Sermon
Come Walk With Me On The Water
December 29-30, 2001
Pastor Donald Sheley

I pray now that you all have your notes. If you don't have notes, just raise your hand because the notes are quite detailed today and you'll want to take them home. I'll not have time to cover them all.

Two weeks ago we talked about the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. We gleaned a number of very practical lessons from that, but we also made the observation that Matthew, in his record of the same event in the life of Christ, adds detail that John didn't put down. So go to the middle of page 1 of your notes and we put in there Matthew's record of that same event. He says, Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night, 3 AM in the morning, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I, do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me." And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "0 you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly, You are the Son of God.

Now in our last lesson we learned some applications. One of them was, we made note that the fear of those disciples that night on the lake was not fear of the storm. They had been on that lake before. They knew that turbulent times would always come because of the geographical location of Galilee as it comes down to the slopes of Mount Herman and on the other side is the Mediterranean Sea. And if there's a storm going on in the Mediterranean, it just comes across the mountain, swoops into that little lake which is 600 feet below sea level, and just churns it up. It can happen that quick. So they're not afraid of the storm. They've been out there before. They can all swim if they had to. What they're afraid of is the way Jesus came to them, I mean, walking on the water.

It was His unexpected way of coming to them in their time of need. And we learned that oft times we can adjust to the storms around us, but it's the unique way in which brought comes to us and starts the process of changing whatever needs to be changed. That's often the thing that brings us a great amount of fear.

And I've looked back over my life and I've looked at times when I thought God didn't hear my prayer because He was answering it in a different way. In the first few hours, the first few days, the first few months I wasn't in agreement the way He was coming to me. But then I learned, He was there all the time.

Now on the second page of our notes down at the bottom I write: this is the fact of our story -- Peter did walk on the water! I don't want you ever to forget that. Now as I prepared for this lesson, the disturbing thing that I had to deal with was the quick criticism of most of the commentaries; critical of Peter for sinking in the water. And most people that have heard sermons on this particular subject the emphasis is, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, and when you take your eyes off of Jesus you fall.

Well that may be true, but I said, but he's the only guy that ever walked, I mean, other than Jesus Christ who is the Son of God. He's the only human being that ever walked on water. I mean, give him some credit! Why get so on the poor guy for sinking. We all sink. So what. That's part of life. And I started thinking this through, I said, we must never forget he walked on the water.

The challenge to venture out in faith and to do what in ourselves is impossible, comes to us in the process of growing and in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And most of us just sit in the boat. And so at the top of page 3 here's the spiritual lesson: Christ bid Peter walk on the water so that he might know God's power. He allowed him to sink, or to start sinking, so that he would know his own personal weakness. Now when you approach the story from that way, the emphasis gets off the sinking on to what God did in a man who reached out in love.

I note that in our previous lesson we noted that in the Christian church a large percentage, over 50% of preachers, don't believe in the miraculous. A recent poll showed that 56% of people, pastors trained in seminaries, didn't believe in the virgin birth of Christ. That's a tragedy. I wish they'd had gone out and learned how to be truck drivers instead of preachers. They would have done God's work for a lot more profit I think.

One of our tragedies that I have to live with as a pastor is to realize that I don't have communication with about 50% of the preachers because they don't understand my trust and a Christ that can do anything and a God that's miraculous.

In our notes down in the middle of page 3, or down near the two-thirds, "And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear." But He said, "Be of good cheer; it is I."

You'll notice He didn't have to say who He was. He didn't have to identify Himself. Now He did to Paul, Paul meets Him on the Damascus Road, and He said, this is Jesus. The only reason why He did that is because Paul didn't know Jesus before; but the sheep know the shepherd's voice. And as soon as He said, it's I. You don't have to be afraid, then their fears ceased.

I'm at the top of page 4 now. Peter is overwhelmed with the sight. He is characteristically impulsive: always he leaps before he looks, which is still better wisdom than the man who looks for so long that he never leaps. Do you get it? So many people never venture out and enjoy the Christian life to its fullest because they're always sitting in the boat. And Peter, he's that kind of response. I think this is the reason why Jesus really loved Peter. He was so honest he'd even do the ridiculous, but Jesus knew his heart. Jesus knew that he really loved Him.

You'll notice that when Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." Now courage was Peter's master grace; and that made him so forward above the rest to express his love to Christ, though others perhaps loved Him as well. Please note: it's an instance of Peter's affection to Christ that he desired to come to Him. I want you to see that it was love that caused Peter to get out of that boat, not to do something spectacular.

When he sees Christ, whom he doubtless during the storm had many a time wished for, he is impatient to be with Him. He does not say "Bid me walk on the waters" as desiring it for a miracle sake, but, BID ME COME TO THEE, as desiring it for Christ's sake. Peter's response to Christ was out of love, not just to be spectacular nor to be different. Peter really loved Jesus. He really did.

