Get Off the Boat
Stop Sinking and Start Rising
Text:
Matthew 14; 27-33
Key Scripture
Matthew 14; 29
29} He said; “Come” And when Peter had come down out of
the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be
acceptable in thy sight oh Lord my Redeemer and Savior Christ
Jesus
Let us Pray
In this text we will find Jesus right after feeding the 5 thousand.
Lets look right back and you will find that his cousin and the man
who Baptized him John was just beheaded. And after Jesus heard
of this thing he went into a deserted place by himself. Once
everyone heard that he was gone they began to follow him. When
Jesus looked up and saw everyone that had followed him it filled
his heart with compassion and he began to heal all the sick among
them. It began getting late in the evening and the disciples urged
him to send the people away into the village that they might buy
them something to eat. But in mind I can imagine Jesus feeling
some kind of good and didn’t want them to leave {just like when
we are in church having a good time and not wanting to leave} but
back to the text Jesus told the disciples to feed them. They
informed him that they only had two fish and five loaves of bread
(look at God I’m telling you to get off the boat) the story tells us
that Jesus blessed it by praying to his higher power and over 5000
men not counting the women and children were fed and after all
was full the story goes on to tell us that the disciples collected 12
baskets of leftovers.
Now after this we find that Jesus made his disciples get on a boat
and go ahead on in front of him to the other side. In my studying I
found out that the other side was Gennesaret which was on the
west side of the Sea of Galilee in a fertile, well watered area. But
he sent them ahead so he could send the people away. We find
that after he sent them away he went up to the mountain to pray
{you see after the Lord uses you to bless someone you get tired in
your spirit and you have to go back to that same God so he can
restore you and you receive a fresh anointing from Him. When we
spend time with the Lord in Prayer it nurtures our relationship with
him and also gives us strength to face the struggles and challenges
in life. If we allow our self to spend time with God even when our
schedules are busy it will cause us to grow spiritually and be more
Christ like. The story tells us that when evening came Jesus was
alone in the boat at this time was in the middle of the sea. There
then arose a great storm how many of you have had storms in your
life but this particular storm had contrary winds and high tidal
waves. I don’t know about you but if you haven’t had a storm in
your life just keep on living do I have a witness. According to
Webster the word contrary means making forward motion
extremely hard. When I started typing my thought the Lord spoke
to me and told me to tell his people that those contrary winds are
going to come. When we are faced with obstacles in life and it
seems that we can’t move ahead know that you have contrary
winds to fight what is it that we do well lets keep on to see what
happened on the boat. I wasn’t there but they tell me that at the 4th
watch of the night I found out that this was between the hours of 3
and 6 in the morning Jesus came to the disciples walking on the
water. The disciples was just like us you’ll when trouble comes
we get scared but they were screaming and hollowing is it a ghost.
Jesus said unto them be of good cheer for it is I. But oh Peter said
unto him Lord if its you command me to come to you then Jesus
looked at Peter and said Get Out the boat and begin walking know
that Peter wasn’t testing Jesus but he was relying on his faith to
sustain him this is what caused him to see God’s power in a
different way. Just like in our daily situations when God is
working things out for us. But Peter because of fear took his eyes
off Jesus and looked at his surrounding it caused him to start
sinking. Ain’t that how we do things when situations come up in
our lives we first because of what strong faith we portray to have
we give it to God but somewhere in between a tidal wave and a
bolt of thunder we kinda steer off course look at somebody and tell
them to stop sinking and rise up Lord have mercy at that moment
when we begin to sink we find our selves stretching out our arms
asking the Lord to help save us. But bro Peter found his self
sinking he begins to call out Lord save me I can imagine Jesus
reaching out for him swooping him up and saying to him ye of
Little faith why did you doubt me.
You see church I want you to know that sometimes we have to
walk on water what I mean by that is not naturally out in the
middle of the sea but when storms, tough situations, and difficult
circumstances come up in life we have to get out of the boat and
trust Jesus to guide us on the water. I found out that we use that
boat as a safety net a place of security and instead of relying on
faith we tend to rely only on what we know in our minds and what
we can see with our eyes. I realize this morning that all of us have
at some point in our life been like Peter we start out with good
intentions but when listening to family, friends, co-workers and
others we faulter. I’m not saying that once that happen we failed
no but if we keep good faith and hold with Jesus we can weather
any storm, you see just like Peter when his faith failed by him
looking at the stormy winds and the bad weather. He reached out
to the only one that could save him and that was Jesus. The same
Jesus that healed the woman with that issue of blood, the same
Jesus that brought Lazarus from the dead, the same Jesus that fed
the multitudes he is the same Jesus that prayed for forgiveness for
the ones who persecuted him. I don’t know about you but I know it
was the same Jesus that brought me through this and that. You’ll
the same Jesus that told me be not afraid and Get off the boat he
said stop sinking and start rising.
No matter what is going on, on your left side and no matter what is
going on, on your right side no matter what is behind you just
know this thing if nothing else I said this morning moved you
know that you need to keep your eyes on what it is in front of you
and it is Jesus. He is the only one who can fix it. He turned water
into wine, raised the dead, healed the sick, died for you and rose
again that we may have an anchor. Just remember that when you
are faced with opposition and it seems as though he’s not there
remember that he is the only one that can help. I don’t know, I
don’t know but when we get to the point in life where we realize
that we can’t rush God and know that its his fulfillment and will
that must be done we will stop sinking and start rising. I believe
that we will then keep our eyes focused on him for he is the one;
he is the one that will kill and destroy all that file mess that we are
in... I don’t believe you’ll are following me Saints but I came to
realize that no matter what the situation is in life if we stand fast &
hold onto God’s unchanging hand we will be set free. Just get off
the boat we need to stop sinking and start rising. I stopped by here
to give you encouragement and to tell you if you want to see Glory
then we need to be signed sealed delivered and all his. Get off the
boat and stop worrying about what he said or what she said. Get
off the boat and stop looking at the next person’s situation. Get off
the boat and stop running from your purpose. I have to admit I
haven’t always done everything right, I haven’t made my Parents
proud sometimes now I still disappoint them but thanks be to God
I’m a get off the boat Stop sinking and start rising. This is a new
year a new me and time for a change no more will Jonathan be that
one but it is going to be God you see when you look or even think
of me. I believe that the things I want to die in me are dying today
just because I stepped off the boat and is looking straight ahead
what is it I see oh it’s Jesus. No matter what is to my left or to my
right no matter how strong those contrary winds try to hold me
back I’m going to press my way through. I urge you all to do the
same don’t worry about people don’t worry about folk time out for
all that just look at Jesus I promise if he can do it back then he can
do it now. The rain is going to fall the winds are going to blow but
he’ll be that umbrella and will give you the strength. I came to
know that he’ll never put more on you than you can bare all of it is
to give you the power and equipment to run this race the word says
that you shall reap in the end if you faint not. Just for me Get off
the boat Stop sinking and start Rising that’s all I have but just
remember that you need to just get off the boat once you get off
and keep your eyes on Jesus then you will Stop sinking and you
will rise and be able to see your way straight to him.
