INTRODUCTION
QQQ … “When Christ is in the vessel, you can smile at the storm.”
Where did that saying come from? What inspired it? What does it mean?
According to one of my favourite theologians, Dr. Google AI:
- The phrase comes from a popular Christian children’s song and hymn. The full line is, “With Christ in the vessel, we can smile at the storm as we go sailing home.“
- It means you do not need to fear hard times. Jesus is like a captain on your boat. He keeps you safe when life gets rough.
As far as inspiration for the song/saying goes … it could be as a result of reflection on what happened during a storm that impacted a boat that Jesus was in … when Jesus calmed that storm.
Our passage today is about another storm — a storm that Jesus entered into. It’s a passage that reminds us of a deep and hopeful truth.
The title of my message is JWhen the Storms of Life Rise Up .
Our text is Matthew 14:22-33. Let’s see what it says …
Matthew 14:22–33 (ESV)
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.” Matthew 14:22–33 (ESV)
I have heard that story many times before. , No doubt you’ve heard that story many times before, too. It’s a very popular Bible story … with many lessons.
What is the most memorable part of that story for you? For many/most people it’s probably the fact that Peter walked on water. Also very incredible is that Peter actually believed he could walk on water … in order to make such a request.
Today, however, I want to shift the focus from Peter to Jesus. So let’s do that as we go through the passage … and see what else we might be able to glean.
Matthew 14:22-23 …
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,
- crowds … a multitude that had been following Jesus around.
- NOTE: This event on the lake takes place at the end of an extraordinary, and very long, day … the same day that Jesus fed five thousand men, et al, with 5 loaves and 2 fish (another miracle).
- alone … The passage says He is alone … but He’s not really alone, is He? He is not with other humans … but He is with His Father in the Spirit.
- Even in his humanity, Jesus depends completely upon the Father’s love and presence, living by the Spirit.
Matthew 24:24 …
the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
- by this time … probably after sunset
- a long way … The Sea of Galilee is about 8 miles wide and 13 miles long.
- waves … wind … a storm had risen up
- the wind was against them … Conditions on the lake had become violent. According to Mark 6:48, Jesus saw them straining at the oars (labouring against the waves). The disciples must have been exhausted.
Matthew 14:25-26 …
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.
- the fourth watch … with each watch lasting 3 hours, starting at 6:00 p.m.
- walking of the sea … a self-explanatory miracle
- terrified … ghost …
- QUOTE (from Home Office notes) … In the ancient world, the sea often represented chaos, danger, and forces beyond human control. Superstition caused people to believe this deep lake at night was a place of demons and haunted by evil. Now the storm makes it an even more unnerving and scary place. And the disciples are caught in the middle of it.
Matthew 14:27- …
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
- Take heart … because, as the last verse had said, “they cried out in fear.”
- It is I … Jesus confirming that it was Him … but, according to some scholars, identifying Himself, in some way, with the I AM of the Old Testament.
- Don’t be afraid … Again, because the disciples were afraid
Matthew 14:28 …
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
- Peter’s words hold both trust and uncertainty together.
- command … Peter actually believes Jesus can command him onto the water … showing his trust in Jesus’ ability. No ordinary rabbi could do that.
- if it is you … showing his uncertainty
- Peter does not yet fully understand who Jesus is. Yet Jesus meets him there anyway. Jesus comes to us in the storm.
Matthew 14:29-30 …
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!”
- Peter … walked on the water … This is the miracle that most persons remember.
- NOT only the fact that Peter walked on the water is incredible …
- BUT, for me, the fact that Peter could even think of walking on water is eve more incredible
- he was afraid … WHY?
- he saw the wind … he saw the effect of the wind … what caused the fear.
- Lord, save me! … Peter demonstrates both faith and confusion, trust, and fear at the same time. And that makes him deeply relatable.
- We struggle to trust God’s identity and goodness without demanding reassurance on our own terms. It’s part of our unhealed humanity. Like many of us, Peter reaches toward Jesus with a faith that is real but still trembling.
