The Fear-Defier

Communion to the radium church. Our focus is making Christ is providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. or visit us online leave UBC.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop, though I usually don't use movies as illustrations, but if there's one that I'll make an exception for is my all-time favorite movie tombstone is based on an 1881 gunfight at the okay corral in tombstone, Arizona, and I love westerns. You'd be shocked to realize that I look like an Indian, but really at heart I'm a cowboy. We actually went to tombstone stood at the very grounds where that famous gunfight took place with water of his two brothers and Doc Holliday took on the cowboys and you know the rest became history. Now there is a part in the movie may remember, if you seen it or Wyatt Earp shoots his way out of a tough situation by creaky shoots as well.

The situation saves the day. The next scene is Sharman McMaster who is a good guy comes up as a Gaza cleaning the guns and all that and he says to Doc Holliday where is he an in meeting where is water and Doc Holliday replies famously down by the creek walking on water. Remember that down by the creek walking on water. What implied is this that water just pulled off a miracle that was as big as the miracle of Jesus walking on the water as much as I love the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. There's only one who could walk on water, and that is Jesus. Amen.

And that is a message today that Jesus is the great fear the fire. If you have your Bibles with you turn to the gospel of Matthew chapter 14 starting in verse 22 and let's all stand together for the reading of God's word 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 seat, tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them walking on the sea and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were trouble saying it's a ghost and they cried out for fear but immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, be of good cheer is I do not be afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water so he said, and when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus when he saw 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 OU of little faith, why did you doubt. And when they got into the boat, the wind seized than those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, truly you are the son of God that all of us have some plague, some fear that is plaguing us. Some of us are afraid of our past were afraid that our past, will catch up with us.

Others are afraid of the future. We are unsure of what may happen tomorrow or a week or a month from now. Some are fearful of some person in their lives. Other are fearful of those that don't know, strangers, people who are different.

Some are living in the fear of rejection. We don't want someone to reject the others are living by the fear of failure at the end of the life to look back and say manage and matter. I failed the list goes on and on. Every person here this morning, including me.

We have some fear or fears in our lives.

The question is not what is that fear. If you have a fear. The question is have you ever met Jesus your Jesus is the great fear to fire when you walk with him.

When you live with him you can walk on the waves you not only have peace in the midst of storm your own personal storm. But you can actually get out of the boat and walk on that fear question ask every week. Are you saved who never give your heart to Jesus Christ. Imagine that you are out in the middle of the sea with no way of making it out receive Christ today. Amen.

Let's go back to verse 22 where we began. And immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he sent the multitudes away.

The Greek word there is the word and not console, which literally means he urged them he forced them to leave. This was not just Gaza suggest that y'all go ahead and go on. He was like you need to go leave now.

No one Lord Jesus do that if you were here last weekend you heard the message about Jesus feeding the 5000, and we learned that it was not just 5000 was 5000 men plus women and children and just an estimate it would be at least 15,000 people.

That's a lot of people. And Jesus uses disciples, his 12 disciples to help him. So now imagine with me for a moment. 15,000÷12. Do the math that's about 12 51,250 people assigned to each one of them individually. Imagine if you had to do that how exhausting that would be people coming to you for needs people coming to you with complaints, it may be that Jesus told him to leave because being the ultimate leader he saw the exhaustion in the face of his disciples, but I think it was much more I believe that the main reason that Jesus did not want his disciples to stick around is that he did not want him them to become like the multitudes to become like the crowd. If you remember the crowd all the want to do was eat and eat and eat and eat and they wanted to make Jesus the King.

In fact, the Bible says they came by force trying to make him the King Jesus. I believe did not want the disciples to be infected by that way of thinking so he said you guys go get on the boat and go to Bethsaida and I was in the multitudes away not want to say something here for a moment in any church. There are disciples. And then there is the crowd. The disciples roll up their sleeves. The crowds full to bear arms.

The disciples ask, what can I do the crowd asks how long will it take the disciples offer their time and energy.

The crowds offer their doubts and their demands. The disciples bring their wallet to charge the crowd conveniently leaves their wallet at home.

Do you get the difference. So what happens next. Jesus goes up on the mountain to pray and listen to verse 24 but the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary.

Now, confession time, I've struggled with this passage for a long time now, you would too if you really paid attention to what is happening. Think about it for a moment Jesus rescued his disciples from the crowd and send them away into a storm is like this. Imagine if you're waiting to cross a a busy street cars and buses and trucks and motorcycles are just zipping by and you are standing waiting to cross and I come along as a brother cannot help you, your leg.

Well try to get to go cyber is no way I can. I just don't have this rambling but don't worry about how to help you and take you slowly, gently stopping anybody stop and everybody taking it inside when you get to goes out of turnaround and pushing the oncoming traffic would you say electric.

She left me alone row as I had something else. Listen to verse 25 now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them you were the fourth watches.

According to the Roman system that's between 3 AM and 6 AM in the morning, which means this the disciples had been struggling in the sea of Galilee for at least 8 to 9 hours.

Did Jesus not know was Jesus clueless about what was happening what was coming. Did you not care that his disciples were struggling for 8 to 9 hours in a stormy sea of course not. Jesus was and is God he is omniscient and omnipresent omnipotent.

