When Will You Worship Jesus?

When Will You Worship Jesus?

Matthew 14:22-33

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - May 24, 2009

*Last Sunday, Peter helped us see what happens when we really follow Jesus.

-Today we turn our focus to worship, so please open your Bibles to Matt 14:22-33. -- In these verses Peter and the other disciples worshipped the Lord out on the Sea of Galilee.

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 a mountain by Himself to pray. And when evening had come, 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.’’

*Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Jesus. Here again God used His favorite New Testament word for worship. Most of you know that the word picture is a dog licking his master’s hand. And as a dog-lover, I am glad God used that word picture for worship.

*I can really relate to it because whenever I come home, our dog Freckles is so glad to see me! -- She jumps up and licks my hand.

-Sometimes she lays down in submission, just wanting her belly scratched.

*Whenever I’m home, she almost always wants to be close to me.

-When I go to another room, she usually goes with me.

-And when I pick up my keys to leave, she desperately wants to go with me.

*Now you may not care a thing about dogs, but you need to get this: The way my dog treats me gives us a big clue about what God wants from us in worship.

*How long then has it been since you really worshiped God? And when will you worship Jesus? Let’s look into the Word of God and find the answers.

1. First: You will worship Jesus when you recognize the Lord’s divinity.

*Nobody is like Jesus! He truly is the one-of-a-kind, only begotten Son of God!

-Jesus is everything we are not. In the beginning He already was. And all things are possible with Jesus because He is God the Son.

*By this time in the Lord’s ministry His disciples had been with Him maybe 18 months to two years. They had seen many, many demonstrations of His amazing power. Up to this point in Matthew’s Gospel, we see at least 13 reports of miracles, involving thousands of people:

-In Matt 8 Jesus healed a leper. -Then with just a word He healed a Roman soldier’s servant who had some kind of paralyzing disease.

-Jesus also healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever by touching her hand.

-He cast out demons with His word, calmed the wind and the raging sea, then cast out a whole legion of demons from two men.

*In Matt 9, Jesus healed another paralyzed man and forgave his sins.

(Wow! Jesus forgave his sins. That is the greatest miracle of all, because that forgiveness will last forever!)

*Next in Matt 9, Jesus healed a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead!

-Jesus also healed two blind men by touching their eyes. And He cast out a dumb demon, enabling the possessed man to begin speaking.

*In Matt 12 Jesus healed a man who was both blind and mute.

*In Matt 14 Jesus fed 5,000 men plus thousands more women and children with five loaves and two fish. And now in vs. 22-27, we see another amazing miracle:

22. Immediately (after feeding the 5,000) Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.