WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.139 Amen and if you would please take your Bibles 00:00:04.139 --> 00:00:14.000 and open up to Matthew chapter 14. Matthew 14 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:19.660 looking this morning at verses 22 through 33 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:24.500 as we continue in our sermon series through some 00:00:24.500 --> 00:00:27.390 of the miracles of Jesus. Now, I'll be up front 00:00:27.390 --> 00:00:29.670 with you. We're looking at Jesus walking on the 00:00:29.670 --> 00:00:31.850 water, which is an incredible miracle. We could 00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:35.429 have stayed in John six to see this from last 00:00:35.429 --> 00:00:38.710 Sunday, but I want us to look in Matthew 14. 00:00:40.009 --> 00:00:43.270 Because there, not only do we see Jesus walking 00:00:43.270 --> 00:00:46.929 on the water, but we see Peter on the water. 00:00:47.109 --> 00:00:49.649 This shows us something about Peter. This shows 00:00:49.649 --> 00:00:51.969 us something about the disciples. And honestly, 00:00:52.090 --> 00:00:56.810 this shows us something about ourselves. So would 00:00:56.810 --> 00:00:59.409 you give attention to the reading of God's holy 00:00:59.409 --> 00:01:06.129 word from Matthew 14 beginning in verse 22? Immediately 00:01:06.129 --> 00:01:10.750 he made the disciples get into the boat and go 00:01:10.750 --> 00:01:14.750 before him to the other side While he dismissed 00:01:14.750 --> 00:01:18.150 the crowns and after he had dismissed the crowns 00:01:18.150 --> 00:01:21.329 He went up on the mountain by himself to pray 00:01:21.329 --> 00:01:26.090 when evening came He was there alone But the 00:01:26.090 --> 00:01:29.569 boat by this time was a long way from the land 00:01:29.569 --> 00:01:32.890 beaten by the waves for the wind was against 00:01:32.890 --> 00:01:37.049 them and in the fourth watch of the night He 00:01:37.049 --> 00:01:40.230 came to them walking on the sea But when the 00:01:40.230 --> 00:01:42.430 disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were 00:01:42.430 --> 00:01:46.189 terrified and they said it is a ghost And they 00:01:46.189 --> 00:01:51.310 cried out in fear But immediately Jesus spoke 00:01:51.310 --> 00:01:56.420 to them saying take heart it is I Do not be afraid. 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:02.239 And Peter answered him, Lord, if it is you, command 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.519 me to come to you on the water. He said, come. 00:02:06.260 --> 00:02:09.500 So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:13.080 water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.120 wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink. He 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.699 cried out, Lord, save me. Jesus immediately reached 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:22.599 out his hand. and took hold of him saying to 00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:27.139 him, oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt? 00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:32.039 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:35.879 And those in the boat worshiped him saying, truly, 00:02:36.699 --> 00:02:42.479 you are the son of God. This is God's word. Let's 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:47.340 pray. Father, we do thank you for this word. 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:51.340 We thank you that once again we get to see Jesus 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:54.979 do the amazing Do the thing that others would 00:02:54.979 --> 00:02:58.319 say is impossible Lord help us to look upon this 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:01.639 story is truth And would you build up our faith 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:06.199 as we study it this we ask in Christ's name amen 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:16.000 It was a sunny day on Long Island sounds just 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:22.080 off of New York when a woman named Louisa Stead, 00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:24.860 along with her husband and their daughter Lily, 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:29.479 decided to go for a picnic. Beautiful day. What's 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:32.479 better than a picnic on a beautiful day by the 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:36.900 water? But as they were eating, they heard a 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:41.479 scream, the scream of a young boy. And Mr. Stead 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:44.039 hopped to his feet, and he ran to the water. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:47.599 He ran to where he heard the boy screaming. and 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:50.960 he jumped into the water to save the boy. But 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:54.060 sadly, Mrs. Stead and Lily watched as not just 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:58.680 the boy, but Mr. Stead drowned in the water. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:03.300 Understandably, they were heartbroken. They were 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:07.219 devastated. Additionally, as they dealt with 00:04:07.219 --> 00:04:10.919 their heartache over losing husband or father, 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.169 they didn't have any money. their source of income 00:04:15.169 --> 00:04:17.730 was gone, and so they thought, what shall we 00:04:17.730 --> 00:04:22.750 do? They were left poor. But they continued to 00:04:22.750 --> 00:04:26.329 look to Jesus for help. They continued to trust 00:04:26.329 --> 00:04:31.430 God for help. And trusting in Jesus, Mrs. Stead 00:04:31.430 --> 00:04:34.170 wrote a hymn that I think that you all know. 00:04:34.689 --> 00:04:38.850 "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus." That's the 00:04:38.850 --> 00:04:42.819 story behind the hymn. And shortly after this 00:04:42.819 --> 00:04:45.720 incident, Louisa and her daughter Lily moved 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:49.240 to South Africa, where continuing to rely upon 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:53.699 Christ, they became missionaries. Friends, I 00:04:53.699 --> 00:04:55.620 don't need to tell you this, but we live in a 00:04:55.620 --> 00:04:59.579 world of tragedy. We live in a world of pain. 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:03.079 We live in a world of suffering and challenges 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:06.279 and affliction. And as Christians, we invite 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:09.300 even more of that upon ourselves. In a way, as 00:05:09.300 --> 00:05:12.459 Christians, we sign up for suffering, that's 00:05:12.459 --> 00:05:15.500 actually the story of Scripture, isn't it, of 00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:18.420 redemption, but having to go through the storm 00:05:18.420 --> 00:05:22.480 first in order to be saved. That's the story 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:26.860 of Noah. That's the story of Abraham. That's 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:29.959 the story of Moses. That's the story of Ruth. 00:05:30.180 --> 00:05:32.920 That's the story of David. That's the story of 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:37.649 these disciples even. It's the story of believers, 00:05:37.750 --> 00:05:40.269 and while it's unpopular to think, yes, I'll 00:05:40.269 --> 00:05:44.290 sign up for struggle, God helps us through those 00:05:44.290 --> 00:05:47.810 things, doesn't he? As he increases our faith 00:05:47.810 --> 00:05:55.990 in Christ. Look in verse 22. Why are the disciples 00:05:55.990 --> 00:05:59.449 in the boat, on the water in the first place? 00:06:00.709 --> 00:06:04.339 I'll read it again. Immediately. He made the 00:06:04.339 --> 00:06:07.180 disciples get into the boat and go before him 00:06:07.180 --> 00:06:09.939 to the other side. You may be using a different 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:12.779 translation, but all the translations I looked 00:06:12.779 --> 00:06:15.500 at said something to that effect. Jesus made 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:17.600 them get into the boat. Jesus told them to get 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:22.860 in the boat and go to the other side. Last Sunday, 00:06:22.860 --> 00:06:25.379 we looked at the disciples along with Jesus as 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.480 Jesus feeds the multitudes, right? And then shortly 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.959 thereafter, the people are trying to make Jesus 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.019 king by force. And so what does Jesus do? He 00:06:34.019 --> 00:06:36.319 sends the disciples. He wants no part of that. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:39.839 He sends the disciples out to go to the other 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:44.920 side, to cross the Sea of Galilee. What does 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.180 Jesus do? Well, Jesus goes up on the mountain 00:06:48.180 --> 00:06:56.180 to pray. Look in verse 24 They're out on the 00:06:56.180 --> 00:06:59.759 water the boat is a long way from the land and 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.759 the storm is brewing and then in verse 25 it 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:06.819 says in the fourth watch of the night the timing 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:10.000 of this thing is very important because if you 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.600 again if you look in verse 23 you see that it 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:16.199 was evening when the disciples got into the boat, 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:20.089 but when Jesus comes to them It's in the wee 00:07:20.089 --> 00:07:22.050 hours of the morning. The fourth watch of the 00:07:22.050 --> 00:07:24.509 night, the way that the night was arranged to 00:07:24.509 --> 00:07:28.930 be understood was in four watches of three hours 00:07:28.930 --> 00:07:31.750 apiece. And if it's the fourth watch, or since 00:07:31.750 --> 00:07:36.089 it's