Based on sermon delivered by Rev. Joyce Rodgers
March 1, 2026
Gordonsville UMC / Barboursville UMC (online)
Matthew 14:22-33
Do you believe you can walk on water?
It’s an absurd question — until you remember that one ordinary fisherman actually did.
Matthew tells us that after feeding five thousand people, Jesus sent the disciples ahead by boat. A storm rose. The wind was strong. The waves were relentless. And in the middle of that chaos, Jesus came walking toward them on the water.
Peter, impulsive and earnest as ever, said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
And Jesus said, “Come.”
Peter stepped out.
For a moment, he did the impossible. Not because he was divine. Not because he earned it. Not because he was spiritually superior to the other eleven. Peter walked on water because he trusted Jesus.
As long as his eyes were fixed on Christ, the storm did not define him.
But then he noticed the wind. He shifted his focus from the Savior to the storm. And he began to sink.
That detail is crucial: the storm never stopped. The waves did not calm before Peter stepped out. The miracle was not in the absence of hardship. The miracle was in the presence of trust.
Trust, Not Achievement
Jesus later says, “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing.” The Greek word often translated “believe” carries the meaning of trust — relational confidence. Peter didn’t walk on water because he had earned spiritual merit. He walked because he trusted the One who said, “I am. Do not be afraid.”
We often misunderstand stability. We think control equals safety. We think if we row hard enough, bail fast enough, manage carefully enough, we can keep ourselves afloat.
But the disciples who stayed in the boat were still in the storm.
Self-preservation is not the same thing as life.
The Illusion of Earning
Jesus also warns, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Achievement does not equal peace. Success does not equal assurance.
We live in a culture that prizes accomplishment — career success, influence, reputation, recognition. But none of those things can secure our eternity. None of them can quiet the deeper question: Am I secure with God?
The gospel answer is both humbling and freeing: no amount of wealth, influence, or good deeds earns anyone a place in heaven. Not Peter. Not you. Not me.
We are not saved by proving ourselves good enough. We are saved by grace.
When We Sink
The beauty of the story is not that Peter walked flawlessly. The beauty is that when he sank, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
And immediately, Jesus reached out His hand.
Jesus’ words — “You of little faith” — are often heard as a rebuke. But perhaps they are more like a parent lifting up a child who has fallen. This is not condemnation; it is formation. Peter’s faith was immature, not absent. He was growing.
Discipleship is not about never sinking. It is about learning, again and again, to turn toward Christ.
Storms Still Come
Jesus promises, “In this world you will have trouble.” Faith does not remove hardship. We still pass through waters. We still walk through fire. But Isaiah reminds us: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
The storm may not cease. But Christ stands in it.
We will face disappointment. We will face success. Both can distract us. Hardship tempts us to despair. Success tempts us to self-reliance. Either way, when our focus shifts from Jesus to ourselves, we begin to sink.
The invitation remains the same:
Keep your eyes on Christ.
And when you find yourself under the waves, cry out, “Lord, save me.”
He still reaches out His hand.
Walking on water was never about Peter’s strength.
It was always about where he was looking.
And it still is.
