Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24But the boat was already „Ta long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25And in the „Tfourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
28Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.¨ 29And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said* to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God’s Son" (Matthew 14:22-32)
In 1993 FBI agents conducted a raid of Southwood psychiatric hospital in San Diego, which was under investigation for medical insurance fraud. After hours of reviewing medical records, the agents had worked up an appetite. The agent in charge of the investigation called a nearby pizza parlor to order a quick dinner for his colleagues.
According to snopes.com, a site dedicated to sleuthing out urban legends, the following telephone conversation actually took place.
Agent: Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67 cans of soda.
Pizza Man: And where would you like them delivered?
Agent: We’re over at the psychiatric hospital.
Pizza Man: The psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That’s right. I’m an FBI agent.
Pizza Man: You’re an FBI agent?
Agent: That’s correct. Just about everybody here is.
Pizza Man: And you’re at the psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That’s correct. And make sure you don’t go through the front doors. We have them locked. You will have to go around to the back to the service entrance to deliver the pizzas.
Pizza Man: And you say you’re all FBI agents?
Agent: That’s right. How soon can you have them here?
Pizza Man: And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is an FBI agent?
Agent: That’s right. We’ve been here all day and we’re starving.
Pizza Man: How are you going to pay for all of this?
Agent: I have my checkbook right here.
Pizza Man: And you’re all FBI agents?
Agent: That’s right. Everyone here is an FBI agent. Can you remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service entrance in the rear? We have the front doors locked.
Pizza Man: I don’t think so.
You know, sometimes we miss great opportunities, because we are unwilling to take a step of faith. In today’s Scripture reading, we find Peter ready, willing and able to step out of the boat; If you think about it, this was a tremendous act of faith.
One of the things that I find fascinating about this story is how quickly we are to criticize Peter. We look at the entire story and we think; "Yeah, Peter blew it again. He took his eyes off of Jesus - he saw the storm and waves around him and suddenly, he begins to sink; to drown." But, instead of looking at the negative aspect of this story, let’s dwell on the positive. After all, eleven of the men in that boat weren’t even willing to get out of the boat. Peter may have had his doubts when he got in the middle of the storm, but at least he demonstrated his faith. At least he was willing to ask Jesus the impossible and respond in faith - when Jesus told him to, he was willing to go for it.
I believe that there are a lot of us here this morning that truly desire to see God do the impossible. And many of us want to be involved. We want Jesus to use us. The problem is, we are in the boat. Although the storms may be raging around us, we find it much safer to be in the boat than out walking on the water.
Maybe its time we - like Peter - take a step of faith and ask Jesus to allow us to do the impossible.
This morning, let’s take of couple of minutes to learn some very important lessons from this story.
3 Lessons on taking steps of faith.
1. Only Step out to where Jesus has given you permission to go.
This is an important lesson in this story. Listen to the first part of this story again;
22Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
28Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus
Notice what Peter did - he asked permission. "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
Since becoming a Christian 19 years ago, I have witnessed many people do things that they declared to be an act of faith. What I have learned is that "an act of faith" without God’s permission is really just an act of presumption.
One man that I know of decided that God had healed his hearing. He refused to wear his hearing aid. Everywhere he went, everything he did was affected by this. People had to yell at him for him to be able to understand what was said. He couldn’t watch TV without turning the volume up full blast. His wife said that talking to him was impossible because he couldn’t hear.
I was in school with a man who said that God had called him into the ministry. He quit his job, sold his home and moved to Georgia. 1 year later, he was working as a janitor in the local hospital. 5 years after I left college, he was still struggling down in Georgia, and his family was nearly in financial ruins.
Now, at the same time, let me say this. I have also known numerous people that God has worked miraculously through their lives. I do know people who have been healed of their infirmities and have been able to put down their walkers or their crutches. I know many men who have left their jobs, gone to school, and been led into the pastorate or become missionaries.
My point this morning is this - when God wants us to take a step of faith, He is going to give us the permission to do so. He is going to place the call on our lives.
Think back to Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. In the first temptation, Satan tempted Jesus to turn the stones into bread. What was the second temptation? Do you remember? Let me read it for you - it is Matthew 4:
5Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said*to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,
’HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’;
and
’ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP,
SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’
7Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, ’YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’"
The lesson of that temptation is that although God has promised to be with us, to protect us - we are not to act presumptuously.
You know, I am afraid that much of today’s "TV ministries -- faith ministries" - are really nothing more than presumption ministries.
When Peter asked permission to walk on the water, how did Jesus respond? Verse 29 tells us that Jesus just said; "come."
Without Jesus permission, do you think Peter would have stepped out of that boat? I don’t believe so. To do so would have been awfully presumptuous. But the instant Jesus said, "Come," Peter had every right - in fact, he had the responsibility to take that step of faith.
This morning, you may be contemplating a step of faith. It may be that God has called you to do something miraculous. It may be that God has called you to do something rather mundane. The point is, whatever God has called you to do - whatever you have received permission to do, then you have the responsibility to step out of the boat and do it.
It’s called a step of faith - if you have been given God’s permission - than take it.
That leads us to the second lesson.
