Title: Peter's Failure (Matthew 14:28-33)
Content I. Proactive attitude
Peter answered and said, "If it is given to you, command me to come to you on the water." Then Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.
Peter's request to the Lord is a courageous prayer to the Lord.
It was because the moment Peter saw Jesus, a huge wave was still beating the boat. Peter is not talking out of reason now.
He was walking the level of faith even in an emergency. He had the belief that it would be possible with the Lord. On the other hand, this request also contained the meaning of saying that if the Lord told him not to come, he would just stay here.
Jesus answered Peter's cry to him, to come immediately.
The Lord answers prayer.
The Lord hears the prayers of the saints in any situation. According to the content of the request, a proper answer is given. Some prayers give unanswered answers, and sometimes they are granted immediately depending on the content. Moreover, the Lord's answer includes the content of taking responsibility for everything. If you look at the case, there was a miracle promise of walking on water. Peter experienced the first miracle of man walking on water toward Jesus.
The saints can face adversity countless times in their lives.
In times of adversity, we should pray toward the Lord Jesus with accurate and clear faith, but we should not pray monologues or repeated prayers, but pray rightly waiting for the Lord's right will and answer. In the prayer of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “But not as I will, but as you will” Matthew 26:39.
Peter's supplication and Jesus Christ's prayer in Gethsemane are exemplary prayers for all of us.
We must learn the right attitude of prayer from this prayer. When we have this attitude, our prayers will be answered. Prayer is not an unannounced announcement of our wishes, but a personal conversation with God.
II. failure
When he saw the wind, he was afraid and fell away.
It was because of simple faith in the Lord that Peter was able to walk on the water. This was a good start and a great start. Looking to Jesus is the secret to success.
But Peter failed. This is because his gaze on Christ turned to the wind and storm. Just as Eve's view of the forbidden fruit through Satan's temptation was the start of the crime, Peter caused his own failure by looking at the waves from the point of view of the Lord. .
The Bible thoroughly instructs the saints to “look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,” Hebrews 12:2.
Peter, who was looking to the Lord, had a sense of failure.
It was the circumstances that made Peter momentarily dreadful. Emotions are strongly influenced by the environment. Believers should look to the Lord who works in the environment. If they only look at the environment, they will fall into a swamp of failure.
In the victory of faith walking on the water, Peter momentarily failed according to his vision and feeling and fell into the water.
As he watched the storm, his circumstances took control of his emotions, and these fears quickly took over his faith.
Saints often fall and fail. But the Lord is without failure. It is Jesus who rescues Peter who has failed before the Lord. Jesus' work to bring him to victory is always action, not ideological.
When Peter, who was drowning, said, “Lord, save me,” Jesus immediately reached out and caught me. There is no failure for the saints in the Lord Jesus Christ.
God saves people of faith. As it was with Daniel and with Jonah, all the saints are able to overcome all temptations through Jesus Christ.
Nothing in this world can break off Christ's love for us.
III. the Lord's rebuke
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and took hold of him, saying, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?
They got into the boat together, and the wind stopped.
When Peter, who was drowning in fear of the wind and waves, cried out for help, the Lord reached out and rescued him, rebuking him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Doubtful faith has no good results. That is why the writer of James tells us not to doubt, but he who doubts should not think that he will get anything from the Lord.
Faith without doubt is faith that believes in God's promises of redemption and covenants of grace, and moves forward with the hope of the faithful Lord. Today, the Lord wants to accomplish His work through people of great faith, and He wants to recognize those saints.
When Peter was drowning in doubt because of his lack of faith, Jesus reached out and held him, and as a teacher he did not hesitate to rebuke him.
Only Jesus could correct Peter.
In this way, Jesus becomes the perfect teacher's model.
He rescued him from adversity and pointed out his faults.
Salvation without intelligence is to condone another failure, and intelligence without salvation is only condemnation and accusation. The Lord still regarded Peter, who had failed, as a disciple, and at the same time became a kind teacher.
Rebuke is an expression of concern and comes from love and expectation. It was the Lord's immediate educational interest that enabled Peter to stand as the Lord's chief disciple.
Furthermore, Jesus wants immediate education and correction from all the saints.
The chastisement and reproof that appear when the saints walk astray in faith are Jesus' immediate education and demand for correction.
The saints should listen to the Lord's rebuke and show a renewed response according to His word.
Even today, Jesus expresses his undying love for all the saints.