08/28/2019 OVERCOMING FEAR & DOUBT
Matthew 14:22-27 Immediately, JESUS made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of HIM on the other side, while HE dismissed the crowd. After HE had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by HIMSELF to pray. When evening came, HE was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night 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, walking on the water and came toward JESUS. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, 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?” [See New International translation]
BIBLICAL COMMENTS
A great deal of JESUS’ interactions with the disciples had to do with JESUS teaching them how to overcome their fears and doubts. This is an example.
“Immediately” before these events, they had all been at a mountainside gathering with about 5,000 people. JESUS was performing miracles, healing the sick. But, when it became late, the disciples approached JESUS and suggested HE tell all the people to leave and go buy food, fearing a hungry crowd would become unmanageable. But instead, JESUS calmly turned to the disciples and said: “That won’t be necessary, you feed them.”
Astonished, and probably looking at JESUS as if HE had “lost HIS mind,” the disciples proceeded to give JESUS what they thought was a simple lesson in mathematics. You could almost hear them saying in their minds: “Listen to JESUS, there are 12 of us; 5,000 of them, 5 loaves and 2 fish.” But they just said: “We have exactly five small loaves of bread and two fish.” [Living Bible translation.]
JESUS response was just as straightforward. “Come to me with everything you have.”
Then JESUS performed a miracle—feeding everyone---with food to spare.
Despite having this mountain top miracle experience, the disciple would soon again have to confront their fears and doubts.
Matthew 14:22-27 states that “immediately” afterward, JESUS told the disciples to get in a boat. Some of the disciples were fishermen or many lived near the water, so getting into a boat was probably nothing to them. However, it started to get windy and then they saw JESUS do something HE had never done before--walking on water. This was a new type of miracle that the disciples had not witnessed before. Then JESUS had Peter do something Peter had never done before, namely, walk on water with him. However even while the miracle was happening, Peter let his fears and doubt begin to pull him down. But JESUS saved Peter! Even, in the midst of Peter’s fears and doubts, JESUS saved Peter from himself.