He has all the omnis he knew what was happening. He knew where the disciples where and yet he chose to wait until three, four, 5 o'clock in the morning.

Something else that Mark tells us, by the way, this miracle has been recorded by Matthew, Mark and John Luke doesn't talk about it, but Matthew, Mark and John Mark tells us something very I want you to read with me on the screen. Mark chapter 6 verse 48. Same thing now about the fourth watch of the night just like Matthew. He says the same exact words Jesus came to them walking on the sea and would have passed them by picture with me disciples over there struggling were dying and Jesus is like strolling to pass them by wind, the world would Jesus do something so to get the answer to these questions, we have returned the geography and they all came Sunday morning Lawrence and geography.

Amen to that.

Nobody said it SI you learned anyway. Matthew, Mark, and Luke Carson run side-by-side.

Luke tells us in his gospel even though he doesn't record Jesus walking on the waves. He tells us that Jesus fed the multitudes somewhere near the city of Tibet say that now if you look at the map on the screen on the northeastern corner of the Sea of Galilee is Bethsaida. There's a reason for all this.

I don't know. Check out in your mind, but more than likely the miracle of feeding the 15,000 our estimate did not take place in the city of Bethsaida because the Bible tells us that the place was deserted so more than likely was somewhere here just my guess. And the reason it says it was Bethsaida's because that say that was the biggest town that this region could identify with. For example, many of you live 15 miles outside Henderson and yet you still have a Henderson address but then Mark says that after the miracle Jesus told his disciples to get into the boat and go to Bethsaida where Jesus was trying to do was get the disciples away from the crowd, but sale close to the shoreline and meet him back in Bethsaida to get it get away from the multitudes they have ulterior motives.

I don't want you getting caught up in all that matters get on the boat don't have to go for discussion sale close enough get Tibet say that I'll meet you there. I'm a cinema way, pray for a while but I'll meet you in the town John in his gospel tells us that the disciples got into the boat and decided to go to words Purnell using the map. Where is Capernaum. Capernaum was on the northwestern corner of the Sea of Galilee, why did they do that. Those are two different towns. Why did they go to Capernaum is a wise and important because if you don't understand that the rest of the miracle doesn't make sense not to give you my opinion but it makes sense to you. When you look at the whole context I wanted. I say to you Matthew, Mark and John record the miracle of Jesus walking on the waves Luke doesn't. But Luke tells us what happened immediately following the feeding of the 5000 or the 15,000 Luke gives us a little bit of information that Matthew, Mark and John don't give us, and that is very critical information. What is that information listen to Luke chapter 9 verse 17 so they all ate and were filled see the same miracle of feeding the 5000 or 15,012 baskets of the leftover fragments were taken about them and it happened. Verse 18 as he was alone praying that his disciples joined him. When a minute I thought Jesus sends away the disciples they got on the boat and they leave.

Then he sends the multitude away and then he goes away by himself to pray while he's praying. The disciples already on the sea. Not exactly easy.

What may have happened is this, as they are leaving walking away multitudes going in the other direction.

The crowd is leaving the other way disciples are going this way, Jesus begins to go to pray. One of them must've said you think he's okay for me to go check on him and went behind him.

They showed up in this he Jesus praying is a more make sure you were okay but sit, listen to what Jesus says to them was while you're here anyways let me ask you something. Who the crowd say that I am the listen to their answer, so they answered and said John the Baptist. Some say Elijah and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again. I mean that's what they're saying about then Jesus asks this question.

You know this one very well but who do you say that I am and at that moment Peter makes that famous confession which is Christ the son of God given mine. They haven't gotten on that boat yet to go wherever God had told him to go or to go towards Capernaum, but I want to hear what Jesus says to them, and Peter says you are Christ, the son of God, he strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one saying the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised with heard day can imagine these disciples exhausted, tired, and Jesus is saying I'm going to die. They will kill me on the third that will arise again but he doesn't stop there. This and what he says then then he said to them all.

If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroying or lost.

To top it all, listen to what Jesus says, then for whoever is ashamed of me and my words of him, the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and his father's and of the holy angels. Now the disciples start walking to the boat and the get on the boat. I believe this just my opinion. They were in stunned silence.

No one said a word to me. Would you after hearing something so radical I can just picture in my mind there's sailing down 15 minutes 20 minutes and finally one of them speaks up as a hey guys I got asked dear believe what he just said he's talking about dying and getting killed in and then rising from the grave before guys don't know what he's talking about and then that we had to get across and follow him without my wife and kids back home. I want to take up a fight with the Romans I want to be crucified at status. I somehow want to go. I don't know what he has in mind, but I don't get it at that moment, one of them must have turned to Peter and asked hey Peter, we really believe what you told him just my opinion but the moment Peter must've said I don't know what I believe is go back and do what we know how to do catch fish in a Capernaum was there business office. That's where they were fishing from that's where Jesus found them you know when Jesus said go to bed said I will meet you there for them to veer off and had to Capernaum. They were going back to their old ways. This was too much. I been pastoring for 18 years. This is been my first and only church I'm sad to say that I've seen it time and again were men and women, young and old Boys and Girls Club who begin following Jesus Christ. They see him for who he is to commit their life to him that began to follow and obey God, and he begins to take them deeper and deeper with him. And there comes a time where they proverbially draw a line in the sand that says thus far and no more in this stop following him on Jesus in my heart and all I want a little bit of faith in him.