the fourth watch, it's between 3 and 6 a 00:07:36.089 --> 00:07:39.250 .m. when Jesus walks on the water. The reason 00:07:39.250 --> 00:07:42.410 that is important is because Jesus sent the disciples 00:07:42.410 --> 00:07:45.910 out when it was early evening. Do you understand 00:07:45.910 --> 00:07:48.819 what this means? It means that the disciples 00:07:48.819 --> 00:07:54.480 are on the water all night long. They are rowing 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:58.540 hard against the waves and the wind all night 00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:04.800 long, making little progress. The Sea of Galilee, 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:06.439 depending on where you depart from and where 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:08.600 you're going to, it's about four to five miles 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:14.240 across, going... two, three, four miles in about 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:18.399 nine hours is not good progress. They are getting 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:21.699 nowhere fast, but they're doing all they can. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.379 Mark 6 says that they were straining their oars. 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.579 They're rowing as hard as they possibly can. 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:34.159 Years ago, I was out on Lake Joe Cassie, lovely 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:37.000 place, love being there with some friends, rented 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:40.159 some paddle boards, beautiful day out paddling. 00:08:41.070 --> 00:08:43.690 But as you know, if you've been on Lake Jocasse, 00:08:43.809 --> 00:08:46.509 sometimes the conditions can change rather quickly. 00:08:47.029 --> 00:08:50.049 So out in the middle of the water, the sky turned 00:08:50.049 --> 00:08:53.230 dark, and the wind picked up, and we thought, 00:08:53.230 --> 00:08:55.409 we got to get back to shore. And so we turned 00:08:55.409 --> 00:08:59.870 around. But paddling into the wind, it felt like 00:08:59.870 --> 00:09:04.750 it took hours to get back to shore. That's literally 00:09:04.750 --> 00:09:09.169 what is happening here. The disciples are paddling, 00:09:09.490 --> 00:09:14.529 rowing for hours. Maybe even nine of them, ten 00:09:14.529 --> 00:09:18.549 of them. And they are frightened, they are exhausted, 00:09:19.230 --> 00:09:22.929 and surely they're asking, where in the world 00:09:22.929 --> 00:09:26.389 is Jesus? Well, we know where he was and we know 00:09:26.389 --> 00:09:28.549 what he was doing. The text says that he was 00:09:28.549 --> 00:09:33.710 on the mountain and he was praying. There's really 00:09:33.710 --> 00:09:39.990 two responses to this miracle. It's either disbelief 00:09:39.990 --> 00:09:44.330 or belief. Some people think this is ridiculous. 00:09:44.570 --> 00:09:47.929 How could Jesus actually walk on the water? But 00:09:47.929 --> 00:09:49.950 Christians believe this to be true, that this 00:09:49.950 --> 00:09:53.190 is factual, right? It's in three of the four 00:09:53.190 --> 00:09:56.389 gospels. So you can either love it and believe 00:09:56.389 --> 00:09:59.730 it or not. But would you like to hear my favorite 00:09:59.730 --> 00:10:03.970 part of this story? My favorite part is the extremely 00:10:03.970 --> 00:10:08.580 ordinary and extraordinary prayer life. Jesus. 00:10:08.940 --> 00:10:12.500 Jesus shows us time and time again how he just 00:10:12.500 --> 00:10:17.039 desired to be with his Heavenly Father in prayer. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:23.779 I imagine that as the disciples rode as hard 00:10:23.779 --> 00:10:26.580 as they possibly could, Jesus prayed as hard 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:29.820 as he possibly could, probably praying for them 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:33.620 as well, and it makes you wonder, were they praying 00:10:33.620 --> 00:10:37.590 while they were rowing? Again, Mark 6 says that 00:10:37.590 --> 00:10:40.990 they are making painful progress, slow progress, 00:10:41.429 --> 00:10:45.129 and yet the text tells us that Jesus saw them. 00:10:45.850 --> 00:10:48.250 And so if their prayer was for him to come and 00:10:48.250 --> 00:10:50.970 help, that's exactly what he does. Look in verse 00:10:50.970 --> 00:10:55.070 25. In the fourth watch of the night he came 00:10:55.070 --> 00:10:59.330 to them, and now you see it, walking on the sea. 