Stepping Out of the Boat

This week we’ve put on a VBS for the kids in Heidelberg, and we’ve had such a blast playing games, eating fun snacks, and learning more about Jesus. I volunteered to teach on Thursday, since we needed a different teacher every day, and I want to share what I taught with all of you (although a little more in depth than what I shared with the kids)!

The story I was assigned was Jesus walking on water, and I want to share the story straight from the Bible first.

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.”

There were a lot of things in this story that stuck out to me, so I’m kind of just going to bullet point them, so this isn’t too long.

1: Peter tested Jesus to make sure it was him. When we see something supernatural happening, we should ask God if it’s Him. He’s not afraid of our questions.

2: When Jesus told Peter to come, he came. Peter fully trusted that Jesus would make a way, so he stepped out of a boat, on a crazy stormy sea, and walked to Jesus. That’s what trust really looks like.

3: When Peter saw the wind and waves, he began to sink. He forgot he stepped out while trusting in Jesus, not himself. When he realized he couldn’t do it in his own strength, he sank, instead of remembering to ask for Jesus’s help.

4: Peter’s first reaction was to call out to Jesus to save him. This should be our response when we start to sink and realize we can’t do it on our own.

5: IMMEDIATELY, Jesus helped Peter. We can never sink so far that Jesus can’t reach us, and there’s no hesitation on his end. This doesn’t mean he’ll magically rescue us from every hard situation (although he certainly does sometimes), but he will be with us and support us as long as we want him.

6: “Why did you doubt?” Is there ever a reason to doubt Jesus? When has he ever failed? When has he given you reason to doubt his love for you?

7: The storm instantly calmed when Jesus entered the boat, and the disciples worshiped him. This should always be our reaction when God does anything amazing!

8: When you step out of the boat, you might lose something. Peter could have lost his life. But if Jesus is calling you to step out, it will always be better that way, and you’ll gain so much more than you might have lost.