Let us pray
Welcome....
Each Sunday we are re-minded of our theme for this year, which is, With God All Things
Are Possible or With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible.........
Today we will be using as our topic, Moving Out By Faith. Please turn with me in your bi-bles to Matthew 14: 22-36. Let’s all stand and read
together. Please tell someone, Faith Can Move Mountains.
What is faith? The bi-ble says that, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen, or faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of
what we do not see or faith is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us,
even though we cannot see it up ahead.
Let’s think for awhile. What is faith? Faith is believing that you are cured from that
sickness, even though there is no evidence of you being cured; the pain is still there; the
symptoms are still there............
Faith is believing that you have received that job that you applied for, even though you
are still in the un-employment line. Faith is believing that your son or daughter who is out
there on drugs will be alright, even though there is no evidence of a change taking place;
your son and daughter is still acting crazy.................
Faith is believing that your ungodly husband or wife will one day be a child of God, even
though right now you see no change in their ungodly living. Faith is believing that God is
going to add to the church those that are being saved, even though all you can see right
now are just empty pews............
How many of you believe that faith can remove mountains or any difficulties you might
face in your life? How many of you believe that the Word of God is true? Well, it is time
for us to start believing God’s Word and move out by faith. I don’t care what man might
say; I don’t care what the statistics are showing; because there is a God who can change
things around. The God whom I serve can take nothing and make something; He can turn
darkness into light. God wants us today to start moving out by faith, and start trusting him
completely............
The basketball finals between the San Antonio Spurs, and the New York Nets is currently
taking place. I was told that in basketball there are two approaches. One is "man-on-man;"
the other is "zone defense." When you’re playing man-on-man, you stay with the player
from the opposing team who’s been assigned to you ......wherever that person goes, you
go. But when you’re playing zone defense, you position yourself within a designated geo-
gra-phi-cal area of the court and you play against any player that comes into that zone or
that area.
The coach will give clear instructions as to which kind of defense will be played - man-on-
man or zone. Both have advantages, depending on what the other team is doing
offensively. Some players find it naturally easier to play the zone. And they have to work a
little harder to play man-on-man.
"It’s that way for most of us in life, isn’t it?" It’s just easier to stay "in the zone," to stay
where it is comfortable, to stay where it’s easy to get by with a minimal amount of effort,
and where very little faith if any is required. It is time for us to take a good look at
ourselves, and start to move out by faith..........elaborate....start thinking big, start trusting
God completely.....
It has been said that, "We all want to progress, but how many of us really want change? Most times we are set
in our ways, and just don’t want to change; don’t want to move out by faith. Some pastors
who are in a new pastorate hear the con-gre-gation say, "We want you to lead us and help
us grow." But what they don’t hear said is......but don’t change anything sub-stantial in the
church, because we like it just the way it is." Please note very carefully, "healthy churches
are always changing and growing, and facing new challenges." That’s real living, and it is
time for us to start moving out by faith.
So often we hear it being said, we have tried that before, and it did not work, maybe it did
not work then, but it might work now, and so we have to move out by faith. When Mary,
the mother of our Lord was told she would have a son, and she was not married, she
asked the angel, how shall this be, since I am not a married woman? She heard the
response, "Nothing is impossible with God," to which she replied, I am the Lord’s servant.
May it be to me as you have said. Mary was willing to move out by faith, and say yes to
the will of God, even though it looked impossible from a human point of view.
"When God calls us to do something great for him, it usually involves the super-natural.It
usually involves taking steps of faith. Trusting God for the end result, even though we do
not know all the answers or how things are going to work out." It is a walk by faith. We
walk by faith, not by sight. It is time for us to start moving out by faith, and truly believe
God.....elaborate....
Je-sus had just finished feeding the multitude of 5000 men, beside women and children.
Let’s look at verses 22 and 23 of our text (read) The multitude were gone, the disciples
were gone, and Je-sus was all alone..........elaborate...
In the mids’t of the sea, away from Je-sus were the disciples (read verse 24) Whenever
we are out of the presence of Je-sus, contrary winds will blow, storms will
arise......elaborate....
Look at verse 25....at the fourth watch, which is about 3 to 6 am, with contrary winds all
around. Jesus broke the laws of gravity and came walking on the water......elaborate....
Verse 26 of our text is very interesting (read) The disciples, the followers of our Lord,
they thought they had seen a ghost, they were troubled and fearful. By the way, do
Christians believe in ghosts? are they real? How many of you would walk through a
grave-yard, the home of the dead, at night? As a young boy in Jamaica, they had a train
wreck, and many lives were lost. I heard strange stories of sons and daughters who had
died in the train wreck appearing to their parents...............elaborate....
