Gtcotr/ss021509
There are three questions we are going to consider this morning that deal with faith. Our main text today will come from Matthew 14.
This chapter contains the account of Peter walking on water. Allow me to set the stage …
* When Jesus was close to 31 years old, about the year 27BC, John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded by King Herod.
* When Jesus heard the news, He gathered His disciples and went into a deserted place so that they could be alone and pray.
* The multitudes found Jesus and gathered around Him.
* Jesus had compassion on them and healed their sick.
* It got very late and the great multitude needed to eat.
* All that was available was 5 barley loaves and 2 small fishes.
* Jesus took them, blessed them, broke them and gave them to His disciples and the disciples gave them to the people that sat in groups of fifty on a hillside near the lake.
* More than 5000 men, plus women and children ate their fill.
* Twelve baskets full of food were gathered up afterwards
* Jesus instructed His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side of the lake while He sent the multitudes away.
* After Jesus sent the people away He went up into a mountain to be alone and pray.
* When evening came Jesus was on the mountain alone and the ship was out in the midst of the lake, tossed by the boisterous winds which blew contrary to their course.
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
* The Fourth Watch A Roman Watch
> The 1st Watch 6 til 9 p.m. Evening
> The 2nd Watch 9 til 12 midnight Midnight
> The 3rd Watch 12 til 3 a.m. Cock-Crowing
> The 4th Watch 3 til 6 a.m. Morning
* Jesus spent most of that late evening and night in prayer
* The disciples spent the night rowing hard against the winds, but covering only about 3 to 4 miles in over 9 hours.
* In the fourth watch of the night, between 3 & 6am, Jesus came to the tossed and troubled boat, walking on the stormy waters.
* The weary disciples saw Him, thought He was a ghost and cried out for fear.
* Jesus spoke to them, “Be of good cheer; It is I, be not afraid.”
* Peter spoke up and said, Lord if it really is You, ask me to come to You on the water.
* Jesus said Come
* Peter got down out of the boat and headed toward Jesus
* As Peter was walking on the water going to Jesus he saw the strong winds and the big waves, he got afraid and he began to sink.
* Peter cried out to Jesus, Lord save me.
* Jesus stretched out His hand immediately and grabbed Peter, He lifted him up and then Jesus sternly rebuked Peter.
* When both Jesus and Peter returned to the boat and climbed inside, immediately the storm ceased.
* All the disciples in that boat started worshipping Jesus and exclaimed, “Truly, You are the Son of God.”
This account centers on Peter and his experience. He did pretty good up until he began to sink. Let’s see if we can learn anything from what Jesus said to Peter when He reached out and lifted him up.
Matthew 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
little faith = one Greek word
GK: oligopistos = compound word
oligos -- little; small &
pistis -- trust or assurance
The Gospels quote Jesus in other instances speaking of people with:
* No Faith Mark 4:40
* Little Faith Luke 12:28
* Great Faith Matthew 8:10
Jesus also said that faith was like a seed and it was meant to be planted in our life and grow to greatness. (Luke 13)
Matthew 9:29 Jesus told two blind men: “According to your faith …”
Mark 5:34 Daughter, your faith has made you whole.
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God …
Question number one: What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is our evidence that we trust in God. And, when we trust God, things happen, mountains move & the impossible becomes possible.
We show the evidence of our faith by what we think, what we say and what we do. Basically, how we act both in the good times and in troubled times of life are testimonies of what we truly believe about God and His Will, His Word and His Way. Faith is man trusting God.
Question number two: Where do I get faith?
Four Ways Faith Comes
1. Romans 12:3 Every man is given a measure
* Salvation Faith
2. Galatians 5:22 Faith is a fruit of the Spirit
* John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches …
3. Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing the Word
4. 1 Corinthians 12:7-9 Faith is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit
Peter had faith to get out of the boat and walk on water, but somewhere, somehow, doubt entered into the equation and caused his faith to weaken and become too little to sustain his miracle.
Matthew 14:31 “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
At one time Peter had great faith but his great faith turned into little faith and he began to sink. What caused his faith level to change?
You guessed it! Doubt … Doubt Is The Enemy Of Faith
* Doubt can grow into fear and eventually into unbelief
* Fear replaces faith and stops the miracle process
* Doubt can turn great faith into little faith or no faith
Why did Peter begin to doubt?
Matthew 14:30 “when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid”
Peter got his eyes off Jesus and focused on the circumstances, he lost his assurance and he began to have second thoughts. It happened in an instant … Peter embraced doubt which in turn caused his faith to deteriorate and he began to sink. It’s a spiritual process.
Left unchecked, doubt can turn great faith into a great fear!
Good News … that’s not the end of the story …
When Peter realized he was sinking into his circumstances he cried, “Lord, save me!”
And He did … Jesus will still save those who call upon Him today.
He will not only save you from your problem, but the whole experience, if handled according to the Word of God, will actually cause your faith to grow.
Remember, there were three questions for today:
1. What is faith?
2. Where do I get faith?
3. How can I make my faith grow?
The Apostle Paul told the Believers at the Church in Thessalonica that he could see evidence that their faith was growing and flourishing. In other words, the fruits of their faith were evident to everyone.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
We are given measures of faith by God’s grace. When we read His Word, acknowledge His intervention, spend time seeking Him in prayer, worshipping Him with our praise, listening to His counsel … faith is deposited in our heart like a seed planted in ready soil. But … how can we make this faith grow?
Only life gives faith its chance to grow!
2 Corinthians 4 says that light afflictions and adverse circumstances of life are designed to work for us, not against us, if we will just keep our focus on God and eternity.
James, the Pastor of the first Church in Jerusalem, puts it this way:
James 1
2 ¶ Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.
3 For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
Only time will tell if you have no faith, little faith or great faith! It will be evidenced by how you approach and process the life God has given you. Put your trust in God and watch your faith grow.
We don’t pass or fail because of what we go through, but rather how we go through it. Again I encourage you, trust in the Lord and keep your focus on Him … The journey is your friend & time is on our side.
