Becoming a Water Walker
(All my sermons use illustrations from www.sermoncentral.com and the scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted) (This sermon was based on John Ortenberg’s Book and credit was given to the author)
It takes great deal of FAITH to build God’s Church, especially when there has not been growth for a very long time. Becca and I have ministered to 4 churches on a full time basis and several part time as we attended school. For the most part, all the churches we’ve ministered to were small in number, and most had been through a split or problem of some sort. In most cases, the churches had seen times when the attendance was great and the workers were many, but through the years the attendance had died and the workers were few. Most of these churches had the disease of complacency, a type of cancer for small churches. Complacent churches are churches that are just going through the motions, members just attending each week, have a monthly business meeting to figure a way to make ends meet. It’s more like a social function that is only attended by the faithful few, they are at a place where they need an EXTREME CHURCH MAKE-OVER. I’m not talking about the building, I am talking about the people. In most cases, the reason complacent churches aren’t growing, is because they desperately need to be torn down and built back up. They need to STEP OUT and move, they need CHANGE. BUT, to use another analogy, many churches in this condition, find themselves like the people on the show “Clean House.” This is a show where the people have the messiest homes you have ever seen, they are full of clutter and things that are not really ever used. In one such show, the wife had so many unopened boxes of things she had purchased from QVC but she couldn’t even find her kitchen because of the mess. A crew comes in, willing to do the work to get rid of the mess, organize, and make the house livable. BUT they have to have a yard sale first, get rid of the junk, and help to pay for the improvements. BUT, do you know that some of the people do not want to get rid of the JUNK?
I think there are churches like that, they don’t have the faith to move in the direction they know God wants them to move in, simply because it means CHANGE.
They are NOT SURE about moving out, taking the steps they need to, because they have seen it ALL before, and in their heart they don’t believe things will ever change. OR perhaps, in the back of their mind, they know things will change, and that would even be worse for them.
This morning I want to share a story from God’s infallible and inerrant Word that all of you have heard before. The story of a water walker, the story of Peter found in Matthew 14. Years ago, I wrote a series of sermons based on John Ortenberg’s book entitled, “If You Want To Walk On Water, You Have To Get Out Of The Boat’” I then condensed them into one sermon, and today I have written a new sermon based on that book to share with you. There are several quotes from the book and so I want to be sure and give credit to the author.
If you have your Bibles with you this morning, please turn with me to Matthew 14, starting in verse 22. Matt 14:22-33 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."
PRAYER
It is my desire and my goal to turn this entire church, and myself into water walkers, people who have the faith to step out and follow Jesus.
What we see in our story this morning is not unlike what happens in many churches that have been through troubles. Peter and the disciples had just witnessed the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus was dismissing the crowd and then was taking some time to fill Himself back up after this draining experience. He was going to take time to be alone with the father and pray. So Peter and the guys get into the boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. Now this is a large body of water, the waves can come up pretty quick, and things can change from a “three hour tour” to the “Minnow would be Lost” (For you younger listeners that was from a show called “Gilligan’s Island.”) Peter, a fisherman would have been accustomed to big waves, BUT, as Matthew tells the story, he says, when they got into the sea, “a considerable distance” they began to get “buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” In other words the boat was getting beat up by waves because the wind had picked up. The NIV says “Buffeted by the waves” but the original Greek lends a little better description - “tormented, disturbed, or tossed about by the waves” I think buffeted is much too gentle a word. All these seasoned fisherman could do was hold on to the boat and pray the wind would die down. I am pretty sure they were wishing the boat was a little bigger, the sides were a little higher, the wood was a little thicker. In a word they are in a place they really don’t want to be, and they probably didn’t see it coming either. It’s about three in the morning, and I am sure they are thinking about surviving rather than completing their journey. Many a church find themselves in the same place, they start a journey, directed by Jesus, and in the middle of the “cruise” they find themselves battered, tormented, beaten by the waves of the world. They start to focus on surviving rather then completing the journey.
BUT, in the middle of all the chaos, one of the disciples catches a glimpse of a shadow moving across the water. As the figure gets closer, it becomes apparent that the shadow belongs to a human being. YEAH! A human being walking on water!! Now, let that sink in for just a moment . . . these men are in real trouble, they are caught in the middle of a storm and help is right in front of them. PERHAPS, the only one that could really help them was right in front of their eyes. BUT, they convince themselves that it’s a ghost. Vs. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said and cried out in fear.
Now you, like me, might be wondering how they could not have known it was Jesus. They were just with Him, they had experienced first hand the miracle and had seen what the Lord could do, and yet they think this figure on the water is a ghost?
I hate to tell you this, but many a church find themselves in a similar place. They start out with Jesus, with the power of God and it is amazing what God will do with a willing group of people. BUT somewhere on the journey, they forget that HE is a miracle worker and they focus instead on the storm and their fears. WHAT the disciples in the story, and what many churches today need, is to DISCOVER JESUS. They need to recognize God’s presence in the storm, they need to cry out and listen to Jesus as he says:
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
If more churches, would get their focus off the storms and DISCOVER the plan that Jesus has for them they would succeed. If they would pray to God and hear Him say, “Take courage!” they could find peace . If they trusted God when they heard Him say, “You can trust me” “ Place control of the church in my hands, you know my character and ability, I won’t let you down.” they would find growth and excitement. When they like Peter DISCOVER the presence of God and decide to do something about it, then we are on our way to becoming water walkers. Folks, God still takes ordinary churches and does extraordinary things. Remember there were twelve sitting in that boat, and only ONE responded to the master’s voice.
Now to DISCOVER God might be the first step in becoming a water walker, but we must also DISCERN. Look at verse 28, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water” The KJV says; “BID me come unto thee,” and the NASB says; “ COMMAND me.” Why does Matthew include this detail? Notice that Peter does not jump into the water feet first, he first asks Jesus to call him onto the water. You see this is not a story about RISK-TAKING, it is a story about being OBEDIENT to Christ. We see that Peter is trying to DISCERN between the authentic call of God and a foolish impulse on his part. Courage alone is not enough, it must be accompanied by wisdom and discernment. The Gospel is showing us that Peter is not to be glorified for taking a risk here.
God is not looking for bungee-jumping, hang-gliding, day trading, tornado chasing, muscle car driving fools. This is NOT a story about extreme sports, it is a story of extreme discipleship. That means that Peter is going to make sure that what he is about to do is the calling of God and not just a foolish idea he has.
Churches today MUST do the same thing, DISCOVER God’s presence and His plan for them, and DISCERN between what it is that God wants them to do and what is foolishness. It is important to have God in the church, some churches have no Spirit, no life, and badly need to DISCOVER God’s presence. Some have God in their presence but forget to carefully DISCERN between what it is that God would have them do and what they think is best. At any rate, once we discover God and discern between His call and the foolishness, we must then DIVERSIFY.
You know, in the darkness that early morning, Jesus was probably smiling. Only one of the twelve people on that boat got it, only Peter had an inkling of what the Master was doing. He asks Jesus, “LORD, if it is you then tell me to come to you.” AND JESUS says: “COME” vs. 29.
Now, I want you to think about this for a moment, I want you to think about this story in terms of the churches we see in America today. Churches who see what God can do and decide they are going to take on the work of harvesting the fields. They get direction from God to take a journey, much as the disciples are told by Jesus to “go on ahead to the other side.” BUT somewhere on that journey, the storm comes. It may be a storm of DISUNITY , it may be the waves of DOUBT , it may be the thunder of GOSSIP, but in any case the storm comes. THEN, out of the storm Jesus appears, yet 11 of the 12 churches on the journey are curled up in the fetal position and are unwilling to even DISCOVER that Jesus is right there by their side. The one church calls out to God and tells HIM, “God if this is what you want for us, then COMMAND us to come out in the water to you.”
BUT, see what Peter does - Matt 14:29 Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. He could have stayed in that perfectly warm and safe boat, but he DIVERSIFIED, he changed it up, he got out of his comfort zone. He got out of the boat.
We as God’s people are made for so much more than merely avoiding failure. There is something inside every Christian that really wants to leave the comfort of routine existence and abandon themselves to the high adventure of following Christ. So let me ask you a question? WHY are so many churches in America today closing their doors? I know that there is no church that begins their journey knowing that one day they will become comfortable and complacent and eventually close their doors. Perhaps many churches, like the other 11 disciples are just too comfortable right where they are to take the chance on becoming a water walker. Perhaps they’ve been doing things the same way for so long, that they do not want to change anything, they are unwilling to give up what they have for what they COULD have.
You remember the story of the young rich ruler found in the Gospel of Matthew? He comes to Jesus as one who is in the comfort zone of worldly success, he tells Jesus he has kept the commandments, and that he wants eternal life.
Matt 19:21-22 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
UNWILLING to Diversify! I wonder if that man grew old and his bank account, stock portfolio and trophy case were full, if he remembered the day that a carpenter’s son challenged him to risk the whole thing for a shot at the KINGDOM OF GOD?
So we see that we must DISCOVER God’s presence in the church, we must DISCERN between God’s direction and foolishness, and we must DIVERSIFY, get out of our comfort zones and walk through the storm.
Peter did, he let go of a perfectly good boat, he abandon himself completely and trusted in Jesus, and suddenly for the first, and only time I know of, a perfectly ordinary human being is doing something extraordinary, he is walking on water. So many churches do this as well, they abadon their own planning, their own thoughts and desires and allow God to work through them and for a while they are “walking on water” but then IT HAPPENS. The scripture says that Peter “saw the wind.” Reality sets in, Peter ask himself, “Self, what am I doing out here?” He must have thought to himself, “Am I crazy? I got out of a perfectly good boat, to walk on this stormy water?” I know that churches encounter the same thing, they are going along well, they have stepped outside the comfort zone, they are growing, they are doing God’s will, they have DIVERSIFIED. And then they realize, “THERE IS A STORM OUT THERE!” It becomes time to DEFEND! Yes, it might be safer to just stay where you are and never do anything that might rock the boat and shake things up, but I guarantee that if you don’t shake things up and DIVERSIFY you will never grow.
