Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

May 27, 2018

Matthew 14:22 - 36 Jesus Walks on the Water

{vs. 22-23a} The word that the NIV translates ‘made’ is anagkazō in the Greek – a word meaning to compel, drive to, constrain or necessitate that something be done (implying by force, threats, entreaties or other means . . . ).  In other words, Jesus was eager to get the boys away from this bad influence and forced them to get in the only boat (John’s gospel) and go to the other side of the lake ahead of Him!  No doubt they are still discussing the miracle and wondering when the Kingdom will come (finally come).  They were ready to get their positions of power and authority (they thought).

The crowd has literally been satisfied in both body and soul (they have been taught, healed and ‘fed up’).  Now Jesus dismisses them to go home and being obedient (not), they hang around and found places to make camp – going to sleep for the night.  We know this because when they wake up the next morning they start looking for Jesus (it’s breakfast time, where’s Jesus?)  He must be around here somewhere because the disciples took the only boat and they left without Him.  However, when they can’t find Jesus and other boats arrive they follow the disciples across to find Him (you’d think they never ate before! Certainly not like that – I imagine it was the best fish sandwiches ever eaten!)  Now before you judge them too strictly . . . remember that many of us vote the same way, with our stomachs (or pocketbooks) – asking “What are you going to do for me?”  Sadly, we sometimes try to apply the same standard to God!  Our commitment to God must not be about getting the blessings – when we call Jesus our Lord, it means that He is more than an Earthly king. 

Now that Jesus is alone, He goes off to a mountainside (a secluded and hard to follow place) to pray.  What is He praying for/about – chiefly, He is praying for the boys in the boat!  He may have been able to see them at first (Mark 6:48) but between the setting sun (no city lights in that day – dark was dark!) and the storm it would soon become physically impossible to watch them.  However, He was watching over them all the same and we have a great picture of Jesus watching over us and interceding for us (Romans 8:34)!  Jesus has given us a mission and He sits exalted at the right hand of the Father looking down on us and praying for us – that our faith will not fail!  He already knows the circumstances, the pressures and trials and even the outcome!  Our success is dependent on our reaction – do we lean in to God through faith or do we stumble and try to do it on our own?

{vs. 23b-24} Jesus is intentionally away from the guys, up on the mountain.  He had already tested them in the storm once before (when He was asleep in the boat – Matthew 8) and they panicked, waking Him because of the fear that they would perish.  However, this time Jesus increased the degree of difficulty by being away.  The men were trying to cross maybe five miles – just cutting across the end of the lake, and they were already way out there (maybe about three miles).  They were past the midway point having gone farther than they still needed to go and the waves are tossing them.  The Greek word for buffeted is a strong one – meaning to test, question, vex, harass or even torture!  The wind was their enemy and the storm was determining exactly what they were made of!  In life, storms will come - - - yes, even for believers (Jesus promised us trouble - John 16:33).  We must be careful not to assume that we know why the storm has come.  Not all storms are for correction, because of our disobedience.  Perhaps the most famous of corrective storms came to Jonah who refused to do God’s will, and then tried to run away (literally set sail) to the farthest point on the map!  God sent a storm to make his journey difficult and eventually a great fish of correction to bring him back!  This can be what happens when we are God’s and we are slow to hear His voice, to learn, and to repent!  However, not every storm, trial and tribulation is because of our disobedience! 

