LOOK THROUGH IT
Look Through It
Matthew 14:22–33 (ESV)
Why Was This Story Preserved?
Whenever I begin preparing a message, one of the first questions I ask is, “Why did God preserve this event or saying in Scripture?”
With today’s passage, the answer seems obvious at first: someone walks on water.
When I hear about someone walking on water—besides Jesus—my mind immediately goes to my dad. Growing up, my siblings and I often heard our love and admiration for him described this way: “You act like he walks on water.”
Honestly, that is exactly how I felt. In my eyes, he was the greatest man I had ever known.
So, as I prepared this message, I could not help but notice the timing: this passage comes during the same week as the one-year mark of my dad’s passing. A storm in my life that many of us experience.
Matthew 14:22-33 involve both storms and walking on water.
When the Wind Comes Against Us
These passages follow right after Jesus’ miraculous feeding of 5,000-plus people with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
And then:
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds” (Matt 14:22).
Jesus then gets a little alone time while the disciples go ahead on the boat.
It’s a win-win so far. Jesus gets prayer time, and the disciples get a head start across the body of water, which was likely four to five miles wide.
And all is well and good until the disciples’ boat gets about three miles out and is:
“…beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them” (Matt 14:24).
Do you remember when you first moved out on your own?
I do. It was the day after my high school graduation. I had my first apartment lined up, a newly purchased four-by-four Toyota pickup truck, plastic patio furniture for a kitchen table and chairs, and a plan to pay my bills and have money left over.
I was eager and confident. I had it all figured out.
Then the “waves” came.
I did not have money to spare after bills that included groceries, gas, clothes, and whatever came up. And while I took on a second job, the “wind came against me” too.
I needed tools for my new job. And my Toyota pickup I was so proud of was stolen right from my apartment parking lot. So, not only did I have to pay for another vehicle to get to my two jobs, but I still had to make payments on the loan for the vehicle that had been stolen.
When Jesus sent his disciples ahead, they had just been fed well. They had just heard Jesus speak. They were good to go, just as I had felt when first leaving home.
My dad had taught me. I had left home fed and clothed. Yet after just a little while, the wind and waves came. And suddenly, once so eager to be off on my own, the home I’d just left felt a long way away.
The morning I discovered my vehicle had been stolen, guess who I called?
My dad.
And guess who answered that call?
No one. They were gone to the races out of state.
How true is this event for the disciples to our own experiences?
We’re often storm-tossed, perplexed, and in despair. And when that is the case—and I know many of you can relate—our Savior Jesus seems far away.
When Jesus Seems Far Away
The disciples must have felt a long way from Jesus, whom they had left on the shore.
But then:
“…in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea” (Matt 14:25).
Prior to this miraculous water walk by Jesus, what was he off doing?
Praying.
So often, when Jesus seems far away, all that time He’s praying for us—working on our behalf with God.
When circumstances seem darkest, Jesus is near at hand.
But what do we often do when the storms come?
“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” (Matt 14:26).
Like the disciples, when the storms come, we too often mistake Jesus’ presence and push the panic button.
We get anxious, stressed, and sometimes angry as all we tend to see—or focus on—is the wind and waves of life crashing against us.
And we think, “How can we possibly go on? How can we possibly make it through this seemingly insurmountable situation?”
When suddenly:
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid’” (Matt 14:27).
Suddenly, if we are listening—if we’re able to focus in that direction—we hear Jesus’ comforting voice and remember: the waves that cause us to fear are under His feet.
Peter’s Bold Request
“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water’” (Matt 14:28).
We read that and we may question Peter’s “if” as though it’s a sign of small faith. But instead, we should see Peter’s boldness because his request is a mark of great trust.
Think about it.
Because Peter has this bold ask, he’s showing that he believes in Jesus so much that whatever Jesus commands, Peter can do—even if that is walking on water.
For many of us, as children, we may have heard our parents say things like, “You can do it. I believe in you.”
And that somehow enabled us to perform whatever task it was, whether it was hitting a baseball or riding a bike without training wheels.
Now imagine Jesus commanding it so.
Peter has this bold ask, and Jesus says:
“‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” (Matt 14:29).
When was the last time you walked on water?
One thing I’ve always done with our children, whenever we visit a beach, is to run hard right into it. Otherwise, if we tiptoe in, it’s often too cold and takes forever. Running in fast-forwards the process.
But do you know what doesn’t happen when we run in?
We do not skim across the surface of the water. Our feet are firmly on the ocean floor.
So, how in the world does Peter do this?
Keeping Our Focus on Jesus
This amazing story from the Bible really shows us a reality of a life of Christian discipleship: it’s hard.
And life is incredibly hard.
While it can be easy to be a disciple of Jesus when life is good, when we’re getting “beaten by waves,” discipleship can be quite difficult.
