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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
14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.
9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18 He said, Bring them hither to me.
19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
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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