Step Out Of the Boat

I'd like to start my sermon out today with a story as well. It was a dark and stormy night. Every good story starts that way, right? It was a dark and stormy night on the Sea of Galilee, somewhere around the year of 28-29 AD, when twelve men in a small boat found themselves in a rather precarious and frightening circumstance.

This was a short time earlier that day. They had watched with dismay. Actually, it was that night. It grew dark. They watched with dismay as the night sky around them had quickly grown ominous and frightening. Many among them were fishermen by trade, so they knew what was taking place.

They'd learned to recognize the signs of a storm that would be upcoming. They were accustomed to observing those signs that portrayed a tempest that would be arising. They knew the dangers of being out on that shallow sea when the winds picked up. They knew the violent waves and the ripping currents that would soon begin battering their boat.

But they were far too far from shore to simply turn back now, so they made it their determination to row for what they were worth and head for the opposing shoreline. Their hope was to reach safety.

These twelve men had just come through a rather intense, 24-hour period. It was a time where they had received some very distressing news. But you see, it was also a time of incredible miracles, and the things that they had seen that day and that they had actually even been able to participate in themselves were incredible. The conversations throughout the night had no doubt focused on all that was happening around them.

What could these things that they have seen and heard mean? And how would it pertain to them? And so I can imagine the conversation. They probably weren't sleeping as this night began. They were discussing many of these things. But now it was the fourth watch of the night. It was a timeframe between 3 and 6 a.m. in the morning. And all of those thoughts quickly fled from their minds as they were now in a fight for their lives. The winds had picked up. The waves were crashing against the side of their small vessel, and they began to take on water quickly.

Still too far from shore to swim, the twelve decided again just to continue to paddle for what they were worth. Turned the bow into the headwind in terms of not capsizing. They had no other real option but to row on with all their might against the pounding waves. Suddenly one of them squinted out through the darkness and he cried out, I see something! And the other eleven looked to where it was that he was looking and where he was pointing. He says, I see something! And out of the darkness they saw a human being, or so that it would appear, walking on the water.

That couldn't be. Surely that wasn't possible. A ghost, one of them cried out, and they all shrieked in terror. This is form out of the darkness made its way towards them. Immediately a calming voice spoke to them out of the storm, saying, Be a good cheer. He said, It is I, do not be afraid. Simon Peter, one of the twelve men in the boat, recognized the voice as that of their master, Jesus Christ. He cried out and said, Lord, if it's you, bid me to come to you on the water.

Bid me to walk to you on the water. And Jesus Christ said, Come. We know the story. Jesus bid him to come. Peter climbed over the side of the boat, didn't he? And with boldness, he began walking towards his master on the water. Again, it's incredible to think about the time frame, 3 to 6 in the morning, the storm that's going on, the waves that are pounding the boat. What an incredible miracle it was for Peter to walk on water. In fact, it had been an incredible day. I want to turn to the Scripture and look at the day in run-up to this and kind of set the time frame and circumstance for which this miracle occurred.

And then we're going to look at some lessons we can learn from Peter's experience today. Let's go to Matthew chapter 14. Matthew chapter 14. Hopefully, as we look at this account, we'll catch a glimpse into what gave Peter such boldness that day to actually even initiate the process of stepping out onto the water. Matthew chapter 14 and verse 12. It says, It says, When Jesus received the news, he sought a solitary place where he could go and be alone, where he could mourn for John, where he could draw close to his father. Verse 13 says, And when Jesus heard it, he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself.

But notice, it says, When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. When Jesus went out, he saw a great multitude, and he was moved with compassion for them, and he healed their sick. This is an example of a true servant and true servant leadership. It's one who puts even their own needs at times to the side in order to serve with compassion the needs of others.

And that's what Jesus did in this case. He didn't even have the time alone that he needed to grieve the loss of John, the Baptist, to draw close to God and to sort of sort these things out in meditation, as he would have liked. The multitudes followed him. They were hurting. They were in need. So he responded to the needs of the people with compassion. Verse 15, it says, And when it was evening his disciples came to him, saying, This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.

Send the multitudes away, that they may go to the villages and buy food for themselves. But Jesus said to them, They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat. And you can imagine maybe they're looking around, saying, Okay, where's the food wagon? When I worked for a business years ago that was an industrial park area, there used to be the truck that would come through at a certain time, and in the morning they'd sell bagels and coffee, and at lunch they sold sandwiches.

