A Sinking Feeling
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· 123 viewsNo matter what is going on in our world.... no matter how dire the times seem.... Christ is there! Wiating...ready to step in and save us....but...we have to call on Him. We will never find rest, peace, and freedom in the world's boat. We have to get out and focus solely on Christ.
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That sinking feeling
That sinking feeling
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.
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.”
“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.
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
There is a question that is raised by the very first sentence in this passage. Take a look at it....
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
That word “Immediately” means “At once”.... at that very moment…right now.... Christ didn’t meander around....mingle with the people… socialize....and then... at some point … send the disciples into the boat...
He did it immediately!
As soon as He finished feeding the people, He sent the disciples away.....
Matthew, Mark, and John all share this fact....
Why?!
John gives us the answer:
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
When we look at all three parallel accounts, we find that it was evening when Jesus completed feeding the 5,000, and — knowing what the crowd intended to do — He sends the disciples away, disperses the crowd, and goes into solitude to pray....
I have heard a lot of sermons on this passage..... Commentators have spent a lot of time on this passage..... The thoughts and ideas about this passage cover a great multitude of truths — from faith to the revelation of the power and majesty of God — And all of those ideas are true....
But..... Can I tell you..... That is what this passage is about....
Christ separated the disciples from the political motivations and intentions of the crowd....of the world.....
Brothers and sisters, we are not supposed to be a part of this world!!!
Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
Peter tells us to “Be Holy because God is Holy.”
We cannot do that if we are caught up in the ideas and motivations of the world.
The disciples would not have been able to become the men Christ intended them to become if they had gotten caught up in the political motivations of the crowd..... So, Jesus sent them away.
Church.... This world cannot help us break free from any of the things we are struggling with.
Doctors, psychologists, teachers, counselors, … can help us learn to control the issue — to control our addictions… our depression… our anxiety…our anger....etc.... they can help us to create the illusion of control in our lives..... BUT… they cannot free us from those issues..... Only God can.
This is why we now here psychologists and counselors at addiction recovery programs calling those addictions “diseases.”
Christians must separate themselves from the “World” in order to receive the peace and comfort of Christ.
That is what this story is about.....
Let’s get back to the disciples.....
The disciples have gotten in the boat and headed across the sea..... Without Jesus! (that is important)
The wind has picked up… The waves have increased and are “buffeting” the boat, causing it to be difficult for them to row.... They can’t use the sails, because the “wind is against them.”
Notice, this wasn’t a storm....
Have you ever been on a lake when the wind is blowing hard?
What happens to the water? (it gets really choppy)
Is it easy to row a boat on that water? (no)
The Sea of Galilee was much bigger then the lakes around here are.... The waves created by the wind on the sea of Galilee can become quite large..... The story tells us that this was the issue....
The waves are huge....the wind is blowing the wrong direction…they are struggling at the oars.... sea spray is soaking them to the bone....
And worse.... It is late....its getting dark and difficult to see… and Jesus isn’t with them....
Can you imagine what they are thinking?
Where is Jesus?
How is He going to get to the other side of the sea?
When will He join us?
Will we see Him again?
Are we missing anything He is doing? teaching?
What about the people?
What if this wind turns into a storm?
Is it any wonder they were a little scared?
Look at verse 26.... Jesus comes to them, walking on the water....
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.
Have you ever noticed that in the midst of the turmoil of life....when the wind begins to blow, the waves begin to buffet our boat, and things seem uncertain — especially when we feel alone — that fear begins to creep in…
You see.... the disciples thought they were alone.... they were apprehensive about their situation… they were tired and struggling..... and when they saw a figure on the water, they were scared!
It is easy for us to find ourselves in their position isn’t it?
Sometimes.... often..... the world around us can overwhelm us, and leave us with a sinking feeling — as if things can only get worse....
It is in those times that things can seem very different then what they really are.
But…we do not have to fear.... Christ is with us!
Look at what Jesus says to them:
But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Can I tell you? This is no simple statement! This is a promise!
It is a promise of comfort…of safety…of provision…of hope…and peace…and comfort..... It is a word that says anxiety and depression…fear and desperation.... addiction and suffering… have no place in our lives!
The Greek phrase translated “I” here is the Greek phrase “ego eimi.”
Some of you may have heard it before. It means “I Am.”
Sound familiar?
