Far from shore on the Sea of Galilee, a small fishing boat struggled to make its way to the other side. Waves slapped against the sides of the boat, rocking it hard enough that the men had to grip the edges just to keep their balance.
They were the disciples of Jesus, and many of them were fishermen. They had faced storms before.
But this one felt different.
The sky grew darker. The wind howled louder across the water. Waves rose higher and higher, as if the sea itself were trying to swallow the boat whole.
Then—through the darkness—someone saw a shape.
At first it was only a shadow moving across the water. The figure was coming straight toward them, and it seemed to be walking through the waves.
The men stared into the wind and rain, their hearts pounding.
“It’s a ghost!” someone cried.
Fear spread through the boat like lightning.
But then a voice came through the storm—clear and steady above the wind.
“Take courage. It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
The disciples froze. They knew that voice.
Peter leaned forward, squinting into the darkness. The figure was still coming closer, stepping calmly across the waves as if the sea were solid ground.
It was Jesus.
Peter’s heart raced. If this was really Jesus, then nothing—not even the raging sea—could stop Him.
Peter called out over the wind, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You on the water.”
The answer came with only one word.
“Come.”
The boat rocked beneath Peter’s feet. The wind still roared. The waves still crashed.
But Peter swung one leg over the side of the boat. Then the other.
For a moment he stood there, gripping the edge, staring down at the dark water swirling below.
No one had ever done this before.
Slowly, Peter let go.
He stepped onto the water.
And somehow—impossibly—he did not sink.
One step. Then another.
Peter was walking across the sea.
But then the wind howled louder, and a wave rose beside him. Peter glanced at the storm instead of at Jesus.
Suddenly fear rushed into his heart.
His feet began to sink.
The water swallowed his ankles… then his legs.
“Lord, save me!” Peter cried just as his whole body was about to go under.
Instantly, a hand grabbed his.
Strong. Steady. Jesus pulled him up out of the waves.
Looking at Peter, Jesus said gently, “You of little faith… why did you doubt?”
Together they climbed into the boat. At once the wind died down, and the sea grew still.
The disciples stared at Jesus in awe. Then they fell before Him and worshiped Him, saying,
“Truly you are the Son of God.”
Who was Peter?
Hi Sojourners!
Isn’t it amazing that Peter got to walk on water? He was one of the first disciples Jesus called, and he witnessed and experienced things most people never will. But the Bible also shows us that Peter was just a regular person, like you and me.
Before following Jesus, his name was Simon, and he spent his days as a fisherman by the Sea of Galilee—hauling heavy nets, cleaning fish, and fixing boats. But when Jesus called Simon to follow Him, He also gave him a new name. Jesus said Simon would be called Cephas, which means “rock.”
Now here’s something interesting: people in Jesus’ time spoke different languages, just like people around the world do today. The everyday language many Jewish people spoke was called Aramaic. In Aramaic, the word for rock is Cephas. But the New Testament was later written in Greek, which was the common language used across much of the Roman world—kind of like how English is used internationally today. In Greek, the word for rock is Petros, which is where we get the name Peter.
So when Jesus said this, He was essentially saying, “You are Simon… but you will be called Rock.” In the Bible you might see him called Simon, Peter, Simon Peter, or Cephas—but they’re all the same person. To keep things simple in our story, we’ll mostly call him Peter, the name Jesus gave him.
In the Bible, when God gives someone a new name, it often means something important is about to happen in their life. It’s like the name points to the future God has planned for them. Abram became Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” Jacob became Israel, the father of God’s chosen people. And Simon the fisherman would become Peter—the rock. Jesus wasn’t just giving him a nickname. He was showing that Simon’s life was about to change. The fisherman from Galilee would one day become a strong leader in the early church, helping others stand firm in their faith in Jesus.
Peter the Rock
One important moment came when Jesus and His disciples traveled north to a place called Caesarea Philippi. It was a very different place from the small Jewish villages around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus usually taught. Caesarea Philippi was known for its temples and shrines dedicated to false gods, and there was even a huge rock cliff with a cave that people believed was the entrance to the underworld—the place of death and evil. In the middle of all this, Jesus asked His disciples a question that would change everything: “Who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered boldly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Peter had begun to see what others were missing—Jesus was not just a teacher or a miracle worker. He was the promised Messiah.
Then Jesus said something incredible: “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! No mere human showed this to you. My Father in heaven showed it to you. 18 Here is what I tell you. You are Peter. On this rock I will build my church. The gates of hell will not be strong enough to destroy it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. What you lock on earth will be locked in heaven. What you unlock on earth will be unlocked in heaven.”
The “gates of hell” phrase takes on extra meaning here—right in the shadow of a place believed to be the very entrance to the underworld, Jesus declares that His church will be built on the truth of who He is, and even the power of death and evil cannot stop it.
When Jesus said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church,” He wasn’t just giving Peter a compliment. His name, Peter or petros means a small stone or pebble. But the word Jesus used for the rock His church would be built on is petra, which means a large, solid rock or foundation stone. In other words, Jesus wasn’t saying the church would be built on Peter the man himself. He was saying it would be built on the truth Peter had just confessed—that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
Right after Jesus praised Peter, He began to explain that He would have to suffer, die, and rise again. Today we know how important Jesus’ death was for our salvation, but Peter didn’t understand at the time. He couldn’t imagine a Messiah who would be rejected and killed. So he pulled Jesus aside, like a worried friend, and said, “No, Lord, this must never happen to You!”
