Scripture:
Matthew 14:22-33 NKJV
[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.”
Observation:
Every morning I get up and pray, then I do my best to get in the word and see what HE has to say to me. Over the past several years this one scripture has been put in front of me more than once. What I know about the Holy Spirit is HE continues to bring the things to mind, the things that we need to remember. In fact, just last night I was at a Bible study where the topic of study was the Holy Spirit and one of the verses that was brought up was John 14:26, Which says “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, HE will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” So as I sit here looking over this scripture, knowing that it’s not me that brought it to mind, I can see how GOD is consistently reminding me of what HE said. So let’s just take a little bit deeper look at what’s going on, and see how it fits our lives. Just prior to what we find ourselves reading this morning, we see something miraculous happen. Jesus Christ takes a small amount of food and feeds an astronomical amount of people with it. Filling them to the point of satisfaction, and having several baskets left over. Now we could dive in right there and have enough to study the morning out with, but that is not where I was told to go, so even though we can see that the LORD is the GOD of more than enough, I want to stretch your faith even more than that. What we see in the scripture is that after a miracle of such magnitude. Jesus had to take time to fill his cup. The first few verses we look at today tell the story. Needing to spend time with the Father, Jesus tells HIS disciples to get in a boat and meet HIM on the other side. No one was the wiser of what was about to happen. Although the disciples had just seen what could be done, the direction was to go to the other side and meet me there. As HE finished up with the people and sent them to their homes. HE went up on the mountain to pray, Just communicating with the Father spending time with HIS was a vital part of the relationship that they had. Again I feel like we could stop right there and have enough to study the morning out, but again that’s just not where I have been told to go. It’s time to grow our faith into what GOD has called us to. As HIS cup becomes full through time with the Father, HE sees its time to get to the other side to meet with HIS disciples. But how, it’s a long way around and they took the boat. We all know the short distance between two places is a straight line, and having just spent what may have been several hours with the Father, HIS cup was full, so why not walk… on the water….can I just bring something to our attention? Jesus had not yet been crucified. HE had been born of a woman, HE was fully human, yet HE was fully GOD as well. However what I’m telling you is HE had a body Just like you and I. HIS time with the Father and the intimate relationship they had was powerful. They communicated with each other and spent time together. Jesus only did what the Father told HIM to. This moment was no different, HIS first few steps were not unsure,HE stepped out with confidence knowing that although it may look unstable, if the Father said it would hold HIM by all means there was no reason to doubt. Approaching the boat HE came into the sight of the disciples. Fear had struck them not only because of the wind and waves, but no one had ever seen someone defying the laws of nature. Several of the men in the boat were fishermen. They know in their minds that it was impossible to do what they were witnessing. The only explanation was that what they were seeing was something spiritual, and they were right in a sense, but not to the extent that they thought. As the waves tossed the boat they cried out it’s a ghost. Seeing the fear that had overtaken them, HE reassured them that HE was real, but then came the part that I wanted to get to. As the reassurance rings through the air, Peter says something that only Jesus could expect, “LORD if it’s You,command that I come to you on the water.” With only one word, the command was given. But I want us to notice something… HE didn’t say Peter, come…. HE just said come, It was an invitation to all who were in the boat, not just Peter. However, Peter was the only one who acted in fifth and swung his legs over the edge of the boat and made a decision to stand on the word that had been spoken to him. As the wind and the waves grew so did the distractions. It became harder and harder to focus on what was said and Peter began to lose focus. First to his ankles, then to his knees, the water started to overtake him, but immediately Christ reached out HIS hand and they got in the boat.
Application:
I don’t know about anyone else, but for me it’s easier to focus on the wind and waves in my life than it is Jesus at times, falling back on what we know in the flesh. I can get overwhelmed by what’s going on around me and forget the one who called me out of the boat. As I was typing that statement one thought came to my mind, “Even greater works.” As Jesus was preparing to go to the Father HE said, “Even greater works then what HE did we will do.” Now over the years I have seen the faith of the church as a whole become less and less, and honestly it’s heart breaking. Not that I am a faith giant. But I want to believe what GOD’S word says. Most people just try to explain it away. I’m just not down for that. I want to push the limits of what I see into what HE said. I want to not just swing my legs over the boat and walk directly to HIM with confidence, but have no reason for HIM to reach HIS hand out. It’s easy to get distracted, because faith calls you just beyond what you see in the natural world. It calls you to believe in what you can’t see. So many of us trust only what is right in front of us. I wonder how Peter felt in those first few steps. I’m sure the fact that the water actually supported him may have taken him by surprise at first, but he was told to come and he did just that. I remember when I first received the call of GOD, the day HE called me out of the boat, to walk by faith not by sight. It was easy. My eyes were fixed on HIM. The enemy is very crafty. He uses all kinds of distractions to steal your focus, and as you start to sink he starts to laugh. But right there when he least expects it the hand of Christ reaches out and pulls you back to the surface of the water. When we take a few steps and lose sight of the one who called us out of the boat, we have to remember HE never loses sight of us, HE is watching… waiting. When my daughter was little. We were standing outside the church I got saved at, having conversation after church. She had just learned to walk and run. So as her mom was talking I was following my daughter around. She began to run down the hill next to the building while I was in pursuit. I could see what was about to happen, and just like I thought her little legs got away from her, and I was able to swoop her up before she hit the pavement. That’s how I see GOD working. HE is always watching always waiting, always protecting HIS children our job is to step out in faith and trust that HE is there no matter what, so that’s how im going to live my life today, Is there going to be pressure, im sure there is, there was 11 men that stayed in the boat. But ultimately it boils down to do you believe what GOD’S word said about you or what people say. GOD’S word calls you just beyond what you can see into what only HE sees, faith is not believing that HE can, it’s knowing that HE did, It’s time to get out of the boat, and leave the results up to HIM.
Prayer:
Father, we can read your word, and see what it says. Pressing just past that can be difficult. This morning as we swing our legs over the edge and place our feet on what seems to be insufficient to stand on, we know that you are our firm foundation. It’s not what we see that we place the weight on, it’s what you said, and you said come. The results are not up to us, they are up to you and your said greater works. We are going to either believe that or explain it away through our human understanding. I’m not asking for human understanding. I’m asking for GODLY wisdom. Help my unbelief. Where man has crept in and formed my thinking, I’m asking you to shape it the way your word says. I want to take your word for the only truth I need. I don’t need anyone but you to explain it to me. I am stepping out of the boat and I pray the rest of them come with me and walk in confidence to you. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.