Matthew 14;28-33 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”
What a wonderful day of worship it is to gather in the Lord’s name, on the Lord’s Day, with the Lord’s people. Some days ago, when the bars reopened, people stood in long queues to buy liquor. As a man so dedicated to the church—and having felt mentally tortured by the absence—I would have been willing to stand in a queue longer than theirs just to gather with God’s people. These times should make us realize what a privilege it is to assemble as His temple. There is nothing in the world like the gathering of the people of God. Consider the dynamics of God’s special presence in our midst: the Holy Spirit in each of us, we as the body of Christ, and Christ communing with us—talking to us through His word and fellowship with one another. Every believer yearns for such fellowship.
The last time we met in the Gospel of Matthew, we left the disciples in the middle of the sea. In our study, they could not reach the shore because of a “lockdown.” Now, we want to continue our journey in seeing the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Gospel of Matthew. You may feel helpless, stressed, or exhausted this morning, much like the disciples in the middle of the storm. With all that is going on in the world—coronavirus cases increasing like storms, storms of joblessness, and storms of economic collapse—what better blessed assurance is there than to know the One who will never abandon us in the midst of any storm? He even walks on water, tearing through the storms to come and save us. This is what we need at this time: “Lord, lead me to the rock, then I will not be shaken.” Who is like the Lord Jesus Christ? Wherever we are physically, spiritually, mentally, or psychologically, He alone can deliver and renew us. Let us look to Him in faith. The great lesson of this passage is that with Christ, we need not fear any storm, because He is the Almighty God who protects His own.
It has been more than two months, so let me quickly tell you where we are: Matthew 14:22–36. I told you last time that this is a most important passage because, after seeing these miracles and Jesus’ ministry for two years, the disciples finally recognized the Lord’s true identity and worshipped Him. Verse 33 says: “And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!'”
This is the most blessed revelation in any man’s life. Oh, if only our eyes were opened to see the glory of the Son of God, so that we might fall prostrate before Christ and say, “Truly, You are the Son of God.” If any of you are unable to come to this stage, it is because you are either “wayside soil”—hard-hearted so that God’s word never gets in because worldly footfalls have hardened your heart—or you are “stony ground,” initially excited but falling away when temptation comes, or “thorny ground” filled with worldly cares.
We saw such people at the end of chapter 13, in the town where He grew up. They rejected Him because of familiarity. They said, “Oh, this is the carpenter’s son… His mother, brothers, and sisters live with us.” There is a danger in familiarity; it breeds not only contempt but also unbelief. I had told you never to take the Lord’s things for granted. What if we closed the church for six months and asked you to go wherever you wanted? We have seen that happening for three months. It should make us value the preaching of God’s word as a big privilege; we should never harden our hearts when God speaks through His word, but open them fully to receive and obey. That kind of unbelief hinders the power of the Lord in our lives, as seen in Jesus’ ministry in Nazareth, where He could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief. He was rejected by His own community—the stony ground.
Then there was the crowd of 5,000 people. He fed them, creating food before their eyes. What a Creator’s miracle! But what did they learn? They thought, “Okay, we will make Him king.” This is an example of thorny soil, choked by worldly worries. They rejected Christ because He didn’t become a political king to relieve them of their economic and political situation, overcome the Romans, and give them national liberty. The most dangerous thorns are worldly cares; they choke the word so it never bears fruit or reaches the stage of worship. Are you like this? These things will never allow you to become good soil and will blind you to the glory of Christ.
But in our passage, the disciples are good soil. After two years of seeing these miracles, they worshipped Him and said, “Truly, You are the Son of God.” It was not easy for Jewish men to say this. We Gentiles may not have a proper idea—when asked “Who is God?” we might blink—but they were taught from childhood about the attributes of Jehovah. They knew the Old Testament revelation of God. For them to say “You are truly the Son of God” meant He was equal to God, of the same essence as God. This means they saw everything they were taught about God in Jesus Christ.
