TITLE: KEEP YOUR FOCUS
SCRIPTURE: ST. MATTHEW 14:22-33
Of all the narratives in the NT, I know of none more beloved than this narrative of Peter walking on water in this powerful text. No doubt you have heard it before, and our children know it by heart, but somehow, we never grow tired of it. If we care to listen for just a few minutes this morning, there are some great truths and lessons to be found as we consider this topic for examination – Keep Your Focus.
Focus is very critical in many aspects of our lives.
• What happens if you are playing baseball or softball and don’t heed the coach’s advice to keep your eye on the ball?
• What happens if you are dicing vegetables and get distracted?
• What happens if you are hammering in nails and lose focus on the task?
In any of those cases you are likely to mess up what you are doing at best, and at worst could actually hurt yourself and end up paying your deductible in the Emergency Room. When you are dealing with a dangerous task, whether you’re chopping with a knife or driving a car, you want to stay focused so that you can do the job well and safely.
Jesus had a powerful lesson to teach his disciples that night on the Sea of Galilee. your faith, like every other component of your life, needs focus.
• Without focus, there is no faith
• Faith’s most basic definition is trust
• But if your trust is scattered all over the place, it doesn’t actually trust in anyone or anything
• Jesus urges us, the Holy Spirit helps us keep our faith’s true focus
Let me bring you up to speed for those that are not familiar with this biblical text. The background of the story is very simple. Jesus is on the Northwestern Shore Of The Sea Of Galilee. It is late in the day and Jesus has just performed the great miracle of feeding 5000 men with five loaves and two fish. Understandably amazed and enthralled by this miracle, the people want to make him king. But Jesus, knowing that their enthusiasm is shallow, refuses them and instead goes off to pray by himself.
After dismissing the crowd, he sends the disciples on ahead to the other side of the lake, telling them that he would meet them later. Matthew in his writing tells the story this way -- “IMMEDIATELY JESUS MADE THE DISCIPLES GET INTO THE BOAT AND GO ON AHEAD OF HIM TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHILE HE DISMISSED THE CROWD. AFTER HE DISMISSED THEM, HE WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE BY HIMSELF TO PRAY.”
He tells them to get into a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He was finally able to spend some time alone and in prayer. The disciples, however, didn’t have such a refreshing night.
• A storm came up and kept them from reaching land
• Fighting all night long against the wind and the waves
• They couldn’t get to the other side of the sea
• Even though Jesus told them to go, the storm kept them from obeying him
The disciples were more than likely hesitant to leave Jesus in the first place, but the force of the words written demonstrates that Jesus made them get into the boat and go. They were in God’s will and yet faced troubles that led to exhaustion and fear. In other words – Jesus led them into the storm. He was not surprised by it, He knew it was coming, yet sent the disciples anyhow.
• Storms are not designed to Destroy Us
• Storms are designed to Perfect Us
• Don’t stop Attending Church in the midst of your Storm
• Don’t stop Giving in the midst of your Storm
• Don’t Shut people out in the midst of your Storm
• It has come to make you Better not Bitter
These were experienced fishermen who were struggling to keep the boat headed in the right direction. With all their knowledge and all of their experience at sailing they were struggling to survive. Jesus was able to pour out his heart to his heavenly Father in prayer for what seems to be a rather lengthy period of time, as the next time we see Jesus and the disciples together again it is the fourth watch of the night, that is, just before dawn.
The disciples are in the boat struggling against the wind and the rain. 9 p.m -- 10 p.m -- 11 p.m -- 12 Midnight -- 1 a.m -- 2 a.m -- 3 a.m. Still the storm continues with no sign of letting up. After eight or nine exhausting hours, the disciples were stuck in the middle of the lake, dirty - drenched - chilled to the bone - weary to the point that they began to wonder if they would ever make it to shore alive.
• Any one ever been there before
• In a situation and you would not sure if you come through it alive
• Perhaps a Health Scare
• Perhaps a Terrible Accident
• Perhaps a loved one facing along Sentence from the Judge
• You were not sure if you were going to make it at all
Here is the good news. In Mark’s account of this even he says in ST. MARK 6:48 “AND HE SAW THEM TOILING IN ROWING: FOR THE WIND WAS CONTRARY UNTO THEM: AND ABOUT THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT HE COMETH UNTO THEM, WALKING UPON THE SEA, AND WOULD HAVE PASSED BY THEM.”
• While Jesus was Praying, He still had his eyes on the disciples
• While Jesus was secluded, He still watched over his disciples while they were in the storm
After praying for His disciples, Jesus came down from the mountain and he could see the difficulty they faced.
• The eyes of the Lord are upon you when you encounter one of life’s storms
• It may seem no one notices what you go through, but rest assured Jesus sees
• He Sees and He Knows and He Cares
While the disciples are fighting the wind and the waves, they see something out on the water. Not something, but someone.
