26th July 2009
Galatians 3: 26 – 4: 7
Matthew 14: 22 – 35
Peter 4
Walking on Water
1. Charles Swindoll in his book “Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back” tells a story about a farmer who wanted to impress his hunting buddies. So he went out and bought the smartest, most expensive hunting dog he could find. He trained this dog to do amazing things – things no other dog on earth could do.
Then he invited his neighbours to go duck hunting with him. After a long patient wait in the boat a group of ducks flew over and the hunters shot a few of them down. Several ducks fell in the water.
The farmer looked at the dog and said, "Go get ‘em!"
The dog leaped out of the boat, walked on the water, and picked up a bird and returned to the boat. As soon as he dropped the duck in the boat he trotted off across the water again and grabbed another duck and brought it back to the boat.
The owner kind of swelled up with pride as his dog walked across the water and retrieved each of the birds one by one. Smugly, he looked at one of his buddies and asked, "Do you notice anything unusual about my dog?”
One of them sat back and rubbed his chin and thought about it for a little while and finally said, “Yeah, come to think of it, I do! That stupid dog of yours doesn’t know how to swim does he?”
And the funny thing is many people give this story about Peter walking on water the same kind of reaction.
Instead of recognizing that he was the only disciple to stepped out of the boat– he’s often criticized for his lack of faith. But in fact he’s the only one willing to take the risk – while the 11 other disciples sit in the boat content in their perceived safety.
2. To get a better perspective on what was going on here - let’s go back a couple of steps..
- Jesus and the disciples had just gotten the news about John the Baptists beheading – and John was Jesus’ cousin.
- Also some of Jesus’ disciple had at one time been John’s disciples – and very close to him.
- But they didn’t even get time to grieve because the next thing we read of is the crowds coming to Jesus - and the feeding of 5,000.
- Then we are told in John’s gospel that the crowds are so excited by this miracle that they what to make him king by force. The people thought that they had found in Jesus a perfect political leader; someone who could provide them with whatever earthly thing they needed.
So after the feeding that Jesus tells thedisciples – actually he orders the disciples – to get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake – while he goes higher up the mountain to be alone and pray.
And it is about 3 o’clock in the morning when Jesus – deep in pray – suddenly notices that a storm has broken out over the Sea of Galilee and the disciples were in grave danger of drowning.
3. When you think of it – the disciples were in a storm because they were trying to be obedient to Christ.
I think there’s a message here – that even when your serving God - and trying to be obedient to Christ - you will have to face storms in your life.
Now I’m not talking about physical storms – I’m talking about difficulties. Even sitting here today – many of you may be going through a storm right now.
- Maybe it’s money problems,
- or problems in a relationship.
- You might be having family problems,
- or problems at your job
We all have storms in life.
And it amazes me when people turn to me and ask,
‘Why is God allowing this to happen to me?”
I honestly don’t know.
- Maybe it’s to see how you will handle it? Will you try to resolve it in your own strength or call upon God and ask for his help.
- Maybe it’s to correct you – and bring you back to him.
- Maybe it’s to toughen you?
- And maybe – like Job – God is allowing the Devil to have a go at you?
I don’t know.
4. But I have often wonder why Jesus waited so before going to the disciples help. They must have been struggling for hours in the rough sea if it was 3 o’clock in the morning before Jesus got to them.
Somebody suggested that the reason may have been that Jesus wanted them to first exhaust themselves trying to use every resource of their own. He did this so He could then illustrate to them - and to us - that he is the master of every situation – if we would only hand it over to him.
It reminds me of a story I once heard about a life-guard.
Someone was standing on the shore next to this life-guard, while another person was out struggling in the water. The swimmer was shouting desperately for help; but the life-guard just stood there - watching the drowning swimmer carefully, but did nothing to help him.
Finally, it became apparent that the swimmer was close to exhaustion. He grew so weak and tired that he began to sink. Thenthe life-guard jumped in, swam swiftly to him, wrapped an arm around him, and brought him to shore alive.
When it was all over, the onlooker asked the life-guard why he took so long to go to the rescue? Why did he stand there watching this poor, helpless swimmer struggling for life? It seemed cruel and uncaring.