In our notes I'm in the middle of page 4: "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, who do men say that I, the son of man, am? So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." And He said to them, but who do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Down at the bottom of the page. Essentially, Peter's discovery was that human categories, even the highest human categories, are inadequate to describe Jesus Christ. When the people described Jesus as Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets they thought that they were setting Jesus in the highest category they could find. Elijah was the forerunner whom all men expected; Jeremiah also had his place in the divine kingdom, and was the destined helper of God's people in the day of trouble.

And it was the belief of the Jews that for four hundred years the voice of prophecy had been silent; and they were saying that in Jesus men heard again the direct and authentic voice of God. Now these are great tributes; Elijah, Jeremiah, a prophet, but not for Peter. Jesus was too special, too precious, loved by Peter, and he said, no, You're far above human categories. You're the divine Son of God.

Once Napoleon gave his verdict on Jesus. He said, "I know men, and Jesus Christ is more than a man." Peter's response to Jesus, he says, if it's You Jesus, I want to be with You. Bid me come to Thee. He got out of that boat because he wanted to be with Jesus.

Jesus, the name, the theme of poets, and the theme of great hymns:
Jesus, the very thought of Thee with sweetness fills my breast; but sweeter far Thy face to see and in Thy presence rest.
Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; 'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life and health and peace.
Jesus shall reign where 'er the sun does His successive journeys run; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.
And another hymn:
Jesus is the sweetest name I know, and He's just the same as His lovely name, and that's the reason why I love Him so; Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Peter loved Jesus, loved Him intensely. Jesus, if it's You, I want to be with You. Jesus knew Peter loved Him. I'm in the middle of page 5. John 21. After the resurrection Jesus visits the disciples and they're out on the beach; they've been fishing. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time. "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You."

Down at the bottom of the page: Jesus asked this question three times; and there was a reason for that. It was three times that Peter denied his Lord, and it was three times that his Lord gave him the chance to affirm his love. Jesus, in His gracious forgiveness, gave Peter the chance to wipe out the memory of a threefold denial by a threefold declaration of his love. I mean, Peter loved Jesus.

So when Peter sees his Master on the lake, his love compels him to want to be with Him, even if it meant walking on the water himself. And then I put a note in there; love does not always do the reasonable thing. History has its pages full of acts of persons who did things that were not reasonable; acts that were propelled by the force of love. The impossible has frequently been accomplished in the power of love.

You read the great stories of missionaries that have stepped out and left all, and out of a pure love for Jesus wanting to do something and God used them in mighty ways, but their acts propelled by love. Love is a powerful force.

I'm sure that those disciples sitting in that boat thought what Peter was doing was crazy, and they probably said, look at that crazy guy again. But oft times we are considered crazy when we do what we do because love propels us.

I had a man walk up to me the other evening in service and he's been coming some time. A gray-haired gentlemen and he's a doctor. I don't know the intimate details of his life very much, but he said, you know pastor I'd like to take just a moment to get acquainted. He told me about his life. He said, I come to this Christmastime with some loneliness. He said when I was a little boy my mother had an accident, became an invalid, and I made the choice I love my mom so much that I would devote my life to her. He said, I gave up family. He said, I gave up everything, pursued my way of making a living so mother and I could have an income, but all these years my love has compelled me to care for mother. Now I'm 70+ and mother's gone.

And I stood there with tears in my heart because I thought to myself, boy, the compelling power of love. Here's a wonderful, brilliant, handsome man who gave up family; and I had all my family around me at Christmas time. But he gave that all up because compelling love for his mother made him to do what others would say -- that's crazy. No it isn't.

And old Peter got out of that boat because he loved Jesus. Now that's something you never find in the commentary, but that's what the Scriptures say. Jesus, if it's You, I want to be with You. Bid me come. And Jesus says, come.

So I got my mind to thinking. I said, how long did he walk on the water? Now this is the way my reasoning went. If Jesus was far enough away that he couldn't determine who He was; He looked like a ghost, He must have been quite a distance. Right? And when he fell Jesus was right there to the catch him, so whatever that distance was, he must have been on that water for some time.

You know, as soon as he got out of that boat I can imagine the exhilaration that must have -- man, this is something. And I think his feet became skateboards and he's out there just skating on those waves. And Jesus is clapping saying, good Peter, good, good!

You say, that's crazy imagination. But look at it; he's the only guy that ever walked on water. If he's going to do, he might as well enjoy it while he's out there walking. And Jesus, I think, is just thrilled, thrilled! That someone loved Him so much that he would venture into the impossible to come to Him.

I have seven grandchildren, and I like to teach them how to take their first step. So in my house when they come and they're just about ready, I walk with them a little bit and I stand them out there and I say, now walk to Grandpa. And they'll stand there and they're going to do something they've never done before. But when I see them take that first step my heart leaps for joy. I say, Hey! He took his first step! And what if he starts to fall? I'm right there to catch him.

