Peter walks on the Water
Notes
Transcript
What Keeps You from Walking On the Water?
What Keeps You from Walking On the Water?
Good morning my friends!
Have you enjoyed these fall temperatures?
Fall is creeping up on us and probably within the next month we will hit the peak time of the leaves changing colors…
It reminds us what God has ordained, the changing of the seasons are in His sovereign control and if He can take care of this world, my friends the Lord our God can take care of us. Amen?......
God is so good....
We have seen many answered prayers lately, and we are so excited to see His healing hand delivering people who have been severely sick. What a blessing!
Our God is the one true God, and He is all powerful, we see it in our lives, He has saved us, forgiven our sin and blessed us.
And we also see this truth in the witness of Scripture.
This morning we turn back to the Gospel of Matthew and we are back in Chapter 14.
Today we look at the events after the feeding of the 5000, where Jesus comes walking to His disciples upon the water. It is a story we are all familiar with and teaches us a good lesson in dependency, faith and trust.
So lets look at our text...
Matthew 14:22–33 (ESV)
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And 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 and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
What a great text my friends, one of my favorite ones to say the least.
I love it for it reveals to us that we can do wonderful and powerful works if Jesus calls us too....
We may not walk on the water like Peter did, but we can have and enjoy a similar victory in our life before God as we trust him.
Faith… what we believe and practice is key to a life lived in front of Jesus.
So lets open this up and see What God will say to our hearts about faith and practice.
Here is my first thought today.....
1. We are Buffeted at Times....
I want you to consider two lines of thoughts today friends, two thoughts or ideas that we cannot escape, in regard to the way we view and consider each day of life.
Here they are....
A. The first thought is we are created as Physical and Spiritual beings....
B. The second is difficulties and challenges are seen in both realms of our life, both Physical and Spiritual.
So how does this seen in our text....
Look with me back at verses 22 and 24
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.
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24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.
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After the miracle of the feed of the 5000 has concluded, the people being fed and satisfied with the loaves and fish, Jesus sends the crowds away and has the disciples take the boat ahead of him and travel to the other side of the sea of Galilee.
Now if you remember from last week, it was late, evening was setting in when the disciples asked Jesus to send the crowds away to buy food before the markets in the near by towns closed up.
But Jesus compelled the disciples to feed them, and while they said they couldn’t they learned with Master’s help, 5 loaves and 2 fish became much as it passed through His hands.
So nightfall is upon them and Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him. Jesus dismissed the crowds and Jesus went up on the mountain to pray.
{Remember my friends that if Jesus took the time to spend with the Father in prayer, it teaches us we should be praying as well.}
Now moving on....
Verse 24 gives us a look at the progress of the disciples journey, after being out there all night, (verse 25 says it was the 4th watch of the night, which is 3am to 6am). The wind was so strong, the sea at such unrest they were still a long way from shore.
Can you imagine with them, the disciples are weary, they have to be tired! If you have been rowing a boat for many hours and the wind has been no help proves for a rough night.
The picture is one of physical fatigue, hardship that can come to a person’s life at any time. I bet if I ask you, you could remember a time when life was physically tough, there was a hardship, days when you were uncertain if you could make it to the next day...
You were just beat up by your circumstances… it happens.
But Do Not Forget: it can happen Spiritually as well. The word “buffeted” here in the Greek is literally translated as “tormented” a word that speaks to demonic hostility against the people of God.
The point I am making my friends is that our toughest days can have a Spiritual note to it, it might be more than just a tough day, it might very well be the devil trying to discourage you, stop you, cause you to just give up and go no further.
Your life can be buffeted.....
But in days likes this my friends, don’t give up. Jesus is aware and will help you!
Do you believe that?
I know God is aware of our lives each day and stands ready to help us.. Our responsibility is to not give up in these challenges.
Secondly,
2. Jesus is Near in Our Time of Need...
I believe and by no means doubt that Jesus is completely aware of every moment of life. No second of time escapes His understanding ....
I believe this was true of the disciples in our story as well.
As we have already seen, the disciples were struggling to get across the Sea of Galilee. They were supposed to meet Jesus on the other side of the lake but they were still very far from shore as morning approached.
And verse 25 tells us that Jesus makes His way to them...
25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.
Now let me pull out a little though here .... Jesus must have spent a great deal of time in prayer, remember it is the 4th watch of the night. It is between 3 am and 6 am....
We know that if Jesus prays, we need to pray, and if Jesus doesn’t rush prayer we need to be careful and not rush in and out of prayer, we need to spend time with the Father, talking to Him and listening to Him.
So Jesus comes walking to them… They have spent a great amount of time, but they have been buffeted, that word remember literally means “tormented”. It suggests that this is more than just a storm.
Demonic forces are pushing back against the disciples, these forces want them to fail, they want them to perish in the storm…
Why do I think that?
They are heading for Gennesaret, verse 34 and many good things are getting ready to happen there.
This area is a small plain bordering on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Magdala. While not a large area, Jesus was getting read to bless those people and the devil wanted to stop Jesus from making it to that place.
The devil wants to stop people from coming to Jesus, and he certainly doesn’t want them to find His forgiveness, his grace and certainly his salvation.
Now while satan is at work, understand Jesus is at work, and He comes to help his disciples who are struggling and exhausted.
And so He come walking to them on the water.
The creator and sustainer of this universe knew that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so Jesus just makes his way across the water.
The point I want you to see is two fold.
While satan seeks to harm us, Jesus seeks to help us.
