We come again to this wonderful event of Jesus walking on the water for there is more for us to learn. As I read these verses I am impressed afresh with the plentiful evidence we are given in the Gospels concerning the person of Jesus, that he is both God and Saviour.

These verses are particularly rich in evidence of this. Let us observe the evidence of his deity and godhead. Jesus knew and saw intimately all that the disciples were experiencing, even though he was on the land and they were far out to sea. Jesus had supernatural power which is astounding. The sea was stormy and rough, yet Jesus walked on the water and came to the disciples. Nothing in normal human experience can account for this, and it is silly to try and rationalize the evidence here to make it fit what we are able to believe is possible. Then we see Jesus giving power and ability to Peter to also walk on the water. Even though when Peter saw the water and the waves he began to sink because of unbelief, yet it is recorded clearly that while he looked at Jesus in faith, he was enabled to walk on water, and turbulent water at that. Then when Jesus got into the boat, the storm died down with no explanation why this happened, and how it happened so fast, other than Jesus exercised power only found in God to still the storm. This reveals Jesus not only as God but also as creator. Then when they arrive at the other side of Galilee and the people crowd around him for healing, we read that if a person simply touched the clothes of Jesus, they were healed. Power flowed from him to bring about this miracle. All this is clear evidence to the deity of Jesus. There could not be anything more clear. It is evidence of the darkness in fallen humanity that such clear evidence is rejected, and the full implications of it is ignored and disbelieved.

If there is clear and powerful evidence in this one passage, which is one among many, to the power of Jesus and so his deity, there is also clear and powerful evidence as to his mission in the world. He is revealed as the lover of souls and the Saviour of souls. The people who came to him were no better and no worse than the majority of human beings, and they showed the same failures which appear in humanity wherever we may look. They came to Jesus mainly for what they could get from him. Mostly they did not come to follow him as Lord, but still Jesus spent his time loving them. He did not hesitate to allow healing power to flow from him for their bodily healing. When the crowd were hungry, he miraculously fed them. Then most importantly wherever Jesus went he preached to the people the good news of the kingdom. When the disciples were in danger on the the rough sea, Jesus came to them and saved them, and surely we can't help but see how this is an illustration of the salvation he desires for their souls. Just as they were in danger from the storm over Galilee, so are we all in danger from the storm of sin and death which is bound to bring us to eternal death without the saving work of Jesus. Jesus came to save us. Christ's love and compassion for souls, and specially his disciples is shot through this whole incident, and his ministry when back on shore. What clearer evidence can we have that Jesus loves sinners, and he has power to save sinners, and that he will save sinners if we will believe on him. Yet again people will run after almost any ideology and teaching rather than put their trust in Jesus. What is certain is that this passage shows that no one applied to Jesus in vain, and those who trusted him found him an almighty and loving Saviour.

This brings us to the lesson of faith which stands out so clearly in the incident of Peter. Peter asked if Jesus would allow him to walk on the water. Jesus said come, and Peter believed and walked on the water. Jesus enabled him to do this impossible thing. But then he took his eyes off Jesus and saw the impossible he was doing, and his faith evaporated, and he began to sink. Here is the crunch issue - it is the issue of faith. While he believed Peter could do the impossible. When his faith failed he was helpless. This truth needs to be grasped by every believer in Jesus, and how difficult it is to lay hold of. What we know to be true with out minds, is so difficult to put into practice. Even when we do, faith fluctuates. Let us pray for faith. Let us use the means of grace to strengthen faith, that is to use the means given us to spend time with Jesus and to look at him. As we do look on Jesus, doubts die. The more time we spend with Jesus, the greater will be our faith. However there is one point which needs to be noted from this passage. Peter asked Jesus if he could come to Jesus on the water. Jesus gave his permission. This is so important. We can't expect Jesus to exercise his power for us on what is not his will. When something is his will, nothing is impossible.