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[0:00] please take your Bibles and turn to Matthew's Gospel the Gospel of Matthew chapter 14 if you're visiting with us and you need a Bible there in the chair in front of you you'll find a black Bible go to the back of that to the back and find page 12 they renumber the New Testament so if you go to page 12 of that black Bible towards the back page 12 you'll find Matthew chapter 14 Matthew 14 Matthew chapter 14 we'll start reading in verse 22 22 to 36 this morning 22 to 36 takes us to the end of the chapter of chapter 14 Matthew chapter 14 starting in verse 22 and immediately he compelled them the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side while he sent the multitudes away and after he sent the multitudes away he went up to the mountain by himself to pray and becoming evening he was there alone but the boat was already many stadia away from the land battered by the wave for the wind was contrary and in the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea and the disciples seeing him walking on the sea were frightened screaming and as a ghost they cried out out of fear but immediately

[1:51] Jesus speaking to them said take courage I am do not be afraid and answering him Peter said Lord if it is you command me to come to you on the water and he said come and getting out of the boat Peter walked on the water and came toward Jesus but seeing the wind he became afraid and beginning to sink he cried out saying Lord save me and immediately stretching out his hand Jesus grasped him and said to him oh little faith one why did you doubt and getting into the boat they get into the boat the wind stopped and those who were in the boat worshipped him saying truly you are son of God and when they crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret and the men recognizing Jesus they sent into all that surrounding region bringing to him all who were sick and they entreated him that they might just touch the fringe of his cloak and as many who touched it were delivered when I was in high school

[3:10] I attended a small Christian school and I had the privilege since it was small to play football full contact football and I played for three years my sophomore junior and senior years and in my my last two years junior and senior I played defense and I played outside linebacker on the left side we had what's called a 4-4 defense there's two inside linebackers and two outside linebackers and I was the one on the left and I also was on special teams special teams in terms of like when you kick off the ball there's a certain type of team you guys would be for the kickoff so we were playing this rival school my senior year rival school I mean it was big big time rival school and we had just scored and on kickoff team I was the point man again on the left side and my job was to keep my eye on the ball and go wherever the ball went that was my job so again we're playing this rival school we scored so it was my job to follow the ball we kicked the ball

[4:14] I followed the ball and some guy caught it and I just went straight for it and I remember I kind of lost track of him actually and all of a sudden he popped out and I hit him so hard and tackled him obviously laying on top of him I blacked out for about a second and then I got up and the crowd went rawr apparently I'd hit him just like for those of you no football it was like behind the 10 yard line so I just clocked the bejesus out of him so poor guy anyways so that was what I did as a football player I also remember as an outside linebacker another aspect where I had to keep my eye on something on a particular play that they would do it was called a sweep as a defensive outside linebacker I had to keep my eye when they would what's the word I can toss the ball is that better trying to acclimate this for some of you who don't know football toss the ball to a guy behind them so I would follow him and I would run this way like this

[5:17] I would not turn and look this way I had to follow him with my eye keeping my eye on him and run this way and obviously the wide receiver his job was to come and block me so I had my eye on him and he's running this way and all my job to do was to get him to turn inside and I'd be done so I did that one time and guess what the receiver came around boom he hit me from behind I went down I wasn't hurt praise God but then they got a penalty because you're not supposed to block from the back is that called clipping do you know no it's blocking the back anyways so he brought me in the back and fell to the ground they got penalized but that was my job and I'm explaining this because there's different things that we have to do to keep our eyes on something that's why they tell you you're not supposed to do what and drive no texting and driving I was behind one guy this past week and he was like I slowed down like what are you doing and I got looking he had his phone up like this he was texting

[6:22] I went oh gee right you're not supposed to text and drive you're supposed to keep your eyes on the road you're not supposed to do this and talk to somebody right you ever see somebody doing that they're talking to you keep your eyes on the road don't look over here and over there keep your eyes right where it needs to be it's also what Peter had to do Peter had to keep his eyes on Jesus when he walked on the water it was a response to Jesus because of who he was and as we come to this part of Matthew's gospel where Matthew is calling us as his readers bow down and worship Jesus he's the Messiah King of Israel we actually have another reason we looked at last week the first reason was because he will satisfy us today we see because he truly is Son of God because he truly is Son of God keep your eyes on him bow down and worship him he truly is Son of God only the

