Saved By The Sea Walker

1. Expounding scriptures. Matthew 14:22-33

2. The setting is after the death of John the baptist,the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Saying, "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." John sent a messenger before giving his head to king Herod’s choping block to enquire if Jesus was indeed the messiah, or if they should seek another. Jesus sent the messenger back to him saying the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk and those possessed by devils are being delivered.

The people of that day and ours were living in a time when they would question their leaders and even God. They lived in a time of great perplexity (tangled or puzzled state)

They were a people of promise having Abraham to their father. They were heirs to the promise through the covenant "circumcision of the flesh." Though they were children of promise yet they had not received and enjoyed the fullness of the immanent promise. They were a people having rulers and kings over them the Roman government was the official power and the the local ordinances were enforced by the romans. People were required by law as we are today to give unto Caesar what was Ceasar’s. The taxes was do, the days wage was exhausted on the necessities of life. Most people were common folks without much more then the bear essentials.

3. Matthew 14:13-33

The multitudes had followed Jesus out to a desert place. (barren, uninhabited, desolate)

They only brought with them their sickness and pain, disappointment and hope of one last chance to be saved from their impending fate. Their only hope was in Jesus and him only!

Jesus was moved with great compassion for them and he healed their sick.

They did not bring with them food that they could eat but esteemed the opportunity to sit in the counsel of Jesus Christ greater then the hunger they would face. The apostles bid him to send them away because the hour was late but Christ was moved by their faithfulness to him.

He told them to take from a boy there five barley loaves and two small fishes. With them he fed five thousand men not counting women and children.

The disciples went into the ship and sailed toward Capernaum. Then in the dark Jesus came walking on the sea and said "It is I, be not afraid" Peter said if it is you Lord bid me to come out to you on the water. Peter is told to come out on the sea where Jesus is. Peter Stepped out on the sea of impossibility and walking, he began to consider his surrounding circumstances

As the waves crashed around him he began to doubt that he could make it out to the place where Jesus awaited him. In his delema he began to sink beneath the great crashing waves. Peter cried unto Jesus "LORD SAVE ME."

4. Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him. They then returned together to the ship. When they came into the safety of the ship (type of the Church) the winds ceased. They that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God. Those that ate of the loaves and fishes knew the disciples departed by ship and Jesus did not go with them. They could not find him and went to Capernaum. They found him and ask when and how did he come there.

Jesus answered them, "Verily verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw miracles, but because you did eat of the fishes and loaves, and were filled. (They had a personal experience that satisfied and filled them, they had no need of persuasion through miracles.)

Labor not for meat which perisheth, but for meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: For him hath God sealed. St. John 6:22-27

4. We also must have a personal experience with Jesus Christ we cannot live on the history of what Jesus has done in the past . We cannot live on what we see in the past, or the testimonies of miracles that he has done for someone else. We must sit at Jesus table and be filled with the heavenly bread of life. We will not be satisfied by watching others eat and others changed.

We must wade into the waters of mercy and realize that the Grace of our Holy God is available to each one of us. God is not a respecter of persons. He does not care what you are or were, he does not hold our past titles or deeds against us, if we come and honestly repent of our deeds! His love for you and me was so powerful that it nailed him to the cross. It was not sin that held him there, but his overwelming love for you and me and our children and children's children. God does not want us to be lonely, sad, hopeless and miserable. He would that all should come to repentance and be saved. Even you! You don't have to be a sinner to go to hell!