Summary: Following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sends his disciples across the lake and dismisses the crowd. He then spends the night in prayer. While it is still night, Jesus walks on the water to join his disciples. Peter comes out of the boat but starts to sink and is saved by Jesus. The disciples recognize Jesus as the Son of God. But the mission of Jesus is not yet complete -- then or now.
Two brothers, both in their 70s, were remembering a notable day in their teen years. While their parents were attending a church conference at a retreat center on Lake Erie in northwest Ohio, the brothers rented a canoe and went out on the lake. They were having a great time until they heard the first clap of thunder. Now, canoes are not great in a storm, particularly on a large lake and at the distance they were from shore. They made it back safely, but it was storming hard when they reached the shore. They were very glad to be back on land.
But I'm relating this story because of the boys' father. If you knew their dad, you would know he was very low key about most things. Their older brother once wrote a paper in a college class describing their upbringing and the professor wrote in the margins this question: "Benign neglect?"
But not that day. Dad knew where the boys were and what they were doing. In his most unreserved manner, he tore out of the conference and rushed down to the shore. When he found the boys safe, he was ecstatic. Hugs all around -- very unlike their dad, but this day there was joy all around as well.
There is a quality to parents that puts things into proper perspective when up against danger and the unknown. Jesus shows that kind of love and concern for the world which desperately needed a savior. We see a glimpse of this in today's text.
That text today is preceded by Matthew's account of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus had just heard about John the Baptist's horrific death. John's disciples took his body and buried him and then told Jesus. Jesus withdrew from there by boat to be by himself. But when word got out that Jesus was nearby, people from the towns followed him on foot.
When Jesus went ashore, he saw the great crowd. Having compassion on them he cured the sick among them. He kept at it till late in the day. At that point, his disciples suggested he send the crowd away to return to their villages to buy food. Instead, Jesus told the disciples to feed them ... and the result was the miraculous feeding of 5,000 men, besides women and children.
Then Jesus instructed his disciples to leave by boat to cross the lake while he dismissed the crowd. After the crowd left, Jesus went up the mountain by himself to pray, which he had been waiting all day to do! As Jesus prayed and communed with his father, the disciples made their way across the lake. And this sets the scene for the events which happened next.
While the disciples must have thought it odd that Jesus was not going with them in the boat, it's probably fair to say they were getting used to the unusual when it came to Jesus. They had just witnessed thousands of people being fed from five loaves and two fish. Since they met him, they had seen miraculous healings. They listened to him as he spoke with authority to them, to religious leaders, to small and large groups of people and to individuals regardless of their rank or station in life. Their assumptions about him had been proven wrong time and again. Never had they met anyone like Jesus!
So, they set off in the boat for the other side of the lake. At least a couple of the disciples were experienced fishermen, so there should have been no problems setting out at the end of the day. But it was not a calm lake passage. The wind was against them and the "boat, battered by the waves, was far from land." We are not told whether they were in danger or not, but it was certainly a night's crossing to remember. And then it got really interesting.
As with most gospel events, Jesus' presence changed everything. The waves pounded the boat and they were tossed about. One of them saw something on the water. "'It is a ghost!' And they cried out in fear. But Jesus responded and said, 'Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'"
Isn't it surprising that the next line in the conversation wasn't, "Wait! What? How? No, that can't be ...!"
Maybe it's because the disciples had seen so much they couldn't explain about Jesus. Maybe they're learning that every day was an adventure in faith as they experienced life with Jesus.
The next line in the conversation was just as much of a surprise as the other possibility already mentioned. Peter spoke to Jesus. "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
Ever wonder what the other disciples were thinking at this point? Perhaps, "I'm glad I didn't say that!" or "Wait, what?"
But Jesus simply said, "Come."
Peter was encouraged to step out of the boat, and he did, indeed, walk on the water. But the waves and the water and the whole situation quickly made him lose heart and begin to sink. At that point Jesus reached out and grabbed him and saved him. While Jesus remarked about Peter's lack of faith, it was at that moment the other disciples recognized Jesus' power and divinity. "Truly you are the Son of God."
Jesus did three things that night on the lake that he still does today. First, he encouraged them when they saw him. He said, "Take heart ...." Realize that the circumstances are not always what they seem when Jesus is Lord.
Secondly, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples. "Take heart, it is I ...." Recognizing Jesus in our midst is life giving and lifesaving.
Finally, Jesus told them, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." Leave fear behind you and live in the power of God.
We are one fourth of the way through the 21st century. It would be great if we could say the world is a far better place than when Jesus walked on the sea 2,000 years ago. In many ways it is. Medicine, science, agriculture, travel, communication -- and this list can go on and on.
But we really can't say it's a better world, can we? I suggest the answer to this is both "Yes" and "No."
In terms of what some call "Common Grace," much of the world is a better place: In many, but not all places, humanity is flourishing. Some diseases once always fatal are now almost a thing of the past. Nutrition has made great strides, and many people are generally better fed and in better health. Even daily treatment of prisoners is superior in much of the world compared to just 20 or 30 years ago, though overall, we still have a long way to go.
In terms of "the Fall" (or the reality and presence of sin), it's easy to answer, "No, the world is not better because the human heart, apart from God, remains the same." We live in a time when most things can be used for good or evil. Even the most recent technologies such as AI have great potential for both good and evil, and there are always individuals who will lead from their dark side.
For many Christians, there is the "Already but not yet." We hold to the belief that because Jesus lived and died and rose from the dead, the offer of salvation for all is real. As people turn toward God, light is seen and real, and those things bring positive change in the lives of many.
So, we live in a world filled with both beauty and tragedy. Maybe the goal should not be just to make the world "better," but to strive to make the world more reflective of heaven.
Our text today is an encouraging one. Jesus pays attention to the needs of the crowd; he pays attention to the needs of the disciples of John and of his own disciples. Further, he is never far from his Father's heart.
But we must remember that the gospel does not end with Jesus' wet feet. Walking on the water was an encouragement to his disciples, but it was not the end of the story. If anything, as some have suggested, it may have contributed to Jesus' walk toward the cross. After all, what's the world to do with someone who can walk on water?
No, Jesus' walk continued to Jerusalem and to the cross. And finally, Jesus, our Savior, walked out of the grave. Thanks be to God!