“Twelve Disciples On the Sea”
(Matthew 14:22-36)
Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]
Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD
First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida
October 27, 2019
The Passage
Matthew 14:22-36
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear.
27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.”
29 He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized him, they alerted the whole vicinity and brought to him all who were sick. 36 They begged him that they might only touch the end of his robe, and as many as touched it were healed.
Introductory Comments:
Have you ever been in a situation where you were doing something that made you proud of yourself? Perhaps you showed courage, or you conquered some difficult task, or you figured something out. You felt proud of the fact that you had achieved something great. Then, it all came crashing down! Maybe you finally finished putting together your child’s new bicycle, only to realize that the pedals are on backwards. Or, you finally finished reading that book for class, only to realize it was the wrong book.
When I think of this, my memory immediately goes back to a Snickers commercial from several years back. I’ve got the clip to show you: [show video clip] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmgice3ieZ4)
Don’t you just feel sorry for that guy? You have a moment of great victory, only to have a moment of great let down.
Well, today, we’re going to learn a little something like that regarding the disciples, particularly Peter as they encounter Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.
Let’s pray together.
(prayer)
Remember, last week we learned that Jesus was simply seeking some time alone after hearing of the death of John the Baptist. Instead, He ends up miraculously feeding over 5,000 people.
Well, Jesus finally gets His time alone, which takes us to our first point:
I. The Isolation with the Father (vv. 22-23) [on screen]
Let’s see what Jesus did. Look at verses 22 and 23.
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone.
After the people had eaten and experienced miracles and healings. Jesus sends them away.
You see, Jesus had come to that region to spend time alone with the Father. Yet, He took time out of His schedule because of His deep compassion for the people, but now it’s time to do what He came to do.
So, Jesus sends the crowds away and He sends the disciples away on a boat. His plan is to catch up with them later after He spends isolated time alone with God.
Jesus went up on the mountain to pray and we see that He was there, “Well into the night.”
Jesus yearned for time alone with God, His Father. He didn’t do this just to check a box (ok, I prayed today). He did it because He longed for it.
He wanted isolated, one on one, time with God the Father.
Listen, church, I want to yearn for isolated time alone with God the Father. Don’t you? I want to want to.
We need to spend time alone with God in prayer. We need to communicate with Him; we need to feel His presence; we need to be filled with His grace, love, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, joy, and more; we need to say to Him, “I need thee, oh I need thee, every hour I need thee!”
Jesus made sure that He had this time with God and He spent time well into the night with His Father.
You see, Jesus had some pretty important stuff going on in His life. He knew that the more important the stuff that laid ahead of Him, the more He needed to spend time in prayer with God.
Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” You might think, “I could never do that!” Well, the point isn’t that there’s some rule that you have to pray three hours each day. The point is that we understand the necessity of going to God in isolated prayer whenever, wherever, and however we can.
We should be people of prayer all the time, and sometimes we may want to spend prolonged time in prayer.
Jesus knew what was coming up for Him. He knew He needed strength from the Father, so He spent time in prayer.
Many of us long to see great works of God in our lives, many which Jesus Himself promised would come. Well, we might see more of the miracles that Jesus promised if we learned to pray like Jesus prayed.
Isolation with the Father is what Jesus needed and isolation with the Father is what we so desperately need.
Second, . . .
II. The Devastation of Fear (vv. 24-27) [on screen]
Well, where were the disciples during all of this? They were on the Sea of Galilee. They were without Jesus and their circumstances started to change a bit.
Look at verses 24-27.
24 Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. 25 Jesus came toward them walking on the sea very early in the morning. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and they cried out in fear.
27 Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Jesus had been in prayer for quite some time. The boat the disciples were in had moved a long way from shore and the waves and the winds started to pick up.
As if the waves and wind weren’t frightful enough, the disciples see what they can only imagine is a spirit or a ghost of sorts.
They had been on the sea all night, the waves were beating against them, the wind was blowing, and early in the morning this figure comes out towards them, ON THE SEA, without a boat, or surfboard, or anything.
Matthew says that they were “terrified!” I bet so! I’d be terrified if I saw this, wouldn’t you?
The situation of the disciples had changed, they were without Jesus, and they were devastated by fear!
Then we see, immediately, Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Don’t you know, church, that without Jesus we can be in fear. However, with Jesus, we can be free from fear! Our circumstances no longer dictate the joy and peace in our lives. Jesus dictates the joy and peace in our lives!
Jesus is the ultimate fear-calmer!
Jesus is saying to you right now as you face the troubles, circumstances, and storms of this world, “Have courage, here I am, don’t be afraid.”
This word from Jesus surely brought peace to the disciples, so much so that Peter was invigorated with faith.
Look at the third point:
III. The Demonstration of Faith (vv. 28-33) [on screen]
I love to see the yo-yo effect in the faith and emotions of Peter in this passage.
Let’s look at verses 28-31 again.
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter answered him, “command me to come to you on the water.”
29 He said, “Come.” And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Once the disciples realized this was Jesus, Peter wanted to get in on the action. Peter knew that if this really was Jesus then Jesus could command him to walk on the water also. What great faith!
