"Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. - Matthew 14: 29 (NLT)
You know there were 11 other guys in the boat. All we ever talk about is poor Peter. How he took his eyes off of Jesus. How he sank in the midst of his own circumstances. We write books about how Peter had the courage to step out of the boat. Theologically we rightly discuss how if we can just keep our eyes on the Lord, we will avoid sinking in the middle of our storms. I recently wrote that after ten years of walking with God; I think I finally understood Peter. When you are facing a storm so vicious it threatens everything you have ever known -- it is hard to not look at the waves. I know that is not super-spiritual but guess what? None of us really are! When the salt water is slapping your cheeks and getting in your eyes it is difficult to keep that focus on God. Let's be real with each other. When the wind in your storm is so unrelenting and so fierce that it threatens to toss you from the very boat you call your life -- it is hard to keep your eyes on Jesus. The faith Christ expects from us is not impossible but it is formed and strengthened in the middle of the very storms we are talking about. It is the fact that Peter stepped out of the boat at all that strengthened who he was in Christ and paved the way for him to eventually become the preacher at Pentecost that saw 3000 saved and the new church formed. Was he perfect and super-spiritual? Of course not! He denied Christ three times in between the key verse and Pentecost. But faith is built in our failures as well as our successes. It is strengthened in the storm, even if we sink. But there were 11 other guys in the boat that day and today I want to talk about them.
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" -- Matthew 14: 24-26 (NLT)
All of the disciples were in the boat that day. They all were going through the storm and fighting the heavy waves together. What a word picture of the church today. We are all in the same boat beloved; trying to navigate what is often a very stormy world. We are all fighting the good fight together and out there in the darkest hour of the night our Savior is always walking above what frightens us to assure us that He is above everything:
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. -- Ephesians 1: 19-22 (NLT)
Did you catch that? Christ is over everything for the benefit of the church! I do not know where this writing finds you but you need to understand the power of the God you serve. That bad medical report? God walks above it! The ongoing problems with your kids or your marriage? God walks above it! Whatever the storm and no matter how high the waves -- God walks above it!
But sometimes"you gotta get out of the boat. If you look at the healings Jesus performed in His ministry He always made a reference to the person's faith. God's heart and hands are moved by our faith. In fact the Bible says it is impossible to even please God without faith! But quite often we do not want to venture outside of our boat. The boat feels safe and secure. It is tangible to us. And that is how the enemy wants us thinking. That it is unsafe outside of our boat. That it is too dangerous to show the type of faith that Peter showed that day. Because we need to realize that as soon as we dare step out in faith -- the enemy will come against us hard. The waves will reach higher than before. The wind will seem harsher than before. The water will seem colder than we thought possible. All to get us to take our eyes off of our Savior and onto our problems.
But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. -- Matthew 14: 30 (NLT)
Were there strong winds and high waves before Peter stepped out of the boat? Of course so! But the enemy made sure he saw them clearer once he was on the water. Why? Can you imagine how bad a day it would be for the devil if believers everywhere started walking on water? If believers everywhere started walking above their problems -- focused only on Jesus? If believers everywhere wanted to walk on water"
And that brings us back to the 11 other guys in the boat. Why didn't they also show the faith that Peter had? Who were they? They are the 11 people sitting next to you on Sunday. They are the 11 people you meet in your small group or your ministry. They are you and me beloved. I think there are four very different and very real reasons why these 11 people stayed in the boat that day. The same four reasons why Christians everywhere prefer the safety of the boat to the uncertainty of stepping out in faith.
The first reason is fear. One of the favorite weapons the enemy uses against the children of God. With fear the enemy whispers into our ears everything that could possibly go wrong with stepping out of the boat. Everything that could go wrong on that missions trip. Everything that could go wrong in that new ministry opportunity. Everything that could possibly go wrong with that evangelism outreach. But realize that fear is a spirit and it is not from God:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. -- 2Timothy 1: 7 (NLT)
Well, if God did not give you that spirit of fear in your life -- guess who did? The devil does not want you walking with any of God's power or love. It took self-discipline for Peter to step out of the boat that day. He may have failed at the end, but he started out as a success. But you know that some of the 11 other guys that day must have been afraid. They must have seen the situation and thought, "no way am I leaving this boat!" Just like some of us sit in the pews week after week and think, "no way am I joining the choir" or "no way am I signing up for that missions trip." Fear is quite common. But God will never call you to a place He has not equipped you for.
The second reason I think some of the 11 other guys stayed in the boat that day is distractions. They saw the waves; felt the wind and were distracted from even the possibility of venturing outside of the boat. It just naturally never occurred to them in the midst of their current situation. We can also get like this in our walk far too easily. We have our own things to deal with, don't we? We have our own career, bills to pay, kids to raise, and future to prepare for. Sure we go to church because we feel we should or maybe our wife feels we should. Or maybe we think it is good for the kids to see us in church. We may tithe right and even serve in a ministry but stepping out of the boat? Never even occurs to us in the middle of all of our regular "life" issues. We are stagnant -- never pursuing the next level God has for us. Some may feel a connection between these first two types but realize that the fearful person sees the opportunities and is afraid of them. The distracted person never even sees them because they are so preoccupied with everything else the world gets them distracted with. Jesus taught us:
