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.

Not only did Peter call out and step out but third:

3. He cried out. `

Because Peter went from walking on the water to being wiped out by the water, from dependence to drowning. Peter starts to sink because he chose to focus on the storm instead of the Savior. But before we get too hard on poor Peter let’s remember that at least he got out of the boat. Why do we point our fingers at Peter, because by nature we focus on the failure and not the faith. We have quickly become a critical culture instead of a compassionate one. Trading empathy for apathy.  Peter takes it on the chin here because we are failure focused people instead of faith focused people. Quick to share our judgment and slow to share Jesus. There are a lot of preachers who are quick to point their finger at Peter while they hide behind the safety of their pulpits. Look it’s easy to point out Peters failures and lack of faith but have we confronting our own fears? Why do we focus on the failure of others? Because while everyone is focused on their failure they won’t see my fears. It’s easy to be critical of other Christians but are we critiquing our own attitudes and actions? It’s easy to call the plays from the comfort of the sidelines but what will we do when we are in the chaos of the storm? The truth is we have all been Peters who falter and fall and rather than criticize each other we need to come alongside and encourage each other. We don’t need more fans in the stands but followers coming alongside those struggling in the storm. Verse 30 reveals the reason that he sank, because he took his eyes off of Jesus and started to focus on the junk. Instead of listening to Jesus Words he looked to the wind and the waves. Fear pushed out his faith. The only way that Peter was able to walk on the water was because of His faith in the faithfulness of Jesus. Once he took his focus off of the One who was faithful his faith faltered, and he started to sink. The same is true of us, either we will focus on the Savior and follow by faith or we will focus on the storm and fall. If you are focused on the chaos instead of Christ, you going to capsize.  The wall builders did a similar thing in Nehemiah 4:10. They had started the rebuilding project full of faith and then they allowed their eyes to focus on the rubble. They became rubble-gazers instead of God-gazers. Instead of listening to the Lord they listened to the lies of the enemy which lead them to become fear focused instead of Father focused. The opposition that they faced came from both the outside and also from within and was designed to create doubt and discouragement. Discouragement can be deadly because it causes us to spend our energy on worrying instead of worship. We also face the battle on both fronts, fears from within and from without. The I’m not good enough fears on the inside and the garbage on the outside. Not only did worry take their focus away from building the wall but also from the One they worshiped. The devil wants to distract and discourage, he wants us to focus on the problems instead of the praise. To get so wrapped up in the problems that we miss Christ’s presence and peace. Like them we can focus on the junk or on Jesus. What are you focused on today? Are you focused on your circumstances or Christ? Look there will always be waves and rocks. The real issue is are you going to put your faith in the faithful One who made the mountains and the water? Don’t focus on the chaos focus on the Creator. If you want to put your problems into perspective start focusing on the Savior, your storms won’t shrink they will just seem small in light of how big He is. It’s what David discovered when he faced Goliath. While everyone else was focused on how big Goliath the giant was, David was focused on how big his God is. Are you focusing on the giants or on God? On your problems or His power?

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.