The disciples’ boat is being beaten by waves and tossed by the wind. Yet, at Jesus’ command, Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking on water.
Not because of Peter’s great aquatic skills or buoyancy.
Peter can walk on water because, in the middle of this storm, his focus is on Jesus.
And as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to do the impossible.
So often when life isn’t great, we tend to focus on the yuck and lose sight of Jesus and His promises—just as it happened to Peter.
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matt 14:30).
Peter chooses fear instead of faith. The moment he became occupied with the storm, he “began to sink.”
In your life, how often have you been sinking?
You may be sinking today, and my heart goes out to you.
And for any of us who have swallowed the waters from sinking, our hearts go out to you.
We can all sympathize with Peter as he begins to sink.
Yet—what does he do next?
“Lord, Save Me”
“He cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matt 14:30).
Peter rightly calls out to the true help when we’re sinking:
“Lord, save me!”
I want to share a psalm with you all today. And my prayer is that you call on this as needed:
“Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God” (Ps 69:1–3).
Peter calls on Jesus as he begins to sink, and then:
“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him” (Matt 14:31).
Look Through It
One year ago, my own “water walker” passed away somewhat unexpectedly.
I’d driven the hundred miles expecting to spend a few days to a week or so with my dad prior to his possible passing. After all, I’d spent that kind of time with my mom when she was in hospice care.
But that didn’t happen.
He was asleep when I arrived and dead a few hours later.
I drove that one hundred miles back home late that night in the middle of a huge thunderstorm. The wind and rain were hammering against my vehicle.
I had all these thoughts about my life and how I could possibly go on without my person—the person with whom I shared everything, the person who gave me my confidence in life, the person who had always been my safety net.
Jesus asks:
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt 14:31).
The storm was raging, and I could barely see, when I remembered something my dad would tell me early in my driving life.
When it came to rain, snow, or mud on the windows, he’d say:
“Son, don’t look at the mud. Look through it.”
When You Find Yourself Sinking
The Christian life, like walking on water, is humanly impossible.
It can only be lived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And as long as we look away from every other object and to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2), only then can we experience a supernatural life.
But the minute we become occupied with ourselves or our circumstances, we begin to sink.
If at any point in your life you find yourself sinking—and for any who are sinking today—cry to Jesus for your restoration and His divine enablement. Look through the storm to Jesus.
Stay in the Word daily, it will save your life.
Matthew 14:22–33 (ESV)
Why Was This Story Preserved?
Whenever I begin preparing a message, one of the first questions I ask is, “Why did God preserve this event or saying in Scripture?”
With today’s passage, the answer seems obvious at first: someone walks on water.
When I hear about someone walking on water—besides Jesus—my mind immediately goes to my dad. Growing up, my siblings and I often heard our love and admiration for him described this way: “You act like he walks on water.”
Honestly, that is exactly how I felt. In my eyes, he was the greatest man I had ever known.
So, as I prepared this message, I could not help but notice the timing: this passage comes during the same week as the one-year mark of my dad’s passing. A storm in my life that many of us experience.
Matthew 14:22-33 involve both storms and walking on water.
When the Wind Comes Against Us
These passages follow right after Jesus’ miraculous feeding of 5,000-plus people with just five loaves of bread and two fish.
And then:
“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds” (Matt 14:22).
Jesus then gets a little alone time while the disciples go ahead on the boat.
It’s a win-win so far. Jesus gets prayer time, and the disciples get a head start across the body of water, which was likely four to five miles wide.
And all is well and good until the disciples’ boat gets about three miles out and is:
“…beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them” (Matt 14:24).
Do you remember when you first moved out on your own?
I do. It was the day after my high school graduation. I had my first apartment lined up, a newly purchased four-by-four Toyota pickup truck, plastic patio furniture for a kitchen table and chairs, and a plan to pay my bills and have money left over.
I was eager and confident. I had it all figured out.
Then the “waves” came.
I did not have money to spare after bills that included groceries, gas, clothes, and whatever came up. And while I took on a second job, the “wind came against me” too.
I needed tools for my new job. And my Toyota pickup I was so proud of was stolen right from my apartment parking lot. So, not only did I have to pay for another vehicle to get to my two jobs, but I still had to make payments on the loan for the vehicle that had been stolen.
When Jesus sent his disciples ahead, they had just been fed well. They had just heard Jesus speak. They were good to go, just as I had felt when first leaving home.
My dad had taught me. I had left home fed and clothed. Yet after just a little while, the wind and waves came. And suddenly, once so eager to be off on my own, the home I’d just left felt a long way away.
The morning I discovered my vehicle had been stolen, guess who I called?
My dad.
And guess who answered that call?
No one. They were gone to the races out of state.
How true is this event for the disciples to our own experiences?
