Peter’s Trust?

Jesus had just made another miraculous meal for the thousands of people who were following Him around the country. He had been teaching a crowd of 5000 men, plus the women and children at His latest meeting on that hillside in Judea. When He finished teaching that day, Jesus told the disciples to get into their boat and cross over to the other side of the lake. They were very hot and tired from doing crowd control for the Master while He taught under the hot Judean sun. But He knew that they needed to be on the other side of the Sea of Galilee for their next big meeting. So all of the disciples got into the boat and started across.

After the last hangers on had left the meeting grounds, Jesus went off by Himself to pray. He climbed up a mountain to spend time talking to the Father and to rest from the miracle of feeding the massive crowds and teaching them about God all day long. His time of prayer not only renewed His spirit, but as a man He needed rest for His physical body, too.

When He was rested and refreshed, Jesus decided to join His disciples in the boat. He walked down to the shore where the boat had been docked, but the boat was far out on the lake at this time, so Jesus kept right on walking clear out onto the lake right on top of the waves. There was a violent wave whipping the lake into a frenzy and tossing the boat about like a toy. But Jesus walked upon the Sea of Galilee as if it was the smoothest street around.

When the disciples saw Jesus walking across the water they were very afraid. They thought He was a ghost or some type of vision. So to calm their fearful hearts, Jesus called out to them; “Hey guys, it’s Me. Don’t be afraid, I’m not a ghost.”

Now Peter was a big, burly fisherman, very tough and rugged looking. He felt self assured and mustered up a little courage. In all of his presumed boldness He called out to the Lord; “If it really is You, Jesus, command me to come walking on the water to meet You.” Peter was thinking in his heart; “If it is Jesus, then He can make me walk on the water, too.”

Jesus answered him; “Come on, Peter, come and meet Me!”

So Peter our great big, fisherman climbed out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus. But the boat was a very great distance from the shore, the water was quite deep and the waves were beating him and tossing the boat around behind him. For a split second Peter had lost sight of Jesus. The faith of this larger than life fisherman from Galilee started to falter and he began to sink. I think I can hear him yelling now; “Lord help me, I’m drowning! Oh no, I’m gonna die! Glug, glug, glugggg. . .” And Peter sank beneath the waves, out of sight.

Jesus immediately stretched out His arm, reached below the waves and saved Peter from a watery grave.

When I think of Jesus rescuing Peter in this story, I kind of get the mental picture of how a mother cat picks up her kitten when it is in distress or danger. You know, by the scruff of the neck. But, this is just my vivid imagination, not what the Bible says.

Then Jesus said to Peter; “Man, where did your great faith go? You were doing just fine, but you let the things around you distract you and break your attention. Then you took your eyes off Me! Why did you doubt?”

When Jesus had picked Peter up out of the angry waves, He carried him and stepped into the boat. Immediately all was calm around them and the boat was at the other side of the lake.

As Jesus and the disciples got out of the boat they all bowed down to worship Him, saying; “You really are the Son of God! If I hadn’t believed it before today, TOTALLY do NOW! How did You do all of THAT?!”

Jesus did not explain anything to His disciples; they just resumed their trip to the next big meeting in the land of Gennesaret.


Learning TRUST:

Memory Verse:
Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (KJV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (NIV)

How do we know whom to trust? This is a good question, and not an easy one to answer. Trust belongs to someone who has proven he can be trusted – is “trustworthy.” People we can usually trust are our Mother and Father, our Teachers, our Pastors, Policemen, Firemen, and Doctors. And we can ALWAYS trust God.

In our story Peter trusted Jesus could make him walk on top of the water like He did. So when Jesus told him to come, Peter got out of the boat and started walking toward Jesus.

When Peter was out of the boat he walked on the water and all was going fine. He was looking at Jesus straight in the eyes and walking on the water was easy! He walked a good distance away from the boat when he noticed that the wind was blowing a gale all around him. His tunic was catching the breeze and he let his eyes loose their connection to Jesus.

At that moment Peter let fear and doubt cloud his sight and distract him from reaching his goal of reaching the Lord. He became sidetracked and lost his trust in Jesus. That’s when he started sinking. He had forgotten the One who had gotten him out of the boat and walking on the sea in the first place. He had forgotten Jesus.

When he remembered that Jesus was there he cried out; “Lord, help me I’m drowning! Oh no, I’m gonna die! Glug, glug, glugggg. . .” and he sank out of sight beneath the waves.

But Jesus DIDN’T forget Peter. He knew right where he was all the time! And He reached His arm out to save him from the drowning his lack of trust had brought about. Jesus pulled Peter from the water and carried him to the safety of the boat and immediately they were on the shore at the other side of the lake, near where their next meeting would be held.

When the boat docked ALL of the disciples bowed down to worship Jesus. They had all learned to trust Jesus more because of the mistrust of just one man, Peter, and the rescue of our Master, Jesus!

We can all learn to trust Jesus, too. Just remember Jesus will ALWAYS do what He says He will do! And He will always give us the things we need to do the job He has called us to do. There is a wise quote that says, “If God has called you to it, He will see you through it!”

If you want to read this story the way God had it written, you will find it in three places in the Bible: Matthew 14:25-33, Mark 6:45-52 and John 6:15-21.