Courage • Matthew 14:22-33
By Joe McKeever
The challenge in studying familiar biblical texts is to take these amazing truths off the pedestal where we have enthroned them and put them back into circulation.
John Ortberg did just that in writing the book “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat.” I highly recommend it.
I encourage Sunday School teachers to begin every teaching session with a slow, reverential reading of the Scripture text. Whether we teach or preach God’s Word, the text is far more important than anything we will say about it.
Our Lord wanted to be alone. After days of unending ministry, He was exhausted. The news of His friend and co-laborer John the Baptist’s death was a harsh blow. He needed some time to Himself. So, He sent the disciples away in a boat and dismissed the crowd.
Then He walked up the mountain.
Visitors to the Holy Land are often surprised to find you can stand on a mountaintop and see the entire Sea of Galilee. In many respects, it’s more of a huge lake. So, the Lord could see the disciples in the boat struggling against the wind. He knew what they were dealing with.
In the early morning hours someone on the boat shrieked. “Ghost!” Sure enough, there seemed to be an apparition on the water. The disciples trying to sleep were quickly roused. Yes, out there in the darkness, it was a ghost!
And then they heard that familiar voice.
“Don’t be afraid. It is I. Have courage.”
Don’t rush past this. Dwell on it a little. Mark 6:48 says our Lord would have passed them by. There’s not a word of explanation about that.
Personally, I think Jesus might have taken this same walk at other times. It’s one way He could guarantee not to be interrupted in His prayer time!!
Then, it gets even more interesting. While the others are still processing all this, Peter breaks the silence. “Lord? If this is You, command me to walk to You.”
Pause there. What was Peter thinking? Would you have done this? What does this say about Peter?
Peter stepped out of the boat. He must have been amazed to find the water held him up. He had stepped from that boat into the water hundreds of times. But this was the first time the water supported his weight.
Peter walked, the wind grew stronger, the waves grew higher, and he began to be afraid. As he started sinking, Peter looked toward the Lord and cried out, “Save me!”
“O, you of little faith,” said Jesus. “Why did you doubt?”
We smile at that. Why indeed? Maybe because no ordinary human had ever done this in the history of the world, that’s why!
As usual, when the Lord asks a question, He is not looking for information. Always, He’s making a point.
COURAGE is a huge subject. You and I deal with courage and its absence all the time.
The doctor gives you bad news, but you bravely go forward to live every day for God and to bless those around you. That takes courage.
You knock on a neighbor’s door to tell him about Jesus. It will require courage.
The disciples had every reason for courage that day. Consider:
• The Lord had sent them on this trip and they were obedient.
• The work was hard (“the wind was contrary”) but He was watching over them.
• He came to them.
Nothing gives us assurance like knowing Jesus is with us.
To Moses the Lord said, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). Likewise to Joshua (Joshua 1:5), to Gideon (Judges 6:16), and to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:8), among others. It was His answer for every excuse, His retort to every alibi. His presence makes all the difference for any situation.
David said, “I will fear no evil for Thou art with me” (Psalm 23:4 KJV).
In the New Testament, the Lord gives us the same assurance in Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5-6.
Scripture’s most comforting word about eternity may be just that: “And so we will always be with the Lord!” (1 Thessalonians 4:17 CSB)
We live in a fearful world. We’re told there are over 500 named phobias, everything from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) to gephyrophobia (fear of crossing bridges) to ailurophobia (fear of cats). Some say the number of phobias is actually infinite, as it’s possible for people to fear anything and everything.
In Luke 21:26, the Lord warns that in the last days men’s hearts will fail them for fear.
But the Heavenly Father will not allow His children to live in fear. We are more than that in Him. “Why did you fear?” Jesus asked. Notice He did not get an answer.
For Christ-followers, there is no answer. We are people of courage, not fear.
McKeever is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson.
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