The Boat of Obedience

“The Boat of Obedience”

by Pastor Kent Munsey

June 13, 2021

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

• Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV)

This passage starts with Jesus giving his disciples an authoritative, urgent command. Every leader in our community should know that ministry movers are people who understand the urgency of ministry. As we study the text before this passage, we learn that John the Baptist, who was very close to Jesus, had just been beheaded. Jesus and his disciples went to find a quiet and solitary place to process this tragic event.
However, by this time, Jesus' popularity had grown, so the crowds followed him. They would not let Jesus rest, but Jesus continued to teach and minister to them. The disciples came to Jesus and said to send the crowds away, but the crowds needed to eat. Jesus told the disciples to find the crowds something to eat. Jesus gave them an authoritative command and expected them to do what he asked. The disciples brought Jesus back two fish and five loaves of bread, which Jesus blessed and multiplied. Scripture says that Jesus fed over five thousand people.  

Following this, Jesus told the disciples to get in the boat and go to the other side. It is worth noting that there are different expectations from Jesus when it comes to people who need ministry in comparison to those involved in the work of ministry. The disciples are supposed to be disciplined Christ-followers. Jesus made them get into the boat immediately because they were his disciplined followers.

We can measure our spiritual maturity by measuring the time between God asking us to do something and us actually doing it. The Lord is looking for disciplined followers. Disciplined followers understand authoritative commands. They understand how important it is to do not only what is being asked of them by the Lord, but also understand that it is urgent. It is important for us to know that when God speaks there is no room for delay or misunderstanding. Let us move beyond just being followers to becoming disciples of Jesus.

Jesus made his disciples get into the boat because he wanted to send them where he was going, to the other side. We may not always understand what God is asking us to do, but there is always a reason. When God asks us to do something, it is because he has someone or something in mind. In this particular case, on the other side, some people had never experienced the ministry of Jesus. Moreover, there was something that he was developing in his followers. Jesus made them get in the boat of obedience to get to the other side.

In the middle of the sea, the disciples encountered a contrary wind. It blew against their efforts. The wind could not stop them, but it irritated them. There is fear and intimidation in the middle of our obedience. The enemy will let us get started. It is easy to start something, but it is in the middle when we experience resistance. 

Meanwhile, Jesus was on the mountain praying and watching. No matter the intimidation we experience, we are never outside of the sight of our savior. Jesus will send us out, but he will never lose sight of us. The disciples were in the middle of obedience. Scripture says they were terrified. They did not believe that they were going to make it to the other side. Jesus began to walk out on the water toward the disciples. When they saw Jesus, the disciples thought he was a ghost. Jesus told them to be bolder and identified himself. Peter’s response was not a response of faith; it was a response in the flesh. It was a response of doubt and fear. Peter went from forgetting how his past obedience got him to where he was to forgetting who Jesus was and what he sounded like.

We are most vulnerable when we start trusting our own ideas and opinions more than we trust the word of Jesus. Jesus came and lifted Peter up. Sometimes in the middle of obedience, it gets scary. Don’t be like Peter and start questioning Jesus in the middle of obedience. Stay in the boat of obedience. Jesus is always on the other side of our obedience. 

Discussion/Reflection Questions: 

1. Do you consider yourself to be a disciplined follower of Jesus? Have you allowed Jesus to be the leader of your life? 

2. What was the last authoritative command that God gave you? Have you followed through with what he asked you to do? 

3. What kind of adversity or resistance have you experienced in the midst of obedience?