This morning if you will turn with me
to Matthew chapter 14 as we continue on
through our studies through the Bible and this
morning we get to chapter 14 and if
you'll stand I'll read out of it.
Matthew chapter 14 verse 22.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get
into a ship and to go before him
unto the other side while he sent the
multitudes away.
And when he had sent the multitudes away
he went up unto a mountain apart to
pray.
And when evening was come he was there
alone.
But the ship was now in the midst
of the sea tossed with waves for the
wind was contrary.
And in the fourth watch of the night
Jesus went into them walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw him walking on
the sea they were troubled saying it is
a spirit or a ghost and they cried
aloud for fear.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them saying be
of good cheer it is I.
Be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said Lord if
it be thou bid me come unto thee
on the water.
And he said come.
And when Peter was come down out of
the ship he walked on the water to
go to Jesus.
But when he saw the wind boisterous he
was afraid and beginning to sink he cried
saying Lord save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and
caught him and he said unto him O
thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt.
And when they were come to the ship
the wind ceased.
And then they that were in the ship
came and worshipped him saying of a truth
thou art the Son of God.
Father how we thank you for your word.
How we thank you Lord for what you
have to reveal to us of yourself.
Through your word in Lord when our ship
is in the midst of the sea.
What you want us to know.
Not only about the sea and about ourselves
but most of all about you.
We ask that as we look to your
word this morning that you would feed us
for we ask it in Jesus name.
Amen.
You may be seated.
Maybe just a little bit here to set
I suppose the scene a little bit of
what is happening here.
Of course this is on the Sea of
Galilee where this event here in chapter 14
takes place.
So much of Jesus's ministry went on all
around the cities all around the Sea of
Galilee.
And so quite a bit of the time
of ministry was spent there.
And they were oftentimes on the sea and
being fishermen as they were they're very acquainted
with it as well.
But the Sea of Galilee for those of
you that have been with us to Israel
you know this but it's at the base
of a valley that basically comes down from
the city of Jerusalem.
Now through this valley coming into it there
are some rather significant mountains or high mountains
on both sides of this valley.
The result of it is is that oftentimes
winds will come down through that area.
And because of the valley and the layout
of the mountains in the side it can
become almost like a wind tunnel coming down
on the Sea of Galilee.
And by the time it hits the Sea
of Galilee and particularly in the middle of
it they can have some very sudden and
powerful storms.
It is not uncommon to have six-foot
waves out in the middle of the sea.
While at the side it may not even
be hardly windy at all.
But here is the disciples they find themselves
as well not only in the middle of
this that we'll look at in a moment
but I think it's also important just to
reflect on what we'll see as we go
through the overview of the chapter as well.
But they had just come from the experience
of the feeding of the 5,000.
Just that day before this event Jesus had
taken probably 12,000 maybe with men women
and children and miraculously fed them.
They had listened to him all day long
and they were on their way to go
back home.
They were hungry and they needed something to
eat.
And rather than having to make the journey
hungry Jesus miraculously with five loaves and two
fish had just fed them and just provided
for them.
It says there Jesus having compassion upon them
didn't want them to go home hungry.
And right after that it then goes on
here in verse 22 and it says in
straightway Jesus constrained the disciples.
In other words as soon really as this
was over Jesus then after sending the 5
,000 men plus women and children were on
their way home he turned the disciples he
said now I know you go on he
says they're across to go before him under
the other side while he sent the multitudes
away.
Jesus said I'll take care of the rest
of the crowd here you guys go on
across and meet you on the other side
you go before me over there.
And here was something of course it tells
us then there and one of the wonderful
things as well that we have with the
Bible that didn't have at the time I
guess is hindsight is always 20-20.
We know some things there that were going
on that somebody else wouldn't be aware of
at the time but of course Jesus being
omniscient knowing all things and omnipotent having all
power knew full well that they were heading
out into a storm that would be a
tremendous storm and he deliberately sent them into
it.
