Reading: Matthew chapter 14 verses 22-36:
SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 22)
(2). God Sees Everything I am Going Through (vs 23-24)
(3). Gods Help Is Always On Time (vs 25-27)
(4). Gods Purpose Is Always For Our Growth (vs 28-32)
(5). God’s Word Never Fails (vs 34).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• Desert Island Discs is a Radio 4 programme,
• That was first broadcast in 1942.
• The format of the show is simple,
• Each week a guest, called a "castaway,"
• Is asked to choose eight audio recordings (usually music),
• They can also choose a book and a luxury item,
• That they would like to take with them,
• If they were to be cast away on a desert island.
• And the host chats with the guest about their choices,
• Of music, their book, and their luxury item.
• TRANSITION:
• Question: If you were a guest, marooned on a desert island,
• What would luxury item would you ask for/take?
Ill:
• I was reminded of two missionaries.
• Robert and Mary Moffat.
• Who in the 1800’s spent ten years,
• Faithfully serving God in Bechuanaland (now called Botswana).
• (Bech-u-wana-land)
• In ten years, they saw very little response to the gospel,
• In fact, not a single convert.
• 10 years of hard work and nothing visible to show for it!
One day a friend in England sent word a letter to the Moffat’s,
• That she wanted to mail them a gift.
• (note: This was their Desert Island luxury moment).
• Their friend asked them,
• To choose whatever they would like.
• And they would do their best to get it to them.
To everyone’s surprise, Mrs. Moffat replied,
• “Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed.”
• God honoured that dear woman’s faith.
• Soon after the letter was sent the Holy Spirit,
• Moved upon the hearts of the villagers,
• And soon 6 people came to faith and made up the first Church.
• Now, in the 1800’s everything took a long time,
• The communion set was sent from England,
• But got delayed in the transport,
• But amazingly,
• On the very day before the first planned Communion service,
• The set arrived.
• TRANSITION:
• Robert and Mary Moffat were people of faith,
• God called them to the mission field, they obeyed,
• And, in his time, God would save!
• Their job was to work hard and keep trusting!
• To have faith!
Ill:
• Faith is like a bridge,
• Imagine standing at the edge of a deep canyon.
• There’s no way across on your own.
• But there is a bridge, stretching across to the other side.
• It’s narrow. It’s old and you are unsure of its condition.
• You have two choices.
• You can stay where it feels safe and make no forward progress.
• That’s what fear, apprehension, uncertainty feels like.
• Or you can take that first step onto the bridge.
• That’s what faith often feels like.
• i.e. You can’t see the whole path.
• i.e. You don’t know how everything is going to work out.
• i.e. You may even hear the creak of the boards,
• i.e. Beneath your feet as you step.
• i.e. But you move forward anyway.
• Why? Because you trust the bridge.
• Not because you’ve seen every bolt or tested every beam,
• But because others have passed that way,
• And you believe it was built to hold people like you.
• TRANSITION:
• Faith is like stepping onto the bridge,
• We have the word, the promise of God.
• But we have no guarantee the bridge will hold.
• But faith says, “I believe it’s there. And I’m walking toward it.”
• In this passage today,
• Jesus wants the disciples to step out and exhibit faith.
• That is the test, but will they pass it,
• And what about me? How is my faith?
FIVE key THINGS from this story
(1). God Has A Plan For Me And Its Good (vs 22)
“Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.”
If you have been with us for the past few studies,
• You will have noted that,
• The disciples have been on an emotional rollercoaster.
• A series of highs and lows.
• An emotional low was,
• When they had to deal with the murder of John the Baptist.
• (verses 1-13)
• Then they experienced an emotional high,
• They witnessed an incredible miracle (verses 14-21)
• Jesus fed 5,000 plus people using only 5 loaves & 2 fish.
• And they were involved in the miracle and not just onlookers.
• Jesus gave them the bread and fish to distribute.
Following Jesus would be like an emotional roller-coaster,
• It would be full of highs and lows,
• Full of good times,
• But also times when circumstances are difficult,
• When you need to keep trusting even when you hurt!
THE DISCIPLES WERE LEARNING AN IMPORTANT LESSON:
• They were not guided by circumstances alone,
• But by Jesus.
• Jesus operated by a heavenly timetable, a heavenly plan.
Ill:
• They were not like a boat drifting on the open water,
• Simply carried here and there by the waves,
• They had a Cox-man in their boat,
• Who would be steering and guiding them day by day.
Ill:
• A group of scientists and botanists,
• Where exploring remote regions of the Alps.
• Looking for new species of flowers.
• One day one of them was looking through binoculars,
• And he noticed 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 local teenage lad;
• Who had been watching these scientists and botanists,
• Strange behaviour.
