Title: Living in the Now
Theme: To show the miracle of Jesus walking on water and what we miss when we get distracted by the storm.
Text: Matthew 14:22 – 33
Introduction
Wedding at Cana – Jesus Invitation
Healing the Leper – Jesus Touch
Healing the Blind – Laying aside the garments
Feeding the 4000 – Reasons to Worship
Mat 14:22-33 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
This was right after Jesus feeding of the 5,000. He had been teaching for all day and was exhausted. He had also lost His cousin John who was beheaded by Herod. As Jesus normally did when He was tired He prepared some time alone.
This meant sending the multitude way and putting His disciples on a boat. The Bible says that He made them get into the boat. KJV “constrained” them.
Why?
1) Jesus needed time alone, as noted above
2) According to John 6:15 the people were trying to “crown” Jesus king. They were trying to take over the narrative. The plan of God.
Silence, “Beyond the music, beyond the noise” - Heart of Worship
(23) And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
This also meant getting alone with God. Silence is the underestimated key to connection with God. It is hard to hear and connect with God when we are surrounded by the noise. We have to learn to get alone with God.
This often times means dismissing the crowds and those who lean on us and spending time with the One whom we can lean on.
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).
Disciples
(24) But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
As the disciples traveled in the boat a storm came. Nobody likes storms. Especially on the sea. Especially when they can sneak up on you.
This was the fear of the sea of Galilee. The way the area was shaped a storm could come and be contained in the sea. According to John 6:19 they were about 3.5 miles in the sea or about half way. So there was no getting out quickly.
Have you ever faced a storm that it seemed impossible to “get through”?
Here Comes Jesus
(25) Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them,
Peoples New Testament
In the fourth watch. The Jews, who used to divide the night into three watches, latterly adopted the Roman division into four watches, as here; so that, at the rate of three hours to each, the fourth watch, reckoning from six P.M., would be three o'clock in the morning.
So Jesus comes a few hours after He had put the disciples in the boat. Have you ever felt this way? Jesus knows I am going through the storm. Maybe even Jesus put me in the situation knowing the storm was going to happen. In the middle of the storm you ask the question, “Where is Jesus?”
walking on the sea.
Where is Jesus? He is walking in your storm. Wow! Let that sink in. He is in the midst of your storm.
Isaiah 43:1-3 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. (2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. (3) For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
(26) And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
Sometimes when we are so distracted by the storm we are not able to see what Jesus is doing. We get so caught up in the storm we miss Jesus. We get so caught up in what we thing the storm is about we miss the purpose that Jesus allowed us to go through the storm.
Storms happen
1) Correction
2) Strengthen our faith
3) Preparation
4) Performance of a miracle
Another thought is when the Lord comes and we don’t recognize Him because we don’t like where this is going. God uses the voice of a friend or a pastor, yet we don’t listen because we don’t like what he is saying. God uses circumstances and storms. God uses our heart. We get so distracted by what we think we miss what God wants.
Jon Courson Commentary: Fear and anxiety, false familiarity (Matthew 13 Jesus in His home town), personal tragedy (John 20:15 Mary Magdalene at the tomb of Jesus), despair and despondency (Luke 24 two disciples on road to Emmaus)—all will keep you from recognizing your Redeemer. But if you say, "I will watch for You, Lord, in the storm. I will praise Your Name and embrace this difficulty, trusting You are revealing Yourself to me."
(27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
Jesus knew this. He knew how they felt.
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
MSG Paraphrase
Hebrews 4:15-16 We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all--all but the sin. (16) So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
He knows. He feels. He is touched. He has compassion. He calls out.
Don’t not be afraid. Do not let fear distract you from the Master.
(28) And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
Peter knew it was better to be with Jesus in the storm than with the disciples in the “boat of safety”
(29) So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
Come: Christ command and opportunity. Our choice.
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).
Come, Christ says. Meet me for true life.
So Peter walked on water. The miracle happened. In the midst of the storm.
Step of Faith
What it must have felt like to take that step of faith. To step over the side of the boat into the unknown. Wow!
You see this is that walk or step of faith. There are some of you here who don’t know Christ as your personal savior and you are sitting on the edge of the boat. God is saying step in but you are afraid of the unknow. Christ is calling you to step in.
There are some of you here who God is calling to deeper waters. He is calling you to step in.
(30) But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
Living in the Now
Peter missed it. Yes this was about “little faith” as we will see. But Peter got caught between two places. He should have been focused on Jesus at that moment but he got his eyes on the storm. Maybe a big wave happened. So he was tempted to “go back”. No doubt he thought to himself, “What am I doing here? I need to be in the boat with the others? I have done put my foot in it again”
Caught between the past and the future. Caught between what was and what might be. Missing that right before him is Jesus. Jesus call, Jesus purpose.
God says that today. Too many of you are living in tomorrow. So focused on what tomorrow may bring that you miss today.
Mat 6:33-34 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
(31) And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
Even if you are not at a place where you need to be Jesus will catch you.
This was not about the measure of the faith but the operation of the faith. We are reminded that we have the faith the “grain of a mustard seed” we can speak to mountains (or storms) Matthew 21:21. So it was about Peter operating this little faith to be with Jesus. Just a little bit of doubt that seeps in will cause us to miss out miracle.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (33) Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."
This brings us to the end. Jesus calms the storm. Another miracle happens. They are amazed. With that it was not something they kept to themselves but confessed with their mouth.
"That if you shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Conclusion
Where are you at today? Where is your faith?
