Our paragraph topic is: (Peter walks on the water) Part 1.
The test had begun. The disciples were in the boat being tossed about by the waves and water was everywhere. They did not know who they were becoming but Christ knew. Christ was their teacher. Christ was their provider. Christ was their protector and he knew what they were becoming. But the disciples did not know that the transformation was taking place within them. For they had seen many things with Christ. They had seen the lame walk. They had seen that the blind could see through the miracles that Christ performed. They saw the demons cast out, and they still did not know who they were becoming with Christ. Christ told them to feed the people themselves and they did not know that they could. They wanted to send the people away.
Christ sent the disciples away and now they were alone on the sea in the boat with the waves crashing down upon them. There was no place to hide. There was no place to go. There was no protection for water was everywhere. And fear was their only choice, fear of dying, fear of loosing their lives, fear of all they had sacrificed for naught. They were simple men, not scholars. They had no knowledge of a soul. They did not know about the spirit of life within them. They did not know what would happen after death, so they were afraid. And the evil one was upon them seeking to have them turn from Christ in this hour of trial and test. For he wanted them to believe that they were dying. He wanted them to believe that Christ had failed them. He wanted them to believe that Christ was not the Messiah and that they were lost. But Christ came to them in their hour of trial and test. Christ came to them walking on the water. Christ came to them telling them to take courage and not to be afraid. For fear was upon them.
They thought that Christ was a ghost. They believed that they were seeing illusions in their dying hour. But Peter challenged the test of heart. Peter, amongst all the disciples, wanted to know. Peter wanted to believe. Peter had that spark of hope within that lead him to take action. His heart was opened. His mind believed. His desire for Christ challenged him to take action and so he called to the ghost. He called to Christ to test his faith. But Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is thou, bid me come to thee over the water."
If, Peter said. If, Peter asked. If, Peter challenged. If, Peter believed. If it is thou, he said then command that I walk on water. For Peter saw Christ doing something that he wanted to do. Peter believed that if Christ had commanded all the other miracles to happen then he could command that he, Peter, walk on water. So he challenged that he might prove to himself that this was the Christ. He challenged that he might know within himself that Christ was the Messiah. He called to Christ that he might know without a doubt that Christ was the Son of Man and God was his father. And he said,"Come."
Would you come if Christ called you? Christ walks on air at the edge of a cliff and he calls to you to come would you step out from the cliff to go to him? Would you believe that he has the power to make you walk on air? Would you know that you would not fall? Would you believe with all your being that he is your protector and your provider, your guide and your shield? The world would tell you otherwise. The world would have you believe in yourself, that you are your provider, that you are your protector. The world would have you believe that you can do anything as long as you believe in yourself. For this is the way of the world and as long as you are in the world and succeeding, what need have you of God. You can be your provider. You can be your protector. You can be your own guide without the help of Christ who loves you. And there is the challenge, live in the world without believing in Christ or live in Christ and believe that he can make you do miracles like walking on water or walking on air and achieving all things within him. Christ calls to you, and he says to you,"Come."
The test had begun. The disciples were in the boat being tossed about by the waves and water was everywhere. They did not know who they were becoming but Christ knew. Christ was their teacher. Christ was their provider. Christ was their protector and he knew what they were becoming. But the disciples did not know that the transformation was taking place within them. For they had seen many things with Christ. They had seen the lame walk. They had seen that the blind could see through the miracles that Christ performed. They saw the demons cast out, and they still did not know who they were becoming with Christ. Christ told them to feed the people themselves and they did not know that they could. They wanted to send the people away.
Christ sent the disciples away and now they were alone on the sea in the boat with the waves crashing down upon them. There was no place to hide. There was no place to go. There was no protection for water was everywhere. And fear was their only choice, fear of dying, fear of loosing their lives, fear of all they had sacrificed for naught. They were simple men, not scholars. They had no knowledge of a soul. They did not know about the spirit of life within them. They did not know what would happen after death, so they were afraid. And the evil one was upon them seeking to have them turn from Christ in this hour of trial and test. For he wanted them to believe that they were dying. He wanted them to believe that Christ had failed them. He wanted them to believe that Christ was not the Messiah and that they were lost. But Christ came to them in their hour of trial and test. Christ came to them walking on the water. Christ came to them telling them to take courage and not to be afraid. For fear was upon them.
They thought that Christ was a ghost. They believed that they were seeing illusions in their dying hour. But Peter challenged the test of heart. Peter, amongst all the disciples, wanted to know. Peter wanted to believe. Peter had that spark of hope within that lead him to take action. His heart was opened. His mind believed. His desire for Christ challenged him to take action and so he called to the ghost. He called to Christ to test his faith. But Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is thou, bid me come to thee over the water."
If, Peter said. If, Peter asked. If, Peter challenged. If, Peter believed. If it is thou, he said then command that I walk on water. For Peter saw Christ doing something that he wanted to do. Peter believed that if Christ had commanded all the other miracles to happen then he could command that he, Peter, walk on water. So he challenged that he might prove to himself that this was the Christ. He challenged that he might know within himself that Christ was the Messiah. He called to Christ that he might know without a doubt that Christ was the Son of Man and God was his father. And he said,"Come."
Would you come if Christ called you? Christ walks on air at the edge of a cliff and he calls to you to come would you step out from the cliff to go to him? Would you believe that he has the power to make you walk on air? Would you know that you would not fall? Would you believe with all your being that he is your protector and your provider, your guide and your shield? The world would tell you otherwise. The world would have you believe in yourself, that you are your provider, that you are your protector. The world would have you believe that you can do anything as long as you believe in yourself. For this is the way of the world and as long as you are in the world and succeeding, what need have you of God. You can be your provider. You can be your protector. You can be your own guide without the help of Christ who loves you. And there is the challenge, live in the world without believing in Christ or live in Christ and believe that he can make you do miracles like walking on water or walking on air and achieving all things within him. Christ calls to you, and he says to you,"Come."
