Lesson 63 Fear to Faith

The Preface:

I love the story of Peter. He is so much like us. One moment he is spouting off a beautiful display of devotion and faith, and the next moment, he is denying he even knows Jesus. But, even in Peter’s life, each of his failures were part of the journey of refining and building his faith. The same is true in our lives.

The Passage: Mark 6:45-52; Matthew 14:22-33; John 6:14-21

The Process:

1. What had they just witnessed? (Mark 6:41-44)
2. After the feeding of the 5000, how did the crowd respond to what Jesus had done? (John 6:14-15)
3. Last time Jesus was in a boat with his disciples, what happened? (Mark 4:35-41) What was different this time? (John 6:16-17)
4. How did they respond to the situation? (Matt 14:24-26)
5. How did Jesus comfort them? (Matt 14:27)
6. How did Peter respond initially? (Matt 14:28)
7. What happened? (Matt 14:29-31)
8. What do you think Mark 6:52 is referring to?

The Purpose:

Jesus had just completed a very intense time of ministry with his disciples. His disciples had returned from their “field work” preaching and teaching the lost children of Israel. After giving their report, Jesus had encouraged them to all take a break and rest. (Mark 6:30-31) But, because of Jesus’ growing popularity the crowds followed. So instead of having a quiet retreat with his disciples, they end up ministering to and feeding over 5000 people.

Afterwards, Jesus did take his retreat. He left his disciples and went into the hills by himself to pray. (Mark 6:46) The disciples waited for him to return, but when he didn’t, they got into a boat and set out for Capernaum as Jesus instructed them to do. It was already late, and darkness had already fallen (John 6:16-17). They were in the boat, at night, alone (without Jesus).

Matthew and Mark give 4 evidence of how desperate the situation was:

1. (Mark 6:47) Jesus sent them away at the end of the day. By the time they were underway, it was dark. They were in the middle of the lake, in the dark, and Jesus was not with them.
2. (Matt 14:24) A strong wind came up and they were fighting heavy waves.
3. (Matt 14:25) They toiled and fought against the wind and the waves until 3:00 AM. If they left at dark, that was likely around 6:00 PM. That means that 3 AM would mean they have been in the storm for about nine hours!
4. (Mark 6:48) Jesus could see that they were in serious trouble. (John 6:19) John notes that in the course of those 9 hours, they had only rowed 3-4 miles.

What was Jesus doing? Why did He leave them at such a time? John gives us a little glimpse maybe into what was going on behind the scene. John reflects back and recognized that after Jesus got into the boat and the storm ceased, (Mark 6:52), “they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves.”

Jesus was trying to wean his disciples off himself and walking by sight, to walking by faith and dependence on Him. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what they would face. And He knew He wasn’t going to be there. So they needed to have a faith that could still trust and depend on Him, even when they couldn’t see Him. So, when Peter recognized Jesus walking on the water and said, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water,” it was exactly what Jesus was trying to get them to do. To step out in faith and to trust Him completely.

But, even in the moment of extravagant faith, when Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. “Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt 14:31)

The Plan:

As I ask these questions of myself, I encourage you to ask them too.

• What can I learn from this? What is God saying to me and my life from this passage?

I am so much like Peter, and the others. How many times does God have to show me He is trustworthy, before I will trust Him completely? I am so prone to doubt, especially when it comes to finances. We can have such huge differences in the donations that come in from month to month. I am so quick to become worried and anxious on the low months.

Ken Gire in “Moments with the Savior” suggests that through Peter the disciples gained a visual definition of faith, for what more is faith than stepping out in obedience to Jesus and looking to him to sustain our steps, even when the path of obedience takes us over uncertain and untamed waters.

Through Peter they also learned the difference between walking by faith and walking by sight. When the disciple fixed his eyes on the Savior, he walked on the water. When he turned his eyes to the world, he sank

• What do I need become more aware of?

I need to continue to grow in my dependence, not just when things are good, but also when things are hard. I need to continue to remember God’s faithfulness in the hard times, and trust Him in those times.

• How does God want me to engage with this? What does He want me to do because of what He is saying here?

Ken Gire in his devotional always ends with a prayer. For this particular story, his prayer moved from praying for himself to thinking of others who are maybe in the midst of a storm, and prayed for them. Here’s what he writes:

Have mercy on them, Jesus. They are weathered and worn and want so much to find a peaceful harbor where they can find rest for their weary hearts.

Come to them. Let them see you in the midst of their storm. Let them hear your voice above the circumstances raging around them. Grant them the grace to fix their eyes on you, Lord, and not on the sting of circumstances whipping around them.

Help them to realize that even in their sinking moments, when life is heavy and their faith has lost its buoyancy, that you are there with an outstretched hand to keep them from going under. Calm their troubled hearts, Lord Jesus, and still this storm that so threatens their marriage. . . . their family… their ministry… their church…

The Power; Implement and Integrate

The power to change is in the implementation and integration of what God is saying to us. We can talk all we want, make lots of plans, but until we do something about it, and develop habits that integrate those truths, we will never change. What is the one thing I need to do as a result of this study today? 

My commitment:

• Remember God’s faithfulness in times of doubt
• Pray for others who may be facing storms in their lives.
• Write notes of encouragement from what I have studied here.

Commentary:

Verse by verse insights:

John 6:14 When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”

Jesus had just feed 5000 men, plus women and children, with a few loaves and some fish! The religious leaders have rejected Jesus, but the common people are still looking for the Messiah. As they participate in this incredible miracle, they become convinced that Jesus must be the Messiah.

