who walked on water?

In Matthew 14:22-33 an incredible story unfolds. A storm comes. Jesus walks on water. Peter walks on water… But not quite as well. Peter ends up sinking and Jesus has to save him.

It’s an incredible story. But there’s more to the story than just the headlines. In fact I think if we dig a little deeper we will find there’s some powerful and practical lessons for our life today.

That’s what I want to do in this blog post, dig deep into the story where Peter walks on water and see what it holds for us today.

Let’s dive into the story of Peter walking on water.

Mark and John also record the story of Jesus walking on water. But Matthew’s account is unique in that it’s the only Gospel to record Peter walking on water. For this post we will focus on Matthew 14:22-33 because it gives us the most details.

When we read God’s Word it’s important to always read it in context. We should read the verses before and after to make sure we are fully understanding what is happening.

Immediately before Peter walks on water is the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21). The disciples’ faith has to be at an all time high. They just witnessed a few loaves of bread and fish feed a large crowd.

Matthew 14:22-23 says after this Jesus immediately made the disciples get in the boat to go ahead of him to the other side of the sea of Galilee. After this Jesus dismisses the crowd and goes up a mountain side to pray by himself.

So far, all pretty normal… But it’s about to get good.

Later that night a storm picks up. Matthew records that there were violent waves and a strong wind. They were experienced fisherman and storms in this area were common. But still the sea had claimed many lives and it wasn’t something to be messed with. (Matthew 14:24)

Things are about to get interesting.

As dawn approaches and the faintest light starts appearing, Jesus decides to go to the disciples. How? He walks. On the still stormy water. Jesus walks on water toward the disciples in the boat who are still a long way off. (Matthew 14:25)

The disciples can’t quite tell what or who is walking toward them. They assume it must be a ghost. A common superstition among seafarers of the day was those who drown would haunt the waters. They didn’t know what they saw, but they certainly didn’t think it could be Jesus. (Matthew 14:26)

And honestly who could blame them. Up to this point no one had walked on water.

Knowing their fear Jesus calls out to them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 14:27

Jesus’ response to their fear centers on “It is I.” These words were a term that Jesus often used to claim deity. In other words, Jesus is saying the disciples can take courage and fear not because Jesus was there with them.

Dr Tom Constable says, “Fear is unwarranted where Jesus is present.”

If you were to stop this story after Jesus walks on water there would be plenty to glean from this passage. But it’s not over yet. It’s about to get even more interesting.

Peter is known for being a little headstrong. He’s quick to speak before he thinks things through. And while that got him in trouble from time to time, it also lead him to experience things no one else did.

Simon Peter responds to Jesus’ claim with a bold claim. “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)

Jesus responds with a single word, “Come.”

With remarkable trust and courage Peter climbs over the side of the boat.

I know we like to criticize Peter for what happens next. But stay in this moment for a minute. In the middle of strong winds and waves Peter trusts Jesus to step out of the boat. That’s an incredible display of faith in Jesus. None of the other disciples dared step foot out of the boat.

Matthew 14:29 simply states that Peter walks on water toward Jesus. Those first steps must have been surreal.

But… Matthew 14:30 interrupts this incredible moment with a conjunction: but. As Peter walks on water he starts to notice how powerful the wind and waves are, and he takes his eyes off Jesus. He gets distracted by his harrowing circumstances and he sinks. Peter’s doubt was about to take him out.

Matthew records that he was afraid as he began to sink. You think? He must have been terrified. I imagine as he gasped for one last breath before he went under he cried out, “LORD SAVE ME!”

Jesus doesn’t wait. Matthew 14:31 says that immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. After Peter was safe Jesus rebuked him for his little faith.

Mark Moore describes the rebuke this way in his book The Chronological Life Of Christ:  “Jesus rebuked him for his weak faith even though it was stronger than that of the other disciples who remained in the boat. Jesus used this rebuke to help Peter and the other disciples see that consistent confidence in Himself was absolutely necessary. Peter became both a good example and a bad one. Jesus rescued him as God had rescued many others from watery graves.”

