  Peter's Faith Tested "The steps of faith fall on the seeming void, but find the rock beneath." "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen." Genuine Faith. When Jesus called Simon "Peter" or "The Rock," he undoubtedly expressed in that name one characteristic which He desired to see in the faith of His disciples, and particularly in each of His Apostles. He desired them to possess a faith that was unwavering,—a faith that would make them steadfast in the truth regardless of miracles or the acts of men—a faith that would trust the Lord at all times and under all circumstances, let those times and circumstances be what they may. Jesus knew that the Jews were easily influenced; that a miracle performed today might awaken a feeling in them that He was the King for whom they had been waiting, and that a truth taught tomorrow might arouse in them a feeling that He was an impostor. He wanted to lead them to God and to His Gospel. He longed to have them comprehend the truths of life so they would live them after He was gone from their midst. Jesus Grieved. Imagine, then, how grieved He must have been when, after the miracle mentioned in the last chapter, the people arose and hailed Him King and thought by offering Him the bauble of an empty crown, they were doing Him honor! He did not want them to honor Him. His desire was for them to see the power of God, and believe in His divine truth. Desiring to be alone once more with His Father, not wanting the company even of the three chief apostles, Peter, James, and John, Jesus dismissed the multitude, told the Twelve to get into the ship and sail back to Capernaum, and He retired to a solitary place to pray. A TEMPESTUOUS SEAA Storm. During the night, while Jesus was yet praying, a great storm arose, which stirred the lake into a seething mass of billows. From the mountain Jesus could see His disciples battling with the sea, but unable to make much headway, although they could not see Him. When the ship was about thirty furlongs (four miles) from the shore, Jesus decided to go into it. It was now past midnight, and the disciples were still struggling in the midst of the heaving sea. Jesus on the Water. Imagine their fear when through the darkness they saw an object coming towards them on the waves! And when someone cried out, "It's a Spirit!" they were more frightened than ever. "But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying. Be of good cheer; It is I; be not afraid." At once, Peter spoke out, saying, "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water."[ Peter's Faith. "Come," said Jesus. "And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus." Peter, firm in belief and strong in determination, when your eye sees only the majesty of faith and the perfect manifestation of its power! Mighty and fearless when your eye sees only the glory of God, and your soul cries out to go to Him! His Doubt. But when you see "the wind boisterous," you are afraid; and beginning to sink, cry, saying, "Lord, save me." So it is in life: when the winds of temptation and the waves of despair beat upon us, the eye of faith is turned more upon these raging elements than upon the Light of Life, the power of faith is thus weakened, and as Peter, we begin to sink. Too many, ah, too many go down beneath the billows; only a few cry out as he. "Lord, save us!" And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, "O, thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" ANOTHER TESTIn Capernaum. Next morning, the people in Capernaum who knew that Peter and the other disciples had left the opposite shore without Jesus, were very much astonished to see Him in their midst, and said, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? "Ye seek me," answered Jesus, "not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." Lord, save me. "Lord, save me." "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you."[ Sermon on the Bread of Life. He then delivered the famous sermon on the Bread of Life, part of which, as John remembered it, is recorded in John the sixth chapter. There were so many things spoken which the Jews could not understand, because of their prejudice, that they first became confused, then angry, and finally much offended. Those who had only a little faith, became influenced by the murmuring crowd, and said, "We don't believe this man is the Son of God." Even some of His disciples turned away from the Truth, and "walked no more with Him." Men Swerved by Doubt. The mass of angry men and women became much like the heaving sea that tossed the disciples the evening before. The winds of ridicule and the waves of discontent beat against the wavering disciples. As they looked upon these angry elements of human passion, their faith in Christ weakened, and they "began to sink." Jesus Appeals to the Twelve. In vain, Jesus testified, "It is I, the Son of man!" They would not listen to Him, for He was to them only the son of Joseph the carpenter. As group after group turned their backs upon Him. He turned to the Twelve and said, "Will ye also go away?" Peter's Answer. Again it was Peter who broke the silence. With the others, he had looked at the noisy crowd, with the others he had listened to the angry words hurled at their Master. In the midst of this sea of human passion, shall he say, "Lord, if it be Thee, bid me come unto Thee?" As if he wavered just a little, as if his faith had not yet become as firm as Jesus would have it become, he answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Belief Matures into Knowledge. Then, as his assurance became stronger and his thoughts turned from the apostate crowd, he added, "And we believe—and are sure that thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Though there came not from Jesus' lips at this time, the word "Blessed," yet, undoubtedly, He was gratified indeed to see the wavering faith of His disciples become steadfast in the heart of His Apostles, as if they would say,
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