Look Up

27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28 Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind,[e] he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

In many respects, our lives are dictated by what we see with our eyes. We look at people, sizing them up.

Some look at the color of their skin and determine their worth.

They look at their height and determine their athletic ability. The question is often asked of someone over six feet tall, do you play ball?

They look at their weight and determine their eating habits. Deciding if they are plump they eat too much and if they are thin, they must be in shape.

They even look at the color of their hair and determine their personality. Extolling that red heads are fiery and blondes have more fun.

And the way people dress, is there anyone who doesn’t have a mirror in your house you don’t use? We sometimes look at what people are wearing and wonder, “Did they not look in a mirror before they left home?”

When choosing our mates, the first thing we notice is the physical. We all have our checklist of what we want in a mate, if we want a mate, and it often times begins with the physical.

Anyone ever look at some food and just based solely on the way it looks decide your not going to even try it, let alone eat it? And conversely anyone ever look at something and based solely on the way it looks you decide you are going to eat it? Whether it’s good for you or not, whether it’s healthy or not, whether it’s the wise thing to do, or not. What we see with our eyes.

What we see with our eyes.

So, with all we determine by sight, is it any wonder that some people have such a hard time believing in God, believing that He exist and that He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him?

Have you ever wondered why some people have such a hard time believing in God

How do we tell someone about a God we don’t seem to be able to touch, see or feel? How do we explain that because of what Jesus,

Some look at the color of their skin and determine their worth.

a Savior they can’t see,

did on a cross they can’t touch,

during a time they didn’t live,

so we could go to a heaven we’ve never been to

How do we get them to understand that we have the opportunity for eternal life, and oh yeah, first we must die?

What is our answer when life’s storms are raging all around someone, and they can’t see a way out, a way through and there is no end in sight for their trouble, their sorrow, or their pain.

They look at their height and determine their athletic ability. The question is often asked of someone over six feet tall, do you play ball?

Tell them to “Look Up”. The title for today’s message is, “Look Up”.

They look at their weight and determine their eating habits. Deciding if they are plump they eat too much and if they are thin, they must be in shape.

In our New Testament text, the disciples had been sent out on the sea by Jesus. They have just seen the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand men, plus women and children with two fish, five loaves of bread and a prayer - you can’t forget about the prayer.

They even look at the color of their hair and determine their personality. Extolling that red heads are fiery, and blondes have more fun.

They had seen it with their own eyes and so they were, I’m sure all pretty excited about it and now Jesus needed some alone time. He needed to pray, he needed to recharge, because remember Jesus is in a physical body, one that gets tired and hungry and thirsty and sleepy…just like you and I. And so he went off by himself into the mountains to pray, and he sent the disciples on ahead. He went off by himself just like you and I need to do. Don’t be afraid to unplug and disconnect sometimes, to recharge, to pray, to commune with God our creator. Don’t worry, the earth will continue to turn, the program will go on and you will be the better for it.

And the way people dress, is there anyone who doesn’t have a mirror in your house you don’t use? We sometimes look at what people are wearing and wonder, “Did they not look in a mirror before they left home?”

When choosing our mates, the first thing we notice is the physical. We all have our checklist of what we want in a mate, if we want a mate, and it often times begins with the physical.

But then a storm arises on the sea. Now Jesus knew this storm was coming and he sent them anyway. Don’t think God doesn’t know a storm is coming at you when he sends you on a mission. The storm is just a test of your faith.

How many of you know it’s easy to go when the way is clear, when everyone is cheering you on and no one is telling you, you can’t do it, you’re not qualified, you can’t learn. It’s easy to apply when there is no competition for the position. It’s easy to run the race when you know you’re the fastest. But how do you get better, faster, stronger when there’s opposition, when there’s a storm brewing on the horizon and it’s headed your way?

Anyone ever look at some food and just based solely on the way it looks decide you’re not going to even try it, let alone eat it? And conversely anyone ever look at something and based solely on the way it looks you decide you are going to eat it? Whether it’s good for you or not, whether it’s healthy or not, whether it’s the wise thing to do, or not. What we see with our eyes.

