Resolve to Focus on Him
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Happy New Year!
Well it is 2024. Are you ready for a new year? I know Keith last week touched on the idea of trusting God as we enter this new year. Focusing on Him in everything in life. Today we’re going to walk through a familiar passage to many of you. But we’ll begin with where Keith was last week.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
I want you to hold on to that truth as we look at this account of Jesus and his disciples today.
There was a keynote speaker at a ministry conference with hundreds of people sitting there waiting for him to begin. He walked up to the podium and opened up his notes and started by saying very thoughtfully …where to begin…where to begin?
An audience member from the back of the hall yelled out, “As close to the end as possible!”
Well, I’m not sure that’s where we’ll start today…but I hope that what I share will be helpful to you in some way today.
Some of you might remember the Charlie Brown cartoon…Peanuts…one new year the cartoon ran with Lucie as the focal point. She was having a bad start to the new year…and she exclaimed that she didn’t think it was a new year. She said this isnt a new year, someone has given us a used one.
Today I hope that you’ll take away a challenge for this year. That it will simply be your best year ever....regardless of what happens around you…what happens to you out of your control. I hope that you’ll take the challenge that Jesus gave His disciples during one pretty well known event in history.
I’m going to just read today from Matthew…I’ll be in chapter 14…we’ll also look at John and Mark as those guys both include this account in their accounts of Jesus too.
Where we’ll start is right after Matthews account of the feeding of the 5000 plus.
Jesus had been healing and teaching all day and evening was on its way. People are getting hungry…the discples have a few ideas about what to do but Jesus just says…why don’t you guys just feed them?
A challenge! They question the challenge…Jesus is hoping they’d pick it up and run with it....but they doubted. They looked at their situation rather than at Jesus…and said…what in the world can we do about this? 5 loaves and 2 fish later....the whole crowd is fed.
Now at the beginning…Jesus gave them a challenge…and the didn’t take it. They doubted what could be done. They were looking at the problem rather than at Jesus.
Well, after this happened…the people are all fed…Jesus needs to get away so here’s what happens next.
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear. 27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized him, they alerted the whole vicinity and brought to him all who were sick. 36 They begged him that they might only touch the end of his robe, and as many as touched it were healed.
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. 47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,
15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Now lets just be reminding of what happened previous to this.
Jesus fed the 5000 plus, Jesus calmed the storm while in a boat, many healings, brought the dead back to life, blind saw…just incredible things....
Remember Jesus’ last challenge before this event. You feed them…they doubted.
Now Jesus is about to walk by the boat…as if…this is normal.
Well, what if it is …what if this isn’t out of the ordinary for a world that isn’t broken…and Jesus is giving us glimpses of the Kingdom…of a world that heaven has broken into.
And remember…the wind and the waves…that’s all still happening.
Some of the pictures I remember seeing drawn or painted about this scene has Jesus…coming on the water from the shore…dark clouds…he has a glow around him.
No....this is 3 miles out into the lake. He’s just covered a cross country race length of distance. He’s walked out a 5K on the water to get to them and he’s like…I wonder if they’ll notice.
Well yeah they do.
They think He’s a spirit at first.
And He does the don’t worry its just me…bit.
Then Peter, Matthew records, says if its you…call me out…ask me to come to you.
It isn’t, hey can I do that too? Let me walk on the water. I want to do that.
Peter has, I think gotten a clue…just a clue…about what Jesus is doing…who Jesus is.
Peter is a disciple. A disciple is one who is to learn to be like their master....their teacher…some of you are probably familiar with the intern role…the apprentice role in the trades. Watch, Learn, Do.
Peter I think genuinely wants to be like Jesus…like His master, His Rabbi, His Lord…he understands the role a disciple so he says…he knows he can’t do this cool thing in his own strength…meager human…so he says, invite me out Rabbi.
You know the story…he walks…then sees the waves and hears the wind…and he falls into the water.
Now up to this point what do we see about Jesus? With concern to the wind and waves…? Lots of time we just focus on Peter and the wind and the waves but what about Jesus.
Jesus is bringing the Kingdom into this world. This world is still … in a lot of ways the point of focus for the disciples…Jesus is trying to change that.
Peter sees the broken world…and is reminded of his fear of it. What can the wind and waves do? What can the water do?
A breeze on a nice hot day is a great thing. wind on the open water …when you’re in a boat (Peach and Me Kayaking), is debilitating and exhausting when you’re fighting against it.
Water can be great to swim in…but if you’re out in the open water 3 miles from shore in a small stormy situation outside of the boat…fear.
Jesus…is walking on the water…no fear…the water is not in control of him.
He’s walked 3 plus miles facing the wind…no fear....
why? He’s the creator! And He’s trying to share something with His disciples.