This wasn't running around the shore of the Sea of Galilee here at that time, and so Christ says, You feed them. They're probably thinking, Well, who's holding out on us here? Because all we have is our lunch. Verse 17, And he said to him, He said to Jesus, We have only five loaves and two fish.

That's probably enough for twelve men to have a light snack. Verse 18, And he said, Bring them here to me. Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves, the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So what we have here is the twelve participating hands-on in a miracle.

They know just a few loaves, just a couple fishes, and they're taking basket after basket after basket of food out to these people now, and what would seem to be like a never-ending supply of food. It's easy to read over without really letting it impact us, but this is incredible. They've got to be a part of it. Just imagine how exciting that would have been that day. See, Jesus healed the sick to restore sight to the blind, to put the lame back on their feet, had compassion, and now He's feeding the multitudes miraculously, and they get to be hands-on participating in this event.

What an exciting day! Verse 20, it says, So they all ate and were filled. This wasn't a skimpy little meal here. They were well filled. When that had finished, they took up the 12 baskets full of the fragments that remained. It says, Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men besides women and children.

So quite a multitude. A lot of people. Twelve baskets taken up, which I'm assuming safely was more than what they started with to begin with, with just the loaves and the couple of fishes that they had. And it's interesting to look at this and wonder, you know, why leftovers? You know, around our house is usually, I would say, Thursday nights, left overnight. Whatever's kind of built up from the week, we try to wipe it out and start fresh with a good Friday night dinner. But why would Christ perform a miracle and have leftovers? To me, it's kind of a speculation, but just think about, again, the 12 close disciples of Him, and their participation in it, they go around now and they collect back up, and they're each holding a basket full of food that remained, again, more than they started with.

This was clearly a miracle. No one had to tell them secondhand that, oh, Jesus went and performed this great thing somewhere off out in the hills. And so, you know, they would have all been on a high that day, and they would have been excited for what they could have participated in. But also, remember, the day started out as a little bit of a downer, right, with the news of John the Baptist. Verse 22 says, immediately, the meal's finished. They're going to send the people away. Immediately, Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side while He sent the multitudes away.

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now, when evening came, He was alone there. So finally, Christ did eventually get that time to draw close to His Father, again, to mourn for John the Baptist and to meditate on these things. And, you know, He was like any other human being with feelings and emotions and probably tired as well from the day. This also provided an opportunity for the disciples to experience a circumstance that would be a teaching moment as well, because Jesus now wasn't with them.

He was alone, and the twelve went out on the lake, the Sea of Galilee alone as well. And they would have the opportunity to learn a lesson, and especially Peter. As the disciples pushed out from the shore, you can only imagine that they were abuzz from the day. John's death would have had a big impact on them, and they were probably discussing that amongst themselves. What could this mean? What would it mean for the disciples of John the Baptist? Are they going to join us? What about our Master? You know, there's indication of what's going to happen to Him.

What's going to happen to us? Is it going to be like the disciples of John? You can imagine this conversation taking place and what these things might mean. You know, they also would have been walking on a bit of a high, I would say, over the miracles that had just occurred.

Again, if you put yourself in their circumstance and consider what they saw and what they were able to participate in on that day, it would have been, if I could be in the boat and listening, it probably would have been a rather interesting conversation to listen to. A lot of chatter in the boat, right up to the moment the storm came.

Verse 24 says, But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now on the fourth watch of the night, again, 3 to 6 a.m., Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a ghost, and they cried out for fear. Again, these were the twelve, the ones that had been closest to Jesus Christ all throughout this process, seeing the miracles. They traveled on the road with Him. They'd eaten with Him. They'd slept with Him. And this now takes place, and they cry out. They were troubled, as it says.

It's interesting, if you look that word, troubled up in the Greek, a number of translations have it right. It says, They were terrified. They're terrified when they saw Him walking towards them on the water. Verse 27, But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid. And Peter answered Him, and said, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. And so He said to Him, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

There's some important lessons that we're going to learn from this account, so let's read it through, and then we'll come back and pick up on some things on the return. He gets out, and He walks to Jesus. Verse 30, it says, But when He saw that the wind was boisterous, He was afraid. And beginning to sink, He cried out, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, caught Him, and He said to Him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they had gotten into the boat, the wind ceased. Very interesting. Christ comes along, now He's caught up Peter, they get into the boat, He's taken charge of the situation, the wind ceased.

