Originally posted by member Wes Todd in 2014, this post relocated to this topic by the Moderator and some additional thoughts were added. Yours welcome too!

Note: There are TWO versions of the "Jesus Walks on Water" story. One of them includes the story of Peter sinking when he tries to walk towards Jesus on the waves. Mark 6 and John 6 do not include the part about Peter. Matthew 14 does. To see all three go to http://www.biblestudytools.com...-walks-on-water.html

Matthew 14

Peter Walks towards Jesus and Sinks

Walk on Water a Drama and Demonstration

After viewing a short video of the story, we re-enacted the story verbatim, using the Matthew scripture. Then afterwards, we played a "walk on water" game -which was really a demonstration) of various key ideas from the story.

Goals:

1. Create a strong reminder that we need to "get out of the boat" to follow Jesus.
2. Call out to Jesus for help when in doubt or scared.
3. Help students realize how Jesus can help them through troubled times when they feel they are sinking.
4. Realize the importance of "having faith" --but also learn that Jesus saves us even when we have "little" of it! In fact, the whole "peter sinking" episode seems to be showing us more about Christ's compassion regardless of our faith.

The Setup:

We placed a 2x4 board on the ground and covered it with a large blue tarp to simulate the water and create a path for Peter to walk on towards Jesus. At one end of the board was a cardboard boat. At the other end was "Jesus" --one of our students in a robe.

Walking on the 2x4 may be hard enough for some students, but for others we also added various levels of "distractions"  (moving waves and people waving their arms in your face) --all of which are great metaphors!  

• There are real scary things that work against our faith in Jesus (storms, waves, and whether we think Jesus is real or not. It's a ghost! they screamed, remember?)
• There are things trying to hold us in the boat.
• And there are things trying to distract us from keeping our eyes focused on Jesus.

The Plan:

First, we first showed a video of the story of "Peter Walking on Water" from YouTube, then dramatized it, then turned it into a discussion-demonstration.

There are many YouTube videos of Peter walking on water. See a list of them.

Dramatizing the Scripture:

• the "Peter" kid in the boat sees Jesus walking on the water (board)
• Kids in the boat (disciples) say: "Look a spirit walking toward us on the water in the storm. Is it you Jesus?"
• Peter says "If it is you Jesus, help me come to you.
• Jesus says, If you have faith come to me on the water."
• Peter gets out of the box and starts walking toward Jesus, balancing on the board.
• If/when he falls off the board, he calls for help "Lord Save me".
• You want Peter to fall off, so make storm noises louder, sheet shaking wilder or board narrower near the middle of the walk.

(Depending on age you may want to narrow the board 2x2 near the end.)

• When Peter falls, Jesus offers his hand to help him walk to the end of the board and back.
• Jesus says: "Oh you of little faith. Your faith makes you strong."
• Back in the boat Jesus says, "If you have faith as great as a mustard seed you can do all the things that I do."
• Peter says, "You truly are the Christ, the Son of God. Now I believe! Thank you Jesus."
• Depending on time, each child should be given the chance to play each role:
  • Jesus, Peter, 2 noise maker & sheet shakers

Demonstration:

In this demonstration we let everyone try to walk towards Jesus.

First, we let everyone try. As various kids make their way towards Jesus, note how some do better than others.

Why do some people have "better balance" than others?  What keeps a Christian "balanced" when trying to follow Jesus?

What happens if you "fall off" the board? Does Jesus get mad? Does Jesus let you drown? What does Jesus want you to do?

Continue letting different kids walk the board, but begin to change the conditions of the game. Add more "distractions" and discuss what those might be.

• Distractions:  Naysayers, Unbelievers, Other activities, Lazyness, Sins, etc.
• Add something "holding us back" from getting out of the boat, and discuss what that might be.  What's holding you back from trying to follow Jesus and get closer to him?
• And finally, add one final distraction which forces everyone to "sink" --to illustrate the story's main point: we can't rescue ourselves, we can't follow Christ on our own power! We need Jesus in us, around us, and to save us. (The story is telling us that we have little faith, but that Jesus is sufficient for our salvation.)    Does Jesus expect Peter to sink? What do you think? Probably yes!  So the bigger question is this: Does Peter expect Jesus to save him? Hopefully so. Do you?    
• Jesus "Saves" and Jesus "continues to save us."