This is the exact same phrase Jesus used in His “I Am” statements.....
Christ is saying to them: “Do not be afraid. I Am.”
That should have been enough.... After all, the disciples had been traveling with Him.... they had seen His miracles....they had just witnessed the feeding of the 5,000.... But....Peter is the only one who gets out of the boat!
Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.
Peter…at least for a moment....seems to understand..... If this is Jesus, then He can command the impossible! He can do what the world says cannot be done.... He can overcome the confines…the trials…the fears of this world....
And so.... He gets out of the boat!
Notice it does not say, “Peter, got out and sank, because… you know.... humans can’t walk on water.”
No! It says that he got out of the boat, and began walking on the water.
For that moment, Peter experienced the impossible.... He experienced the supernatural power of God, enabling him to do something completely impossible in the world!
Church.... That is the promise of Pentecost! We are given the same power Christ Himself possesses.... We are enabled — right here in our lives — to do the impossible!
All we have to do is believe and receive....
But… look at what happens to Peter:
But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
What happened?
Peter looked at the world.....
It says “when he noticed the strong wind”....
When he had his eyes on Jesus Peter experienced something amazing, but as soon as he looked at the world, his faith failed....
The same thing happens to us!
This world cannot save us.... it cannot heal us.... it cannot free us from the things that have us bound up.... anxious....fearful....
Only God can!
Let me ask you this:
When the world begins to drown us, when we are sinking in despair…anxiety…depression....fear..... Where do we turn?
Peter turned to Christ.
When he began to sink, Peter immediately cried out: “Lord, save me!”
Do we do that?!
Or, Do we sit around thinking “I shouldn’t have gotten out....” Who’s going to help me now?
Can I really trust God... after all, He’s the one in control, so, He’s the one who put me here?
God did not put you there!!!!
Christ is there to save us, all we have to do is cry out to Him!
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Then they get into the boat… John tells us:
Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
Not only did Jesus save Peter, but then He delivered ALL of the disciples to their destination!
They didn’t have to continue to struggle to get there!
Look at Jesus’s words to Peter again:
Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Christ’s concern in this passage is their faith....Our Faith!
Doubt…fear....anxiety....mistrust....depression.....all creep into our lives when we focus on the world around us......
They become issues that destroy our faith....
When we allow the world to tangle us up in its way of thinking and acting....we risk being destroyed by it!
This is why Jesus sent the disciples by themselves onto the sea....away from the crowd.
If we desire the true freedom…rest…and hope that Christ provides, then we have got to get out of the boat!
“When you’re inside a boat you don't trust yourself, you trust the safety the boat brings or provides” — Pastor Duncan Shabane
When we are in the boat, we are not trusting God either..... We are trusting the boat, the boat manufacturer, the promise of the boats integrity......
I am positive that when those people got on the Titanic, and set sail, they trusted that that boat was safe, and truly “unsinkable”.... YET......
Worldly Boats fail!
When we trust the boat more then our creator, we are in trouble.
Let me tell you — It is impossible to SEE God....to TOUCH God.... to have FAITH in God.... from inside the boat....
You will never experience the full power of God from inside the boat!
What is the boat?
The boat is —
— the World
— cultural norms and ideas
— worldly theologies
— lack of faith, because.... it conforms faith and scripture to our accepted norms instead of conforming us to scripture.....
Inside the boat you can only find:
1) natural 2) fear 3) doubt/unbelief 4) sickness 5) failure 6) disappointment
7) imperfections 8) weakness 9) impatience 10) hatred 11) all kinds of sin 12) unrighteousness
But...outside the boat you find:
1)supernatural 2)favor of God 3)Son of God 4)presence of God 5)perfection
6) opportunities 7)grace of God
We have to move from the safety of our boat.... to the safety of His Presence.
We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.
But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
So, what does it mean to move form our boat to His Presence? How does it look? How do we get there?
Turn your eyes to God.... that is what Pentecost is all about!
Let go of worldly ideas, philosophies, and theologies. (you know what they are — social justice, acceptance of sin, love that does not correct, the Gospel being “political”, prosperity gospel,....)
Get off of social media.
Spend time with Him Daily (more then just a few minutes)
Read the Word & Pray instead of watching TV.
Trust Him to fill your needs.
(challenge — 1 week media fast.... no facebook, twitter, snapchat, .... minimal tv time…)