Matthew 14:22-33

²² Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. ²⁴ Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. ²⁵ About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” ²⁷ But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” ²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” ²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,”Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” ³² When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Second not only did Peter call out but:

2. He got out.

All Peter needed to hear was the word, “Come,” and he was out of the boat! Verse 29 tells us that as soon as Jesus commanded him to come he went over the side of the boat and started to walk on the water toward Jesus. Peter didn’t see Jesus call as a problem but as a privilege. Today Jesus calls us to join Him where He is at but instead of coming we complain, because we view Christ’s commands as a pain.  As a result, when we do respond its often motivated more by obligation than obedience. But notice when the miracle occurred, it happened when Peter stepped out in obedient faith. Today we want to see the miracle before we step out. But scripture reminds us here that God calls us to move in faith first. When the Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army God told Moses to tell the people to move forward in faith then He parted the water before them and sent and Angel to protected behind them. When you are hemmed in by fear the only way out is faith. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river, the river only stood still when the priests stepped into it. Like those before him, Peter didn’t what would happen when He obeyed Jesus and stepped out of the boat. He didn’t know if he would sink or float he just knew Jesus had called him and that’s all he needed to know. The truth is that is all any of us really need to know. But so often we want all the facts before we will move forward, but that’s not faith. Peter responded based on trusted, he obeyed Jesus because he trusted Jesus. Today we want to rest in the facts instead of relying on the Father. So, let me ask you are you responding based on relationship or results, is it centered around the One who is calling you or based on what He is calling you to do? Are you basing it on the facts, your feelings or Jesus faithfulness?  When we let the call of Christ carry us, faith will float us. But this was more than just walking on the water, Peter walked on waves, remember the storm was still raging. Jesus didn’t call Peter to step out into the calm but into the chaos. But what I love here is that Peter went from being in the storm to being on the storm. His fears were now below his feet. Do you feel that urge to experience something more than just sitting in the boat? If you want to walk on the water, then you’ve got to get out of the boat! While Peter was walking on the waves the other 11 disciples were watching. What about you are you watching or walking? Today we want to watch in fear instead of walk by faith. Look if Jesus is calling you to step out onto the lake don’t just listen, leap. Peter didn’t just hear he heeded. What is God calling you to do right now? Is He asking you to get out of the safety and security of your boat? While Peter was experiencing the joy and exhilaration of walking by faith, there were eleven guys who were controlled by their fear. In the battle between faith and fear, only one got out while there were a bunch who chose to cling to the boat. The same was true of those who went to spy out the promised land, 10 were focused on their fears while only 2, Joshua and Caleb, were focused on God’s faithfulness. It also happened with David when the whole Israelite army was frozen in fear over the giant Goliath, but He chose to focus on the faithfulness of God. Are you going to focus on your fears or Christ’s faithfulness? Are you going to cling to the boat or cling to Christ’s call? Right now, in your life are you believing Christ or cling to the boat? There are a lot of reasons to stay in the boat, fear, safety, its more comfortable, guilt, some of you don’t feel good enough to get out of the boat and come to God. The truth is there are a million reasons to stay in the boat and only one reason to get out. But that one reason to get out of the boat trumps all the reasons to cling to your boat, Jesus is calling you. What voice are you going to listen to? The voice of fear or the faithful voice of Jesus? Why do we stay in the boat because we don’t believe. Look your man-made boat may feel safe but it won’t save you. Don’t waste your life sitting in the boat when you could be walking out what you say you believe in step with the Shepherd.

Matthew 14:22-33

²² Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. ²³ After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. ²⁴ Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. ²⁵ About three o’clock in the morning^[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” ²⁷ But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” ²⁸ Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” ²⁹ “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the strong^[c] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,”Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” ³² When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. ³³ Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

It’s here as we focus on the faith of Peter that we see three faith-building things that Peter did, first:

1. He called out.

After being profoundly moved by this appearance of Jesus, Peter calls out in Matthew 14:28, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Peter asked Jesus to command him to come. This reveals two critically important truths for all Christians, first:

• Unless it is Jesus who is calling stay where you are.

Why did Peter ask Jesus to command him to come, why didn’t he just get out of the boat when Jesus had revealed himself to the disciples? Because it was Jesus who had commanded him to get into the boat 9 hours before and getting out without Christ’s clear command would have been an act of disobedience. Jesus had commanded Peter to get into the boat so only Jesus could call him out. Peter was asking for permission, He wanted to know God’s Will. Right now, there are some of you that desperately want out of the boat you are in. Some of you are Pastors who are weary of the wind and the waves, your tired of being in the battered boat and so you are going to bail, leave the ministry or change churches. But before you get out of the boat you need to hear the clear call of Christ. As people we have a tendency to doubt in the dark what the Lord revealed in the light. Just because it’s difficult don’t desert. Unless the Lord calls you stay put and stay the course. It’s easy to spiritualize your disobedience and claim to be following by faith but if Christ hasn’t called then whose voice are you really listening to, self not the Savior. That means your decision to climb out of the boat is based on your wants not His will and that’s not faith its foolishness. Look don’t get out of the boat Jesus has told you to get into unless He calls you out. If you want to know God’s Will ask, Peter did and Jesus call was crystal clear. This leads us to the second important observation:

• You better know the Lords voice.

John 10:1-5 says “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” How do you know if it’s the voice of the shepherd, or that of self or even Satan? Ask yourself, does the call line up with God’s Word. Is it based on your way and wants or His Word? Today many of us are following our feelings over the voice of the shepherd, because we are more in tune to our feelings than we are to the Father. Peter knew the Lords voice; do you recognize the voice of Jesus and are you submitting to what He says and carrying out His call? So why did Peter want to be with Jesus? Because sheep look for their shepherd, they long for their shepherd because they love their shepherd. His desire to be with Jesus was based on relationship not rules. When you really start to understand the care of Christ you will want to cling to Christ. In order to grow in our faithfulness, this is the first place to start. Peter’s heart’s desire was, I want to join Jesus where He is at. Peter wanted the Savior more than he wanted the storm stilled. What about you, do you want Christ more than you want your circumstances calmed. I would rather step into the storm with Christ than live in the calm without Him. Joining Jesus in what He’s doing is an act of faith. Many of us want Jesus to come to us, but sheep follow the shepherd not the other way around. As believers we should not be asking Jesus to get in the boat with us, but to join Him out on the water. But we’re not to just dream up something big and asking Jesus to bless it. Instead, we’re to see what Jesus is blessing and join Jesus by “fasten ourselves together” with Him. So many times, I have heard preachers proclaim that this passage is about getting out of the boat and taking risks for Jesus. But this is not a story about risk taking it’s a story about relying and trusting. Rather than seeing it as a story about risk-taking recognize that it is primarily a story about obedience. That means we have to discern between an authentic call from God and what may simply be a foolish impulse on our part based on feelings. Ask God to let you know what it is that He wants you to do, His Will. Immerse yourself in God’s Word and He will reveal His Will. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Are you calling out to Christ with your whole hearted or are you halfhearted? Is Christ calling you to get out of the boat, or do you need to stay put? Are you going to seek His Will or your wants?