Bible ReadingMatthew 14:22-33 “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 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. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ 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.’”
[22:18]Matthew 14:1-21 “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.’ For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been saying to him, ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’ And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.’ And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ But Jesus said, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ They said to him, ‘We have only five loaves here and two fish.’ And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
[30:29]Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
[37:05]Observation questions- What details in Matthew 14 show that this story comes right after the feeding of the five thousand and during the same stretch of events? [30:37]
- In Matthew 14:22-24, what is Jesus doing while the disciples are out on the lake, and how is the condition of the boat described?
- What changes for the disciples when Jesus speaks to them, and what exactly does he say? [39:55]
- In the passage, what happens first and what happens second: does Jesus rescue Peter before speaking about his little faith, or does he question Peter before rescuing him? [47:15]
Interpretation questions- Jesus seeks time alone with the Father after a day filled with healing, feeding, and ongoing grief. What does that suggest about the place of prayer and rest in seasons when both good things and painful things are happening at the same time? [36:37]
- The lake is windy, but it is not described like a once-in-a-lifetime disaster. Why does it matter that the disciples are struggling in a fairly normal kind of hardship rather than an extraordinary catastrophe? [38:18]
- The disciples are still afraid when they see Jesus, and peace comes when they hear his voice. What does that show about how Jesus meets his people and strengthens faith? [40:18]
- Jesus calls Peter “you of little faith,” not “you of no faith.” What does that reveal about the kind of faith that still clings to Jesus in moments of fear, failure, and weakness? [48:37]
Application questions- Grief can remain even after a good day and even after clear signs of God’s mercy. Where has grief, loss, or hurt been hanging on in a way that surprises you, and what might it look like to make room for prayerful rest with the Father there? [35:39]
- Jesus sends his people into daily life, not around it. What part of ordinary life feels most like a windy lake for you right now—work, family, routines, responsibilities, health, or something else—and how have you been tempted to think that following Jesus should feel easier than it does? [38:18]
- Jesus is seen by hearing his Word. When fear or heaviness rises in you, where do you usually look first for comfort? What would it look like this week to put your ears in front of your eyes and let the words of Jesus steady you? [41:07]
- Peter began to sink when the normal waves pulled his attention away from Christ. What “normal waves” most often distract you—schedule pressure, anxiety, temptation, disappointment, depression, or the feeling that another path would be easier? [43:11]
- “Lord, save me” is a real prayer of faith. When was the last time you prayed that simply and that honestly? What usually makes it hard to cry out to Jesus without first trying to manage everything on your own? [44:45]
- Jesus rescues first and addresses Peter’s doubt after. How might that change the way someone thinks about coming to Jesus in a moment of failure? What does it free a person to admit before him? [47:04]
- The final hope is not better balance in the waves, but Jesus carrying his people home. How does that promise speak into a season when someone feels tired of fighting, tired of failing, or tired of starting over? [49:38]
