The Miracles of Jesus - Week 3
Over the next few Sundays in church, we will be looking at a number of Jesus’ many miracles. Exploring what they mean and what they tell us about who Jesus is and how they reveal his character to us.
Each week we will be putting up a devotional linked to our Sunday service for you and your family to enjoy and discuss at your leisure. After all, church isn’t just for Sundays
Jesus walks on water
This week we look at how Jesus helps his disciples in a crisis - a fierce storm to be precise. Find out how Jesus helps by reading this passage of scripture Matthew 14:22-36 and watching the video below:
Family Devotional
Apparently Jesus’ disciples had rowed about three-and-a-half miles when the wind and waves grew menacing (see John 6:19). Jesus, after spending time praying high on a mountainside, saw that “they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves” (Mark 6:48). They had been rowing for hours, and now it was the middle of the night. They were sleepy and their muscles were aching. They were probably yelling directions at each other to keep their boat from capsizing. In their own strength, they were trying to make it to shore, but it looked impossible.
There is no indication that any of them even tried to exercise any faith. No one suggested that they pray. No one said, “Let’s stop rowing and start praising God that we are going to make it to the other side, because we’ve been sent by Jesus to do just that.” No one attempted to rebuke the wind, imitating Jesus.
Jesus, after waiting until three o’clock in the morning, finally stepped out onto the water and began walking toward the same destination as His disciples. When they saw Him walking by, they were terrified, not recognising Him in the darkness, thinking He must be a ghost! But Jesus tried to calm their fears by telling them who He was. That is when Peter requested thatJesus command him to walk on the water.
Jesus actually said only one word to Peter: “Come!” Before then, Peter had nothing to stand on but water, and had he stepped out of the boat, he would have immediately sunk. But once Jesus spoke, Peter could stand on the Word of God. By faith, he stepped out of the boat and began walking toward Jesus on the water. He was literally walking by faith. When did Peter begin to sink?It was when he doubted. And why did he doubt? Because he began looking at the high waves around him, becoming fearful.
This is a great illustration of how we can walk by faith. When we have a promise from God to believe, it makes no difference what our circumstances are saying to us. God’s Word is always true, and if we’ll believe in spite of our circumstances, we’ll experience the blessings God promises. If we doubt, however, we may well begin to go down, just like Peter.
Peter almost made it all the way to Jesus. When he began to doubt and sink, he cried out for Jesus to save him, and Jesus mercifully did. Praise God that even when our faith is failing, Jesus still loves us and will help us in our troubles.
Clearly it was Peter’s doubts and lack of faith that caused him to sink. Proud people would rather find something else to blame, and amazingly, they often blame God for their failures, claiming that failure must have been God’s will. I wonder what Jesus would have said if He had overheard Peter, once he was back in the boat, saying to the other disciples, “The reason I sank, of course, is because it wasn’t God’s will that I make it all the way to Jesus!”
Q. Jesus apparently wasn’t initially planning on rescuing His disciples from their predicament, because Mark’s Gospel said, “He started to go past them”(Mark 6:48), walking on the water right by their boat. Why do you suppose Jesus did that?
A. Perhaps because Jesus is so polite. He won’t get involved in people’s business unless they invite Him. This is a picture of many Christians. In the midst of life’s storms, they try to make it in their own strength, and Jesus walks right by, wishing they’d ask for His help. Have you invited Jesus into your boat?
Q. Have you begun to sink in some area of your life because you’ve been trying to fix stuff all by yourself and maybe even doubting God can help?
A. If so, why not look again at God’s promises regarding your situation? Reach out and ask for His help and you’ll find yourself back up on the water by faith!
Worship
It’s good to praise and worship God on any day of the year but on Easter Sunday we have so much to be thankful for, it’s right that we worship at the tops of our voices with everything we’ve got. So crank up the volume and sing and dance on the day of Christ’s resurrection!
Let’s pray
Let’s take some time now to be still with God before we pray. I find it helps if I bow my head and close my eyes so I don’t get distracted.
Lord Jesus, Son of God, Miracle-worker,
When the storms of life come against us,
help us to keep our eyes on you
and to put our trust in you.
Thank you that when we do, you are there to help us walk on water.
Amen
