Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Matt 14:24-33 “but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. “When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. “But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” ““Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” ““Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.””

Mark 6:45-52 “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. “After leaving them, he went up on a mountain side to pray.”

“When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. “He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, “but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, “because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, “for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.” NIV

John 6:16-21 “When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, “where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. “A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. “When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. “But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” “Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.” NIV

By design

About midway, a storm threatened their lives

To the N – Mt. Hermon, over 9,000 ft MSL

Sea of tiberiah, Lake of Gennesaret

Sea of Galilee

60 miles north of Jerusalem

Mts of upper Galilee raise to 4000 ft.

E and W abruptly to 2000

680-695 ft below sea level

12-15 miles N/S

7.5 miles E/W

160 ft deep.

They battled the storm through the long hours of the night.

Mark 6, 4^th watch 3-6 am and only 3.5 miles rowed.

They did not turn back or give up even though straining at the oars.

and buffeted by the waves.

Imagine the fatigue, fear and discouragement.

In the boat by the command of Christ. Felt alone and in danger.

Seeing them strain against the oars

The presence of Christ through it all.

Christ came to them

Notice that the obstacles the disciples face were no obstacles to

Christ at all.

What they feared brought no fear to Christ.

Perhaps due to the fierceness of the storm they did not recognize him.

Thought he was a ghost – maybe because expecting death thought one came from the world of the dead.

The comforting voice of Christ

The still small voice whispering, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Psalm 30:5 “weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” NIV

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 “Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”” NIV

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”” NIV

The Daring Request of Peter

Lord, if it is you tell me to come to you on the water. Come.

Remarkable faith in Christ

Dared to believe that he could do anything Christ commanded

Demonstrated faith that Christ could sustain him when we walked in obedience. The storm had not subsided, winds still blowing

Peter narrowed the gap between what he know and what he believed!

Only real belief carries us into action.

Peter accepted the elements of risk and uncertainty.

Armed with faith in Christ and the presence of God’s kingdom, he got out of the boat.

The things that brought him fear no longer terrified him.

Peter could face them with confidence.

TF Peter stepped out of the boat.

Bob Buford, in his book, Finishing Well

Calls the people like Peter, Code breakers. He is a pathfinder. He redefines meaning. He venture into frontiers the rest of us not only hesitate to do but wouldn’t even think of these adventures.

The difference in Peter’s faith dynamic is that he acted on it.

He stepped out.

He was willing to take a risk even into harms way.

Looking to express his own life core and his life calling.

The encouraging thing that Buford points out is that we don’t have to inventors, innovators and pioneers. He says that the Peter kind of people shout back their “learnings” in uncharted waters.

They make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The by-produce is that they are living with passion and enthusiasm.

He says that God calls people from modest means, encourages them to get all the education they can and then find and build on a core strength with a sense of God’s calling to serve others.

We can “see” and learn from the code breakers and we can use what they learn.

We do not know how far he walked.

But suddenly, fear gripped him and he took his eyes off Jesus and placed them on his circumstances.

Fear gripped him again and at that moment he began to sink.

Jesus explained the reason Peter began to sink.

Began walking by faith

Does not mean we can stop walking by faith

When Peter stopped living by faith even though in the will of God and in the presence of God, he still began to sink

Truths to Apply:

1. Obedience to Christ does not mean we won’t encounter storms in life and does not mean we won’t have obstacles to complete his will.

2. There are obstacles that we cannot move. But for Christ, no obstacle is too great.

3. Christ is present and knows of all our stresses and struggles.

4. Trials must be faced and lived through by faith. The faith that set our feet on the path of living for Christ must persist throughout the course of our lives.

History: Thought of youth intern from MBI

2^nd staff member fund established.

Why not from among our own?

Tony – Marriage and Family Internship

Explain developed of idea, Exe Teams permission

Gather and pray.