Matthew 14:25-32..Working

Matthew 14:25-32..Working

14:25 During the fourth watch of the night (3:00-6:00 A.M. Jewish practice of dividing the night into 4 parts.) Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified.  (Terror-stricken, freaking out) It’s a ghost,  (phantom, apparition. Expresses a common superstition that sailors who drowned would haunt the waters.) they said, and cried out in fear.  27 But Jesus immediately said to them Take courage! It is I. (Expresses a claim to Deity, since it was used only by God-(Ex.   ) Don’t be afraid. 28 “Lord, if  it’s you “Peter replied, “tell me to come to you  on the water.” 29  “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, (wind boisterous-K.J.V. Suggests squall like conditions) he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out,  “Lord, save me !” (i.e. Keep me from drowning.) 31  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” (skeptical, doubting, distrusting) he said, “why did you doubt?” 32  And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

Continued From Book

“Teaches though God may not come in the way we expect, He will come in the form we need Him most.” ⇒ Will you recognize Jesus when He comes in the form of sorrow, loss, pain, discipline?…………..(To be Continued)

“Calls for stepping outside of our safety and comfort zones no matter the fear and risks.” ⇒ What boat are you taking safety and security in?  Maybe your boat is something your trusting in. Maybe your boat is something your placing your faith in. Maybe your boat is something your taking comfort or refuge in, that bottle, that relationship, that sin. As a believer what’s your boat? Maybe it’s time to step out of the boat and get baptized and go public with your faith. Or maybe you need to step out of the boat that fears of what other people might say. Maybe you need to step out of the boat and commit to a church. Maybe you need to step out of the boat of bad experiences with other Christians in the past. Maybe you need to step out of the boat of excuses and blame games for not serving the Lord. Maybe you need to step out of the boat of going through the motions to having a deeper relationship with Jesus.

“Teaches how there is no barrier Jesus will not walk over to Save us. There is no amount of sin, shame, guilt, doubt, failure, or darkness that can separate us from His love.” ⇒ God comes to us not just when were filled with faith and obedience, but also when were filled with unbelief and doubt. Know that no matter what your going through, what your struggling with, or what seems to be an imposable barrier, there’s nothing Jesus can’t rescue or Save you from……..(To be Continued)

“Displays how the goodness of God’s grace is greater than our failures, stumbles, and struggles.” ⇒ Where Peter failed at what he set out to do, but Jesus succeeded in exactly at what He set out to do.

“Warns of what can happen when we begin to take our eyes off of Jesus and start to look at our circumstances around us instead.” ⇒ As soon as we take our eyes off of Jesus or something starts to distract us we slip into discontent. bitterness, hopelessness………(To be Continued)

Additional Notes & Applications 

Teaches rather than ask the Lord to change our situation we should be asking Him how to better obey Him and follow Him. Peter could have asked “Lord will you stop this storm right now”. We to often pray “Lord will you just quiet this thing in my life.” Or “Lord will you please change my situation”. Or we pray God I really need a job by Monday.  Or I need to be healed right now. Or I need a wife right now. When what we should be praying for is not an improvement of our situation or condition. But rather we should be praying Lord show me what to do, train me   Instead of asking God for guarantees we should be asking God to teach us to be obedient, patient, trusting, and forgiving. Lord teach me to move on. Instead of changing my situation. train how to change my life.

Teaches rather than criticize Peter, at least he tried. (Better to fail trying, then be found failing to try.) Peter is often criticized for his little faith, but he is the only one of the disciples that got out of the boat and walked on water. Which is a lesson for us against being content to watch others step out in faith. Don’t be content to just sit around and watch others be used by God. Know that God has a purpose and calling on your life as well.  Peter’s faith may have been little, but he did act on what he had and was blessed for it. Better to have Christ find you struggling and failing at something, than not try at all. Better to be admonished after having tried, than to fail in having taken no action. Some people never move past their fear because their afraid their going to mess up. And as a result their always on the sideline and still in the boat with everyone else. You’ll never grow if you don’t take chances. You’ll never grow if you don’t take risks. Better to be corrected by Jesus, than not to have Him say anything  at all.

 Teaches how our situation will start to change and get better as soon as we invite Jesus into our boat.

Teaches how sometime God never gives the details; He’ll simply set the direction. Will you follow God without having to understand everything? Know you don’t need a lot to move forward in faith.

Warns of the paralyzing effects that fear can have in keeping us from moving forward in God’s work. Fear can keeps us from being bold.

Teaches if God calls you to it, He’ll give the ability to do it! If God gives the command, He also gives the strength to step out and do it. God wouldn’t have told us to minister, preach, or anything else if He wouldn’t enable us do it.

We often think that the proof that God is in something is not only that it is easy, but also that it works.

 Peter’s request to come to Jesus was either to have Jesus prove that it really was Him. Was a reasonable request having just participated with Jesus in the miracle of feeding five thousand. Or was characteristic of Peters impulsive manner, talking without thinking.

Some have tried to explain away Jesus miracle of walking on water to other causes,

• That Jesus was standing on the lakes edge, walking on a block of ice, sandbar, or a ledge rocks just below the surface of the water.

• That Jesus was standing in a low profile or partially flooded boat.

• The “Dilatancy” theory, that an earthquake caused sediments to rise to the surface where it mixed with water turning into a gel like substance. (Similar to what happens when corn flour is mixed with water.)