Walking on Water

Hello, this is "Samuel", one of the many followers of the simple man Jesus and once a disciple of John the Baptist; I greet you once again.

I am writing about a tragedy that occurred to my former teacher and mentor John the Baptist. As you know, John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod Antipas, the 1st-century ruler of Galilee and Perea and who bore the title of tetrarch. John's vehement condemnation of his divorce of his first wife Phasaelis and the illicit remarrying of his brother’s wife Herodias landed him in royal chains. While John the Baptist was in prison, I needed a righteous man to follow, so I became one of the multitudes that pursued Jesus.

I heard a harrowing story as I journeyed with Jesus as I listened to his teachings and witnessed his miracles. At a Herod's birthday celebration, a very promiscuous and lurid affair, the daughter of Herodias danced in front of Herod, arousing and exciting him. When she finished, he offered to grant her whatever she wanted. "Being previously instructed by her mother, she said, “'Give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter.'” (v8)

Herod, wanting to stay in good standing with Herodias, ordered John the Baptist’s execution by beheading.

Mathew 14:10-11 He sent and beheaded John in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

I was told about this despicable act and went to the palace in Jerusalem and retrieved the headless body for burial: "His disciples came and took up the body and buried it. And they went and told Jesus.” (v12) I could never understand such a persecution of someone who many considered a prophet of Israel. I was very saddened.

I returned to following Jesus, needing now more than ever, to follow a righteous man of God. This man’s miracles and teachings had become well known throughout the land, and people came from all the regions to be part of his movement.

There was one episode where there must have been at least five-thousand of us crowded in a barren place. As evening fell, the crowd became restless because no food was available to feed us. A hungry crowd is often just one incident from becoming an out-of-control mob. Miraculously, this simple man Jesus turned five loaves and two fish into enough food to feed all of us. I must admit it was the tastiest meal I’d ever had.

Even though not an actual witness, I heard of another miraculous event by Jesus. That same night, he sent his disciples by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilea while he sent us back to our homes - I think he sensed that we were ready to make him our king. After all had left, he stayed to pray. Harsh winds kicked up the waves, causing the boat with the disciples to be at risk of capsizing and drowning them. A reliable witness relayed to me a miracle that I never imagined possible. The simple man Jesus walked on the water and eventually commanded the turbulent waters and wind into calm. "During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea." (v25)

This was not all. I heard that one of his disciples, named Peter, tried to walk on the water toward Jesus but panicked and began to drown. Jesus stuck his hand out and saved him and brought him back to the boat and later calmed the storm. Nonetheless, Peter walked actual steps upon those waters. What might he had experienced if he kept his focus on Jesus rather than the wind and waves.

But more profound was the conclusion of his disciples:

Mathew 14:33 Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Calling this simple man Jesus the ‘Son of God’ is a testament about this man that I was beginning to realize the more I was around him, and the more I observed the special faith in the Lord that he professed through his mercy and teachings. He continued healing, and I continued believing.

Amen