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Matthew 14 Devotional: Witness the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water. Discover how Christ’s power over nature and His compassion for the hurting reveal Him as the True Son of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to Matthew Chapter 14. This is a chapter of deep sorrow and staggering miracles. We begin with the tragic death of John the Baptist, but we quickly see that even in the face of earthly tyranny and human limitation, Jesus remains the Sovereign King. Let us step into the boat with the disciples today and behold the One who silences the storm.
Matthew Chapter 14 Introduction:
Matthew Chapter 14 Introduction:
The Bread of Life and the Lord of the Storm
Matthew 14 is a masterpiece of divine provision and power. Following the news of John the Baptist’s execution, Jesus withdraws to a desolate place, yet His compassion leads Him to heal the crowds and miraculously feed over five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish. Immediately after, He sends His disciples into a storm, only to meet them by walking on the waves. When Peter falters in faith, Jesus is there to catch him, leading the entire boat to worship Him as the Son of God.
What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see that Jesus is fully God. As your Statement of Faith affirms, we believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, coequal in power and glory with the Father. Only the Creator of the elements can multiply bread and tread upon the sea. We also see the reality of Humanity and Sin (Article 5) in our tendency to fear. Peter’s sinking is a mirror for our own lives; when we take our eyes off the Savior and focus on the "wind and waves" of our circumstances, we begin to sink. Yet, Matthew 14 reminds us that salvation is a gift of grace. Jesus didn't wait for the storm to stop before reaching out to Peter; He reached out in the midst of it. He is the "Immanuel" who is with us in our hunger and our storms.
Bible Verse
Bible Verse
John the Baptist Beheaded
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Prayer
Prayer
When the disciples saw Jesus on the water, they cried out in fear, but He immediately said, "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." Let us bring our fears to Him now in prayer.
Prayer Theme: "Lord of the Wind and Waves"
Prayer Theme: "Lord of the Wind and Waves"
Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the revelation of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who has all authority in heaven and on earth. We believe that He is the sovereign Lord over all creation and the only source of our provision. Thank You for the compassion You show us when we are weary and for the strength You provide when we are overwhelmed.
Lord, I confess that like Peter, I often let the storms of life distract me from Your presence. Forgive me for my little faith. When the winds of anxiety or trial blow against me today, help me to keep my eyes fixed steadily on Jesus. I thank You for Your sustaining grace that catches me when I fall and for Your Word that serves as my final authority in every storm. May I be like the disciples in the boat, falling on my knees to worship You in truth and sincerity.
We pray for those in our community who feel they have "nothing to give"—those who are facing scarcity in their finances, their health, or their spirits. We ask that You would miraculously multiply their "loaves and fish" and reveal Yourself as their Great Provider. We lift up the universal Church, asking that we would be a people of courage who walk by faith and not by sight. We pray for a world tossed about by the waves of conflict and confusion; may they see the silhouette of the Savior walking toward them and find the peace that only He can give. Amen.
Daily Application Question
Daily Application Question
Jesus asked Peter, "Why did you doubt?" Is there a "storm" in your life right now where you have stopped looking at Jesus and started looking at the waves? How can you refocus on His presence today?
Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew 14
Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew 14
Why did Jesus walk on water? It was not a "magic trick," but a demonstration of His divine identity. In the Old Testament, only God is described as treading on the waves of the sea (Job 9:8). By walking on the water, Jesus was revealing that He is the Yahweh of the Old Testament in human flesh.
What is the significance of the twelve baskets of leftovers? The twelve baskets represent God’s abundant provision for the twelve tribes of Israel. It shows that Jesus is the "Bread of Life" who provides more than enough for all who come to Him.
Why did Jesus allow the disciples to go into the storm? Often, God allows us to experience storms to grow our faith and to reveal His glory in ways we wouldn't see on calm waters. The storm was the classroom where the disciples learned that Jesus is truly the Son of God.
Thank you for joining us for Matthew 14. May you walk today with the courage of Christ and the peace of His provision. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow for the teaching on inner purity in Matthew Chapter 15.
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