robert C. Newman. Matthew 14:22-27. Matt 14:22 (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.

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Walking on Water

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  1. Walking on Water Matthew 14:22-33 Robert C. Newman

  2. Matthew 14:22-27 Matt 14:22 (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. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night 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."

  3. Matthew 14:28-33 Matt 14:28 (NIV) "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."

  4. The Miracle • This is a nature miracle, like several others Jesus does: • Calming the sea (Matthew 8) • Turning the water to wine (John 2) • Multiplying the loaves & fishes (Matthew 14) • These tell us something of who Jesus is: • His power over nature matches the greatest prophets. • The direct character of his miracle-working surpasses theirs.

  5. This Miracle is Unusual • It is unusual re/ the actions of Peter. • The disciples did sometimes share in Jesus’ miracles: • Loaves & fishes (Matthew 14) • Casting out demons (Mark 6) • But this is more direct: • Peter is doing a miracle in Jesus’ presence. • Seems like Peter is grand-standing, but Jesus doesn’t rebuke him for this.

  6. What Does It Mean?

  7. The Incident Itself • Peter is able to accomplish something humanly impossible thru Jesus’ empowerment. • Peter begins to waver when he realizes he is out of his depth (!). • When he withdraws his trust & begins to fear the (dangerous) circumstances, he fails. • Jesus comes to his rescue.

  8. Is This an Acted Parable? • Acted parables are fairly common among the OT prophets: • Ahijah rips his cloak (1 Kings 11) • Isaiah goes “naked” (Isa 20) • Jeremiah smashes a clay pot (Jer 19) • Ezekiel’s sticks (Ezek 37) • Hosea’s marriage (Hosea 1-3) • Jonah’s gourd (Jonah 4) • Sometimes these involve a miracle.

  9. Jesus’ Acted Parables • Some of his non-miraculous actions are parabolic: • Foot washing (John 13) • Cleansing temple (John 2) • Some of his miracles are parabolic: • Cursing the fig tree (Mark 11) • Healing the blind man (John 9)

  10. This Incident as Acted Parable

  11. Incident as Parable • As a parable, the incident doesn’t necessarily teach that Jesus will do miracles through us, though he might! • Rather, the Christian life, rightly lived, is like walking on water! • If we will really trust Jesus in living our lives, we will come into circumstances & opportunities that are way over our heads.

  12. Incident as Parable • If we quit depending on Jesus, and begin to fear our circumstances, God will let us fail. • Contrast the prophets Uriah & Jeremiah in Jer 26: • Jeremiah stayed in Jerusalem & was safe. • Uriah fled to Egypt in fear & was killed. • Jer 1:17 (NIV) Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.

  13. The Lesson Here? • The Christian life is a life of constant trust. • Let us make God our security… • Rather than security our god… • And God will make our enemies flee us… • (even Satan!) • Rather than us flee our enemies • (even the weakest of them).

  14. The Lesson Here? • Jesus wants us to get out of the boat: • Join him in a grand adventure… • One that will make our lives exciting… • And worthwhile… • In a way that we have hardly even dared to imagine.

  15. The End Get out of the boat!

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