By working with people who are better, faster, stronger or have more knowledge than you. By knowing where your help comes from, by knowing that even in the midst of your storm you’re not alone. You get to the other side by knowing that even when your journey starts off smooth, a storm may arise, by knowing that Jesus is coming toward you in the storm, and by keeping your eyes on him. Look up

So, with all we determine by sight, is it any wonder that some people have such a hard time believing in God, believing that He exist and that He is a rewarded of them that diligently seek Him?

The disciples were out in this storm and they were afraid, when all of sudden they see this man walking on the sea. The NRSV says they were troubled, but the KJV says there were terrified. They were terrified, because of what they saw with their eyes.

But they would soon discover their eyes were deceiving them, they would soon discover they weren’t really seeing what they thought they were seeing. You ever look at something and think or maybe even say, my eyes must be deceiving me? Well they can. The disciples thought they were seeing a ghost and they cried out in fear. Twelve grown men in a ship, in a storm, at sea and they’re crying out in fear because they think they see a ghost.

But then, the Master of the sea, the Master of the wind and the waves spoke immediately and told the men, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” God is telling you don’t be afraid, I’m here with you, even in the midst of the storm. You don’t have to cry out in fear, I got you and this too shall pass. Whatever this is. Can you hear him? His sheep hear his voice and a stranger they will not follow.

And then there’s always a Peter in the group and this is not a negative thing. Peter was the one who would speak out, act out and ask questions when he wanted answers. Peter was a doer, he didn’t just let things go and he wasn’t one to just sit idly by and let life happen. Peter was one who experienced things the other disciples never did because they never asked. If you’re a Peter, don’t be ashamed, because Peter got what others didn’t. He got to go places and do things others didn’t because he wasn’t afraid to ask for what he wanted.

Peter said, ok Lord, if that’s you bid me to come to you on the water. Peter saw Jesus walking on the water and decided if Jesus can do it, I want to do it too, call me out there.

Remember they’re fresh off the miracle of the two fish, five loaves and a prayer so if he could do that, if he was walking on the water, Peter said surely I can too, if he calls me to come.

Jesus simply said, come. Why do we sometimes look for these big displays, the sky to open up and the answer float down on the wings of an angel, or for someone “representing” God to come with a Word from the Lord…You’re connected, you can get your own Word from the Lord. Stop looking for people to validate you and trust God to equip, assign, and carry you to your assignment. And know this, if God gave it to you to do, He will be there to help you carry it through to completion. It’s not over, till God says it’s over, it’s not over, until God says it’s done, keep fighting until your victory is won. Look up.

Peter was bold enough to ask Jesus to call him out there on the water, he was courageous enough to step out of the boat when Jesus said come and he was doing it, but then something happened. The Scripture says when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. He saw the wind boisterous.

Now let’s look at this thing. Wasn’t the wind boisterous before he stepped out there on the water? So what changed? What was he looking at when he asked the question? Jesus. Wasn’t the wind boisterous when he stepped out of the boat? What was he looking at? Jesus. Then all of a sudden, he took his eyes off Jesus, he saw the wind, he saw the storm and the first thing that happened was he was afraid. Fear will cause you to sink into the depths of despair, it will cause you to stand still to the point where you can’t even get yourself out of danger, where you’re too afraid to move. Fear will cause you to drown.

But to Peter’s credit, he cried out for help. How many of you have gotten into situations where you were drowning? Not literally, but you were in a situation and you needed to get out of it, but instead of crying out, instead of asking for help you made the decision to try and fix it yourself? And what happened? You continued to sink, you got more depressed, you got deeper in debt, you got in more trouble all because you refused to asked for help. You need to get to a point where you are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Don’t let pride, embarrassment, grief, disbelief, or unbelief stop you from asking for help. There’s no shame in asking for help when you need it. Even Jesus cried out to God as he hung on the cross.

But you have to go to the right place for your help, and, you must understand there is no one person who can help you with everything. If you come across someone who thinks they can, run Forest run, because they are thinking more highly of themselves than they ought. Only Jesus had all the answers.

But Peter knew what to say, when to say it and to whom to say it. When he began to sink he cried out saying, Lord, save me and IMMEDIATELY, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him. God is right there waiting to catch you so don’t worry, you won’t drown, cry out.