And so Jesus came to these young disciples and will help them in the midst of their needs.
Stop for a minute right now and let me ask you s this question...
How many of you feel like you are walking in a storm at the moment.
It might be a little one or it might be a big raging storm...
You are not alone my friends, please know that you are not alone
Jesus is aware , and is at work even when we don’t sense or understand it.
He is at work in your life....
Will you let Jesus work?
Now just one last thought today my friends...
3. What We Believe is a Powerful Force....
Lets start with this thought today..... What we believe empowers what we do....
Take one of these chairs behind me, - If I believe it is made well, it is sturdy and strong then I will take what I believe (we call that faith) and will put it into practice, I will sit down on the chair.
Some of you here are Ford people, or Chevy people or maybe some other brand… You choose to purchase those cars and trucks because you believe in them.... so you put that into actions and buy them..
People typically do not invest their lives and or money in things they do not believe in… in things they have no faith in them.
We encounter a similar (faith) story in our text… lets look at verses 25 to 29
25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And 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 and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Wow!
Could you imagine the disciples this night, they have struggled so hard and when they are probably at their lowest, here comes Jesus.
Jesus comes “and listen again to what it says” Jesus come walking to them on the water…
No one expected this.... the Bible says they were terrified wen they saw this, so much so that they thought it was a ghost… and they cried out, literally screamed out in fear.
Listen my friends, you would be upset too. If you saw a person doing what is against the very laws of nature. Walking on the water… you might give a little scream and try to get away.
But knowing they are afraid, Jesus calls out and speaks to them, reassures them that it was He..
Man O’ Man, Jesus is constantly thinking of others, In the previous passage last week Jesus had compassion on those around them, seeing them as sheep without a shepherd and He healed them. --
He fed them as evening came and even here as the disciples are struggling against the wind, against the very forces of the evil one and he goes to them. --
When they are scared, Jesus comforts them and He will go on to care for them all through out His time with them.
So back to our text....
As Jesus comes to them, announcing Himself to them you know it reassures them… I know it does for one reason. you know what it is? — Peter.
Lets go back to our text again… verses 27-28
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
Jesus tells them not to be afraid, and soon as Peter recognizes the voice of Jesus and seeing His form out there on the water, Peter says Lord if it is you, command me to come to you...
Now this says something about Peter...
Peter is saying Lord, I believe, I have faith in you and if you would allow it, I could come to the water to see you.
Peter believed that just as Jesus walked on the water, He could as well if Jesus commanded it.
Peter believes that Jesus has the power and authority to change water, gravity and the very laws of this nature so that He could come to Him.
You see faith, what we believe is what we can put into practice by God’s help my friends.
Now here is something that is really beautiful my friends....lets look at verse 29
29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.
Do you see that… Peter is expressing faith, He is asking Jesus to help that and says Lord bid me to come to you..
And Jesus says, come on big boy, come meet me on the water.
Friends, I believe when we exercise faith for Him and toward Him our Savior gets excited.
And here is the blessing, Peter goes walking to Jesus on the water.
Wow, He has climbed out of the boat making his way to Jesus . Step after step Peter is doing it and I am sure he is amazed with each step until he takes his eyes of Jesus.
Let me take you to the rest of the text....
Verses 30-33
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
**** Powerful Section ****
The storm was raging, the devil had been tormenting them and he hasn’t stopped yet… and as Peter began to fear the storm again, paying attention to it, and I would guess fearing it was harm him even through Jesus was right there
Here is a truth I want you to hold onto my friends…
The storm never matters, Jesus is all that matters.
Hear me, is the storm every more powerful than Jesus… No
Are the waves more powerful than Jesus; No
And today.. Is cancer more powerful than Jesus; No
Is Covid more powerful than Jesus; No
Then what you are facing today… is Jesus more powerful? Yes!
Then get out of the boat and start walking on the water.... living in His power, His authority as the child of the king you are instead of living like a rejected orphan!
Now as Paul Harvey used to say, Here is the rest of the story...
As Peter say the storm he began to doubt and started to sink in the water, and He cried out ...”Lord, Save me.”
And Jesus reached out and took him by the hand and said “....“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”.....
That word “doubt” is important, it means you believed, why did you stop believing. why were you double minded? You cannot say you believe and doubt at the same time.. Make up your mind, Either Jesus is God and able to save and keep you or you don’t believe it
What is the lesson here.... The devil will always push you toward unbelief, he always wants you defeated, broken and lost.... Jesus says Keep believing and don’t stop believing.
You see when we have faith, we can get out of the boat and we can walk on the water.
Given the choice, where would you rather be? IN the boat where its safe or out on the water with Jesus?
I want to be on the water with Jesus!
Now finishing the passage, Jesus and Peter get back into the boat, it all stopped, The wind, the waves … were no more.
Living with Jesus doesn’t promise us the storm won’t rage, it just promises us that we can make it through the storm and if the Lord so commands, we can walk on the water.
But what is the first step....
Believing!
What are you investing your faith in....
Ask yourself, How is my faith life? Is it stagnate, is it just there and is not pushing you in any direction.
If you look back at the miracle, Peter is the only one that asked to get out of the boat
Is your faith active and growing, seeking Jesus and his will for you every day?
You know the answer....
This morning if you need prayer, come and pray,
If you say Pastor I have not lived for God like I should have, then rededicate your life to him and his ways… He will receive that prayer .
It’s up to you, Jesus is calling you!