Go To The Other Shore Series

Matt. 14:22-33, Acts 1:7-11

Matthew 14:22-23

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

1. Jesus compelled the disciples to go to the other side.

Jesus is the one told them, you are in a boat, you are rowing, there is a shore even if you cannot see, you might not be able to see it, and you are placed above the water.

Why He compelled them.

A. It was time for Christ to move on, for others needed His ministry. He wanted the disciples to make use of what little daylight remained for crossing the lake.

B. Christ needed time alone for prayer

C. Christ wanted the disciples to begin learning one of the most important lessons of their lives: His presence would always be with them, not necessarily His physical presence, but His spiritual presence. What they needed was great trust in Him

2. He went to the mountain himself.

Acts: 1:4 – After Jesus gave the command, then ascent to heaven.

He alone went that journey, that journey started from Gethsemane.

He went to the mountain to pray for you.

Climbing the mountain was not easy but he alone.

From Golgotha to the heavenly mountain

3. Christ prayed.

Several lessons on prayer can be gleaned from this experience of Christ.

A. He prayed on top of a mountain. The believer who stands on top of a mountain and thinks, viewing the awesomeness of the country below, sees the massiveness of God: His power, majesty, and glory. The believer gains a new perspective of God and man.

B. Christ prayed in the evening. The evening is a tender and warm time, a time when a person who has worked ever so hard is very much aware of being drained and needing renewal. It is a time when a review of the day and a look ahead to tomorrow can take place. Christ prayed all alone; He needed to share with God face to face.

C. He prayed "until the fourth watch" (3-6 a.m.), probably seven or more hours.

D. He prayed in a storm. A storm arose at some point, apparently long before 3 a.m. or the disciples would have already crossed the lake. The importance of prayer to Christ is strikingly seen in the fact that

E. He prayed for so many hours in the midst of a storm.

4. Some time we feel battered by the storm.

Who sent you, Why this waves, why this attack, even while you are in the will of God.

Why the storm came- there is a ministry on the other side.

5. Darkness was almost overtook them.

They could not see the shore; they could not see the place they came from to go back

Seems like the Lord abandoned them.

6. Their best effort failed.

When your best effort fails look to Jesus.

7. They saw Jesus where least expected.

8. Jesus made Peter to walk on the problem.

9. They thought the end is near.

He took the eye off Jesus.

10. He cried out to Jesus

11. Hand of the Savior reached and lifted him.

12. The people in the boat worshiped the Lord.