Miracles of Jesus Christ: Jesus Walks on the Water

 Transcribed by AI

Welcome to the programme "The Secret of Life." This programme, in the light of the Holy Gospel, helps you to bring fundamental changes to your life. In the name of the Merciful and Kind Lord, welcome to the live programme "The Secret of Life." Please accept my greetings. I hope you are all well, healthy, and in good spirits. We are immensely grateful for those of you who contacted us last week.

We are always happy to hear from you. Whether you reach out through Messenger, WhatsApp, or Facebook, we are here to listen. Also, if you have prayer requests, this is a Christian programme. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ that the Lord helps you. Well, dear friends, today we have two very special and esteemed guests with us: Pastor Najib Jan Shayq and also Javed Jan.

Najib Jan and Javed Jan, welcome to our programme. Thank you, dear brother, for the invitation. We are very pleased to be here again today to reflect on the Word of God together. And to all the viewers who are watching us today, we send our greetings and love, and may the Lord be among us. Amen, amen.

I extend my respectful greetings to you, dear Brother Shayq, and also to you, dear Brother Javed, and to all the viewers of the Life Secret television. I hope that wherever you are watching this programme, this moment brings hope and peace to your hearts and your families. Amen, amen.

Well, today we continue our series of lessons on the miracles of Jesus Christ. Today, we would like to start with another miracle of Jesus Christ and talk about it. It's the miracle where Jesus walks on water. This is where Jesus Christ walks on water. I will read from Matthew chapter 14, verses 22 to 33, and I would like to ask Pastor Najib Jan to speak on this topic.

Matthew chapter 14, verses 22 to 33: "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost,' they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' 'Lord, if it's you,' Peter replied, 'tell me to come to you on the water.' 'Come,' he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'

May the Lord bless His Word. Najib Jan, please go ahead. Amen, amen. This is indeed a very interesting story, the story of Jesus walking on water. The first step into the water relates to courage, faith, or significant effort in the storm. But it is a revelation of who Jesus is. When we are in great fear, our circumstances become harder; how can we feel and recognise Jesus?

Dear compatriots, we Afghans have experienced difficult storms in our personal lives. Some storms were external, while others were internal. The uncertainties of life, family separation, the loss of loved ones, migration, loneliness, and anxiety for tomorrow weigh heavily on our hearts. For many years, our people have been filled with fear. However, dear compatriots, at this moment, you are watching; the disciples of Jesus Christ were not in a calm and quiet night either. They were also in the midst of a storm and fierce winds.

They had struggled all night against opposing winds but could not reach their destination. Sometimes our lives may be similar; we strive hard to reach a safe place, but unfortunately, we find ourselves in perilous situations. We may be killed at borders, or drowned at sea, or even fall victim to thirst in our homeland. We may not reach our destination, and we may pray during these life journeys, yet still carry fear in our hearts, hoping that this journey will not be our last. However, the good news of the Gospel, the message that Brother Shayq has read from the Gospel, gives us hope, reminding us that Jesus is aware of the storms. He does not leave His disciples alone in the storms of life.

Although the disciples were in the storm, they were beneath Jesus’ hands, and He knew their condition; they were under the will of Jesus Christ, and this point is very significant. Sometimes we think if God is with us, why are there storms and turmoil in our lives? Why do various problems exist, both external and internal? But in this message from the Gospel of Matthew, we see that God's presence during trials and hardships does not mean that we will never face storms or difficulties. We must be built through experiences and difficulties.

A tree that stands firm in storms becomes stronger; its roots grow deeper into the ground, and it does not sway in the wind. It does not break, nor do its branches fall. However, what is essential is to have a hopeful heart in God, who does not abandon us. We must have hope and not feel alone in the storms.

In these storms we are in, and the current conditions of life for our people, I want to encourage you, dear compatriots, especially those in Afghanistan, who are indeed facing many hardships and difficulties. But this does not mean that God is absent or unaware or has turned away from you. Rather, the arms of Jesus Christ are open to all of you. The storms and difficult conditions are not signs of abandonment by God; instead, they are a call to step forward, to trust, and to believe in the Lord.

