Trying To Be Like Jesus
Scripture Reference: Matthew 14:22-33 (KJV)
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
INTRODUCTION
I am sure if you have gone to church over twenty times then you have heard a sermon or at least a mention of this great event
This is a great act that only Jesus could have performed
The first and probably most important fact about this passage is that from the very beginning Jesus said that they were going to meet on the other side
So no matter what happened between being on the first side to the second side they were definitely going to make it to the other side
MAIN BODY
This is where many of us are today. Jesus has spoken a word on our lives and we all we have to do is be obedient and it will come to pass. He shall supply everything that we need to ensure that we make it safely on our journey no matter what it looks like.
The next thing that I find very interesting is not only the fact that Jesus went to pray but he actually spent hours before the father in prayer. Although he went to pray after he led the people away, it was during the fourth watch when he finally appeared to the disciples.
Watch - A period of time (4 or 2 hours) during which some of a ship’s crew are on duty. (wordweb)
It was probably a 6 hour period before Jesus ever appeared to the disciples
Although they had spent all of that time watching and waiting for Jesus to come when he finally came back they were surprised to see him and questioned if it was really him
This is how I believe it will be when he he returns again. Although we have been expecting him and all of the signs of his return are in place we will still wonder if it is really him upon his return
The disciples were very disturbed by the unusual approach of Christ but Peter wanted to get a closer look. Peter wanted to go out to meet him. He did not even have the patience to wait on Jesus any longer
There was something on the inside of Peter that had to be with Christ immediately
Have you ever wondered what it was that drove Peter to want to meet Christ and not even have the patience to wait. Even though he was already approaching the place where they were?
Have you ever thought about what was so serious in the meeting that Peter was even willing to attempt to walk on water?
Mind you that Peter was a fisherman and he had spent a great deal of time around water so he was absolutely sure in his natural mind that there was no way that any normal man could ever walk on water
But for some reason he was so desperate that he wanted to meet Christ before he ever even got to him
What made him so anxious?
Since the bible never says then the world will never know why he was as anxious as he was to meet Christ
However since I can come up with my own hypothesis about this matter then I have decided to replace all of the things that I am dealing with in my life with the reasons that Peter could have wanted to meet Christ
I replace my need for financial blessings, marital counseling, child raising advice, business advice, etc. with the reason that Peter went out to meet Christ
I can also assure you that it is alright with Jesus if you cast all of your cares on him as well. In fact, he has been waiting on you to make a bold decision like that anyway
After I replace whatever what was on Peter’s mind with the things that I am going through right now it becomes easy to see why he wanted to meet the man that could make his life whole with just a touch
I wonder if Christ showed up in your life right now where you could physically meet him would you reach out to meet him or wait until he got to where you were
The next interesting point is that even after Christ announced to his disciples who he was, Peter still said, “If” as though he wasn’t really sure if the person that they were talking to was really Jesus (verse 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.)
Has Christ shown up and showed out in your life and you still sit and wonder if it is really him
Now let’s discuss the good part. The part where Peter made his way off of the ship. I was not there but in my imagination I can see Peter now boldly standing up to get off of the ship. “Trying to be like Jesus”
I can also see the other eleven disciples behind him trying to hold him back warning him that there was no possible way that he could ever possibly walk on water. They were assuring him that it was too dangerous for him to even consider
However Peter had been called by the master and he was not going to allow anything and I mean anything stop him from having the privilege of showing his faith and walking on water
Some of us are here now. God has spoken an impossible word on our life and the people around us realize that it is impossible to do the things that God has called us to do and they are warning us that it is too dangerous for us to even try to go through with what we are about to attempt
I say to you right here and now saint you have to find the strength to shake them off and step out on faith
As Peter stepped off of that boat I could just hear the other disciples warning him, Thomas saying, Peter now you know that you can’t do this. Judas saying, “Aww let him go (while he takes his stuff). The sons of Zebedee thinking that they would have less competition for the spot at wearing the crown next. And so on. You make the list
Peter had received the call and was not allowing anything to come between him and the master
There was someone else on the scene that although he wasn’t scripted in on this passage you would be foolish to think that he would miss an event and opportunity like this. The unmentioned person is Satan
You better believe Satan was there doing whatever he could to stop this from ever happening and he is doing the same thing in our lives right now. He is doing whatever he can to make sure that whatever God has spoken in your life does not come true.
Many of us are silly enough to think that he is not there just as we look at this scripture and because he is not scripted in we don’t count him as being there. This is his greatest trick saint, to convince the world that he does not exist. NEWS FLASH: Satan is real
It is interesting how Peter did not need any extra equipment to make this miracle possible. I mean Jesus didn’t say put on these special shoes or walk on this side on button up your top this way
This is just like today. Jesus has told us to come but we are still sitting there trying to get ourselves together . We need to just go
When Peter went down it must have really been a scene
At this point the scriptures should have read that Jesus had to save all twelve of the disciples because they all jumped in the water to attempt to save Peter or at least it should have said that Peter got tangled in the line that they threw out to save him.
But you know what? The bible never says what the people behind Peter were doing. It must have not been important. The bible is saying the same thing to us right now. It doesn’t matter what the people behind us are doing we need to stay focused on Jesus
I am so glad that Peter didn’t look to his brothers to save him because he probably would have still been out there in that water to this very day
We need to do this as well, when we get in the world of trouble, don’t look to our friends. Keep our minds and hearts on Jesus because he is the only one truly interested in saving us
When Peter went down, he had the mind to call on God and call on God he did
Let’s be like Peter right now
First let’s think of all of the things or that one special thing that we really need Jesus to change in our lives right now.
Next: (Stand up and repeat after me)
Lord
Save Me
Lord
Save Me
This time like we mean it
Lord
Save Me
Believe it or not Jesus has immediately stretched forth his hand to save you from your situation right now
You may not feel saved but you must believe that you are saved
Peter could have been unconscious when he was first delivered from that water and did not know that he was saved until later just like many of us. We are saved right now but we may not realize until later when our eyes are fully opened and this deliverance is revealed but if you believe then you can receive
CONCLUSION
We need to have a made up mind from this day forth that no matter if we sink or swim we will remain trying to be like Jesus
Let’s Pray
Dear God, Thank you for saving me and giving me another chance to get my life together. Though I realize that I am completely unworthy of the favor that you have bestowed upon me I am yet thankful for your grace and mercy for keeping me from drowning in my sea of sin. Lord I love you and need you to please continue to give the strength knowledge and power necessary to do your will on my life.
Thank you. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane
