Reading: Matthew chapter 14 verses 22-36:
Ill:
• Story about a farmer who wanted to impress his hunting buddies.
• So he went out and bought the smartest, most expensive hunting dog he could find.
• He trained this dog to do things no other dog on earth could do,
• Impossible feats that would surely amaze anyone.
Then he invited his neighbours to go duck hunting with him:
• After a long patient wait in the boat;
• A group of ducks flew over the boat,
• And the hunters were able to shoot a few of them down.
• Several ducks fell in the water.
• The farmer looked at the dog and said, "Go get ‘em!"
• The dog leaped out of the boat, walked on the water,
• And picked up a bird and returned to the boat.
• As soon as he dropped the duck in the boat;
• He trotted off across the water again and grabbed another duck;
• Once again the dog brought it back to the boat.
• The owner kind of swelled up with pride,
• As he watched his dog going back and forward;
• Walked across the water and one by one retrieving each of the birds.
• Kind of smugly, he looked at one of his friends and asked,
• "Do you notice anything unusual about my dog?”
One of them sat back, rubbed his chin and thought about it for a little while and finally said;
“Yeah, come to think of it, I do!
That stupid dog doesn’t know how to swim does he?”
Many Christians give Peter the same reaction.
• Instead of recognizing that he was the only disciple who even stepped out of the boat,
• He’s criticized for his lack of faith.
• Remember it was him alone that draws close to Christ,
• The 11 other disciples sit in the boat, content in their perceived safety.
Quote: Cadeiro’s book – Dream Releasers:
“The richest place on the earth is not the diamond mines of South Africa or the gold caches of Ecuador. It is not the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, or in the uranium excavations of the Balkans. Neither is it in the mineral deposits of the Dead Sea.
No, the richest plot of land on this planet is in your very own neighbourhood. You might even have passed by it this day.
It’s the cemetery.
That’s right! The graveyard is the wealthiest place in all of creation. Beneath those rectangular pieces of sod lie countless unsung melodies and unwritten poems. The grassy plots overflow with brilliant ideas that could have transformed entire communities, rehabilitated the lost and borne hope to the weary. Our burial grounds reek with unattained successes and unrealised dreams.”
• These are things that could have been done;
• But couldn’t because people couldn’t bring their dreams to realization.
FIVE key THINGS from this story
(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 22)
“As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people”.
The disciples had just been involved in some emotional, intensive situations:
• They experienced a major low;
• When they had to deal with the murder of John the Baptist.
• Then they experienced a major high;
• They were to feed 5,000 people and the only food they had was five loaves and two fish.
• That high then turned to another low;
• They had to escape the crowds.
• They wanted to make Jesus king.
• But the time was not right.
Ill:
• Following Jesus was like riding an emotional roller-coaster;
• It was full of highs and lows, good times and difficult circumstances.
The disciples were learning an important lesson:
• They were not guided by circumstances alone,
• But by Jesus.
Ill:
• They were not like a boat drifting on the open water, carried here and there,
• They had a Cox-man steering and guiding their way.
Ill:
• A group of scientists and botanists were exploring remote regions of the Alps;
• Looking for new species of flowers.
• One day they noticed through binoculars a flower of such rarity and beauty;
• That its value to science was incalculable.
• But it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides.
• To get the flower someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope.
No one wanted to volunteer:
• Then they noticed a teenage lad;
• Who had been watching these scientists and botanists strange behaviour.
• They told him they would pay him well;
• If he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below.
• The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths and said,
• “I’ll be back in a minute.”
• A short time later he returned, followed by a grey-haired man.
• Approaching the botanist, the boy said,
• “I’ll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if this man holds the rope”.
• The botanists asked; “Who is he”
• The boy replied, “He’s my dad.”
Ill:
• Jesus himself said, we have a God who if we ask for bread;
• Will not give us a stone, or if we ask for a fish, he will not give a scorpion.
• If we human fathers (evil) are good to our children,
• How much more will our heavenly father be good to his children!
Ill:
• In 1989 an earthquake almost flattened Armenia.
• This deadly tremor killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.
• In the midst of all the confusion of the earthquake, a father rushed to his son's school.
• When he arrived there he discovered the building was flat as a pancake.
• Standing there looking at what was left of the school,
• The father remembered a promise he made to his son,
• "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!"
• Tears began to fill his eyes. It looked like a hopeless situation,
• But he could not take his mind off his promise.
• Remembering that his son's classroom was in the back right corner of the building,
• The father rushed there and started digging through the rubble.
