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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON The Life of Jesus

JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Elementary Lesson Year Two, Quarter Three, Lesson Seven Sunday, August 15, 2021

AIM: to teach my class that there is nothing that Jesus cannot do.

OBJECTS TO HAVE: A pitcher of water As many different objects pertaining to water, as you want or need A picture of a lake A picture of a boat Your Bible

POINT OF CONTACT: Do you know what I like? I like water! We would be in big, big trouble if we did not have water. We could not live if we did not have water. Let’s see how many things we can think of that you can do with water. First, you can drink water. You can swim in water. You can use water to take a bath. You can use water to brush your teeth. You can water the plants. You can use water to wash the dishes, your clothes, or the car. You can use water to keep your goldfish alive. You can squirt water from a squirt gun. You cook with water, you can make hot tea with water or you can make iced tea with water. You can go fishing in the water; you can go water-skiing, diving, rafting, or jet skiing. You can take a cruise, go to the aquarium and see sharks, or you can ride on a sailboat or a speedboat. You can make ice cubes, ice pops, or icicles. Can anybody think of anything else that you can do with water? But there is one thing that you have never seen anybody do with water. You have never seen anybody walk on the water. Why? Because it is impossible to walk on the water. Oh, but wait. There is one Person who did walk on the water. Can you imagine seeing somebody walk on the water? It would be a sight so unusual that you probably would not believe your eyes! But the Bible says that it did happen. Let me tell you about it.

STORY: The Bible tells us that Jesus had just finished preaching to a large group of people. In fact, He had just finished feeding a group of thousands of people. Now the eating was over and the preaching was over, and it was time for everyone to go home. Jesus wanted to spend a few minutes with the people, but He knew that His disciples needed a break. So Jesus looked to the water nearby, and He saw a ship. He turned to the disciples and said, “Men, we are going to cross the sea. But I need some time to say goodbye to all of the people who came to hear me preach. Why don’t all of you go ahead of me, take a trip across the sea in this boat, and I will catch up with you later.” The disciples did as they were told, walked down the hill, got into the ship, and began their trip across the water. Meanwhile, Jesus said goodbye to all of the people. By now it was getting dark, and Jesus knew that it was time for Him to go and pray. You see, kids, Jesus had a set time every day when He went alone with His heavenly Father and prayed. Each of us ought to have a time set apart when we go alone and pray. So Jesus walked up into a mountain as it was getting dark, and there he began to pray and walk and talk with God. As Jesus prayed and as it got darker, the wind began to blow very hard. The wind was also blowing very hard below on the water…the water where the disciples were in the boat. The more the wind blew, the more the water began to get rough. Pretty soon it was very dark, very windy, and very stormy. The disciples grew very afraid, as the boat began to rock back and forth, and tip up and down. Remember, most of these disciples were experienced fishermen. They had been in storms many times before. They knew how to handle a boat in a storm. But this storm was so bad that even the seasoned fishermen were scared. Water splashed into the boat, and they did not know what they were going to do. The storm lasted long into the night, with waves smashing against the boat for hours.

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Suddenly, one of the disciples looked out into the darkness and said, “I think I see someone coming.” Someone else said, “You mean another boat?” He said, “No, look out there. It looks as if…well it looks as if someone is…walking on the water!” Everyone began to poke fun at him for saying such a foolish thing, until someone else said, “Wait…I think I see him, too.” Everyone stopped their laughing when one by one the disciples each could see the form of a man walking on the water toward them. They were miles from shore! No one could walk on water to begin with. And even if they could, no one could walk on the water during this awful storm. And even if they could, no one could walk on the water in this awful storm, all these miles from the shore. So somebody yelled, “It must be a ghost!” All of the disciples began to scream, “Oh, no!! A ghost!! Help!! A ghost!! Help!!” It must have been a funny sight to see these grown men yelling for help because they thought they had seen a ghost! Then, above the storm and above their yelling they heard the calm, but powerful, voice of Jesus say, “Be of good cheer! It is I! Be not afraid!” It was Jesus! And even though the wind was still blowing, and the water was still beating against the boat, they knew that as long as Jesus was there, everything would be alright. Then one of the disciples, named Peter, said, “Lord, is that you? Lord, if that is you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water!” Jesus, still far away, said to Peter, “Come!” Peter climbed down out of the ship, and Peter began to walk on the water. Wow! Imagine that! Peter was walking on the water, too! But after Peter had taken just a few steps, the waves began to scare him. Peter stopped looking at Jesus and began to look fearfully at the waves around him. As soon as Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink. He yelled, “Help, Lord!” Jesus reached out to Peter and caught him and saved him from drowning. Then Jesus brought Peter into the safety of the ship. Do you know what happened? The moment that Jesus got into the ship, the storm stopped! Just the presence of Jesus had calmed the waves. To some people, this story in the Bible may seem too hard to believe. But that is because they do not know just what Jesus can do. If you know how big and powerful Jesus is, you have no doubt about what He can do.

