Hello everyone and welcome to Thursday’s Foundations podcast. My name is James and I lead the student work here at STC Sheffield. Today’s Bible reading is a belter – packed full of imagery and meaning – it’s the story of Jesus walking on water.

REFLECTION:

However long you’ve been reading and listening to the Bible you may be familiar with this story. It’s just one of those that stays in the mind of those that hear it, like those of Jesus turning water into wine or feeding the 5000 like we heard yesterday. In conversations with friends and family there is an awareness of this story but not why we are being told about it. We are going to look at it together, we’ll pull some verses out as we go through & hopefully leave us with a fresh encouragement to take into the day ahead.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

This whole story from start to finish is a good illustration of what life looks like when you follow Jesus. There is a closeness and a blessing that comes from God but sometimes it gets pretty rough. It’s definitely an adventure. Often we create this image in our heads that life will be smooth sailing if we live a life that pleases God. That it is only when we are disobedient & bad – does the storm come in and the boat begins to rock around. The problem with that worldview is that it doesn’t fit with this story at all!

We read in v22 that Jesus is the one who sent his friends into the boat ahead of him. They were doing as they had been asked and yet the storm still comes. That’s so important to remember – the storm didn’t show they had deviated from Gods path. Instead God’s path for them lay through the storm, to the other shore of the lake. I personally find that really encouraging. Just because there is difficulty in a day, or in my family, doesn’t mean that I have done something wrong or that God is evil. This story is a reminder to me that my journey with Jesus is an adventure and it is not measured by performance. What counts is faith. How do we know that? We’re told in the story a little later on.

It’s by faith that Peter gets out of the boat to walk to Jesus. It’s by Peter’s faith in Jesus that he is then caught and saved.

Let’s just be honest, this is not ordinary. Jesus walked to the disciples on the water. They then cried out for help. Very simply, I want to pull out that thought a little further for us to reflect on today. There are times in my life where I get nervous about situations I’ve got myself into, trying to be obedient to Jesus. Nothing yet as life-threatening as what these disciples are facing, but times where I certainly feel out of my depth. Conversations with people who have more life experience, more expertise or have better ideas than I seem to have. There are times when I think I can’t deliver on the things I set out to do for Jesus. Today this story reminds me to watch out for that kind of thinking. My life isn’t a performance for Jesus. I’m pretty sure he wants to do things with us. More of a partnership. He came out on the water towards the disciples and by His Spirit he wants to be close to each and every one of us today. We are to guard ourselves from the mindset that we have to work so hard for Jesus that we forget to spend time with Jesus.

Tough circumstances are not always a sign that we are doing something wrong. Certainly in this story the disciples had to go through it to the other side. And, where can I look out for Jesus today and invite him into the situations I face?

PRAYER:

God, thank you for this story in the Bible. Would we be reminded today that you are our saviour, the great rescuer. I pray, God, you would give us a faith-filled vision for the day ahead to know nothing is impossible with God. Amen.

READING: Matthew 14:22-36

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’

‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’

‘Come,’ he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognised Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all who were ill to him and begged him to let those who were ill just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.