Rowing against the Wind

Welcome

Intro

Before can continue in our Matthew want to touch on the 5 points from last week. We are continuing to build on the principles of Christ Ambassadorship. I.E Being a Follower of Jesus…….

If we are going to Become like Jesus and Do What Jesus Did!

1. Jesus taught that He supplies miracles to His people through the hands of His servants.

2. Each disciple’s personal success in ministry depended on continually returning to the Lord so He could fill the basket.

3. In the course of our service, the work we do in serving Christ won’t seem like a miracle in the moment.

4. Jesus was teaching the disciples that ministry is hard work.

5. The disciples’ provision come in the form of excess given to the people, so they could be blessed by blessing those who served them.

After this Lesson Jesus sends his Disciple back across the lake while He goes up on the mountain to pray.

Body

Matthew 14:24–33 CSB

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.”

To help put some of the pieces together lets look at John and Mark’s account.

John 6:16–17 CSB

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them.

Mark 6:47–52 CSB

47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Let’s begin to unpack this amazing story.

Evening comes and Jesus instructs His disciples to get back in the boat and head back to Capernum.

But He does not go with them…..

No Rest

I want to remind you that they originally went to where they were at to escape the crowd and to rest. It does not appear that they have gotten any rest and here they are back on the boat.

So they begin rowing.

A Wind and Storm hits again…….

They row for hours against the Wind…….

Jesus sees them struggling from the top of the mountain

Mark 6:47–48 CSB

47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.

Wow, have you ever heard someone complaining about how God just let’s them suffer?

The disciples can sure relate.

They are worn out, they have ministered all day even though it was supposed to be their day off, and now here they are rowing in a storm getting know where.

John 6:18–19 CSB

18 A high wind arose, and the sea began to churn. 19 After they had rowed about three or four miles.

The had only made it about 3 or 4 miles and had been rowing for about 9 hours……

Where is Jesus through all of this….Sitting on a mountain……

And then when He does show up listen to what He does.

Mark 6:48 CSB

48b Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.

He was going to walk right passed them…….What?………..

You may be sitting there this morning thinking that sounds just like my life. Full of storms and God is just walking on by not even caring about what I am going through…..

If I am honest that is where I have been spiritually and mentally lately……….

Matthew 14:26 CSB

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.

Look they very well could have been thinking the Angel of Death was coming for them……So the Cry Out.

What did they Cry Out?……….

In the midst of the Crying out Jesus answers……

Matthew 14:27 CSB

27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

1. God is a gentlemen! He won’t intervene where He isn’t invited.

They cry out and Jesus answers.

Have Courage it is I.

In the Greek the phrase is Ego Eimi/I am

According to the Commentary Matthew Yeshua, King Messiah: In the Classic Hebrew “Ani Hu” it would be translated as a form of YHVH Meaning God is eternal and omnipent.

Jesus is announcing Himself as the Great I AM.

You cried out and Here I AM.

Have you invited Jesus into your storm?

Jesus tells them to be of good cheer.

According to Arnold Fruchtenbaum The greek word here for Good Cheer is only used in the New Testament in Relation to Jesus.

John 6:21 CSB

21 Then they were willing to take him on board,

2. When you invite Jesus in The Storm may be raging but somehow your Fear is Replace with Cheer.

Next we see something crazy happen.

Peter Calls out…

Matthew 14:28–29 CSB

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.

This is Peter reflecting the Image of God and Doing What Jesus was Doing.

I am not saying that you are going to be able to walk on water…………

But……

I believe Jesus is teaching a lesson. Call out to me and I will walk with you through the Storm.

Matthew 14:30 CSB

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

3. Just because we cry out to Jesus doesn’t mean the storm will end immediately.

Matthew 14:31 CSB

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Jesus is not reprimanding Peter…………He is asking him Why did you take your eyes off of me and focus on the storm.

4. Keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the storm.

5. If you do lose sight of Jesus, Cry out before you sink all the way!

Matthew 14:32–33 CSB

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.”

Mark 6:51–52 CSB

51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

They didn’t understand that He can provide.

They didn’t understand that He would sustain them.

They didn’t understand that they could trust Him to care for them.

John 6:21 (CSB) 21 Then they were willing to take him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading.

6. If you will invite Jesus into your storm before you know it you find yourself right where you need to be and you didn’t have to work to get there.

Arnold Fruchenbaum puts it this way: Here is an example of good theology and bad application. The disciples clearly knew He was The Son of God( good theology), but they had not learned to depend on Him(bad application). The became fearful in a situation in which they should have trusted in the Lord. A spiritual life without good theology is impossible. On the other hand, good theology without food application will result in spiritual deadness. The believer must apply good theology to daily life.

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