Matthew 14:22-33 - Incredulous Faith

If you often feel like you're sinking in doubt and fear, today's passage is for you!

It's hard to walk on water when you're carrying boulder sized chunks of doubt and fear

Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV)

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Canons of Dordt

Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election

Articles 1-14

Article 16 - Encouragement for the Doubting

Those who do not yet actively experience within themselves
1. a living faith in Christ or an assured confidence of heart, peace of conscience, a zeal for childlike obedience, and a glorying in God through Christ,
2. but who nevertheless use the means by which God has promised to work these things in us—
3. such people
  1. ought not
    1. to be alarmed at the mention of reprobation,
    2. nor to count themselves among the reprobate;
  2. rather they ought to continue diligently in the use of the means,
    1. to desire fervently a time of more abundant grace,
    2. and to wait for it in reverence and humility.
On the other hand, those who seriously desire to turn to God,
1. to be pleasing to God alone, and to be delivered from the body of death,
2. but are not yet able to make such progress along the way of godliness and faith as they would like—
3. such people ought much less to stand in fear of the teaching concerning reprobation, since our merciful God has promised not to snuff out a smoldering wick or break a bruised reed.
However, those who have forgotten God and their Savior Jesus Christ and have abandoned themselves wholly to the cares of the world and the pleasures of the flesh—
1. such people have every reason to stand in fear of this teaching,
2. as long as they do not seriously turn to God.

Summary

Matthew's introduction to this famous event gives some insight into the personal and spiritual life of Jesus. Jesus had been speaking to thousands of people, and just finished miraculously feeding them with nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fish. He had to be absolutely exhausted, yet rather than call it a night or even finding a spot for a quick nap, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of Him in the boat, while He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. Oh that we would have even a fraction of Jesus' desire and devotion to come before our Father's throne of grace in prayer!

But it's Peter who beckons our attention today. Put yourself in his shoes. The disciples had to be exhausted as well - carefully listening to Jesus' teaching, getting just as hungry as the crowd around them, but then needing to figuring out the distribution of the miraculously procured meal to about five thousand men, plus women and children before eating themselves. Then Jesus made the disciples get into the boat rather than bringing them with Him up the mountain, which likely miffed them a bit. Then on top of it all, they had to row into the wind in a losing battle to cross the lake.

So it's not surprising that in their frustrated fatigue they were terrified to see a man walking on the lake, thinking that it was a ghost. But of course it wasn't a ghost, it was Jesus, and His words were perfectly appropriate for the moment, and well worth memorizing for the next time you find yourself terrified. "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Peter - as only Peter could - demonstrates what can only be described as a moment of incredulous faith (an oxymoron - two words not normally joined together). On one hand, Peter can't believe what he sees, exclaiming Lord, if it's you... . On the other hand, he demonstrated his logic defying commitment in asking Jesus to affirm His identity by telling Peter to come to Him on the water.

Dig Deeper

Peter famously wastes no time in responding to Jesus' one worded answer - come - before bailing over the gunnel and planting his own feet solidly on the waves. One step followed another, with each one somehow meeting resistance in nothing but lakewater. What a feeling this must have been for Peter!

But then reality set in - the insanity of it all. Notice how Matthew phrases it: when Peter saw the wind. You've seen evidence of the wind - swaying trees and white capped water - but you've never actually seen the wind, right? Suddenly fear and doubt piled up like rocks tied to his ankles and down he went.

Article 16 of the Canons was written for people like Peter, and people like you. People who've encountered the living Christ, and heard His invitation to Come. People who've maybe even taken a few steps on the water before being hopelessly weighed down by doubt. People who so badly want a living faith in Christ, an assured confidence of heart, peace of conscience, a zeal for childlike obedience, and to glory in God through Christ but can never seem to get it all figured out.

Peter discovered what you need to be reminded of: that despite your wavering, the Savior never came close to losing His grip on you. His grace is stronger than you are.

So even when you doubt, do what Peter did and call out to Jesus. Do what the Canons recommend and continue diligently in the use of the means of grace (hearing God's Word read and preached). Remember, your Savior will not let you sink.

AAA Prayer (About)

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father and Jesus, who truly is the Son of God;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will remember the words of Jesus to take courage, it is I, do not be afraid when the wind and waves set against you;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: