Introduction: Naming the Storms
Good morning, church.
Let me start with a question: What’s the scariest ride you’ve ever been on? Maybe a roller coaster that jerked you around so fast you wondered if you’d make it out alive. Or maybe, for some of you, it’s not the roller coaster but just getting on a Ferris wheel that feels like a test of faith.
For me it was probably the Ferris wheel at the fair in Fairbanks. Last time I was on it was with Josiah who really wanted to go on it with Daddy a few years back and I remember stopping at the top of this thing. And feeling the wind blow and just feeling like I wasn't quite safe on this fair ride that gets put up and taken down and that any moment this thing was just going to topple down sideways.
Now here’s the thing—there’s a big difference between a fear that thrills us and a fear that paralyzes us. A roller coaster ends in laughter, but the fear of losing a job, the fear of rejection, the fear of what the doctor might say—those fears keep us up at night.
And if we’re honest, sometimes fear is what keeps us from moving forward in faith. That’s exactly where we find the disciples in Matthew 14.
"We’ve named the kinds of fears that stop us in our tracks. Now let’s see where the disciples were when fear came knocking for them."
The Setup: After a Long Day (Read Matthew 14:22–24)
Jesus had just heard devastating news: John the Baptist—His Cousin, His friend, His forerunner—had been killed. He tried to slip away to grieve, but the crowds followed Him. Out of compassion, He fed thousands with a boy’s lunch.
You’d think the disciples would be riding high after witnessing that miracle.
But then Jesus sends them away on a boat, out to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. While he sent the crowds away.
They obeyed Him—did exactly what He said—and the next thing they knew, they were rowing against the wind, waves beating against the boat.
Here’s a truth we often forget: Obedience doesn’t guarantee calm seas. Sometimes following Jesus actually puts us right into the middle of a storm.
"So there they are, doing exactly what Jesus asked—and instead of calm seas, they’re straining against the storm. And it’s in that moment of exhaustion that Jesus shows up." Read vv. 25-27
1) Fear Is Real, but Jesus Is Near (vv. 25–27)
It’s about 3 in the morning, the darkest part of night. The disciples are exhausted, soaked, and scared. Suddenly, they see a figure walking toward them on the water. Their minds jump straight to the worst-case scenario: It’s a ghost!
Isn’t that just like us? When we’re already afraid, our imagination magnifies the problem. Anxiety tells us stories that aren’t true.
But Jesus answers with words we need to hear: “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Illustration (current): This summer, I read about a Southwest Airlines flight that had turbulence so bad passengers thought the plane might go down. People started crying, praying, texting goodbyes. Later, one passenger said, “What calmed me down wasn’t the turbulence stopping—it was hearing the pilot’s steady voice come over the intercom, saying, ‘We’ve got this under control.’”
That’s what Jesus does here. The waves don’t stop yet, but His presence makes all the difference.
"Now watch what happens next. Jesus doesn’t just show up—He calls. And Peter, as usual, is the first one to open his mouth and move his feet." Read vv. 28-29
2) Faith Steps Out (vv. 28–29)
Peter, being Peter, says, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You on the water.” And Jesus says one command: “Come.”
Think about that moment. Eleven disciples cling to the safety of the boat, but Peter steps out into the impossible.
Here’s the lesson: Faith isn’t staying where it feels safe—it’s moving when Jesus calls.
Illustration (modern): Some of you have heard about Simone Biles, the gymnast who made a comeback after stepping away in the last Olympics because of fear and mental health struggles. When she came back, she said, “I didn’t know if I could do it—but I had to take the step.”
Faith is like that. It’s not the absence of fear—it’s choosing to move toward Jesus in spite of fear.
Peter does what no one else dares to do—he steps out of the boat. But here’s the problem: he doesn’t sink because he stepped out… he sinks because of what he started focusing on." Read vv. 30-31
3) Eyes on Jesus, Not the Waves (vv. 30–31)
Peter actually does it. He walks on the water! But then his eyes shift. He notices the wind. He feels the spray. His faith turns into fear—and he begins to sink.
