Sunday 9th August – Long Faith – Pastor Adrian Kitson

9-08-2026, Jesus walks on the water, Long Faith, Mathew 14:22-33

2 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.'

28 'Lord, if it's you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.'

29 'Come,' he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?'

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'

I think we love moment out in the churning sea. It shouts out that Jesus shows up in the middle of our storms and our nightmares. That's where he sets up shop. We are so grateful he does.

Jesus had his own storm to deal with at the time. Only days before he had received the terrible news that his cousin, John, by whose hand Jesus was himself baptised into his mission, had been executed for no good reason at the silly inclinations of a very bad man, Herod.

He needed some 'me' time to gather his thoughts and pray his grief to his Father, no doubt. He couldn't. His plan was interrupted by those 10,000+ hungry people in need and compassion took over again. But now he does get at least a few hours to himself.

Probably a bit unexpectedly for his friends, Jesus shoves them all into the boat and sends them "to the other side" (Gentile side) of the Sea of Galilee as he shoos away the crowd and isolates himself in the night (Matthew 14:22–23).

He was to somehow meet up with them on the other side. But, as it happened, the Twelve found themselves caught in a torrential storm (Matthew 14:24).

When I was on that bit of water back in 1998, the guide was quick to say that because of the geography, sudden violent storms are not unusual on that little sea.

The disciples are taking a beating in the deafening wind, tossing water, heavy rain and darkness. So much so that they've barely made it halfway when they see something.

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

Not only are they rowing for their lives in the middle of a raging body of water, but now at around 3.00am, a mysterious being approaches them.

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. (Matthew 14:25–26)

Whether it was their exhaustion or their superstition, who's to say, but that's all they could come up with.

I wonder whether they wanted to turn that ship around and let the roaring wind get them out of there.

And then the first instant action of Jesus;

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take heart; it is me. Do not be afraid'" (Matthew 14:27).

How they heard him, I don't know. But the words are timely, piercing and carrying assurance to their hearts through the deafening wind.

Like when the first signs of birdsong at daybreak begin to lighten up another long night of sleepless struggle, you know it is going to be OK. You have survived and you will live to see this new day.

Did they begin to recall that God is "mindful" of them (Psalm 8:4)?

1 Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

3 When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
4 what is humankind that you are so mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?]

Seems he is and we love him for it. Jesus shows up in the middle of our storms and our nightmares. That's where he sets up shop. That's where he positions himself.

Peter is still not 100% convinced that this is actually Jesus, but it sure sounds like him, and that voice is enough.

'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water'

(Matthew 14:28).

I am not sure what his mates would have thought about this request. Crazy! The storm is still raging.

But what about when Jesus says, 'Come', 'OK, get out of the boat'?

“So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” (Matthew 14:29)

Peter takes that massive step of faith and gets out of the relative safety of the boat into the sure chaos of that churning dark sea and actually walks!

Maybe then the others were thinking, "Man, why didn't I think of that!"

We know what happens next. Like when you edge into a river crossing outback and get halfway across and realise that water sure is fast and deep and that you are not going to make it, Peter 'sees' where he is.

But when he saw the wind he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me'. (Matthew 14:30)

He forgets the voice and listens to the roar of the storm. He is walking on a churning dark death trap.

Did Peter fail? Some say he was arrogant; reaching for far too much; over-relying on himself. He was irresponsible – putting God to the test. He was just dumb; impetuous; not thinking, too risky.

But why do Matthew, Mark and John tell us about this night on the sea and Peter's little sea-walk? Is it to bag Peter and warn us who come after him not to be as silly or as arrogant of to ever take a risk like this? I don't think so.

If anything it actually shows up the other eleven who chose to stay paralysed in fear in the boat.

I read this from a Lutheran theologian:

We often get so focused on Peter sinking that we forget that he is the only other person in the history of humanity, other than Jesus, who walked on water. Twice! Don't forget that after Jesus raises Peter up, embraces him, and makes him stand on the sea again, they both walk back to the boat together (Matthew 14:31–33).

If Jesus wasn't a fan of Peter's initial request, I doubt he would've let it happen twice.

Furthermore, after he's rescued, Peter doesn't get scolded for daring to ask to walk on the water. Instead, Jesus rebukes his faith (not his request) and simply calls to him back to living by faith.

When he was beginning to sink, he cried out, 'Lord, save me.' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him… (Matthew. 14:30–31). (Bradley Gray, 1517 https://www.1517.org/articles/christ-holds-us-fast)

Peter actually had faith. He actually trusted that voice when it is all he had in dire surroundings and went towards it. He did not stay in the safety of that boat. He went to Jesus rather than trust the boat, the technology or his experience of boats and water, his ability to swim, the strength of his close friends or anything else he might have close by.