In today’s text the disciples, while having to be forced into the boat were right in God’s will.  They were obeying the Lord and going to the other side, just as He had instructed them - - - and the storm still came! Some of the storms in life are for our growth!  They are to develop our faith, to produce perseverance or to prepare us to minister to someone else who will go through a similar storm.  Now knowing that you didn’t do anything to deserve it, really doesn’t help in the middle of the storm.  When the wind, the waves and the rain are against you . . . it all looks and feels the same!  None of us wants to be in the middle of the storm, we all just want the strength.  None of us wants to struggle through the night in the boat; we just want to arrive at the other side safely!  However, there are times that we are in God’s will, doing everything He has asked of us to the best of our abilities and we still end up in the storm!  The response must be the same no matter the type of storm – hold on in faith, draw closer to God and trust Him until the storm passes.  Sometimes we can’t tell why we’re in the storm but luckily for us, the way out is the same, no matter if it is a storm of correction or a storm of growth – cry out to Jesus!  The boys should have learned this from the last stormy boat ride (Matthew 8) but somehow, no matter how many times we end up tossed by the waves of life it always takes us time to cry out to Him!  This time, they couldn’t see Jesus (although He was watching over them) – He wasn’t in the boat asleep but by now they should have had enough faith to cry out to the one they saw multiply the fish and loaves.  Maybe that’s why He had to come out to them . . . to show them one more time who He was.

{vs. 25-27} As we’ve seen the disciples have been out in the boat most of the night (they shoved off about sunset and it’s almost dawn).  No matter how long a storm is - - - it’s always too long!  This is when one of them says “I think I saw something out there!” and one by one they all see a figure moving closer.  In our comfortable pews some two thousand years later we know who it is, but the men jumped to the conclusion that it was a ghost – adding to their fear.  How many of you know that when you view life through glasses of fear, all that you’ll see is doom and gloom!  However, if they saw through faith, they would have seen their salvation walking towards them (who else could walk on the waves?)  Our attitude, determines what we see!  Fear gives us a false outlook on our lives; that is why they rightly call it FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real.  Faith however lets us see into the spiritual world and see truths hidden from others.  Jesus tells them take courage, don’t fear - - - have faith!  They were crying out – this is an onomatopoeic word, used especially of the "cry" of the raven; and of any inarticulate cries, from fear, pain etc - - - they were shrieking in fear!  However along with His assurances Jesus utters that one phrase that everyone who knows Him longs to hear “It is I” (egō eimi – ‘I Am’, the same phrase that almost got Jesus stoned – the Greek representation of the name of God!)  When we are in fear and the wind and the waves are crashing down – look to Jesus!  Jesus comes walking out on the storm – the very thing we are so fearful of!  He is all that we need.  He is all-powerful, omniscient, loving, full of grace and mercy and He is always with us!  This is the next lesson for Peter . . .

{vs. 28-33} We may give Peter a hard time, but come on – this is a man whose nickname is “stone” and he is willing to get out of the boat to be with Jesus (we know stones sink).  One thing about Peter is that wherever Jesus was – he was two steps behind.  Sometimes I think he was in the inner circle simply because he made sure to always be right by Jesus’ side!  Peter may have made mistakes (big foot in the mouth missteps) but he was always right there so that Jesus could pick him up.  Can you imagine what it was like having committed to go out and then actually stepping down out of the boat onto water!  While the others did not fail, they also never knew what it was like to walk on water!  Peter succeeded before he sank - - - he walked before he feared!  But even then he knew exactly where his salvation, his help could be found – in Jesus! "Lord, save me!"  Jesus catches him and then corrects him.  As they climb into the boat together, the storm ceases.  John’s gospel also tells us that once they got in, the boat suddenly arrived – from lost in the storm in the middle of the lake, to safe ashore with Jesus!  At this point, everyone in the boat worshiped Him - "Truly you are the Son of God."  This is the first true realization – we’ve heard it from scripture, from the Devil and demons and from Nathanael when he met Jesus – but now they are truly beginning to understand.  Jesus is the Messiah, He is God and it is better to be with Him than anywhere else!  Do you know that it is better to be in the center of the storm with Jesus than ‘safe’ anywhere else?  Jesus is the Master of storms, He is the Master of our circumstances and He is our Master.  Let us learn to be like Peter – as close as we can be, every moment of every day!  Let us learn to cry out to Him in our need so that He can still the storm and bring us safely through.  Whether the storm is to bring you back to God, or it is to build you up – Jesus is the answer!  Do not be afraid, Have faith because He is our great I Am!