You can live on bland food so as to avoid an ulcer, drink no tea or coffee or any other stimulants in the name of good health, you can go to bed early and avoid those late night work sessions, you can avoid all controversial subjects so you don’t offend, mind your own business, spend money ONLY on yourself and your needs. Be frugal and safe and you could still break your neck getting out of the bathtub and it would serve you right. If you step out of your comfort zone, IT WILL BE STORMY, but we must realize God never said it would be easy. DEFEND yourself against the attacks of Satan, DEFEND yourself against those that say it’s not worth it, DEFEND yourself from those that say, “let’s just stay safe and secure and never grow.”
Baseball players who step to the plate usually get a hit one out of three times, that means two times out of three they are out, BUT, they can never hit a home-run if they don’t step to the plate. Churches will miss the mark many times as well, BUT if they do nothing at all, they are guaranteed to get NOTHING in return. If they fear change and therefore decide to never try, they will never grow, and then there will be change, the change however, will be closing the doors.
Change and discomfort go together like macaroni and cheese! It’s a package deal and we must DEFEND ourselves from the fear, and the desire to be comfortable.
DISCOVER, DISCERN, DIVERSIFY, DEFEND,, & DECIDE.
This brings us close to the end of the sermon, it brings us to the place where we must DECIDE. You know what the best selling chair in America is? The LA-Z-BOY! Yup, not they Risk-E-boy, or the Work-R-boy, NO, the La-Z-boy. We are a people that want to immerse ourselves in comfort. We have even developed a vocabulary around our desire for comfort. Veg-out and couch potato are words built around our need for comfort. In the scripture we might say that the other 11 who stayed in the boat, were “boat potato’s” Well today in America, many in the church are PEW POTATO’s. People looking for the comfort that is related to spirituality, but they don’t want to take any of the risk and challenge that go along with actually following Jesus. FOLKS, Jesus is looking for people willing to get out of the boat, (their comfort zone) willing to face the dis-comfort and do as He asks. Jesus is looking for people, (pardon the expression) that are willing to say, “Lord, I might be small potatoes, but Lord for ALL you do, this SPUD’s for you!
You will see that water walking brings about a choice, a DECISION, either risk or comfort, and the one you choose will become a habit for you. If you are willing to take the risk of obedience to the Lord, it will become something you do without really thinking about it too long. If you choose to to be comfortable, a “pew potato” then you will sit, just sit, and miss the opportunity of a life time. Many will resist the voice of God as He calls for them to COME. Eventually the voice of God will get quieter and quieter until finally you can not hear Him at all. We must accept discomfort as the price for GROWTH. We must DECIDE.
As a result of shifting his focus from Jesus to the storm, Peter began to sink. So here is the question, did Peter FAIL? Now, before I answer that, I should make an observation about failure in general. I don’t see failure as an event, it is not a place where we can say, “here is failure.” It is more like beauty - it is a JUDGEMENT. Actually, failure is a JUDGEMENT about and EVENT. Failure is not something that happens to us, or a label to attach to things. It is rather the way we PERCEIVE the outcome of an event. Before Salk finally discovered the vaccine for Polio, he tried 200 unsuccessful times. He was once asked how it felt to fail 200 times, His reply, “I never failed 200 times in my life, I simply found 200 ways NOT to treat Polio before I found the right one.” Winston Churchill was once asked, what in his life, best prepared him for the major decisions he would make during WWII. He said that repeating a grade in elementary school was the event that best prepared him for this. The person giving the interview said, “You mean to say you failed a year of school?” Churchill replied, “I have never failed anything in my life, I was simply given a second opportunity to get it right.” Was Salk a failure? Was Churchill a failure? I have been on countless numbers of diets and exercise programs in the last 13 years of so, I have lost a little and gained it back, lost some more and gained some more, am I a failure - Ok bad example. BUT, did Peter really fail? Yes, I suppose in a way he did, he took his eyes off of Jesus and allowed his faith to slip. He allowed his doubts to raise their ugly heads and shifted his focus away from where it needed to be. He sank. He failed!
BUT - here is what I think. I think there were 11 even bigger failures sitting in the boat. They failed quietly. They failed privately. Their failure was unnoticed, unobserved, un-criticized. Only Peter knew the shame of public failure, but ONLY Peter knew the glory of walking on water. Peter made his decision, he DECIDED to step out in FAITH. We can never feel the glory of being lifted by the hand of God if we do not STEP OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE. The worst failure is not to step out of our comfort zone and sink in the waves and storms of this world, the worst failure is to sit in our comfort zone and do nothing.
How many churches get to the place where they SIT & DO NOTHING? How many Christians are in the fetal position, complacent and comfortable? Each of us is faced with the decision.
DISCOVER, DISCERN, DIVERSIFY, DEFEND, & DECIDE.
Failure does not shape you, your response to failure is what shapes you. Stepping out and committing your life to God is what will bring you closer to Him. What is God telling you to do today?
INVITATION