Still that’s not the last miracle. As soon as Jesus and Peter climb back into the boat the wind and waves miraculously calm. This passage contains three miracles: 1. Jesus walks on water. 2. Peter walks on water. 3. The calming of the storm.

And yet none of those incredible events are the climax of the story. Matthew 14:33 is the climax of this story. It’s not the miracles, it’s the disciples worship of Jesus. This is the first time they have addressed Jesus as the Son of God.

Alight, so Jesus walks on water and Peter walks on water. But what does that mean for us today? Let’s end by looking at 5 practical lessons we can pull from Matthew 14:22-33.

When Jesus bid Peter to come to him he didn’t calm the storm. Rather, he invited Peter out into the storm, into the rough seas. The rebuke of Peter’s lack of faith was because he took his eyes off Jesus and instead focused on the storm.

We think peace is found when the waves of life are calm. But Jesus never promised us smooth sailing. Instead he promised to always be with us. Peace is found in the presence of Jesus, even in the middle of a storm.

Peter’s walk on the water teaches us that in the middle of storms we can have peace IF we keep our eyes on Jesus. The storms of life give us good reason to be afraid. But Jesus is bigger than even the scariest of storms.

We like comfort. We like safety. And that’s not all a bad thing. But we often over inflate our desire for these things. Sometimes Jesus is going to ask you to take a risk and trust him. Sometimes, you have to step out of the boat.

Just like the apostle Peter, sometimes we will step out of the boat and then be overcome by fear. We will sink. But Jesus is right there to catch you. You might stumble, but you won’t drown.

My guess, the next time Peter “stepped out of the boat” he did so more confidently. His faith and trust in Jesus was greater. The same will be true for you. The more steps of faith you take the easier it gets. Once you see God’s faithfulness it’s easy to trust him more and more.

So, step out of the boat.

Peter’s walk on the water was short lived. It was short lived because he took his eyes off Jesus. Peter learned an important lesson that day that we shouldn’t ignore. When we take our eyes off Jesus the storms of life will quickly overcome us.

As a pastor I see this all the time. When Christians stop looking to Jesus they quickly sink. They get sucked into temptations. They get overwhelmed by life. They forget who’s in control.

Life is full of storms. Big storms. Storms that will destroy. Unless you keep your eyes on Jesus. With Jesus you cannot only endure, you can walk on water above the storm. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Maybe the most important lesson from the Peter walks on water story is our response to the power of Jesus. It’s worship.

When we encounter Jesus we should worship him. Matthew intentionally highlights this moment because that’s the point. This story wasn’t about Peter and his faith, or lack there of. Ultimately it was about the power of Jesus.

Our response to Jesus Christ should be the same as the disciples. When we encounter him it should bring us to a place of worship. It should remind us of who we are and who he is.

I’m convinced God wants to tell an incredible story through your life. He wants to do things in you and through you that you can’t even imagine. God has walk on water moments for you.

God wants to tell a good story in your life. But often we settle for boring and safe stories.

I bet Peter was talking about the time he walked on water for the rest of his life. It’s a great story! Why? Because he took a risk. He didn’t play it safe.

God wants the same for you. He wants to tell a good story in your life. Will you let him?

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Thanks for reading this blog post! I hope that the story of Peter walking on water helped you and encouraged you in the faith. If it did would you consider sharing this post with a friend or on social media? That way more people can benefit from this content.

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Jesus Christ was not the only man who walked on water.

In the book of Matthew, we read the story of Jesus walking on water toward his disciples who were in a boat.

After teaching a large crowd, Jesus sent His disciples on ahead of Him to the other side of the sea of Galilee. After dismissing the crowd, He went up on the mountain to pray by Himself.

Later that night, after He had been praying for hours, the boat was quite a distance from land, and the winds were against it. The waves were so high the disciples thought they were going to capsize, but just before dawn, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.

The disciples, who were already afraid because of the storm, saw Jesus coming toward them on the water and thought He was a ghost. They were even more afraid. After Jesus identified Himself and told them not to be afraid, Peter, one of the disciples, replied, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus said to Peter, "Come."

