JESUS WALKS ON WATER

Bible Reading: Matthew 14:22-33

Parallel passages

Matthew 14:22-33

Mark 6:45-52

John 6:16-21

Introduction

Background

We are here not to listen to a nice story that we all probably heard in Sunday school multiple times.

We could spend time analysing each step each of each men and identify multiple reasons concerning faith and looking upon Jesus; but that is not the purpose of this story.

We really need to grasp the purpose the Holy Spirit ensured this event was recorded three times, the reason behind this.

And importantly we need to look around us, and consider this narrative of Jesus’ actions.

We live in a time of disbelief – and it is hardly unknown why; we live in an age of misinformation – in the old days we call this propaganda, now it’s called fake news if you are Trump. The dismissal of God as our creator and king happened some time ago.

We live in a time of immense anxiety, with wicked deeds occurring at all levels of society and in every suburb. Sin abounds, and everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes, with not a care in the world about their neighbour. They hate God. Paul puts it this way:

They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.

They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 2:29-31.

At the time of when this story takes place it was also a time of unbelief – a time when the Messiah of Israel had come, but Nation Israel did not believe it was Messiah. Indeed he had been roundly rejected by the leadership of Israel.

And this is our time too – the resounding rejection of Jesus Christ as Saviour – which is why this story is so relevant today.

If we back-flip merely 7 verses we find the disciples were confronted with Jesus feeding 5000 – truly a miracle, and truly a revelation that this man was indeed the Messiah. This had never happened before; certainly not since Moses arranged manna to be provided to the Israelites in the wilderness. In verse 19 we see that Jesus

Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  (20)  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  (21)  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
(Mat 14:19-20)

If we back-flip in Matthew two chapters we find the entire leadership of Israel had rejected the Messiah and committed the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit by deeming Jesus Christ, and hence the Holy Spirit, were of the Devil (Matt 12:22-32) – they asserted that Jesus worked for the Devil, and was indwelt by the Devil.

So this story is serious stuff – Israel has rejected the Messiah, and from that point in time was headed for destruction – which occurred in 70 AD, and the Jewish people were dispersed into every nation. So who would carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations now: it was going to be up to Jesus to convict the disciples he was indeed the Messiah.

Thus, from chapter 12 in Matthew, Jesus puts all his effort into training the disciples – it was by the disciples the gospel would be sent forth, which the Book of Acts testifies as occurring.

Thus this story forms part of the gospel of Christ – the true and wonderful message of the purpose Christ became in the flesh – as a man – to die – and thus to shed his blood and to rise again on the third day, never to die again.

And where did the Gospel begin – Mark tells us in the first verse of his gospel where the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God commences.

(Many miss the point of Mark’s statement – they think that verse one of Mark is the start of the Gospel – but Mark is saying – the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God starts at the point I’m about to show you – and moves straight to the book of Isaiah.)

Make no doubt – the Gospel of Jesus Christ starts in the Old Testament and the story of Jesus walking on water confirms this. John in his gospel begins before the world was –

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The purpose of the gospel writers was to point us to the Saviour – first mooted in Genesis 3 with David in his Psalms and Isaiah taking about how God would be glorified by Jesus reconciling the world to Himself.

In reading this passage we need to ensure we keep alert – and know where we are going and this means knowing where we have come from.

Jesus begins his Ministry with these words:

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." 

This is directly linked to Psalm 2 – when the Father says

"I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”

The Psalmist also writes of Jesus:

Then I said, "Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart."
I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. (Psa 40:6-9)

We need to be alert – the main issue at hand was the alienation of mankind from God – a state of affairs since Genesis 3 when Adam sinned.

And this is the purpose of the Gospel – God was to be glorified by providing a means to reconcile mankind with Himself.

History is important – God had a problem, and this incident was part of the plan to remedy it; it forms part of the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel.

The Gospel is about dealing with, as one put it (Alistair Begg), the fundamental flaw of history.

Again seen in Psalm 2 – which askes the questions, why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? – It’s because of our sin.

To solve the alienation and inevitable end for all people in hell, was the Son of God whose sacrifice provided the basis whereby God could reconcile the world to himself: This in and of itself is the gospel, the good news.

