Listen here.

Matthew 14:22-33

²² Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.

When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

²⁸ And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” ²⁹ He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³ And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This text comes right on the heels of Jesus feeding of the 5,000. The crowds have been healed and fed. The disciples each have their basket of leftovers. And Jesus gets His time alone to pray. Jesus sends the disciples away in the boat. The wind picks up. The waves get higher. The way Matthew writes, there is are hints that the storm is demonic in nature. The boat is being beaten (lit. tortured, tormented). Tough as this night at sea is, it is not the wind, not the waves, not the storm that frightens the disciples. It’s Jesus. The disciples are afraid when Jesus shows up.

Jesus’ walking over the sea is filled with a meaning that we miss if we don’t understand the mindset of the people of Jesus’ day. In their minds, the sea is the manifestation of death. The sea is what swallows you whole and doesn’t spit you out again (Ps. 107:23-32). That is why in Revelation, when John sees the new creation, there is no more sea (Rev. 21:1). The sea is also the home of the dreadful sea creature, Leviathan (Job 41:ff).

So, when Jesus walks on the water, He isn’t only showing His power over creation; He is showing His power also over death. Jesus is treading under His foot the ancient serpent (Gen. 3:15). But the disciples don’t know that it is Jesus.

So, put yourself in their shoes (or in their boat). You have left Jesus up on the mountain and have been struggling to row the boat across the sea for hours. You are tired, wet, and frustrated. Now, around 3 AM, this figure comes strolling towards you over the sea, death, and the dreadful serpent.

They cry out in fear figuring Jesus was a ghost, a phantasm, maybe even the lord of death himself. But Jesus calls them out of fear and preaches Gospel to them, “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

In English, we unfortunately lose the most important thing Jesus says here. Jesus isn’t just saying, “It’s Me.” He is saying, “I am.” Remember when Moses asked for God’s name (Ex. 3:14-15), God responded, “I am who I am.” God gives Himself the name Yahweh. Later, God will define what Yahweh means, “A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6). Jesus is taking the divine name, Yahweh, and applying it to Himself.

Peter pipes up, and we have to dispel a common notion about Peter in this text. Peter walking on the water is not an act of faith. Peter’s request to walk out to Jesus comes from Peter doubting Jesus’ words. “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

It is absurd that Peter makes this demand. Here is Peter doubting Yahweh in the flesh. Doubting the Creator of heaven and earth. Doubting the God who answered Job in our Old Testament Lesson (Job 38:4-18) saying, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the world? Do you keep the sun rising and setting? Did you tell the waters, ‘You can come this far’? Have you been to the source of the sea? Have you walked in the recesses of the deep?”

But does Jesus scold Peter for his doubt? No. Jesus graciously tells Peter, “Come.”

Peter gets out of the boat, and he too treads on the sea, death, and the great serpent. Peter isn’t able to walk on the sea because of his faith. Peter walks on the waters because of the word of Jesus, “Come.” That one word carries Peter from the boat, across the water, toward Yahweh in the flesh.

Peter strides well – for a bit. But then, he sinks. Notice what causes Peter to sink. More doubt. He becomes fearful. Peter doesn’t fear the storm, the waves, or his distance from the boat. He fears what is least threatening to him – the wind.

The same happens to you and me when we lose our focus on Jesus, the Word of Yahweh. If you focus on the things in this world good or bad, when we focus on ourselves and our circumstances, when we start to focus on anything that isn’t Jesus, we fall and sink like a stone.

That is why we need to be here week after week to hear God’s word and receive His grace and mercy. Don’t look to yourself. Don’t look in your heart because your heart will deceive you. Look to Jesus in His Word, in His Sacraments, in the gathering of two or three in His name because Jesus has promised to be there.

If Jesus can make Peter walk on water with the little word, “Come,” imagine what Jesus will do when He returns and says to you, “Rise.” You will.

As Peter sees he is sinking, he no longer doubts Jesus. Notice, he doesn’t cry out, “Lord, if it is You, save me.” Instead, he cries, “Lord, save me!” In that moment, Jesus is all that Peter has. And immediately, Jesus reaches out His hand and pulls Peter from the sea – from the jaws of death – and saves him. Whose grip matters at that moment? Only Jesus’.

Jesus asks Peter, “O you little faith, why did you doubt?” That is still a question for us today. Why do we doubt? We doubt because we don’t trust Jesus’ word. Satan’s question to Eve, “Did God really say?” still echoes in our ears.

But listen to what Jesus says to you in His Word, “Because of My death and My resurrection, you are forgiven. Justified. Made right with God.”

Don’t look to yourself. Don’t look at the storms, the wind, the waves, the depths of the sea. Don’t look at how you are doing at any given moment. Look to Jesus.

Truly, He is the Son of God. He is Yahweh who walks on the water, who treads down death, who crushes the serpent’s head. Whatever trouble, trial, or temptation you are facing, all you have in that moment of sinking is Jesus. Cry out to Him, “Lord, save me.” And He does.

Because that is what Jesus’ name means – Yahweh saves. Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.