It's calm. It's quiet. Verse 33, Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him. They got down and they worshipped Jesus Christ, who had calmed the elements around them, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God. It says, And when they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. They made a cross, they landed, and it would seem the event ended. And for us, it can be easy to just sort of read past this as an interesting circumstance and move on.

But it's important not to be in too big of a hurry, brethren. The focus of my message today surrounds the fact that Peter did walk on water, at least for a time. We're going to focus in on the events surrounding his walking on water and the subsequent events to that. But it's easy to read past quickly and just say, Oh, Peter, silly Peter, Peter lacked faith.

And yet, there's a lot packed in here that not only tells us about the faith of the man where it stood at the time, but there's lessons that we can draw from it as well, brethren, that will help us to build and embolden our faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ as well. So, for the remainder of the message, I want to look at three lessons that we can learn from Peter's experience on the Sea of Galilee that night.

The title for the message is Step Out of the Boat. Step out of the boat. It's what Peter was willing to do, and it must be what we are willing to do as the people of God as well.

Step out of the boat. Lesson number one, we'll just dive right into it. No pun intended. I would say we're going to wade into it if I was going to give you something to laugh at, but we're just going to go straight into the first lesson because these are important. It's what God has given us to learn from his word. Lesson number one, Peter was willing to step out of the boat, and we must be willing as well.

Peter was willing to step out of the boat, and we must be willing as well. Again, I think sometimes Peter gets a bit of a bum rap in this story, and sometimes the full emphasis lies on the fact that he sank.

If you're going to retell this story, again, silly Peter, what was he even thinking? He lacked faith. Look at him, and he sank. Although that's an important part of the account we're going to focus on shortly, Peter was still willing to step out of the boat in faith. Frankly and clearly, he did walk on water for a time.

How many men were in the boat that night?

The twelve? The twelve close disciples of Jesus Christ? And how many stepped out of the boat? One. One was willing to, Lord bid me to come to you, and take that step over the side and out on to the water. Apparently, the other eleven were too overcome by fear to do anything. You know, when you read through the New Testament account and you see the life and story of Peter, we do see he can be an impulsive person at times. You know, Peter's sort of charging headfirst into things. It was Peter who, on the night that Jesus Christ was arrested, it was Peter who whipped out the sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. And I don't think he was going for the ear, he was going for the head. And the guy just, and off came the ear.

If he was wearing a mask, probably more would have come off. But the fact is, he was going for the head. Peter was all in, he's like, you're not taking my master, and he whips out the sword, and impulsive Peter, that's just what he did. You know, Peter had boldness, but that was eventually coupled with God's Holy Spirit, wasn't it? And it helped to bring that into a controlled subjection to serve the will of God. So you go fast forward down a line a ways later, and you come to Acts chapter 2 in the day of Pentecost, and the receiving of the Spirit as an indwelling. Peter is then boldly using that emphasis of his personality, but doing it in such a way that it's in support of what God would have him to do. And he taught in the name of Jesus Christ, and was even willing to be persecuted for it. But this is, I would say, the beginning of the mustard seed of Peter's faith, and it would have to grow, and it would have to develop over time, but I think we will recognize that. There was something there that could be worked with. What would have led to the beginning of Peter's faith in the first place? You know, if you just sort of saw somebody walking across water, and you said, let me come to you, what gave him confidence that he could even maybe do something like that? Well, again, take us back to the day, the miracles of the day, what they had been able to participate in, and they had seen firsthand. I think that could have been a part of what began a mustard seed of Peter's faith. After all, Christ didn't say, oh, you of no faith. He said, you of little faith. And so there was something there that could be expressed. It just hit a point where it did falter. But he did step out of the boat. I personally believe that took some faith. So what led to that? Get in the miracles of the day. If you go back and you look through the Gospels prior to this point, you see some other things as well. We won't turn there, but in Luke 4, Jesus visited the house of Simon Peter, and he rebuked a high fever that had hold of Peter's mother-in-law. She was healed. She arose on her feet. She cooked a meal, and she served them. In Luke 5, Jesus boards Peter's boat, and he tells them to push out into deeper water. Let your net down for a catch. Peter says, but we've been fishing all night, and we've caught nothing. And he says, but at his word, he went ahead and did it anyway. And the result was a catch that was so great that the net was breaking, had to call out the second boat, and it nearly swamped the two boats to get this great catch to shore. And it was at that time that Jesus Christ said, now I'm going to make you fishers of men. Right? He told Peter in Luke chapter 5, from now on, you will catch men. He said, follow me. And Peter forsook all and followed him. So these things are in the run-up before the storm on the Sea of Galilee. There was another event that took place on the Sea of Galilee as well, in a netherstorm. Sometimes the two get mixed up. Let's just go back a few chapters in Matthew to Matthew chapter 8, verse 23.

