Your Sandals are Going to Get Soaked

Water Problems

I hate water problems.

Roof leaks: Mesquite, Little Rock

Where is the leak?

Water rose: Bedford, Granger (2 sump pumps), Minot (after we moved)

Pipe broke: Little Rack after we moved.

There’s the damage that it does, but then don’t we all have a deep-seated fear of drowning?

Literally: flash flood, flood,

Figuratively; life gets overwhelming.

You feel it in your head, on your chest, in your gut.

Emotionally, psychologically, physically; drowning.

Life gets hard sometimes. And, we don’t know if we have the stuff to do what we need to. Not only in the difficult situation, but everywhere else when one area is tough.

Let me tell you about my week:

Busy. Men’s BS, Ballgame w/ my boys, elders, services.

Emily.

I’m spent. I don’t have it to give right now.

I am in way over my head right now. What do you do when you’re there? How do you get it all done?

I’ll tell you what I’m doing, you tell me if it’s working or not.

We happen to be in a place in our study of the miracles that addresses this exact issue.

How can we deliver when we don’t have it to give?

If God is in control of everything, and I’m doing what God wants me to be doing, and I still end up in a situation that is way beyond me (I’m drowning); I have to be able to believe that Jesus will show up and do thru me what is impossible for me to do myself.

How do I know?

Miracle #20 “Walking on Water”

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Context

When He isn’t here

Beginning the 3rd year of Jesus’ ministry, 1 year from the cross.

Rejected by Israel. Now preparing the disciples for life w/out Him there.

They just fed thousands

Jesus challenged them to do the impossible

They admitted they couldn’t do it.

12 disciples, one boy’s small lunch, 17500 ate their fill.

12 basketfuls left over

12 baskets for 12 men.

The people want a king

The people decide they like being fed for free and want to forcibly make Jesus their king.

JB had just been killed and Herod was opposed to Jesus having any authority.

Both the Romans and the Jews did little good for the people. While Jesus healed them, fed them, and gave the authorities fits.

They want Jesus t/b king, but, they don’t want Jesus to be the King He came to be.

They just want their lives to be better.

That’s not what Jesus came to do. Besides, it’s not time yet.

But, it’s not time yet.

That’s what just happened. He challenged them to do the impossible. But, He was right there to help them.

This time, however, He doesn’t show up right away.

So, all their sandals get wet. But, Peter’s get soaked.

Here We Go Again (22-24)

Matthew 14:22–24 NIV

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Across the sea…again

No thanks, I’ll walk.

They’ve made this trip many times. Both w/ Jesus, and long before He showed up on the scene. Fishermen.

Mostly, uneventful. But there was that one time.

Still, as many times as they had made this trip and it was uneventful, one time recently it was life-threatening.

He was w/ them, but fell asleep

Like this time, Jesus made them go to the other side.

No thanks. I’ll walk!

That time He was w/ them, but asleep.

A sudden storm blew up, they panicked.

“Don’t you care if we drown?”

Jesus: “Where’s your faith?!”

You’re not going to drown. I’m right here.

Again, this time, Jesus made them go to the other side.

No thanks. I’ll walk. Seriously.

They get into the boat w/out Him this time, head to the other side while He dismissed the crowd that was fed and wanted to make Him King.

From the Jewish side where He fed the 5000+ over to the Gentile side.

Jesus gets the disciples away from the crowd by sending them on their way in the boat.

Jesus gets away to pray. Easier for Him to evade the crowd by Himself.

Jesus got the disciples from the crowd and gave them the opportunity to process what had just happened by themselves by sending them on their way in the boat.

Discuss amongst yourselves what just happened.

So, while they are rowing and talking here comes the wind, again.

Here Comes the Wind, Again

They left the shore after the crowd ate and began to disperse.

It would have been near dark or already after sunset. No problem for experienced fishermen.

They fished at night b/c the fish ate during the cool of night.

Navigate by the stars. Normally, no big deal.

This wasn’t normal.

The storm blew in suddenly. No rain this time, just wind.

But wind whipped up the waves and the boat was taking on water.

Large storms on the Sea of Galilee would generate 10-12’ waves. (Shallow lake)

And, the were rowing for all they were worth into the wind.

they had made it 3-4 miles, about halfway.

The entire trip should have taken 3-4 hours. They’d been at it for twice that and were making no progress.