• Their initial reaction is that they’re seeing a ghost
• For what else could stand on top of stormy waters but a spirit?
• If they weren’t scared by the storm, this sight rocks their core
The Bible says -- “DURING THE FOURTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT JESUS WENT OUT TO THEM, WALKING ON THE LAKE. WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW HIM WALKING ON THE LAKE, THEY WERE TERRIFIED. ‘IT’S A GHOST,’ THEY SAID, AND CRIED OUT IN FEAR.” By Roman reckoning, the “fourth watch” occurred between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. It was sometime during that three-hour period that Jesus began walking on the water.
• I don’t know how he did it
• But that he did it
• I have no doubt
• After all, He is the Lord of earth and heaven
• The Lord of the natural and the supernatural
• Walking on water would not be difficult for the Son of God
As the disciples are being knocked around by the storm, as they’re shaking with fear at this thing they see out on the water, Jesus brings comfort by focusing their faith. It’s Jesus, but it shouldn’t surprise them to see Jesus out on the water, because HE IS GOD. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified.
• Someone cried out, “It’s a ghost”
• They were wrong, but it’s wasn’t a bad guess
• After all, it’s not every day that you see someone taking a midnight stroll across a lake in the middle of a storm
We can understand their fear, can’t we? They’ve been rowing and rowing and rowing and getting nowhere. And they can’t seem to make it to shore. It’s 3 or somewhere around 4:30 in the morning.
• They are dead tired
• Every muscle aches
• The wind howls around them
• Rain pelts them from every angle
• They are cold and tired and waterlogged
• Plus, they are grumpy and hungry and frustrated
Suddenly someone sees a figure walking across the water. I think in that situation I would say exactly what they said, “It’s a Ghost.”
• My first thought would not be, “Here comes Jesus. He’s decided to walk on the water in the middle of this storm”
• I think I’d be one of the fellows saying, “Shut up, I don’t care how tired you are, just keep rowing"
But Jesus calls out -- Over the storm? I wish I had time to stay here, His voice is heard over the storm!
• Hey, don’t be afraid
• It’s just me
• Well, he doesn’t really say that- he says- "DON’T BE AFRAID - TAKE HEART! I AM HERE"
The Lord continues to be the I AM for us as well.
• We may well feel like our lives are a stormy sea, and we’re being buffeted by the waves as the disciples boat was
• We may well be in great danger or trouble, filled with sadness and apprehension
• But Jesus comes to us in the middle of all that torment and says, “Take courage; don’t be afraid, I AM”
• And no matter what disaster has come our way, our faith can focus on Jesus
• No matter what disaster has beset us, He is able to help, with His power, through His Word, and His powerful reminders of His love and forgiveness that are ours
Here is where the text gets really interesting and takes another interesting and exciting turn. You think Jesus walking on the water was the highlight, just stay tuned. Peter, always the adventurous disciple, took the opportunity to focus on Jesus and he reasoned within himself, that if Jesus was able to walk on the water himself, surely Jesus could let him walk on the water too. “LORD, IF IT’S YOU, TELL ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.”
So even though Jesus tries to reassure them, Peter makes a really questionable suggestion, “LORD, IF IT IS YOU, COMMAND ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.”
• I can just hear Jesus thinking to himself, “Peter, just stay in boat man, what’s wrong with you?”
• I can just hear Jesus thinking to himself “Just do what I asked you to do and stay in the boat to the other side with the other boys like I told you”
• But I envision Jesus heaving a big sigh and saying, “Alright, Peter. Go ahead”
• But I envision Jesus shaking his head because He already knew this would not end well for Peter
At this point Peter is not being impetuous. It’s not as if he just jumps out of the boat and starts walking. That would have been presumptuous and foolish.
• Matthew is very clear that Peter asks for permission first
• If Jesus says no, then Peter stays in the boat
• But Jesus didn’t say no
• He said, “Come”
• So, Peter came
• How can you criticize him for that?
When Jesus says, “Come,” you’d better obey
• When he says, “Walk,” you’d better walk
• When he says, “Stop,” you had better stop
• When he says, “Hush,” you had better hush
• In Peter’s case, he was safer out on the water than in the boat
• At that moment, the smartest thing Peter could do was to get out of the boat and get as close to Jesus as he could, they were about to sink together in the boat
I get being terrified, and I get wanting to be near Jesus. But I’m not sure why Peter would think walking on the water would be the best way to deal with his fear.
• Why not just ask for the storm to stop?
• Why not just ask to be transported to land?
• Why not if they are hungry asked for Church’s Chicken Three Piece Special?
Now, don’t get me wrong this morning. I’m not saying we shouldn’t turn to Jesus when we’re afraid. But I am saying that sometimes “faith” means sticking it out with the other disciples in the boat.