I want to go to heaven.

But this too much of denying myself pick up picking up my cross and what happened to these guys now Jesus comes walking on the waves and now Mark says that he would have passed them by the blame him in this see him because he know is they are there is the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

He comes towards them and guess what the reaction is. That's how you know they're not spiritually where the need to be.

Many of you will begin to do some crazy dumb stuff. I know where you're not spiritually supposed to be issue decisions would Jesus do this may have encouraged English Bible says Europe is like original share of its really have courage, don't fear them. Peter did something that he was known for doing what he had buddies that had the insert open mouth insert foot disease right are impulsive. You just do things. Thank God for Peter as Jesus is walking on the way.

Jesus and he sees a man know that's Jesus is a boys now or never. Lord, if it is you, command me to come on the water. What's the big deal about walking on water.

What is the big deal about walking on the waves you see in the Old Testament that was God's calling card. We give you three references Job chapter 9 verse eight God alone spreads out the heavens and shreds on the waves of the sea. Psalm 77 verse 9 Your Way was in the see your path in the great waters is something about God walking on the waves.

Habakkuk 315 you walk through the sea with your horses through the heap of great waters and what Jesus is doing who knows everything. Who knows your thoughts. Who knows your heart. He says he tried this, don't deserve it. Let me try this and he walks on the waves Peter recognizes it.

That's a sign of God, but he is not content.

He said if you are truly who you say you are. If you are God did make me walk on the water as well. You know what he's really doing his testing Jesus said, Peter steps out begins to walk and at that moment, the old fear came back and he began to sink right.

He began to doubt he began to sink that hear something. Peter was a fisherman.

Do you think you knew how to swim before seated, but this time it was not about physical drowning.

This was about spiritual drowning, and he cries out save me Lord, save me and Jesus reached out, grabbed his hand and he said oh of little faith, and he was not talking about a little faith because Peter got distracted by the wind. It was a little faith that was in the boat. The little faith when Jesus was telling them pick up your cross and follow me. It was a little faith all along. He said I know I don't know this doesn't really say Csonka is a good idea.

Listen to what Mark says. At the close of the same miracle Mark chapter 6 verse 51 when Jesus and Peter got in the boat. The disciples were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure and marvel. Listen to verse 52 for they had not understood about the loaves because their heart was hardened. Jesus did the miracles Jesus fed the 5000 or 15,000 none of them really touched the disciples because their heart was hardened just like many of you this morning. I love you and that's why I'm sharing this with you your hearts are impenetrable. You have so close to selloff you have decided how much of God.

You want your hearts are hardened. Billy Graham can stand here and preach Jesus can stand here and preach. Paul can stand here and preach your hearts are so hardened, nothing will penetrate 3 Tragic Pl. to be to be so close to the truth and yet so far, far away. If you are a disciple God expects much more from you than from the crowd. You see the greatest need of the crowd is food the greatest need of the disciples is faith the greatest need of the crowd discontentment the greatest need of the disciples is advancement what God wants from you is faith stop living by your senses and start living by the spirit is another application confession should be followed by obedience. Peter said Christ the son of God. But somewhere on that boat. Whether things happen the way I described it or not summer on the boat. He could've said guys. He told us to go to Bethsaida were going to bed said you can claim Jesus as Lord here.

The real question is in your life and your relationships and your obedience in your giving in your giving in your giving are you obedient, do you truly believe that God is the Lord of your finances than are you tithing and was about because it is called stealing hardness of heart is the source of fear you have fear open your heart to the truth of God. Open your heart to the love of God. Open your heart to the grace of God. If your heart is hardened means your mind is made up, you will live in a spirit of fear. Whatever is inside now is going to control nothing positive side of things in this application. When were faithless. Jesus still remains faithful.

He cannot deny himself in a beautiful, that I may lose my faith. I may run away from him, but he is still faithful that he would've passed them by. And yet he stopped and rescued them and give them a second chance by the way, you know that this wasn't enough, because later on they ran again. The disciples left him and you. Jesus asked them the question one right is that do you want to go as well. And then Peter said it again. Whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life.

They were prone to wander, and here's the last one in the midst of the storm. Keep your eyes on Jesus and not on the wind and the waves. Let me ask you this morning is Jesus truly your Savior and Master.

Is he truly in charge of your life would you be like Peter when the time came, he said sink or swim.

Call me and I'm coming. Have you given your heart to Jesus. Is that what I'm waiting for some questions to be answered. Here's the thing.

There comes a place where you have to set those questions aside and by faith, believe that he is who he says he comes a place where you say now or never.

Thank you so much for joining us for this message. Jesus has called us to be disciples not just members of only by putting our faith and trust in him, we cannot only weather the storms of life. The book and walk away. More information, visit us online leasing sermons, notes, Jacob has shot phenomenon shop.com