Matthew chapter 8 and verse 23. Here it says, now when he got into the boat, Jesus Christ, so now in this event, he is going out with the twelve in a boat. When he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves, but Jesus was asleep. Then his disciples came to him, they woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We're perishing. But he said to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Verse 27, so the men marveled, saying, Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey him?

Again, this occurred before Peter ever walks on water, before they had that episode. But you know what they did see and what he would have known is that Jesus Christ had power over the elements. They'd seen it before, and they were amazed. So all the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water towards them on that night in Matthew 14. And you know, it's an action that is not humanly possible. An action that could not take place apart from the power of God. Perhaps they remembered the words that are written in the book of Job, words that describe attributes of God Himself, stating that He alone spreads out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. In Job 9 and verse 8, Jesus had already explained to them that without Him nothing was made that was made, and that all things had been of God through Jesus Christ in the creation. And so now they have two attributes of God that they could knowingly attribute to Jesus Christ. God alone spreads out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. So, in my mind, I put these together as a package as to now the lead-up to even what could have allowed Peter to take that step boldly on that night. It's because of these interactions, because of the relationship that had been built, Peter developed a small degree of faith. And on the night of the storm, Jesus was providing a chance for not only Peter, but all the twelve, to learn a lesson about faith and to grow in that faith as well.

Yet Peter was the one who was willing to try. And Peter stepped boldly out on the boat of the boat and began walking towards Jesus Christ on the water. So again, the lesson is Peter was willing to step out of the boat. And, brethren, you and I must be willing to do so as well.

In this life, in this calling, in this relationship that God has called us to, there are times of distress. There are times of turbulent waters and winds and waves and things that batter us and would seem to be something that could derail us in our calling. But the question is, how willing are we to step out in faith and to follow in the steps of Jesus Christ and where it is indeed that He is leading?

God called us and He said, Come. Jesus Christ set the example as well and says, Come. And so when the things of this world are tempestuous around us, do we trust God and Christ enough to step out of the boat and walk on water? To walk triumphantly over the waves, over the trials, over the obstacles that confront us?

Do we trust them enough to leave the perceived security and safety of the things in this world? The other 11 considered the boat kind of a safe place to be, even though just a few seconds before they thought their life was going to end. But you want me to get out of the boat? I think I'm fine here, thank you very much. And how often can we, in certain ways, when we're faced by trial or circumstance, for living this way of life, think there is security back where I came from? Maybe I shouldn't have gotten out of the boat in the first place. The God has beckoned us to come. Do we trust God the Father that much? Do we trust them enough that we're willing to leap into His arms, like a father does at times with their children? Jump, I'll catch you. Trust me. Do we trust God, our Father, that much? Do we fully trust Jesus Christ as the author and finisher of our faith? You know, a huge part of our faith boils down to our relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, just as on that night a huge part of Peter stepping out to begin with was dependent based on his relationship with Jesus Christ. You know, he wouldn't have stepped out for a quote-unquote ghost, but it was the Master. You and I, brethren, need to be studying God's Word daily. We grow in this relationship, right? This is what helps us to step out. We need to study God's Word daily. Bible studies the key to building a relationship with God and Jesus Christ and growing in our faith. Romans chapter 10 and verse 17 says, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It's these words that we have preserved before us, and the study of them, and the understanding of them by which faith comes. We see that God has promised certain things, and they haven't been fulfilled miraculously. We study this Word, and we come to understand that he who has promised from the beginning has both the will and power to bring to pass what he has promised. So, by studying this Word, it builds our faith, and it builds our relationship with God. We also must pray daily, exercising our spiritual disciplines, building that relationship with our Creator on our knees each and every day. Because, you see, faith is a decision in a lot of ways. Faith is a decision. You're going to choose whether or not you're going to practice and to exercise it based on the relationship, based on what you've proven and seen. But it's still a decision. Are you going to step out of the boat on faith, or are you not? It's a decision to trust in what God and Christ say they will do. And it's a decision to believe and trust that they are able to achieve in us that which they have promised to achieve.

Again, God who cannot lie. I covered last week, right? God has laid this hope before us, God who cannot lie. And he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Do we believe that? Do we trust that? Enough to step out of the boat in the midst of the storm. Faith is a decision.