And as he sends them out into this
obviously knowing you know with full knowledge where
they're heading I'm convinced there that he did
it once again out of his compassion out
of his training he is you see Jesus
has called these twelve to himself and he
has just revealed a great power to them
a great miracle there in the feeding of
the five thousand but he also is very
aware that he's soon going to be turning
the whole ministry over to them and the
things that he is doing the life that
he is living the ministry is preaching the
truths that he is sharing the power that
he lives in and shares and knows is
he's determined his disciples must know this power
themselves for them to be those that he
wants them to be they have got to
enter into an awareness personally of his power
not just observers of it and watching him
take five loaves and two fish and say
boys that's something I mean anybody being there
what a miracle but Jesus is not interested
in me being an observer and what he
can do it but as much as an
experiencer of what he does that's what it's
all about and here he wants to disciple
his disciples he wants to train them and
so in order to do that he's got
to send them out into what they would
think to be an impossible situation a hopeless
situation so that they might discover did impossible
hopeless dog if they're ever going to minister
the gospel to the to the world ahead
of them who also lives in impossible situations
and hopeless situations they've got to have an
empathy they've got to have a realization within
them that he is sufficient for all things
and so deliberately Jesus taking those that he
loved taking those that he is training and
equipping he sends them deliberately right into the
midst of the sea into the middle of
a storm so that they would be ones
that would know of his power personally that's
interesting at the very beginning of it it
tells us there that Jesus told them he
constrained them to get into a ship to
go before him unto the other side go
before me another I'll meet you over there
on the other side if they had merely
listened as well to what he said what
comfort it would have been through the middle
of the storm through the midst of the
sea and through all the chaos when everything
is telling them oh no life is over
it's done if they would have just remembered
wait a minute Jesus said he was going
to meet us on the other side we
can't die we can't perish he's gone and
whatever God says if he says he's going
to meet us on the other side therefore
somehow or another we got to get on
the other side to meet him we're going
to be there but how easily we forget
these things how easily we forget Jesus didn't
say go out in the midst of the
sea and then well well then you know
I mean he just didn't just drop it
he just didn't look there say go halfway
and prepare to meet thy maker you know
or something he told them go before me
under the other side and here is Jesus
what the comfort if we would merely learn
to listen to all that he says when
he sends us and when he calls us
for here he had already guaranteed if they
would have just learned to listen to him
but something that they have got to learn
that every one of his children's got to
learn in usually through the process of the
same type of trials and we've got to
go through them all as well that here
if they're going to come to a place
where they know of his power and they
know of his word and they can rest
in his word and they've got to learn
to listen to it all themselves so to
me we all have the same lesson don't
we but here they also have to learn
as well I think one of the greatest
and fundamental lessons of all of life and
that is that his word is more powerful
than any condition any situation if he says
something I don't care what the situation suggests
I don't care what it would kind of
the circumstances of life would put me into
if he has said something that let God
be true in every man a liar the
sea is going to lie to me if
it's going to suggest it's going to take
me it's going to destroy me so here
we have Jesus sending disciples who had called
himself for you those who he is preparing
to minister to others that God has God
in heaven above and earth below and he's
sending them into a situation where they will
have to learn that he is sufficient for
every situation in every condition and he's got
to teach them the truth and so he
sends them out deliberately into an event there
where it tells us there that the ship
would be in the midst of the sea
tossed with waves then the wind was contrary
and as he sends them into this look
at this it seems as if everything is
at its worst isn't it when you stop
to think of it here first of all
he sends them into a place there where
it says they're there in the midst of
the sea now this is a huge sea
and as they are in the midst of
it first of all we're told here that
no matter what direction they go they're equal
distance from help the right in the middle
of it there is no close easy simple
way to kind of get out of this
there's no close haven at all they're in
the midst of the sea and as well
as they're in the midst of the sea
it says that they are tossed with waves
the boat there in the middle of the
storm taking on water being battered and beaten
all around in the middle of this and
and of course this is something that's not
like being lost in the middle of a
city while you're driving you know that's hectic
enough for some of us there may be
