TEXT: Matthew 14:22-23

Splash! Water sprayed everywhere when Steve jumped off the diving board and hit the surface of the water.

“How did you like that?” Steve sputtered as he swam to the side where his friend Jerry sat.

“Pretty good splash. Now, let’s see you walk on water,” Jerry said with a laugh.

Steve lifted himself out of the pool and sat down. “I can’t do that myself, but I know Someone who did.”

Jerry laughed again and said, “Oh, sure you do. Now I’ve heard everything. Who walked on water?”

“Two people. Jesus and Peter, His disciple. You’ve never heard about that?”

Jerry shook his head, “I guess not. Tell me about it.”

“Well, we just studied it in Sunday school yesterday. Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. Jesus stayed behind. During the night, while they were crossing the sea, a storm arose. The disciples rowed and rowed, but the boat was tossed about by big waves.”

“They must have been worn out!” Jerry said.

“I suppose so,” Steve continued, “but listen to what happened next. All of a sudden they saw Someone walking on the water toward them. They were really scared! They thought it might be a ghost or something like that.”

“I thought you said Peter walked on the water too.”

“I’m getting to that,” Steve went on. “Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘It is I.’ Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘If it’s really You, ask me to walk on the water too.’ So Jesus said, ‘Come,’ and Peter walked on the water for a while. Then he started to sink.”

“What do you mean? Why did he sink?” Jerry asked.

“Peter started looking at the waves and he got afraid. But Jesus took hold of his hand and got him back on top. So they walked over to the boat and climbed in. As soon as they did, the wind quit blowing. And that’s how two people walked on the water.”

The two friends got up and walked over to the concession stand to get some lemonade. As they sat in the sun with their cool drinks, Jerry said, “That’s an interesting story all right. But I know I can’t walk on water, so what good is it to us?”

Steve thought for a moment. “We might never need to walk on water. But sometimes there are hard things to face. You know, like a test or a bully at school. Those can seem like impossible things, but with Jesus you can, well, walk on top of them just like Peter did when he had his eyes on Jesus. It’s worked for me since Jesus saved me. You need to come to Sunday school and learn about Jesus too.”

PARENT’S CORNER

This lesson tells of the dramatic account of how Jesus walked on the water to His disciples. Your child will learn how Peter wanted to walk on the water toward Jesus and was able to do so until he became afraid.

As you talk over this story together, your child should understand that when Jesus calls us to do something, He makes a way, even though it may seem impossible.

Help your child make a memory verse sign this week. Give him two spring-type clothespins. Let him decorate them with flowers or stripes using felt-tip marker pens. Make a small signboard from construction paper, and glue it to lightweight cardboard. Have him carefully print his memory verse on the signboard. Attach the two clothespins to the base to hold up the sign, and let him place the sign on a dresser or table where he can read and study it daily.