I remember, I think it was little Stanton, he took that first step -- this is easy -- and he's just running around the house almost immediately. And I'm leaping for joy because he's doing something he's never done before, and to him it was impossible, but he ventured out.

And I think that Jesus that day saw a love so profound that He let him walk on water. He let him do the impossible, and He was thrilled with it.

Now ladies and gentlemen this is a lesson; listen, there are times in growing in our Christian faith where God speaks to us and there's a drawing, and it seems like Jesus is saying, come, come. I want you to venture out and I want you to do something. I want you to teach a Sunday school class. I want you to get out involved in a ministry. I want you to get out of your boat. I want you to start walking on faith and using whatever strength you've got, and I'll add to it, and we'll walk on the water together.

I watched a lady a couple of years ago, and she came and said, pastor, I went through this experience. It was such a great class. We should have it here. I said, yeah, you teach it. 000h! Get out of the boat and get in the water? I've never taught. I'm frightened to death if I've got people in front of me. I said, that's good.

I said get your books and start studying. She did, but she's afraid to get out of the boat. I'm just quickly ready to turn the boat over. (Congregation chuckles) And the first night, she's got 30 people in her class, and she's just out there walking doing the impossible. I'm sure her husband said, you're crazy. You've never done this before

But I'll tell you, in the last number of months, that gal has blessed family after family because she decided she'd get out of her boat. She loved Jesus so much, she wanted that love to propel her in a way that caused others to love Him.

My job as a pastor is to get you out of the boat. You know, Christianity only becomes exciting when you start walking with Jesus, as it were, on the water. You're doing something that in yourself you couldn't have done, but with His strength and with His power and with the anointing of the Holy Spirit on your life, He can accomplish marvelous things. And you look back and say, hey, that was fun; that's exhilarating.

There are so many areas you can apply this -- wherever you feel challenged and yet you sit around in your boat of fear, and I can't do that, and maybe I'll fail. So what. I tell people 80% of everything I've tried in my 50 years of ministry has been a bomb out, but you love me for the 20%. (Pastor chuckles) Right? I mean, we all fail. (Congregation applauds)

It's the joy of being a part of something that God in His grace through you accomplishes. Now I don't know what it is He's calling you to do, but get out of the boat. Say Jesus, I'm going to come walk on the water. I'm going to do something this year, I'm going to get involved, I'm going to show my love for You in getting out of this boat, and you're going to do things you never dreamed you could to do.

Now I'm ready to close in just a minute. You say, does this fit for you preacher? I say, yeah, because I have to practice what I preach. So the other day I've got the staff altogether and I always preach to the choir first, and I'm telling them about what I'm going to preach on: Come walk with Me on the water. So I'm holding in my other hand the contract from KFAX for our radio program.

As you know, we're on the radio every morning at 6:30, just reading this Scriptures, praying; and we do it just simply because we want people to fall in love with Jesus and fall in love with His word. That's the heart of it. And I'm told it has one of the largest listening audiences on the radio. God knows my heart -- Jesus, all I want is people to love You, and I want them to love Your word. That's why we do it.

But I'm holding this contract in my hand and it's for one year, and we pay almost $10,000 a month for our radio program ministry. We never ask for a dime. It just comes out of the offerings that you folks give, and we minister to hundreds of thousands of people. And I'm saying, you know, I look at this crazy amount. We've got a shortfall and I say, well the easiest way to correct that is I can cross off half of it by just going off the radio. My staff is all sitting there quietly, and then I looked down -- come walk with Me on the water.

Pastor, if you're going to preach it, let's do it. So we signed the contract. So this year we're walking on the water. We're going to walk with Jesus and pray that many lives are touched through the radio ministry of our church. You see? So it affects me. Jesus is saying, really, if you'll get out of the boat, we can walk together, and I'll help you accomplish things you never dreamed you could accomplish.

But you see, you left out the most important pastor, you didn't talk about him sinking. Well if you want to, you can. I'm not interested in that because we all sink. Just remember, he's the only human being that ever walked on water. And I think he needs to be commended. And if he can do it, so can all of us. But the compelling force must be love. I love Him so much.

Lord Jesus, I do this. I don't care whether I fail. I don't care, but I just want to do it for You. We're going to have a fun year. Come, walk on the water with Me, and let's experience the impossible. Amen?

Lord Jesus, thank you for Your word. And some of us, because of fear, because maybe unbelief, we sit around in our spiritual boats and never get involved in experiences that allow You to demonstrate Your power in our lives. Help us to realize that You want so very much for us to come to You in love and to serve You in genuine joy. And may this year we respond and get out of our circumstances that we've found comfort in, and help us to really launch out and to serve You with everything inside of us. In Jesus name, amen. Thank you for being patient with me, and God bless you.