When Jesus says, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?', he is not saying Peter had no faith or not enough faith, but simply that the faith he had was good, the risk he took to come toward Jesus I all the chaos was good, it is just that it did not last long enough.

Peter's problem was not having no faith in Jesus. He did trust that voice. Peter's problem was that his faith couldn't endure long enough.

How much faith in Jesus do you need? Hopefully you are thinking about mustard seeds moving mountains (Matthew 17:20).

Faith in who? faith in Jesus, not faith in your faith.

Tim Keller put it well

‘…it’s not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you,’ (Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, 234).

Who you trust shapes how long your faith runs.

Matthew is not telling us to stay in the boat. He is showing you what faith actually is – long; long trust; trust when it is hardest to trust.

He is showing us what happens when faith in Jesus' voice does not last long enough in any particular storm we face and shows us Jesus saying, keep trusting; keep risking.

We can live risky moments in faith because Jesus acts 'immediately'. On this occasion Jesus straight away pulls Peter up from drowning in that storm.

This is prodding you to get out of the boat in that storm and follow that voice because the voice is a person who will grab you when needed.

Or, as Martin Luther attests,

"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times" (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, Luther, LW, Vol. 54, p. xvii).

What's rocking your boat at the moment?

What risks do you need to take in that storm you face? Peter dared to get out of the boat and his only 'failure' was he let the storm front fill his vision rather that hold fast to Jesus' word long enough.

But risk we can, because when our grip of faith in Christ loosens, Christ's grip on you does not. Even when you can't hold fast, Christ always holds you fast.

So hear Jesus calling you across the waves of fear or grief or anger or shame. Go towards that voice. Trust what he has taught you so far and follow that, despite what your mates think, what you think, what people around you expect?

What a joy to take that walk of faith; to trust Jesus in the risky stuff. It is a whole lot better than being paralysed by fear as you hang on to your own ideas, current technology, people's expectations and the like.

He does not want to lose you to the storm. He says he won't. More reason to give it a go.

Jesus shows up in the middle of our storms and our nightmares. That's where he sets up shop. We are so grateful he does.

Sermon-Based Discussion Guide: Long Faith

Text: Matthew 14:22–33 — Jesus walks on the water

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus, you come to us in the middle of storms and speak courage into our fear. Open our ears to your voice, strengthen our trust in you, and help us take faithful steps toward you. Amen.

Key Sermon Theme

Faith is not confidence in the strength of our own believing, but long trust in Jesus — especially when fear, grief, uncertainty, or risk makes trust difficult. When our grip weakens, Christ’s grip does not.

Warm-Up

When have you been caught by surprise by a “storm” in life?
What helps you hear Jesus’ voice when fear or pressure is loud?

Read the Passage

Read Matthew 14:22–33 aloud. Invite the group to notice repeated words, immediate actions, emotional reactions, and where Jesus is positioned in the story.

Discussion Questions

The sermon says Jesus “shows up in the middle of our storms and our nightmares.” Where do you see that in Matthew 14:22–33?
Jesus had withdrawn to pray after grief and interruption. What does this show us about his humanity, compassion, and dependence on the Father?
The disciples first mistake Jesus for a ghost. What can fear or exhaustion do to our ability to recognise Jesus’ presence?
Jesus says, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Which of those words do you most need to hear at the moment?
Peter is often remembered for sinking. What changes when we also remember that he stepped out of the boat and walked toward Jesus?
The sermon argues that Peter’s problem was not no faith, but faith that did not last long enough. How does that distinction help you think about doubt?
What might it mean to trust Jesus’ voice rather than the “boat” — our usual securities, abilities, technologies, plans, or supports?
How does the phrase “faith in Jesus, not faith in your faith” challenge or comfort you?
Where might Jesus be calling you to take a faithful risk rather than remain paralysed by fear?
How does Jesus’ immediate reaching out to Peter shape your understanding of grace, rescue, and perseverance?

Going Deeper

Compare Matthew 14:22–33 with Psalm 8:1–4. What does it mean that God is mindful of us?

Read Matthew 17:20. How does Jesus’ teaching about mustard-seed faith connect with this sermon’s emphasis on the object of faith?

Reflect on Luther’s description of faith as “living, daring confidence in God’s grace.” What would that look like in daily discipleship?

Personal Application

Take a few minutes in silence to name one storm, one fear, and one possible step toward Jesus. Share as appropriate: “The storm I am facing is … The voice of Jesus I need to hear is… One faithful step I could take is …”

Closing Prayer

Jesus, when the wind is loud and our faith feels small, keep calling us toward you. Teach us long trust. Lift us when we sink, hold us when we cannot hold on, and lead us to worship you as the Son of God. Amen.