The good news? Jesus doesn’t let him drown. The moment Peter cries out, “Lord, save me!”—Jesus grabs him.
Here’s our reality: The moment we take our eyes off Jesus, we sink into worry, doubt, anger, or despair. But the moment we call His name, He’s there.
Illustration (recent): Think about how many of us doom-scroll on our phones late at night. Or find ourselves focused on the news 24/7 consumed with the problems of this world, the war in Ukraine, the strike on Poland…The more we stare at the storm of headlines—wars, politics, disasters—the more anxious we get. What if, instead of scrolling, we fixed our eyes on Scripture, on prayer, on Jesus Himself?
What if, instead of finding ourselves focused on the things that tear us down and distract us from Jesus, we actually opened our Bibles and studied and learned about the God that we serve? And his Love for us?
"And when Jesus pulls Peter up and gets into the boat, the storm doesn’t just quiet down—the disciples’ hearts do too. Their response tells us the whole point of the miracle." Read vv. 32-33
4) Worship Is the Outcome (vv. 32–33)
When Jesus and Peter climb back into the boat, the wind dies down. And the disciples’ response? They worship. They say, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Every storm, every rescue, every answered prayer—that’s the goal. Not just relief, but worship. Not just calm seas, but deeper faith.
So what about us? It’s one thing to read Peter’s story. But what does stepping out of the boat look like in your story and mine this week?"
Applications: Bringing It Home
1. Name Your Boat. ?? What’s the place of safety you cling to instead of stepping out? A job? A relationship? Control over your own plans?
It's only natural for us to have these places that we cling to. These places of safety that bring us comfort. But when we cling to these man made things, we put them in the place of God. Let's look at the Bible for some examples of trusting in God instead of our own comfortable places--Our boats.
• Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
• Psalm 20:7 (NLT) – “Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.”
• Jeremiah 17:7–8 (NLT) – “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.”
2. Step Out This Week. 🦶🏻Maybe it’s asking a coworker if you can pray for them. Maybe it’s forgiving someone you’ve held bitterness against. Maybe it’s giving generously even when finances feel tight.
Stepping out means your faith Takes action. Peter could not take action in the boat. To test his faith, he had to get out and fix his eyes on Jesus. Faith isn’t staying where it feels safe—it’s moving when Jesus calls.
• James 2:17 (NLT) – “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”
• Hebrews 11:8 (NLT) – “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.”
• Joshua 1:9 (NLT) – “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
3. Fix Your Eyes Daily. 👀 Instead of letting your first glance each morning be your phone, make it the Word. Instead of scrolling through storms, turn your eyes toward the One who calms them.
Instead of scrolling through storms, turn your eyes toward the One who calms them.
• Hebrews 12:2 (NLT) – “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
• Colossians 3:2 (NLT) – “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
• Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) – “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”
"If you had been in that boat, what would you have done? Stayed safe with the crowd, or stepped out to meet Jesus?
That’s the question He still asks us today."
Conclusion: A Call to Trust
If you had been in that boat, what would you have done? Stayed with the others, clinging to the wood and hoping the storm would pass—or stepped out to walk toward Jesus?
Maybe today Jesus is calling you to take that step of faith. To trust Him in a situation that feels impossible. To cry out when you’re sinking.
Don’t let fear keep you from trusting Jesus. He is closer than you think, stronger than you imagine, and faithful beyond what you can see.
Prayer
“Lord, we confess that too often we keep our eyes on the waves instead of You. Give us the courage to step out in faith this week. Rescue us when we sink. And may every storm in our life lead us not to despair, but to worship You as the Son of God. Amen.”
Benediction
May you go this week with your eyes fixed on Jesus,
the One who calls you out of the boat,
the One who reaches for you when the waves rise,
the One who is always near when you cry out His name.
Go in courage, not because the seas will always be calm,
but because Christ is with you in every storm.
And May the Lord bless you and keep you.
25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.