Peter understood that Jesus could solidify the water so that a human could walk on it.
Jesus can do anything by His great power. Do you believe that, church? Jesus can spring up a fountain in the middle of the Sahara desert. Jesus can close up the Grand Canyon. Jesus can clear traffic on I-4. Jesus can walk on water and He can cause you to walk on water if He so desires.
Peter said, “Call me to you, Lord,” and He did!
Could you imagine being in Peter’s shoes? How awesome this must have been!
But oh how quickly things change. Peter noticed the strength of the wind and it caused him to lose his focus on Jesus. Peter began to sink.
Peter went from triumph to letdown, just like the man on the Snickers commercial.
However, Peter’s faith was not totally gone. He knew that the Lord Jesus could still save him. Peter cried out, “Lord, save me.”
Peter’s prayer is one of the shortest, yet one of the most theologically sound prayers in all the Bible: “Lord, save me!”
In our moment of crisis, in our moment of fear, when we lose focus, we should cry out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!”
Just like Jesus did with Peter, He will reach out and catch hold of us.
Some might say, “Wait a minute, pastor, didn’t Jesus rebuke Peter for his lack of faith?” Indeed, He did. However, Jesus didn’t say Peter had no faith at all. He said He had little faith. Imagine what Peter could have done with great faith!
Peter was still learning and growing in His faith and many of us are as well. However, let the knowledge of who Jesus is and what He can do drive us to greater faith in Him and let us see what marvelous miracles He can do in and through us.
It wasn’t just Peter’s faith that grew. All the disciples, after witnessing this event, grew in their faith.
Look at verses 32 and 33.
32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those in the boat worshiped him and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Everything calmed down and after reflecting on this event, the disciples said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
The disciples were learning more and more about who Jesus is and the deity that He possessed, and as a result, they worshiped Him.
Do you know who Jesus is, church? Do you know what He’s able to do? Do you know about His power, His authority, His deity, His sovereignty, and His great love? If so, worship Him! Worship Him as Savior, Messiah, and King!
Finally, we see in this passage . . .
IV. The Continuation of Jesus’ Fame (vv. 34-36) [on screen]
Jesus continued to work. His fame continued to spread.
After these miracles took place on the Sea of Galilee, He landed on the shore and began to minister again.
Look at verses 34-36.
34 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaret. 35 When the men of that place recognized him, they alerted the whole vicinity and brought to him all who were sick. 36 They begged him that they might only touch the end of his robe, and as many as touched it were healed.
When the men of that region recognized who Jesus was and that He was in their region they alerted everyone. “Jesus is here,” they said!
I don’t think they knew everything about Jesus and the fact that He was Son of God and Messiah, but they did know that He could heal their sick and work miracles among them.
So, they brought people to Him, some asking only to touch the end of His robe.
We hear these powerful words from Matthew, “as many as touched it were healed.”
They simply touched Jesus’ robe and they were healed. Just a little power from Jesus changed them. Just a little power from Jesus can change your life as well.
Come to Jesus with faith. He is healer, He is Messiah, He is Son of God!
Just like these men of the town did, bring others to Jesus. He’s got plenty of miracle-working power for everyone!
Concluding Thoughts:
Jesus was indeed a miracle worker. Yet, He was also so much more!
Jesus has power over the waters of the seas, and over all Creation! He is worthy of our praise and worthy to be followed.
That takes us to our bottom line:
Bottom Line: Jesus has power over all creation and He is worthy of all our devotion. [on screen]
(repeat)
He has demonstrated time and again that He is worthy of our devotion.
He walked on the water, He can empower us to walk on water, He has walked into our hearts, and He has changed our lives.
Every square millimeter of creation is under the sovereign control of King Jesus. He is worthy of our devotion.
Let us challenge ourselves this week in the following ways:
Weekly Challenge: [on screen]
- Schedule some time alone with God. [on screen]
Jesus spent time alone with the Father because He wanted to be close to God and He knew that He needed that intimacy with the Father to fulfill what lied ahead.
We must understand our deep need to spend time alone with God.
Take some time this week to spend time alone with God. Be intentional and schedule that time.
- Ask God to give you more faith than fear. [on screen]
We don’t need to be led by fear, we need to be led by faith!
Ask God to take away any fear that you might have and to replace it with faith.
We must be people who are led by faith, not fear.
We must have faith that God can use us for His purposes. We must have faith to be obedient. We must have faith to be led by God’s Holy Spirit.
Have faith, not fear!
- Keep your focus on Jesus. [on screen]
One of the greatest ways to keep your faith strong is to keep your focus on Jesus.
Don’t focus on the wind and the waves. Don’t focus on problems, circumstances, temptations, or distractions. Focus on Jesus!
This week, be intentional about keeping your focus on Jesus.
Closing:
Who is Jesus to you?
Jesus is worthy of all of our devotion.
Are you living your life totally devoted to Him?
Today, you can renew your devotion to Jesus.
Today, you can devote yourself to Jesus for the very first time.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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