Jesus Walks on Water

Introduction

This story is a famous story in the life of Jesus. With all famous stories we can be so familiar with them, that we lose sight of their meaning, or miss the important messages they contain.

In these study notes we will take a fresh look at this story and try to pull out some practical guidance that we can apply to our lives.

The account of Jesus walking on water appears on 3 of the Gospels:

• Matthew 14: 22-36

• Mark 6: 45-56

• John 6: 16-24

We will be using all three accounts in this study. Remember, as we look at this, that the gospels are biographical accounts with details chosen and arranged by the author. When we see similarity it serves to emphasise the importance of the detail. Where there is difference it is good to ask why, what point was this author leading us toward?

In all accounts this event comes right after Jesus feeds the five thousand. It is, however, only John’s account that explains the pressing need to dismiss the crowd and retreat, John 6: 14-15:

“14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

The people wanted to make Jesus King. A king in outward show only, not the King of their hearts. They were looking, still, to overthrow Rome and usurp the Jewish leaders. Their solution was a new sovereign with a crown and an army. This is not God’s plan.

In Matthew and Mark we read that Jesus makes his disciples get into the boat, a point we will pick up on later. Jesus understands the need for time, just him and the Father. It is important that we understand that need too. As we read on it is important to remember that the disciples were crossing the lake at Jesus’ request.

There are 4 keys points that we will look at in this study:

1. God’s timing trumps mans timing

2. Doing the work Jesus asks of you is no guarantee of safe/easy passage

3. Jesus does not leave you

4. Getting retreat time is important.

God’s timing trumps mans timing

This point is most clear in John’s account.

Having miraculously fed the five thousand Jesus sees the peoples heart. He understands they intend to force Him to be King, (John 6: 14-15). This is a plan of men with the limited perspective of men, and with man’s sense of timing.

When we consider the historical context it is clear where this zeal comes from. These were people who knew and believed the prophecies of what we call the old Testament, they were expecting a prophet to come. One who would bring them freedom, who could restore them, e.g. Isaiah 9: 6-7. These were people living under foreign rule, they were living under occupation.

Put these two factors together, then add in the miracles they have seen from Jesus and you get man’s plan, man’s timing, and an unwise zeal.

In Matthew and Mark we see Jesus dismiss the crowd, He sends them away and, in all three accounts, He goes up the mountain to pray, to be with the Father, to connect with the Father, and to reconnect with the ultimate plan.

Personal Question

• Are you letting your plan or timing try to trump Gods?

• Where do you need to yield to Him again?

Doing the work Jesus asks of you is no guarantee of safe/easy passage

This can be a tough lesson to learn, but it is really worth learning.

In the account in Matthew and Mark we read:

“Immediately Jesus made them/his disciples get into the boat”

Mt 14:22/Mk 6:45

There are two aspects of this sentence worth picking up on:

1. The instruction

2. The timing

It is vital to see that getting into the boat was Jesus’ instruction. He asked the disciples to sail.

There is a sense of urgency, “Immediately…”, this is a right now instruction, no need to stop and plan. Getting in the boat there and then was Jesus’ plan in Jesus’ timing. Why is this important to note?

In all three accounts we see that the disciples are in rough seas:

• Matthew 14: 24

• Mark 6: 48

• John 6: 18

Often we can think that because we are doing what Jesus asks of us we will be protected from the storms of life. Or, if we experience life's storms we think that we are not doing what Jesus wants.

This thinking is a lie, it’s easy to fall into, but it is a lie and it is not what we see of Jesus.

God is not vindictive, He doesn’t punish us in that way. This story serves to show us that we can still encounter difficulty when following Jesus.

What we see of the disciples in Mark’s account is they are at the oars. They are in the storm and they are continuing with the purpose Jesus gave them.

Personal Question

• Have you stopped doing what Jesus asked because of a storm?

• Are you in a storm and afraid to ask for Jesus’ instruction?

Jesus does not leave you

In all three accounts Jesus comes to the disciples, He does not leave them to struggle alone.