The current conditions of life present us with many challenges, but Jesus approached His disciples in the dark of night, walking on water.

Yes, I have a question for you, Javed Jan, if you could speak a little about why Jesus Christ had the power to calm the storms without needing to step into the water but chose to walk on the water, putting Himself at risk, even though He had all the power.

Javed Jan: Yes, it is indeed important to note that we see how He calmed the storms merely by saying, 'Peace, be still,' and the storm calmed down. Here, we also see that Jesus had previously fed about five thousand men, not including women and children, with just five loaves of bread and two fish. After this miracle, He sent His disciples ahead while he went up to pray.

When night came, it was around three o'clock in the morning, and He saw that the storm was approaching. The disciples were struggling in the boat. I also wonder how long it took Jesus to reach them. Perhaps He appeared suddenly, and then walked on the water. We cannot know for sure, but what matters here is that Jesus showed that He is the master of all nature. If He wants the storm to be calm, He can speak a word and it will be calm. If He wants to walk on water, He can walk on water because everything is under His authority.

What is significant is that He showed who Jesus is.

Therefore, we see that after this, they worshipped Him, recognising who He is. Najib Jan, something important that both of you have noted is that Jesus could have calmed the storm from afar, but He came and walked on the water to reach His disciples. He knew that when the disciples saw Him, their faith would increase.

The disciples were terrified. This truly reflects our lives; when we face the storms of life, the Lord wants to draw close to us. He wants us to see Him amid the waves of our lives, that He is near to us, and we should reach out to Him. Please go ahead, Najib Jan.

Yes, the disciples never thought a human could walk on water. Therefore, when they saw someone walking on the water, they were scared. Fear can cloud a person's judgment. When we see that the disciples were in a state of exhaustion and fear, they were in a situation of intense stress. They might not have been able to recognise Jesus because of their fear.

The first words of Jesus to His disciples were, 'Do not be afraid. Just have faith in Me.' When the disciples saw Jesus, they were afraid, but He said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid.' This means that He did not calm the storm first; He calmed their hearts first. Even in the darkest, most terrifying moments, the Lord Jesus Christ frees those who have faith in Him from their fears.

So today, viewers, in this moment, step forward in faith. When you cannot see the way, when you feel lost, be like the disciples and have faith that He is your protector. He loves you dearly and will not let go of your hand, no matter your circumstances. But it is vital for us to recognise that many of us want to say to the Lord, 'First, change the circumstances in Afghanistan; first, change our lives.' But Jesus Christ says, 'First, trust Me and take a step forward, for I am with you.' Just like He said to Moses, 'Do not be afraid. In times of fear, call out to Me, and I will bring you salvation; I will hear your cries.'

You must also trust that the power of Jesus Christ is greater than your fears.

Here, I would like to read a verse, Javed Jan, if you find it interesting. In Matthew chapter 14, we see that Jesus saved all the disciples in the boat. However, this also includes an individual aspect. In verse 28, Peter said, 'Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.'

Jesus said, 'Come.' Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. This means that Peter also gained the ability to walk on water. He said, 'Come,' and he went. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink, and cried out, 'Lord, save me!' Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him. 'You of little faith,' He said, 'why did you doubt?'

Here is a very important point: Jesus not only saves a group of people in the storms of life, but He also wants to save individuals. When Peter looked toward Jesus, he was able to walk on water. But when fear took hold of him, and he doubted, he began to sink. And Jesus asked him, 'Why did you doubt?'

Why did you fear? Javed Jan, what do you think about this? Before fear came, we read that the winds were strong. The prior question is, why did Jesus walk on water? Earlier, when we saw that He calmed the storm, the disciples were terrified as the storm approached. But this time, Jesus was not physically present with them.

We can imagine how much fear they felt. When Jesus came, it showed that He is with us. If we cannot see Him, it does not mean He is not with us. When Peter said, 'If it is you, tell me to come to you,' he could walk on water. However, when the winds arose and he took his eyes off Jesus, fear came.

