Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night (about 3:30 – 6 a.m.) he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

Mark 6:45-56 (New International Version)


We’ve all heard the quip, “if you’re so damn holy, walk on the water.” Well, nobody today walks on water but it’s not about being holy, it’s about the faith of the disciples. Right after feeding “the 5,000” with two fish and five loaves, Jesus sent the disciples back across the lake and stayed to be with the crowd. They went back in the boat but another squall came up and it may have been pushed them off course.
At about 3 am, “the fourth watch,” Jesus came toward them walking on the water. It’s safe to say, he freaked them out. They thought he was a ghost and were terrified. Jesus assured them it was him (he, to be grammatically correct). He climbed in the boat and the wind calmed down. Once across the lake, he and they resumed their ministry.
What’s the point of this story? Well, for one thing, even after the fish and loaves feast, they still didn’t understand. Remember, it’s different when you’re seeing it for the first time ever than when you’ve heard it a hundred times like we have. This frightening miracle was so out of line with normal experience that it continued the process of sealing the disciples’ faith. The whole idea of Messiah God living with them and hanging with them was pretty hard to take in. Jesus was showing them through words and deeds that he is God.
We do the same even though we’ve “read the book.” We always underestimate God on two levels. We make God too small, saying that He can’t really do miraculous things. So we don’t expect it or we miss it when it happens. Or, second type, we make God too big saying to ourselves that He doesn’t care about my little problems, or won’t do it for me. Both are a lack of faith and a kind of fear. The God who made the universe cares intimately about your “little” issues. Test it out, it’s the best way ever to deal with fears. Jesus told them and tells us, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”