"Then Peter got down out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus. But when he (Peter) 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?’

"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God.’” (Matthew 14:22-33)

Peter was the other man who walked on water with Jesus! Peter did the impossible when he completely relied on Jesus to enable him. But as soon as Peter took his eyes of faith off Jesus and focused on the storm around him, he immediately lost faith and began to sink out of fear.

It is impossible to walk by faith and fear at the same time. We must choose one or the other.

As Believers, the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is our strength and our source to "walk on water." To walk on any circumstance, challenge or trial that may come our way. But we must keep our eyes of faith on Him!

Jesus says to each of us every day – "Come." He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

The Apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus Christ is greater than any storm that we may face this year, or any year, and He wants to enable us to walk on top of them. Let us not wait until the storms of life are upon us to decide to keep our eyes on Him.

This day, this year, my Friend, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not on our circumstances, or the raging storms around us, no matter how dire they may seem. No matter how strong the winds or high the waves that threaten to take us under, let us keep our faith firmly fixed on the Lord, the author and perfecter of our faith.

I pray this year – you and I will walk on water and do the impossible!

Lisa Hannan lives in Valdosta with her husband, attorney Miles Hannan, who has been practicing law in Valdosta for more than 30 years. She has a B.S. in psychology from Valdosta State University.

PPT TITLE

Main Point: Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Key Verse:

Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect. - Hebrews 12:2a

Props: 2 or 3 spray bottles with water, hand held battery-operated fans or paper fans (or even electric fans), storm soundtrack

Teacher: Prearrange with some adults to come up front to distract the students at the right time. They should move around the room and lightly spray kids with water bottles and use fans to blow wind in their face. (If using electric fans, turn them on and point at the kids.) One adult should flash lights on and off as Storm soundtrack plays.

Say: We have learned a lot about Jesus over the past few weeks. First, we saw that the Jewish people waited hundreds of years for their King. Then, at long last, Jesus arrived. Jesus taught that the kingdom of God was very different than this world. Then we saw that Jesus had power over nature when He calmed the raging sea with just a word. We learned that Jesus has complete power over evil spirits, and Jesus alone has the authority to forgive sin. Last week we saw that Jesus had power over sickness & death, when He healed the woman with the bleeding disorder and raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

As news spread about Jesus, the miracle Worker, more and more people wanted to hear Him and see Him. It seemed that a crowd gathered wherever Jesus was. The gospels tell of one day when a crowd of 5,000 men, plus women and children, gathered to hear Jesus! (Matthew 14:21) That means there may have been 20,000 people who came to hear Jesus teach that day. And after listening to Jesus teach for hours, the crowd was getting hungry. Jesus took the lunch that a young boy gave Him (John 6:9). It was only two fish and five small loaves of bread, but Jesus broke that bread, and just kept breaking it. The disciples handed out enough bread and fish to feed everyone in the crowd until they were full. And there were twelve baskets of food left over! (Luke 9:17) The disciples were a part of this miracle, yet the Bible says they did not fully understand it (Mark 6:52). The Bible says their hearts were hard, or stubborn (Mark 6:52). They knew Jesus was special, but they did not yet realize that He was the Messiah, God in a human body (Matthew 14:33). They were not yet seeing with “kingdom eyes.” So, Jesus was about to do another miracle. This time the disciples would finally realize who Jesus really was.

Teacher Note: We can’t be too quick to judge the disciples’ unyielding hearts. After all, they did not yet have the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth (John 16:13). How many times do we, though filled with the Spirit, fail to recognize God’s work in our lives?

Say: Right after the miracle of the fish and bread, Jesus had something new to teach His disciples. He sent the crowd away, and sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee. Remember, the Sea of Galilee was actually a big lake.

Right away Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of Him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Then He sent the crowd away. After He had sent them away, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. [Remember that Jesus often sneaked away from other people to spend time alone with His heavenly Dad.] When evening came, He was there alone. The boat was already a long way from land. It was being pounded by the waves because the wind was blowing against it.

