The Great Commission
Part 10 – Jesus Walks on Water
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org : www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mar 16th Morning Service Palm Sunday –
Special Service that morning (not series)
Mar 24th – 28th 7:00PM Week of Renewal –
“Discover your Spiritual Gifts & how to use them”
Mar 30th 6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
† The Sermon on the Mount.
† Jesus heals the Centurion’s servant.
† He then has dinner in a Pharisees home where He was anointed by a sinful woman who had repented.
† Jesus then returns to Galilee preaching along the way.
† Jesus Calms the Storm.
† A Prophet without Honor in His hometown
† Jesus send out the Twelve
† John the Baptist Martyred
† Jesus Feeds 5000
† Jesus’ Prayer Life
We left last week as Jesus had sent the Twelve off in the boat to go to the other side of the sea, while Jesus stayed behind.
Remember, He came to this place in the beginning to have some alone time because of His loss with the beheading of John the Baptist.
But the people had followed, and Jesus, put His personal pain and hurt aside because He had compassion on those in need. And showing the true meaning of love, putting others needs before His needs, Jesus ministered to the people.
So we pick up today with the Apostles crossing the sea of Galilee, and Jesus, after sending the crowds away fed, both physically and spiritually, went off to pray until evening.
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 14:24 – 33 Jesus goes to pray
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, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
Prayer for the Holy Spirit and understanding of God’s Holy Word
I. The Apostles face another storm, this one without Jesus
a. Jesus was with them to calm the storm last time they were at sea.
i. Life is easier when the Lord is next to you.
1. Many storms can be avoided this way.
2. Protection, benefits, blessings, are all in Christ.
ii. This time they faced the storm without Him right there.
b. This storm represents our lives.
i. The storms come in our lives.
1. Build your house on the firm foundation…not sand.
2. Both houses in this scripture appear the same, that is until the storm came.
Storms come, the winds blow, the water rises, will the ground beneath your house give way?
Have you built on the Rock, or mere sand?
c. They turned to Jesus who has power and authority.
i. They don’t realize yet, they can still turn to Jesus even though He is not in the boat.
ii. So Jesus shows them, in their time of need, He is there.
1. He is there in your time of need.
2. He is waiting for you to call on Him.
II. Jesus Came to them in their time of need
a. Fourth watch of the night is between 3am – 6am.
b. Jesus walked to them through the middle of the storm.
i. Where Jesus stepped, there was calm.
ii. That is power and authority!
iii. Where Jesus is allowed to step in your life, the storms will be calm as well by His power and authority!
c. When the Disciples saw Jesus, they were afraid.
i. It was more than they could grasp.
ii. They thought it was a ghost.
iii. And they cried out in fear.
d. Jesus immediately called out to them so they would know it was Him.
i. ‘Be of good cheer’ – This is how we are to face adversities in life.
ii. ‘Do not be afraid’ – Greater is He who is in us!
III. To be the Imitation of Christ
a. When Peter realized it was Jesus, He asked Jesus to command him to walk out to Jesus.
i. Because Peter wanted to be like Christ in all ways, as we should.
ii. Peter knew that if Jesus said it, He could do it!
iii. Peter had faith in the Word of Christ…until
1. Jesus said ‘come’, when the Word speaks to us, we must answer in Faith.
2. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on water to Jesus…
3. But he saw the wind and waves and the scripture says he became afraid…he took his eyes off Jesus and Jesus’ Word, and could not see past the storm!
iv. Peter began to sink, and he cried out, “Lord save me!”
1. A prayer Jesus will always answer.
b. As Peter called out Jesus saved him.
i. And said to him, So little faith…why do you doubt?
1. We allow circumstances to bring in doubt, and we sometimes have more faith in our fear than the power of Jesus Himself!
2. Peter, on Faith in the Word alone could have walked out to Jesus.
But, before any of you try walking on water to prove your faith, Jesus gave Peter the command, therefore, Peter’s Faith in the Word would have been enough.
If Christ has not told you to do it, and you try to do it, you will fail.
This applies to anything, not just walking on water.
So many times in life, we do what we want, then pray for God to bless it, when it wasn’t His will to begin with.
If any of the other apostles in that boat would have jumped into the water, they would have sank, simply because the Lord did not tell them to do it.
c. They returned to the ship and the wind ceased.
d. Then they who were in the ship came and worshipped Jesus as God, and said, this is the Truth! You are the Son of God!
CONCLUSION
We are confident of these things because the Word tells us.
1. Where Jesus Christ steps, the storms do calm.
2. When the storms come, we must remember to listen to the Words of Christ.
3. Is Jesus calling you in a certain direction? Is He calling you INTO the storm? Are you in the storm alone?
4. Call on Jesus to save you from the storm you are in.
The Lord your God has made two covenants with all of mankind.
The covenant of Law which reveals our sin, and justifies no man before God.
And The Covenant of Love, where God paid the penalty for that sin to reconcile us with God in relationship.
On judgment day, we will each stand before Jesus Christ.
We will either be found guilty by the covenant of Law, or innocent because of the Covenant of Love.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.
He paid the penalty and debt that every man owes, so that if you call on Him, He will save you.
If you continue to live your life in selfishness, not loving your brothers, not loving your neighbors as yourself, not loving God with all your heart, mind, body and soul, then you will be judged by the Law, which only condemns.
Turn to Jesus today.
Cry out to Him, “Save me Lord!”
And He will answer!
