After walking with Christ for almost fifty years, the word I like to use for the Christian life is “adventure.” The greatest adventure one can live is a life fully and wholeheartedly devoted to Jesus. For anyone who wants to experience all that life has to offer, being a Jesus disciple is the greatest adventure we can experience.
From smuggling Bibles in Eastern Europe and China to living in Japan, from planting churches to raising a big family, each situation has felt like a great adventure. I have truly enjoyed each episode of the great adventure. This is why it hit me this week that Jesus, in Matthew 14, is inviting his disciples into an adventure.
The Boat is the Adventure
Just after feeding five thousand people, Jesus invited (commands) his men to enter a boat. He then leaves them and goes into the mountains to pray. Read the whole story in Matthew 14:22-33. You are probably familiar with the story—the disciples encounter a storm of epic proportions, get fearful, and then Jesus shows up. Let me break it down as I see it.
When we partner with Christ and get into his boat of adventure, get ready for some storms (v.22-24)! Adventure, by its very meaning, is a venture into danger. Danger is even necessary to define an adventure. No danger, and you’re just on a trip. Danger mixed with mission equals the Jesus adventure.
Where is Jesus?
In the Matthew account, one must be struck by the fact that Jesus is not in the boat. So often in our journey with Christ, we find ourselves in storms that threaten to capsize our life. Right? If you haven’t experienced such situations, you need to get out more often. It often feels like Jesus is nowhere to be found. In such times, we feel lonely, fearful, and quite frankly, overwhelmed with anxiety.
Yet, just like in our story, Jesus is the one who invites us to get into the boat. Jesus tells the disciples to go to the other side, and then he doesn’t even get in the boat. Crazy.
The Darkest Time of the Night
In our story, it’s the “fourth watch” when the storm is the worst. This is 3-6 am, the darkest time of the night, and the disciples are “troubled.” Now, if there could have been a more lame English word to use here, this must be one. No, the disciples are probably freaking out! The next sentence is more accurate: “they cried out with fear” (v.25-26). Big storm, epic situation, no Jesus!
The Ghost Comes
They then see something. They call it a “ghost,” and they don’t mean “Holy Ghost.” They mean ghost, like something scary is coming.
Jesus shows up in our panic in ways unrecognizable. They don’t see Jesus, they see their fears. Man, I know what that’s like. In our most panicked situation, Jesus comes in a way He has never come before. Walking on water? Are you kidding me?
Jesus comes walking on water, and it’s only His voice they can understand. Jesus says, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Wow. We can’t see Him, but we can still hear His voice.
The Test of Faith
And this is the test, the test of faith. In the middle of the storm, Jesus is there. We can’t see Him, but we can hear Him.
Peter gets it. Peter understands something that none of the others grasped. Jesus is walking on water, and Peter wants to join Him.
Step into the Adventure
Jesus sees Peter’s faith and says simply, “come” (v.29-30). Peter comes. Peter wants to join Jesus in the adventure! And with the faith he can muster, Peter joins Jesus, walking on water. Jesus let’s Peter partner with Him in a great adventure.
Peter walked on water! We may use this story to criticize Peter for his moment of fear, but let’s not forget that Peter walked on water. Peter walked on water. That’s quite a feat. That’s the adventure.
And in your life, whatever fears you may have, Jesus wants us to get out of our familiar boat (after all, Peter was a fisherman and practically lived in boats). Jesus calls us to the danger of following Him. And it’s in dangerous times that Jesus always shows up.
Pastor Steve
