(08-08-10) Walking on Water (shortened) - Isaiah 55.1-5; Romans 9.1-5; Matthew 14.22-33

Walking on Water – Isaiah 55:1-5; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33

·      Picture of the Christian life

o  we call ourselves Christians, followers of Jesus

o  we are living as we believe we have been called to

o  yet we find ourselves in difficulty

§  trouble/hardship; stormy waters (v24)

o  how is this possible?

§  God was meant to make everything alright!

§  to keep us safe

·      here we are in a boat in the middle of a storm

o  Jesus comes (v25)

§  He can calm the wind and waves (chapter 8)

§  He can make everything alright

o  He keeps us safe from harm not safe from danger

§  yet maybe we don’t recognise Him and are still afraid

§  yet he asks us to trust Him even further

·      to step out of the boat

·      to do what seems impossible

o  whatever that might be for each of us

§  we begin to sink when we take our eyes off Jesus

·      begin to look at the wind and waves more than the one who has called us out onto the water

·      Where are we today?

o  back on the shore having heard about Jesus, even seen Him, but not following Him?

§  “Truly [this is] the Son of God” (v33)

o  in the boat?

§  stormy waters

·      life is hard

§  times when Jesus scares us

·      He seems to act like we don’t want Him to

·      asks us to do things we think are beyond us / impossible

o  on the water?

§  heard His call and are trying our very best to follow

§  trying our hardest to keep our eyes fixed on Him

·      Hebrews 12:2

o  sinking?

§  the waves have grown larger than our faith

·      we have trusted in a difficult place

·      yet the sea has not calmed

·      things are still hard

§  picture on ordination retreat

·      two right hands coming up out of the water

o  Wherever we are, fix eyes on Jesus

§  object of hope

§  author and perfecter of faith