John 6:15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

Jesus refused to let them anoint him to be their king. Fruchenbaum notes 3 reasons why Jesus rejected their offer:

1. the leadership of Israel had already rejected Him, thus committing the unpardonable sin. They had irrevocably reached the point of no return. It was too late for them to crown Him king.
2. Second, they were trying to make Him king of Galilee; however, Old Testament prophecies, such as Psalm 2, declared that Jerusalem, not Galilee, was to be the place of Messiah’s enthronement.
3. Third, their motive was wrong. They wanted to make Him king only because He had met their physical need, and they liked the idea of being fed without working. Yeshua commented on wrong motives when He met these Galileans at a later time

Both Mark and Matthew state that immediately after the miracle, Jesus insisted that the disciples get back into the boat and head back to Bethsaida while he sent the people home. (Mark 6:45-46; Matt 14:22) I am sure this was because Jesus knew what was in the hearts of these people. They wanted to make him king.

Matt 14:23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

After sending the people away, Matthew and Mark both mention that Jesus gets away by himself to pray. This was what Jesus had tried to do when this journey began. He was trying to get away for some time of quiet and rest. It didn’t come during the day, so after the busyness was over, Jesus still went into the hills, by himself, to commune with His Father.

What did Jesus pray for? We don’t know. But we do know that Jesus was aware of the disciples situation (Mark 6:48). But, this was another lesson in faith for them. Jesus was teaching them they need to depend on Him in any and every situation! This was desperate situation!

Matt 14:24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

Matthew and Mark give 4 evidence of how desperate the situation was:

1. (Mark 6:47) Jesus sent them away at the end of the day. By the time they were underway, it was dark. They were in the middle of the lake, in the dark, and Jesus was not with them.
2. (Matt 14:24) A strong wind came up and they were fighting heavy waves.
3. (Matt 14:25) They toiled and fought against the wind and the waves until 3:00 AM. If they left at dark, that was likely around 6:00 PM. That means that 3 AM would mean they have been in the storm for about nine hours!
4. (Mark 6:48) Jesus could see that they were in serious trouble. (John 6:19) John notes that in the course of those 9 hours, they had only rowed 3-4 miles.

Matt 14:25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.

(Mark 6:48) Mark adds that as they saw Jesus walking on the water, it looked like he was going to just walk on past them. Didn’t Jesus see them? Didn’t Jesus know how desperate their situation was?

Of course He did! This was a training exercise. (1) They need to depend on Jesus in every and all circumstances. (2) They must call on Him for help when they find themselves in desperate situations.

Jesus came, walking on the water, to remind them that He is with them, and they need to depend on Him and ask Him for help, and that He is above the waves.

But, instead of the sight of Jesus causing them to call out to Him for help, they were terrified.

Matt 14:26-27 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” ²⁷But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!

After all they had been through with Jesus, it’s amazing that their first thought in the midst of their trial was, “it’s a ghost.” I’ve read different commentaries who have speculated as to why they thought Jesus was a ghost, or even what “ghost” they thought he was. But, the point is they let fear control them.

The last time they were in a storm Jesus had been with them in the boat (65- Mark 4:35-41 ) and they were still afraid. At that time they saw Jesus rebuke the wind and the waves. They saw that even the wind and the waves obey him. But, he wasn’t with them this time. He had sent them in the boat, alone, at night.

Matt 14:28-29 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.

Once Peter recognizes Jesus, He is flooded with a moment of extreme faith. He steps out of the boat, into the wind and onto the waves.

Pentacost: Peter demonstrated faith that Christ could sustain him when he walked in obedience to His commands, for the storm had not subsided, the winds had not quieted, and the waves had not stilled. Suddenly the thing that had brought such fear to Peter no longer terrified him. Peter could face it with confidence because of the command of Christ.

Matt 14:30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Pentacost: When he became conscious of where his faith had placed him he began to sink. He had begun the walk by faith. But the fact that he began his walk by exercising faith did not mean that he could stop walking by faith. When Peter ceased to walk by faith, even though in the will of God and in the presence of Christ, he began to sink

 This incident was designed to reveal to these men that obedience to Christ does not remove all obstacles to the completion of His will. When the obstacles come, even though disciples may do their utmost, they cannot overcome the obstacles themselves.

Matt 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Fruchenbaum: The lesson Peter had to learn from this was that not only must he begin in faith, he must continue to walk in faith. Yeshua emphasized the point when He said, O you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt? (Mt. 14:31b). Furthermore, the lesson included the principle that obedience to Yeshua’s command does not automatically remove all obstacles

Mark 6:51-52 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, ⁵²for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

Pentacost: Despite obstacles, he must continue to exercise obedience and allow God to remove the obstacles in His time. Only when Yeshua got into the boat did the winds cease (Mt. 14:32; Mk. 6:51)

Matt 14:32-33 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

John 6:21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

Fruchenbaum: They should already have learned this lesson from the feeding of the five thousand, a point made by Mark: and they were sore amazed in themselves; for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened (Mk. 6:51-52). Their failure to learn that lesson explained why they were so fearful. Matthew stated: And they that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a truth you are the Son of God (Mt. 14:33).Here is an example of good theology, but bad application. The disciples clearly knew He was the Son of God (good theology), but they had not learned to depend on Him (bad application).

Pentacost: Christ is cognizant of all difficulties. He is present with His own in their problems. Trials must be born in faith. The faith that first prompted a disciple to obedience must persist throughout the course of events involved in obedience to the will of God.