Jesus responded sharply: “Get behind me, Satan!” Whoa—Satan? That sounds scary, right? But don’t worry—Jesus wasn’t saying Peter was evil. Peter’s heart was in the right place; he wanted to protect Jesus. The problem was that Peter’s words were unintentionally getting in the way of God’s plan. Jesus had to follow through with what God intended so that the world could be saved.
Can you imagine it? Right after Peter just declared that Jesus is God, he basically tries to correct God Himself! Peter thought he understood what was best, but He forgot Jesus knew what was best. We often make the same mistake in thinking we know and truly understanding God’s plan—and it shows us that even someone as close to Jesus as Peter still had a lot to learn.
That’s part of what the Gospels, especially Mark, want us to see. Mark’s Gospel is widely believed to be based on Peter’s own memories and preaching. Yet Peter doesn’t hide his failures. He allows the story to show his confusion, his mistakes, and his weaknesses. Why? Because the story isn’t about how great Peter was. It’s about how patient, powerful, and faithful Jesus is—even with imperfect followers.
The Transfiguration
Some time later, Jesus took Peter, along with James and John, up a high, quiet mountain to pray. The three disciples had followed Jesus for a while now, but nothing could have prepared them for what was about to happen.
Suddenly, right there on the mountain, Jesus changed before their eyes. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became dazzling white—brighter than anything Peter had ever seen. And then, as if that weren’t incredible enough, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Jesus. Peter’s mind must have been spinning. He had seen miracles, heard amazing teachings, and even witnessed Jesus walk on water—but this? This was beyond anything he could ever imagine.
In his excitement and awe, Peter blurted out, “Lord, it’s amazing for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah!” He wanted to control the situation, make it stay safe and perfect, and keep everyone exactly how he thought it should be. He might have been thinking, “If I build these shelters, we can hold onto this amazing moment forever! No surprises, no danger, no changes—just this perfect, glorious scene.”
But God’s will was very different. God didn’t want Peter—or anyone—to stay on the mountain forever. The plan wasn’t to live in a moment of glory, but to follow Jesus back into the real world, where He would teach, serve, suffer, and ultimately go to the cross. The glory Peter saw was just a preview of what’s coming.
Then a cloud came, bright and overwhelming, and a voice spoke from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” Peter and the others fell facedown, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them gently. “Don’t be afraid,” He said. When they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and it was just Jesus again.
The voice from heaven reminded Peter—and the other disciples: Jesus is truly God’s Son, glorious and holy. Listen to Him. Peter’s reaction on the mountain shows the same lesson as the “Get behind me, Satan!” moment: even with good intentions, we sometimes try to control or fix things instead of trusting God to do what only He can do. Following Jesus isn’t about holding onto amazing moments, making everything perfect, or understanding it all. The glory Peter saw on the mountain was just a preview—a glimpse of Jesus’ divine nature—but the real work was still ahead: walking with Jesus through ordinary, messy, and sometimes hard moments, trusting that God’s plan is bigger and better than anything he could imagine. In short, God was teaching Peter that faith means following, trusting, and believing Jesus knows best.
Coin in the Fish
This wasn’t a one-time lesson—Jesus patiently taught Peter over and over again. One time, when they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax asked Peter, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”Without asking Jesus first, Peter blurted out, “Yes.” His mistake was speaking on Jesus’ behalf without consulting Him—he assumed he already understood God’s plan.
Jesus then told Peter, “Go to the lake, throw out your line, and take the first fish you catch. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin—enough to pay the tax for both of us.” In this unusual and almost humorous moment, Peter learned to trust and obey God in both big and small matters.
Unlimited Grace
Another glimpse of Peter’s heart was when he asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” Peter thought he was being generous—after all, forgiving someone seven times sounded like a lot—but Jesus surprised him. He said, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times” meaning there’s no limit to how much we should forgive.
Jesus taught Peter that God’s mercy is unlimited, and following Him means letting God’s love guide your actions, not your own calculations or ideas of fairness. Peter was learning, step by step, that being a disciple meant relying on God’s wisdom and mercy, not his own understanding.
Key Scripture
Proverbs 3:5–6 says,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”
Peter’s journey shows us what that looks like in real life. He didn’t always understand what Jesus was doing, and sometimes he acted impulsively or misunderstood, but Jesus kept teaching him to trust and obey Him.
And do you remember our first story about Peter walking on water? That incredible moment wasn’t just a miracle—it was a lesson about keeping your eyes on Jesus, trusting Him, and stepping out in faith, even when the waves are crashing around you.
Peter’s story reminds us that God doesn’t need perfect followers—He needs followers who trust, obey, and keep their eyes on Jesus, learning along the way. And even when we get scared, doubt, or start sinking Jesus catches us, just like Jesus grabbed Peter. We’re safe when we’re with Jesus. And we’re not done with Peter yet—this is just the beginning. Tune in next time as we continue his incredible story.
If Peter’s story encouraged you, share this episode with a friend so they can learn that following Jesus isn’t about controlling our own outcomes—but trusting God with the outcomes, because He knows best.
And remember… we may not walk on literal water like Peter, but when we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can walk through life’s storms too. Step out in faith, trust Him, and watch God work miracles—just like He did for Peter.
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