Disciples view contrary to Jesus view

Take the view of the disciples of the time – they had totally forgotten about feeding the 5000.

What they desired most was a perfect, peaceful, prosperous country under self-rule, with the overpowering, rude, aggressive Romans abolished forever.  Essentially an easy life.

They wanted a king to make their life nice – and in John 6:15 we read that just before this incident some planned to take him by force and make him King.

And this was not the plan of God; and certainly not the plan of salvation. Christ then orchestrates’ this event; it was not accident – a pure miracle for the purpose of teaching sound doctrine.

Jesus sets the course of history in play in order to demonstrate his divinity

The sole purpose of Jesus actions, at this stage, was to convince the disciples that he was the Messiah; indeed this was the purpose of Matthew’s gospel to show to the Jews that Jesus Christ was the Messiah come to save them from their sins.

Note also as we read this story that this is all about God.

The beginning

Note that if this was you or I, we would merely take a bike, car, or perhaps even walk along the edge of the Sea of Galilee for about 10 km rather than take a boat. But Jesus wanted a lesson learnt, and they end up in the middle of the lake.

• Note in verse 22 it was Jesus that made the disciples take a boat – it was not accident.

Jesus feeds 5000 then he heads to Bethsaida (where Philip, Andrew and Peter were from) with the disciples

Jesus puts onto a boat and Jesus goes to the mountains (hills) to pray.

In the evening (Mark 6:47), the disciples takes boat toward Capernaum (John 6:17)

They row 5-7 km and things get very tough – dark and windy

• The sea get rough – the winds are tearing down the mountains into the lake causing short choppy waves, enough to overturn even the most robust boat.
• (Galilee is 209 meters below sea level and is slammed by foehn like winds (gully winds in the town I’m from) in 2022 it was reported that much damage was done in Tiberias a town on the lake from such a storm)

At fourth watch (6 pm, 9 pm, 12 am, 3 am, 6 am) – Jesus comes, walking on water – Mark records “he would have passed by them”. Why? To test them.

• Could they dissolve their fear, think rationally, and recognize Jesus, the feeder of 5000 with five loaves and two fishes, the one who could save them?

Jesus was set to pass by the boat as Mark records in 6:48. The disciples cried out – which was extraordinary, considering they thought he was a ghost! We also need to cry out. It is salient that Jesus, prior to coming to rescue the disciples, had gone to quite place to pray. It is only in quietness and prayer can we have affirmative communion with our Father.

Jesus speaks – they recognize him, or at least Peter does.

• This is perhaps in contrast to those of this world; its occupants do not recognize they are heading for destruction; judgement comes to all.  Further they do not recognize Jesus as the savior.

We first need to recognize the need for salvation before we contemplate putting our trust in Him.

Next we need to recognize that Jesus can meet our need. Here Jesus proves it because Peter demanded proof. It was not unreasonable demand – where in history had there been a recording of a person walking on water? Peter jumps out of the boat and heads to Jesus.

• There is a vast gulf between seeing something and realizing the actuality of doing something.

Jesus allows Peter to sink – and Jesus remarks about not only Peter’s lack of faith, but the lack of faith of the disciples in the boat – all were afraid.

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matt 14:31

The last step was to action the intent of the faith. I hear too many people talk about faith, but few can articulate how faith is actioned. What part of the body actions faith? It’s not just some simple thought bubble – but our whole being is behind true faith.

Peter steps onto the water, but his heart fails him and he is afraid. He actions his fear it by crying out to the Lord: Save Me (Matt 14:30). Faith is not achieved by osmosis; in essence it’s the response of our spirit and soul. We cry Save Me! And the Holy Spirit directs us to the Father through Christ.

Our faith must be actioned by our heart; from Old Testament through the New Testament this has always been true. We are to believe in our heart.

The substance of the faith comes from our mouth; we are to confess with our mouth (three time in the Book of Hebrews, the believers were commended for their confession). So, we learn that "whoever believes on him will not be put to shame.” Some like to corral these verses to Jews only – they are absolutely wrong and false, for Paul writes to the Romans this blessed assurance:

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:12-14

Note the call; it’s a positive affirmative action. Jesus does not impose himself on us; if we want salvation we need to call his name.

