How to Walk
on Water
Mark Twain was accompanied by his wife on one of his
visits to the Holy Land. They were staying in Tiberius on the shores of the Sea
of Galilee. It was a moonlit night, and the weather was perfect, which gave
Twain the romantic idea of taking his wife for a boat ride on the lake. They
walked down to the pier, and Twain inquired of a man sitting in a rowboat how
much he would charge to row them out on the water. Twain was dressed in his
usual white suit, white shoes, and white Texas hat. The oarsman, presuming him
to be a wealthy rancher from the USA, said, "Well, I guess about twenty-five dollars." Mark Twain thanked
him, and, as he turned away with his wife on his arm, he was heard to exclaim, "Now I know why
Jesus walked!"
Matthew 14:23-33 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a
mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the
boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves
because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them,
walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the
lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out
in fear. 27
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take
courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied,
"tell me to come to you on the water." 29 "Come,"
he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came
toward Jesus.30
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried
out, "Lord, save me!"31 Immediately
Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of
little faith," he said, "why did you
doubt?" 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind
died down. 33
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you
are the Son of God."
I.
You have to Want to walk on Water!
Matthew 14:28
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to
you on the water."
a. There is an old saying that …
“If You Want to Walk on Water,
You have to get out of the Boat
b. It is
interesting to note that Peter was the only one to step out of the boat.
c. Many
people have great ideas but never step out of the boat!
d. What is it
that you would really like to do?
e. What is
your dream.
f. Isn’t it
time to step out of the boat and walk on water?
g. What
are you waiting for?
h. Paul said …
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My
grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that
Christ's power may rest on me.
i. If
you can dream it, you can accomplish it!
j. Jesus
said …
John 14:12-14 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the
works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these,
because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for
anything in my name, and I will do it.
k. So
what are you waiting for?
l. Write
a book.
m.
Learn to play an instrument.
n. Paint
a picture
o. STEP
OUT OF THE BOAT!
II.
God has to Want you to walk on water!
Matthew 14:29 "Come,"
he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came
toward Jesus.
a. You will never be qualified to walk on
water by yourself.
A man read an ad in
the newspaper, “Hunting dog for sale, $2,500.00, but well worth it.” He called
the number and the man told him that he had to see the dog in action. The next
morning, they met and went hunting early. The dog flushed two birds from a
clump of bushes they flew out over the pond and were both shot and fell into
the water. The dogs owner pointed and the dog took off to retrieve the downed
birds. When he got to the edge of the water he walked on top of the water
picked up both birds and brought them back and dropped them at the men’s feet.
The dog’s owner asked “Well, what do you think?” The other man said “I’d have a
hard time paying $2500 for a dog that can’t even swim!”
b. God doesn’t call the Qualified as much
as He qualifies the called.
c. We used the example of
learning a musical instrument … You can read and study music for years and not
know how to play an instrument… It is not until you pick up the instrument and
try to play that you learn to play the instrument.
The
Scriptural illustration of this that if you feel God is calling you to do
something… (teach a class, preach, become a missionary) … God will through
process give you the abilities to accomplish what He calls you to do.
d. I don’t believe God ever
calls person to just sit and soak!
e. Not only did Peter want to
walk on water but God wanted Peter to walk on water!
f. God will never call you to
do something without a plan of how to equip you to do what He has called you to.
g. If
you are in God’s Word, praying, fellowshipping with the body … the desires of
God’s Heart, become your desires.
If God has placed a desire in your heart… I
want to go on a mission trip to Botswana, You may think, “I’m not qualified!” …
don’t worry God will equip you as you go!
h. Look at the process Saul of Tarsus went through …
III.
When walking on Water You must keep your
eyes on Jesus!
Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
a. Peter looked around
and saw the wind… the waves … his robe being blown around him…
b. He became afraid
c. Do you remember what FEAR is?
i.
False
ii.
Evidence
iii.
Appearing
iv.
Real
d. Peter is standing there on the water
i.
The false evidence
is that common sense will tell you that you can’t walk on water!
ii.
Common Sense isn’t
always common and often isn’t real.
iii.
The evidence Peter
sees is that the wind is blowing the water up on him.
iv.
“I’m getting wet …
surely if I’m getting wet I will sink.
e. What does Peter do? He see Jesus who has called him out onto the water
… and his common sense tells him this can’t be happening.
f. Peter had enough faith to get out of the boat but not enough to stay
out of the boat!
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and
perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
One of the essential lessons for a Believer is to know what to do in
the midst of life’s storms. The Bible teaches that the only way to rise above
your circumstances is to put your focus on Jesus and keep your eyes on Him, no
matter what you may be going through. You must depend on Him for everything.
Paul wrote that Christ has been made our wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). But if you subtract
Jesus from the equation, you have none of these things! He is the key to our
victory, and that’s why we must keep our eyes on Him at all times.
IV.
God never fails
Matthew 14:31 Immediately
Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of
little faith," he said, "why did you
doubt?"
a. There is a certain damage that doubt will bring about!
b. Peter was standing tall on the water ‘til doubt came creeping around!
c. Doubt has brought many a man to his knees!
d. I do not believe Jesus meant His comment to be an insult to Peter only
an observation as to why Peter failed…
e. Jesus never fails!
f. We frequently fail …
Robert Ray wrote a song…He Never Failed Me Yet!
I will sing of God's
mercy …Every day, every hour …He gives me power. I will sing and give thanks to Thee
For all the dangers, toils and snares
That He has brought me out. He is my God and I'll
serve Him ..No matter what the test ..Trust and never doubt .. Jesus
will surely bring you out ..He never failed me yet. I will sing of God's mercy …Every day, every hour …He
gives me power. I will sing and give thanks to Thee
For all the dangers, toils and snares
That He has brought me out. He is my God and I'll
serve Him ..No matter what the test .. Trust and never doubt ..Jesus
will surely bring you out .. He never failed me yet. I know God is able to deliver In times of storm And I
know that He'll keep you safe ..From all earthly harm. One day when my weary soul is at rest I'm going home to be
forever blessed ..Trust and never doubt ..Jesus will surely bring you
out ..He never failed me yet. I will sing of God's
mercy …Every day, every hour …He gives me power. I will sing and give thanks to Thee .. For all the dangers,
toils and snares .. That He has brought me out. He is my God and I'll serve Him ..No matter what the
test ..Trust and never doubt ..Jesus will surely bring you out
He never failed me yet. Didn't my God deliver Moses from King Pharaoh? And
didn't He cool the fiery furnace For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? When I think of what my God can do
He delivered Daniel …I know He will deliver you. Trust and never doubt
Jesus will surely bring you out
He never failed me yet. I will sing of God's mercy .. Every day, every
hour ..He gives me power. I will sing and give
thanks to Thee For all the dangers, toils and snares
That He has brought me out.
He is my God and I'll serve Him
No matter what the test
Trust and never doubt
Jesus will surely bring you out
He never failed me yet.
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