Stepping Out Of The Boat

Stepping Out Of The Boat: Daring To Live The Life That God Has For You!

Turn your bibles to Matthew 14:22-34

Let me ask you a few questions today… How many would like to move forward in your relationship with Christ? How many have felt like you’ve been stuck in a rut? In talking to a lot of people, I’m finding that people are not satisfied with where they are. They want more. The problem lies in the fact that too many churches tell people that they need to move forward but don’t give them an opportunity to move forward. People have dreams and ministries locked up inside them and they don’t know how to go to the next level. It is my desire that I personally and this church, move forward to the next level and see what it is that God wants us to attain.

Mat 14:22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 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. 24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 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. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 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." 34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

Before we start moving forward, we need to discover some things about where we are in our relationship with God. You need to know that God has a plan for you and that it’s a good thing. Mat. 22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. The disciples had just been involved in some intensive situations. They had to deal with the murder of John the Baptist and go through the grieving process of that. Then they were thrown into a ministry situation where they were to feed 5,000 people and the only food they had was five loaves and two fish. Folks, ministry is draining at times. It’s exhausting. Sometimes we run on adrenaline. And when the adrenaline drops, so do we.

But Jesus knew this and decided that it was in the best interest of the disciples that they get away for a while. They needed some R and R. They needed to be refreshed and spend some alone time with God. It’s called, come apart before you come apart. It’s times like this that we often resist God because we don’t feel that He understands our life and the direction that we’re going. (STORY) There was an officer in the navy who had always dreamed of commanding a battleship. He finally achieved that dream and was given commission of the newest and proudest ship in the fleet. One stormy night, as the ship plowed through the seas, the captain was on duty on the bridge when off to the port he spotted a strange light rapidly closing with his own vessel. Immediately he ordered the signalman to flash the message to the unidentified craft, "Alter your course ten degrees to the south." Only a moment had passed before the reply came: "Alter your course ten degrees to the north." Determined that his ship wouldn’t take a backseat to no other, the captain snapped out the order to be sent: "Alter course ten degrees--I am the CAPTAIN!" The response beamed back, "Alter your course ten degrees--I am Seaman Third Class Jones." Now infuriated, the captain grabbed the signal light with his own hands and fired off: "Alter course, I am a battleship." The reply came back. "Alter your course, I am a lighthouse."