an unfamiliar territory but at least then you
can pull over you can rest you can
try to get your bearings you can get
off the road but you can't get out
of it in the midst of the sea
when you're tossed with waves there isn't any
little kind of pull off place there isn't
any little safe haven a resting place there
isn't something there where you just hold it
hold it hold it you know timeout there
for a few minutes while I just get
some some hold of my wits here no
they're they're fighting it and fighting it it's
relentless it isn't give up you don't have
any time to kind of stop and to
get your bearings and then it says in
the wind was contrary and here in other
words the direction that they ultimately knew that
they were going to that they were supposed
to be going was the most difficult to
go the wind was against them fighting them
pushing them back and they are fighting against
the wind and they have been fighting the
hardest possible direction to head oh what a
temptation to turn around and to go back
at least you got the wind in your
back at least you've got something else to
help you try to fight it oh man
I'm convinced that Jesus knew many times like
this would happen in their lives as they
happen in all people's lives that there's and
all the people that these did that the
disciples would ever minister to they would be
in circumstances like this all the time in
the middle of the sea tossed with waves
the wind would be contrary and yet we're
still it tells us there was the first
for the fourth watch of the night somewhere
between three and four or five in the
morning in other words they had been out
there somewhere between maybe nine to maybe 12
hours fighting rowing struggling trying to get some
place in here was something to the very
darkest of the hour the night before when
they before the Sun is started to rise
and that there's any morning glow beginning to
come the very darkest point and here they
are they're totally exhausted they have been fighting
with this all night long here it's something
there in the fourth watch of the night
in their energy is spent in their exhausted
no longer now are you trying to think
what is good or what's best or what
is honorable or what is right or what
is noble is now down to what is
survival now they're down to where every muscle
in their body every every breath that they
take everything that they're trying to do and
fight against this and get the water out
and keep on going now they come to
the awareness this isn't just exhausting this is
survival this is what do we got to
do to carry on I know that maybe
as you may sit here you may say
well I don't think I'm ever going to
Israel we may think I don't ever plan
on being a boat in the middle of
the Sea of Galilee let alone in the
middle of the night in the midst of
a storm three and five in the morning
but I want to tell you there's not
a one of us that won't be confronted
with the truths and the principles of this
battle there's not a human being that's going
to be worth his salt in all of
this life at all that isn't going to
have to learn how to head into those
and how to experience a greater life the
issue in life is now to avoid storms
the issue in life for a great person
and a person that's mature isn't how I
got out of them or how I ran
from them it's how did I triumph in
them how did I get through them you
see I don't know how many times in
life I in ministry I've sat down with
people where they frankly sat there and and
will look at me and maybe even say
you know I I had no other way
to go I had to do what I
had to do and I realized maybe the
implications in my life I realized now maybe
the implications for my marriage or when I
walked away from my home and I gave
up this or I what its effect may
have been here or there but you don't
understand at the time I did I was
tossed with waves I was in the middle
of it it was relentless it never gave
up there was no way out I was
tossed with waves I was fighting and my
energy was long gone there was no other
way to go maybe now all right the
storm is over and I've you know floated
in onto the side of the shore and
the Sun is out and the sea is
calm and the weather is nice but it
wasn't that way when I had to make
the decisions I had to make it was
tough and everything was gone and there was
no hope and I had nowhere to go
you see this is when being many people
make the decisions in their life affect them
profoundly and they're easily justified to our thinking
I know it is because I've heard it
and I've done it but here as we
look at this so often we may say
you know there was nothing else to do
there was nothing else anybody could have done
I did the best I could for as
long as I could I didn't give up
at midnight I didn't give up a one
I didn't give up a two I didn't
give up till it was absolutely the end
but you see they could have seen Jesus
it could have turned to him that's what
the disciples had to do and you say
see Jesus I didn't see Jesus I didn't
see him anywhere I couldn't see Jesus he
wasn't there I'm sure he wasn't there he's
nowhere to be found oh well the disciples
didn't think they saw him either as a
matter of fact when Jesus was there they
were convinced he was a ghost his own
disciples the one that he had revealed so
much of himself to and only that day
a miraculous revelation of himself only hours before
he had revealed himself so wonderfully to him
and yet there they didn't even think for