Matthew 14:31 …
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
- Peter is neither a pure hero of faith nor a villain of doubt.
- He has both (faith and doubt) … but he is a disciple in process.
- In that regard, Peter represents all of us … We are all works in progress; God has not finished working with us as yet. That’s probably why we are still alive.
Matthew 14:32-33 …
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.”
The disciples are not making bad choices or sinning when the storm comes. In fact, they are exactly where Jesus told them to be. That matters because many people quietly assume that the “storms” of life only happen when they have failed themselves, others, or God. Yet here the disciples obey Jesus, and still the waves rise against them.
Now as we look at this Gospel story, our focus will not be “How can we brave the watery storm?” No, our focus is “What kind of God walks into the storm to be with us and save us?”
What can we glean? What can we take away?
- There are SEVERAL that come to mind. (I’d recommend you read the entire document on our website)
- We can do great things … with God’s help.
- The life of a discio;e is not easy … we will have to deal with some storms.
- The QUESTION … What do we do when storms come? What SHOULD we do?
- That brings me to the main takeaway I want to focus on today …
- Matthew 14:25 … And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
- We often emphasize Peter walking on the water.
- BUT Peter was not the only one that walked on water that night …
PETER WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WALKING ON WATER
OUR EMPHASIS SHOULD NOT BE ON PETER’S ABILITY TO WALK ON WATER, BUT ON JESUS’ MOTIVATION FOR WALKING ON WATER. He was walking TO them .. to save them. He walks towards us … to save us. Jesus comes to us … in our storms. In this story, the waves are still crashing. The wind is still howling. Yet there, in the middle of the chaos, Jesus draws near. Jesus comes to us in the storm.
STORMS (TRIALS) WILL COME
Take up your cross
Acts 14:22 We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
… BIT THERE IS GOOD NEWS
NOT just that God will give us the necessary strength
BUT that He will go throygh the storm with us
JESUS PROMISED TO NEVER LEAVE US.
Matt.28;20
To forsake means to leave someone or give up something completely, especially when you have a duty to stay or when it is hard to do. It is a formal word often used when breaking a promise, walking away from a person in need, or quitting a habit or way of life.
Daniel 3:25 … Daniel’s 3 friends … and 4th man in the fire
Isaiah 43:2 … When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Romans 8:38-39 …. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
when Jesus says, “It is I,” he is identifying himself as the Son of God, as divine. He reveals that the living God has come near to frightened people in the person of Jesus.
The God who revealed himself to ancient Israel has come near in Jesus Christ. This is Immanuel — God with us. God has not stayed far away from human suffering. In Jesus, God himself has stepped into the storm with us. The One who rules over the chaos is now standing beside frightened people, speaking peace. “Take heart; do not be afraid.”
Even so, it’s unclear whether or not the disciples understand who this is yet because Peter still has a question.
Matthew 14:28 …
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Peter’s words hold both trust and uncertainty together. On one hand, there is clearly trust in Jesus. Peter actually believes Jesus can command him onto the water. No ordinary rabbi could do that.
But on the other hand, the wording “if it is you” does carry a note of uncertainty and questioning. Peter does not yet fully understand who Jesus is. Yet Jesus meets him there anyway. Jesus comes to us in the storm.
Matthew 24:29 …
[Jesus] said, “Come.”
Let’s pause here for a moment. This world is obsessed with power and proving authority by force and might. But here we see our God, the Creator of the universe who submits to the request of his creation! Peter says, “Command me to come;” and Jesus does.
God is omnipotent, all-powerful and has nothing to prove. God is also all-loving and draws near to us so that we may come to know and trust him.
Continuing in Matthew 14:29–31 …
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?”
Peter demonstrates both faith and confusion, trust, and fear at the same time. And that makes him deeply relatable. We struggle to trust God’s identity and goodness without demanding reassurance on our own terms. It’s part of our unhealed humanity. Like many of us, Peter reaches toward Jesus with a faith that is real but still trembling.
So, Peter is neither a pure hero of faith nor a villain of doubt. He is a disciple in process. Peter’s understanding is incomplete, but Jesus draws him further into relationship all the same. This is very good news for all of us.
Our emphasis should fall less on analyzing Peter’s feelings and actions, anyway. Our emphasis is on what Jesus does in this encounter.
The important movement is this: Jesus comes toward frightened disciples. Then Peter responds imperfectly, but Jesus sustains and rescues him anyway. Jesus comes to us in the storm.
When Peter cried, “Save me” we see an example of recognition and dependence. It’s not meant to be an example of magic words that we must say first before God will act. Can we imagine if Peter had not said it? Would Jesus have let him drown? Of course not! God acts first. God has acted first in sending his Son while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). We love Him because He first loved us (1John 4:19).
In this story, we see Jesus perform a miracle by walking on water, then calming the storm. We see Jesus lovingly save Peter from drowning. But maybe you’re wondering what this story that happened more than two thousand years ago has to do with you? Why should it matter to you?
This storm on the lake pointed to a greater storm still to come for Jesus. One day Jesus would step into the darkest storm of all — sin and judgment. On the cross, the Son of God did not stand above the storm; he entered it fully for us. He took our fear, our failure, our guilt, and our death upon himself. He sank into the depths so that we would not drown. And when he rose from the grave, he broke the power of that storm forever.
The cross was not an accident. It was rescue. Jesus did for us what we could never do for ourselves. So, when we cry, “Lord, save me,” we are crying to the One who has already saved us. He stepped into the ultimate storm and came out victorious for us.
Peter’s cry, “Lord, save me,” then becomes profoundly representative of all humanity. We all need God. It is the proper human response when confronted with the reality that we cannot rescue ourselves. Salvation is grounded in the faithfulness and action of Christ himself. Jesus immediately grasps Peter. Grace precedes, surrounds, and sustains the human response.
Matthew 14:32 and 33 …
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
That is where this story has been leading all along. The miracle is the revelation of who Jesus is. Jesus walking on the sea is a revelation of divine identity. In the Old Testament, God alone treads upon the waters of chaos (Job 9:8). Jesus reveals himself as the Lord who stands sovereign over all that threatens humanity.
And the revelation of who Jesus is leads to worship. He is the Son of God who rules over chaos. He is the Savior who comes near to frightened people. He is the Lord who reaches into the deep to rescue those who are sinking. Jesus comes to us in the storm.
But some may feel exhausted from rowing against the wind. Some may feel overwhelmed by grief, anxiety, suffering, loneliness, illness, addiction, or failure. Some may feel ashamed of choices they have made. Others may simply feel tired and afraid.
This gospel announces that Jesus has not abandoned you. The Father sees you. The Son has entered the storm for you. The Spirit is present with you even now. Your rescue does not depend upon the strength of your faith, but upon the strength of the Savior who holds you.
He holds you even while your storms rage on.
The good news is not that Christians never face storms, but that Jesus meets us in every storm.
- He comes walking across the very chaos that threatens to undo us.
- He speaks peace into our fear.
- He reaches out his hand when we are sinking.
Remember, Jesus does not remain safely on the shore. He does not ask us to meet him halfway. He comes into the storm itself. God does not save humanity from a distance. In Jesus Christ, God enters our condition fully — this is the Incarnation. The Son of God steps into the depths of human existence — fear, suffering, alienation, death — in order to redeem humanity from within.
Because he has already gone through the deepest storm of the cross and emerged victorious in resurrection, we can trust that no storm will finally overcome those who belong to him.
So, when the waves rise and the night feels long, hear again the words of Jesus: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Jesus is with you through the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. You are never alone.
The good news of this story is not that courageous people can rise above storms or be bold enough to step out of the boat, but that Jesus Christ enters humanity’s chaos, unites himself to us, and brings us safely into communion with the Father through the Spirit.
Jesus comes to us in the storm. This is good news. May it lead us to worship Jesus.