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| Matthew 14:28-31 |
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Lesson # Matt. 14:28-31 Study Material - Matt. 14:28-31 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Matt. 14:28-31 28 And [de] Peter [Petros] answered [apokrinomai] him [autos] and said [epo] , Lord [kurios] , if [ei] it be [ei] thou [su] , bid [keleuo] me [me] come [erchomai] unto [pros] thee [se] on [epi] the water [hudor] . 29 And [de] he said [epo] , Come [erchomai] . And [kai] when Peter [Petros] was come down [katabaino] out of [apo] the ship [ploion] , he walked [peripateo] on [epi] the water [hudor] , to go [erchomai] to [pros] Jesus [Iesous] . 30 But [de] when he saw [blepo] the wind [anemos] boisterous [ischuros] , he was afraid [phobeo] ; and [kai] beginning [archomai] to sink [katapontizo] , he cried [krazo] , saying [lego] , Lord [kurios] , save [sozo] me [me] . 31 And [de] immediately [eutheos] Jesus [Iesous] stretched forth [ekteino] his hand [cheir] , and caught [epilambanomai] him [autos] , and [kai] said [lego] unto him [autos] , O thou of little faith [oligopistos] , wherefore [eis] [tis] didst thou doubt [distazo] ? KJV-Interlinear Matt. 14:28-31 28 And Peter answered Him and said, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' 29 And He said, 'Come!' And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' NAS The place of security is not found in the places of favorable circumstance, but in the place of obedience to God's will. I repeat the above line from yesterday so that we all can begin to focus on our spiritual life rather than on the circumstances of our lives. In the crowd and on shore the disciples were in an emotional high. Jesus was curing everyone and feeding everyone. The crowd was ready to make Him king, but we know that, that is something which people have no right to do. Man cannot anoint. Man cannot crown the King of kings. That right stands with God alone. The night is dark and the storm severe. The winds and waves made it difficult if not impossible to see anything. But the disciples could hear Jesus speak, and they could see at least an image of a man walking on the water. Something you don't see everyday. They just did not know who or what it was. Hearing Jesus speak, Peter asked for confirmation, but not in an arrogant sense. He asked to be 'commanded' to come to the Lord, not to be enabled to come to Him and there is a very big difference between the two. To be commanded is asking God to will his coming first, and then relying on faith to carry him to the Lord. To ask Jesus to otherwise enable him to come on the water, would imply a test of Jesus' power and ability. This Peter did not do. Jesus responded to the request - 'Come.' Now it is up to Peter to actually get out of a rocking boat, in deep water, in the midst of a storm, and begin to leave the comforts and perceived security of a hard surface (the boat) and actually walk on a surface (water) that had no means of holding him up. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk toward Christ, but as with so many believers, he again heard the wind, saw the water, and became distracted away from his focus on the Lord. He began to sink and then he called out for help. Peter's faith was weak. He was used to certain beliefs common to the world, and he turned his attention back to those beliefs. What beliefs? Well, no one can walk on water for one. If you get out of the boat, then you must either sink or swim. He was fully clothed and most likely in the storm would sink and drown. The power of the world was greater in his mind, than was the power of God. Gods power knows no limits. Gods power depends on nothing, and is limited by nothing. Gods power can be altered by nothing. It is perfect and unaffected by anything in creation. God can will into existence anything He wishes. What is difficult for man, is to focus on Gods Word, and re-orient himself to life with the belief and confidence that God will always do that which is best for the believer. This does not mean that we test God by just doing nothing and then expecting God to bring us through life. We'll soon find ourselves in the poor house and with miserable lives because of our irresponsibility. Peter and the disciples were in a boat and were row, row, rowing along. But the storm was greater than their combined ability to row back to shore. Man has limitations and God will allow us to approach those limits from time to time in order to test our faith. All the while, He knows where we are and what we need, and He provides us with solutions to whatever our problems may be. It we are weak, He extends His hand and helps us out. If we are strong in faith, then He allows us to walk out on the water which is boiling beneath our feet - advance through our problems - and in safety. Sometimes He will eliminate the problem - 'wind be still.' Sometimes He will allow the storm to continue (our medical problems, our marital problems, our employment problems, our financial problems, our social problems, whatever your problems are). Sooner or later they will go away. We either pass the test of faith and have more stable lives spiritually, mentally, and so forth, or we flunk the test and fall apart under the pressure, and then we have it all to do over again - take overs!! How often do you get to retake a test and have the opportunity to get a passing grade? Often life is a pass/fail series of tests, and we most likely feel that we are total failures much of the time. But rest assured, no matter how worthless you have been in life, spiritually, you always have the opportunity to achieve the highest passing grade by just committing your life to a daily Bible study, by learning Gods Word, by understanding it, by applying it to your life, and then by repeating that circle of wisdom, or cycle of wisdom throughout your life - everyday, for the rest of your life. The circumstances of our lives (the boat, the shore) are not the answer to our life, but obedience to Gods Word is the answer. That obedience is a daily study program, residence in fellowship, etc., so that we can grow up spiritually and then advance to the high ground of victory. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