"As children many of us enjoyed being scared out of our minds with ghosts stories. We no
sooner finished shrieking at one when we’d demand, "Tell us another one!" Getting scared
was fun, or so we thought." My brother and my mother who both lives in Canada use to
tell us some starnge ghosts stories; scary stories. Please note very carefully this account
from Matthew’s gospel is no ghost story. It is the real thing. Here we have expereinced
fishermen, out there at sea, being tossed to and fro because the wind was contrary.
Just before daybreak, in a storm, in the mids’t of the sea, they saw someone walking on
the water, and they were terrified. They had reason to be afraid, because man don’t walk
on water, man does not defy the laws of gravity; you try to walk on water and you will
sink, and so they thought they had seen a ghost. Most of us would have thought the same
thing if we were there...........elaborate...
Have you ever have moments like this when you are terrified? Moments where things are
not going right and you are fearful? I am sure we all face moments like this, but I am so
glad we can all open ourselves to our Lord’s encouraging words, in moments like this. I
am so glad for verse 27 of our text, in which our Lord always stands ready to say, Take
courage, don’t be afraid, I am here. Don’t worry you have not seen a ghost, I am Jesus,
and I am here to help you. Fear not, for I am with thee. Don’t be discouraged, for I am
here to strengthen thee. If today you are feeling discouraged, Jesus is here to help
you......elaborate....
I thank God for a man call Peter. I thank God for Peter’s courage. Peter was in the boat
with the other disciples. Peter was in the storm with the other disciples. Peter was scared
along with the other disciples, but when he heard the voice of Jesus it brought comfort to
his soul. Just hearing the voice or the name of Jesus brings comfort. Listen very
carefully. "Jesus, oh, how sweet the name! Jesus, every day the same; Jesus, let all
saints proclaim its worthy praise for ever."
Lord we are in a storm. Lord we are being tossed to and fro, but if the voice I hear is
really your voice allow me to come unto thee on the water. Lord when you around it does
not matter if the storm winds are blowing. It does not matter if the winds are contrary. I
am willling to leave the boat, and move out by faith. Lord,I still feel the effects of the
storm. Lord I can still feel the boat rocking back and forth, but in the mids’t of the storm, I
want to move out by faith...........elaborate....
Maybe right now you are in the mids’t of the storm, but God wants you to move out by
faith. Maybe right now you are facing contrary winds, but God wants you to move out by
faith. Maybe those who are with you on the boat might think you are crazy, but God
wants you to move out by faith. There is somebody here today, whose faith is being
tested; in fact, I want you to know that right now my faith is being tested, but I am going
to move out by faith and believe God............elaborate...
In verse 29 of our text Peter heard these words from the Master, come along
Peter............ Peter moved out by faith and started to walk on water. Peter started to defy
the laws of gravity, and started to walk on the water to go to Jesus. Can you see Peter
moving out by faith? Can you see Peter walking on water? Can you see Peter with his
eyes fastened on Jesus? As long as Peter was looking at Jesus everything was alright. As
long as Peter’s mind was on Jesus everything would be alright..............elaborate...
Look what happened in verses 30 and 31 (read and explain) In order to move out by
faith we have got to get rid of doubt. God does not want any doubters in his
army.......elaborate...
Verse 32 (read) When Jesus came on board, the wind cease. Contrary winds have to go
when Je-sus is on board. We have a new pilot on board, and things will be different
now....elaborate....
Verse 33 (read) When Jesus is on board, we can’t but help ourselves, we have to worship
him. If Jesus is in your life, you can’t help, but worship him. You can’t help it, you have to
praise him. Let’s move out by faith and start praising the Lord. "O come let us adore
Him, Jesus Christ our Lord......." elaboarte..
When our Lord calls us to move out by faith and follow him, we need to keep our eyes
fixed on him, not on the circumstances around us. "If we become preoccupied with
what’s happening around us, then we’ll no longer be preoccupied with Je-sus Christ and
his call to us."
It is true, faith can remove mountains or whatever barriers that might be an hindrance to
you. What is keeping you from moving out by faith and trusting the Lord completely?
When Peter found himself in trouble, he called out to the Lord to save him, and
immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. Thank God, Jesus will do the
same for you. If you want to walk on water, if you want to get to Jesus, you must get out
of the boat, and move out by faith.
Are you saved? Do you know Christ as Lord of your life? Why not move out by faith and
put your complete trust in the Lord?........................elaborate....
Maybe you have taken your eyes off Jesus. Maybe you are doing things your way. God
wants to restore you again, and he is reaching out for you........elaborate...
Today is your day to seek the Lord..........