But the life-guard explained that if he had jumped into the water to save the swimmer at the first moment of trouble, the swimmer would have been in such a state of physical panic that he would have clung on to him. As a result, they both would have very likely drowned. The life-guard had to wait until the swimmer had thrashed around and exhausted all of his strength; and then, he would be helpless, and would have had no choice but to rely exclusively on the strength of the life-guard.
It’s a thought – maybe we do try to do things in our own strength – and only call upon God when we are absolutely at our wits end.
But we must remember that Jesus never promised us an easy life – in fact, he promised us a life of persecution.
And Paul, in 2 Tim. 3:12 says, “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
5. But just for a moment place yourself in the boat with the disciples.
Think of what it would be like to row for hour after exhausting hour against the wind; making almost no progress to speak of; fearful of the small boat being turned over in the storm at any moment.
Then one of the disciples looks up and off in the distance he sees something.
Rubs his eyes and says, “I must be going nuts – I’msure I saw a man out there, walking on the water toward us.”
The others laugh – and then stop laughing – because they too can see the figure of a man walking on the water between the rising and falling of the waves.
Matthew tells us that they were “terrified” – I bet they were.
Then he tells us that they thought it was a ghost – the Greek word is ‘Phantasma’ which means some unearthly, inhuman apparition.
No man could do what they were seeing.
And if it isn't a man, what is it?
Matthew tells us that “they cried out in fear”.
Then Jesus speaks, “Don’t be afraid, it’s me.”
And with that Peter acts.
(Pause)
6. Over the last few weeks we have seen certain things happening to Peter.
- There was the promise from Jesus that Peter would change from a Reed to a Rock – hence the change in name.
- And if he was to become a devote follower of Jesus there would have to be a change in career. To be a ‘Fisher of men’ he would have to become an Evangelist – someone who shared the ‘Good News’ about Jesus.
- Then last week we saw that not only did Peter follow Jesus – he became part of that Committed Core around Jesus – he became an Apostle – a man with a message.
But there is one thing about Peter that never changed – and that was impetuousness.
Sometimes it made him look horrendously idiotic – at other times heroically brave.
Just look at his life as recorded in the Gospels:
- Tries to prevent Jesus completing his mission.
- Tries to stop Jesus washing his feet – then tells him to give him a bath.
- Denies Jesus three times.
Yet this is the same guy who:
- He is the first person to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ
- Rushes into the tomb on that first Easter morning.
- And after the resurrection jumps out of the boat nearly naked and rushes to Jesus.
And here - in Matthew 14- steps out of a boat – in the middle of a storm and walks on water towards Jesus.
Sure, he looks around him and starts to doubt and loss faith – but he did something no one else dared to do – he walked on water.
7. The only reason Peter walked on the water in the first place was because of His faith in Jesus and God's power.
Walking on water is a supernatural act – It’s humanly impossible.
It cannot be done apart from the power of God.
But in the power of Jesus Christ we can do all things.
Hudson Taylor, the great missionary, once wrote,
"All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them."
The secret of living victoriously for Christ is not a matter of
- Our ability
- Or our self-confidence
- Or our effort
- Or our determination.
The key to living a victorious Christian life is looking to Jesus.
And it just goes to show what idiots like Peter – like you and me – can do if we keep our eyes upon Jesus.
- We can do things that can change somebody’s day.
- We can do things that can change the world.
Jesus calls us to do both little things and great things for him – if we will only trust in him.
All he said to Peter was ‘”Come.” - And Peter went.
Jesus is calling us to do the same – to step out and do little and great things for him.
8. So. Did Peter fail that night?
Well, yes, in one sense he did.
His faith did give way - he couldn’t keep his eyes locked on Jesus.
He allowed himself to become distracted.
He sank - He failed.
But there were eleven bigger failures in the boat.
They failed privately - They failed quietly - Their failure went uncriticised.
Only Peter experienced the shame of public failure.
But only Peter knew the glory of walking on the water.
9. I’d like to finish with this from D L Moody.
Trust in yourself, and you are doomed to disappointment
Trust in your friends, and they will die and leave you.
Trust in money, and you may have it taken from you.
Trust in reputation and some slanderous tongue may destroy it.
But trust in God, and you will never to be confounded in time or eternity.
AMEN
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