Risk: Sink Like a Rock Saved by the Savior

　

Water walkers take risks.

Jesus is a water walker.

Peter wanted to be a water walker.

If we want to be water walkers, we have to be willing to take the risk.

You will sink like a rock!

Ever wonder where that phrase originated? I bet it didn’t have as much to do with Chevy as some of us think.

Oh, you don’t think “sink like a rock” is a phrase that originated anywhere? You think it’s a fact?

Drop a rock in water. What does it do?

The same thing as a man named Peter. Or a woman named Carrie. Or choose any other name of any other human being either male or female.

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,

“Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33

I love this picture of faith in motion. Some might see it as failure, but I see something entirely different. I see a man, Peter, willing to risk his life for the miracle of walking with Jesus.

Notice I didn’t say the thrill of walking on water. This Biblical experience isn’t about being a thrill seeker, but about being a Savior seeker.

Imagine that you were serving alongside Jesus. He sends you away out into the stormy sea while He goes to pray alone.

In the midst of the storm you think you see Him walking towards you on the water.

Impossible! Men can’t walk on calm water. Let alone this raging sea! You shake your head trying to shake the salty sea spray from your eyes. He’s still there. You start crying like a little girl!

“Oh be happy; don’t worry! It’s Me! Jesus!”

“Jesus? Jesus! Is that You? If it’s You, command me to walk to You on this raging sea!”

“Come on, brother!”

Your friends object. “NO, Peter! Don’t do this. Stay in the boat, Peter! Let Jesus come to us!”

You look at your Savior and set out walking across the water. Faith in motion. Risk, yes, but the reward is so much greater.

Then something happens. A giant wave, a gust of wind, a whirl wind, and your gaze drops from His and takes in the scene around you. And you start to sink. Like a rock. But you know who you are with! “Jesus! Save me!”

Immediately, He reaches out and lifts you out of the stormy gale to safety. “You have too little faith. Why did you doubt?” And He sets your soggy bottom in the boat.

And the storm ceases.

When you take a risk to be near Jesus, there is no risk. He’ll always be there to pick you up when you cry out. Peter got out of the boat to be closer to Jesus. His faith, albeit not big enough to get him all the way to Jesus, was enough to get Jesus to him.

We can never earn our salvation. We will never be good enough, do enough, or even have enough faith. We just need to a have a little faith…even if it’s seemingly too little. If it’s enough faith to get you out of the boat, it doesn’t matter so much if you start to sink like a rock. Jesus is the life saver.

Jesus answered and said to him,

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:17-19

Two chapters later Jesus names Simon Peter.

What does Peter mean?

Rock.

When Peter (Simon) took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm raging around him, he sunk like a rock.

That rock comes back around, however, to claim that Jesus is Christ, Son of God. This leads to Jesus’ first mentioning the church in the New Testament that He will be building. He also tells Peter that he will have power to bind or loose things on earth and as it is done on earth it will carry over to heaven.

Did Peter sink like a rock or soar like an eagle?

If you’ve studied scripture much at all, you know Peter was far from perfect. He was as flawed as we come. He was willing to take a risk, though.

Well, according to man’s definition he was willing to take a risk. According to God’s definition, Peter had little faith and doubt.

I’d rather risk sinking like a rock and being saved by the Savior than risk never getting out of the boat and wondering what if for all of eternity.

 

Recommended Reading:
If You Want to Walk on Water You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg

photo credit: Michał”>http://www.flickr.com/photos/29104098@N00/4612993209/”>Michał Dubrawski
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