Walking On Water - Living In The Now Series

Jon Courson Commentary: Fear and anxiety, false familiarity (Matthew 13 Jesus in His home town), personal tragedy (John 20:15 Mary Magdalene at the tomb of Jesus), despair and despondency (Luke 24 two disciples on road to Emmaus)—all will keep you from recognizing your Redeemer. But if you say, "I will watch for You, Lord, in the storm. I will praise Your Name and embrace this difficulty, trusting You are revealing Yourself to me."

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

Jesus knew this. He knew how they felt.

Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

MSG Paraphrase

Hebrews 4:15-16 We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all--all but the sin. (16) So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

He knows. He feels. He is touched. He has compassion. He calls out.

Don’t not be afraid. Do not let fear distract you from the Master.

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

Peter knew it was better to be with Jesus in the storm than with the disciples in the “boat of safety”

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

Come: Christ command and opportunity. Our choice.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

Come, Christ says. Meet me for true life.

So Peter walked on water. The miracle happened. In the midst of the storm.

Step of Faith

What it must have felt like to take that step of faith. To step over the side of the boat into the unknown. Wow!

You see this is that walk or step of faith. There are some of you here who don’t know Christ as your personal savior and you are sitting on the edge of the boat. God is saying step in but you are afraid of the unknow. Christ is calling you to step in.

There are some of you here who God is calling to deeper waters. He is calling you to step in.

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

Living in the Now

Peter missed it. Yes this was about “little faith” as we will see. But Peter got caught between two places. He should have been focused on Jesus at that moment but he got his eyes on the storm. Maybe a big wave happened. So he was tempted to “go back”. No doubt he thought to himself, “What am I doing here? I need to be in the boat with the others? I have done put my foot in it again”