YEA Lesson Library
A Walk on Water
About This Lesson
This lesson encourages the students to trust God with the storms and temptations in their lives.
Scriptures
Matthew 8:23-27
Matthew 14:1-33
Mark 6:45-52
John 6:15-21
Romans 4:4
Galatians 2:16
Ephesians 2:8
Hebrews 11:1-40
Words to Know
INCEST - sexual intercourse between persons too closely related to marry legally
ATROCIOUS - very cruel, evil, brutal
AERODYNAMICS - the branch of mechanics that deals with the forces exerted by air or other gases in motion
The Lesson
King Herod arrested John the Baptist, threw him into prison and put chains on him. This was done to please his wife, Herodias, who was previously married to Herod’s brother. John told Herod it was wrong to marry her because it was an incestuous relationship (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, page 338). Herod was too much of a coward to kill John for saying that. He feared the people would riot because they believed John was a prophet.
Herod’s birthday party must have been a real blast. Herodias’ teenage daughter performed a dance. It pleased Herod so much that he vowed to give her anything she wanted. Herodias didn’t let this opportunity slip by. She wanted John dead! So she told her daughter to ask for John’s head on a tray. Herod shouldn’t have made this foolish vow. Herod didn’t want to be thought of as weak. So he would not go back on his vow and John was beheaded. The girl presented his head to her mother on a tray.
The disciples heard about this atrocious event and got John’s body and buried it. When Jesus heard about His cousin’s brutal murder, He must have been deeply grieved. He tried to get away to a private place, but the people followed. They were hungry and tired, and Jesus had compassion on them. He turned a boy’s five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed 5000 men plus women and children.
After Jesus performed that miracle, He again felt an urgent need to get away and pray. He made His way into the hills to be alone and sent His disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Darkness fell as He prayed late into the night. The murder of John must have weighed very heavily on Him.
A strong wind came up and the Sea of Galilee was exceptionally rough that night. The disciples were still in their boat trying desperately to cross the lake. The fierce winds tossed their boat about like a top. Their progress was slow and difficult because of the strong winds and high waves.
Between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., which is the third watch, Jesus decided to go to His disciples. He had no boat, but that didn’t deter Him from going. He proceeded to go to His disciples by walking on the water.
As Jesus made His way towards them, the disciples saw a figure on the water and were terrified. They didn’t recognize Him and thought He was a ghost. Jesus heard them when they cried out, “It’s a ghost.” Jesus shouted back to them, “Take courage, it is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Peter was the impetuous kind and usually spoke before he thought. He yelled back at Jesus, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus responded, “Come.” So, Peter got out of the boat and began walking towards Jesus on the water.
Can you picture this scene? High waves are furiously splashing against the boat that Peter is in, causing it to bob up and down on the rough sea. Then he goes over the side of the boat and stands up on the choppy water. But instead of sinking, the water under his feet seems to be as solid as the ground. Peter begins to walk on water.
What an experience! People marvel that an airplane can fly. But the flight of an airplane can be explained by physics and aerodynamics. Walking on water can’t be explained away by science!
As Peter walked towards Jesus, he noticed the wind and the waves. Overcome with doubt and fear, Peter lost faith and started to sink. The water would no longer support him. Afraid that he might drown, he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught Peter. Holding him while still on the water, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why do you doubt?” There is no record of Peter’s response, if there was one. After all, what could he say?
Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat and immediately the wind died down. The disciples were amazed and worshiped Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” The disciples had experienced a lot in their travels with Jesus. They had seen Him heal the sick and lame and raise the dead. Surely, they remembered the time when fearing for their lives, Jesus quieted a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee with a simple command. But this experience was somehow different. It reaffirmed all that He taught them and all that they believed about Him.
As you think about this lesson, ask yourself what you would have done if you had been in Peter’s shoes. Would you have trusted Jesus or would you have doubted? Would you have remained focused in your faith or would you have given in to fear?
To Peter’s credit, at least he tried. He did walk a little distance on the water. Although he failed, he learned from this experience. Because Peter never gave up, God was able to turn him into a man of great faith.
Are you willing to turn your life over to Jesus? Are you ready to trust Him and His Word? Just remember that He can help. He can help you rise above your sins, personal problems and adversities. There is no problem that can’t be overcome if you turn your life over to Jesus. So are you ready to trust Him. Are you ready to walk on water?