They saw the attributes of God in Him. As Creator, He created food. They saw His authority over nature as He walked on water toward them. They saw His omniscience; He came exactly where they were at the extreme point before they sank and saved them. They saw His protective care and compassion. All their lives and scriptural training about who God is—Refuge in trouble, the Rock, the Fortress, the Deliverer, the Strength, the Shield, and the Defense—was what they knew to be true about God. All the law, the prophets, the psalms, and the Old Testament names of God pointed to this. They experienced Jesus as Elohim (the Creator), Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals), and El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty). There was nothing He could not do; He walks on water and commands the sea. They saw Adonai (Lord, Master), the sovereign Lord who rules everything; Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide), as He provided everything for them; Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace), as they experienced divine peace with Him; and Yahweh, the God rescuing His people from disaster. All that they knew about God, Jesus was—and so they called Him the Son of God, equal to and of the same essence as God.
This faith didn’t come easily for them. They had their struggles, and finally, this storm experience made them realize the truth. Before this, you remember they were with the crowd wanting to make Him king so they could become ministers, but this storm experience melted their hard hearts and opened their eyes. We saw them in a terrible storm, struggling at the end of their strength. He was praying, and He had no boat to get to them. Similarly, we are locked down in our houses, and our patience is tested because we cannot gather; they were locked in the midst of a storm. But this experience did tremendous good. It not only saved them from the sin of trying to make Him a political king—when Mark 8:17 says their hearts were hardened and they didn’t understand the miracle of the bread—but it also melted their hearts to see the glory of Christ.
They no longer wanted to make Him a political king. They understood to an extent that the Lord’s kingdom is not a temporary political one; He is beyond all this. He is the universal King of all things. His kingdom is beyond anything in this world; its glory surpasses time, place, and ages. It is a glorious, eternal kingdom, and He is the eternal King. He is not a political king to be admired for a few days, but the King to whom the entire universe must bow. We must submit our hearts to Him, and He should rule them.
As part of this experience, there was one man whose response was particularly bold: Peter, wanting to walk on water in verse 28. This is a great lesson of faith from Peter, but the incident also reveals that Jesus Christ is God; His compassion, love, and kindness shine forth here. Let us look at the passage. Although Matthew, Mark, and John record Jesus walking on the water, only Matthew records this incident with Peter. When the disciples saw Jesus and were scared, thinking He was a ghost, the Lord said, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
Then, verse 28: “And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.'” And the Lord said, “Come.” Why do you think Peter said this? We generally think of Peter as a hasty man who speaks without thinking, but consider this: Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou.” At first, it looked like a ghost, and just to be sure, he said, “If it’s You, Lord, then bid me to come on the water.”
Many commentators discuss why Peter did this. Some think it was stupid presumption—the brash, loud-mouthed Peter overstepping his bounds and being overconfident. But think about this: Would a man show off like this? This man spent his entire life on the Sea of Galilee and had never walked on it. He was no fool. You may credit him with impetuosity, but the man was not stupid. In the midst of a storm, overzealousness would not be the dominating motive. Others suggest he was “showing off,” which is just as silly. Even show-offs know their limitations; you don’t show off by trying to walk on water in a storm.
So why did Peter do it? There is a very good explanation: he wanted to be where Jesus was. That was the great desire of his life. He wanted to be with Jesus so much that he was willing to climb out of the boat. It wasn’t just love that moved him; he also believed that Jesus had the power to hold him up. It was a clear-cut act of love joined with faith in Jesus’ power.
We are used to making fun of Peter, but we often miss his good side. This incident shows his great love for Jesus. Don’t chastise him. You might say, “Well, Peter fell asleep in the prayer meeting.” If anyone here has never slept in a prayer meeting, raise your hand. I remember attending late-night prayers after working five days of night shifts; I fell so fast asleep that everyone thought I was deep in the spirit until a brother had to shake me awake. It happens.