Peter didn't have God's Holy Spirit at this point. He had Jesus Christ there working with him, leading and guiding them. Jesus was their comforter, and Jesus said, I'm going to leave. I'm going to pray to the Father. He'll send another comforter, the Holy Spirit. But Christ was there and working with them on the things of God. So this faith, even though it was weak, there was a spark. And on the day of Pentecost 31 A.D., it would grow even more dramatically at the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit. But, brethren, you and I have been baptized, those who have made the covenant, right? We've been baptized, had the laying on of hands, and received God's Holy Spirit in us. And it's a spirit of what?

Actually, I'll flip it around. I'll give you a chance. Not a spirit of what, let's say that. What is God's Holy Spirit not a spirit of? Fear. Right. It's a spirit of power, and love, and a sound mind, and a willingness to step out of the boat, even in the midst of the storm. Peter was willing to step out, and brethren, you and I must as well. The story started off good, didn't it? It started off good. We need to start off in the same fashion as well. Second lesson, lesson number two, there are enemies of faith that will overwhelm us if we allow them.

There are enemies of faith that will overwhelm us if we allow them. Peter stepped out of the boat in faith. He began walking on the water towards Jesus Christ, but then an obstacle to his faith arose. Let's go back to Matthew chapter 14, verse 29 and 30.

Matthew chapter 14, verse 29 and 30. Peter's doing great up to this point.

Verse 29, so he said, Come, and when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on water to go to Jesus. Verse 30, But when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid. In beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. Again, Peter was exercising that degree of faith, but he got distracted. It began focusing on the conditions around him, and the emphasis he placed on those conditions then became a distraction to his faith. The gusting wind, the crashing waves, the current that was pulling and ripping underneath his feet, he could probably look down and just see what the water was doing. The storm didn't stop around him, and Peter took all that in, became distracted, and so did his faith.

Says he was afraid. What was the result? He began to sink. While he exercised faith, he stepped out, he walked on the water, but once that was distracted, he began to sink. And brethren, there are real enemies of faith that threaten to destroy our trust in God and Christ as well, that threaten to take our focus off of them and place it onto what is going on around us. And if we're focused on the wind, the waves, the current, the forces of this world that pull on us as God's people, that we're not focusing on God in the way that we must, and we too can begin to falter and to sink. There are real enemies to faith, and Peter experienced them, and here we have a glimpse into what can derail even our faith. And it's important we learn the lessons that hopefully he learned that day as well. So I'd like to briefly cover in the second point four enemies of faith. All right, there are four elements that take our eyes off of God, and they undermine our ability to focus on him in confidence. We're going to look at them briefly. Enemy number one is fear. I think that's pretty plain from the account. Enemy number one is fear. When Peter saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and he began to sink. Fear causes us to take our focus off of God and put it on the things around us, making those things a higher priority than God is. Peter looked around and made the things around him, and the storm around him a higher priority. And frankly, his trust in what the storm could do at that moment became a higher emphasis in his mind and trust in what Jesus Christ could do through him. And he became afraid and began to sink.

I want to notice what 1 John chapter 4 tells us about defeating fear. Let's turn over there. 1 John chapter 4 verse 16. 1 John chapter 4 verse 16. There is a defeat to fear. And frankly, one that comes quite easily if you're yielding to the help and the Spirit of God. 1 John chapter 4 and verse 16 says, And we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him. Verse 17, love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. And so what we find here is that boldness is actually linked to the love of God in us.

Right? God so loved the world that he sent his Son, and Christ so loved the world that he willingly died. If that love is in us, it gives us boldness. Boldness that overcomes fear. Verse 18 says, That word is agape, or acape, whichever you would like to pronounce it, but it's the fear or the love that God has that we are to be developing as well. And there is no fear in this perfect love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment, but he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love him because he first loved us. So the strength of our faith is going to be based on the love of God that we allow to develop in our lives, and that we work to grow because of our relationship with him and one another. And as was mentioned in the sermonette, you know, it's the love that binds us together in fellowship as the people of God. It's his spirit working in us, and it allows us as that group of porcupines to come together, right, and huddle together for security, comfort, fellowship, as opposed to putting the quills out and poking one another. God loved us first, but we respond in love towards him, and that love is perfect, and it casts out all fear. The strength of our faith is going to be based on the love of God that we allow to develop in our lives, a love that we must immerse ourselves in as the people of God. Fear, on the other hand, is a place we can never afford to go because it runs in the opposite direction from the love of God. We do assess life. We make judgments, but our judgments can't be based in fear. It needs to be based in the love of God. King David understood this. Psalm 34, verse 4, David says, I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, and he freed me from all my fears. Because, again, it's a relationship with God. The love that we come to understand comes by that relationship, and David says, I extended out in that relationship to God, and he freed me from all my fears. So seek God's help. Cry out to him. Seek deliverance from fear. As Peter discovered, fear is an enemy of faith. Enemy number two of faith is anxious thought or worry.