When fear arose, he began to sink. Therefore, Jesus said, 'Where is your faith, O you of little faith?' This means that in our lives, we must always keep our focus on Jesus. When we take our focus off Jesus, and look at other distractions, we may find ourselves overwhelmed by fear.

Thus, it is important that we always keep our eyes on Jesus. Najib Jan, what do you think? Yes, when fear takes hold, it is interesting. He did not say, 'You have no faith,' but 'You have little faith.' This is very important. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on water. But when the winds, storms, and waves began to surround him, and he looked away from Jesus, he began to sink.

What does this story teach us? In tough times and conditions, as Brother Javed said, if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, we will not sink. Even when we step onto the water, if we keep our eyes on Him, we will not be overwhelmed by the storms.

If our eyes are only on problems, past failures, and an uncertain future, fear grows larger and more terrifying. But when we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ, on the words of life, on the Gospel, and learn from it, in every step of life, Jesus calls out to us.

Jesus is with us even in the storms and difficulties. Well, dear friends, we truly invite you to keep your eyes on Jesus Christ in the storms of life. Believe in Him, read the Gospel, and hear the good news; find salvation in this world and in the hereafter.

Well, dear friends, let us go and listen to a song together, and we will return shortly. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.

The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. The house of the Word was truth; the friends of God were there. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.

In this section of the programme "The Secret of Life," we will respond to one of the questions our viewers have asked. One of our viewers asked why we refer to Jesus Christ as the Saviour or how we believe in Him as the Saviour.

First, I must say that the name Jesus in Hebrew and Aramaic is Yeshua. The name Jesus in Hebrew and Aramaic means 'Yahweh saves' or 'God saves.' This means that the very name of Jesus Christ signifies salvation. However, we also call Jesus Christ the Saviour and believe in Him based on the Word of God.

From the Gospel, the Gospel tells us this truth. Now I would like Javed Jan to speak a little on this, and Najib Jan will also share his thoughts. Please go ahead. Thank you for this question. This is a significant and important topic, as the subject of salvation runs from the beginning to the end of the Bible.

If we look at the name Jesus from Hebrew Yeshua, we see that the name Jesus has come into Arabic through Muslims, being referred to as 'Isa' in Arabic. Now, in Arabic-speaking Christians, He is called 'Isa.' In Hebrew culture, names are significant. When the Yeshua was mentioned, it was understood that this is the salvation of Yahweh. This is the specific name of the Lord that has been spoken of by prophets since ancient times.

Interestingly, in the book of Exodus, when Moses sang the song of deliverance, he says, 'The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.' If we take it from the original language, it says, 'Yahweh has become my Yeshua.'

Secondly, why do we call Jesus our Saviour? Why do we need a Saviour? From the very beginning of the Bible, we see that everything was good when God created the heavens and the earth in six days. But when Adam disobeyed and sinned, he fell into a grave sin, and through that, every generation became trapped in sin. Because of this, we needed someone to rescue us from this fallen state, from sin.

You know that there is a great fear, a tremendous fear among Muslims about the Day of Judgement. When someone sees a Muslim, they might ask if they pray. I remember being in Tajikistan, where having a beard is not allowed, but I had a small beard. Someone thought I was a devout Muslim and asked, 'Do you pray?' I said, 'No, I don't.' They responded, 'Why not?' I said, 'Because I am a Christian.'

They asked, 'On the Day of Judgement, what will you say?' The Day of Judgement is about facing God, and many Muslims fear this day. They think that on that day, they will be judged, and they live in fear because they have no hope of salvation. But who brings salvation?

When we see in Christ, this spirit of salvation has been addressed. I want to share your thoughts on this spirit of salvation.

Well, Najib Jan, I would like to read a verse from Romans chapter 3, verse 23. The Word of God says, 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.' This means that everyone has sinned, from Adam and Eve to now, all generations have sinned, falling short of God's glory. This indicates that we have distanced ourselves from God; because we are sinners, we cannot approach Him.