You might say, “He tried to divert Christ from the cross.” But haven’t we all at times stood as a blockade to God’s purposes? You might say, “He denied Him three times.” But we often deny Him by our silence. You can say Peter was impetuous or hasty, but never say he didn’t love the Lord or trust Him. People don’t jump out of boats in a storm to show off; only great love can do that.
The thing that consumed Peter’s heart was his love for Jesus, and he sensed tremendous safety in His presence. There was nothing he wanted more than to be close to Jesus. Now, vexed by the storm and rowing to his limit, he yearned for the Lord. As soon as he heard the Lord’s voice, he wanted to go to Him. Like a small child who has been away from their father and, upon hearing his voice, runs toward him regardless of the obstacles—fire, water, or pits—Peter wanted to hug his Father and feel safe. He was troubled, but he yearned for Christ’s presence. He believed that if the Lord could walk on water, Peter could get to Him and be safe.
This is what we need to learn from Peter. He knew he had no strength, skill, or resources of his own. All he could think to do was run to where Jesus was. He was consumed by that desire. There is a song that says: “With Jesus in my boat, I can smile in the storm.” That was his passion. You see it throughout the Gospels. I think Peter was always right there, longing to be where Jesus was.
In Matthew 17, at the Transfiguration, he was so blessed to be with Jesus that he said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters.” He wanted to stay there forever because that was heaven to him. In John 13, when the Lord was washing the disciples’ feet, Peter couldn’t handle the Lord humbling Himself that way. But when the Lord said, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me,” Peter replied, “Then give me a full bath—head, hands, and feet!” He wanted so much to be a part of Jesus.
He tried to get as close as he could, even during the trial. While others ran, he followed to the high priest’s house. He stayed outside because they wouldn’t let him in, but he hung around as long as he could. Even after the crucifixion, when his heart was broken and Mary Magdalene said the body was gone, he and John had a running race to the tomb. Peter ran right inside to be close to the place where the body of his Lord had been laid.
After the resurrection, with a broken heart, Peter says, “I go fishing.” His weakness pops up. He loved fishing a lot and had left it to follow the Lord; but now the Lord is not to be seen. After waiting in Galilee for a long time, he goes back to his nets. What happens? No fish all night. Then, someone from the shore shouts, “Put the net on the right side.” Suddenly, the boat is full of fish. Peter doesn’t understand at first, but John whispers, “That is the Lord.”
What does this man do? Does he stay to haul in a net full of fish after catching nothing all night? No. He throws aside the fishing, leaves his boat and the other disciples, and dives into the water to get to his dear Lord. He sees Him making breakfast over a fire and admires Him with tears, thinking, “I want to be with You.”
What does the Lord do with this faltering Peter? He says, “Peter, I have to go to the Father, but you have to be the leader and continue this great work of redemption. You will only do it when you have fully committed love for Me. I see that you can have that for Me; that is why I chose you as the leader.” Then the Lord hits him “dead between the eyes” by questioning whether Peter loves Him. Once, twice, and a third time—asking about his affection and finally his greatest, sacrificial love. That was the crushing blow. Asking three times reminded Peter of his three denials. Peter responds, “Lord, again and again, I fall. Yes, I am weak. I have little faith. I don’t know if I have agape love for You, but I love You.”
I’m sure there was something in Peter that said, “If all this has passed and You have forgiven my denials, and it is still not clear that I love Him, it will be clear from here on out.” And it was. For the day came when he had to offer his life. Tradition tells us he requested to be crucified upside down because he did not have the right to be crucified exactly as his Lord was. They tell us he was a faithful martyr. He learned his lesson: he loved the Lord Jesus Christ and wanted to be with Him always.
