Kingdom Incompetence

Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in. [Mark 6.47-52]

The disciples' hearts were too hard to understand the miracle of the loaves. But what did that have to do with Jesus walking on the water? Well, probably the same thing it had to do with Peter walking on the water as Matthew documented this same event:

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed. [Matthew 14.22-33]

Faith was Peter's problem. But there seems to have been more to it than that. What was it that hindered the disciples' faith? It was the hardness of their hearts toward all that Jesus had been demonstrating and teaching up to that point! And what was Jesus demonstrating and teaching up to that point? Remember a few posts ago all my discussion about "authority?" The disciples had simply not grasped the concept of "authority" as Jesus delegated it to them. They were Kingdom incompetent! The last verse in Matthew's account of this event reveals their ignorance of that "delegated" authority:

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

You see, they recognized Jesus as the Son of God (but so did all the demons, remember?). Recognizing Jesus only got Peter out of the boat - but it did not suspend him on the water's surface! It wasn't enough that Jesus, the Son of God, bid Peter "come." Peter's confidence in Jesus' authority was not enough to overcome the laws of nature. Peter needed to understand that he too had been delegated that same "all authority in heaven and on earth" and therefore look at the laws of nature as merely circumstantial. 

Faith in Jesus goes MUCH further than just believing He is the Son of God! Genuine faith in Jesus (that pleases God) is not subject to the physical laws of nature. Genuine faith that pleases God feeds 5000 families with 5 loaves and 2 fish (remember that Jesus first told the disciples, "you feed them"?). The numbers of that story are inconsequential except to demonstrate that Kingdom authority is not limited the laws of science and nature.

Where does this put us today?

Father in answer to my own question above, I confess my incompetence when it comes to the authority Jesus demonstrated and delegated to me as a believer in Him. Forgive me for my hard heart - my lack of faith - not faith that Jesus is Your Son, but faith that Your Son literally showed me how to live and move as a Kingdom ambassador in, but not controlled by, this physical world.