When we sin against God, we rebel against Him. Therefore, we absolutely need a Saviour to rescue us from this pit of sin, death, and destruction. As you mentioned, from Adam and Eve's sin, this curse of sin has been passed down to us.

Thus, we need a Saviour who is not just any human being but rather God Himself to be our Saviour. For this reason, all have sinned; no one can intercede for us, no one can deliver us from this pit of sin and death, except for Jesus Christ, who came two thousand years ago, gave Himself for our sins, was sacrificed, and through His holy blood, He redeems us.

It is essential to understand that we need a Saviour, not just any human, but God Himself to be our Saviour. For this reason, Jesus Christ said, 'I am your Saviour.' When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.'

Now, I have a question for you, Javed Jan. Today, in the world, various religions and individuals, including Muslims, seek to find salvation through different means, whether through actions, prayers, fasting, or charity. But these things cannot bring us to God. What do you think about this?

You spoke earlier about the mullah or cleric who asked you about the Day of Judgement, but if I may ask, what about the answer for this life? This means, what does Jesus do? Jesus forgives our sins in this life; we do not wait until we die to be judged. In this life, we can be forgiven.

This is very different from all other religions and beliefs in the world. Please go ahead.

Exactly, when we look at the words of Jesus, He said, 'Whoever believes in Me will not be condemned, for they have crossed over from death to life.' This means, when we believe, we cross over from death to life, not just when we die, but at the moment we believe in Him, we receive eternal life.

What is more significant is that when we call Jesus 'Messiah,' it has great meaning. In Islam, they hold Jesus in high regard, but there is no other Messiah. The term 'Messiah' means someone who has been anointed for a specific purpose. We see that kings were anointed for their reign, prophets for their ministry, and priests for their service.

Therefore, we can say that David was a Messiah, Saul was a Messiah, and even our king, Cyrus, was a Messiah.

The Messiah that the Scriptures speak of is one who is specifically anointed. When we say Jesus is the Messiah, it means He can provide the salvation that no one else could achieve. For example, in the Scriptures, sin is often likened to a debt.

If I owe money to my brother Najib and my brother Javed, I must repay that debt. If brother Najib says, 'I will cover your debt to brother Javed,' that is only possible if brother Najib himself is not indebted.

In the same way, Jesus Christ is the only One throughout history who came and committed no sin. He alone could take on our debt of sin, be sacrificed in our place, and pay that price. Therefore, it was essential for Jesus to go to the cross, to carry our debts and sins, and to free us.

In Romans 5, it is written: 'For when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly at the right time.' It is rare for someone to die for a righteous person, even though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Now, regarding the question of why other religions believe they can attain salvation through actions or good deeds, the Scriptures tell us that actions are like a polluted garment. We cannot reach God through our works. However, God, the Father, gave His only Son to the world so that people might be saved from destruction and receive life through Him.

For this reason, we can never reach God through our deeds. We can do good works, but we cannot attain salvation through them. Only through Jesus Christ, whose very name means 'Saviour,' is there salvation for the world, from Adam to the end of the age.

Through Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, every person, regardless of their condition, is invited into His arms. All our debts, all our sins, can be buried by believing in Jesus Christ. At that moment, in this life, we receive salvation.

We must have faith in this Saviour, for He is the only way, the truth, and the life, and Jesus Christ is our Lord.

God's grace and salvation—look, grace has come. It is not based on our works, whether good or bad, but on God's grace through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, we can receive God's free gift of forgiveness.

Well, we shall continue this discussion. Let us listen to a song together and then return. I was a captive, trapped in the hands of the martyrs. For such a salvation, Jesus came from heaven. How can I thank Him? How can I sing? I surrender my heart to the Lord of the universe.

The Lord of the universe is mighty, the Lord of the universe is mighty, the Lord of the universe is mighty, the Lord of the universe is mighty. What will you do? What will you say? How can we address the sins in this world that cause people to suffer? Today, the people of Afghanistan are suffering from these sins. For centuries, they have endured pain and suffering, and this is a problem that can only be resolved through the Gospel and faith in Jesus Christ.

