This morning we are going to continue to look at the story of Jesus walking on the water, but just like a priceless jewel that can be appreciated from many angles so is true of God’s word. It is here in this wonderful story that God teaches us about himself and his love for us. It is here that we learn more about God’s wonderful purposes for our lives.
Turn with me once again to Matthew chapter 14 beginning in verse 22.
I recently discovered an interesting quote it is by Wayne Cadeiro and it’s entitled Dream Releasers.
“The richest place on the earth is not the diamond mines of South Africa or the gold caches of Ecuador. It is not the oil fields of Saudi Arabia, or in the uranium excavations of the Balkans. Neither is it in the mineral deposits of the Dead Sea. No, the richest plot of land on this planet is in your very own neighborhood. You might even have passed by it this morning.
It’s the cemetery. That’s right! The graveyard is the wealthiest place in all of creation. Beneath those rectangular pieces of sod lie countless unsung melodies and unwritten poems. The grassy plots overflow with brilliant ideas that could have transformed entire communities, rehabilitated the lost and borne hope to the weary. Our burial grounds reek with unattained successes and unrealized dreams.”
Much of the promise and wealth was never discovered because the men and women buried in that cemetery never connected to God’s purposes and plans for their lives. It is time that each of us, you and I allow to God to use each of our gifts, talents, and passions to be Jesus to our world and all its peoples.
In the midst of the storm the disciples bailed water, secured the sails, and plugged holes fighting to stay alive. And yet in the midst of it all Jesus was intentionally teaching his disciples specific truths both about their personal relationship with Him and his personal purposes for their lives.
In the midst of our own personal life storms God also show us specific truths about our personal relationship with him and his purposes for our lives.
First God has a personal purpose for our lives and it is Good
After Jesus personally fed 5,000 men women and children, he specifically directed his disciples to get back into their boats, sail to the other side of the lake and wait for Him.
And even in the midst of being in the center of the will of God. They still faced a storm that threatened their lives. They still faced every possible emotion from anger and frustration to utmost loneliness and despair. Yet in the midst of the storm that trusted in the simple fact that no matter what happened God will was best.
At times we may be asked to undergo this trial or this hardship or be asked to stretch beyond what we think is possible. But in the midst of it all we must know that God has a purpose and a plan for us and it is for our ultimate good.
There was an officer in the navy who had always dreamed of commanding a battleship. He finally achieved that dream and was given commission of the newest and proudest ship in the fleet.
One stormy night, as the ship plowed through the seas, the captain was on duty on the bridge when off to the port he spotted a strange light rapidly closing with his own vessel.
Immediately he ordered the signalman to flash the message to the unidentified craft, "Alter your course ten degrees to the south."
Only a moment had passed before the reply came: "Alter your course ten degrees to the north."
Determined that his ship would take a backseat to no other, the captain snapped out the order to be sent: "Alter course ten degrees--I am the CAPTAIN!"
The response beamed back, "Alter your course ten degrees--I am Seaman Third Class Jones."
Now infuriated, the captain grabbed the signal light with his own hands and fired off:
"Alter course, I am a battleship." The reply came back. "Alter your course, I am a lighthouse."
My friend there is a God and we are not Him. We must realize that we must put aside our personal pride, ambition, and goals and submit our own personal life course to our lighthouse almighty God.
If God’s plan for me is good then I must take heed to listen to God everyday. All other courses must be altered to His.
Prov 3:5-6 says this Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Second no matter what storm we are facing God sees and
As he sends them away. Jesus finds a place that overlooks the lake. The lake is surrounded by mountains that slope into the Galilean Sea. On a clear moonlit night one could easily look over the water and see what was taking place.
In this case… Jesus saw that his disciples were struggling against the wind that was whipping over the mountains into the sea Jesus was alone but He could see what was taking place. He was praying for them.
In this same way God knows everything about you and I. He sees everything that we’re going through. He even sees the things that are waiting for us in the future.
I heard a story the other day of a pastor that was building a church. When the church was almost to the end his administrator and a council member met with him to inform him that they were $25,000.00 short. They would finish the building but would have no money for the carpet, furniture and sound system.
The council member (an old crotchety type man) kept saying, “So… what are you going to do?”
Finally… after a while the pastor began to feel a little discouraged. He told the two men that he was going to take a short walk. As he began his walk, he noticed that the mail man just delivered the mail.
He decided to go pick up the mail. As he pulled the mail out of the mailbox… he noticed that there was an envelop from another congregation about 40 miles away.
As he opened it up… he noticed a check from this congregation for $25,000.00 stating that God had put it on their hearts to help with their new building project.
God knew what was needed and when it would be needed.
Isa 65:24 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
Third the presence and direction of God is never late it is always on time.
The disciples were struggling for life as they fought the waves and the wind. And yet Jesus kept praying. He did not immediately rush to their aid. In our own lives it seems like we are always waiting… waiting for God’s answer his response.
My friends if God delays he has a good reason. He has a purpose behind it.
In John chapter 11Jesus waited two more days after hearing about the death of Lazarus. Why did He wait?
He waited four days so that God would be glorified.
Joseph was promised that he would someday be great and that his brothers would bow down to him. 16 years later he finds himself in a prison and no closer to his dream. It is here in the delay that God builds into Joseph character and integrity.
God’s timing is always right.
4. God’s Purpose Is Always For Our Growth – vv. 28-29
There are times when we feel we can take no more that we have reached our limit. That we are about to break. It is here in our weakness where we truly lean on the strength and power of God.
At different times storms bombard our lives but they are all for own growth to help be more like Jesus.
God wanted Peter to let go of his security blanket and trust him.
While Martin Luther was in a monastery… he would often go into the confessional booth and weep and cry for up to four hours. People would say that he was nuts… but God was allowing him to go through things so that he could move on to the next level.
As hard as it may seem and as difficult as it is to go through our own life storms, God is introduced in building you and I. He is interested in the process of you and I becoming life Him- Like Jesus.
Finally in the midst of trusting in Him he will lead us to a deeper love than we could ever imagine
I close with this story about loving God…
A man’s daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been
informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father.
The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I see the empty chair; I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day four years ago my best friend said to me, Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, ’I’ll be with you always.’
Then just speak to him in the same way you’re doing with me right now."
"So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house about two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.
But there was something strange about his death.
Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head
on the chair beside the bed.
What do you make of that?"
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."