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:04.659 Job chapter 9 verse 8 says that God tramples 00:11:04.659 --> 00:11:07.259 the waves of the sea and that's exactly what 00:11:07.259 --> 00:11:11.320 Jesus does here. But please remember Jesus is 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:15.519 not walking on a calm water. Jesus is walking 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.240 on a water that is crashing with the wind howling 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:21.360 all around him and so the disciples they see 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.019 him from afar. They see something coming towards 00:11:24.019 --> 00:11:29.379 them and they're terrified. And so you see their 00:11:29.379 --> 00:11:35.409 reaction. They exclaim, there in 26, it is a 00:11:35.409 --> 00:11:41.230 ghost. Now, a ghost is a fine translation, but 00:11:41.230 --> 00:11:43.789 we could probably just use the transliteration 00:11:43.789 --> 00:11:48.629 from the Greek, a phantasma, from which we get 00:11:48.629 --> 00:11:52.590 our word phantasm. They are seeing a spirit coming 00:11:52.590 --> 00:11:54.850 towards them. And here I'm wondering, you know, 00:11:54.950 --> 00:11:57.269 Jesus has been casting out spirits. Are they 00:11:57.269 --> 00:11:59.629 thinking this is a spirit, one of those spirits 00:11:59.629 --> 00:12:05.070 coming towards us? But it's not. It's Jesus down 00:12:05.070 --> 00:12:08.190 from the mountain. Jesus, who sent them out onto 00:12:08.190 --> 00:12:14.190 the water, now comes to save them. But why? Have 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:16.049 you ever thought about that? Why would Jesus 00:12:16.049 --> 00:12:19.570 send them out on the water just to come save 00:12:19.570 --> 00:12:25.200 them? thinking three thoughts about this this 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:29.059 week. One, in doing this, Jesus demonstrates 00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:34.059 his power over the laws of creation. John chapter 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:36.539 one tells us that Jesus was in the beginning 00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:39.700 and that he created all things and so he shows 00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:42.559 that these things, the laws of creation, are 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:46.399 in subjection to him. Just like when Jesus calmed 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.720 the storm in Matthew chapter eight, an entirely 00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:52.889 different story. Here Jesus does something like 00:12:52.889 --> 00:12:56.889 this again, the waves respond to Jesus. But second 00:12:56.889 --> 00:13:00.409 thought, and it relates to the first, that as 00:13:00.409 --> 00:13:04.149 Jesus treads the water underfoot, he shows his 00:13:04.149 --> 00:13:08.750 deity. Look in verse 27. Immediately Jesus spoke 00:13:08.750 --> 00:13:13.950 to them saying, take heart, it is I. Do not be 00:13:13.950 --> 00:13:20.750 afraid. When he says, it is I, this is very important. 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:24.379 If you read it in the Greek, it would say, ego, 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:30.580 a me, which means I am. Do you remember the I 00:13:30.580 --> 00:13:33.440 am statements of Jesus in the book of John? I 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.779 am the door. I am the good shepherd. I am the 00:13:36.779 --> 00:13:41.279 resurrection of life and the life, right? And 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:44.539 so what is Jesus doing but saying that he is 00:13:44.539 --> 00:13:50.090 from the great I am? We looked last. Sunday in 00:13:50.090 --> 00:13:52.549 John 6 and we said that it's essentially a retelling 00:13:52.549 --> 00:13:55.789 of the Exodus story. What happens before the 00:13:55.789 --> 00:14:01.669 Exodus? Moses meets with God and God reveals 00:14:01.669 --> 00:14:09.889 his covenant name. I am who I am. Yahweh. Jesus 00:14:09.889 --> 00:14:13.610 in saying this, I am, ensures that the disciples 00:14:13.610 --> 00:14:19.659 know that he is the promised son of God. Third 00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:24.080 thought for the reason for all of this is Jesus 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:27.460 is testing their faith Jesus is strengthening 00:14:27.460 --> 00:14:32.179 their faith again. He says take heart Jesus comes 00:14:32.179 --> 00:14:35.399 to save but first they have to go through the 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:38.639 storm We're gonna talk about Peter in just a 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:40.740 minute in this text, but it's worth studying 00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:44.659 the life of Peter To see this testing of faith 00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:47.940 because Peter went through so much Peter persevered 00:14:47.940 --> 00:14:50.759 through so much suffering. You can see it in 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:53.179 his time with Jesus. You see it in Peter's time 00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:56.200 in the book of Acts, that Peter encounters opposition 00:14:56.200 --> 00:15:00.019 and challenges and afflictions. Consider these 00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:05.399 words from Peter. First Peter chapter one, six 00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:10.960 and seven, it says this. In this you rejoice, 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:13.980 though now for a little while, if necessary. 