22) Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23) And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24) but the boat by this time was a long wayfrom the land,beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25) And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26) But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 28) And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30) But when he saw the wind,he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
This passage won’t leave me alone, nor do I want it to. Here is what the Holy Spirit has shown me in this text:
22) Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
Jesus is sovereign. To say that another way, Jesus has supreme rank, power, and authority over everything. What does everything include? I would argue, anything and everything including the direction of people’s lives.
In these verses, we see two groups: the crowds and the disciples, both whom He commands differently. In the beginning of this section, Jesus dismisses one group, the crowds. He gives them no direction. This group was without a doubt enticed by this man, Jesus. If we were to have read the section previous to this, we would have learned that they were stringing along for the healing and the free food. They were merely using Christ. John’s account of this story tells us that this group eventually “turned back and no longer walked with him.”
We also see a second group, Jesus’ disciples. With them, there was clear direction from Jesus, “get into the boat and go…to the other side.” They were also enticed by this man, Jesus, but not because of the things He did for them. On the contrary, all but one enjoyed Him in this group. This love for Jesus would later compel them to reach all nations to inform the world of this deep affection one could have with the living God through Jesus Christ.
23) And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…
The writer reiterates that Jesus was sending away the crowds and that now they were gone. The crowds obeyed. Jesus controls the righteous and the unrighteous.
24) …but the boat by this time was a long wayfrom the land,beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
Here, we see the 12 disciples were where Jesus told them to go. They were “going before him to the other side.” This verse paints isolation and chaos. They were being obedient yet it wasn’t easy.
25) And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
When, where, and by what means you least expect Him, Jesus comes! But, another account puts this a little differently. Mark 6 tells us “He meant to pass by them…” That sounds a little different from what I’ve normally imagined in this story. It’s as if, Jesus is just strolling by them! He wants them to see Him, yet He doesn’t want to ride in the boat with them. Jesus wants to get to the other side by a different means; He was taking the road by which the waves have made (Jesus controls nature – another consideration for the sovereignty of Jesus).
26) But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.
I can’t image seeing something like this. This was something that no one had ever seen before. Jesus, the one who brings peace, came in the isolation and chaos. To behold the living God is to experience terrifying excitement.
27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus speaks to those whom He has chosen. He encourages them to take heart and not be afraid with the three little assuring words, “it is I.” He encourages them with Himself! He calms fears and chaos with Himself. Jesus breaks through the isolation and calms their confusion.
28) And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Peter saw Jesus passing by Him. Peter didn’t want to risk the chance of being left behind. His life was of no concern, while his soul’s was of the utmost importance. It was Jesus he needed, and for that, he was willing to put his life on the line. But, he didn’t dare make a move without calling upon Jesus. Only Jesus can direct us to Himself, and He’ll use the most radical paths to bring us to Him. For Peter, it was the raging sea.
29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Jesus heard his plea and commanded him to “come.” Peter obeyed. If we were to stop here, it would seem like Peter had no trouble in coming to Jesus. But, it doesn’t stop here…
30) But when he saw the wind,he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Peter saw the wind. How crazy does that sound? In relying on his own strength, Peter weakened quickly. The chaos was getting to him. He didn’t see Christ anymore. He saw the wind, and he was afraid. He was in route to Jesus, the one who had just calmed his fears. “Lord, save me.” Peter must have quickly remembered his Old Testament, Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the Lord.” (It’s interesting how Jonah had an amazing experience at sea too)
31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus did not turn him away. Jesus did not neglect him. He gave Peter His hand; He gave Peter Himself. In John 10:28, Jesus says “I give (those who follow me) eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Peter was in the best place anyone could be, wrapped in the hands of Jesus.
Notice also Jesus’ response to Peter. To whom does Jesus give his hand? To whom does Jesus give eternal life? He gives it to those of little faith and doubters. He gives it to the undeserving.
32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Jesus is now in the boat with the others. You are safe with Christ. There is no more isolation or chaos as to whom your life and soul belong to when you are with Jesus. He is sovereign over wind. He is sovereign over hearts.
33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
What a beautiful picture of Jesus with His Church. The Church is worshiping their Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the first time the 12 disciples are acknowledging Jesus for who He truly is: the Son of God. Up until this point (in the book of Matthew), we’ve seen Satan acknowledge Him as God’s son (Matthew 4:3) and we’ve seen demons proclaim Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 8:29). So, here in the boat, everyone including Judas, who would eventually betray Jesus, was confessing that Jesus was the Son of God. Yet, only 11 were truly worshiping Jesus as the Son of God.
Just like this Sea of Galilee boat experience, one day the Lord says that, “every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess.” But, that doesn’t mean that everyone will go on to enjoy God forever…
If you aren’t in the boat, this is your invitation. Come in. Come to peace. Come to Jesus. Three chapters prior to this story, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30. The command is to come. The invitation is to all who labor and are heavy laden.
If you are in the boat, don’t just stay in communion with all the others. Everyone in the church will not ultimately end up with the Church with Jesus. Call upon Jesus to save you like Peter did.
If you are in the boat with Jesus, enjoy Him. Worship Jesus for who He is, the Son of God, with all your heart, mind, body and soul.
