The "Ghost" with the Most

Just when you think you’ve seen it all… Jesus does something you’ve never seen before!

I have to believe that’s what the disciples were thinking that night as they traveled in the boat.

These guys had just witnessed Jesus do something that was unimaginable… no one thought He would do what just took place.

Jesus had gone to a private place to process the news He had just received… John the baptist was dead. But the crowds were able to find Him anyway. And when Jesus saw them, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

But as the day went on, the disciples realized there was little to no food in the area so they encouraged Jesus to send the crowd home to find something to eat. But Jesus wasn’t finished yet. He told them in response to their request, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

All they had was five loaves of bread and two fish… hardly enough to feed a family… but it was all they needed. Jesus blessed the food and started to hand it out. Everyone in the crowd ate until they were satisfied and when all was said and done, they ended up with more leftovers than what they began with!

And this was no small crown… they fed five thousand men plus the women and children!

Now I’ve helped with some large catering events, maybe 600-1,000 people… but never over 5,000! This was an incredible display of God’s power and love!

And when it came time to call it a night, Jesus sent the disciples on in a boat while He stayed back to pray.

I believe He did this because He had yet to process the news He had received about John. When He finished praying, the disciples were a considerable distance from land already but the boat was traveling against the wind and the waves… it was a stormy night.

So Jesus evaluated the situation and He did what any other normal guy would do in the moment. He found the safest road He could travel on land and started the journey in hopes to meet the disciples on the other side of the lake in the morning. NO! He simply starting walking… toward the boat! As if there was no water between them! Jesus just started walking on the water! I mean… why not? He did just feed thousands of people with a single happy meal, why not take an evening stroll on stormy waters?

But what He did… takes the disciples by surprise. They maybe thought they had seen it all… until they saw someone walking on the water! Already troubled by the storm… their fear increases when they see what appears to be a person coming their direction. In fact, Matthew 14:26 reveals to us that they believed this “person” coming toward them was a ghost!

Matthew 14:26 NIV

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

They were terrified! They were upset! Was it not bad enough that they were in a boat on a lake in a storm? Now they are going to be tormented by a ghost or a spirit? What hope did they have in this situation? They couldn’t go anywhere, they couldn’t move any faster, swimming wasn’t an option for escape because this “ghost” was walking on the water… they couldn’t swim fast enough to get away!

But then Jesus offers some clarity to the situation… Jesus identifies Himself to the occupants of the boat.

Matthew 14:27 NIV

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

And suddenly, these guys begin to realize that this was no ghost coming to torment them or destroy them… this was their Savior coming to be with them. Jesus… while doing something only He could do… calls out to the disciples… and offers hope in the storm.

These guys had just witnessed a POWERFUL move of Jesus as He healed the sick and fed the crowd with an impossibly small lunch.

These guys had just witnessed something this world had never seen before! How could Jesus possible top that? The needs of the crowd were great… BUT THE POWER OF GOD WAS GREATER!

Again, I find myself repeating a line more and more today… and it is a line I do not like to repeat. I never thought I would see some of the things that are happening in our world take place in my lifetime.

Just when I think I’ve seen it all… we get more breaking news… more troubling words… more things to worry about or be concerned about. We are given more reason to believe that this world is falling apart!

And maybe you don’t need to turn on the news to feel this way. Maybe you are wrestling with a bad doctor’s report or a bad financial report. Maybe your job isn’t what you hoped it would be, your family is struggling, or your hope is diminishing. Just when you thought you had seen it all… here comes another hit!

And sometimes those hits come in the midst of a victory. Remember, the disciples had just witnessed a miracle on land… now, in their minds, they believe they are being haunted by a ghost on the stormy waters!

Here’s the deal: this world is broken and is falling apart under the weight of sin an immorality. Jesus said this would happen! But… the broken nature of this world does not have to become the nature by which you live your life. JESUS CAME TO DELIVER YOU FROM THAT!

The world might be trying to break your marriage, your job, your finances, your health, and even your hope. The world might be trying to drown you with all of its problems and impossibilities… but Jesus is here today to help you rise above this brokenness! Jesus is here today to say, “Take courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid!”

When it came to feeding the crowd… the enormity of the crowd and the simplicity of their resource created a sense of lack… they were afraid they couldn’t meet the immediate need with what they had.

When it came to the boat… the troubled waters and the wind coming against them created fear and difficulty in the journey… they were afraid as they struggled to move forward in the midst of the storm.