00:15:14.440 --> 00:15:18.539 You have been grieved by various trials so that 00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:22.320 the tested genuineness of your faith more precious 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:25.720 than gold that perishes though it's tested by 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:29.679 fire may be found to result in praise and glory 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:33.000 and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:35.980 Why do we go through challenges? Why do we go 00:15:35.980 --> 00:15:38.740 through suffering and afflictions to strengthen 00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:42.480 our faith? and so that we will rightly know who 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:47.500 Jesus is and sing his praises. I like how J .C. 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:50.740 Ryle puts it when he says, by affliction, God 00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:54.980 teaches us many precious lessons, which without 00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:59.480 it we should never learn. He says, by affliction, 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:03.759 he shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:07.539 us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:10.639 weans us from the world and makes us long for 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.080 heaven. In the resurrected morning, we shall 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:16.360 all say, it was good for me that I was afflicted. 00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:22.720 We shall thank God for every storm. That's a 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:26.879 very mature thought, isn't it? To thank God for 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:31.240 the storms of life. That's very opposite of the 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:33.899 mindset of people today. We don't want anything 00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:37.360 to do with it. But Jesus showed us what it's 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:39.980 like to follow him, to take up our cross and 00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:44.279 follow him. The Christian life is difficult. 00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:49.360 It's challenging. We go through so much, but 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.940 God sees us through these things according to 00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:57.059 his purposes. I was talking with one of you this 00:16:57.059 --> 00:17:02.100 week, one of you going through severe affliction, 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:05.579 and you said that you hoped that your struggles 00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:08.819 would help other people who might go through 00:17:08.819 --> 00:17:13.579 a similar thing. Again, a very mature thought. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:16.519 A thought of somebody who's being sanctified 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:18.579 to be more and more like Christ who suffered 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:24.079 in our place. Now, these are mature thoughts. 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:27.200 Sometimes when I arrive at Peter within the text, 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:29.900 I wonder, what is he thinking? Is he thinking 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:32.579 maturely? Is he thinking with wisdom? Look in 00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:35.480 verse... 28, to be honest with you, I'm not sure, 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:39.740 but he does exhibit faith. Peter answered him, 00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:44.799 Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:48.319 on the water. And so that's what Jesus does. 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:51.299 He says, come. And so Peter steps out of the 00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:53.460 boat, steps onto the water. And remember, the 00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:56.420 storm is still happening. It's not calm. The 00:17:56.420 --> 00:18:02.180 wind is howling. If I'm in the boat, And I'm 00:18:02.180 --> 00:18:04.619 watching Peter take steps on the water. I might 00:18:04.619 --> 00:18:11.740 be saying to Jesus, me next. But then Peter makes 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:15.619 a mistake. Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus. 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:19.799 Peter focuses on the dangerous situation at hand. 00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:22.940 When he's focused on Jesus, he's successful. 00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:28.819 He's okay. But then doubt overcomes him. And 00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:31.829 we can be like that too, can't we? When we trust 00:18:31.829 --> 00:18:35.549 Jesus, we're okay, we're good. Everything's gonna 00:18:35.549 --> 00:18:38.369 be fine, but when we focus on the problem, that's 00:18:38.369 --> 00:18:42.029 where the trouble lies. And so now, as I see 00:18:42.029 --> 00:18:44.109 Peter start to sink, if I'm one of the disciples 00:18:44.109 --> 00:18:45.890 in the boat, I'm saying, no, Jesus, I'm good. 00:18:48.329 --> 00:18:55.130 And so Peter cries out, Lord, save me. And as 00:18:55.130 --> 00:18:57.769 he does, we might be thinking that we have heard 00:18:57.769 --> 00:19:01.319 this before, if you know the Psalms well. You've 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:05.039 heard this before. Psalm 69 begins in this way. 