Early in the morning, Jesus went out to the disciples. He walked on the lake. They saw Him walking on the lake and were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said. And they cried out in fear.

Right away Jesus called out to them, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” - Matthew 14:22-27

Say: Jesus sent His friends across the lake when the storm winds were coming. Ask: Was the windstorm a surprise to Jesus? No. Say: Of course it wasn’t! Jesus sent them into this storm for a reason. He wanted to test their faith, and teach them something about Himself that they didn’t know yet.

Let’s pause right here for a minute. This story is told in the books of Mark and John as well as in Matthew. John tells us that the boat was over three miles out from the shore by this time (John 6:19). Mark tells us that Jesus could see the disciples from where He sat praying on the mountainside (Mark 6:48). The disciples were having a hard time rowing because a strong wind was blowing against them. Since the disciples had taken the boat, there was just one way for Jesus to cross the lake. Jesus actually walked out to them on the water! Here is another example of Jesus having power over nature. Somehow, the water held Him up. The water treated Jesus differently than it treated the disciples. The disciples were struggling just to row across the lake. But Jesus walked on top of the waves. Do you remember what the disciples said when Jesus calmed the storm in our story a few weeks ago. They said, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!” (Matthew 8:27) Don’t you wonder what it felt like to walk on water? At least one of the disciples did!

Mark says that it was so early in the morning that it was still dark out (Mark 6:48). No wonder the men were afraid at first. But as soon as they heard Jesus’ voice, Peter spoke back.

Peter was a really unique man. He was the boldest of all the disciples. He said things that other people only thought. He was the type of person who did things that other people didn’t have the nerve to do. Peter was completely drawn to Jesus. Peter wanted to follow Jesus with his whole heart. But, many times he made mistakes.

“Lord, is it You?” Peter asked. “If it is, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” Jesus said. So Peter got out of the boat. He walked on the water toward Jesus. - Matthew 14:28-29

Ask: Why did Jesus invite Peter to come out to Him, and none of the other disciples? Because Peter asked! Say: Peter is the only disciple who asked to come to Jesus. Knowing Peter, it’s really no surprise that he wanted to walk out to Jesus. The other disciples may have wanted to walk out to Jesus, but none of them would have dared to ask. Peter asked to come to Jesus, waited for Jesus to call him, and then obeyed.

Application: Do you think you are more like Peter - ready to ask God to use you - or are you more like the other disciples who sat in the boat watching to see what would happen with Peter? The Bible says that it’s right to ask God for opportunities (Matthew 7:7).

Optional for Older Students: Before he stepped out, Peter said, “If it’s You, tell me to come to you on the water.” Peter wanted to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But Peter was looking for proof. He was asking Jesus to suspend him in the waves so that he would know for sure that Jesus was God. Jesus did not get angry at Peter for asking this. Jesus simply invited him to, “Come.”

Peter had enough faith to step out of the dry, sturdy boat, in the dark, as the wind was whipping up the waves. At first, Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus. Peter didn’t have to worry about the wind or waves because he had faith that Jesus would not let him sink. While Peter was focused on Jesus, his faith was strong. He could see the power that Jesus held over all things. He knew how much Jesus loved him, and that Jesus would never let him down.

Application: Your faith will be strong when you keep your eyes on Jesus. As we have learned, Jesus has power over all things. Is there anything that He can’t do? And Jesus loves you. He loves you enough to lay down His life for you. When you know Jesus, you know He is completely deserving of your trust. When you keep your focus on His power and His love for you, your faith will be strong.

Say: But, before long, Peter took his eyes off Jesus. Matthew 14:30 says:

But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid. He began to sink. He cried out, “Lord! Save me!”

Right away Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “Your faith is so small!” He said. “Why did you doubt Me?” - Matthew 14:30-31

Say: When Peter looked at the wind and waves, he began to doubt if Jesus was more powerful than the storm that surrounded him (Matthew 14:31). Do you know what the Bible says about doubt? “People who doubt are like waves of the sea. The wind blows and tosses them around.” (James 1:6b) What an interesting word picture! Peter’s doubt literally caused him to be tossed around in the wind and waves. He began to sink.

