Matthew 14: Son of God (5)
Pray Psalm 138.7, 8.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Sing Psalm 138.7, 8.
Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory
Your Right Hand will save and keep me; all I need You will supply.
For Your love is everlasting reaching from beyond the sky.
You will not forsake or leave me; You will save me when I cry.
Read Matthew 14.1-33; meditate on verses 28-33.
Why did Peter start to sink? Why do you start to sink?
Prepare.
1. What did Peter want the Lord to do for him?
2. What did he do when he started to sink?
Meditate.Peter is a lot like most of us—a little bold sometimes, a little flaky at other times. Peter bold’s request to the Lord is simply astounding. Can you hear the other disciples: “What? Are you crazy?” “No, Peter, no!” “Sit down, sit down, you’re rocking the boat!” Would you be getting up with Peter, or hunkering down with the eleven?
I can also imagine Jesus smiling and reaching out His hand in response to Peter’s request: “Attaboy! Come on!” Peter pushes up off his bench and steps over the side of the boat. The water is solid under his feet. His eyes fixed on Jesus, he begins walking on the water—right foot, left foot; right foot, left foot.
But then Peter flaky shows up. Taking his eyes off Jesus, Peter focuses instead on the wind and the waves. They were “boisterous”—don’t you love that word? Peter, moments ago the most courageous man alive, began to be afraid, exactly what Jesus had just counseled him not to do (v. 27). And he also began to sink. Desperate, Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!”
So Jesus grabs him, and together they go back into the boat. But not without a sharp rebuke: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” How do you suppose the other disciples felt, hearing Peter rebuked like that? Well, whatever they thought or felt, it didn’t last very long. As the wind ceased—not died down, ceased, as in “Stop that boisterousness and sit down!”—and the disciples all fell around Jesus in worship, and testified as one, “Truly, You are the Son of God.” Even Judas? Yes, even Judas. Talk is cheap.
Peter’s glory and near-downfall had the same cause. He was looking where he was going. As long as he was looking to Jesus, he walked on the water. When he looked around at the uncertain, changing, boisterous wind and sea, he began to succumb to it. How will you live for Christ today? Looking to Him, or looking at the world and its vicissitudes and troubles? Look to Jesus, and watch where you’re going—always.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Peter’s mindset was like Herod’s unthinking promise to Herodias’ daughter, offering her up to half his kingdom, and Jephthah’s vow of sacrificing whatever came out of his house. Peter and the other disciples had decided that they had two choices about who was walking on the boisterous seas in their direction:
It was either a ghost or Jesus.
So Peter starts this off by saying:
“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (Matt. 14.28).
If? If it is You? Or if you are a ghost? Whatever? What was he thinking?
But, oh well, it was Peter.
But Jesus invited Peter to step out into the water. So, he did.
And he was having great success—until he noticed his circumstances.
Then he began to sink.
Jesus kindly threw him the lifeline of Himself and rescued Peter from his poor choice.
But not without pointing out to him where he went wrong.
Jesus seemed as disappointed as Peter; Jesus wanted him to succeed.
Mostly, He wanted Peter to learn to trust Him. “Why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14.31).
How many times, every day, are we doing well, and then, (disastrously)
we look at our circumstances and begin to doubt? And then start to sink.
But, oh well, it is us
Looking at Jesus, continuously, is the answer to this dilemma. Seeing only Him. Not our circumstances.
For, one circumstance is as easily resolved as another in Jesus’ purview. He is Lord of the land and the sea.
And He is the Son of God (Matt.14.33).
“Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
Who for the joy that was set before Him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself,
lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12.1-3).
Jesus will always be there to reach out His hand of love to rescue us; but He wants us to trust Him.
He would prefer that we keep our eyes and life focused on Him so that we can “walk on water”.
And not sink.
“I will bless the LORD Who has given me counsel;
my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life; in Your Presence is fullness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16.7-11).
He will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13.5). So, step out; but watch where you’re going.
Reflect.
1. What would walking on the water look like for you?
2. Why did Peter doubt? Why do you ever doubt?
3. What can you do to keep the Lord more constantly before your mind (Ps. 16.8, 11)? Why should you?
Peter is attended by strength equal to disdaining death itself. His timidity, however, gives an inkling of his weakness in the face of future temptation. For though he ventured forth, he began to sink. Through the feebleness of the flesh and the fear of death, he is brought to the point of denial. But he cries out and asks the Lord to save him. That cry is the groan of his repentance. Hilary of Poitiers (315-367), On Matthew 14.15
Pray Psalm 138.1-6.
How will you trust the Lord to let you walk on water today?
Sing Psalm 138.1-6.
Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory
I will give You thanks and praise You, God of gods, with all my heart.
I will bow before Your temple, grateful praise to You impart.
For Your Name and for Your glory, You have magnified Your Word!
On the day I called You answered, made me bold within my soul;
when I walk in troubled places, You revive and make me whole.
For Your hand will gently shield me, and my fearsome foes control.
All the kings of earth will praise You when Your words of truth they hear.
Of Your ways, of Your great glory gladly they will loudly cheer.
For the proud shall not approach You, yet You hold the lowly dear.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
We invite you to join us in ReThinking Church. We explain further at our ReThinking Church page, here.
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast is into a new series of readings from our book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter begins a new series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revivall. The ReVision column considers questions all church leaders must address. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