We’re often storm-tossed, perplexed, and in despair. And when that is the case—and I know many of you can relate—our Savior Jesus seems far away.
When Jesus Seems Far Away
The disciples must have felt a long way from Jesus, whom they had left on the shore.
But then:
“…in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea” (Matt 14:25).
Prior to this miraculous water walk by Jesus, what was he off doing?
Praying.
So often, when Jesus seems far away, all that time He’s praying for us—working on our behalf with God.
When circumstances seem darkest, Jesus is near at hand.
But what do we often do when the storms come?
“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” (Matt 14:26).
Like the disciples, when the storms come, we too often mistake Jesus’ presence and push the panic button.
We get anxious, stressed, and sometimes angry as all we tend to see—or focus on—is the wind and waves of life crashing against us.
And we think, “How can we possibly go on? How can we possibly make it through this seemingly insurmountable situation?”
When suddenly:
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid’” (Matt 14:27).
Suddenly, if we are listening—if we’re able to focus in that direction—we hear Jesus’ comforting voice and remember: the waves that cause us to fear are under His feet.
Peter’s Bold Request
“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water’” (Matt 14:28).
We read that and we may question Peter’s “if” as though it’s a sign of small faith. But instead, we should see Peter’s boldness because his request is a mark of great trust.
Think about it.
Because Peter has this bold ask, he’s showing that he believes in Jesus so much that whatever Jesus commands, Peter can do—even if that is walking on water.
For many of us, as children, we may have heard our parents say things like, “You can do it. I believe in you.”
And that somehow enabled us to perform whatever task it was, whether it was hitting a baseball or riding a bike without training wheels.
Now imagine Jesus commanding it so.
Peter has this bold ask, and Jesus says:
“‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” (Matt 14:29).
When was the last time you walked on water?
One thing I’ve always done with our children, whenever we visit a beach, is to run hard right into it. Otherwise, if we tiptoe in, it’s often too cold and takes forever. Running in fast-forwards the process.
But do you know what doesn’t happen when we run in?
We do not skim across the surface of the water. Our feet are firmly on the ocean floor.
So, how in the world does Peter do this?
Keeping Our Focus on Jesus
This amazing story from the Bible really shows us a reality of a life of Christian discipleship: it’s hard.
And life is incredibly hard.
While it can be easy to be a disciple of Jesus when life is good, when we’re getting “beaten by waves,” discipleship can be quite difficult.
The disciples’ boat is being beaten by waves and tossed by the wind. Yet, at Jesus’ command, Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking on water.
Not because of Peter’s great aquatic skills or buoyancy.
Peter can walk on water because, in the middle of this storm, his focus is on Jesus.
And as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to do the impossible.
So often when life isn’t great, we tend to focus on the yuck and lose sight of Jesus and His promises—just as it happened to Peter.
“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matt 14:30).
Peter chooses fear instead of faith. The moment he became occupied with the storm, he “began to sink.”
In your life, how often have you been sinking?
You may be sinking today, and my heart goes out to you.
And for any of us who have swallowed the waters from sinking, our hearts go out to you.
We can all sympathize with Peter as he begins to sink.
Yet—what does he do next?
“Lord, Save Me”
“He cried out, ‘Lord, save me’” (Matt 14:30).
Peter rightly calls out to the true help when we’re sinking:
“Lord, save me!”
I want to share a psalm with you all today. And my prayer is that you call on this as needed:
“Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God” (Ps 69:1–3).
Peter calls on Jesus as he begins to sink, and then:
“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him” (Matt 14:31).
Look Through It
One year ago, my own “water walker” passed away somewhat unexpectedly.
I’d driven the hundred miles expecting to spend a few days to a week or so with my dad prior to his possible passing. After all, I’d spent that kind of time with my mom when she was in hospice care.
But that didn’t happen.
He was asleep when I arrived and dead a few hours later.
I drove that one hundred miles back home late that night in the middle of a huge thunderstorm. The wind and rain were hammering against my vehicle.
I had all these thoughts about my life and how I could possibly go on without my person—the person with whom I shared everything, the person who gave me my confidence in life, the person who had always been my safety net.
Jesus asks:
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt 14:31).
The storm was raging, and I could barely see, when I remembered something my dad would tell me early in my driving life.
When it came to rain, snow, or mud on the windows, he’d say:
“Son, don’t look at the mud. Look through it.”
When You Find Yourself Sinking
The Christian life, like walking on water, is humanly impossible.
It can only be lived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And as long as we look away from every other object and to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2), only then can we experience a supernatural life.
But the minute we become occupied with ourselves or our circumstances, we begin to sink.
If at any point in your life you find yourself sinking—and for any who are sinking today—cry to Jesus for your restoration and His divine enablement. Look through the storm to Jesus.
Stay in the Word daily, it will save your life.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
April
2025
April
October
No Comments