a moment it might be him there to
help rescue them rather than that they looked
over and all they had was another problem
another trial a ghost and they cried out
with fear as if haven't we got enough
now oh boy is this not life is
this not how it is so often how
many times it is to where we're crying
out with fear the world is against us
tension is high it's in our home or
it's in our family or in our marriage
you can't go any farther I've done the
noble thing I've tried to do the right
thing I've tried to hang in there for
a long time not an easy decision to
make but yet then there along comes somebody
that suggests God might be there to help
and we kind of almost shake your head
to say you know I've got another problems
enough problems right now without getting theological without
getting religious without you know having some sort
of thing like this maybe when all of
this is over in the in the storm
is gone maybe then I can think a
little bit about God but right now it's
survival of the fittest give me a break
got enough problems later how many people it
is that when they are in trouble and
you even want to mention Christ they look
at you to say you don't understand they
cry out fear almost to it I'll tell
you the wonderful thing is if a person
will merely listen for another moment if instead
of turning away in their fear and going
back to their own hopelessness of their own
resources if they would just would just but
look and listen they would hear out in
the midst of all the storm be of
good cheer it is I be not afraid
here is Jesus cries out he says to
him be a good cheer in other words
he says I'm not a problem I am
NOT a trial I am NOT a difficulty
I am one that if you will just
but set your eyes upon me I guarantee
you if ever there was a something your
eyes would set upon that we would rejoice
in that year you would cheer about that
you would stand just be in the stands
that have a game and the greatest victory
ever happened in the score in the last
second just turn the game around be of
good cheer if there's ever anything to stand
and be thrilled about look what's happened in
the final moments of my crisis victory has
been seen be of good cheer be thrilled
there's something there he says read it to
say rejoice you know to them there is
no one in all the world that knows
your struggle better than Jesus he allowed you
to go into it there is no one
knows better than the difficulty in your home
and lack of communication the inability to resolve
it in the hopelessness of our own strength
to get through it no matter how hard
we try and how long we give ourselves
to it and how much energy we're willing
to spend God has designed life that it
is futile without him that the storms will
absolutely destroy is the just trying to live
on this planet you cannot succeed without him
it'll be one storm or another that'll finally
be your doing in but in the scheduled
storms of life I'm convinced that those are
the times above all else that Jesus is
there not as a ghost not as another
problem but as the absolute solution waiting in
our eyes would catch him waiting that we
would long to hear his voice waiting that
that something may happen in such a way
is that we would long to have something
to cheer about and have a hope you
know the I'm sure today some of you
are in just such a storm it's there
you're tossed with waves the wind is contrary
there's voices within you that said hey you've
done what you can do you've given it
your best no one could be expected to
go on any farther you've gone and gone
and gone but the amazing thing is at
that time it also has an ability to
produce a desperation within us a desperation there
for some work of God within the hearts
of some that instead of giving up if
there was one offering that would come from
heaven that could save them and help them
their heart would leap they'd respond and there
at that hour maybe you know had it
been that Jesus come at another hour had
he come when the storm these these are
seasoned fishermen they can handle the waters they
always had before but not these had they
come when the waters were very handable to
them who knows what they may have thought
sometimes God has to wait for something to
happen that's desperate within us he's got to
rate to let everything kind of come in
all at one moment not to destroy us
but to make us not to not to
watch us drown but to see us breathe
for life like we've never wanted a gas
for it and here as he comes the
wonderful thing is is that Peter sat in
that boat and he was desperate he would
been tossed by every wave that had knocked
it and rocked it and he had fought
it back and the big fisherman the great
leader who had conquered many a sea before
found what he couldn't conquer and as he
sat there within and they're bailing the water
and they're trying to get through there was
something within him that realized I can't handle
this one any longer and all of a
sudden he looked in this massive fishermen saw
what they first saw was a ghost and
he cried out with fear and then he
heard him say be of good cheer it
is I be not afraid something leapt from
his heart uncontrollably a response that he couldn't
even have the time to think about I'm
sure for Peter cried out Lord if it
be thou bid me come unto thee on
the water I'm sick of this life beating
me to death Lord if it is you
bid me come unto thee on the water
and to me what a request I'm convinced
