Matthew 14:22-23, NIRV

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Right away Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of him to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Then he sent the crowd away. ²³After he had sent them away, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.

Backpack object:

Water bottle

Message:

In today’s Bible passage, Jesus’ disciples got into a boat and headed for the other side of the lake. They may have relied on the wind to take them to the other side. If you spent the summer on a camping trip, you may have used a paddle to get across a lake. Jesus wanted the disciples to take him across the lake to find a quiet spot so he could pray for a while.

After Jesus finished praying, he went to get on the boat with the disciples, but the boat was already far away from the shore. What do you think Jesus did? (Allow children to respond.) Jesus walked on the water to get to the boat. Imagine that you are one of the disciples on the boat and you see Jesus walking out toward the boat. Walking on the water!

What do you think the disciples thought? What would you have thought if you were on that boat? (Allow children to respond.) Do you think you would have been afraid? At first, the disciples were afraid because they didn’t realize it was Jesus who was walking on the water. But Jesus told them who he was and not to be afraid.

What would you have done if you saw someone walking on water? One of the disciples, Peter, wanted Jesus to prove that it was really him. So, he asked Jesus to tell him to come out on the water with him. What do you think happened next? (Allow children to answer.) Peter did walk out on the water! But after a few moments, the wind increased. Peter got scared. He took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. I am almost certain that when Peter began to sink, he swallowed a lot of water. Quickly, Jesus lifted Peter out of the water.

After Jesus helped Peter back into the boat, he asked Peter, “Why did you doubt?” What do you think the word “doubt” means? (Allow children to answer.) When you doubt, it means that you don’t believe something is going to happen. Peter doubted that he could walk on the water like Jesus, even though he was, in fact, doing it. Why do you think Peter became afraid? (Allow children to respond.) Why do you think Peter’s doubt made him sink into the water? (Allow children to respond.) What do you do when you’re afraid? (Allow children to answer.) How can not having doubts help you not be afraid? (Allow children to answer.)

Today, as we collect back-to-school items, look at what I have. (Hold up the water bottle.) Do all of you have one of these? Staying hydrated by drinking enough water will help us concentrate on schoolwork so much better. This water bottle also is a reminder of Jesus and Peter. This week, each time you sip from your water bottle, I invite you to remember that Jesus can remove doubt from your life. Jesus can remove any fear that you have. Some of us may be going to a new school. Some may be in a new classroom and have a new teacher. Those things could make us a little afraid. Take a sip of water and remember, just as Jesus helped Peter, Jesus can help us too! This week, we need to rely on Jesus to help us get through those fearful moments when we feel doubt.

When Peter got back into the boat, the other disciples began to worship Jesus, as they realized that he was truly the Son of God! Worship is a huge part of being a follower of Jesus.

Jesus remained faithful to Peter, even when Peter doubted and was afraid. Jesus will remain faithful to us too! There may come a time in life when we doubt. So today, let’s pray that Jesus helps us have faith, even in those moments when it seems hard to believe.

Prayer:

God of trust, thank you that Jesus will always be faithful to be there for us, even if we have doubts. Help us to always trust in him. Amen.

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