• As he was digging other grieving parents arrived,
• Clutching their hearts, saying: "My son! "My daughter!"
• They tried to pull him off of what was left of the school saying:
• "It's too late!" "They're dead!" "You can't help!" "Go home!"
• Even a police officer and a fire-fighter told him he should go home.
• To everyone who tried to stop him he said, "Are you going to help me now?"
• They did not answer him and he continued digging for his son stone by stone.
• He needed to know for himself: "Is my boy alive or is he dead?"
• This man dug for eight hours and then twelve and then twenty-four and then thirty-six.
• Finally in the thirty-eighth hour, as he pulled back a boulder, he heard his son's voice.
• He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" and a voice answered him, "Dad?"
• “It's me Dad!" Then the boy added these priceless words,
• "I told the other kids not to worry. I told 'em that if you were alive,
• You'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved.
• You promised that, Dad. 'No matter what,' you said, 'I'll always be there for you!'
• And here you are Dad. You kept your promise!"
As Christians we believe in a God who keeps his promise:
• As a shepherd guides & protects his sheep;
• So God guides & protects his people, those who choose to follow him!
(2). God Sees Everything I am Going Through (vs 23)
“With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night”.
Now don’t miss this picture:
• Jesus sends the disciples away.
• Then he finds a place that overlooks the lake.
The lake is surrounded by mountains that slope into the Galilean Sea.
• On a clear moonlit night;
• One could easily look over the water and see what was taking place.
• In this case Jesus saw that his disciples were struggling against the elements;
• He was aware of their situation and he was praying for them.
Application:
• God knows everything about me.
• He sees everything that I’m going through.
• Therefore I need to heed the advice of Proverbs chapter 3 verse 5:
• ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Ill:
• One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof.
• The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump!”
• He knew the boy had to jump to save his life.
• All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness.
• As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof.
• His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you."
• But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you."
• The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."
• The dad had a plan to benefit the child,
• But the child needed to respond to get the full benefits of that plan.
Ill:
• Dr. Helen Roseveare, missionary to Zaire, told the following story.
• "A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby.
• We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive,
• But the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair.
• So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister.
• One of the girls responded.
'Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won't feel so lonely.'
• That afternoon a large package arrived from England.
• The children watched eagerly as we opened it.
• Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle!
• Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming,
• 'If God sent that, I'm sure He also sent a doll!'
• And she was right!
• 5 months earlier God had led a ladies' group back in UK;
• To include both of those specific articles."
A small child believed:
• And God heard her prayers,
• Quote: “Before you call I will answer”
• Jesus knew the situation the disciples were experiencing,
• He also knew what he would do!
(3). Gods Help Is Always On Time (vs 26-27):
“At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. 26They were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror.
27But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."
Quote:
“This is the age
Of the half-read page.
And the quick hash
And the mad dash.
The bright night
With the nerves tight
The plane hop
With the brief stop.
The lamp tan
In short span.
The Big Shot
In a good spot
And the brain strain
The heart pain.
And the cat naps
Till the spring snaps --
And the fun's done!”
Ill:
• We may live in an instant age of…..coffee to microwaves etc,
• But God is never in a hurry.
• “God’s timing is never too late……right on time”
• God’s sometimes makes us wait:
Ill:
• Psalm 40 verse 1.
• That’s where faith comes in – it is spelt TRUST.
Ill:
• Lazarus.
• A far greater work then they could ever imagine.
(4). Gods Purpose Is Always For Our Growth (vs 28-29)
28Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water."
29He said, "Come ahead."
Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus.
Nobody grows as a Christian by playing safe:
• We only grow if we are prepared to get out of the boat,
• Faith is not faith until it is practiced!
Ill:
The story is told of a monastery in Portugal,
• It is perched high on a 3,000 foot cliff.
• You can only access it by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket.
• The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men,
• Perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket.
• One American tourist who visited the site;
• Got nervous halfway up the cliff when he noticed that the rope was old and frayed.
• Hoping to relieve his fear he asked, “How often do you change the rope?”
• The monk in charge replied, “Whenever it breaks!”
Gods ropes never break:
• Peter started to sink,
• Because he took his eyes off Jesus and looked around at his circumstances.
• So Jesus asked him; “Why did you doubt?”
• The word means “standing uncertainly at two ways”.
• Peter started out with great faith,
• But ended up with little faith because he saw two ways instead of one.