Peter didn't think about this then that's one
of Peter's greatest strengths to me was that
he didn't think a lot if you ever
noticed that about Peter he had a way
of blurting things out without thinking that oftentimes
was his undoing but oftentimes it was his
doing as well it was his ability almost
just to have this instantaneous thing that when
there was something upon his heart he could
lurch at it and he found himself there
Lord if it be thou bid me come
unto thee on the water and I think
Jesus before Peter could do any more calculating
is in Jesus art had to leap with
him and he says Peter come what a
thrill it had to be for Jesus you
know he was it is his prayer I
think you've almost got to notice what his
prayer wasn't his prayer wasn't Lord if it
be thou calm the water Lord if it
would be now stop the wind Lord if
it would be thou you know get me
over to the other side make everything better
Lord if it be thou prove it to
me by my changing the circumstances that are
agreeable to me no he said Lord if
it be thou bid me come unto thee
on the water and there as Peter cried
out not calm the storm but lift me
up above the storm into the realm in
which you obviously are storm is affecting you
at all as Jesus no doubt as they
just saw him walk something there in it
as their eyes set upon him they realized
that what they were in the midst of
and fighting with with every ounce of strength
that they had to exist and he was
an absolute rest and above it untouched by
it and yet right there with them at
the same time and rather than saying Jesus
get in the boat get down here what
are you doing we need you and start
bailing calm things get us over there to
shore get me out of this problem something
greater happened within him Lord bring me into
the realm in which you live bring me
into a place of said strength and power
and victory not get into my ship but
get me into yours get me into your
world how often I believe that we find
ourself praying and we're in trouble and God
fixes and fixes God if you love me
you'll do this and we got her list
I think the Lord does nothing he said
if I love you I'll do nothing we'll
let the storm go on but if you
love me you'll come to be with me
it's much nicer where I am than where
you are a much greater world that's what
I want to teach you you see Jesus
has no desire to create an absence of
storms he uses the storms to create within
us a desire for him he uses the
events in life that are way beyond anything
human he uses the things in life that
just seem so desperate to bring you and
I to the place where we would individually
as well say Lord if it be thou
bid me come unto thee the water I
want to learn how do I live where
you live and I'll tell you as soon
as you and I would begin to ask
that without question Jesus turns he's just come
it's the whole message of the gospel heaven
on earth Christ in you the hope of
glory that his life is dynamic his being
his person lifting as far above all of
the events of life and to me the
most amazing thing is is that Jesus when
he said to him come the next thing
you know Peter steps out of the boat
and you've got to be kidding but you
look at this all the guys you know
it's one thing for Jesus to walk on
why do we expect that but when all
of a sudden Peter the biggest idiot the
old joint commonly mean hey you know I
believe he Peters walking on the water what
does he think he is doing and there
is Peter what had controlled him only a
few minutes ago and knocked his life from
one side to the other and rattled everything
within him all of a sudden it was
beneath his feet and he's above it storm
didn't cease wind and seas waves hadn't quiet
everything was the same and yet everything was
different you see Jesus is teaching Peter he
knows that this man is going to preach
at Pentecost he knows what the Sanhedrin is
going to do to him he knows the
havoc following him he knows the future that
Peter is going to go through the issue
isn't to calm the storms it's how to
live above them it's how to go through
the difficulties in the trials and yet be
able to look at every one of them
and say you have nothing in me I
don't have to calm you and I don't
have to get away from you because I
can live above you I can live beyond
you I know of another world you know
nothing of and oh what a glorious thing
it was it for Peter there for those
moments there it says there were it says
Peter was come down on the ship and
he walked in the water to go to
Jesus but verse 30 says when he saw
the wind boisterous he was afraid and beginning
to think he cried saying Lord save me
as long as he kept his eyes in
the Lord it was wonderful but then all
of a sudden reality seemed to come back
to him as he presumed reality to be
he looked around me he sees there and
I don't know how you see wind boisterous
it's got to be a pretty usually don't
see wind but perhaps if it's filled with
water and it's blowing in your face there's
something you see the wind and the waves
are all over you next thing you know
he looks back at all of a sudden
he says wait a minute I can't walk
on water what am I doing I am
an idiot and just that quick down he
went where Jesus once again had to teach
him the greatest truth again you're right Peter
you can't have a walk on water you'll
never be able to walk on water only
I can walk on water if your eyes
on me I can make you walk on
water you keep your eyes on me but
if you look back at the trial again
