Sermon 4 - Jesus Walks on Water

The Big Idea

You must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name.

Introduction

Good morning Hillsong Church! Welcome to you all in the room including any visitors or if you are here for the first time. I aso want to extend a special welcome to our online community which is growing rapidly every week.

<ME - Orientation>

I want to start by praising God for my wife, Emmie, she is a very special woman. She had a 10 hour surgery on the two weeks ago and she is now at home recovering; she is very brave. As we have navigated her health journey a couple of people have asked me why us and at the same time others have wondered how we keep our faith and focus with everything happening around us. I suppose what they are really asking is:

How does one hear Jesus in the middle of trials and how do you connect with Him? Today I will show you from the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew chapter 14 that a great response is that you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name. Yes, you, Jesus is calling you! Jesus is calling you!

My name is Tino and I am I am thankful to have been invited back. The last time I spoke here I caught up with John Taylor afterwards and his feedback to me began with the words “Tino I love you but...”, and I thought… O-oh! Yes you know that someone is about to drop a bombshell when they start their sentence with “I love you but”. So, John said “Tino I love you but what was with the all the dancing and that blue Jacket”. So we had a good laugh about it and so here I am today with no dancing and no blue jacket (SMILE!). I must say it was my favourite jacket but I will prioritise the need for people to hear the gospel over my fashion sense.

I however do have another type of jacket today. This time I have a bight yellow jacket, after all John never said anything about yellow jackets (SMILE). The jacket I have today reflects in many ways how many people over the last few weeks have expressed to me how they have a sinking feeling and how with everything happening globally and personally some people have felt like they were sinking or drowning. With some of the types of questions people have been asking about my wife’s surgery I now somewhat relate to that feeling.

<WE - Identification>

I imagine that you might have also found yourselves in situations that involved storms and complexities; and perhaps like me looked to your Bible which is like my life-jacket to see what God has to say to me about how to be his disciple in the middle of my trials. Through this challenge God has given me a word for you. Yes, you as an individual; God wants to speak to you.

The word that God has put on my heart for you is that you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name. Yes, you, Jesus is calling you! Jesus is calling you!

Have you been crying out to Jesus wondering if he can hear you? Have you been wondering where Jesus is when you experience loss or challenges in your personal relationships (be it with a parent, a spouse, your child or a freind). Have you been seraching for Jesus when you think of your career, how you will pay bills or save for that reirement fund. Then, friend, hear me well - you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name!

Have you been wondering where God is in everything that is happening around the globe, the injustices, the politics and even the pandemic? Friend, I want you to know that Jesus is calling you and asking you to trust Him.

Perhaps you have been struggling with sin, being accepted by others or even accepting yourself then I want to show you today that Jesus is calling you!

Whatever you are facing today, whether it is a high or low of life, you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name.

<God - Illumination>

Aren’t you grateful that God shows us how even the most faithful of disciples experienced trials, complexities and even failures just as you and I do; so let us turn together to Matthew chaper 14 to see how Jesus walks on the storm and calls Peter to also walk on the storm and then saves him when he struggles.

Matthew 14

Tragedy + politics (John the Baptist killed)

Jesus’s compassion and messianic power - Feeding of the 5,000 (Just because He feeds you does not mean you have a deep relationship with Him)

Jesus walks on water

Do you think if you are in God’s will you are exempt from the complexities or storms of life?

Illustration: They didn’t have life jackets back then so perhaps Peter was left with no choice but to turn to Jesus. What is the lifejacket in your life that is stopping yo from turning to the saviour and hearing His call into a deeper relationship. For some, medicating the pain is their life jacket

Jesus walks on the storms of life

Peter tries… Although He fails he is the first one to declare in chapter 16 that

Jesus extends His hand

Touching the edge of His cloak (healing @ the end)

Why settle for the edge of His cloak when He offers you a relationship?

Jesus

you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name

Altar Call

Call to deeper relationship

Matthew and Mark Commentary

Jesus’ messianic powers must be seen against the background of the Old Testament. To walk on the sea and to still a storm are prerogatives that belong only to God

The Son of God - the disciples worship Jesus (pinnacle)

Matthew and Mark Summary of Matthew 14

In general, one can conclude that in the midst of growing opposition, the Kingdom was still growing through Jesus’ miracles and through the weak but genuine and maturing faith of the disciples.

you must know that Jesus Christ is calling you; and you must choose today whether you will trust Him and call on His name

https://www.scribd.com/read/396817751/Matthew#

<We Identification>

Jesus’ ministry

Although the disciples’ faith was implicitly challenged in the feeding miracle (14:15, 17), the storm miracle directly challenged them, reinforced their need for stronger faith, and provided the occasion for their stirring confession (14:33)

Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 205). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

The Message of Matthew The Future of the Jewish Church (14:13–15:20)

Those who merely touched a crust of bread during the feeding were filled. Peter, who simply touched the outstretched hand of Jesus on the water, was held up. Faith is touch. It is making contact.