This is the trait that makes a man great in the kingdom of God: knowing his sinfulness, weakness, and depravity, and his great need for Christ. “I don’t have anything, I cannot do anything; all I want is to be with Jesus.” That is enough. I am a horrible sinner. As I said last Friday, when we measure the guilt of our sins and know our depravity, the safest, sweetest place to be is always under the cross. That is why the Lord could take him with all his weakness, hastiness, and loud mouth, and make him the leader from the first century through Acts 13.
That was the heart of Peter. He wanted to be with Christ in every sense. I love that in him. That is why he was the leader he was and why he could lead the other apostles. That is why his is the first name in every list of apostles in the Bible. He was the closest to Jesus Christ because he longed to be there. There was security there—embrace, love, strength, blessing, health, and eternal life. That is as it should be. I believe he got out of that boat because he wanted to be with Jesus. He had seen enough of the power of Jesus Christ demonstrated, and seeing Him standing on the water, he believed the Lord could help him walk, too.
Look at verse 29. Here comes the confirmation: “And He said, ‘Come.'” May I suggest that the Lord never invites anyone to do anything sinful, proud, or presumptuous. When He said, “Come,” it carried all the tender compassion of a loving father whose child longs for the safety of his arms. He said, “Come.” He knew Peter’s faith was weak, frail, and faulty. He knew it couldn’t withstand the storm any better than the little boat could.
It is interesting that Peter asks the Lord to “command” him to come on the water. “You are the Lord… if You are my Lord, You can command even the waters to stand still and make me come.” Command. “Come!” Jesus told him. So He said, “Come.” It was to be the greatest lesson of Peter’s life.
One can imagine with what hushed expectation the other apostles watched Peter in slow motion. Peter took one step, and then another, upon the rolling waves. He must have wondered how it could be as the blast of the storm hit his face and chilled him. How strange he must have felt when that water, in which he had so often swum, became like solid marble under his feet! How elated he must have felt—a man of his temperament—when he began to walk and found the water like a sea of glass beneath his tread! It was a marvelous thing. The laws of gravity were suspended for his support. Picture the scene: what Jesus was doing, Peter was doing. Faith made Peter like his Lord. There were two walking—one by His own infinite power, the other by the power of faith imparted to him.
Verse 29 says, “When Peter was come down out of the boat, he walked on the water… to go to Jesus.” That is all he had in mind: to go to Jesus. That may be the most significant part of the whole scene. He wasn’t looking for a “jolly ride”; he wanted to get to Jesus. But this was a hard test. He had seen the Lord handle a storm in Matthew chapter 8, where Jesus woke up and told the storm to be quiet. He knew the Lord was in control, but once he was out there, the test was tougher than he expected.
He walked toward Christ. We don’t know if he walked two feet or fifty, but he came close enough to be within Christ’s grasp. As long as he was trusting and looking to Jesus in faith, he walked. Think of it like this: when you are walking over a great gulf on a narrow bridge or rope, the rule is to look up and walk straight. When you look down at the icy rocks below, you will fall. You must look up and onwards to stay on the knife-edge. So it was for Peter: never mind the water or the wind; look at Jesus and you will get to Him dry-shod. But he was given no specific instructions—just “Come.”
Verse 30 says, “When he saw the wind, he was afraid, and he, beginning to sink, cried saying, ‘Lord, save me.'” He wanted to be where Jesus was, and his faith got him out of the boat, but he found himself in a situation unlike any other. He had been in storms before, but never outside the boat.
This is the point: we don’t need to be taught what we already know; we need to be taught what we don’t know yet. How do you build a man’s faith except by putting him in an extremity he has never experienced and showing yourself faithful? This is why troubles come in different varieties. In David’s life and in ours, challenges like COVID-19 or economic shifts appear. God brings us through them so our faith increases. I knew a woman who said she couldn’t dream of life without her husband. When he died, she learned the best lesson of her life: she saw the sustenance of God. Despite the deep sorrow, she realized that God can sustain a person even through the death of someone so precious.
