When We Don’t Recognize Jesus

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. — Mark 6:45-48

Jesus walking on the water. This is a very well known Bible story. In fact, many people who haven’t read the Bible have heard some sort of “water walking” reference. I’m pretty sure there was even a MythBusters episode where they tried to see if walking on water was even possible (spoiler alert: it wasn’t, but human limitations don’t stop Jesus).

While this account appears in three of the gospels (Matthew, Mark and John), the most commonly used passage is found in Matthew 14:22-34. It’s the only account that includes the interaction between Peter and Jesus.

“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?” –Matthew 14:28-31

This is a passage I’ve heard preached time and time again. It’s common to reflect on the phenomenon that Peter was able to walk on the water only when his eyes were on Jesus. As soon as he focused on wind and the waves around him, he started to sink. There is an amazing application for our lives. When we focus on the storms in our own lives, we start to sink. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are able to walk on the water, unaffected the wind and waves around us. That was the application I had always heard pertaining to this passage.

I was struck while reading this passage, that in all three gospels the disciples were afraid when they saw Jesus. In fact in two of the gospels, it even goes so far as to say they thought he was a ghost (Mark 6:49, Matthew 14:26). They didn’t recognize Jesus at all.

Some might say that the intensity of the storm was preventing them from clearly making out who he was. There may be validity in that; it’s applicable in our lives that when the storm is crashing all around us, it can be difficult to see or recognize Jesus.

However, I see something different as I look at these passages. I think the reason that they didn’t recognize Jesus is because walking on the water was something that was so outside the paradigm of what they thought Jesus would (or maybe even could) do. As a matter of fact, it was so outside the realm of possibility in their minds, they assumed it was a malevolent spirit and were afraid.

It seems so silly to us, doesn’t it? The disciples saw him perform all sorts of miracles. In fact, Jesus had just fed 5,000 men (not including women and children) with only five loaves of bread and two fish right before this. Why would walking on the water be too difficult? Hindsight is 20/20 for us. It’s obviously to us that Jesus could walk on the water, but Mark 6:52 tells us “their hearts were hardened.” They weren’t able to see all Jesus was capable of. When he did something that was completely outside the box, they couldn’t fathom that it could be Jesus.

Do we do the same things? When we pray for God to move, to have His way, do we have a picture of what we think it should look like? Do we remember the last answer to prayer, the last great service, the last revival and expect that things will be done the same way? We like to put Jesus inside a little box of what’s normal and what’s expected.

But God can’t be limited. He is an amazing, infinite God. I find that He rarely does the same thing twice. So, when He comes through and completely shatters our paradigms, what is our response? Do we recognize Him? Or do we attribute a move of God as something demonic, because it doesn’t look the way we thought it would? Often revival isn’t pretty; it’s messy. God often shifts things in a way that we wouldn’t expect or desire. We want the glory, the fruit, the nice church services, but we aren’t willing to do the things He is asking. It’s outside our comfort zone or paradigm, so we immediately dismiss it, assuming it couldn’t be the Lord.

In the gospel of John, it wasn’t until Jesus spoke to them and they recognized Him that they were “willing to take him into the boat” (John 6:21). I wonder how often Jesus tries to speak to us, but we’re too busy to listen. Perhaps wee’re too focused on living our own lives the way we want; maybe the wind and the waves distract us. But we miss the voice of Jesus, so we never let Him into our boat. As a result, the storm isn’t calmed and we don’t reach our destination on the other side of the lake, where He really wants to take us.

Where did Jesus want to take the disciples?

When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went – into villages, towns or countryside – they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. –Mark 6:53-56

Jesus wanted to reach those in desperate need of Him. I think if we ask the question today of where Jesus wants to take us, the answer is the same. There are so many who are lost and hurting, in desperate need of a healing touch from Jesus. But do we recognize Him? Are we listening? Do we allow Him in the boat? Or do we miss all He is trying to do, because it’s not within the parameters we are accustomed to?