Do you know what, kids? There is not anything that Jesus cannot do. No matter how impossible something may seem, Jesus can fix it. Do you know someone who is sick? Jesus can heal them. Do you know someone who is dying? Jesus can make them live. Do you know someone whose heart has been broken? Jesus can help them. Do you know someone who needs a lot of money to take care of some problem? Jesus can supply their need. There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. Now, wait a minute. I’m your Sunday School teacher, but I cannot do those things. Our pastor cannot do all of those things. You can tell us about your problem and we can pray for you, but Jesus is the only one who can do miracles. If you need a miracle today, you need to take time and go alone to pray, and you need to ask Jesus to do that miracle. If you will pray like you ought to pray, there is nothing that Jesus cannot do for you. Yes, He walked on the water. And yes, He can do what you need Him to do today. Will you let Him?

Let’s learn our memory verse - Jeremiah 32:27 – Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?

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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON The Life of Jesus

JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Teen and Adult Lesson Year Two, Quarter Three, Lesson Seven Sunday, August 15, 2021

Teacher, choose one of the following truths to expand upon in teaching this portion of Scripture to your teen/adult class. Teach and apply the truth that you choose using statements and illustrations that are most helpful and applicable to your students.

I. GOD SENDS US INTO TESTING WHEN IT IS RIGHT FOR US. 14:22. Jesus knew that He was sending His disciples into the storm. He knew that their faith would be tested, He knew that none of them would be hurt, and He knew that He would deliver them. He knew that He was in control of the elements. We must trust that God is in complete control.

II. JESUS PLANNED TIME ALONE IN PRAYER. 14:23. After the feeding of the 5000, and before Jesus walked on the water, He spent the night alone in prayer. He planned His prayer time. How much more should we make it our priority to plan significant time alone for prayer.

III. JESUS PROVED THAT HE WAS THE MASTER OF THE THING THAT THEY FEARED. These seasoned men of the sea found themselves in a position where they didn’t know what they were going to do, where their worst fears had come to pass. Jesus let them get to that extreme place so that He could show them that even there, He was in control. When you face desperate times, let God show you that even there He can and will take care of you.

IV. WE SINK WHEN WE TAKE OUR EYES OFF OF CHRIST. Jesus granted Peter’s request to come walk on the water, and he did take a few steps; but quickly Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off of Christ to look in fear at the waves. Jesus reached out and saved Peter, then admonished him for his lack of faith. It is so easy to get our eyes on our difficult circumstances, but we must focus and keep our eyes on the One who is in control.

V. WHEN WE SEE JESUS IN THE STORM OUR FAITH IS STRENGTHENED. The end result of this incident is that Jesus’ disciples learned to trust Him even more. The storm is never easy, but the storm can strengthen our faith if we learn to see Jesus in our storms.

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JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Sunday, August 15, 2021

The Master of the Sea

I. MATTHEW 14:22-24 The Disciples are Caught in the Storm 22 Jesus sends the disciples away on a ship 23 Jesus goes into a mountain to pray 24 A storm tosses the ship around on the sea

II. MATTHEW 14:25-27 Jesus Goes to the Disciples 25 Jesus walks to the disciples on top of the storm-tossed water 26 The disciples think they see a ghost 27 Jesus identifies Himself and encourages the disciples

III. MATTHEW 14:28-31 Jesus Saves Peter 28 Peter asks permission to walk on the water 29 Peter gets out of the ship and begins to walk to Jesus 30 Peter fears, begins to sink, and calls to Jesus for help 31 Jesus rescues Peter and admonishes his doubt

IV. MATTHEW 14:32-33 Jesus Calms the Storm 32 Jesus gets in the ship and the storm ceases 33 The disciples worship Jesus

Adult Bible Class

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JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Sunday, August 15, 2021

Jesus walked on the water to get to His disciples when they were in a storm.

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?

JEREMIAH 32:27

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JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Sunday, August 15, 2021 Search the puzzle below to find the ten words in the wordlist from today’s story. Words may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Circle each word that you find.

S E L T P R A Y I N G O P D N W I N D L K M D A A N W I C J E C P T I R G S D U P W S T E P S G D T M R O J D E A G C E I O B P S N E L C Z I K P R I M H L A S E T P D W M V I I T O M U F L C R A H L P O G R I S E S W N A J W A T E R X S W M G E B H Q W A K P A L E P W A L K I N G N W E

WORDLIST: JESUS PRAYING GALILEE STORM DISCIPLES WIND WATER WALKING SHIP PEACE

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

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JESUS WALKS ON WATER Matthew 14:22-33 Sunday, August 15, 2021 The answers to today’s puzzle

WORDLIST:

JESUS PRAYING GALILEE STORM DISCIPLES WIND WATER WALKING SHIP PEACE

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