[7:26] Son of God can do these things that Jesus did for example walk on water only God can do these things he truly is Son of God keep your eyes on him in a statement for you Jesus truly is the Messiah King of Israel the Son of God keep your eyes fixed on him not on the storming circumstances of life you may have come today Nancy knows what that's like come today and you have the storming circumstances the circumstances of life are like a storm upon you Jesus is who he says he is you keep your eyes on him respond in worship that's why we sing what e'er my God ordains his right another statement for you

[8:26] God will bring situations and events into our lives to test our trust in Jesus who truly is the Son of God he will challenge us to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus trusting him not our circumstances Jesus tested the faith of his disciples he was doing that here he does it once again to strengthen their faith to grow their faith not to destroy it now it might feel like it's destroying your faith we're not talking about feelings here we're talking about what's true so many times we can be tempted to be driven by our feelings and what happens is when our circumstances change we allow our feelings to override and then the whole song whatever my feelings ordains is right and I'm feeling like this so forget this God right well maybe none of you do that but I do feelings take over but Jesus he challenges our weak little faith and with the disciples he challenged it by feeding the 5,000 walking on the water calming the storm healing people by them simply touching the fringe of his garment

[9:57] I mean who can do stuff like that he truly was is the son of God the messiah king so to what extent did they believe that they worshipped him to what extent do we believe this truth of Jesus if we do we will keep our eyes on him and not take our eyes off of him we will totally trust him we will worship we will he truly is son of God because as we see here at point number one only God's son can walk on water he truly is son of God only God's son can walk on the water I mean look at what happens here verse 22 to 31 he had compelled it says made the disciples compelled the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side while he sent the multitudes away he compelled them to go back to the other side of the lake

[11:03] I don't always make mention the other gospels but if you had time in John's gospel John chapter 6 John tells us why he did this they were intending to make him their king which is why he sent the disciples away and he compelled them fast get out of here this is going to be a major issue which is why he did this Matthew doesn't give us that detail but then as it continues on from verse 23 he sent the multitudes away and once it's done notice he went up to the mountain by himself to pray and becoming evening he was there alone praying through the night the day wore Jesus out the crowd so Jesus found solace with his father in prayer on the mountain doesn't it just make you wonder if

[12:05] Jesus actually slept that night even kind of side note challenges us when we pray how much do we pray we go to sleep instead Jesus was alone so were the disciples verse 24 they were already many stadia from the land battered by the waves for the wind was contrary they were struggling rowing trying to row to the shore but the wind and the waves they were against them remember a few weeks ago we went to Matthew chapter 8 we talked about there in the sea of Galilee they have these huge cliffs and then there drops down towards really close to sea level and so the swells and storms would whip up so fast here was one of them they were only maybe about a mile or two from the shore but what Matthew is saying here seems like they struggled all night with this storm with this swell and they were tired weary themselves probably scared if you remember

[13:18] Matthew chapter 8 they were afraid they were going to drown and then verse 25 in the fourth watch of the night he came to them walking on the sea rowing through these terrible conditions all night this is Roman time so somewhere between 3 and 6 AM and here comes Jesus miraculously walking on the water and notice verse 26 disciples seen him walking on the sea they were frightened not recognizing him when was the last time you saw somebody walking on the water oh there goes ward he's walking on the water again ward hate it when he does that whoa you want to turn me down a little bit I didn't cough

[14:18] I'm saying that I don't even know where I'm at anyways you were walking on you walk on water wow pretty audacious statement there fella in the bathtub at least it looks like it when I put a towel down anyways they freaked out they shrieked thinking it was some kind of ghost or spirit they were terribly frightened notice verse 27 but immediately Jesus spoke to them saying take courage in the Greek it's this ego a me which is simply I am it's the same phrase that Jesus uses in John chapter 8 verse 58 when they said you're not 50 years old how do you know Abraham he says before Abraham was born ego emi so Jesus here he's doing something on purpose ego emi the authority of

[15:23] God himself embodying his power embodying his glory it reminds us of the time when Yahweh gave his name to Moses I am who I am Jesus does this on purpose a way to express his deity and who else would be able to walk on water but God himself take courage I am don't be afraid you belong to me you have no need to fear he comes to his own in love to those whom he's chosen in your storms your circumstances your difficulties this is what he says oh child of God you have no need to fear he's got this not you he's got this not you

[16:28] God Peter verse 28 answering him Peter said Lord if it's really you command me to come to you this is the only gospel where Peter walking in the water is recounted so if it's really you Lord you will enable me to walk on water wow that takes great faith on his part I mean who else would say something like this the other disciples didn't I ain't going out there and he said come there verse 29 and getting out of the boat is exactly what he does he walked on the water towards