As James says, the testing of your faith produces perfection. The Lord runs us out as far as our faith will go, and then, where our faith ends and we start to sink, He lets us begin to sink. We cry, “Lord, save me,” and when He saves us, it extends our faith even further. That is what the Christian life is about: learning more and more to trust God, so we can step out and attempt things we feel inadequate to accomplish.
In verse 30, Peter was afraid. That is a mild way to put it; he began to sink. There was no way to swim in the middle of that storm. He just cried, “Lord, save me.” Just moments before, he saw the waves and failed to believe, but now those same waves make him cry out in faith. It was a swift transition. Sometimes the fear of danger leads us to believe. It was the shortest but most comprehensive prayer. He didn’t call for John or James; he called for his Lord. It proved his faith in the Lord’s will to save him and admitted that none but Jesus could. His short cry is full of force. Let us imitate both its shortness and its fullness. Whenever your faith is weak, cry out with all your might: “Lord, save me!”
In verse 31, we see the loving Lord: “And immediately… Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him and said unto him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'” If I were there, I might have said, “Lord, what are You saying? I’ve never walked on water! This is more than I’ve ever experienced!” Peter could not answer the question of why he doubted. His doubt was without reason.
This was not a stern rebuke, but a gentle chiding. “Peter, you were walking on water and would have come all the way to Me had you not allowed the winds to distract you. Didn’t you think I would sustain you in this new situation? I was here the whole time.” Before we condemn him for “little faith,” remember that little faith is better than no faith. Our Lord said that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. If “little faith” gets you out of a boat and onto the water, it is substantial stuff.
The Lord never rejects frail faith or weak love; He takes it and builds it. In His love, He meets a man or woman where they are and brings them through trials that increase their capacity to believe and love. We see Peter’s love and his little faith, and the Lord lovingly increasing that faith.
Verse 32 says, “And when they were come into the boat, the wind stopped.” As soon as he got in, the storm ceased. This is another miracle. Once the test was over, the Master willed the storm to stop, and it did. He didn’t even have to speak; He simply willed it. He is the Sovereign Lord.
The disciples’ reaction was to recognize the attributes of God in Jesus. They saw Him as the Creator who provided food, the Healer (Jehovah Rapha), the Almighty (El Shaddai), the Master (Adonai), the Provider (Jehovah Jireh), and the Peace (Jehovah Shalom). They knew they were in the presence of the One of whom Habakkuk said, “Thou didst walk through the sea,” and Job wrote, “He treads upon the waves of the sea.” This was God, and they worshipped Him. They saw great love saving them and saving Peter. What else could they do? Verse 33: “Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.'”
They knew power belongs only to God. They knew Psalm 89:6: “Who among these in heaven can be compared to the Lord?” You cannot compare Jesus Christ to anyone. When they saw Him demonstrate the power of El Shaddai, they worshipped Him.
What should be our reaction? Worship Him. How can you not? He demonstrated sovereignty, omniscience, omnipotence, and protective care. He is God in human flesh, sufficient to meet you in any situation and deliver you. God’s call to you today is to personally bow before Him. Today His glory is veiled, and you may wonder why God allowed things like the coronavirus or where history is going. The ultimate purpose is found in Philippians 2:9-11: “God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
This is why trials come. You can fulfill that purpose today. God calls you to bow your knee to Jesus Christ. The disciples did it. They were good soil and bore much fruit. They changed history, and their names are written in the foundations of heaven. You can do the same, and your name will be written in heaven.
Applications
We must examine our hearts and learn a vital lesson: faith is the only means through which we receive Christ’s redemptive blessings. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus. What kept him up? It was Christ’s power. But if he was held up by that power, why did he begin to sink? The narrative answers clearly: “When Peter saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid.”
The wind had been blowing just as hard before he stepped out of the ship. The waves were not running any higher than when he said, “Bid me come to Thee.” Peter stepped out in faith and could walk as long as he looked at Christ. However, when he focused on the winds, fear took the place of faith, and he began to sink.
