crazy faith week 2 preaching manuscript

CRAZY FAITH — WEEK 2

DON’T WATCH THE WAVES

Matthew 14:22–33

MAIN POINT: Crazy faith keeps its eyes on Christ when everything around us gives us a reason to panic.

INTRO — JOGGERS

Last week — Moses.

Moses looked INWARD:

“Who am I?”

This week — Peter.

Peter looks OUTWARD:

“Seeing the wind…”

Both find a reason to fear.

Look at yourself long enough → weakness

Look around long enough → waves

Faith → looks to CHRIST

PUNCH: Whether you stare too long at yourself or stare too long at your circumstances, you will always find a reason to be afraid.

Crazy faith ≠ pretending waves are small.

Crazy faith remembers Christ is bigger.

1. FEAR CAN MAKE YOU MISREAD WHAT GOD IS DOING

Matthew 14:22–27

READ 22–27

Jesus sends them.

Storm comes.

Important:

obedient

sent by Jesus

still struggling

Then Jesus walks toward them.

Their response?

“It is a ghost!”

Catch it:

The One coming to HELP them → looks like another THREAT.

The One coming to SAVE → becomes another reason to FEAR.

FEAR DOES THIS

Fear:

exaggerates

assumes

fills in blanks

writes endings before facts arrive

Examples:

No text back → “They’re mad.”

Coach benches me → “He hates me.”

Friend gets distant → “I’m losing everybody.”

God closes door → “God is against me.”

PUNCH

Fear is a terrible interpreter of providence.

You cannot always determine what God is doing by how the moment feels.

Sometimes:

closed door → protection

waiting → preparation

removal → redirection

exposure → grace

V.27

Before Jesus changes circumstances…

Jesus reveals HIMSELF.

“Take courage, it is I…”

Storm still there.

Jesus basically says:

You know WHO is here before you know WHAT is happening.

PUNCH

Sometimes God doesn’t change the storm first. He gives you a clearer view of Himself in the storm.

TRANSITION

But then Peter does something interesting.

He goes from:

“What is that?”

to:

“Lord, if that is You…”

2. FAITH SEES CHRIST BEFORE IT SEES CIRCUMSTANCES

Matthew 14:28–29

READ 28–29

Peter:

“Command me to come…”

Jesus:

“Come.”

Important:

Peter doesn’t invent this.

Not reckless.

Not “YOLO Christianity.”

Not:

“I believe in myself.”

He has:

A WORD FROM CHRIST.

REFORMED CENTER

Faith ≠ power inside Peter.

Faith = confidence in the OBJECT of faith.

Peter isn’t strong.

Christ is.

PUNCH

Faith does not make Jesus powerful. Faith recognizes that Jesus already is.

Or:

Weak faith in a strong Christ is better than strong faith in yourself.

Notice conditions:

water → still water

wind → still blowing

waves → still moving

Yet Peter walks.

Why?

Not favorable conditions.

Faithful Christ.

PUNCH

Faith does not need favorable conditions when it has a faithful Christ.

STUDENT TURN

We say:

“I’ll obey when…”

I’m less nervous

friends understand

I know more

I feel ready

situation gets easier

But Scripture already says:

forgive

flee sin

tell truth

love enemy

make disciples

be holy

be witness

PUNCH

You don’t need another sign for something Jesus already made clear.

But don’t overdo “step out.”

That was last week.

The main thing here:

Peter’s confidence is not the water. It’s Christ.

TRANSITION

And Peter is actually walking…

until something changes.

Not the storm.

His attention.

3. WHAT FILLS YOUR VISION WILL SHAPE YOUR RESPONSE

Matthew 14:30–31

READ 30–31

Key phrase:

“Seeing the wind…”

The wind existed BEFORE.

Waves existed BEFORE.

Storm existed BEFORE.

What changed?

FOCUS.

Jesus → wind.

Christ → circumstances.

PUNCH

The storm didn’t get bigger. It just got bigger in Peter’s vision.

Student world:

sports

future

grades

relationship

body image

social media

opinions

fitting in

college

Real question:

What has gotten so big in your vision that it has started controlling your heart?

LINE

Whatever gets the most of your attention will eventually start discipling your emotions.

What you stare at:

→ shapes what you think → shapes what you feel → shapes how you respond

But DO NOT land with:

“Focus harder.”

That turns text into self-help.

Peter sinks.

Peter cries:

“Lord, save me!”

What does Jesus do?

IMMEDIATELY reaches.

Peter gets weak.

Christ doesn’t.

Peter loses focus.

Christ doesn’t lose Peter.

BIG PUNCH

When Peter’s faith got weak, Christ’s grip did not.

That is the gospel turn.

Our hope ≠ perfect grip on Christ.

Our hope = Christ faithfully holding His people.

PUNCH

My weakness explains why I sink. His grace explains why I don’t stay under.

Peter fails.

Jesus saves.

CHRIST = HERO.

LANDING

Matthew 14:32–33

READ

Wind stops.

Disciples worship.

“Truly You are the Son of God.”

Do NOT end with Peter.

Text doesn’t climax:

“Look at Peter!”

It climaxes:

LOOK AT JESUS.

Peter walked.

Peter sank.

Jesus saved.

Jesus calmed.

Jesus received worship.

PUNCH

Crazy faith isn’t ultimately about discovering how strong you are. It is discovering how strong Christ is.

APPLICATION

Question:

WHAT HAS BEEN BIGGER IN YOUR VISION THAN JESUS?

Not church answer.

What’s been living in your head?

person?

team?

future?

relationship?

parents?

opinions?

grades?

insecurity?

fear?

Not:

“Pretend it doesn’t matter.”

But:

Don’t make something temporary bigger in your vision than the eternal Christ.

FINAL RUN

Last week:

Moses looks inward.

“Who am I?”

This week:

Peter looks outward.

“Seeing the wind…”

Look inward → weakness.

Look outward → waves.

Look upward → CHRIST.

When eyes say:

“Look at the storm.”

Faith:

Look at Jesus.

Fear:

“You’re going under.”

Faith:

His hand is still strong.

Anxiety:

“What if everything falls apart?”

Faith:

Christ is still Lord.

BIG FINAL PUNCH

Don’t let the thing under Jesus’ feet become the thing that controls your heart.

Waves?

Under His feet.

Sea?

Under His authority.

Storm?

Under His command.

The thing terrifying them…

was already beneath Christ.

Crazy faith isn’t pretending there are no waves.

It looks at the waves.

Looks at Jesus.

And says:

JESUS IS STILL BIGGER.

CLOSE:

Don’t watch the waves. Watch Christ.