Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. -- Matthew 6: 33-34 (NLT)
Besides some of the 11 being fearful and distracted, I think a third unexplored possibility is that they were simply content that Peter was going to try and walk on water! In most modern churches 100% of the ministry activities are usually done by about 20% of the congregation. The numbers do not even get a lot better inside of membership. There are worker bees and there are watcher bees and unfortunately the watchers seem to outnumber the workers 5-1. Let's be honest with ourselves, it is sometimes easier to just watch. I am sure that some in the boat on that day said to themselves, "Glad Peter is doing this and not me!" But God did not save Peter to do Paul's work:
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -- Ephesians 2: 10 (NIV)
There is a work for each and every one of us beloved. God has prepared it for us to do. He does not need us to do it because He will always get the glory and will find another way for His will to be accomplished but how sad would it be if we were to not realize everything God had planned for us to do! What better victory do we give Satan then to never fulfill our destiny and calling in Christ Jesus! To never step out of the boat because we see that Peter already took care of it. How sad.
We are not called to everything but we are called to do something. Too often we get our fire insurance policy from hell and we sit in a pew. And we sit. And we sit. And we watch as the other Peters in our world keep stepping out of the boat. The other Peters become the minister we were supposed to be. The other Peters become the evangelist we were supposed to be. The other Peters become the missionary we were supposed to be. We sit in the boat and wait until Jesus comes. But Jesus has warned us:
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. -- Matthew 25: 29 (NLT)
The last and final reason I think is possibly the most disturbing and infectious in the lives of believers today. I think that some in that boat that day did not step out because they did not think they could. Regardless of the weather and elements. Regardless of their faith. They did not seek to walk on water because they do not set their spiritual goals that high. They dismiss the power of God as being that strong. They do not walk under the power Christ appropriated for them back on Calvary's hill. They recreate their God as a tiny God, not the big God He is. Life has either beaten them down to this point or they simply have let the enemy rob them of the power of Christ in their lives. Take the father of the demon possessed son from Mark chapter nine. This man has lost not only his faith in God's ability but he has lost the true sense of the power of the God he believes in. Here is how he approached God:
The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can." -- Mark 9: 22 (NLT)
If you can?? How many of us have minimized God in our lives to the point where our very prayers to Him doubt what He can do. This is the God who created the entire universe by speaking a single sentence. Yet we limit Him with our finite understanding and our weak faith. Walking on water? Sounds ridiculous right? I mean even Peter failed"wait a minute"Peter did NOT fail! Peter DID walk on the water! He did not step out of the boat and sink. He stepped out, walked on water, took his eyes off of Christ and onto his problems, and then sank in them. We preach so much on the failure portion we may overlook the fact that Peter did walk on water! That is the power God intends for us to walk under beloved! The Bible says faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. Not just figuratively - literally! Too often we sit in our boat in the middle of our storm and pray for Jesus to walk over to us and save us. Meanwhile, He wants us to get out of the boat and walk over the problems in our lives and towards Him!
Jesus doesn't want us to be like the other 11 guys in the boat. He doesn't want us living fearful lives when His perfect love casts out all fear. He doesn't want us living distracted lives when seeking Him first will resolve all our distractions. He doesn't want us to play church as spectators but rather serve Him and discover all the plans He has for us. Lastly, He doesn't want us to have small spiritual goals when the God we serve has no limits. Jesus did not hesitate that day when Peter asked. He said, come to me on the water. Peter had that power within him because of Christ. We have the same power within us today. But first we have to step out of the boat.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- January 30, 2012
