Today the topic of my sermon is where do you look at? Where do you look at when troubles come in your life? Where do you look at when the situation seems to be against you? Where do you look at when life seems to be out of your control? Where do you look at when you feel alone?
Let’s open our bible to The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew Chapter 14 from Verse 22 to 36. This passage discusses Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Three gospel accounts discuss Jesus walking on the water Matthew, Mark and John. But only Matthew elaborates the miracle of Jesus walking on the water, along with one of his disciple called Peter.
They are two main incidents in the chapter fourteen before Jesus walks on the water. In the start of the chapter we read about John the Baptist being killed by King Herod. After listening to the news his cousin being killed Jesus decides to spend some time alone with His father. But people followed him there and Jesus feeling compassion for them healed their sick. Most of the people today miss the church for their children, or their husband or wife or they themselves being sick. But here we come to know that if you are sick it is good to go to a doctor or get some rest. But I challenge you to come to the church and all your sickness and disease will leave you. After healing them he provided them food as well from five loaves of bread and two fishes. This miracle of abundance and prosperity is preached all over the world.
After feeding the five thousand Jesus asks the disciples to leave for the other side of the sea till he spends some time alone. Now the disciples had left for the other side to the sea. It was almost complete night with around 3 am in the morning. In the midst of the sea the storm started to blow in. Although it is not mentioned that the boat was sinking but still in the dark night getting buffeted by the wind and water is quite frightening. Professional fishermen were present in the boat but by the scripture it seems that they were unable to control the situation. All their rowing and efforts were going vague against the contrast winds.
During that time Jesus Christ decided to cross the sea and reach out to his disciples. According to the account of John they were no other boats through which Jesus could have crossed the sea. Jesus deciding to cross the sea put his feet on the water. Now if we study the composition of water. Water is made of loose molecules and for this reason nothing can stand on the water. A student of chemistry can easily understand this. Second thing which stops you for standing or walking on the water is the land under water. According to the Physics law of gravity earth pulls everything towards it. That is the reason that if I jump I do not stay in the space but come down. So when Jesus had put his feet on the water two thing were stopping him to walk on the water (1) Form of water and (2) Gravity. But were Jesus is Impossible becomes possible. Rather we can say that with Jesus impossible becomes I M Possible. Hallelujah let’s praise the lord. This was not the first time supernatural happened beyond human knowledge. If we observe the birth of our Lord we will see that the Mitosis / Meiosis theory according to biology changes. The calculations of Mathematics, Algebra and Statistic change when he feeds multitudes with five loaves of bread and two fishes. Be it laws of Physics, formulas of chemistry, theories of Biology or calculations of Mathematics they all change in front of Jesus Christ.
Today if you feel your situations are out of your control and things seem to be impossible. Today if you have come to the church with a heavy heart and the word impossible is being whispered into your ears. I encourage you to come to our Lord Jesus Christ. With him your problems, sickness, disease and situation will change. In the dictionary of our Lord Jesus Christ the word impossible is not available. Instead the word impossible becomes I M Possible. If you’re financial situation seems to be impossible come to Jesus and it will become I M Possible. If you are not getting healed by the sickness and disease come to the Christ and your healing will become I M Possible.
Now Jesus was walking on the water heading towards the boat. The disciples were struggling with the storm and in the dark they saw someone coming towards them. They must have thought a human cannot walk on the water and they thought that May be it is a spirit coming towards them. They all started to cry out loud. Jesus hearing their cries raised his voice and said Fear not I am.
The Gospel according the John starts with beautiful verse, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and The word was God”. Than in the fourteenth verse it is written and the Word became flesh. Now the Incarnate Word says I am. If we look into the OT we see when Jehovah met Moses in the burning bush. Moses asks His name on which Jehovah replies I am who I am. This is the same reply given to the disciples by Jesus Chris. This means when he is saying I am his saying I am the bread of life, I am the gate, I am the Alpha and Omega, I am the way truth and life, I am who was before Abraham and who has seen me has seen the father. Modern theologians, teachers and scholars try to turn Jesus into a mere human or a prophet. But His claims in the four accounts clearly prove his divinity.
When the disciples heard the voice of Jesus they must have rejoiced. As they knew only he can overcome and control the situation. Peter with an amazed voice shouted out loud, “Master if this is you command me to come to you on the water. Jesus replied come. Today if you want to walk in the supernatural living. Like Peter just raise your voices to Jesus Christ and he will call you out in the supernatural living.
Peter must have jumped excitement and came out of the boat. Others must have been looking in amazement what will happen next. Peter as soon as he put his feet on the water. He did not sink but was standing on the water. Peter in all of his professional fisherman life would have had never experienced this. Impossible only becomes I M Possible with our Lord Jesus Christ. Now Peter started to walk on water with his eyes focused on Jesus Christ. He was looking at Jesus and walking on the water.
The first task Joshua and the Israelites faced entering the Promised Land was the city of Jericho. It was famous for the walls constructed around the city. The walls of Jericho were very strong and no one had ever crossed the walls over. Jehovah told Joshua to not look at the situation. Instead look at him and depend on him. They were ordered to walk around the city for seven days. On seventh day they had walk around the city for seven times. The people to Jericho when heard about the Israelites and they must have climbed the walls to see what they would do. They must have thought that they will try to attack the walls. But Israelites looking towards Jehovah and depending on him did as commanded. On the seventh day after the seventh round, Israelite camp start raising their voice. With the trumpets of victory they marched and supernaturally the walls of Jericho fell down. The Israelites did not raise a sword and won the battle of Jericho. Today if you are in a search of victory do not look at the situation. Look at the Almighty God who has created heaven and the earth. He will win the battles for you. You will become victorious in every situation you fell into.
Till the time Peter was looking at Jesus he was walking on the water. But as soon as he changed his focus from Christ to the contrast winds he started to drown. Drowning he cried out to Jesus for help. Being a professional fisherman he knew how to swim. He must have faced these kinds of situations before. But his knowledge and experience all became vague. Today if you feel the same way Peter did at that time. Your knowledge, your experience, your strength and your references all seems to be in vague. Just cry out like Jonah and the blind man in Jericho. Jesus will stretch out his hand and will take you out from your troubles.
Jesus stretched his hand and took Peter out of the water. The winds and water represent the troubles, disease, sickness, financial burdens, problems and curse. Till the time our focus remains on Christ we will like Peter walk on them. They will get crushed under our feet. But if we will change our focus from Christ to our situations we would drown like Peter.
I will encourage you today if you are drowning today like Peter cry out to Him. He will stretch His hand and take you out from your situation.
Now Jesus and Peter entered the boat and wind ceased. He did not command or rebuked the winds. Only Jesus entering the boat calmed down the winds and the water. Today if your life is struck in a stormy situation, welcome Christ in the boat of your life. His entering into the boat of your life will calm down all the storms. Seeing these miracles apostles worshipped him saying truly you are the son of God.
Today in end to my sermon I would like you to open Psalm 34:5. If you choose to look at Jesus following two things will happen in your life. Number one your face will become radiant. This means you will become happy, joyful, healthy and bright. Number two the emotion called ashamed will never appear on your face. So what do you decide where will you look at. Will you look at your troubles or the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you choose to look at God Almighty like Moses and Israelites? Then He will separate the sea of your troubles and you will walk out of it. Will you choose to look at Him like Elijah? Then He will send fire from the sky and burn all your troubles. Will you choose to look at Him like Joshua and Caleb? Then He will take you to the Promised Land. Think about it where are you looking at? The choice is yours.