Sometimes it can be unsettling, the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them and applied their context to explain it:

• Matthew 14: 26

• Mark 6: 49

• John 6: 19

The disciples were tired, it was the 4th watch of the night and they were rowing hard. It was dark and stormy. Someone, or (in their mind, perhaps) something is coming towards them on foot, on the water, in fact in Mark’s account Jesus is about to overtake the boat. The disciples put all this together and they reach a wrong conclusion.

As the disciples cry out in fear Jesus answers “ It is I. Do not be afraid”.

Jesus is announcing himself and calming their fears. He is providing a heavenly answer to their earthly questions, delivering a new context or perspective.

It is only in Matthew’s account that we see Peter climbing out of the boat. It is worth looking at this further, for we may learn lessons we can apply to our own lives.

Matthew 14: 28 - 33

1. Why ask Jesus to call you out?

2. How come Peter sinks?

3. What is Jesus’ response?

Why ask Jesus to call you out?

Matthew 14: 28

From what we know of Peter this seems a typical leap first response, and maybe that’s all it is. If so then to leap and trust Jesus can be the right thing to do. But I think there’s more to it.

Peter wants to be with Jesus, he knows the current struggle and knows Jesus is the answer. He wants to be with Jesus.

“Peter is helpless at last, as every man is without God; for our human nature and world are so made that man, caught in crisis, must make contact with power beyond himself if he would be saved”

Interpreter’s Bible vol 7 1978. p. 434

The lesson for us here is simple; in crisis call to Jesus.

How come Peter sinks?

Peter starts out with his eyes on Jesus but quickly he pays more attention to himself and his circumstances - in this case the storm and the liquid nature of water.

When this happens he begins to sink. Interestingly he begins to sink, it’s not instant. It’s almost as if there is battle going on for where his focus and trust are placed. In this second moment of criss Peter once again realises he needs Jesus to save him, and calls out once more.

There are a couple of lessons we can learn here, and a truth we can internalise.

• Peter asks for the invite and waits for the response, Matthew 14: 28 - 29. Until Jesus says “Come”, Peter stays in the boat.

• It is important to keep our eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12: 2. In this story Peter, in Matthew 14: 29 “walked on the water and came toward Jesus”. In responding to Jesus’ call Peter sees a personal miracle. While he is focussed on Jesus he is walking on water. Verse 30, when Peter starts looking at himself and his circumstances, he takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to sink. Peter knows Jesus and does what we all need to do “... cried out, “Lord, save me!””

• Here is our truth, verse 31 “immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him”. The truth is Jesus is always there, always ready and able to save.

Personal Question

• In what situations have you taken your eyes off Jesus?

• Do you need to cry out again “Lord, save me!”

Getting retreat time is important

In this story we see Jesus retreat. According to John’s account the people, after the feeding of the five thousand, wish to make Jesus King. Jesus retreats from them to be with the Father.

There are numerous times in the gospels when Jesus retreats. He also encourages His disciples to retreat; Mark 6: 30 - 32:

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

This is a retreat, time away from busyness in order to be with Jesus, it is a place of real intimacy. Retreat is about rest, quiet, and time with God.

While we do not see any explicit instruction to have times of retreat, Jesus’ life has a pattern of them. It is wise for us to do the same. The pattern is set out in Genesis 2: 1-3 where God rested from the work for creation.

I am no expert on retreats, I do think they come in different shapes and sizes, for example:

• starting/ending your day with God is a retreat, it is time put aside from the day to be with Him.

• Carving out a half day, or even a whole day to rest from regular life is a retreat when we spend that time with God.

• Multi-day trips where our focus or purpose is on being with God.

Any time we carve out with the only purpose of being with God is a retreat. In Jesus’ life we see this from hours of prayer in Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 36-40) to 40 days (Luke 4: 1-2). The consistent ingredient is being with God.

Personal Question

• Are you getting enough retreat time?

• What steps could you take towards making this a regular part of your walk with God?