Remember who was on board. Much like another fateful trip one day.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of a fateful trip That started from this tropic port Aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailing man, The skipper brave and sure. Five passengers set sail that day For a three hour tour, a three hour tour.

The weather started getting rough, The tiny ship was tossed, If not for the courage of the fearless crew The Minnow would be lost, the Minnow would be lost.

So, anyway, back to our 3-hour trip.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/gilligansislandlyrics.html

The disciples were exhausted before they even started. In fact, remember, they were spent before feeding the thousands. Jesus was looking for a place for them to rest and recover.

The adrenaline that had fired while the fish and bread were being passed had long since expired.

The storm is showing no sign of letting up. They have nothing left in their tanks. The boat is taking on water. They’re only halfway.

Jesus is nowhere to be seen. Until, now...

I AM here (25-27)

Matthew 14:25–27 NIV

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

All night long

They started out exhausted when they shoved off as the sun set. Now, light is starting glow on the eastern shore.

(John) it was between 3 and 6 in the morning.

The wind has not let up. The waves continue to toss the boat.

they were straining at the oars. Giving it every ounce of physical strength they had rowing into the teeth of the wind.

Those who weren’t rowing, were bailing water.

To their credit, Jesus had commanded that they go to the other side. They didn’t give up.

They worked w/ all their might to obey. Probably all believed that Jesus was giving them the strength to continue.

But they were losing this battle.

Fatigued, afraid, and frustrated they tried.

None wanted to admit what they all believed, they were going down that night and all would be lost.

They saw something, or, someone

When they saw Him they were terrified b/c they did not recognize Him at first.

Their first thought was this was the angel of death to usher them from this life into the next.

What would you have thought? Not exactly a place where you would expect to see a pedestrian.

But, it was Jesus. And He wasn’t struggling to walk.

, He was about to pass them by.

Not that He was just going to stroll by w/out stopping.

In the OT there were episodes where the Lord showed up to reassure His people while they were struggling.

This time He showed up and said, “Don’t be afraid. I Am.”

A rich OT reference to God.

Jesus was not only telling them to calm down, but also telling them exactly Who He is.

I AM.

And, I AM is in complete control.

Jesus is standing there, no trouble, His hair isn’t even blowing in the wind.

The boat is getting slammed. The disciples feet are wet as the waves come over the sides. They can’t maintain their balance.

When people are out on water they need to be in a boat or else they will drown. In this case, the boat was going down so if they stayed in the boat they were going to drown.

Jesus is calmly standing by their side.

People don’t belong on the water. They belong in a boat. But the boat is sinking.

So, not to drown, what option do they have?

Peter Takes the Plunge

Matthew 14:28–32 NIV

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Matthew 14:

He waited

There were times when Peter didn’t wait and rashly acted.

When Jesus was arrested he grabbed a knife and cut off the servant’s ear. A fisherman pretending t/b a soldier.

This time, he waited for Jesus to call him out.

People on water belong in a boat. But the boat is sinking. People don’t belong out on the water. But, Jesus is standing there.

Clearly, the best place to be is with Jesus even if He’s in a place where people don’t normally go.

Just wait for Him to call you out, though.

Faith!

Peter demonstrated remarkable faith in Jesus. He dared believe he could do anything Jesus called him out to do.

He’d seen Jesus perform so many miracles so far. And, recently, the miracle of feeding thousands passed thru his hands.

Here He sees walking on water as a miracle and asked Jesus if he might be able to join Him in doing exactly what He was doing.

Faith that Jesus could sustain him when he walked in obedience to his commands.

The wind was still howling, the waves were still pounding the boat and he awkwardly climbed out stood atop the waves.

Suddenly, the thing that had brought him such fear just moments ago now brought him calm.

His hair no longer blew in the wind. His feet stood firm above the water.

Peter faced it all w/ confidence b/c Jesus had commanded it.

Limits

As strong as Peter’s faith was to join Jesus on the water he soon discovered that his faith had its limits.

He started walking toward Jesus and we have no idea how far he got.

At some point the realization overwhelmed him that people didn’t belong where he was.

He saw the wind, the boat bouncing behind him, and the waves beneath him.

What’s the one thing he didn’t see right then? Jesus.

He began to sink. His sandals were wet. Now, they’re soaked.

Immediately, he prayed. Short and to the point: HELP!