Anxious thought or worry. In this physical life, we human beings spend an awful lot of time in worry, don't we? And studies show that probably 90% or more of the things that we worry about never come to pass. And I'm trying to train myself. Okay, this is something... I'm a good worrier. I can find all kinds of things to worry about. I've told my wife, I said, you know what? I think I would have made a good risk analyst. Invite me to your business, and let me look around and tell you what all the possible risks are. It's a gift. Maybe not. Not a gift, but it's something I can look around and say, well, that's a concern. That's a concern. And it can be easy to just get so wrapped up in what the concerns are that it distracts you from what's the reality right now. And 90% or better of what we worry about never comes to pass. So I'm trying to focus on, all right, when that comes, I'll deal with it if it comes. All right, but we have to put our faith and trust in God, and this anxious care can distract us. Matthew 6, verse 30. Again, teaching that would have come to the disciples before that night on the Sea of Galilee.

Matthew 6 and verse 30. Jesus' words, He says, You notice He uses that phrase a lot, oh you of little faith. But He's teaching a lesson. This is going to help to build up your faith. Verse 31. Therefore, do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. It's about priorities, brethren. And all these things will be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow, worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. And so, again, you can take your eyes off of God, the kingdom of God, the righteousness of God, and you can start to worry about what is going on all around you. And it can derail your faith.

Put you in a point now, you begin to sink. And it doesn't mean that we don't worry about a job. I'm just going to sit at home and wait for the paycheck to show up in the mail. Sorry. That doesn't work either. But the point is, we do our part. Peter did his part, right? He stepped out of the boat. Get out of the boat, but you also have to trust God to do His part as well. If He remains the priority, it will be realized in your life. But these distractions are what take our eyes off of what it is that God can do and will do if we allow Him to work in us. When Peter looked around and began to fret, you know, he had that anxious care. What if God doesn't do His part? What if I sink? What if the kingdom really isn't coming? What if? What if? What if? You know, you can have your mind filled with so many what ifs. We can't go there, brethren. It's an enemy of faith.

Enemy number three is doubt. Doubt. Back to Matthew 14 and verse 30.

Matthew 14 verse 30. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught Him and said to Him, Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt?

Didn't you believe it?

When you took the step, didn't you believe it? Why did you doubt? Jesus here points out the cause of Peter's problem. He doubted, and that doubt destroys faith. It's an enemy of faith. He probably stepped out of the boat, looked around and says, Can I really do this? How is this even possible? It's not possible for a human being to walk on water. All right, I took a couple steps, but what about the rest? There's like 20 steps between me and Him. And He began to doubt and began to sink. The book of James points out the failure that comes through doubt. James chapter 1 and verse 5.

Book of James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It's Christian living in action. It's not full of laws and do's and don'ts. It's full of how do you apply them and live this life? And it's like everything you've learned up to this point in action. So James chapter 1 and verse 5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. You know, brethren, faith and doubt don't belong together in the same prayer. They don't belong together in the same person. You know, it's a war, and the love of God and faith is to push that doubt out. At the moment that Peter doubted what the power of God can do in his life, he began to sink. And the problem is that sometimes we can doubt the power of what God can do in our lives. But we have to come back to the promises. We've come back to what it is that he said he would do, and what it is that Jesus Christ has shown that God can do if we yield ourselves to him. Doubt is an enemy of faith. Enemy number four, human reasoning. Human reasoning. You know, according to human reasoning, it simply does not make sense for a human being to climb out of a boat in the middle of the storm and even try to walk on water. You know, where's the logic in that? Human reasoning.