They struggled… until they took courage in the One walking above the storm. At first, they cried out in fear… but then Jesus called one out to take a step of faith… a step out of the safety and comfort of the boat and into the realm of impossibility.

Not only do I believe that God is going to do things we’ve never seen before… I believe God is going to lead US to do things we’ve never done before in these last days!

What impossible situation do you need the power of God to lead you through today? What impossible breakthrough is God going to do through your faith and obedience? He wants to move in you AND through you!

But we’ve got to be moved from a few things before that shift will take place. For instance, in order for us to experience an impossible move of God through our lives, we must be willing to...

Step Out of the Boat.

This seems CRAZY when we remember all that is going on! Scripture tells us that the wind and waves were against the boat meaning… it was stormy on the lake! Fear had gripped their hearts!

Jesus was NEAR them… but He calls one to be WITH Him… not in the boat… but on the water… the stormy water!

In order to be sure of who he was talking to… Peter asks for Jesus to prove His identity.

Matthew 14:28–29 NIV

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Now I find something to be really interesting and this speaks highly of Peter’s faith… Peter doesn’t want Jesus to prove His identity in the comfort and safety of the boat… Peter wants Jesus to confirm who He is… above the troubled and turbulent waters!

I’ll be honest… I don’t know that I could have said or done what Peter did in this moment! I think I would have been more inclined to stay where I was, in the comfort and safety of the boat, while Jesus did something to prove He wasn’t a ghost!

And with that kind of thinking and mentality… I WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON THE MIRACLE!

Yes… Jesus was already walking on the water… Jesus was already walking over the stormy seas… but Peter was still in the storm-troubled boat! The miracle Peter was waiting for… was out on the water!

And too often… that’s where we find ourselves… stuck in what we see as a place of comfort and security! But the boat was going no where! The Word says the boat was buffeted by the storm. Do you know what buffeted means? Defined, it means to hit something repeatedly with great force.

This was no evening breeze… this was a forceful storm! The boat was powerless to proceed… but Jesus didn’t seem to have an issue moving forward in the storm.

When Peter takes that step up out of that boat and his feet stood upon the rough water… Peter began doing something he never dreamed he would ever do! He was walking upon the very thing that was keeping his boat from reaching the shore!

Peter left his perceived place of safety… and started walking toward His Savior… all the while doing the impossible!

Listen, you might be here today and you might be a believer in Jesus. So far, you might agree with what has been said and maybe even a little excited at the thought of God doing the impossible.

But when it comes time to take the step out of the boat… some of hesitate and expect Jesus to minister to us where we are… instead of calling us out on the water.

Could it be… that the very thing you find safety in… is the very thing that is keeping you from experiencing God’s miracle in your life? Hear me: IF JESUS IS CALLING… TAKE THE STEP OUT OF THE BOAT! IF THE SPIRIT IS LEADING… DON’T HESITATE TO FOLLOW HIM!

Yes… per the understanding of the world… it might not make sense. In fact, it might appear to be impossible! But we believe our God does the impossible all the time!

He led Noah to build an Ark in the face of a global flood.

He led Joshua to tear down the walls of the fortified city of Jericho

He led David to take down a giant twice his size with a sling and a stone.

He led Mary, a virgin, to be the mother of His son, Jesus.

He led Jesus out of the tomb after being dead for three days.

Our faith in God has everything to do with believing that He is the God of the impossible! His power is truly at work!

So let’s not get in the habit of telling God where and when His power can work. “God, Ill believe in Your power so long as I can stay in my safety net.” Listen to me… that safety net is handcuffing your faith!

IF GOD IS LEADING YOU… FAITHFULLY OBEY HIS LEAD! IF JESUS CALLS YOU OUT OF THE BOAT… TAKE THAT STEP OF FAITH!

Another thing we must be willing to do if we desire for God’s power to move through us is...

Keep Our Eyes on Jesus

Now I wish I could say that Peter’s stroll on the water went without incident. But unfortunately, in the very next verse, we see Peter begin to have some issues.

Matthew 14:30 NIV

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

For a moment, Peter had forgotten about the storm. For a moment, he had what it took to swing his legs over the side of the boat and start walking.

But then, the storm started to remind Peter that it was still there. The further Peter got from the boat, the more distracted he became by the storm and he did something that was almost catastrophic… HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF JESUS. And the moment he did that, he stopped walking in the power of God, and starting fearing his situation all the more. His faith gave way to fear.

