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Walking On Water

A few lessons from the story of Peter walking on the water

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Walking on the Water

• The story of Jesus walking on the water is one of the most well known stories in the Bible.

• This story has even affected the English language today.

• If someone can “walk on water” today it means they are capable of doing almost anything.

• There was a song a few years ago called “He thinks he walks on water”. It was about a young boy who thought his granddaddy could do anything.


•Our intent today is to look at what happened to Peter while he walked on the water to Jesus.

• Let’s look at a little background that led up to the story we are going to study today.

•According to Matthew after Jesus was told about the death of John the Baptist, He took his disciples and went by boat to a deserted place.

•We learn from Luke this deserted place was near Bethsaida on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

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Judea During the Time of

Christ

The Sea of Galilee

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•When the multitudes found out where Jesus was they followed him by foot this deserted place.

• It was here near the city of Bethsaida that Jesus fed the 5000 men besides the women and children according to Matthew 14:21.

• If we were to include the number of women and children that were fed, it is conceivable that Jesus fed 10,000 people or more with five loaves of bread and two fish.


• Immediately following this incredible miracle Jesus sends his disciples away in the boat while he sends the multitudes home.

•Mt 14:22 ¶ Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

• 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

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• 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

• 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

• 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

• 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."


• 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

• 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

• 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"

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• 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

• 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

• 33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God.“

• This is an amazing string of miracles performed by Jesus in just a few hours!


•1st Jesus feeds the 5000 men.

•2nd He sees the disciples struggling against the wind and waves in the boat.•Mr 6:48 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the

wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.• It would have been impossible for Jesus to have seen

them struggling 2 or 3 miles away because it was dark

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• Joh 6:17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

•3rd Jesus walks on the water

•4th Peter walks on the water for a short distance

•5th When Jesus enters the boat the wind stops!

• It is no wonder that the men in the boat proclaimed “Truly you are the Son of God” after all of these miracles


•We want to spend the next few minutes examining what happened to Peter and see if there are any lessons we can learn from it today.

• I believe initially Peter’s actions are right on the mark!

•After Jesus announces to the disciples it is Him and not a ghost they are seeing then Peter makes a request.

•Mt 14:28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

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• In this instance, Peter, before he does anything seeks the authority of Christ to do it!•He doesn’t do this on his own.•He doesn’t turn around and ask the others in the boat their

opinion.•He gets his authority to act from Christ!• Just imagine the chaos that could be removed from the

religious world if everyone would just follow this simple principle.


• If we would go to the Word of God instead of going to our own thoughts, feelings or desires.• If we would go to the Word of God instead of going to other

men with their councils, creeds and conventions•All of the religious division we see around us could be

eliminated!• This is what God wants.•Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the

name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

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•Many men think they have better ideas about how to please God than what the Bible says.• Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself;

It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.• Following our own thoughts and desires will lead to our

destruction.•Pr 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its

end is the way of death.•We must depend on God’s Word for our direction and that

is just exactly what Peter did.


•Another thing Peter got right was when he got the command he obeyed.•29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down

out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.•When Jesus said “Come” Peter went!• In spite of what all was going on around him.•He knew it was dark•He knew the wind was blowing hard•He knew the waves were rough before he ever got out of

the boat.

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•How many times do we allow the circumstances around us keep us from doing what is right?

•Do we allow the fear of backlash from friends, our boss or even our spouse keep us from doing what God commands us to do?

• The wind and the waves could have taken Peter’s life but he obeyed in spite of them.

• The threats we face in this country for being a Christian fall well short of what Peter was facing.

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•As a matter of fact the threats we face fall well short of what many of the early Christians faced.

• Listen to how the Roman historian Tacitus describes the torture of Christians under Nero.

• “In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights.”


• Listen to what “Pliny the younger” (governor of Bythinia) tells the Roman emperor Trajan.• “Meanwhile, in the case of those who were denounced to

me as Christians, I have observed the following procedure: I interrogated these as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed.”• If the small things we face keep us from doing what is right

then what would we have done in times like these?

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• In spite of our physical circumstances we should never doubt that we can be obedient to God!

•Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

•A lot of people want to apply this verse to physical accomplishments.

•But all it means is that we can be faithful to God in any circumstance whether good or bad.


• In spite of getting off to such a good start Peter did allow the circumstances around him to weaken his faith.•30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was

afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!“•How many times have we seen people turn their back on

God because they distracted by the things of this world?• Jesus mentions two groups of people who fall into this

category in the parable of the sower.

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•Mt 13:20 "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;• 21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a

while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.• 22 "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he

who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.


•One group turns it’s back on God because it loves the things of this life more than God.

• The other group turns it’s back on God because it fears the things of this life more than it fears God.

• In either case if they do not change their way of thinking, repent and come back to God they will lose their eternal soul.

•Hopefully, we are not a part of either of these groups but if we are there is still hope.

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•When Peter’s faith was weak, when he began to sink, what did he do?•He turned back to Christ for salvation!• The circumstances around him shook his faith and caused

him to lose sight of his goal which was Christ.•But he knew there was only one place to turn for

deliverance.•He didn’t cry out for James, John or even Andrew his

brother to save him. He cried “Lord save me”


• In his time of need he turned to God for salvation.

•Our faith may become weak during times of trial and difficult circumstances here in this life.

•When it does we need to be like Peter and turn back to God because He is our only hope of escape from this sin cursed world.

•Ac 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

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•We sing a song called “Where could I go”

Living below in this old sinful world Hardly a comfort can afford

Striving alone to face temptations sore Where could I go but to the Lord?

Neighbors are kind, I love them everyone We get along in sweet accord

But when my soul needs manna from above Where could I go but to the lord?


Life here is grand with friends I love so dear Comfort I get from God's own Word

Yet when I face the chilling hand of death Where could I go but to the Lord?

Where could I go? oh, where could I go? Seeking a refuge for my soul

Needing a friend to save me in the end Where could I go but to the Lord?

•Men will let us down but God never will!

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Conclusion

• Let’s be like Peter and seek the authority from Christ for all that we do in matters of religion.

• Let’s be like Peter and obey when we learn Christ’s commands.

• Let’s be like Peter when our faith is weak and we have trouble on every side and turn to God for strength and deliverance.

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