Matthew 14:22-33
1. Immediately after the 5,000 ate Jesus made the disciples leave. Why?
a. (Jn) The people wanted to make Jesus king by force
2. Jesus wanted some time alone to pray. He prayed after ministering.
3. There were two evenings in a day 3:00pm and sundown. The people were fed at about 3:00pm (v. 15) Verse 23 was sundown—the 4th watch was between 3:00-6:00pm.
4. Jesus must have been exhausted after ministering all day. Perhaps the reason Jesus withdrew to this solitary place (v.13) was to pray but the crowds prevented it, therefore rather than telling the crowds to leave he ministered THEN prayed.
5. Jesus sent the disciples into the boat (knowing there would be a storm)
6. Perhaps Jesus told the people a storm was coming and they should head home, of course, the disciples would not have heard this since they had already left in the boat.
7. Sometimes God send us knowingly into a storm and had we known the storm was coming, would we be willing to go into it?
8. The disciples had left before sundown and were still on the lake at 3:00-6:00am. What should have been a couple hours of rowing turned into an all night affair?
9. The boat was 3-3.5 miles from land.
10. The disciples in the boat were probably those closest to Jesus and would have been fishermen; therefore, they were not unfamiliar with the quick way storms came up on Galilee. It does not mention that the disciples were afraid of the storm but only of ghosts. (Things they did not recognize).
11. What were the disciples thinking?
a. Where is Jesus?
b. Why did He send us out here?
c. We are never going to see land again?
d. When is the storm going to stop?
12. They had been fighting the storm for hours and when they saw Jesus walking on the water they may have4 figured that because of their fatigue they were beginning to hallucinate and that at that point they were doomed for sure.
13. Jesus went to them at the 4th watch (3:00-6:00am.)
14. Jesus IMEDIATELY told them not to fear.
15. Peter wanted to be sure it really was Jesus.
16. How many people do you know walk on water?
17. Mark 6:48 Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars even before He went to pray, but He did nothing about it.
18. Why didn’t the disciples turn around and head back if the storm was coming up while they could still see land?
19. All that time they had rowed only 3-3.5 miles (Jn6:19)
20. Peter many times spoke impulsively and this is no exception. Peter asked, “If it’s you prove it”. Do we ask, “How do I know it’s you, prove it, Lord”?
21. Peter could have said (after Jesus said come) that’s okay now I know it’s really you and not walked on the water.
22. The disciples had three choices (just like we do).
a. They could have turned around.
b. They could have given up fighting the storm and let it win.
c. They could keep on rowing into the storm hoping to reach the other shore, hoping the storm would stop, hoping for a miracle.
23. This is the second time the disciples were caught in a storm (Mt 8:23-27) the first time Jesus was in the boat with them.
24. Even though they were doing Christ’s will they still meet with a storm.
25. Jesus manifested himself to them in a great way IN the storm.
26. Demonstration of Jesus’ power over nature—the storm did not cause Jesus to hesitate, He walked into it on the water.
27. We cannot “walk on water” under our own power.
28. The effect of sear—sinking.
29. The effect of faith—walking on water—doing the humanly impossible.
30. The solution to sinking (fear) Prayer.
31. Peter saw the wind and had fear—the next time he experienced the wind 3000 were saved.
32. The wind was as strong in the boat as it was outside/
33. Peter was the only one that wanted out of the boat and the only one that got out.
34. Mark and John do not mention Peter walking on the water.
35. If God says, “Come”, He will provide the means. He will also be right there if you have problems however, there was no reason why Peter should have had a problem unless he started thinking about what he was doing, resulting in him focusing on self instead of Christ.
36. Why is it that Peter had faith enough to get out of the boat but not to walk on the water? The first step is always the hardest. Is it like us many times when we agree to do something, take the first step and suddenly realize what all is involved, then want to back out? Where is our commitment? The same place Peter’s was—sinking! We, like Peter are yelling to be saved from the situation.
37. In order to get closer to Jesus we need to commit ourselves to walking on the water and to following His commands.
38. Sometimes we are not absolutely sure that it is God speaking to us, if we are fairly certain we should be willing to step out on faith.
39. Christ promises peace when He saves us (the wind died down).
40. Even if everyone else stays in the boat—you follow Christ.
41. When Jesus got in the boat they were at their destination.
42. By saying, “Truly you are the Son of God”, the disciples were more likely meaning to say—only God could have done that!
43. The crowd was out to get what they could from Jesus—most had no long range plan to follow Him. Do you ever remember reading where Jesus complained to His disciples that He wished the people would go away if all they wanted was to take advantage of Him? I don’t, I know that if it were me in Jesus’ place I probably would have said that.
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