Peter’s initial boost of faith he felt… was gone. The moment of excitement when he first stepped on the water had faded. And before we become too overly critical of Peter for this… let’s consider how we do this as well.

I am thankful for moments like this… moments in which we come together and have our faith boosted in service.

I am thankful for things like Men’s conference, Women’s conference, youth camps, retreats, etc. that boost our faith and refresh our hearts and minds.

We have these incredible experiences with God... but then… life happens. We have incredible moments in the altars… but then… life happens. And the further we get from the moment, the more weakened and tired our faith might become.

This is especially true if we neglect the very important personal spiritual disciplines such as reading our Bible, praying, or spending time in worship.

Our daily grind has a way of bringing down our excitement and sometimes even our resolve to follow Jesus.

And church I will tell you… the more distance you have between your spiritual fuel ups… the more likely you are to take your eyes off the Lord.

We are not told how far Peter had to walk to get to Jesus… bu in that distance, he failed to stay on mission… he took his eyes off the Lord. He became and in that distraction, he began to sink.

But Jesus, in His love and mercy, rescued Peter from the waters. Jesus had not called Peter out on the water to watch him perish, Jesus invited Peter to experience the power of God! Look at what took place in Matthew 14:31-33

Matthew 14:31–33 NIV

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus rescued Peter… and the moment He stepped into the boat, the storm stopped in its tracks.

I find it interesting that Jesus could have calmed the storm at any time. For the disciples, that would have been the easier and probably the preferred route to go. But Jesus wanted them to learn that so long as their faith remained… storm or no storm… He would get them through!

Some of you have been asking Jesus to calm the storm… and Jesus has been asking you to walk above it. Some of you have been caught up in the distraction of the storm… and Jesus is asking you to keep your eyes on Him.

You gotta turn your eyes from the storm and… from the boat! You gotta keep your eyes on Jesus and He will do what is needed in that moment.

He will help you walk on the waters.

He will offer you a hand of help if you struggle.

He can offer peace with the wind and waves seem relentless.

He is the answer you are looking for!

Lastly, if we desire to see God do the impossible through us, we must be willing to...

Stay the Course.

This one might seem odd and out of place, but consider the context of this story.

The disciples had just finished up an amazing ministry opportunity. AND… there were amazing opportunities ahead. How do I know this? Let’s finish out this section of Scripture.

Matthew 14:34–36 NIV

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

God had more in store! As soon as the people recognized Jesus for who He was, people who were sick came to Him for healing.

All they had to do was touch the edge of His cloak and they were healed! Talk about amazing faith!

They had not seen the miracle of the 5,000, they did not watch Jesus walk on the water, but they had heard about what this guy could do and they were desperate to receive a touch from Him!

The ministry… continued. The storm had not stopped what God had in store.

Storms will try to detour us from our calling. Storms will try to disrupt our direction and faith.

And maybe you feel… disrupted. Maybe you feel like you’re in the boat holding on for dear life. Maybe you feel like life… has come to a halt because of things beyond your control.

God desires for you to stay the course… to remain on mission! God has GREAT things in store for you today!

But it’s time to get back on track… it’s time to get back in motion. Maybe the struggle has slowed you down… or even stopped your progress… I believe God is in this place to kick start some hearts back into motion.

He doesn’t want you stuck in the storm… He wants you walking over it! He desires for you to keep moving forward in the direction He is leading you to go.

God sent Jesus… to this earth… to lead us back to Him.

The biggest storm we ever face is that of sin. Jesus came that we might overcome that storm. Similar to Peter’s situation… we become victorious over the storm of sin the moment we call on the name of Jesus for salvation!

And some may desire to do that very thing right now.

Prayer - Salvation

Secondly, Jesus is wanting to set you free from the fear you are facing in whatever the storm is you might find yourself in.

Storms can be… scary. Storms can be threatening. Storms can cause us to hunker down and take shelter. Why is this the case? Because storms are bigger than us and out of our control. BUT… they are NOT bigger than God! There is nothing our God cannot do!

He wants to bring peace to that storm, but I also believe He wants to help you rise above it! It’s time to find new strength and hope in Jesus! AND… this can be found even while the storm is raging! Will you rise up today in faith… and join the Lord as He calls you into the impossible?