But Jesus said to Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When we begin to sink into our fear and problem and trouble and worry it’s a faith problem. It’s not a strength problem, you can be as strong as an ox and still lack faith.

It’s not a love problem, you can have all the love in the world and still lack faith.

It’s not a forgiveness problem, you could’ve forgiven everyone who ever wronged you and still lack faith.

It’s not a prayer problem, you can pray all day and all night long, but if you lack the faith that God will answer, you might as well be talking to the plants.

It’s not meditation problem, because you can meditate on the word day and night and still lack faith.

It’s not a fasting problem, because you can fast for 40 days and still lack faith.

It’s not a spiritual gifts problem, because you can speak or pray in tongues all day long and still lack faith.

Jesus said to Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt? Peter took his eyes off Jesus and began to look at his circumstance, he began to see what was around him instead of keeping his eyes on the one who bid him, come.

Stop looking at the problem and keep your eye on the provider

Instead of looking at the storm, look to the Savior and say like the Psalmist encourages us in the 121st division of the Psalms as he waxes so poetically in the KJV declaring, “I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” But when we look at other translations, that first verse is a question which asks, “I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there?” And then he answers with absolute surety , “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

What lord are you looking to, to solve your problem? What lord are you expecting to deliver you out of the storm? What lord are you desiring to be there when you’re all alone and have no one to call on? Is it the person you’ve made lord of your life? Is it the drug you’ve made lord of your life? Whatever you put before the God who made heaven and earth is the lord of your life.

You have to know, like the psalmist, without a doubt in your mind that your help comes from the Lord and not just any Lord, but the one and only God who made, fashioned and formed the heavens and the earth just by speaking words out of his mouth. Words have power and don’t you ever believe they don’t. Yea they sang that little diddy when we were kids, sticks and stones, may break your bones, but words will never hurt you. Will I’m here to tell you, don’t you believe it. What you say out of your mouth matters. Are you speaking blessings or cursing into the lives of those around you, into your own life.

Words have power, just ask those being cyber bullied and committing suicide because of the words they see coming across their screen. You can say I’m sorry all day long, but the hurt they felt when you said what you said, the sadness they experienced when they saw what you wrote, can never be taken back, so be careful little mouth what you say and be careful little hands what you type, what you say does matter.

What Jesus did and said mattered to an entire world and even when he didn’t speak, his message resonated loudly, teaching us that what we don’t say can be just as important as what we do say. And I say to right now, if you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, today is a good day.

Christ died so you could have access to the God who created the heavens and the earth, to give you access to the Holy of Holies, where there is no separation between you and Him. He died to repair the broken fellowship that happened in the garden of Eden.

Sin separated us from a Holy God, but He loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to cover the debt we owed and could never afford to pay. Jesus paid for that sin, once and for all and He is more than enough. How can you say thanks for what Christ did for you? By giving your life back to God. There is no plan you could have that’s better than the one God has for your life. No eye hath seen, no ear has heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him. Won’t you show him your love today?

The doors of the church are open.

How do we tell someone about a God we don’t seem to be able to touch, see or feel? How do we explain that because of what Jesus,

• a Savior they can’t see,

• did on a cross they can’t touch,

• during a time they didn’t live,

• so we could go to a heaven we’ve never been to

How do we get them to understand that we have the opportunity for eternal life, and oh yeah, first we must die?

What is our answer when life’s storms are raging all around someone, and they can’t see a way out, a way through and there is no end in sight for their trouble, their sorrow, or their pain?

Tell them to “Look Up”. The title for today’s message is, “Look Up”.

In our New Testament text, the disciples had been sent out on the sea by Jesus. They have just seen the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand men, plus women and children with two fish, five loaves of bread and a prayer - you can’t forget about the prayer.

They had seen it with their own eyes and so they were, I’m sure all pretty excited about it and now Jesus needed some alone time. He needed to pray, he needed to recharge, because remember Jesus is in a physical body, one that gets tired and hungry and thirsty and sleepy…just like you and me. And so, he went off by himself into the mountains to pray, and he sent the disciples on ahead. He went off by himself just like you and I need to do. Don’t be afraid to unplug and disconnect sometimes, to recharge, to pray, to commune with God our creator. Don’t worry, the earth will continue to turn, the program will go on and you will be the better for it.