Faith to get out the Boat

Charles

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It takes faith to live the christian life and accomplish the supernatural. Through faith, the impossible becomes possible. It's our doubting that leads to disaster.

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Faith To Get Out Of The Boat

(ESV)

Jesus Walks on the Water

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

Context

John the Baptist had just been beheaded earlier in the text:

John was Jesus’s cousin; the forerunner to Jesus’s ministry; the one who leaped in his mothers womb when Marry entered the room carrying the savior of the world; the one of whom Jesus of all those born of a women , none is greater than John.

Jesus’s Example of Prayer

Jesus

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

1. Jesus never had a chance to deal with the death of John the Baptist. (I cant deal with the disciples, nor the crowd right now…I need to go to God)

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

1. Jesus never had a chance to deal with the death of John the Baptist. (I cant deal with the disciples, nor the crowd right now…I need to go to God)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

a. You will encounter things in your life that require you to really seek after God for emotional deliverance and healing or the ability to forgive an offense. If not, you run the risk of being crippled until your spiritual issues are dealt with.

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

b. I know you the Pastor, or Deacon, Missionary, CEO, father of the house, but right now you need to fast, pray and seek God for yourself.

We must pray for the purpose of our own spiritual renewal.

Obedience May Lead to Difficulty

c. The habit of daily prayer must be maintained. It is well to have regular hours for devotion, and to resort to the same place for prayer as much as possible; still, the spirit of prayer is better even than the habit of prayer.

The habit of daily prayer must be maintained. It is well to have regular hours for devotion, and to resort to the same place for prayer as far as possible; still, the spirit of prayer is better even than the habit of prayer. Obedience May Lead to Difficulty

Obedience May Lead to Difficulty

1. Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him.

a. No other place do we see this in scripture.

Take up your cross and follow me or at best walk along side me as I am walking with you

b. Sent the disciples away because after the miracle of feeding the 5,000 for the people were shouting Messiah and wanted to forcefully make him King!

2. The storm hits in the middle of their obedience.

a. Even when you are obeying God and doing the very things he has called you to do, you may still encounter a storm from time to time.

Good news: If obedience to God leads you into difficulty, then your continued obedience will lead you to deliverance.

Good News: If obedience to God leads you into difficulty, then your continued obedience will lead you to deliverance.

If I run into hardship doing the very thing God has told me to do, then Like Moses said, I can “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Ex 14:13)

And believe Paul when he said that “God causes ALL things to work for good on my behalf.” ()

Exodus 14:13 ESV

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

Exodus 14:13 ESV

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

b. The storm hits when they are too far out to turn around.

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 8

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 8

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 8

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

b. The storm hits when they are too far out to turn around.

-According to the details in John, they were about 3 miles across the Sea of Galilee which is a total of 6 miles across and 14 miles long.

-Isn’t like God to allow trials to after you are to far into this thing to turn back now? You’ve witnessed to too many people, to many people are saved because of you, you’ve done to many programs, and lead to much praise and worship to let other see you give up now. Yo’ve told too many people of the goodness of God, or that great vision he has given you and if you give up now, you may cause others to stumble.

c. Jesus comes in the fourth watch (3-6 am)

-The text say the boat was being beaten by the waves and the winds were against them.

-Yet Jesus delays until the darkest hour.

If you gonna help me, COME ON! Why wait until i’m struggling so bad before you come to my aid or rescue?

Why wait until my child is strung out on drugs, someone is caught in an affair, the sickness gets worse, everything is repossessed, I’ve destroyed that relationship, I’ve broken my marriage vows, my child is behind bars, we are down to three members, or the bad news has gotten worse before you come? If you gonna save me, COME ON GOD!

-The only way to develop strength in you is to let you suffer.

You cannot undertake the Christian journey without your share of struggles, if not you will be a selfish weakling, with no testimony.

How many can testify, “If i had not gone through that, I would have never made it through this?” How many married folk can say,”if we had not made it through that, we would have never made it through this other stuff!”

Be not weary in doing well

You cannot have victory without a battle!

(Bucks ending 2015 Warriors record. Beat the unbeatable).

Test help us decide what matt

(Bucks ending 2015 Warriors record. Beat the unbeatable).

The Disciple Don’t Recognize What They See

But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

1. Jesus didn’t show up how they thought he would. He showed up walking on the water and the storm is still raging.

26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 1. Jesus didn’t show up how they thought he would. He showed up walking on the water and the storm is still raging.

-We sometimes put God in a box.

Sometimes help is not him stopping the storm, help is him joining us in our storm.

-And even though at this point he had not chose to control the storm, he was in complete control in the storm.

And even though at this point he had not chose to control the storm, he was in complete control in the storm.

2. Jesus replied, “take courage, It is I”I (Literally, “I AM”)

-If you don’t recognize what you see, you better know his voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

3. Peter says if its you, command me to come to you on the water ().

-If it’s you, manifest your power in me so I can do what you are doing.

-I believe Peter understood something we need to get:

Natural impossibilities yield before the will, word, and power of Jesus.

- Jesus says “ok, come” (You wanna be great, you wanna walk on water come on!

You wanna go back to school, you wanna build a bigger building, you wanna start that business, you wanna do full time ministry or go on the mission field, come on! If not stop asking for stuff you don’t even want or are not willing to pay the sacrifice to get!

- Peter had the faith to pray it, and the faith to perform it.

