Didn't See It Coming: Walking On Water
“Walking on water” is a phrase inextricably connected to identity, follower faith and mission.
Matthew 14:22-36 (NIV) 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. 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 toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Identity Lesson: God is not limited by what limits us.
Matthew 14:27b (NIV) 27b “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
1. “It is I.”: “ego eimi” literally translates I Am.
2. “Take courage” “to be properly bolstered from within as to produce unflinching courage.” “To radiate warm confidence because you are warm hearted.”
3. “Don’t be afraid” – to be put to flight, to be seized with alarm.
A fan cheers the action of another. A fan fantasizes. A follower follows the actions of another. A follower becomes.
Matthew 14:28-29 (NIV) 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 toward Jesus.
Following Jesus will always require you to get out of boats.
The mission of Christianity isn’t to make people better. The mission of Christianity is to bring dead people to life. Christianity doesn’t make you a better version of yourself, it resurrects the image of God inside of you. Our mission is to lead people to the resurrected Christ.
Matthew 14:30-33 (NIV) 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
You can read this passage as Peter failed or you can read this passage as Peter tried but it is meant to be read as Peter followed and joined Jesus.
Slide
Phase 1 Bet Sefer – House of the Book
· The first century historian Josephus said, “Above all else, we pride ourselves in the education of our children.”
Phase 2 Bet Talmud – House of Learning
· Rabbi’s at this stage weren’t interested in the students spitting out information, they were looking for the students to have the ability to apply their learning.
Phase 3 Bet Midrash – House of Study
· The goal of a disciple wasn’t to know what the Rabbi knew but to BE just like the Rabbi.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message)
Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!