Matthew 14 weaves together lessons about the dangers of placing the fear of men in front of the fear of God and allowing hardness to creep into our hearts unknowingly.
The chapter opens with the murder of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas, a man controlled by fear. He fears the crowd. He fears his dinner guests. He fears the opinions of other people more than he fears God. Even when he is distressed by the request to execute John the Baptist, he follows through because his pride is on the line. The deeper I dig into the family tree of Herod The Great, the more anxiety and concern over public opinion I find. They are powerful people, but they are constantly trapped by fear.
After hearing about John's death, Jesus withdraws with His disciples to a secluded place. Mark says they were looking for rest. Between the rejection at Nazareth and the death of John, this had to be an incredibly difficult season. Yet when the crowds arrive, Jesus shows no annoyance. He is moved with compassion. He heals their sick. He teaches them. He sees them as sheep without a shepherd.
Then comes the feeding of the five thousand. The disciples want to send everyone away, but Jesus redirect them, saying, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" (verse 16)
I love that statement. Is there anything about Jesus that requires someone to go away?
The disciples see an impossible situation, and it's not without good reason. They are in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat. And in front of them is a Rabbi tasking them with the impossible. But Jesus already knows exactly what He intends to do. He takes five loaves and two fish and feeds thousands. And the disciples aren't just bystanders in this miraculous event. He insists on doing the miracle through the hands of the disciples. Jesus is the source of the provision, but He invites His people to participate in His work - a pattern seen in Jesus' work over 2,000 years later.
John's Gospel follows this miracle with a question from the crowd: "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" (John 6:28). They want something to do. They see the signs, they recognize the work of God when the see it and they want to participate. Jesus answers, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29)
Before there is serving, there is believing. At the core of every good work, at the core of every fruit bore of the Spirit, is our faith in Jesus Christ.
Then Jesus sends the disciples into the sea and he does it with a sense of urgency, for according to John's gospel account, Jesus perceived that the crowd was "intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king" (John 6:15). But Jesus has no interest in an earthly, political, or temporary kingdom rule. So he "immediately" sends them away and "makes" the disciples get into the boat.
By the early morning hours they are exhausted, straining at the oars, making almost no progress against the wind. Meanwhile Jesus is alone on the mountain praying. That detail pulled emotion out of me this week. While the disciples are struggling, Jesus is watching them. He sees them. He knows exactly where they are and comes to them.
When Peter recognizes Jesus on the water, he responds with tremendous faith, stepping out onto the water and walking toward Jesus. But it's not long before the wind and the waves grip his attention and he begins to sink, all while crying out to Jesus, "Lord, save me!" (verse 30)
And immediately Jesus reaches out His hand.
Not after a lecture. Not after making Peter struggle for a while. Rescue first. Then the lesson: "Why did you doubt?"
That question lingers in my mind when I read it. Not because Peter had no faith. He obviously had faith. He got out of the boat. He believed he could do the impossible, and he did it. But somewhere along the way his focus became divided. His attention shifted from Christ to the wind. His circumstances overshadowed his savior, and sinking ensued.
The disciples are learning. Their faith is growing. They still don't fully understand what they have witnessed. Mark even goes as far as saying they had not "gained insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened" (Mark 6:52). But Jesus is not impatient. He is gracious. He continues teaching them, providing for them, rescuing them, and revealing Himself to them. Sound familiar?
I find myself asking the same questions the disciples had to wrestle with. Am I a witness to the work of God around me or am I hardened to some of His displays of power? And am I fearful of the wrong things? Am I trusting Him in the middle of the storm, or am I moving my focus toward my circumstances?
These are questions worth sitting with.