2. After you venture out - keep going - no matter what is happening around you.
This is the one area that Peter failed in.
He was in the middle of something that no one in the history of the world had ever done before - he was walking on water. Somehow, Jesus Christ had given him the power over nature to be able to do this. In the middle of a raging storm, Peter was making history. Suddenly, it occurred to him exactly what was happening - he was defying nature. In faith, at Jesus command, he had stepped out of the boat. Suddenly, he realized that what was happening was not possible and he began to doubt.
Now, before we become to harsh in our judging Peter, let’s think about the circumstances.
He had been in boat all night - the fourth watch indicates that it was now morning. They had been fighting the sea for many hours. They were now a long way from shore. A strong storm had blown in and the sea was difficult to manage. Suddenly, Jesus approaches them walking on the water. At his command, Peter decides to join Him. But, understand - the circumstance still hadn¡¦t changed - the sea was still stormy and they were still a long way from shore.
All of a sudden, Peter began to realize what he was doing. Suddenly, it didn¡¦t make sense to him. Suddenly, he had his doubts.
Now, instead of focusing upon Jesus Christ - instead of walking by faith - he began to be concerned about the circumstances around him. He began to see the waves. He began to realize that he was getting further away from the boat - or it was getting further away from him. Suddenly, common sense took over in place of faith.
You perhaps have heard of the old sales managers’ device of holding up a large piece of paper with a small orange spot down in one corner. He says to his salesmen, "What do you see?" They all report that they see that orange spot, and he says, "That’s your weakness as a salesman. You see the spot and don’t see all of the open opportunity before you."
That is exactly what Peter does - he sees the spot. He freezes. More than anything else, I believe that this is the main problem in the church today. So often, we see the spot - the problems - the storms and the waves and the distance we are from shore - and we freeze up. Instead of focusing on Jesus Christ, we begin to look at the circumstances around us and we loose our way.
I believe that is why so many churches are stagnant. There is no growth, there is no evangelism, there is no witness - because we are no longer being faithful to Jesus - we have become too frightened to walk by faith.
I wonder if that hasn’t happened right here in our congregation. When was the last time we took some steps of faith? When was the last time we asked God to give us permission to walk on the water? When was the last time we stepped out of the boat?
This church has a long history of walking on water. Christian Union Church was founded on faith. The original building was built on faith. The parsonage was purchased on faith. The new addition was built as an act of faith.
Now, I am not saying that we have no faith, so please do not misinterpret this. What I am asking is - are we still walking by that faith, or have we noticed the waves, the wind and the distance we have traveled from shore - and has it frozen us?
I ask the same question about our lives individually. Am I - are you - continuing to walk on the water, or have we stopped and are we beginning to sink? I will not answer that question about your life, but I will stand before God this week and ask Him that question about my life. I would encourage you to do likewise.
And that brings me to my 3rd and final lesson about walking on water.
3. If you take a misstep - if you begin to sink, your salvation is still in Jesus Christ.
Look at what happens to Peter:
30But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" 31Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said* to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
One of the great things about walking by faith, is that we are always walking with Jesus Christ. He is right there when we stumble. Now this may sound like "pie in the sky" kind of stuff, but it is true - and it should be tremendously comforting.
When my children were younger, I helped them learn how to swim. Now, any parent - any adult - who has helped a child learn how to swim knows that you cannot tell them how to move their arms and legs and then put them in the water and walk away from them. They need assistance. They need assurance. They need to know that you are close and they are safe.
This is the way God is. Jesus Christ is not going to call you to walk on the water and then leave you to drown. He is not going to ask you to walk by faith and then not walk along with you. By His very nature - loving Father, Good Shepherd - he will never abandon you. When the storms begin to rise, when the winds begin to howl, when your faith begins to wane, Jesus Christ is right there to reach out and grab you and pull you back into the boat.
This is a lesson that I believe stuck with Peter for the rest of his life. I have a feeling, that when he began to preach to the masses on the day of Pentecost - or when he was being threatened and beaten by the Pharisees, or when he was locked up in prison, or even when he faced his own executioners, he was able to do so because he knew that Jesus Christ was right there with him.
This may have been the only time that Peter ever walked on the water, but I can assure you - it helped him to walk by faith the rest of his life.
This morning, God has called every one of us to walk by faith and not by sight. Some of us here have not yet gotten out of the boat. We feel like it is much safer - much more secure right here where we are at. To you, I would say this; you will never know the thrill of walking on water if you are not willing to take that step of faith. Look at the Lord, ask his permission to step out - and when he instructs you to "Come" - which He will do - then I would pray that you would have the faith to take that step.
There are some here who have stepped out. If that is you, then I would encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus Christ. Continue to walk toward Him in faith. Don’t let your eyes wander. Don’t look at the circle, look at the tremendous opportunity - and then keep walking.
There are some here, who have stepped out and then frozen. To you I would say this - Jesus is right there with you. Do not be afraid - call out to Him - He is still your salvation. Let him pick you up, dry you off and then start walking with Him again. It will be the most thrilling adventure you could ever imagine.
May God give each one of us individually, and all of us together the faith to be able to walk on water - the faith to step out and trust Him completely.
Amen and God Bless
