Today's Bible Study Lesson
“Who Do You Doubt?”
Aim: Recall
the
amazing
story of the storm at sea followed by Jesus’ appearance walking on
the water,
Repent
of
failing to trust in God when caught up in a crisis,
and Develop
habits
of
trust that enable us to overcome or doubt about God’s care.
Background: Matthew
14:22-33
Bible Lesson:
Matthew
9:18-26
Memory
Verses:
“And
immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and
said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
Matthew
14:31
KJV
Some
Highlights:
-
Matthew
Chapter 14,
opens
with discussions of Jesus’ miraculous works and Herod the tetrarch
speculating that Jesus was John
the Baptist
resurrected, whom he had beheaded at the indirect request of his
brother’s wife, Herodias. Herod had married his brother’s wife
and John the Baptist had spoken out that this
marriage
was not lawful. The old saying “there is no scorn like a woman’s”
costed John the Baptist his head. The report of the execution of his
cousin troubled Jesus and he sought solitude to perhaps privately
grieve; however, the
word
of Jesus being in the area brought
a crowd from the surrounding towns. Jesus had compassion for
the
sick who had come or who had been brought to him and
he
healed many.
-
As
the hour became late, the disciples urged Jesus to send the crowd to
close by villages for food and refreshment. Jesus rejected that idea
and directed the disciples to give them something to eat. The
disciples responded “we have only five loaves of bread and two
fish.” Jesus commanded
that the meager provisions be brought to him and he
directed
the crowd to be seated in the field. Jesus looked up to heaven and
gave thanks for the five loaves and two fish. He gave the food to
the disciples to distribute to the people. Five thousand
men not counting women and children were filled to satisfaction and
twelve baskets of broken pieces were collected from the five loaves
and two fish.
-
Our
Study, Matthew 14:22-33, begins with Jesus commanding the disciples
to board a boat and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he
dismisses the crowd.
-
After
the dismissal, Jesus goes to a mountainside location to pray or in
other words, to commune with the Father. There were many occasions
during Jesus earthly ministry that he sought solitude to commune
with Our Heavenly Father.
-
While
Jesus prayed on the mountainside, the disciples struggled in the
boat to reach the other side. They faced contrary winds that
hampered their progress.
-
In
the wee hours of the morning, Jesus set
out for
the other side walking on the water. As he came near to disciples’
boat, they
were frightened and believed what they saw was a ghost. Jesus
immediately calmed their nerves with the words, “Take courage! It
is I. Don’t be afraid.” The event of Jesus walking on water is
also recorded in the Gospel According to
Mark
and the Gospel According to
John.
However,
only
Matthew, records Peter’s request to
Jesus to grant him the power to walk on the
water
to Jesus. Jesus simply responds, “Come.” Peter steps out of the
boat and starts walking on water toward Jesus. But when he
begins to focus on the wind and the waves, Peter
immediately
begins to sink and cries out, “Lord, save me.” Immediately,
Jesus reaches out and rescues Peter and rebukes him for
a
lack of faith and asks “why did you doubt?”
-
Jesus
and Peter continue walking on the
water
and climb into the boat
and the strong
wind ceases. With this turn of events, the disciples worship Jesus
and state “Truly you are the Son of God.” What evidence brought
them to this conclusion? Perhaps, feeding more than five thousand
folks with five loaves and two fish, Jesus walking on water (no
still water mind you), and the immediate calmness
of the wind at his presents or command. What would have been your
response? Or better still what is your response to
the miracles He has performed in your life?
Take
Aways:
-
Doubt
creeped
into the minds
of even the disciples who were
eyewitnesses
to
the many miracles performed by the Master. Be aware that doubt is
one of Satan’s,
the Deceiver’s,
most potent tools!
-
Our
Savior has compassion on us and is able to meet our needs, no matter
their size.
-
Being
a believer in Jesus Christ does not make
us
immune to
the
difficulties and challenges of life.
Bible
Verses to Keep in Mind:
“A
double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.” James
1:8 KJV
“Jesus
answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith,
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the fig
tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed,
and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
Matthew
21:21-22 KJV
“Trust
in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.” Proverbs
3:5 KJV
“A
man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
Proverbs
16:9 NKJV
“In
all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs
3:6 NKJV
“[It
is] better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.”Psalm
118:8 NKJV
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