Walking On Water - Living In The Now Series

Title: Living in the Now

Theme: To show the miracle of Jesus walking on water and what we miss when we get distracted by the storm.

Text: Matthew 14:22 – 33

Introduction

Wedding at Cana – Jesus Invitation

Healing the Leper – Jesus Touch

Healing the Blind – Laying aside the garments

Feeding the 4000 – Reasons to Worship

Mat 14:22-33 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

This was right after Jesus feeding of the 5,000. He had been teaching for all day and was exhausted. He had also lost His cousin John who was beheaded by Herod. As Jesus normally did when He was tired He prepared some time alone.

This meant sending the multitude way and putting His disciples on a boat. The Bible says that He made them get into the boat. KJV “constrained” them.

Why?

1) Jesus needed time alone, as noted above

2) According to John 6:15 the people were trying to “crown” Jesus king. They were trying to take over the narrative. The plan of God.

Silence, “Beyond the music, beyond the noise” - Heart of Worship

(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.

This also meant getting alone with God. Silence is the underestimated key to connection with God. It is hard to hear and connect with God when we are surrounded by the noise. We have to learn to get alone with God.

This often times means dismissing the crowds and those who lean on us and spending time with the One whom we can lean on.

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

Disciples

(24) But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

As the disciples traveled in the boat a storm came. Nobody likes storms. Especially on the sea. Especially when they can sneak up on you.

This was the fear of the sea of Galilee. The way the area was shaped a storm could come and be contained in the sea. According to John 6:19 they were about 3.5 miles in the sea or about half way. So there was no getting out quickly.

Have you ever faced a storm that it seemed impossible to “get through”?

Here Comes Jesus

(25) Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them,

Peoples New Testament

In the fourth watch. The Jews, who used to divide the night into three watches, latterly adopted the Roman division into four watches, as here; so that, at the rate of three hours to each, the fourth watch, reckoning from six P.M., would be three o'clock in the morning.

So Jesus comes a few hours after He had put the disciples in the boat. Have you ever felt this way? Jesus knows I am going through the storm. Maybe even Jesus put me in the situation knowing the storm was going to happen. In the middle of the storm you ask the question, “Where is Jesus?”

walking on the sea.

Where is Jesus? He is walking in your storm. Wow! Let that sink in. He is in the midst of your storm.

Isaiah 43:1-3 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. (2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. (3) For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.

(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.

Sometimes when we are so distracted by the storm we are not able to see what Jesus is doing. We get so caught up in the storm we miss Jesus. We get so caught up in what we thing the storm is about we miss the purpose that Jesus allowed us to go through the storm.

Storms happen

1) Correction

2) Strengthen our faith

3) Preparation

4) Performance of a miracle

Another thought is when the Lord comes and we don’t recognize Him because we don’t like where this is going. God uses the voice of a friend or a pastor, yet we don’t listen because we don’t like what he is saying. God uses circumstances and storms. God uses our heart. We get so distracted by what we think we miss what God wants.