• They told him they would pay him well;
• If he would agreed,
• To be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower.
• The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths & said,
• “I’ll be back in 10 minutes.”
• 10 minutes later he returned,
• Followed by a grey-haired older man.
• Approaching the botanist, the boy said,
• “I’ll go over that cliff and get that flower for you,
• As long as this man holds the rope”.
• The botanists asked; “Who is he”
• The boy replied, “He’s my dad.”
• TRANSITION:
• Question: what makes the difference?
• Answer: The relationship!
As Christians we believe in a God who is good & trustworthy:
• As a shepherd guides & protects his sheep.
• So, God guides & protects his people,
• He leads those who choose to follow him!
• At times the road will be smooth and downhill,
• At other times the road may be rough and uphill,
• The landscape may change but God does not!
• So, keep trusting.
(2). God Sees Everything I am Going Through (vs 23-24)
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.
and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.”
Ill:
• If you have probably used or heard the expression,
• "Turn a blind eye," it is a popular idiom.
• Video illustration (53sec):
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/50fhdUBpD7o
• Text of illustration.
• Have you used the phrase "turn a blind eye,"
• Which means to ignore undesirable information.
• The saying comes from a 19th century British naval battle.
• On April 2, 1801, during the Battle of Copenhagen,
• The British fleet was attacking the combined navies of Denmark and Norway.
• Three British ships ran aground,
• So the admiral, a man called, Hyde Parker,
• Decided that the fire of battle was "too hot to oppose."
• So, Admiral Parker sent an order, through signal flags,
• That the younger admiral Horatio Nelson,
• Should "Discontinue Action" and withdraw.
• When Nelson heard his own signalman relay the order, he pretended not to hear him.
• Mesmerized by the thrill of battle, Nelson had no intention of obeying the order.
• He turned to his captain and said, "This day may be the last for us at any moment,"
• Even as a Danish cannonball struck his ship’s mainmast, scattering splinters all around him.
• This was typical of Nelson’s stubborn and aggressive approach to war.
• In fact, he’d already lost sight in his right eye in a previous battle.
• So, when pressed again to respond to Parker’s order, Nelson told his flag captain Thomas Foley,
• "You know, Foley, I only have one eye—I have the right to be blind sometimes,"
• And then Nelson held up his telescope to his good eye and said,
• "I really do not see the signal!"
• TRANSITION: Remember this God never turns a blind eye!
• He sees us, he is aware of our circumstances and heartache.
• And he is not ignoring us nor ignorant of the situation.
Now in the narrative:
• Jesus sends the disciples away.
• While he finds a place that overlooks the lake.
• The lake is surrounded by mountains,
• That slope into the Galilean Sea.
• So on a clear moonlit night.
• A person can easily look over the water,
• And see what events are taking place.
• In this case,
• Jesus saw that his disciples who were struggling,
• Against the elements,
• Jesus was aware of their situation,
• And he we are told he was praying for them.
APPLICATION:
• The presence of adversity,
• Doesn’t mean the absence of the Lord.
• When we keep on trusting,
• Adversity is (well let me suggest three things, three words).
• Adjust:
• It can help adjust our position/perspective.
• It can help us look beyond the problem or circumstance,
• And help us focus on God and his strength and help.
• Access:
• It can be the way God releases extra grace.
• God has promised (Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16).,
• “Grace to help in times of need!”
• Advertisement:
• It can show a greater picture of how God’s working.
• We are not merely depending on human resources.
• We bring God into the equation!
ill;
• Last week when Jesus tested the disciples with a problem.
• A crowd of 5,000plus and little food.
• The disciples failed the test,
• In fact their response was no different from an unbeliever,
• An atheist!
• TRANSITION: As Christians we face similar tests,
• i.e. Times of ill-health, bereavement, unemployment etc,
• Challenges that are really too big for us to handle.
• Question: How do we respond?
• Answer: Our response should be different to unbelievers,
• Because we have the Lord to lean on and find strength.
• So be encouraged this morning!
• God knows everything about you & me.
• He sees everything that we are 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 top floor.
• And looked out of the window.
• The fire-brigade were still on their way & time was running out.
• The boy’s father stood on the ground underneath the window,
• With outstretched arms he called to his son, "Jump!”
• As the boy looked down,
• All; he could see was smoke, and blackness.
• As you can imagine, 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,
• "Don’t worry, I can see you and that's all that matters!"
• TRANSITION:
• The dad had a plan to help the child,
• But the child needed to trust his father,
• To get the full benefits of that plan.
• Likewise,
• Jesus knew the situation the disciples were experiencing,
• He also knew what he would do!