This means all humans, of whatever nationality can be saved if they call up the name of the Lord – which fits with the body parts that actions faith – the mouth to do the calling, and the heart to do the believing faith. But note we are speaking metaphors here – no one needs to go to the front of the church to be saved by reading the so-called sinners prayer; belief can be achieved quietly in your spirit, but also noting the early Jews believed confession meant exactly what it says – mouthing the actual words, aloud. This is not a ‘work’ which some would have – else faith itself would be a work (because faith requires action – energy needs to be expended, the brain engaged the mouth & heart needs to operate), and thus be of no benefit, and the Calvinistic notion that a believer has no choice in choosing or rejecting Christ prevails; this is bad theology.

The disciples were saved; even Peter. And furthermore, God’s divinity is expressed by two further miracles: 1) the storm stopped instantaneously (v32), and in John’s Gospel we find the boat immediately was at the place it was going (John 6:21).

But Mark reports

And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves; for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened. (Mark 6:51)

We learn the disciples:

“And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God.“(Matt 14:33),

They were perhaps learning who he was – the Son of God. But it was clear they had not learnt to trust him, as Mark points out – their hearts were hard. But we know they do learn, and we see the fruit (faith shown in works), evidenced in the Book of Acts

We see what so often happens with devout Christians – they know the theology but cannot apply it – i.e. their theology is good, but their application is bad.

Conclusion

Note as we read this story it describes our journey to salvation.

1. Realising the need for salvation is one believes one is not lost; these experienced sailors were very afraid.
2. Recognising Jesus as our saviour
3. Believing Jesus can meet our need and the fact he reconcile us to God;
4. Willingness to accept provision of Jesus; not our work for we are about to drown, but the work of Christ holds us up.

We cannot stop there – to many Christians get to salvation (and are saved), but never move on.

People can worry too much about whether they are saved. Note in this story, once Jesus saves the disciples – they are on dry ground. They cannot sink! Peter, once grasped by Jesus was not able to sink. So is our salvation – it’s on a firm foundation.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

George Keith (1639?-1716)

Then what happens after Salvation?

How we are made useful for God a process after salvation – technically called sanctification. Once, the disciples recognise Jesus as ‘The Son God” he can start teaching them. And like us, they took a long time to learn and be fruitful – right up to Pentecost.

So once saved we all must move on.  The purpose of salvation is to glorify God – and to glorify God we need to bear fruit and to bear fruit we need to be mature into useful vessels. The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his listeners to move on from salvation and essentially ‘grow up’. These disciples were on dry ground – they now needed to learn the Lord’s business.

They failed many times: Peter is a great example of our failings – we are no different. But Christ used him mightily when he finally took on doing what Christ wanted.

On the other hand many saved Christians become totally blasé; and thus useless for the work of the Lord – that is living the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ

The disciples still had to move onto maturity. Peter failed and failed again, but at Pentecost became the grand champion of the Gospel. He achieved maturity. Many of us do not.

What about us?

Again: Is Jesus the Christ of your life? Who rules your day to day life – Jesus or self? Paul articulates his struggles in Romans 7 and his solution: “I die daily” to self (1 Corinthians 15:31).

This means we must put our dependence in God for all situations – Peter had to, else he would have sunk the full 200 m or so the Sea of Galilee!

The disciples needed to learn a lesson – failure to learn from lessons causes fear, as John record in John 6:19 “they were afraid” when they saw Jesus, the one who had just fed 5000 from five loaves two two fish!

Jesus’ response is the same then as today in our huge storm of intense activism against God: He says to us "It is I; do not be afraid." John 6:20

There is also a lesson in the consequence of obedience – it does not necessarily, if ever, lead to a quite peaceful life. Christ saved Peter from sinking, but Peter did not end with a quite peaceful life – just read the book of Acts. He did however bear much fruit; the reason why we sit here to day. If this miracle had not impacted the disciples – convicting Jesus was the Son of God, the gospel would not have been told, and we would still be in our sins.

Harmony of the Gospel - Jesus walks on water

§ 74. The peril to the twelve in the storm at sea and Christ's coming to them on the water in the darkness (Harmony of the Gospels)

Reference: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36264/36264-h/36264-h.htm#section74 (August 2023)