you look at me for a moment I'll
lift you up above but you and and
you rest in me and and how easy
it is for us to come in here
together and take a journey out in the
sea and for you and I as we
study his word to see his face and
to hear his word and to rest in
it and his efficiency and his power but
the problem is you see we got to
get out of here in a few minutes
and the doors are gonna open you're gonna
get your car and you're gonna go back
into the wind and you're going to go
back into where all around you are the
waves again in the midst of it to
keep your eyes on the one that we
so easily see now and to say Lord
step by step into there to need his
power to need his love and to need
his efficiency you see when we can learn
this and there Peters he cried out I
love Peters prayers this has got to be
one of his best Lord save me he's
going down I imagine it's more like oh
I'm saving you know I think probably wasn't
anything like you know Oh thou great Jehovah
I don't think you had time for him
or anything he was going down and he
simply cried but his eyes as soon as
he saw himself going down wonderfully enough he
looked right back and his face set upon
him once again and as soon as his
face you know I'm so glad this happened
to Peter I'm glad the guy didn't walk
and keep walking gives me hope how many
times he can lift me up and I
can take a few step but I look
at me you know the next thing I
know girl girl girl girl you know and
I'm down again but of learning Jesus had
to let Peter go down you see he's
looking at this man who he's going to
send in the world he says you've got
to tell them who I am but you've
got to learn and I'd be desperate for
him but the Christianity isn't a theological issue
it's an experiential thing it's coming to a
place where I'd need him and I long
for him with all my heart and here
I don't know today what it is for
you I don't know your storm I know
there's some of you you are in the
midst of the sea tossed with waves the
wind is contrary it's the fourth watch of
the night humanly you're at the end but
are you willing when Jesus would say be
of good cheer are you desperate or are
you one that hey I've got it out
I'm a I'm a I'm seaworthy I've been
through many a storms and none of them
got me yet you know sort of a
thing you know you're an old salt you
are by hook or by crook I'll get
through it or is it perhaps one that
you realize I've been through storms before and
they've taken their toll and I've paid a
price I'm tired Jesus looks he says come
tell you if you can learn this you
learn the greatest lessons because one of the
things I guarantee you is that there are
storms and many times in life the Lord
does wonderfully calm the sea wonderfully many times
we say God please help and he helps
Lord take the wind away calm it and
he does and sometimes he does it even
at a word as we grow so often
he is a you get out of the
ship you're in that's throwing you all around
this plain havoc with your emotions and your
heart and your strength let me give you
a strength for the most part the Lord
always to you and I is telling us
go over and I'll meet you at the
other side but there will always be storms
and the issue isn't to get to the
other side as much as it is to
get where he is because I tell you
the day will come that he will most
assuredly say to you go into the storm
and of this one there is no other
side rise with me this storm we're going
home together and if you have been through
the lesser storms if he you if you
have let him prove yourself to you in
the daily ones and in the issues at
home when people watch you walk into that
final storm and yet you are above it
and they see in you a life and
a dynamic that lives when you won't there
is a disciple there is what God wants
you to be today though he says won't
you come your father how we thank you
for your word how we thank you dear
Lord that you are not a God who
is merely a situational one that hears our
prayers and answers them as we request so
many times you let the storm go on
you let it rage you let the wind
you let our strength be sapped you let
us come to the end that we might
truly come to the beginning of a greater
understanding and that is life is not an
issue of how do I run from or
get away but how do I head into
something and yet live above it Jesus that
we know a rest in his strength and
a glory that is beyond all others and
I pray Lord today for any that are
here that are in the storms they're in
the midst of their sea they're tossed with
waves and crying out God save me Lord
calm the storm I can't go on may
they hear you as you say be of
good cheer it is I and the issue
is not getting me into your boat it's
time for you to get out of yours
and to walk with me above it I
may calm it quickly I may not but
I'll calm you as quickly as you'll come
and Jesus I just pray that today our
hearts would just respond to you and Lord
maybe there's some here that are contemplating just
jumping ship they just can't go on Lord
I pray that they're in such a wonderful
place before they jump may they just turn
and see that the ghost that they're afraid
of is the Lord who died for them
and says be of good cheer it is
me don't be afraid and Lord that you
will comfort them and give them the ability
to set their eyes upon Jesus and walk
above it now set them free from its
power and give them a renewed strength how
we praise you and thank you father in
Jesus name amen