Peter Walks on Water

( Peter: the bold prideful one who said he wouldn’t give way like the rest of the disciples and had the audacity to rebuke Jesus one time.)

PeterThe bold prideful one who said he wouldn’t give way like the rest of the disciples and had the audacity to rebuke Jesus.-Peter steps out the boat walking toward Jesus, but the text says that noticing the storm around him he begin to sink.

-Peter steps out the boat walking toward Jesus, but the text says that noticing the storm around him he begin to sink.

-Peter steps out the boat walking toward Jesus, but the text says that noticing the storm around him he begins to sink.

The bold prideful one who said he wouldn’t give way like the rest of the disciples and had the audacity to rebuke Jesus.-Peter steps out the boat walking toward Jesus, but the text says that noticing the storm around him he begin to sink.

This is were most preachers and scholars would spend time talking about how he sank and took his eyes off Jesus and that is true, but I think we should do a better job of celebrating our brother and sisters successes than their failures all the time.

We like to point out oh he fell, he doubted, but at least he walked on water, the rest of you still in the boat!

We need to praise one another successes and pray for their failures.

Jesus Saves Peter

a. Peter begins to sink

Matthew 14:30 ESV

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”

Fear sets in due to what his eyes saw and his heart forgot

Fear sets in due to what his eyes saw and his heart forgot.

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Fear sets in due to what his eyes saw and his heart forgot

I’m trying to close this sermon but I have to deal with Peter’s pray briefly.

Peters Shortest Prayer: “Lord Save Me”

Although he is tripped up, Peter was not out for the count!

Knowing he was in over his head, he cried out to Jesus.

Three things to notice about Peter’s prayer:

1. Peter’s prayer was adapted for any situation

Especially those times when an obstacle is before you, and you realize that if some mightier power than your own does not interpose, you will fall, to serious hurt, if not to your destruction.

-Peter’s pray is appropriate if you are on the stormy sea or safe on dry ground; faced with sickness, or death, or rejoicing in good help.

if some mightier power than your own does not interpose, you will fall, to your serious hurt, if not to your destruction

2. Peter’s prayer was biblical

-Peter’s prayer gives no indication that he thought he could save himself out of the mess he was in. His prayer demonstrates that he, in his on strength, power and ability could not have saved himself. (He could have tried to pull a Michael Phelps and show off his backstroke).

He realized salvation was in the Lord!

3. Peter’s prayer was effectual

-We can find comfort in the thought that, although this was the prayer of a man in trouble, and a man in whom there was a mixture of unbelief and faith, yet it succeeded because it was sincere, earnest, and effectual. I said earlier:

The spirit of prayer is better than the habit of prayer.

4. Peter’s prayer was personal

There may be comfort, to some here present, in the thought that, although this was the prayer of a man in trouble, and a man in whom there was a mixture of unbelief and faith, yet it succeeded.

-Peter cried “Lord save Me” realizing his context was jacked up, he was the one in trouble, struggling with a lack of faith and needed rescuing.

-Have you ever met anyone who can see everyone else’s shortfalls, bad character traits, and in need of salvation but there own?

b. The order is salvation, then chastisement

How did they get back to the boat?

Hermenuetical Inference: There is no indication that Jesus swam. I believe Jesus reached down, grabbed Peter, stood him back up, brushed him off a little, gave him a quick lesson on faith, and then Peter WITH Jesus walked backed across the water to the boat!

If he gave you the ability to do it before, He is the same God who can empower you again.

Outside the physical rescue, Jesus created, restored, and increased Peter’s faith.

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

-Some one had to get out the boat, walk on water, sink in the water, get rescued by Jesus, and walk back across the water to the boat for those in the boat to believe!

Your life, your struggle, and your faith may be the reason someone else gets the revelation.

*Notice the wind didn’t stop until they got back into the boat.

If you keep running from the church, or from serving, or leading worship, or starting that ministry, or leading this mission, or walking in a particular gift..... the winds may not cease.

Jesus is the Son of God

-In an earlier and very similar incident in chapter 8 of Matthew, Jesus calms the wind and sea. The Disciples marveled saying “What manner of man is this that the wind and waves obey?”

-Now here in chapter 14 they proclaim, “truly, you are the Son of God”

Conclusion

I want to encourage everyone under the sound of my voice to look to Peter’s faith, and Jesus’s salvation.

So, Christian, cry to God though the devil tells you it is no use to cry; cry to God even if you feel you are beneath the tempter’s foot. Say to Satan, as Micah declared, “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise;”

Cry to God for your children even when they are most ungodly, when their ungodliness almost breaks your heart. Cry out to God for your marriage, Cry out to God on behalf of those whom you are teaching in the Sunday-school.

Cry out to God for your own spiritual development, spiritual renewal, and healing from emotional wounds and offenses.

I would also say to any unconverted person who is here under conviction of sin, Dear friend, if you are beginning to sink, still pray. If your sins stare you in the face, and threatens to drive you to despair, yet still draw near to God in prayer.

Though it seems as if hell had opened its mouth to swallow you up, still cry out to God. “While there’s life, there’s hope.” He said in his word those who call upon my name will be saved, those who seek me will find me, and I draw near to those ho draw near to me!

Test and struggles help us decide what matters most and not lose sight of who give us power to walk on water, and has the power to saves us when we fall

Test and struggles help us decide what matters most, and not lose sight of who give us power to walk on water, and has the power to saves us when we fall

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