Editor’s Note: The following article is based on Matthew 14:22-32.
I really like Peter. He was so……imperfect. As a follower of Jesus, he was a man who stumbled and got it wrong sometimes, but he ultimately loved and followed Jesus to the end of his life. His life was filled with many lessons that can encourage college students today as you seek to follow Jesus and be strong in the faith.
The story of Jesus walking on water appears in three of the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, John). But, only in Matthew do we also learn that Peter also walked on water! How crazy must that have been to witness? College students, let me share with you 5 thoughts I have as you seek to follow Jesus and be strong in the faith.
Faith Means Obedience
When Jesus commands you to do something, obey Him. Jesus told Peter to “come” to Him on the water. Even though it made no sense, Peter did what Jesus said. When we read through Scripture, we find a lot of commands that don’t make sense. Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-48), forgive seventy times seven (Matthew 18:20-22), deny yourself and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24-26), etc. Obedience doesn’t always make sense, but that’s okay; God is bigger than our understanding.
Faith Doesn’t Equal Easy
Encountering storms—e.g.life difficulties and challenging times—cannot not determine if and when you walk by faith. When Jesus bid Peter to come to Him, He didn’t calm the storm. Rather, He called Peter out into the storm, right onto the rough waters. We like to think that obedience calms the storms and eases the challenges of life, but in fact, our radical faith and trust is best seen as we obey even amidst the storms.
"We like to think that obedience calms the storms and eases the challenges of life, but in fact our radical faith and trust is best seen as we obey even amidst the storms." -@jerome_stockert #collegiatedisciplemaker #obediencematters… Click To TweetFaith Often Stands Out
What others do should not determine what you do. Peter could have waited for the others to call out to Jesus. He could have waited to see if anyone would step out of the boat with him. Instead, we see that he had made up his mind to obey regardless of what the other disciples did or did not do. It’s always easier to obey when others join in, especially if someone else takes the first step. But we are called to walk by faith, even if we are the only one to do so. Many have walked the path of Christ alone. Step out of the boat. Don’t wait on others. Sometimes Jesus is going to ask you to take a risk and trust him by being the first (and maybe the only one) to step out of the boat. Faith may make you stand out, but remember, you don’t stand alone; He is with you.
Faith Keeps Its Eyes on Jesus
When fear becomes our main focus, we start sinking; when Jesus is our main focus, we can walk on water. Peter’s walk on water was short lived because he took his eyes off Jesus. He noticed the surging waters and became afraid. Peter learned an important lesson that day that you, believing college student, should not ignore. When we let fear rule, we sink. Life is full of storms, big storms and little storms. Unless you consistently abide in Him and keep your eyes on Jesus, you will sink. Keep your eyes on Him.
“When fear becomes our main focus, we start sinking; when Jesus is our main focus, we can walk on water.”
Jerome Stockert
Faith Can Rise Again
Faith can rise and walk again. We read at the end of the story that when Peter sank, he cried out to Jesus. And Jesus answered by grabbing hold of Peter and getting him back to the boat. What is never stated but strongly implied is that while holding onto Jesus, he and Jesus walked back to the boat together. Peter, after sinking, walked on water a second time.
As we seek to walk by faith, we will fail and fall and stumble. We will sink at times. But the good news is that when we cry out to Jesus, He will rescue us…and we can walk on water again. Jesus loves to give us second chances.
Walk By Faith
Let’s be like Peter. Let’s be obedient. Let’s not let the storms of life dictate our walk by faith. Let’s not look to others first but choose to follow Jesus regardless of what others might or might not do. Let’s make Jesus our main focus, not fear. And let us rise and walk by faith again when we sink, not reaching for the boat, as we might have done in earlier times, but instead reach for Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