This broken world has you fearful. I’m bringing victory over this fear…over this broken world. It is not in control of me…I’m in control of it.
Peter yells, save me....meaning…he knows what Jesus can do.
Peter gets in the boat…and Matthew Mark and John all record that everything changed the second that Jesus got in the boat, the winds died down, waves gone…they quickly reached shore…and what happened?
They worshiped Him.
I’m thinking that when Peter gets in they’re like, “Whoa Peter…that was awesome!” You really walked on water!” Dude I recorded that.... we’re going viral once I upload this to youtube!”
Nope…in fact I think that Matthew wrote about Peter for a reason. John and Mark left Peter out…maybe because Peter said…please don’t put the part in about me…that was embarrassing. Ed’s opinion…just an idea.
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
What did Jesus say when he saved Peter? “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” “Little faith” (oligopistos) is not the same as the “no faith” of the hardhearted townspeople of Nazareth (13:58). A person with no faith would not recognize Jesus and call out to him. Peter has faith; it is just not functioning properly. It is “ineffective faith” (cf. 17:20). Peter’s faith enables him to recognize Jesus’ true identity and to request to come out to him on the water, but it is like a burst of emotional energy. It is effective enough to motivate him but not effective enough to sustain him. The key element is keeping his eyes firmly focused on Jesus instead of the danger of the wind-swept sea. Jesus thus directs Peter to understand more clearly who he is and then act upon it. Faith is not like a commodity of which Peter needs more. Rather, faith is consistent trust in Jesus to accomplish what Peter is called to do.
What are the areas in your life where Jesus is saying…just let me in…you’ll be amazed at what can happen. What are the areas in your life where Jesus says…guess what…with your focus on me and my plan…you’ll be amazed at what you’ll be able to do.
No, I can’t control everything…but the one who can lives inside of me.
Yes, this broken world will affect parts of my life…for certain…do I need to fear this?
No…Jesus said…He has overcome the world.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.
How did Jesus say it to Peter?
You of little faith, why did you doubt? Don’t rely on your own understanding…trust in me.
You might be walking through the effects of a broken world. You might be directly impacted by the effects of a broken world. Paul even said that there was something in his life that, even though he was close to God, close to Jesus, there was something that was like a thorn in his side. We don’t know what it was…lots of speculation, lets just let it be what it says…Paul had something that was a symptom of a broken world…but ....but...
He knew who was in charge.
Let’s just turn this a bit...
These are the disciples…and Jesus is teaching them, showing them the effects of the Kingdom coming into their world.
They’re learning, growing, failing, falling…but still getting to know Jesus better and better....not just about Him…but really knowing Him.
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At the end of Jesus earthly ministry Jesus says something to His disciples.
Go and make more disciples…show them this Kingdom. Share with them my grace, peace and forgiveness.
Two questions as we wind down.
How are you at being a disciple? Are you ready to ask that question…Jesus, if its you…call me out of the boat.
That took some guts on Peter’s part…why? because in doing so he’s challenging the broken world face to face…like…you have no hold on me.
How are you at being a disciple?
And…if you’re a disciple…no matter if you think you’re being successful or not…its a journey isn’t it....sometimes smooth sailing and sometimes the storm affects us doesn’t it…us of little faith. Yes...
but how are we at that next challenge…go make more of yourselves…go be disciple makers.
There’s a key to being a faithful and trusting disciple and disciple maker.
At the beginning of this account we read that the disciples have been fighting against the wind and the rain for hours…exhausted…fearful.
When Jesus steps into the boat what happens? The winds are calmed and the waves simply dissapear....and then the disciples bow and worship.
Recognizing Jesus for who He truly is is key. He’s the creator and the savior.
Jesus wants this next year to be the best year yet for you…but its a matter of focus on our part. You might have things happen around you (good/bad)…but will you keep your eyes on Jesus. Where will your focus be? On the broken world around you? Or on the Creator …the one who said I’m making all things new.
Max Lucado imagined what a journal would have been like if one of the disciples had made his entry on the morning after Jesus calmed the storm. The imaginary reflections strike a realistic chord of what that disciple experienced. He writes:
I had never seen Jesus as I saw him then. I had seen him as powerful. I had seen him as wise. I had witnessed his authority and marveled at his abilities. But what I witnessed last night I know I’ll never forget.
I saw God. The God who can’t sit still when the storm is too strong. The God who lets me get frightened enough to need him and then comes close enough for me to see him. The God who uses my storms as his path to come to me.
I saw God. It took a storm for me to see him. But I saw him. And I’ll never be the same
I think he’s inviting us all to get out of the boat.
The power of the kingdom changes everyday men and women into the likeness of their Master, Jesus. He’s inviting you to this kind of life. Will you accept His offer?