WATCH TODAY’S EPISODE ON YOUTUBE.
CONSECRATE
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
HEAR
Matthew 14:25–31 NIV
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?”
CONSIDER
If we were to create a Top Ten Gospels highlight reel, this scene from today’s text would surely be near the top. In fact, I’ll add a journal prompt assignment to this end for you to respond to. Now let’s go Gospelling.
1. So for starters, IMHO the keepers of the Bible have buried the lead on this story. The Bible headline (which is not actually the Bible) reads: “Jesus Walks on Water.” The real headline should read: “Peter Walks on Water!”
2. To get the full effect of this miraculous scene we need to look at the larger set of happenings around it. Jesus has just fed well more than five thousand people an all-you-can-eat buffet with a mere five loaves of bread and two fish. We will dive deep into this one in season 2 (a.k.a. Mark), but for now the most telling word from this story is Jesus telling his disciples, “You give them something to eat” (Matt. 14:16b). Far beyond a miracle, this was a training exercise. In fact, you will remember from our reading we are in the midst of a massive training program by now. Today’s focus text is also a training exercise.
3. Jesus is not concerned with his capacity and ability to demonstrate the kingdom of heaven on earth. He’s got that in spades. His primary concern now: training us to demonstrate his capacity and ability to demonstrate the kingdom of heaven on earth. I remember many years ago coming across Jesus’s stunning promise to us in John 14:
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (v. 12)
I knew immediately (and still know) there are one of two possible truths about these words. 1. They are not true, or 2. I am not getting it. I think you know where I land on this one. It’s not about doing miracles though. I have become convinced we do not do the greater things because we do not possess the greater love. We don’t have a power problem; we have a love deficit. I’ll never forget the words on the marquee sign at the local bank: “Where there is great love, miracles always happen.”
4. Now look at me burying the lead: Peter walks on water. This is not a miracle story. It is a faith story, and before that, it is a fear story. We are getting down to the codes of Jesus’s kingdom now. Love moving in faith. The obstacle is fear. The master class is not how to walk on water—it’s how faith overcomes fear. Behold:
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?”
Last word to John today: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18a ESV).
And perfect love has a name. Can I get a witness?
PRAY
Lord Jesus, thank you for the rest of the story, which says, “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.” Thank you for the most important miracle of all—faith, and that no matter how much fear we have or if we fall, you will get into the boat with us and get us to the other side. And thank you for the end of the story today, which says, “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” I join this worship now. Praying in your name, Jesus. Amen.
JOURNAL
What’s on your Gospelling highlight reel so far in Matthew’s Gospel? Consider sharing with our incredible FaceBook group here. Now, what’s the water Jesus is calling you to walk on these days? Describe the boat? Scale of 1–10 (10 being the highest) what’s the faith quotient? Same scale—what’s the fear quotient? Warning—the two numbers added cannot exceed 10 (i.e., if faith is a 4, fear is a 6).
SING
Today, we will sing “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” (hymn 670) and “There’s Something about That Name” (hymn 134) from our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise.
For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
P.S. So while you are at church today . . .
How about sharing an invitation to join the Wake-Up Call with your small group, or your Sunday School class, or your friends, and especially with your pastor, with whom I would love to get connected. seedbed.com/wakeupcall.
John David (J. D.) Walt Jr. is the Sower-in-Chief for Seedbed and the pastor of the Gillett Methodist Church in Gillett, Arkansas.
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11 Responses
I’m always amazed that when Peter was sinking, when he lost sight of Jesus, the Lord was within an arm’s reach of him to save him. Not that far away at all . . . It’s a warning that I can be walking closely with Jesus and still be overcome with fear. But even when that happens, he’s closer than I realize.
Amen.
Amen
Hello J D, come to my church, Faith Church in Ashland, Ohio and I will sing with you. You helped me to get out of the boat. Peace and blessings to you.
Matthew 14 is one of my favorite chapters in all the bible. What a FULL day! From hearing of His cousin’s death, to healing the sick, to the feeding of the 5,000, to mourning in prayer the passing of His cousin, to walking on water, to saving Peter, and finally to getting to the other side of the lake and healing more sick people.
That friends, is one FULL day. I draw on this chapter when my own life is feeling “too full” to help that one person that the Holy Spirit is nudging me to help. Jesus understands our busy lives. Thank you, Spirit for recording this example of the busyness of life and focusing on what’s important.
The miracle of walking in God’s love.
No miracle has ever dazzled and amazed me as much as the miracle of God’s love. When someone speaks sincere, caring, and encouraging words to me from their heart, I’m deeply moved by something supernatural. When I’m aware that God loves, forgives, and sets me free in spite of all my sins and flaws, I’m astonished.
When I’m praying over a stranger and I begin to sense so much love for him or her that my eyes fill with tears I know that I am walking out a miracle. When I go against my strong feelings of resentment and consistently ask God to bless someone who has hurt me and done me much harm, God the Holy Spirit tells me that I am following the signs and wonders of His narrow way. (Matthew 7:14)
Jesus walked on water and invited His disciples to step out of the boat and walk to Him. (Matthew 14:25-31) His disciple, the man called Peter, obeyed Jesus and walked out of the fishing boat, on to the water, and into an untold number of Sunday sermons. If you have read the biblical account or heard one of the sermons, you know that Peter began to sink but Jesus pulled him up and together they walked back to the boat. Peter experienced a miracle! But what was the miracle?
The miracle wasn’t that Peter walked. Most human beings can walk. The miracle was that when gravity took over and Peter started sinking, Jesus pulled him back up and supernaturally kept him afloat as Peter himself moved his own feet and legs in order to walk back to the boat.
It’s not a miracle when you obey the risen Jesus. It’s a choice. The miracle is that when you obey Christ living in you, (Colossians 1:27) God supernaturally works in and through you.
Step out of your comfort-zone-boat and experience this for yourself. Ask Jesus, “Lord, if it’s You (Matthew 14:28) living in me, tell me something that You want me to do.” Then listen to Jesus because He said that His seep hear His voice. (John 10:27)
When Christ’s still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) speaks to you, do what He tells you to even if you are afraid. When you begin to walk out what Jesus says you’ll be amazed at the miracles that will happen. Even if you start to sink, Jesus will pull you through! As you’ve humbled yourself, in due time He will lift you up. (1 Peter 4:6) (Remember, Christ won’t tell you to do things that contradict what He said in the Bible.)
When God’s miraculous love is welcomed, embraced, and fully surrendered to (1 Corinthians 14:1) many other miracles will follow. Allow God to continually work (1 Thessalonians 5:19) the miracle of His love (Matthew 22:37-39) — including love for your enemies (Matthew 5:44) — in and through you wherever you are and everywhere you go. Then goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. (Psalm 23:6)
It’s lovely when we,
The body of Christ,
Are community–
Truly family.
Then we start to see
Christ in you and me.
Christianity’s
Not about a place.
It’s about showing
God’s love face to face.
The body of Christ
Should never replace
True community
With ceremony.
(Jesus didn’t tell His followers to make Rome great. He told them to “Bless those who curse you.”)
Amen
I tried the YouTube broadcast and was rudely interrupted during consecration by an advertisement!
Are you monetizing the wake-up call?
Another Journal prompt. Why was Peter the only one to get out of the boat to walk towards Jesus? Why didn’t any of the other disciples join him?
Thank you Sam!
Thank you Steve!
May God be glorified as I live my life.
Yes, thank you to Sam and Steve for your additional insight on Matthew 14!! 🙏🏻