[17:30] Jesus this is unbelievable Peter is the only human in the world who has walked on water I know Jesus has but he's God man I'm a human Peter's the only human who's walked on water and yet we're so quick to rebuke Peter because of doubts but when was the last time you walked on water and I don't mean your bathtub when was the last time you walked on water and not just walk on water but in a storm wind blowing waves up high splashing you we're not told how far he walked we're not told how long he walked but does that matter it took great courage and faith for Peter to venture out to do this and does this not exemplify the trials of being a follower of Jesus is it not a picture of what we have to do step out in faith and follow

[18:54] Jesus when everything and everyone seems against us is this not a picture does not this historical real event that took place is that not a picture of the Christian life it is that's exactly what he calls us to do notice what happens verse 30 seeing the wind he became afraid and beginning to sink he cried out saying Lord save me taking his eyes off Jesus the wind and the waves terrified him which resulted in him sinking now we're talking about Peter here but notice these statements that we have up on the screen he took his focus and attention off of

[19:54] Jesus and onto his circumstances the storm on the water in a storm outside the boat feeling the power of the wind pushing against him the wind splashing the water splashing in his face the wind causing water splash up into his face seeing the waves around him he panicked instead of focusing on Jesus he concentrated on the difficulties now put yourself in those statements I can take my focus off of Jesus my attention off of Jesus and onto my circumstances my storm instead of focusing on Jesus I end up concentrating on the difficulties of my life he cried out to

[21:02] Jesus to rescue him and notice verse 31 he immediately stretched out his hand he grasped hold of him that's what the word means grasp strongly firmly in his hand he saved him and then these unforgettable words little faith one why did you doubt or hesitate his faith was weak which is why he doubted ouch interesting Jesus expected him to trust more wholeheartedly problems within our Christian walk will arise if we replace trusting Jesus with doubt and distrust you will have problems within your walk with

[22:05] Jesus if you replace trusting him with doubts and distrust the evidence is there the truth is there we just need to embrace it it's a lesson a lesson for us not to take our eyes off of Jesus even though circumstances around us seem threatening dangerous hopeless you may be here feeling hopeless you may be here feeling hopeless you may be here feeling your circumstances are dangerous or threatening only God's son can walk on water so why are you taking your eyes off him was Peter's faith weak and the disciples well yeah of course it was and yet think about it if his faith was weak what does that say about you if his faith is weak what does that say about me what does it say about our faith our worship our submission to

[23:32] Jesus what does that say it's a challenge for us and yet praise God praise God that when we doubt that's the very reason why Jesus had to die right because we doubt that's why he had to die on a cross he had to die to save us from ourselves thank you Jesus for dying for my doubt only God's son can walk on water that's why you should bow down that's why you keep your eyes on Jesus only God's son can stop a storm keep your eyes on him and look what happens 32 and 33 little short things that happen and they get into the boat the wind stopped the wind immediately ceased no word from

[24:33] Jesus remember Matthew chapter 8 Jesus hushed the wind the waves stopped that storm but just said that doesn't even happen he just gets into the boat that's it his very presence stopped everything can you imagine that notice 33 those were in the boat worshipped him saying truly you are son of God no article there to emphasize the quality of who he was when the disciples realize Jesus walks on the storm struck sea and stopped it by his very presence they were stunned to the point of bowing down and worshiping him as the son of God the Messiah King confessing his unique sonship now do they totally understand what they were actually saying

[25:35] I'm not really sure but that's not the point this was a true sincere response to his lordship his power his kingship to his greatness when it comes to the gospel it's not necessarily up to us to try to determine to what extent a person may bow down to Jesus what is clear is they say this a person says this you are now lord of my life I will worship you you are now the lord of my life I will now worship you that's the response to the gospel you say I will follow you if you're here you're not a Christian that's the call for you what do you keep messing around for repent and trust Christ what are you waiting for you say you might believe all the facts of the gospel you might believe that these things are true but it's time for you to embrace it and say

[26:42] Jesus I believe you died for my sins I repent and I put my trust in you I now bow down and worship you you respond like that today it's quite obvious that the storm in this historical event depicts the chaos of evil and only God can deliver us from this chaos only God controls the sea Jesus exercises deity by doing things that only God can do walk on the water give someone else the ability to walk on water stop the storm and as Jesus very presence empowered and rescued them from this trial his presence will empower us and he'll rescue us as we face the future trials of life now many times a storm doesn't go away as some of you may well know which is why we must keep our eyes on