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:09.640 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to 00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:13.619 my neck. I sink in deep mire where there is no 00:19:13.619 --> 00:19:16.640 foothold. I've come in the deep waters and the 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:24.059 flood sweeps over me. Save me. So Peter cries 00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:28.970 out and Jesus reaches out his hand. And here's 00:19:28.970 --> 00:19:32.630 the beauty of the passage, that as Peter takes 00:19:32.630 --> 00:19:36.349 his eyes off of Jesus, Jesus never takes his 00:19:36.349 --> 00:19:42.829 eyes off of Peter, right? Friends, I read a commentator 00:19:42.829 --> 00:19:45.569 who said this week, God does not wait for you 00:19:45.569 --> 00:19:49.990 to have perfect faith to save you. He does not 00:19:49.990 --> 00:19:53.190 wait for you to have perfect faith to save you, 00:19:53.250 --> 00:19:56.990 no. He is the one who works faith into your heart. 00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:00.920 He is the one who regenerates you. Jesus is the 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:06.059 one who saves you. And upon being saved, upon 00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:09.980 having that saving faith, then the sanctification 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:14.039 kicks off, where Jesus grows us more and more 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:17.259 to trust Him and to be like Him as we have the 00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:22.220 indwelling Spirit. Friends, this text shows us 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:25.829 that we may struggle with doubt. But for the 00:20:25.829 --> 00:20:29.049 times that we do doubt Jesus is here to catch 00:20:29.049 --> 00:20:33.089 us Isn't it true God designs troubles for the 00:20:33.089 --> 00:20:36.930 purpose of our growing our trust in him remember 00:20:36.930 --> 00:20:40.130 Jesus is the one who sent his disciples out onto 00:20:40.130 --> 00:20:44.630 the water and then he rescues them and So you 00:20:44.630 --> 00:20:47.609 see Jesus and Peter they climb back in the boat 00:20:47.609 --> 00:20:53.230 and the wind ceases yet again Jesus calms a storm 00:20:53.609 --> 00:20:56.609 And as the disciples see all of this, they do 00:20:56.609 --> 00:20:59.369 the only thing that I think they can possibly 00:20:59.369 --> 00:21:06.910 do. They worship Him. And they say, truly, this 00:21:06.910 --> 00:21:12.789 is the Son of God. I believe, if I'm correct 00:21:12.789 --> 00:21:15.950 on this, this is the first time that disciples 00:21:15.950 --> 00:21:20.359 ever say, this is the Son of God. God the Father 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:22.960 says it at Jesus's baptism. This is my beloved 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:25.960 Son in whom I'm well pleased. The demons say 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.660 this is the Son of God, but this is the first 00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:32.920 time the disciples say, Jesus, we know this to 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:36.920 be true. You are the Son of God. And so friends, 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:39.619 you see the purpose behind the miracle. Jesus 00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:42.859 is not showing off. He is doing this so he would 00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:46.640 be trusted and worshiped. Friends, God uses every 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:50.160 trial that we go through. So that we might be 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:54.059 like the disciples To better trust him to better 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:56.700 worship him to better prepare for the storms 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:00.000 ahead Is there a storm that you could possibly 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:04.480 face that God does not control? Think about that. 00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:07.599 Is there a storm you could face that God does 00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:11.420 not control? Is there a storm he cannot handle? 00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:17.119 Of course not Jesus treads over these problems 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:21.450 with ease and he comes to you, and he comforts 00:22:21.450 --> 00:22:25.210 you, and he saves you, and Jesus says to you, 00:22:25.210 --> 00:22:30.309 Christian, trust me. Trust me no matter what 00:22:30.309 --> 00:22:34.029 comes your way. Trust me, and I will take care 00:22:34.029 --> 00:22:35.509 of you. Let's pray.