Sink or Swim

Matthew’s picture of Peter stepping out of the boat starts with a storm that feels very real. The disciples have already seen Jesus calm a storm in Matthew 8, but this time they are not afraid of sinking. They are tired, fighting the wind all night, and then they see Jesus walking toward them on the water. Jesus cuts through their fear with a simple word: “Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Peter’s question gets right to the heart of faith: “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus says, “Come,” and Peter gets out of the boat. Faith looks ridiculous when the wind is blowing, the waves are crashing, and everybody else is saying, “What are you doing?” David looked ridiculous walking toward Goliath. Peter looked ridiculous climbing out of a boat in the middle of the sea. A faith step can feel crazy right up until God shows up in it. Faith looks ridiculous until it doesn’t.

Peter does not step out because he wants attention or because he thinks he is fearless. Peter steps out because, in the middle of danger and exhaustion, he knows the thing he needs most is Jesus. A faith step is not reckless jumping into the abyss and hoping God catches somebody. A faith step is one step closer to dependence on Christ, one step closer to His comfort, presence, and power.

Peter does begin to sink when he sees the wind, but Peter knows exactly who to call: “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reaches down and catches him. Jesus does not leave Peter in the water to prove a point. The hand of Christ meets Peter in the place where faith feels shaky and the waves interrupt the view.

Matthew then shows that Peter’s step changes the whole boat. The disciples had once asked, “What kind of man is this?” But after they watch Peter walk, Jesus rescue him, and the wind die down, they worship: “Truly you are the Son of God.” Faith-filled steps do not only move personal faith. God can use somebody’s obedience to change the perspective, and even the eternity, of people watching.

The capital campaign is not ultimately about a building or fundraising. The opportunity is a faith step that calls people to give, serve, invite, love, and draw closer to Christ. Ellis learned that jumping into water did not mean drowning because floaties and a life jacket held him up. God’s people can put even greater confidence in the God who can calm the storm. God is faithful, God is good, and He can be trusted with every step out of the boat.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith looks ridiculous until it doesn’t. Faith often feels foolish before it becomes undeniable. The wind, the waves, and the voices from the boat all make obedience look unreasonable. Yet God’s work becomes clear when somebody moves at His word rather than waiting for circumstances to become safe. [32:43]
• 2. A faith step moves toward Jesus. Peter’s goal was not walking on water. Peter’s goal was getting closer to Jesus in the middle of the storm. Real faith is not spiritual thrill-seeking; it is choosing deeper dependence on Christ when comfort, control, and certainty are no longer available. [36:22]
• 3. Jesus catches those who cry out. Peter’s fear interrupts his focus, but his failure does not end the story. Peter calls Jesus “Lord” even while sinking, and Jesus immediately reaches for him. Faith is not proven by never feeling afraid, but by knowing where to turn when fear takes over. [35:28]
• 4. Obedience can change people watching. Peter’s step helps move the disciples from wondering who Jesus is to worshiping Him as the Son of God. God can use one person’s costly obedience to make His faithfulness visible to another person. What looks ridiculous to somebody today may become the very evidence that draws that person to Christ tomorrow. [40:26]
• 5. God can be trusted with everything. The call to step out is bigger than a campaign, a building, or a single moment of giving. God’s care reaches into families, careers, marriages, fears, and unanswered questions. The step is not into an abyss; the step is toward the One who holds His people up.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [23:35] - God Is Moving in the Church
• [25:01] - Ellis Learns to Swim
• [26:30] - Storms on the Sea of Galilee
• [28:28] - Jesus Walks on the Water
• [30:20] - Faith Looks Ridiculous
• [34:29] - Peter Sinks and Jesus Saves
• [35:51] - Faith Steps Draw People Closer
• [39:15] - Faith Changes the Whole Boat
• [41:34] - Ellis Takes the Leap
• [44:30] - A Call to Pray and Step Out
• [46:02] - Prayer for Faith and Trust

Bible Reading

Matthew 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. [28:28]

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.” [30:20]

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. [34:29]

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?” [35:51]

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.” [39:15]

Matthew 8:23–27
And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. [26:30]

And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” [39:34]

1 Samuel 17:33
And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” [30:36]

Observation questions

1. What is different about the disciples’ fear in Matthew 8 compared with their fear in Matthew 14? What are they afraid of in each story? [28:28]
2. What does Peter specifically ask Jesus to do before he steps out of the boat, and what is Jesus’ response?
3. What happens between Peter walking toward Jesus and Peter crying, “Lord, save me”? What does Jesus do immediately after Peter cries out? [35:35]
4. How do the disciples’ words about Jesus change from Matthew 8:27 to Matthew 14:33? [39:34]

Interpretation questions

1. Peter does not ask to walk on water simply to do something impressive; he asks to come to Jesus. What does that reveal about the purpose of a real step of faith? [36:22]
2. Jesus tells Peter to come, yet Peter still faces wind and waves. How does this help explain why obedience can still feel difficult even when a person is following God’s leading?
3. Peter begins to sink, but he still knows to call Jesus “Lord.” What does this show about faith when fear, doubt, or disappointment interrupts a person’s confidence? [35:41]
4. The disciples move from asking, “What sort of man is this?” to worshiping Jesus as the Son of God. How can one person’s visible obedience help others see Jesus more clearly? [40:26]

Application questions

1. What “wind and waves” are taking up most of your attention right now—finances, family, health, a career decision, a relationship, or something else? What would it look like to bring that fear honestly to Jesus this week? [35:05]
2. Is there a step you sense God may be inviting you to take—giving, serving, inviting someone, pursuing reconciliation, asking for help, or trusting Him in another area? What makes that step feel ridiculous or scary? [32:43]
3. Before Peter stepped out, he asked Jesus for direction. How can you make space this week to pray, listen, and test whether a next step is drawing you closer to Christ rather than simply chasing comfort or attention? [44:49]
4. When you have taken your eyes off Jesus and felt like you were sinking, where have you usually turned first? What would it sound like for you to pray Peter’s simple prayer: “Lord, save me”?
5. A faith step is not jumping blindly into an abyss; it is moving closer to dependence on Christ. What practical habit could help you depend on Jesus more in the area where you feel least in control? [37:08]
6. Who might be watching how you respond to this season of uncertainty? How could humble obedience—not pretending to be fearless—help that person see God’s faithfulness? [40:26]
7. God can be trusted not only with a church-wide opportunity, but with every part of life. What is one specific area you need to place back in God’s hands this week? [45:33]