Darla was telling me this week that when she was a teenager, the first time she tried to learn to water ski, I think it was out behind her uncle's boat, out on the lake, right? And you're in position, you kind of try to have the skis pointed up, you got the rope, you're ready to launch, and the boat starts to move, and that rope tightens in. And she says it pulled her along, and boom, she was up on her feet. Like right off the bat, she was successful. But then, you know, I mean, it just happens very quickly. You're skimming along the water. She says, I looked down, and I just saw all the water rushing past underneath me, and she says, this isn't right, I shouldn't be able to stand on water. And that's all it took.

You know, down she went. She said, just the thought of, there's something wrong with this, this isn't normal. It kind of undermined her focus, and down she went.

You know, the things of God aren't necessarily according to human reasoning, and in fact, they're often not according to human reasoning. Faith comes into play when we trust something that may not even make sense by our human assumptions. I was, last night, I had my sermon done. It was kind of a quiet evening around the house. We turned on TV, and I turned on National Geographic channel that we have through streaming, and I put it on a show about the cosmos, because I love watching how small we are, really, in the universe. But what always gets to me about those programs is, it kept coming back to evolution, the evolution. But I like the stars, I like the galaxies, I like the fact that we're a pinpoint of light within a pinpoint of light, within just this massive expanse, and there's probably nothing compared to what's out there. But the point is, is that, you know, there's all this science that goes into things, and then they say evolution. My question is, can you scientifically prove faith?

I guess I've never asked a scientist that, but there's things that are mathematically proved, scientifically proved. But what is faith? The Bible tells us it's evidence of things not seen. How do you prove that? How does that match up to human reasoning that it actually just makes sense? Well, it's not just a chart or a graph on the wall, it comes through a relationship, and the love of God, and the spirit of God dwelling within you, by which you come to understand that which you cannot see is real. And actually, the forces beyond the senses are more powerful than what it is you can see and touch. In fact, it's more real, because this is temporary. Things are not seen are eternal. So, human reasoning, oftentimes, you can't allow it in, or it threatens to push faith out the window. Proverbs 3, verse 5, I'll let you finish this for me. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

And all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. Faith is when we come to acknowledge God with the utmost confidence and assurance, and we keep our focus on Him. We keep our focus on His plan, and the promise, and the hope, and the future that He has set before us, because it is a guarantee. Peter allowed his confidence to become undermined by the enemies of faith, and he sank. My brethren, you and I must not. We've been given a glimpse into this. We've been given God's Spirit to help us to understand that there are things that will threaten our faith. But 2 Corinthians 5, 7 tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight.

So, it's not the storm that determines whether we're going to step out. It is our faith and trust in God. We walk by faith, not by sight.

Lesson number 3, and I think it's an important one. Lesson number 3. When Peter began to sink, he didn't lunge for the boat.

I began to think about this about a year ago, and I thought, well, that's interesting. When Peter began to sink, he didn't lunge for the boat. Let's notice what he did do. Back to Matthew 14.

Verse 30 and 31. It's amazing, really, how much you can pull out of 2 or 3 verses.

God has incredible lessons for us in His Word. Matthew 14, verse 30 and 31. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me!

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand, caught Him, and said, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Again, I think this is a point where we don't always give Peter enough credit. If the focus is just simply on, oh, the guy with really no faith, and he sank. His faith was little, and he did sink. But what was his response? Although he did falter, Christ chided him for that. Peter did the right thing. He turned to Jesus Christ for help. And in my mind, I kind of just imagine, you know, it's not exactly spelled out. But in my mind, as I play this out, I imagine that He reached for Him. He probably said, Lord, save me! He reaches out for Him. You know, because He looks around, this is a terrible storm. He starts to sink. He's got all these garments on. They're getting wet. They're getting heavy. I'm going to die. Lord, save me! And He reaches out for Him, and Christ reaches, holds Him up, and straightens Him up. Peter responded correctly, by the way. I believe it's an important lesson for us. If we ever find our faith wavering, or we perceive that we are sinking in the midst of our trial, the answer isn't to lunge back for the boat. Because wouldn't that be the normal human response? You know, those eleven other guys aren't drowning at the moment. But I stepped out, now I'm sinking. It's like lunge for the boat. There's some perceived security there. But that's where He'd come from. It wasn't where He was going. In our life, we can almost tend to face a challenge and think, I'm getting overwhelmed, and maybe it was better back there. And we lunge for the boat. We lunge for whatever form of security there was in this world that we thought, it's okay for a time. But that's not the answer. The answer is what Peter did. He reached out. He said, Lord, help me. And for you and I, the answer is reaching out to God the Father and Jesus Christ for the help they provide us in this life as well. Psalm 46, we will turn there, verse 1.

