THE ‘I AM’ OF THE WINDS AND THE WATERS

Scripture Passage: Matthew 14:22-33, Parallel Texts: Mk 6:45-56; Jn 6:16-24
Background
•All 4 Gospel accounts capture the ‘Feeding of the 5000’
•Luke, does not include this incident but each of the other 3 accounts give a coherent tapestry to this incident
•A ‘Mega Event’ has occurred, physical exhaustion was but obvious, cleaning up after 5000 people have eaten!
Distant Yet Concerned
•Jesus’ task for his earthly ministry was cut out. Not much time at hand and he was on the move (Mt 4:23-25)
•Jesus asks on his disciples to depart towards Capernaum, while he departs to pray
•The disciples are facing rough winds and are unable to make much headway…when Jesus makes his way towards them
IMPOSSIBILTY MADE POSSIBLE
•This is not a storm that is life threatening (Mt 8:23-27)
•Jesus’ approach causes the disciples attention to be diverted from the winds towards Jesus
•It does not lead to assurance in their predicament but causes much panic
•But Jesus speaks words of assurance…it is ‘I AM’ (Job 9:8; Ps 77:19; Is 43:6)
•Peter stands out in wanting to verify the facts, he wants to do it by experiencing the miracle
THE HAND THAT STRETCHES
•Peter’s fear engages with doubt and disengages him from fully experiencing the person of Christ
•Yet Christ stretches a hand out and helps Peter experience him as they return to the boat
•As soon as Jesus climbs the boat the winds subside…Capernaum was where they had to go and so it would be!
•However, the entire episode ends in worship of Christ
THE HAND THAT STRETCHED AGAIN
•The Gospel is about a pair of hands that stretched again for a greater rescue…the rescue of man sinking in sin…the impossible made possible
•For Peter, the miracle was a fact he experienced, but what he carried forward was the experience of the hand that rescued him that day and then again on ‘that’ day
"Love Lifted Me" the hymn brings this so clearly 
Take Away:  Let’s cause our faith to go beyond the miracle, to the person of Christ. For he has done the greatest miracle in our lives.