The issues we face today, the problems in Afghanistan, cannot be resolved in the hereafter. In the afterlife, there will be no such issues; the problems in Afghanistan must be resolved now. The problem of sin, the problem of revenge—these are all issues that exist in this world, and the only solution we know is through the Gospel and faith in Jesus Christ.

What do you both think about how today's sin problems exist, not just in the afterlife? Many people think that by their deeds and actions, they can earn salvation. Often, those who believe they will be judged by their actions think that their good deeds will outweigh their sins. However, sin is ever-present, and they think only about the scales of judgment.

But where does this system lead us? Where can people find true salvation?

Because humanity is full of sin, every step of humanity is sinful. God said in the Scriptures that the thoughts and intentions of humanity are filled with sin. Therefore, if we look at the Old Testament, the Israelites had the Law and were expected to obey it.

Even then, salvation was not dependent on their actions but rather on sacrifices. Each year, they would bring sacrifices to atone for their sins, acknowledging their wrongdoing and seeking forgiveness through the blood of the lamb. This was a foreshadowing of the great sacrifice that Jesus would make.

When Jesus came, He was without sin, and they condemned Him to the cross. He was sacrificed as the one who knew no sin, and His sacrifice can cleanse every one of us from sin, no matter how great our sins may be.

Today, when we do good, it is not to earn merit but because our God is good, and His Holy Spirit is within us. We do good not for our own sake but because we know that God loves others too.

God blesses us so that we can help others. This is our salvation; we know that Jesus Christ has saved us, and we do not fear the Day of Judgement. We do not fear that day as a time of trial.

Because we have already received life through faith in Him. This is our happiness.

Najib Jan, please share your thoughts. Amen. Yes, the God of the Scriptures reveals to us that Jesus is indeed the Saviour. So, if you have listened to this message today, it is your chance at this moment to come to the arms of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, for God is not saying that you might not have believed before.

Before my faith in Jesus Christ, I thought everything ended in this world, that life was about suffering and struggles until the Day of Judgement. But when I came to know Jesus Christ, when I read the Gospel, I saw that Jesus bore all my burdens on His shoulders and delivered me from destruction. He became the God of my life, and changes came into my life—changes in my behaviour, my speech, my conversations, my conduct.

He is the living God who transforms us. Even though I had no changes before, when I came to know Him and believed, I experienced the love of God. I realised that the one true Saviour of the world, the one who loves me dearly and gave His life for me, is Jesus Christ, the one who saves.

So today, you also have that chance. Step towards Jesus today. Seek the truth that leads to salvation through Jesus Christ, for He is the one who saves.

May the Holy Spirit dwell in you and bring transformation to your life, peace to your heart, and freedom from storms and fears. Return to God, repent, and turn to Jesus Christ, for He is the one who reconciles you to God and unites you with Him—the Saviour of the world.

Dear friends, we want to pray in this moment. Perhaps some of our viewers have experienced God's work in their lives and wish to believe in Jesus Christ. Dear friends, if you want to believe in Jesus as your Saviour, the one who can forgive your sins, we would like to guide you on how to pray.

Wherever you are, in any part of the world, you can pray this prayer. Lord, I confess that I am a sinner. I cannot save myself. I acknowledge my sins and repent. I accept Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, believing that He forgives my sins based on His grace. I give my heart and life to Jesus Christ, wanting to serve Him and follow Him for the rest of my life in the name of Jesus Christ.

If you pray this prayer, you become a follower of Christ; your sins are forgiven, and you enter into eternal life in this world. Well, dear friends, we commend you into the blessed hands of the Lord, and I hope you will contact us. If you would like to receive a Bible, you can download it from the website afghanbibles.org.

If you have any prayer requests or questions, please reach out to us, and we will connect with you. We commend you to the blessed hands of the Lord. Have a wonderful week and day. Download the Bible. Download the Bible. Download the Bible.