• Sometimes “faith” means holding to what Jesus tells us to do even if that means heading into the storm
• Sometimes “faith” means supporting each other when we’re afraid and trusting that Jesus will meet us there
• Sometimes “faith” means recognizing that God is God, Jesus is Jesus, and we are not
• Jesus walks on water, we don’t
• Sometimes “faith” means staying in the boat together, which, by the way, is where Jesus told Peter to be in the first place
You can see in your mind’s eye this picture of Peter crawling out of the boat and walking on water, firm as ground, toward Jesus. I don’t know how it happened, but the water held him up. He walked right up to him, focused on Jesus, all is well.
• He trusts Jesus to make this happen
• His faith is focused on Jesus and on him only
• After all, here is Peter’s God and Savior!
• Here is the one who can do anything!
• What does Peter have to be afraid of when Jesus is with him?
But then we’re told that Peter saw the wind. he took his eyes of his savior, let his faith lose focus, and he looked around him.
• And what a ridiculous scene he saw!
• He was standing on the water in the middle of the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a storm!
• What was he doing?
• Why was he there?
• Has he lost his mind?
• Was he was going to get hurt, or worse, die!
• These waves were too much
• The wind was too strong!
• What was going to happen to him?!
• He began to sink
• He could have drowned
Everything goes fine until Peter notices the storm all around him.
• Remember, the storm has never stopped
• During all this commotion, the rain has been coming down in sheets
• Behind him the little fishing boat bobs on the roiling waves
• But the wind was there all along
• The storm has been raging for hours
• It’s not as if it let up when Jesus begins walking on the water
• Jesus comes to them in the midst of the storm
• According to VS. 32 - the wind doesn’t die down until Jesus and Peter get in the boat
We all can get distracted and lose our focus, especially when the storms of life rage around us. It’s not easy to keep your eyes on Jesus in the middle of the night, when the raging storm of fear threatens to overwhelm you. This text reminds us that not only does Christ control the storm, and not only does He send the storm, He reveals himself in the midst of the storm. Very often our purest vision of Christ comes when the storms of life threaten to capsize the tiny boat of our faith.
• What do we do then?
• Pray for “concentrating faith”
• Pray that we stay focused during the storms
• Focus on Jesus
• Fix your eyes on the Son of God
Let me say it again. The wind always blows around us. The mighty storm comes sooner or later. We have no choice or control over when the storm comes. Today the sun may be shining; tomorrow we may find ourselves toiling against the wind and rain, tossed about by adversity. Life can turn on a dime. We all know that. What happened to Peter can happen to any of us.
• For a brief moment, he forgets about Jesus and remembers who he is and where he is
• He is Peter, a Galilean fisherman who belongs back in the boat
• In that instant he looks down at his feet and sees nothing but water underneath
• His mind comes to a quick conclusion -- I’m not supposed to be walking on water
• This is impossible
• When he lost his focus on Jesus, he began to sink
As he goes down into the water, he prays one of the shortest prayers in all the bible: “Lord, save me!”
• In this case, brevity was the course of wisdom
• When you are sinking you don’t have time to pray a long prayer
• You don’t have time to be eloquent and cute
• If you aren’t quick about it, you’ll drown before you get to the point
The Bible says that immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. His words to Peter are very important. “YOU OF LITTLE FAITH, WHY DID YOU DOUBT?” What Jesus was saying was not a rebuke but a teaching moment and He is asking Peter -
• What happened?
• Why did you get distracted?
• Why did you lose your Focus?
Jesus knew Peter had the faith to walk on water, to tread over his problems- just like he and the other disciples had to ability and power to feed the five thousand.
• But he got thrown off by what was happening around him
• He believed what the world told him was possible and not what God had told him was possible
• Even though he had tried to secure the way
• Even though he had been with Jesus and seen the miracles
• Somehow even Peter got distracted and lost his focus
Here is the interesting and final point in closing this morning. HOW DID PETER GET BACK TO THE BOAT? The text says, JESUS TOOK HIM BY THE HAND. I lift to us although Peter lost his focus, as he held onto the hand of Jesus that Peter rose walked on the water back to the boat.
--We often lose the focus of our faith, when we’re more focused on the problems then the solution
--At times perhaps we’re more interested in showing off our faith rather than showing off the one we believe in
--Either way, our attention and focus goes away from Jesus and either focuses on ourselves and our individual strengths or weaknesses or on the problems that then seem insurmountable
--They seem insurmountable because, on our own, they are
--But as we sink into our own seas, Jesus grabs us by the hand
--As he pulls us up we are reminded that while we have lost focus, he has not
--And as he pulls us out of the water we are reminded that there is forgiveness
--I’ve been forgiven for those times I’ve not trusted him
--You’ve been forgiven for the times you’ve been more focused on your problems than his solutions
--And Jesus walks us back to the boat