[27:43] Jesus so we don't sink Jesus empowers us his very presence is there so he will walk with us and rescue us and be there with us in these trials of life what a great depiction these are real events true historically accurate events that help to put us in a picture of what it's like to live a life following Jesus that's good last point got three only God's son can walk on water only God's son can calm the storm and only God's son can heal by a mere touch 34 to 36 they crossed to Gennesaret on the other side about three miles southwest of Capernaum and when they saw Jesus they took action bringing the needy people to him so he could heal them all who were sick and then verse 36 entreated him they might just touch the fringe of his cloak and all who touched it were delivered all they needed to do was touch the fringe of his robe and they be instantaneously healed who can do this

[28:54] I mean you see here in the midst of major opposition and rejection of Jesus with his demise foretold in John's beheading we looked at that last week here's Jesus still doing these good works barely touching them they didn't even touch him they just touched the fringe of his garment and they're instantly healed power over matter power over nature power over sickness this guy's the Messiah no one does stuff like this and it wasn't some show like the prosperity gospel preachers do not like that junk that you watch on TV all four historical events feeding the 5,000 walking on the water stopping the storm healing those by them touching just the fringe of his garment they focus us as readers on the clear power of Jesus as the

[29:54] Messiah and what a contrast to the previous two events the events with his hometown where they're like oh this is Jesus we know him and then John the Baptist where he's beheaded what a contrast you see for Jesus to walk on water and calm a storm of prerogatives belonging only to God so these acts obviously demonstrated he is the revealer of the father the eternal Messiah son king which is the reason for the disciples response of worship Jesus made such claims I reveal the father the father reveals people to people who I am I reveal them the father and I can do it to anybody else I have that power what a claim and then for him to do these amazing feats I mean what are you waiting for the only logical response is worship

[30:54] Jesus wanted to challenge and strengthen the disciples faith he did it by feeding 5,000 directly him walking in water calming the storm and he called them to stronger faith to trust him even more how much so they worshipped him these historical events are great pictures of discipleship in the midst of the trials and storms of life Jesus is the son of God who walks with us through life storms he's with us through life storms and it also shows us Peter where the first reaction is ah that Peter whatever he's a model disciple who ventured out onto the water trusting Jesus and it calls us that we as his disciples that we keep our eyes on Jesus that we keep trusting Jesus because only God can walk on water only God can calm a storm only God's son can do these things that he did what assurance this gives us

[32:05] I hope you walk away today with such assurance and a just greater trust in your savior what assurance he gives us though our faith is weak it is we want it to be genuine we want it to be growing keeping our eyes on Jesus because God will bring situations and events into our lives to test our trust in Jesus who truly is the son of God he'll challenge us to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus trusting him not our circumstances that's the call for you to do today that's a call for your response today Jesus truly is the Messiah king of Israel the son of God keep your eyes fixed on him not on the storming circumstances of life about mid 90s early 90s audio adrenaline put out an album called bloom and on the album they had the song walk on water and it immediately reminded me of the song reminded me of the album listen to some of the words to this

[33:26] I'll close with the lyrics for this song not all of it just some of it Jesus walked out on the water said take courage it is me Peter trusted and he wanted to go farther so he stepped out on the sea yeah he stepped out onto the sea if I keep my eyes on Jesus I will walk I can walk on water if I keep my eyes on him I can walk on water if I keep my eyes on him then he says this just like Peter I want to go farther tread on the sea and walk on the water step where he steps and go where he goes side by side when the sea billows roll I'll be alright when the wind blows I'll be alright when the waves come crashing I'm not afraid oh no for this is my father's world if if

[34:32] I keep my eyes on Jesus I can walk on water if I keep my eyes on him I can walk on water if I keep my eyes on the son of God he truly is the son of God he's there let's pray so we thank you Jesus we respond at this time by praying together speaking to you you've spoken to us you were speaking to us through your word this morning and so now we first respond to you in prayer we're asking no no no first we thank you because you know our faith is very weak and so Jesus we thank you that you died for our weak faith thank you for that you died for the times where we get angry over our circumstances we become anxious over our circumstances we become depressed over our circumstances that's why you died thank you and now we ask increase our trust all the evidence all the promises you've kept remind us of your faithfulness and your goodness precious

[36:04] God increase our faith our trust in you that we would be a church that keeps our eyes on you that's what we pray we pray we pray we pray we pray we pray we pray we pray I want to encourage you at this time as we do each week for this to be a time just a few moments between you and the Lord a time of silence for you to reflect let your mind ponder and think about the things the truths that we've seen from God's word we'll do our time of giving we'll sing part of our service those things but let this time be for you between you and the Lord let the truth of his word sink deep down into your soul and ask his spirit to change you just take a few moments please to do that vide the pick you

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