Ill:
• You’ve been framed always have at least one clip,
• Of someone with one foot on the shore, the other in the boat.
• Because they are undecided where to commit themselves,
• SPLASH! In the water they go!
Quote:
• Formula For Spiritual Success
• If you want to be distressed -- look within.
• If you want to be defeated -- look back.
• If you want to be distracted -- look around.
• If you want to be dismayed -- look ahead.
• If you want to be delivered -- look up!
Notice:
• Peter cried out to the Lord when he started to sink,
• Not when he was drowning!
• And he prayed one of the shortest, yet most copied prayers,
• “Lord, save me!”
Ill:
We know of course that people pray in all sorts of positions:
• Someone has vividly expressed this in a humorous little poem;
• That reads as follows:
• "The proper way for man to pray," said Deacon Lemuel Keyes;
• "The only proper attitude is down upon his knees."
• "Nay, I should say the way to pray," said Reverend Doctor Wise,
• "Is standing straight with outstretched arms with rapt and upturned eyes."
• "Oh, no, no, no," said Elder Snow, "such posture is too proud.
• "A man should pray with eyes fast-closed and head contritely bowed."
• "It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front.
• With both thumbs pointing to the ground," said Reverend Doctor Blunt."
• "Last year I fell in Hodgkin's well headfirst," said Cyril Brown.
• "With both my heels a-stickin' up, my head a-pointing' down;
• And I done prayed right then and there; best prayer I ever said,
• The prayin'est prayer I ever prayed, a-standin' on my head."
Remember:
• It was not the posture or the words that made this prayer effective,
• It was the sincerity of Peter’s words and the grace of Jesus.
• He rewards Peter’s faith by not only stopping him drowning,
• But together they walk back on the water to the boat!
(5). Gods Word Never Fails (vs 34).
34”On return, they beached the boat at Gennesaret”
• They arrived just where Jesus intended for them to be,
• The land of Gennesaret.
Ill:
Through out the years printers might make mistakes:
(a). WIFE-HATER BIBLE An 1810 version read,
"If any man come to me, and hate not . . . his own wife (instead of :life"), he cannot be my disciple."
(b). "SIN ON" BIBLE.
• The first English-language Bible to be printed in Ireland, in 1716,
• Encouraged its readers to "sin on more" rather than "sin no more."
(c). THE WICKED BIBLE.
• Published in 1631 reported the Seventh Commandment as
• "Thou shalt commit adultery,"
• A mistake that infuriated King Charles.
• He ordered all copies destroyed & fined all printers whose hands had touched the edition.
(d). MURDER'S BIBLE.
• This 19th-century faux pas had Mark 7:27 as
• "Let the children be killed" instead of "filled."
(e). PLACEMAKER BIBLE.
• A 16th Century printer had Jesus blessing the "place-makers" instead of "peacemakers."
• An American printer later substituted the "Parable of the Vinegar" for the "Vineyard."
Printers may make mistakes, but this book is mistake free:
• It is God’s word to you and me,
• You can trust it 100 percent!
George Muller, who was known for his strong faith, confided.
"The first 3 years after conversion, I neglected the Word of God. Since I began to search it diligently, the blessing has been wonderful. I have read the Bible through one hundred times and always with increasing delight!"
John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim's Progress, testified,
"Read the Bible, and read it again, and do not despair of help to understand something of the will and mind of God, though you think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble yourself, though you may not have commentaries and expositions; pray and read, and read and pray; for a little from God is better than a great deal from man."
As Christians we believe in a God who keeps his promise:
• But one of those promises is that we will not have a trouble free life.
• What He did promise is that he'll be with us through the troubles and make us stronger.
Quote:
There once was an oyster, whose story I tell;
Who found that some sand, had gotten into his shell.
It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain;
For oysters have feelings, although they are plain.
Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate,
That had brought him to such a deplorable state?
"No," he said to himself, "Since I cannot remove it,
I'll lie in my shell, and think how to improve it."
The years rolled around, as the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate Destiny...stew.
Now the small grain of sand that had bothered him so,
Was a beautiful pearl all richly aglow.
This tale has a moral, for isn't it grand,
What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand?
Think... What could WE do, If we'd only begin,
With some of the things that get under OUR skin.
Ill:
One church notice sheet listed next week’s sermon titles as:
• A.M. – Jesus walks on water
• P.M. – Searching for Jesus
• Good news is that Jesus can be found;
• He is only a prayer away.
• But that first prayer he waits to hear is;
• “O God have mercy on me a sinner!”