Student Prayer
Dear Father,
You sent your Son and He overcame the world. Thank you for His help and example. There is no problem that is too difficult for Him. With your help, I can have faith and overcome my problems. Please grant me the faith to put you first in my life and to trust you completely.
It’s in Jesus’ name that I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Matthew 14:22-33
Monday - Hebrews 11:1-40
Tuesday - John 6:15-21
Wednesday - Mark 6:45-52
Thursday - Matthew 8:23-27
Friday - Galatians 2:16
Saturday - Romans 4:4
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recognize that even a disciple, such as Peter, lacked faith.
2. Explain that Jesus is compassionate in spite of our lack of faith and will help us if we try.
3. Demonstrate the importance of faith in our lives.
Topics & Themes
Disciples
Peter
Faith
Herod
Jesus, His Miracles
Calming the Storm
Feeding of 5000
Healing
Walking on Walk
John the Baptist
Peter
Prayer
Storms
Temptation
Trusting God
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA students and teacher’s books, attendance and memory verse charts, 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper, marker pen, songbook, CD and music player, safety pins
How to Teach This Lesson
By sequentially following the questions laid out below, you will be better equipped to complete every section, stay on track and meet the objectives of this lesson.
Tell me, how would you feel if you attended a birthday party and one of your teenage girl friends brought someone’s head in to her mother as a gift? Do you remember why Herod had John the Baptist murdered and beheaded? Because John condemned his incestuous marriage.
Was Herod so important that a prophet of God couldn’t tell him what he had done wrong?
Is there, deep within each one of us, the same kind of resentment towards someone who points out a mistake or sin in our life? Why is this? We would rather always be right than wrong. What can you do to ensure that this resentment doesn’t build and cause you to do something bizarre like Herod did?
Do you think Herod might have been haunted by taking John’s life? Why do you think so? Have one of the students read Matthew 14: 5 and 2 Kings 9:31 (KJV). Are there other ways to “slew a master” than killing him? What are they? Destroying his reputation, character, etc. What if you work for an owner of a company and you know he’s doing something either illegal or immoral. Is it your place to expose him or should you simply resign if he will not repent?
How many of you have been in a boat on the water when a thunderstorm came up? Who would like to tell their story? Include in your story that you see a figure in the distance walking on water. What is the first thing you would have done?
Do you think that you would have had as much faith as Peter had when he asked Jesus to let him walk on water? How far do you think that you would have walked before you started sinking?
What kind of difference can faith make in your life? President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be the doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.” What does that say to you? Doubts limit us and active faith moves us forward.
Patrick Henry once said, “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them and that is faith in Jesus Christ. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor indeed.” What is a shilling? It is an English coin that became in disuse when England’s monetary system was converted to the decimal system in the 1970’s. It was worth about twelve cents in American money at that time.
How would you paraphrase what Patrick Henry said? Faith in Jesus Christ is the most valuable possession we can have.
Is faith something you get once and always have, or is it something that can come and go? How do you know? Does it disturb you that you can lose faith? What are some things you can do to have more faith and to strengthen the faith you have? Study your Bible, pray and exercise your faith by believing God and stepping out on faith.
Can anyone quote a scripture that tells us that we are saved by grace?(Ephesians 2:8-9) Can you trust Christ to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life? Does this mean that you don’t have to do anything, that Jesus did it all for you? Ask one of the students to read James 2:17. What does this scripture say to you? A faith that will save you must produce works.
How can faith help you in school, with your home life or on your job? What kind of “works” can you do to ensure your faith is not a dead faith? Obey God’s commandments, and take care of human needs. How can faith help you share the gospel with others? Knowing that God rewards those who spread the gospel should motivate us and increase our faith. Asking God for a passion and a concern for the eternal life of others.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Before class, cut enough 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper in half to have one for each student. Write one of the following names on each piece of paper: Patrick Henry, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herod, Peter, John the Baptist, Herodias, Herodias’ daughter. After the lesson is finished, pin one piece of paper with a name on it to the back of each student without them seeing which name is there. Each student is to find out which name is on their back by asking other students questions. All they should know is the name on their back is one of the characters mentioned in today’s lesson. They are allowed to ask only questions that can be answered by “yes” or “no.” If there are more than seven students present, duplicate some of the names.
Song
“Open Our Eyes” is on page 50 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Ask one of the students to lead in prayer. Suggest that they thank God for a very helpful lesson on faith.
Printable Pages