A prayer we’ve all prayed before. We’re in trouble, we can’t get ourselves out of it, only Jesus can.

He didn’t wait until he was submerged. And, Jesus immediately responded to his cry.

He reached out and grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

Why?

Why did Peter sink?

A teachable moment for Jesus.

Peter had faith. He was a saved man. He had faith that he was going to walk into heaven when he died.

But, he had doubts about how he was going to be able to walk thru difficult circumstances in this life.

He had saving faith, but he didn’t have survival faith.

Faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is belief even when you doubt.

When Peter took his eyes of Jesus he began to doubt that he could survive out there. The conditions were such that people die in them.

He obeyed the command of Jesus and began to walk by faith.

But, the fact that he began his walk by exercising faith did not mean that he could stop walking by faith.

The first step of faith was not enough for him to survive. Every step needs to be a step of faith.

When Peter ceased to walk by faith, even though in the will of God and in the presence of Jesus, he began to sink.

Those in the boat saw Jesus walking on the water, then saw Peter walking on the water, then Peter was sinking in the water and Jesus raised him out of the water.

After all that, the winds and the waves calmed down.

They recognized Jesus for Who He really is, the Son of God.

It’s a process. They were saved (but Judas). Now they’re learning how they will survive.

Obedience to Jesus does not mean all the obstacles are going to be removed from our lives.

When we hit the big ones, we can try as hard as we can, expending every ounce of energy we have rowing our boats into the wind, going nowhere.

Or, we can put our oars down and stand with Jesus.

Jesus had just given them the command to feed thousands. 12 men, 17,500 people; impossible. But Jesus was right there.

Now, He commanded them to go to the other side of the sea. The storm hit and He was no where in sight.

When Jesus is out of sight will they survive.

Reality, He’s always right here. He was then, He is now in the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is always present in our problems. When we are completely spent, and then called upon to perform the impossible and doubt creeps in, just one simple prayer:

Jesus, Help!

Applications

Alone?

How are we going to survive if Jesus is out of sight?

No wisdom? No power? Not true!

We have the Holy Spirit inside of us. We are never alone b/c He is always with us.

When you’re facing what seems impossible would you rather be one of the 11, or would you rather be Peter?

Only 2 men in history have ever walked on water and one of them is God.

You have to believe that the best place to be is standing with Jesus even if He’s where people aren’t supposed to go.

You’re never alone. So, if Jesus calls you out, He’s not telling you to go, He’s inviting you to come to Him.

The best place to be is to be standing with Jesus even if He’s standing in a dangerous place.

Row, row, row, your boat

Put your oar down

We will try so hard b/c we think we can do it and we don’t need God’s help.

Physically, emotionally, psychologically spent. But, we’ll keep rowing.

We’’ll try so hard to do what God never intended for us to do even though He called us into it.

Rowing your boat into the wind making no progress.

Put your oar down and walk w/ Jesus.

Steps of faith

If you want to be like Peter that first step requires a lot of faith.

But, just b/c your first step is a step of faith doesn’t mean the rest of your walk is w/out faith.

Every step is a step of faith.

No matter how or where you begin, continue in faith.

Sometimes we sink.

We’re saved, but we’re not sure we’ll survive.

Faith isn’t the absence of doubt. Faith works where doubt creeps in.

We can’t let the doubt dominate our faith. Let our faith dominate our doubts.

We don’t have to be able to explain everything. We just need to be sure that God has called us out and into it.

Then, make every step a step of faith.

So, when you start out exhausted, spent, fatigued, done and Jesus sends you into an impossible situation and you can’t see Him anywhere. What do you do?

You’re rowing for all you’re worth, your sandals are wet, and you’re getting no where fast.

You can’t see Jesus anywhere. What do you do?

Find Jesus and step out to Him. Your sandals will get soaked, but your world will calm down.

If God is in control of everything, and I’m doing what God has called me out to do, and I still end up in a situation that is way beyond me (I’m drowning); I have to be able to believe that Jesus will show up and do thru me what is impossible for me to do myself.

Give Him what little I have to offer, like a boy’s small lunch.

Focus my eyes on Him, like Peter.

Take the first step.

In the boat where people are supposed to be it was chaotic.

On the water, where people are not supposed to be it was calm.

Why? B/C that’s where Jesus was.

That’s where I need to be right now.