If it was Christ’s power holding Peter, why did his loss of faith cause him to sink? It is because there is only one door through which Christ’s upholding power enters a person, and that is the door of faith. If we shut that door, the power stops. We are upborne by Christ’s power, and that power, working in our weakness, gives us prerogatives like His own—His life, His peace, and His wisdom. If He can stand quiet on the tossing wave, so can His servant. As He said, “The works that I do shall ye do also.” This power is exercised on the condition of our faith. As soon as faith ceases, the influx of His grace is stayed.
Peter likely thought of this incident when he wrote in 1 Peter 1:5: “You who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
The Importance of Growing in Faith
It is through faith alone that we are saved, and it is by faith that we continue to grow. To walk on the sea was a mighty miracle, but to enable a weak disciple to do the same was mightier still. This shows us what supernatural power Jesus can bestow on those who hear His voice and follow Him. He can enable them to do things they once thought impossible and carry them through trials they never would have dared to face.
This is why it is so important to grow in faith. Our Lord’s great concern is that our faith never fails. In Luke 22, Jesus told Peter, “Satan has desired to have you… but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.” That is His prayer for each of us today.
How does the Lord grow our faith? He uses tests and trials. Just as He told Peter to come onto the water, He brings difficulties and struggles into our lives so that, by seeing Him sustain us, our “little faith” grows. He does two things: He intercedes for us and He comes to our rescue. He wants to take us to a stage of great faith, which is what pleases and glorifies Him.
Understanding Our Own Weakness
Calling Peter “Little-faith” might seem insulting. Peter likely never dreamed that name would apply to him; he thought his faith was great. He was the one who declared, “You are the Christ,” and was always first to act. Peter thought he was strong while he was still on the ship. Only when he stepped out and the howling wind staggered him did he discover his own weakness.
O brethren, we do not know ourselves! We fancy we have great faith when we sing songs or preach, but in the time of trial, we discover how little we actually have. That is why trials are the testing of faith. Peter learned this. In 1 Peter 1:6-7, he writes:
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Peter learned that trials increase our capacity to glorify God. We see the same with the death of Lazarus. Jesus went late and allowed Martha and Mary to suffer, telling them, “If you believe, you will see the glory of God.” Suffering increases our capacity to believe. Let us not be discouraged by storms, but rejoice as James says, knowing that the testing of faith produces perseverance and maturity.
The Infinite Patience of Christ
If you are sinking in a storm, filled with fear, do not think the Lord will abandon or punish you. His patience is infinite. Behold the exceeding gentleness of Christ! As a mother deals gently with a wayward infant, the Lord deals gently with His people. He knows our feebleness.
Call upon Him with just three words: “Lord, save me.” You will see His hand immediately lifting you up. This is an encouragement for all—even those who have not yet come to Christ. If you have even a little faith, He will bear with it and grow it. As Psalm 94:18 says: “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ Your loving-kindness, O Lord, held me up.”
The Love and Worship of Peter
Finally, learn from the love of Peter. His passion was to be with Christ. He realized that with his shifting character and sinfulness, the only safe place was close to Jesus. Many might think his actions were a “show-off,” but Peter didn’t care about the opinions of those in the boat. He was willing to sink right in front of them just to reach his Master.
Do you have that kind of affection for Jesus? This love was the secret of Peter’s life; it turned him into a “Rock” and a leader. If we share even a measure of that love, it will help us walk through any storm to get closer to Christ.
When you take a good look at Jesus Christ—seeing Him as the Creator and the One who bore your guilt on the cross—what is your response? You cannot remain neutral. There is no neutrality here today. When you truly see Christ, the only reasonable response is to fall prostrate and worship Him. “Truly You are the Son of God, Lord. There is no love like Yours.” We should be people who think daily of who Christ is and give Him the honor He is due.