(3). Gods Help Is Always On Time (vs 25-27):
“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. 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 live in the age of the instant,
• From coffee to ready meals,
• From emails to Amazon.,
• We live in the age of the instant.
• But God is never in a hurry.
• In fact, “God’s timing is never too late……right on time.”
• God is never in a hurry and sometimes makes us wait:
Ill:
• Psalm 40 verse 1. “I waited patiently for the Lord.”
• That’s where faith comes in – it is spelt TRUST.
Ill:
• Lazarus (John chapter 11).
• Jesus gets the news Lazarus (“the one you love”) is ill.
• But Jesus waits 2 more days before travelling!
• Question: Why the delay!
• Answer: Jesus did not want to heal Lazarus,
• He wanted to raise him from the dead.
• A far greater work than anyone could have imagined.
• But for that to happen they had to wait!
• They got to experience a miracle,
• And God was glorified through these events.
(4). Gods Purpose Is Always For Our Growth (vs 28-32)
““Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.”
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 applied!
• People have a go at Peter for failing,
• But none of the other disciples got out of the boat!
• None of the other disciples ever walked on water.
• But Peter did, even if it was only a small walk!
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?”
• Without batting an eyelid, the monk replied,
• “Whenever it breaks!”
• TRANSITION:
• Remember, God’s ropes never break!
• Peter started to sink,
• The moment he took his eyes off Jesus.
• And looked around at his circumstances (vs 30),
• So, in response Jesus asked him; “Why did you doubt?”
• The word means “standing uncertainly at two ways”.
• Why did you get distracted from looking at me?
Ill:
• I guess we have all seen the video clips, or maybe in person,
• Of someone climbing out of a boat onto the shore,
• With one foot on the deck, the other in the boat.
• Because they are undecided when to commit themselves,
• The boat goes slightly away from the dock and…
• Splash! In the water they go!
• TRANSITION: That is Peter once he climbs out of the boat.
• He almost made it but got distracted.
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:
• At least Peter’s timing was good!
• He cried out to the Lord when he started to sink,
• On the way down and not when he could have been drowning!
• And he prayed one of the shortest,
• Yet most copied prayers, “Lord, save me!”
Remember:
• It was not the words that made this prayer effective,
• It was the sincerity of Peter’s heart,
• And the goodness and grace of Jesus.
• Jesus rewards Peter’s faith in two ways,
• First, he stops him from drowning,
• Second, together they walk back on the water to the boat!
So Peter’s faith may have been stuttering,
• But it helped him experience a miracle.
• And through this incident grow in his faith.
• Gods purpose is always for our growth,
• And Peter grew in faith through this incident.
(5). God’s Word Never Fails (vs 34).
34” When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.”
• They arrived just where Jesus intended for them to arrive,
• The area called Gennesaret.
• This is on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee,
• Between Capernaum and Magdala.
Ill:
• Through the years printers of the Bible,
• Have made some big mistakes.
e.g. WIFE-HATER BIBLE An 1810 version read,
"If any man come to me, and hate not . . . his own wife he cannot be my disciple."
• Should have read, “life" and not, “wife.”
e.g. The "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."
e.g. THE WICKED BIBLE.
• Published in 1631 they alas missed out an important word,
• The Seventh Commandment read,
• “Thou shalt commit adultery,”
• Instead of, “Thou shalt NOT commit adultery,”
• A mistake that infuriated King Charles.
• He ordered all copies destroyed & fined all printers whose hands had touched the edition.
e.g. The MURDER'S BIBLE.
• This 19th-century edition,
• Had a mistake in Mark chapter 7 verse 27 as
• "Let the children be killed" instead of "filled."
e.g. The VINIGAR BIBLE.
• 1717 the printer John Baskett,
• Misprinted an edition of the King James Bible.
• His mistake was calling a parable of Jesus by the wrong name.
• "Parable of the Vinegar" for the "Vineyard."
• (Luke chapter 20 verse 9)
• TRANSITION
• Printers may make mistakes,
• But this book is trustworthy, it has stood the test of time!
• The subject, Can I trust the Bible?
• Is a sermon or two, all of its own,
• But for now have a watch of Wes Huff and check him out on YT
Ill:
• Wes Huff: Is the Bible a translation of a translation?
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/JS5oAcdyKfs?si=WKaP_hCrENFyrj2-
• TRANSITION:
• As Christians we believe in a God who keeps his promise,
• His promises are contained in his word.
• There is no promise of a trouble free life.
• In fact, the opposite,
• Many in the Bible suffered for their faith.
• What God does promise us in the Bible,
• Is that he'll be with us through the troubles,
• And through those experiences develop our faith,
• 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.
• TRANSITION:
• 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!”
SERMON AUDIO:
https://youtu.be/0DULg95H448
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/0DULg95H448
