In our culture, we have thrown the phrase “walk on water” around so much, I think we sometimes forget how absolutely awesome this miracle is. Most of us have spent a good deal of time in and around water, so I want you to think about what it would be like to actually tread on a lake – picture it in your mind and try to imagine how it would feel to place your foot on the surface and be able to stand on the waves.
For a fisherman like Peter, this miracle had to impact him pretty hard – he had spent much of his life on this lake. And now he sees his friend and teacher walking on top of it! The fear that the disciples felt when they saw Jesus is certainly understandable – nothing like this had ever been heard of before!
Given the uniqueness of this miracle and Peter’s familiarity with the lake, his desire to come out of the boat is quite remarkable. It’s easy to criticize him when his fear began to overcome his faith causing him to begin to sink. But I want you to notice two things about Peter here: first, the text says that he began to sink, not that he actually dropped below the surface. So, somehow the faith he did have was able to keep his body from dropping into water completely (like it would if I jumped out of a boat). Second, as far as I know, only two people have walked on water – and Peter is one of them!
So, get out of the boat. Jump out and keep your eyes locked on Jesus – not on the wind and the waves around you. Shed your ideas of how things should work (like water & gravity or tradition or comfort or common sense), realize the power that God wants to unleash in your life, and get out of the boat.
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.