Ask: Did anything about Jesus change that caused Peter to sink? No! Ask: What changed then? Peter took his eyes off Jesus. Say: Peter looked at the scary storm. He was overwhelmed by the things that were more powerful than he was. But Peter should have remembered that nothing is more powerful than Jesus! While he was focused on Jesus, the things around him were not a threat to him.

Say: Let’s try a little experiment. Everyone look up here at me. Just focus on me. Don’t take your eyes off of me. No matter what goes on around you, keep your eyes on me. You can blink, but don’t look away. Okay, “distracters” come on up. Continue telling the kids to focus on you as your prearranged adult volunteers try to distract them, the lights turn on and off, and the storm soundtrack plays. After a few minutes, thank your volunteers. Ask: Was it difficult to keep your focus where it was supposed to be? Listen for answers. Say: Just imagine Peter’s distractions: the wind was howling and the waves were crashing. Peter turned his focus to the things around him and he doubted Jesus. He was gripped with fear and he began to sink. Of course, when Peter started sinking, Jesus was right there to catch him! Gently, Jesus told Peter that his faith was small because he doubted Jesus.

Before we judge Peter, remember, he was the only one willing to step out of the boat that morning. Many people talk about how Peter sank, but few people mention that the other disciples never left the boat.

Application: When the disciples first saw Jesus walking on the water, He told them to be brave, and not be afraid. But Peter had a mixture of faith and fear. I think that describes most of us at times. We may start out with faith. We might begin to do something that we know God wants us to do (like being nice to the kid that nobody likes). Or we might have faith that gives us peace in a difficult time (like when a family member is sick, or our parents are arguing). But then we take our eyes off of Jesus. We look at the scary situation around us. We doubt whether God actually has power over that situation, or if He cares enough to help us. We may stop doing what God wants us to do. Or we may be overwhelmed with fear. You know the kind of fear I’m talking about - the kind that makes you feel like there’s a whirlwind in the pit of your stomach.

But here is the truth: Lots of situations are too big or too scary for you to handle, but nothing is too big for Jesus! Don’t focus on the situation you are in. Focus on the One who has power over every situation! What a blessing you have! The Creator of the universe, who has power over all things, is crazy about you! (Zephaniah 3:17) He WANTS to do what is best for you, and He is ABLE to do what is best for you. Focusing on that truth should give you peace. That truth should give you the confidence to step out of your boat and do what it is He wants you to do without any fear.

No one’s faith is perfect. If you do stumble, if you ever have a doubt (like Peter did), talk to Jesus about it (Mark 9:24). Jesus never changes. Just like Jesus reached out His hand and grabbed Peter to keep Him safe, He is that close to you, and He will help you too.

Say: Something awesome happened after Peter and Jesus got into the boat.

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” - Matthew 14:32-33

The disciples finally understood who Jesus was. They had already seen Jesus do miracles. But when Peter and the other disciples saw that Jesus could use PETER to walk on the water, their lives were changed. They all knew Peter. Some had known him all their lives. He was just a plain, clumsy, outspoken fisherman. But when he trusted in Jesus, he did something miraculous - he walked on top of the Sea of Galilee! Jesus transformed Peter. Surely Jesus was the Son of God.

Application: How does this apply to you? Well, your friends and family know you. They know your faults and the mistakes you make. They know who you really are. But when you ask God to use you, when you step out in faith, and when you keep your focus on Jesus, He will do amazing things through you. This is what life in the kingdom of God is all about. You will do things you could never do on your own; you will love people who seem unlovable; you will have peace when it seems impossible. Then, you will be a living testimony for Jesus. The people who know you best will know that Jesus is the Lord of lords!

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect. - Hebrews 12:2a

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Keep your eyes on Jesus.

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Jesus walking on the water, or on the sea, is depicted as one of the miracles of Jesus recounted in the New Testament. There are accounts of this event in three Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and John—but it is not included in the Gospel of Luke.