King David, a man after God's own heart, understood these things. He understood where His help came from, where strength came from. And it wasn't in armies and horses and mighty men, although he had strength there. But ultimately, His strength came from God. Psalm 46 and verse 1 says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. If you have a marginal footnote, you'll notice the uninspired margin, as I'll call it. In the uninspired margin, but you can have helpful tidbits of information here. We get a little bit of a translation out of more of the direct Hebrew, but it says, essentially, in the place of God as a very present help in trouble, it says He is an abundantly available help.

Like, you're in trouble. He is there. He is there, and not just a little bit. If you put your faith in Him, He is abundantly available help in the time of trouble, and He will grab you. Reach for Him. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

Selah. Think about this. Right? And there's still a lot of this sort of thing that lies ahead of us. But God is our refuge. It's to Him that we lunge for, if you want to put it that way, reach towards in faith. It's not back for the boat, and it's definitely not for the world. Peter knew the proper source of his security. Even though he lacked the faith to continue walking on water, he had enough in that moment to know that Jesus Christ was His hope of salvation, and He reached for Him.

I think it's a remarkable example. Hebrews 12, verse 2. What do we do? Should we start to become overwhelmed, discouraged? The trial's too much. I'm sinking. God is our refuge. We also look to the example of our elder brother, Hebrews 2, verse 2. If you back up in the end of verse 1, it's talking about running the race with endurance.

It has been set before us. Verse 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Again, I'll take you back to the footnotes this time of the Greek. For author and finisher, it says, the originator and perfecter. The originator and perfecter of our faith. We're talking about faith, that we need to grow it. We look to one who walked boldly in faith and exercise it openly, and who helps us, frankly, in our faith as well.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

So we look to His example as well, during the time of the storm and the struggle, and what it is that He went through. And we understand God brought Him through that, and He can bring us through it as well. And God, who has begun a good work, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Be willing to look to the author and finisher of your faith, in order to embolden your endurance. Because, brethren, once you've stepped out, once you've started walking, even if you face trouble and trial and wind, we are not of those who draw back.

We are not of those who lunge for the boat. Hebrews chapter 10, just a couple pages back, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 32, It says, But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle, both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated. You know, we're sort of all in this together, walking through many of the same things. Verse 34, For you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.

I referred to this last week about the hope that is guaranteed that God has set before us, that allows us to endure the dashed hopes along the way, because we reach for that which is guaranteed. Verse 35, Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward, for you have need of endurance.

So after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. Verse 37, For yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. If anyone draws back, if anyone lunges for the boat, if anyone goes back to a perceived place of safety that really isn't, rather than continuing forward in the calling of God, he says, My soul has no pleasure in him.

Verse 39, But we are not of those who draw back to perdition or to destruction, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Brethren, we must have the trust in God to always reach out, to always cry out, to always seek after that relationship with him. And in doing so, God will help you stand during the storm, even to the saving of your soul. Peter knew where to reach. He knew where his faith and trust ultimately needed to be placed, even if it was small, even if it faltered. He knew the source of his salvation in that moment.

The story of Peter walking on water is a fascinating one. And again, it tells us a lot about faith. Not just the faith of the man at the time which we grow exponentially beyond that point, but frankly, the faith that we must have as well. It shows us how to increase our faith, how to preserve it, keep it from faltering in the face of adversity. God is calling us out of this world towards the kingdom of God.

He's called us through the storm that rages around us. He tells us not to fear. He tells us to come. Jesus says, follow me. And he's extended to us that invitation. In this calling, there will be turbulent times. And there will be crashing waves. There will be storms. There will be those things which seem to want to swamp our faith, the ripping currents that want to take us in every direction. But let us always be willing to step out of the boat anyway and take the important steps in faith towards the vision and the purpose that God has set before us all. Let us exercise the love of God, which overcomes fear and allows us to defeat the enemies of faith.

Again, that desire to overwhelm us if we allow. And, brethren, if it seems like your faith is beginning to falter in the face of a challenge, don't lunge for the boat again. Far too many people have done that and suffered spiritual shipwreck.

Don't lunge for the boat again. Instead, reach out for the help that God and Christ provide to the saving of the soul. You and I are called to walk by faith, not by sight. We go out of these doors. There's a storm raging out there. And yet, we walk through it. And God has called us to walk by faith, not by sight.

So, brethren, step out of the boat. Exercise true faith in the calling of God. And walk on water. And walk on water.